What Happened AFTER Bane Broke Batman’s Back in DC Comics?
If the supervillain Bane is known for one thing, it's becoming the one villain to truly break Batman. His victory took place in the Knightfall arc of DC Comics' Batman, published back in 1993. The culmination of a long-term plan on Bane's part to weaken Batman both mentally and physically, the hulking Bane takes an exhausted and beaten Batman, raises him over his head, and breaks his spine over one knee. The historic moment in Batman #497 became an instantly iconic one, as Batman was tossed from a roof, and forced to recover from his most painful defeat.
But what happened... after Bane managed to break the Bat? How did Batman recover? Did anyone step in to fill in as protector of Gotham? Did something break internally for Batman beyond his spine? Here's the part of the story most fans don't know.
Obviously, the first step is for Bruce Wayne to go into therapy in an attempt to heal his extensive spinal injuries. He enters the care of one Dr. Shondra Kinsolving, who has some mild healing abilities which aids in his recovery. While he heals, Bruce asks Jean-Paul Valley for help. Jean-Paul, otherwise known as Azrael, was a young vigilante at the time, possessing a dark past Batman and his sidekick Robin AKA Dick Grayson had been helping him overcome. So when Bruce asks him to take on the mantle of the Bat in his absence, Jean-Paul agrees. And the substitution seems to work well... for a short time.
After fighting Scarecrow, Jean-Paul's past conditioning (tied to the large and mysterious 'Order of St. Dumas') resurfaces. Jean-Paul becomes more aggressive, beating criminals to near death. He isolates himself from Robin, altering his costume and tools to be even more lethal. Jean-Paul's new levels of violence and aggression as Batman destroy much of the trust Bruce Wayne had built with Commissioner Gordon, the police, and the public in general. Even after Bruce ultimately returned when the story was finished, it took years to rebuild those bridges.
After Bruce retrains himself back into fighting form with help from Lady Shiva, he confronts Azrael. Bruce manages to disarm and neutralize Jean-Paul, yet doesn't turn him over to the police. Also, he doesn't immediately return to the mantle of the Batman. Instead, he asks former Robin Dick Grayson, now Nightwing to step in as Batman until such a time as when Bruce might be able to recollect himself, and be a better Batman than he was before. This starts Dick's first tenure as Batman in the Prodigal storyline.
All in all, Batman's physical and mental breaking at the hands of Bane is a strong and bold move story-wise, creating a type of 'reset' for Bruce Wayne. Suffering from exhaustion and stubborn self-reliance, having his spine broken and being unable to protect the city forces Bruce to stop. He's forced to re-examine his priorities and the people he has in his corner who can support him. Going beyond the recovery of his spine, his perspectives shift into a healthier territory as well. He's able to trust more in those he's trained, like Robin and Jean-Paul.
Sure, Jean-Paul was a misstep but it guides Bruce into choosing the right person afterwards: Nightwing. When Bruce finally does return as Batman, it's as a new and improved Batman, and it's all thanks to Bane in Batman #497.