One of Batman’s greatest treasures is, like many heroes, his secret identity. However, for the villains, this is not always relevant; if it is revealed, it could lead to even more problems for them.
What happens if someone discovers Batman’s identity? In most stories, whether comics, movies, or series, hardly anyone knows that Batman is actually Bruce Wayne. However, in Batman No. 150 from September 2024, a regular criminal finds out.
He wants to make a big score, but a supervillain does not want to know this at all and has a good reason for it.
Two-Face does not want to publish it
What is the reason? In the comic, the criminal Teddy Critchley breaks into Bruce Wayne’s place. There, he accidentally discovers that Wayne is actually Batman. Subsequently, he plans to sell this information to supervillains. His first customer
is Two-Face.
However, it turns out that Two-Face already knows who Batman is. He does not want to publish the information. On the one hand, he admires the duality of the two sides as someone who also struggles with it. On the other hand, he does not want Batman to have to choose a side.
He further elaborates and explains: A pure Bats would destroy us all
(via Screen Rant). According to Two-Face, he would then become a ruthless monster. It is good for both sides if his identity remains a secret.
The Joker is also not interested in discovering who Batman is. In several stories, the Joker has already shown that he does not care who Batman is. In the game Arkham City
, the Joker has the chance to take off his mask, but he chooses not to because then the fun would be lost.
In the comedy series Harley Quinn
, the Joker captures Batman together with Scarecrow, and Scarecrow takes off his mask. The Joker then gets upset and confronts Scarecrow. He says: Half the fun is the mystery. Now I know that Batman is just a rich asshole with parental issues
(via YouTube). Even though this is meant more as a joke, it shows well the relationship between the Joker and Batman.
Batman may not have superpowers, but he has a plan for most villains to defeat them. However, he also makes precautions for his friends that are not so friendly: Batman is more brutal than most villains when it comes to defeating his own friends
