10 of the Darkest Versions of Batman in the DC Multiverse
The multiverse of DC Comics offers endless possibilities, including versions of beloved heroes who have veered far from their original paths. Batman has some of the most shocking and terrifying alternate realities among these. Whether it’s succumbing to grief, wielding forbidden powers, or embracing pure violence, these Batmen represent the darkest what-ifs in the DC universe. Here are ten of the most evil versions of Batman, each taking the character’s inner struggles to dangerous extremes.
1. The Batman Who Laughs
The Batman Who Laughs stands as the most notorious and evil version of Batman in the multiverse. Hailing from Earth -22, this Batman’s descent into madness begins when he finally eliminates the Joker. However, the Joker had one final, horrific trick: a toxin embedded in his heart is released upon his death, infecting Batman and merging his mind with the Joker’s psychosis. The result is a villain who retains Batman’s genius, combat skills, and strategic thinking but is also driven by Joker’s anarchic, sadistic worldview.
In this universe, the Batman Who Laughs goes on to slaughter his allies, including the Bat-Family and the entire Justice League, before conquering his world. He then turns his attention to the rest of the multiverse, leading an army of Dark Multiverse Batman to spread chaos. The most chilling aspect of the Batman Who Laughs is that he plans and schemes like Batman but with no moral restraint. His combination of meticulous intelligence and Joker’s madness makes him almost unstoppable. He is a master manipulator, capable of corrupting the purest heroes by exposing their fears and darkest desires. His spiked visor prevents him from seeing the world traditionally but allows him to see the “darkest emotions” in people, further twisting their minds to his advantage.
His ambition is simple yet terrifying: to plunge the multiverse into eternal darkness and chaos. If you want to explore more about his villainous rise, Dark Nights: Metal and The Batman Who Laughs mini-series are essential reading.
2. The Dawnbreaker
The Dawnbreaker is an alternate Batman who gains the power of a Green Lantern ring after his parents are murdered. In this reality, Bruce Wayne is chosen by the ring due to his immense willpower. However, unlike the traditional Green Lanterns who are chosen for their ability to overcome fear, Bruce’s grief and rage corrupt the ring. Instead of protecting life, he uses the ring to remove criminals and anyone who stands in his way.
His willpower is so intense that it overrides the ring’s safeguards, allowing him to manipulate its power in unnatural ways, bending the green light into something dark and sinister. The Dawnbreaker’s ability to conjure constructs of shadow and terror makes him one of the most frightening and unstoppable Green Lanterns. He erases all light around him, plunging his world into darkness, and destroys anyone who opposes him, including the Green Lantern Corps. The Dawnbreaker represents a Batman who is no longer restrained by the code of morals or the limits of human strength, instead wielding cosmic power with no concern for justice or mercy.
To explore his full story, dive into the Dark Nights: Metal series, where he serves as one of the central Dark Knights.
3. The Drowned
Bryce Wayne, the female version of Batman from Earth-11, becomes the Drowned after her lover, Sylvester Kyle, is murdered by metahumans. In her rage and sorrow, Bryce declares war on all metahumans, believing them to be responsible for the corruption and violence that plagues her world. She executes her revenge by eliminating Aquawoman, the queen of Atlantis, which sparks a war with the underwater kingdom.
Rather than surrender, Bryce transforms herself, modifying her biology with Atlantean DNA, giving her the ability to breathe underwater and control the seas. She becomes the Drowned, a water-breathing terror who commands an army of dark, mutated creatures from the depths. Her relentless pursuit of revenge causes her to lose sight of her original goals, becoming a monster obsessed with control and destruction. As the Drowned, Bryce’s tragic story highlights how even the most well-intentioned heroes can become villains when consumed by grief and hatred.
Her tale is part of the Dark Nights: Metal storyline, where she stands alongside the other Dark Knights in their mission to spread darkness throughout the multiverse.
4. The Grim Knight
The Grim Knight, sometimes referred to as the “Militarized Batman,” is one of the most dangerous versions of the Dark Knight. He comes from a world where, after witnessing his parents’ murder, Bruce Wayne picks up the criminal’s gun retaliates on the spot. This early act of violence sets Bruce on a much darker path. Instead of rejecting firearms and lethal force, he embraces them, turning himself into a one-man army bent on eradicating crime through violence.
Unlike the traditional Batman, the Grim Knight doesn’t shy away from using any means necessary to enforce justice. He stockpiles an arsenal of advanced weaponry, using drones, guns, and explosives to maintain control over Gotham City. In his world, Gotham is essentially a militarized state under his rule, where he operates without any limits. He’s not just feared by criminals but by everyone in the city, as he rules through fear and intimidation.
The Grim Knight’s story delves into what happens when Batman’s sense of justice is combined with lethal efficiency, turning him into a militarized enforcer of the law rather than a hero. His role as the enforcer for the Batman Who Laughs can be explored in The Batman Who Laughs mini-series.
5. The Devastator
The Devastator is a version of Batman who infects himself with the Doomsday virus to defeat an evil Superman. In this universe, Superman becomes a tyrant, forcing Bruce to resort to drastic measures. Knowing he cannot defeat Superman as a regular human, Bruce injects himself with the Doomsday virus, a genetic modification that transforms him into a creature with powers similar to Doomsday—Superman’s most deadly foe.
The transformation gives Batman immense strength, invulnerability, and the ability to generate destructive energy blasts, but it also comes at a cost. He loses his humanity, becoming more like the monstrous Doomsday in both body and mind. As the Devastator, Bruce Wayne’s only mission is to destroy Superman and anyone who supports him. He rampages across the world, blinded by rage and distrust of all metahumans. The Devastator represents Batman pushed to his breaking point, sacrificing everything he is—including his soul—to win a battle he can no longer fight as a man.
The Devastator’s destructive path is chronicled in Dark Nights: Metal and Superman/Batman: The Devastator.
6. Vampire Batman
In the *Batman & Dracula: Red Rain* series, Batman’s war against crime takes an unexpected turn when he battles Count Dracula in Gotham City. During their battle, Batman is transformed into a vampire, gaining superhuman strength, speed, and a thirst for blood. Although Bruce initially tries to use his new abilities to continue his crusade against crime, he soon finds himself consumed by his vampiric nature.
Vampire Batman’s struggle is one of internal conflict—while he retains his desire to protect Gotham, his need for blood leads him down a darker path. He begins feeding on criminals, turning them into his prey rather than protecting the innocent. As he spirals deeper into vampirism, Batman’s methods become more brutal, and his humanity slips away. His transformation into a predator showcases the fragile balance between Batman’s discipline and the potential for his inner darkness to take over.
The *Batman & Dracula* trilogy, beginning with Red Rain, explores this chilling version of the Dark Knight and his descent into vampiric madness
7. The Batman of Zur-En-Arrh
The Batman of Zur-En-Arrh is one of the strangest and most violent versions of Batman, created as a backup personality for Bruce Wayne in case his mind is ever compromised. Unlike the traditional Batman, who is driven by logic and a strict moral code, the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh is wild, unrestrained, and far more aggressive.
Wearing a garish costume with bright reds, yellows, and purples, this version of Batman operates with little regard for his own safety or the lives of others. He is driven purely by a need to fight crime, but his methods are violent and chaotic. The Batman of Zur-En-Arrh is Bruce Wayne’s answer to his greatest fear: losing control. This version of Batman embodies his paranoia and fear of helplessness, making him unpredictable and extremely dangerous.
His story is explored in Batman R.I.P., where the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh emerges when Bruce’s mind is attacked by his enemies, revealing the extreme lengths Bruce has gone to in order to protect his mission.
8. Batmage
Batmage comes from a world where Bruce Wayne is not a caped vigilante but a sorcerer. In this alternate reality, Bruce devotes himself to the study of magic instead of crime fighting, using powerful spells to protect Gotham. However, as his knowledge of the arcane grows, so too does his ambition. Over time, Bruce becomes obsessed with the darker aspects of sorcery, seeking greater power at any cost.
As Batmage, Bruce uses forbidden magic to dominate his enemies, casting powerful spells to bend reality to his will. His pursuit of knowledge leads him to embrace the most dangerous forms of magic, transforming him from a protector of Gotham to a conqueror who seeks to control all with his mystical powers. The Batmage is a version of Batman is a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked ambition and the corrupting influence of power.
This character serves as an example of what happens when Batman’s obsession with control is paired with the limitless potential of dark magic
9. The Merciless
The Merciless is a Batman who has taken on the powers of Ares, the Greek god of war. In his universe, Bruce Wayne and Wonder Woman battle Ares in an epic conflict, but Bruce is devastated when Wonder Woman dies in the process. Enraged by her death and driven by a desire for vengeance, Bruce dons Ares’ enchanted helmet, gaining the powers of the god of war.
As the Merciless, Bruce becomes an unstoppable warrior, wielding Ares’ immense strength and combat abilities. However, the power of the helmet corrupts him, turning him into a warmonger obsessed with destruction. Instead of fighting for justice, he wages war against anyone who opposes him, leading armies into battle in Wonder Woman’s name. His heart hardens as he becomes a tyrant driven by the very warlike tendencies he once sought to stop. The Merciless explores the consequences of Bruce’s grief turning into an unquenchable thirst for revenge and war.
The Merciless’ story is part of Dark Nights: Metal, where he joins the Dark Knights in their campaign to conquer the multiverse.
10. Saint Batman
Saint Batman is a future version of Batman from a dystopian timeline where Gotham has descended into chaos, and Bruce Wayne is long dead. In this world, Bruce’s son, Damian Wayne, takes up the mantle of Batman, but his methods are far more ruthless than his father’s. Damian rules Gotham with an iron fist, believing that the only way to save the city is through absolute control.
As Saint Batman, Damian abandons many of his father’s ideals, relying on fear, violence, and intimidation to maintain order. He sees himself as Gotham’s only savior, willing to do whatever it takes to preserve his twisted version of peace. Unlike Bruce, who believed in inspiring hope, Damian uses terror as his weapon, enforcing his will over Gotham with brutal efficiency. Saint Batman’s story highlights the dangers of extreme authoritarianism, even in the name of justice.
His role is explored in Batman: Last Knight on Earth, where his future is one of the many dark possible outcomes for Gotham’s protector.
These ten evil Batmen showcase the many paths Bruce Wayne could take if his sense of justice was compromised or corrupted. From cosmic power to magical domination, these Batmen serve as a dark reflection of the hero we know, each one reminding us how fragile the line is between heroism and villainy in the DC multiverse. For those interested in more, the Dark Nights: Metal series offers a deeper look into many of these terrifying versions of Batman.