Batman (The Dark Knight Returns)

## Summary

*The Dark Knight Returns* features Batman in a dystopian version of Gotham City in 1986. Bruce Wayne, at 55, has given up the mantle of Batman after the death of Jason Todd 10 years prior. As a result, crime is running rampant through the city and a gang calling themselves "The Mutants" has risen to terrorize the people of Gotham. Upon seeing this, and feeling the boredom of retired life, Wayne returns to his role as a vigilante. On his first night as Batman he puts a stop to multiple assaults – including one on two young girls, Carrie Kelley and her friend Michelle. While attempting to foil an armed robbery on the same night, Batman learns that the men involved are working for Harvey Dent. Dent, previously known for his criminal acts as Two-Face, underwent extensive therapy and plastic surgery financed by Wayne to reemerge into society. Batman informs Commissioner James Gordon that Dent may be planning a larger scheme. Soon after, Dent hijacks the television sets of the city and announces his intention to hold the city to ransom with a bomb. When Batman defeats Dent and his goons, he realizes that Dent's mind has completely warped into his Two-Face persona.

## Powers and Stats

Tiering System**:** **8-C**

**Name:** Bruce Wayne (public name), Batman (superhero alias)

**Origin:** DC Comics

**Gender:** Male

**Age:** 55 (As said in the comic)

**Classification:** Human, Founding Member of the Justice League

**Powers and Abilities:** Superhuman Physical Characteristics, Genius Intelligence, Master of Martial Arts, Master Detective, Stealth Mastery, Weapon Mastery, Hacking, Electricity Manipulation with Batsuit and Batarangs, Status Effect Inducement with tranquilizer darts, flashbangs, cape and tazer gun, Ice Manipulation with freeze ray and liquid nitrogen capsule, Explosion Manipulation with batarangs and batmobile, Resistance to sleep induction, Intimidation, Master Interrogator, Strong Willpower, Expert Leader, Expert Social Intuit, Expert Criminologist, Vehicular Mastery, Expert Businessman, Expert Networker

Attack Potency**:** **Building level** (Weaker than his past self due to being older)

Speed**:** **Hypersonic** (Slower than his past self)

Lifting Strength**:** **Peak Human**

Striking Strength**:** **Bulding Class**

Durability**:** **Building level**

Stamina**:** High (Can fight in old age)

Range**:** Standard melee range. Higher with his various devices

**Standard Equipment:** Body armor, batarangs, smoke bombs, flashbangs, gas bombs, radio uplink, batmobile (often armed with missiles and such, sometimes lasers), grappling hook gun, radio trackers, utility belt which contains various gadgets, weapons, devices, and materials

Intelligence**:** Extraordinary Genius. The officially second most intelligent person on the planet after Lex Luthor. Proven to know at least 127 different martial arts styles

**Weaknesses:** Normal human weaknesses but has survived situations which would kill an average human, refuses to kill

**Notable Attacks/Techniques:**

* **Batkick:** A term for a flying kick which has achieved meme status (akin to the Falcon Punch) for its ability to hurt people it really should not be able to.
* **Batarangs:** Boomerangs shaped like his symbol, he can use these to knock guns out of enemies' hands and KO them. There are also varieties, such as exploding batarangs, tracking batarangs, electrocuting batarangs, freezing batarangs, etc.
* **Stealth:** He has the skill that lets him seem to simply disappear if someone looks away from him for just a split second. It even impresses Superman. Good for sneaking up on people, too.