Batman: Dark Ages #5 is the penultimate issue of this series, which tells the story of Batman outside of regular continuity. The issue begins with the aged Bruce working on his memory board, remembering that while his love for Gotham comes from his father, his love for the people comes from his mother. Martha, on this Earth, is a tormented soul, much like the one in continuity, who spent time in Arkham in her youth.
Russell uses this memory to reveal the outcome of the last issue, when Ra’s Al Ghul confronted him at Wayne Manor and showed him that he had set the asylum on fire, an event that, despite Bruce and Dick’s best efforts, resulted in the death of Bruce’s lover Dr. Chase Meridian. This sequence of events led to Bruce turning to the Justice League, who denied his request and informed him that they had met Brainiac and learned that the Anti-Monitor was on his way to destroy their universe. Russell and the Allreds provide readers with some interesting moments, such as Wonder Woman joking with him, The Flash’s indifference as he works on a ship in a bottle while Batman speaks, and the full-page reveal of Brainiac and the Anti-Monitor.
It is also revealed that Ra’s Al Ghul has partnered with the False Face Society and Wayne Enterprises, eventually taking the lead in his ongoing chess game with Bruce. Russell perfectly captures Ra’s as the man who can manipulate and influence events on a global scale to achieve his endgame. Bruce, looking to take on Ra’s, becomes the villains who caused trouble in Gotham, such as Catwoman, Riddler, and Penguin, and allies to save Gotham. Batman also saves Barbara from the Mad Hatter, though it seems some deprogramming is sure to occur.
Russell uses the chess metaphor throughout the issue, as Bruce and Ra’s battle for Gotham comes to a fiery end for Ra’s. Pariah appears in the issue but fades slightly into the background once Ra’s steps in, but hopefully he will return with the appearance of the Anti-Monitor and play a more prominent role in the final issue.
The issue also begins to answer questions raised in previous issues, such as confirming that Bruce’s psychiatrist is the daughter of Dick and Barbara, whose relationship began with an 8-track tape. The final page reveal shows that the story is not over and the worst is yet to come.
One mystery remains: If the end of the universe was predicted in 1976, what happened then and how will events unfold in 2030, after the universe was supposedly destroyed?
