Batman Symbolism: What 15 Most Famous Villains Really Mean

14. Black Mask - Opposing Parental Issues

Black Mask AKA Roman Sionis grew up with rich parents, just like Batman, but his upbringing was very different to the hero's Far from being loving parents like Thomas and Martha Wayne, Roman's parents were completely and utterly self-absorbed and they cared more about their social status than their son. When Roman was born, the doctor on the scene accidentally dropped him on his head, but parents were less concerned about their son's well-being and more concerned about covering up the whole incident so their high society friends wouldn't find out. As he grew up, he grew to resent them. When a rabid raccoon attacked him at the Sionis' family country estate, Roman was told not to mention the incident to anyone. Plus, in order to appear well-to-do, they became friends with Thomas and Martha Wayne and forced Roman to be friends with Bruce. They would act friendly around the Waynes, but speak ill of them behind their backs, which angered Roman. The final nail in the coffin was when he fell for a working class secretary named Circe and they disapproved of her. He killed them in a fire and, as a result, is Batman's complete opposite with regards to the parent-son relationship part of his life, as he lost his parents through no fault of his own. He also has a personal vendetta against Batman's alter-ego, Bruce Wayne - his childhood "friend". This came about after Bruce bailed him out when he took over his father's business - Janus Cosmetics - on the condition that Sionis give up control and allow Wayne to appoint his own Board of Directors, which embarrassed him. As such, he also represents a threat to the non-heroic side of Batman's personality, which makes him somewhat unique.