Batman’s Most Powerful Villain Gets Major Upgrade

[Spoiler alert for Batman #145.] Batman 2.0 has received an upgrade. Chip Zdarsky’s run on the Dark Knight introduced Failsafe: a contingency plan for Batman. The robotic caped crusader was created by the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh, a backup version of Batman stripped free of Bruce Wayne to protect against psychological attacks. Once thought reprogrammed, the Bat-bot returned for his final upgrade in Batman #141, when Zur-En-Arrh uploaded his consciousness into the android. Commanded by Zur-En-Arrh, Failsafe told Bruce he was Batman’s replacement: A better, forever Batman not confined to the limits of the human body.

Failsafe beat Batman and locked him in his underground prison with the Joker, who revealed secrets of his origin: Batman’s mentor, psychologist Dr. Daniel Captio — and his fragmented self, Kahr Em Zed — taught and trained the Joker to eradicate fear and control his emotions, splintering Joker’s mind into three backups.

This week’s Batman #145 saw Zur-En-Arrh/Failsafe become the ultimate Batman, an indefatigable crime fighter with an upgraded body. Failsafe first tried to convince Jason Todd, the Red Hood, that Bruce beat the robot and uploaded his consciousness into its shell as a substitute for his battered and broken human body, but Jason saw through the impostor. Meanwhile, Bruce broke out of Zur’s prison beneath Blackgate, but was subdued by Failsafe’s robot guards it once used to secure Gotham. 

Failsafe resumed his reign as Gotham’s Darker Knight, enforcing his harsh brand of justice to strike terror into the hearts of criminals as an avenger of evil.

“Our city has been through many upheavals over the years. Terror stalks these streets, hunting good, honest people. I’ve spent years fighting against this darkness, against evil. But that evil keeps taking hold of our city. And I’m here today to tell you… evil’s days are numbered in Gotham. Tell everyone, let the word seep through the cracks of our city: Batman is back,” Failsafe Batman told Gotham over every screen, television, computer, and cell phone in the city. “And crime is finished. If you think you’re above others, above the law… I will rain down pain on you. For all honest citizens of Gotham, you have nothing to fear. I’m your protector. Gotham’s protector.”

Failsafe Batman then arrested the Riddler and took Bruce’s son, Damian, to Blackgate. Elsewhere, the Bat-Family — Jason, Oracle, Robin, and Nightwing — questioned whether this upgraded Batman was really Bruce, who went missing weeks earlier. At Blackgate, Daniel revealed to a recaptured Bruce that he had become the warden of the prison… and that he helped create the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh. 

Batman #145 is on sale now from DC Comics.