The Road to the Dark Knight Rises

Begin, fall, rise!

Yes, I know the film isn't out yet,  but with all my comic book wisdom I'll make my predictions on the highly anticipated blockbuster of the year The Dark Knight Rises. I never told you guys Batman is my favorite comic book character of all times, as I never told you I freaking love the Christopher Nolan take on this legendary character, so today we'll play the foretelling game and after the  movie is out we'll correct our predictions if necesary.

Comic Book Facts.

All the non Batman connoiusseurs are for sure thinking The Dark Knight (2008) was the best movie out of  Nolan's trilogy just because they know the Joker is perhaps the most popular enemy Batman has, however that doesn't mean a shit in Batman's actual comic book universe, let's go straight to facts.

Knightfall's climax.

Christopher Nolan based is third Batsy instalment on the "Knightfall" comic book, released in 1993 and continued on the "Knightquest" & "Knightsend" sagas. The story takes place over approximately six months. Bruce Wayne (Batman) suffers burnout and is systematically assaulted and crippled by a "super steroid"-enhanced genius named Bane. Wayne is replaced as Batman by an apprentice named Jean-Paul Valley, who becomes increasingly violent and unstable, tarnishing Batman's reputation. Eventually, Wayne is healed through paranormal means (the Lazarus pit owned by Ra's Al Ghul) , and reclaims his role as Batman.

"Knightfall" resulted in long-term ramifications for the Batman mythos, as Batman's trust from the police, public, and fellow superheroes had to be rebuilt. Additionally, Wayne realizes the peril and burden of attempting to work in solitude, leading to the eventual creation of the modern incarnation of the Batman family. The events of Knightfall also led to the resignation of Wayne's loyal butler, Alfred Pennyworth.

Bane V/S Batman.

The entire "Knightfall" storyline took over a year to complete in the comic book serials, and in later years, the comics were compressed into a series of trade paperbacks, although these paperbacks did not include the "Knightquest" portion of the story until they were republished in 2012.The stores were all written by Dennis O'neil, Chuck Nixon, Doug Moench and Alan Grant. 

Catwoman often teams up with Batman in the comic books, and has an affair with Batman. Will she become the woman of Nolan's Bruce Wayne?

Miranda Tate could be the secret identity of Thalia Al Ghul, daughter of legendary master of the league of shadows Mr. Ra's Al Ghul (thought to be dead since Batman Begins) In the comic book she kinds of wants to get married with Bruce Wayne because he's the Batman and a richman too. The original storyline tells us Talia Al Ghul is used as a bate by Ra's Al Ghul who wants to see her daughter married with a man capable of rescuing her and eventually defeating him. Will we see something like that?

Miranda Tate gets naked to destroy Bruce Wayne.

At the beginning of the Knightfall saga, Bane breaks into Arkham Asylum releasing the most dangerous criminals, so that Batman, completely exhausted, becomes an easy target, you know, "easy peasy, lemon squeezy" It is important to point out that Bane does not actually lead all the criminals into destroying Batman. He prefers to let them do their thing and once they're all done, he enters the game. Considering the trailers we've been, that is going to be different, he will have the lead, and that is quite obvious since there will be no extra famous rogues from Batman's neverending gallery of rogues, so Bane will have no one to face for the battle of the egos.

Catwoman.

Christopher Nolan's Batman Facts  

Ra's Al Ghul is thought to be dead since the events in Batman Begins (2005) but, in the scene where he knows he can't escape the runaway train, he sits in a sort of meditation position, will that mean he used an unknown means of escape/rescue? Now, We kind of know for sure that we'll see him in the film either as flashbacks or new interventions. Perhaps Bruce Wayne will remember him telling him about the Lazarus Pit, perhaps.

Batman is seeing blaming himself for the death of Harvey Dent and that leads Gotham city forces, lead by comissioner Gordon to start a desperate hunt for Batman, and it is now known that the events of the Dark Knight Rises take place 8 years after he finishes the Joker & Two Face. As Bruce Wayne knows nobody has a clue about him being Batman, I think he just quits the hero game and goes on with the regular rich man's life, meaning he's not well trained as he used to be, so Bane can kick his ass good with ease. 

Why do we fall master Wayne?

Nolan's Batman fortunately works alone, there are no Robins and there will be no Robins in the forthcoming film (unless that is one of the secrets of the films of course) but there is speculation about the John Blake character. Some say John Blake either is going to replace Bruce Wayne as Batman, or he's not actually called John Blake and could be Richard Grayson or Jean Paul Valley. I'd like to think he'll be just a good cop and that Bruce Wayne will be the one and only Batman we'll see in the film. Besides the toyline has already been released and there are no other Batman figures rather than Bruce Wayne Batman. 

Miranda Tate could actually be Thalia Al Ghul, and if that's the case she will probably seek revenge after Batman killed his daddy. It is possible that she will turn Wayne enterprises into dust, while maybe Bane, would give her a hand with Batman.

Rise!

Lucious Fox will help Bruce Wayne returning to his dark knight role, as he's seen in the trailers displaying new amazing bat gadgets. Some say he will be killed in the film, I don't know.

Comissioner Gordon will find out Bruce is actually Batman and will ask him to become Batman once more. 

 

Alfred Pennyworth will not bury any more Wayne family members, as utters in a trailer, in fact I think he will be the most relevant character helping Bruce Wayne recover from battle wounds to eventually "rise" as Batman and become the hero Gotham city deserves. Besides, Alfred's Batman Begins line "Why do we fall, sir? So that we can learn to pick ourselves up." makes plenty of sense and let's remember that Alfred is quoting Thomas Wayne's original saying when he tells it to Bruce.

Check my cool Bat iPad.

You know Bruce, I'm an expensive escort.

Shit, not jail again.

The reasons behind why Catwoman will team up with Batman remain unknown to me, but the team up is going to happen as we've seen it in the trailers.

It is said Bruce Wayne will spent the entire first hour of the film on a wheelchair. If Nolan wants to stay true to the Knightfall comic book, that might actually happen, although I don't think we'll see Jean Paul Valley's Batman.

Considering Batman is a legendary character, Nolan will probably not mess with Batman's reputation, meaning Batman won't die like many think, how can you kill Batman if he hasn't even been killed in the original comic books? Also, if that was the case, if Batman had to die I believe audiences will leave theaters in terrible pain & dissapointment. What Nolan's Batman lacks is peace, he needs to be accepted as a hero, he needs to be fully trusted by the people of Gotham city, he needs to become the clichéd hero stereotype, cause afther The Dark Knight he was more like an underground vigilante that became the very menace he swore to destroy.

Yes, I'm Batman's real worst nightmare.

what else is cooking? oh, yeah the reasons why Selina Kyle becomes Catwoman. If she's a true to the comic book character, she will have to be some kind of environmental activist looking forward to destroy those who poison mother nature and kill our animals. If not, she might just be some kind of Robin Hood thief or who knows if she was inspired by Batman to become a vigilante herself?

Bane origins will also have to be true to the comic book, so we'll see him transform into a super criminal thanks to the special syrup he's constantly absorbing through his veins. Now the question is where does the syrup comes from? was it made by some member of the league of shadows? is it some sort of poison tested on animals with awful results? (yes, the Catwoman origin story could be connected to this)

Will Ann Hathaway be this nude Catwoman?

Arkham Asylum, now more popular thanks to the amazing videogame saga, will also be seen just like it was in the Knightfall comic book. Bane will release every single criminal from the Asylum to get Batman's attention and to eventually weaken him and break him good.

Ok, enough predictions for today, I'm friggin' willing to go to the thaters, just like I know all of you are. go Batman go!!!

Here's the movie trailer:

And an exclusive 13 minute behind the scenes featurette to keep your bat cravings level down: