Why Does Bane Wear a Mask?

Bane, one of the most iconic villains in DC universe, has appeared twice within the Batman movie series that have taken place over the years, the first time was in Batman & Robin and truly wasn’t the best representation of this character. When he was bought back to the screen in The Dark Knight Rises, Bane was expertly portrayed by Tom Hardy and set the bar for future appearances of the character in the DCEU.

One of the most notable attributes for Bane is his mask. The mask has a unique appearance with tubes and quite a hefty headpiece, fans may be wondering why the character is always seen donning the mask.

Why does Bane wear a mask?

Bane’s mask is essential for his survival, as it pumps him full of pain-killing gas that reduces the constant pain from previous injuries.

The injuries come from the time Bane spent within the Pit. They came from a vicious attack that can be seen in the Dark Knight Rises film. After the attack, Bane was left in constant pain, which led to him acquiring his now-iconic mask which is equipped with an anesthetic that allows him to function more normally.

Having this pain relief does help Bane out in combat as he’s able to take shots from individuals who are much larger and more powerful.

In the comics, the mask doesn’t have such a tragic backstory instead. In his earlier iterations, the mask is simply linked to a device on his forearm that feeds him the superhuman drug Venom.

Through his comic book run and time on screen, the appearance of the mask has changed. But one constant has been the same: tubes feeding some kind of chemical into Bane, granting him some kind of bonus in combat.