9. A Girl Beats Bane For Him
In Rises, Nolan builds a mythology for Bane that is simultaneously legend building and cathartic after the abusive interpretation of Joel Schumacher. The hulking monster is the perfect match for Batman: he is tactical, imposing and intellectual, and he can best the bat on all fronts. And then the plot twists, Talia reveals herself, and Bane is pushed out of the spotlight. He becomes a love-sick puppy, as uninteresting and weak as he was irresistible and charismatic earlier, and the reason for that quickly becomes clear. Batman needs his moment of revitalisation, his shot at personal redemption, and in order for that to really work, there needs to be a compromise in Bane's powers. So we see the chink in the armour, and Batman has his opportunity to show that he's still the man. And then Catwoman rides in, blows Bane up, and robs Bane of his opportunity to beat another of his demons (Joe Chill is killed by someone else, Two Face by gravity, The Joker by circumstance.)