Also, while Bane was the man that took down Batman in the comics, the real story wasn't about Batman's downfall. Just like how Doomsday killed Superman, the real story was about the character's return. It was about proving whether Batman/Superman was still relevant.
So, with Batman down and out, he was replaced by a vengeful, darker, more modern version. Azrael took the reigns of Batman and didn't have the morals that Batman had. He wasn't a detective. He didn't kill but he didn't have the restraint that Batman had and as a result, people died. The real story was whether we wanted the old Batman back.
I wouldn't be surprised it the real villain in The Dark Knight isn't Bane at all. How cool would it be if Azrael takes down Bane but ruins the Batman legacy (of course, Batman DID kill Harvey Dent--or at least Gotham thinks he did) by being too brutal? What if it turns into a Batman vs. Batman battle to see who really is the hero that Gotham needs and deserves? The Dark Knight vs. the Darker Knight. That would be awesome.
Can't wait to see what the movie gives us!
