After it was announced that Bane would be a villain in The Dark Knight Rises, I’m sure all the comic book lovers instantly thought of the Knightfall story arc. For those less familiar, Bane breaks out all the inmates are Arkham Asylum and lets them tear apart Gotham, while weakening Batman. After months of this brutality, Bane breaks into Wayne Manor and the Batcave and begins a brutal assault, on an already exhausted hero. Then in one of the most iconic images, Bane then proceeds to ‘Break the Bat’ over his knees, leaving him paralyzed. Now there are indeed pictures that show Bane in the Batcave, and I believe this is where he throws Batman’s broken cowl down and walks away. Only walking away of course as Batman lies bruised and bleeding. Is this where he breaks the bat, or does he merely beat him to an inch of his life? Nolan is known for using a comic book influences but always adapts the ideas to fit his own version of Gotham, and I’d find it hard to believe he’d stick to one source. In The Dark Knight alone, his inspirations were the Joker’s comic book debut in 1940, and the 1996 series the Long Halloween and the film was extremely different while it still payed homage. 
While I dont’ believe that Batman will die, Bruce Wayne sadly will in my eyes. I still find the thought almost impossible to grasp , but it was a single quote that Nolan used twice throughout The Dark Knight at pivotal points. It was first said by Harvey Dent at dinner with Rachel, Bruce and his ballerina date while discussing the vigilante Batman. That line is repeated in the last few minutes of the movie by Batman, “You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain”. It is significantly important its one of his last lines because Nolan told fans to go back and re watch the ending, saying there would be hints as to which directions The Dark Knight Rises will take. We all ultimately saw which path Dent went down, and I find it hard to imagine we’ll see Bruce follow a similar fate. Batman also told Catwoman in the latest trailer that he hadn’t give them everything. Was he referring to his own life? The onet hing I do know for sure is that Nolan never says anything without purpose, and I can’t see that quote be meaningless.
The other question that lingers, what happens to the Batman legacy? Will someone replace him or will he live on as a legend? I’m really hoping that John Blake will don the suit next, although we still know practically nothing about him. There have been pictures of him on set talking with Bruce, and there’s also one where they’re up front in a car together talking. There was also a very short video released last summer that shows the Batmobile passing John Blake carrying a gas can, and then John looks back after it has passed. Is Blake doing a favor for Batman? Or is he one of Bane’s colleagues, about to start some chaos? I believe he’s gonna be the new hero, we’ve already seen him talking to children and protecting them as bridges are blowing up left and right. Another huge reason is for the mere fact Gotham has had the worst track record when it comes to clean cops. It was Gotham’s own police that helped in the death of Rachel Dawes and turning Harvey Dent into Two-Face, leaving Gordon and Batman extremely picky in who’d they confide in. John Blake is gonna be the guy, I mean Gotham has to have one other good cop besides Gordon! With my theories set aside, we already know Warner Bros. is planning another Batman film after this, so I’m sure they’ll deliver us a new Batman. We already know Christian Bale is out, which also supports my theory that they’re gonna kill him off! The question then becomes will Joseph Gordon-Levitt or some other A list star fill Bale’s big shoes? We’ll have to wait until July 20th to find out, but time cant’ fly by quickly enough for me.
What do you guys think? Am I way off the marker or right on target? Shout out!
-Joey
