One of the most shocking events in recent Batman history has to be the latest story, City of Bane. Bruce Wayne’s life has been on a downward spiral for a while now. Since the shocking cancellation of his wedding after Selina Kyle sacrificed her love for him so that the world would always have Batman, he has faced many challenges.
Unbeknownst to either of them, this was orchestrated by Bane, who had gathered a powerful cabal to manipulate events and bring Bruce Wayne to his lowest point, before taking complete control of Gotham. Here are the members of Bane’s cabal.
10 Ventriloquist
Probably the least powerful but most important members of Bane’s cabal has to be Arnold Wesker, aka Ventriloquist. Earlier in Batman’s Rebirth story, Arnold had been chosen by Bruce to help in capturing Psycho-Pirate, who was under the control of Bane on Bane’s island. Due to Arnold’s lack of emotion and compliance, he was able to subdue Psycho Pirate without succumbing to his power.
However his alliance with Bruce was a farce, as he joined Bane after all. After becoming the head of the Coney Island mafia in Harley Quinn’s comics, he now works alongside Bane in Gotham City.
9 Holly Robinson
One of the more surprising members of Bane’s cabal is Holly Robinson. Growing up in horrible conditions as a child, Holly was taken in and trained in martial arts combat by Selina Kyle, and the two grew close quickly. In the Rebirth era, Selina took the fall for Holly after Holly ended the lives of hundreds of terrorists who had bombed her former orphanage.
After getting to the truth and later agreeing to take full responsibility so that Selina could be free, she manipulated Selina into ending the wedding and leaving Bruce, which was part of Bane’s plans all along.
8 Hugo Strange
One of the more sinister members of Bane’s cabal has to be Hugo Strange. The mad doctor and obsessive villain determined to learn Batman’s identity, his Rebirth story took place in multiple stories of Batman comics. Not only did he create an outbreak of Monster Men made of bodies to terrorize Gotham and prove his superiority, but he was also involved in the plot using Gotham and Gotham Girl for experimentation.
After being defeated multiple times, it was revealed he had joined Bane’s cabal and helped take control of Gotham, becoming the new “Police Commissioner” of a villain run GCPD.
7 Riddler
One major villain who joined Bane that had one of the strongest Rebirth era stories was The Riddler. Edward Nygma (or Nigma), was part of one of Batman’s greatest Rebirth era storylines, The War of Jokes and Riddles. After orchestrating a meeting between himself and the Joker to try and work together, the Joker betrays him and a war begins between them.
Later revealed to be a massive ploy to get the Joker to “laugh again”, Batman nearly loses control, almost ending Edward’s life until the Joker stops him. He has since joined Bane, becoming a GCPD Detective alongside Joker.
6 Joker
Probably Batman’s most famous villain and his true arch-nemesis, The Joker is one of the more shocking members of Bane’s cabal. The Joker had multiple plots in the plan for Bane to ruin Bruce Wayne. Not only did he participate in the War of Jokes and Riddles, which tested Batman’s resolve greatly, but he also had a hand in Selina leaving Bruce.
He orchestrated a battle between himself and the heroes, and both Joker and Selina wound each other deeply. As the two lay dying, he convinced her that a happy Batman won’t be the same Batman Gotham needs.
5 Skeets
One of the biggest mysteries of all has to be how Skeets fits into City of Bane. For those unfamiliar with the character, Skeets is Booster Gold’s AI robot companion with a vast knowledge of history and the timeline and the attempted voice of reason for Booster in the field.
It is revealed that Bane had The Riddler capture and reprogram Skeets, using the robot to trick Booster Gold into showing Batman a world without Bruce Wayne as Batman and sowing the seeds of doubt about Batman marrying Selina at all. The question remains will Skeets return to Booster Gold?
4 Killer Croc
One of the least featured but most powerful villains to join Bane has to be Killer Croc. Waylon Jones was born with a reptilian-like genetic feature and was forced to become part of his abusive mother’s criminal activities, eventually becoming a thief and a killer himself.
Since his villainous start, Killer Croc has become a major force to be reckoned with, changing back and forth between a villain and an anti-hero for the Suicide Squad, with Harley Quinn becoming one of his few allies. He has been shown in City of Bane exacting his own form of “justice”.
3 Flashpoint Batman
The most shocking and personally heartbreaking member of Bane’s cabal has to be Thomas Wayne, the Flashpoint Batman. Early in the Rebirth era, The Flash and Batman were looking for answers after an attack by Eobard Thawne, and they landed in the Flashpoint universe, which still existed in its own pocket universe.
Somehow Thomas Wayne lived through Flashpoint and somehow found his way into the main DC Universe continuity. Fearing the only way to stop his son from living life as Batman was to break him, he joined Bane and replaced his son as Batman, using much more violent measures.
2 Psycho-Pirate
It was later revealed that Thomas Wayne wasn’t brought to the main DC Universe by accident. He was resurrected on this universe by Psycho Pirate. The villain has a major part of the City of Bane storyline. Early in Rebirth, he was taken back and forth between Bane and Batman.
Batman used him to try and heal Gotham Girl’s mind after the loss of her brother and experiments done on her. He seemingly succeeded, but secretly he has been working with Bane, Hugo Strange and Gotham Girl in secret, manipulating events and Batman, including the resurrection of the Flashpoint Batman.
1 Gotham Girl
While Bane is arguably one of the most powerful villains in Batman’s Rogues Gallery, the story is about Bane but this article is focusing on his cabal. Therefore the most powerful member of all his allies has to be Gotham Girl. Introduced in one of the early Rebirth era storylines, she and her brother were heroes with superpowers to rival Superman.
After their failed heroic career ended with her brother’s passing, she underwent treatment by Psycho-Pirate to heal. However, it was all a ploy. Despite the powers she uses slowly killing her, she’s become Bane’s most powerful secret weapon.