- "It's a weapon, it's a rock, a mineral capable of weaking Kryptonian cells; the first sample big enough to mean something turned up in the Indian Ocean three months ago, it is now aboard the White Portuguese, being delivered to Lex Luthor... who I am going to steal it from."
- ―Bruce Wayne to Alfred Pennyworth[src]
The Chase for the Kryptonite was a desperate attempt by Bruce Wayne to obtain Lex Luthor's Kryptonite, which was being transported by Anatoli Knyazev and his thugs, in order to use the mineral to assassinate Superman.
Background[]
Lex Luthor's Plans[]
- "I figured out way back! If God is all-powerful, he cannot be all-good. And if he is all-good, then he cannot be all powerful. And neither can you be. They need to see the fraud you are, with their eyes. The blood on your hands."
- ―Lex Luthor to Superman[src]
Seeing how Superman was regarded as an omnipotent and omnibenevolent god-like being, Lex Luthor, viewing him as a threat that could end humanity, devised an extensive plan to expose him as a fraudulent false god, drawing an analogy to the problem of evil. Luthor began studying the Kryptonian, as well as Gotham City vigilante Batman and other metahumans such as Diana Prince, Barry Allen, Arthur Curry, and Victor Stone. Luthor also hired mercenary Anatoli Knyazev and his contractors to help frame the alien.
Finch disavows Luthor's import permit for Kryptonite.
As a result of the terraforming process of the World Engine and the Black Zero in the Indian Ocean and Metropolis, several portions of land were converted into Kryptonite nuggets. Luthor found a small piece of Kryptonite during the rebuilding of Metropolis, which he used to experiment on Dru-Zod's corpse for its harmful effects on Kryptonians. Upon locating the large Kryptonite nugget submerged in the Indian Ocean, Luthor pitched Senator June Finch on the idea of making Kryptonite-based weapons in case Superman turned against humanity, attempting to obtain an export permit for the mineral, which Finch did not authorize.[1]
Bruce Wayne's Movement[]
- "You're gonna go to war?"
"That son of a bitch brought the war to us two years ago. Jesus, Alfred. Count the dead. Thousands of people. What's next? Millions? He has the power to wipe out the entire human race, and if we believe there's even a 1% chance that he is our enemy, we have to take it as an absolute certainty." - ―Alfred Pennyworth and Bruce Wayne[src]
Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne, who had witnessed the destruction caused during the Battle of Metropolis, determined, like Lex Luthor, that Superman must be eliminated due to his immense power. While continuing his vigilante operations, Wayne set his sights on a target known only as the White Portuguese, whom he believed was bringing a bomb to Gotham City. Wayne began investigating Anatoli Knyazev, believing he might have some information about the White Portuguese, managing to track his cell phone data and discovering that he was working for Luthor.
Wayne receives the time traveler's message.
Wayne was later invited to a gala party at Lex Luthor's mansion, which he attended with the intention of hacking into the servers and stealing evidence with a device. During the celebration, Wayne met reporter Clark Kent, before realizing that the device had been stolen by Diana Prince. Prince eventually returned the device to Wayne, who while decrypting the data, received a dream-like vision of an apocalyptic future ruled by a tyrannical Superman, before a time traveler appeared in front of him and revealed to him that Lois Lane was "the key", pleading with him to "find us".
Wayne ignores Pennyworth's warning.
Upon awakening, Wayne discovered from the device's decrypted data that the White Portuguese was actually a vessel carrying Kryptonite. Determined to put an end to the Kryptonian, Wayne set out to steal the mineral from Luthor's hands, despite Alfred Pennyworth's warnings that Superman was not an enemy. Wayne, however, claimed that good men faded away over time, before ignoring his suggestion and donning the Batsuit.[1]
Chase[]
- "Next time they shine your light in the sky, don't go to it. The Bat is dead. bury it. Consider this mercy."
"Tell me... Do you bleed? You will..." - ―Superman and Batman[src]
Batman shots a tracker at the transport truck.
As the Kryptonite shipment was being unloaded, Batman watched from atop a crane with a rifle, firing a locator so he could track the LexCorp facility. Batman then silently boarded the Batmobile and surprised Anatoli Knyazev's contractors before giving them chase. Upon seeing them, the contractors quickly fled, but Batman deployed a harpoon line from the Batmobile and dragged it to a car, which he then launched and crushed the contractors who attempted to shoot at him.
The Batmobile surprises Anatoli Knyezev's Contractors.
The Batmobile soon continued on its way, coming face to face with a machine gun, its bullets impacting on its surface. In counterattack, Batman unleashed his own machine guns, completely obliterating the vehicle. Noticing the attacks, Anatoli Knyazev and his men exited the back of the truck to attempt to shoot the Batmobile with a rocket launcher, only for a gas truck to cut them off and block the vehicles. The contractors crashed into the truck, creating an explosion that made Knyazev believe Batman was gone. However, Batman sneaked inside several buildings to surprise them moments later and attack them from the second floor.
Surprisingly, the Batmobile brutally obliterated every vehicle in its path, including a large ship that was destroyed by it. As Knyazev rushed to fire the missile, Batman imploded the missile before it hit, clearing the way for the Batmobile. Suddenly, Superman appeared before Batman, bringing the Batmobile to an abrupt stop and damaging its doors. He proceeded to threaten him to give up his violent ways, but before leaving, Batman asked him if he could bleed. Despite hearing him out, the Kryptonian flew away, and as he left, Batman claimed that he would bleed without Superman hearing him. Eventually, Batman tied the Batmobile's doors shut and bitterly returned to the Batcave.[1]
Aftermath[]
Luthor receives the shipment of Kryptonite.
Thanks to Superman's intervention, Anatoli Knyazev and his remaining contractors successfully delivered the shipment of Kryptonite to Lex Luthor at the LexCorp Research Park, where Luthor and his assistant Mercy Graves gazed upon the mineral, each knowing of their intentions. A bitter Bruce Wayne returned to the Batcave, where he tracked the transponder to Luthor's facility, discovering that the Kryptonite had already been unloaded and delivered.
Wayne makes weapons with the Kryptonite.
Shortly after the U.S. Capitol bombing, Wayne successfully infiltrated the LexCorp facility, where he violently kidnapped all of the guards and ultimately stole the Kryptonite. However, despite having his possession stolen, Luthor showed a smile knowing that everything was going according to his plan to take down Superman. In the Batcave, Wayne began training arduously to face Superman, and used the Kryptonite to forge a razor-sharp spear and lead-lined grenades.[1]