Deleted Bane Scenes Hint at 'Dark Knight' Villain's Past

Bane shows off the latest in face mask fashions.

One thing lacking from "The Dark Knight Rises" is back story on Bane. Oh, it's hinted at somewhat in the prison scene flashbacks - if you haven't seen the movie yet, stop reading right here because there are SPOILERS ahead - but we are left mostly to guess at the villain's motivation and past.

Fortunately, we have GQ to fill in some of the blanks. Yes, the men's fashion magazine. It recently posted an interview with "Dark Knight" costume designer Lindy Hemming, who startled the interviewer with a simple personal revelation.

Lindy Hemming: There were two things about his (Bane's) clothes. The first thing is that they should be pretty undefined in date and where they came from, other than perhaps north of Asia. The other thing is that during the sequence when...do you know I haven't seen the film finished?

GQ: What!? You haven't seen the movie yet?

Lindy Hemming: It's not out in England yet, but the other thing that you should have seen during that sequence is him being injured in his youth. So one of the fundamental things about his costume is that he has this scar from the back injury. Even if he hasn't got the bulletproof vest on, he still has to wear the waist belt and the braces. In that scene in the prison, where he's learning to fight the same way Batman learned to fight, he's wearing an early version of his waist belt. It's showing support, but it's not the finished one he eventually wears. He's also wearing an early version of his gas mask, all glued together.



GQ: I remember one scene where we see his face covered in bandages, is this what you're referring to?

Lindy Hemming: Well, if you look at the film, unless they've cut it—and I'm sure they haven't—there's a whole early section for Tom Hardy where he's fighting and being taunted by people. He's got chains on him, and he's standing on a wooden thing while people are attacking him. And in that scene, he's wearing a much more ragged, primitive version of the mask.

GQ: I think that Bane scene must've been cut...

Lindy Hemming: Well that's an awful shame, but I suppose you have to cut things. I won't elaborate on it too much, because it isn't in the film, but there was another section that showed you why he had the mask and where it came from.