# How could a prepared Batman kill Darth Vader? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 22, 2005, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-prepared-batman-kill-darth-vader/304972 "2005-05-22T18:38:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-prepared-batman-kill-darth-vader/304972/1 "2005-05-22T18:38:11Z")
You know the old saw, Batman can beat anyone if he’s prepared. How would the Dark Knight take on the Dark Lord and defeat him? Or could he? ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-prepared-batman-kill-darth-vader/304972/2 "2005-05-22T19:12:32Z")
Batman won’t kill but this is easy. Batman has to target Vader’s suit and prevent Vader from using the Force, since Batman has no easy counter for telekinetic powers (except maybe a sonic gun). Batman MUST, MUST, MUST appeal to Vader’s ego and sucker Vader into fighting him in a light saber duel only. Vader is too meglomanical to suspect a trap. Batman’s fencing skills and agility would lend him the skill to counter Vader’s attack, but it’s clear Vader will win. So at a critical moment Batman disables Vader’s biosuit with a localized EM pulse and Vader’s respiratory system shuts down. Gasping and wheezing, Vader falls to the floor and Batman adds insult to injury by giving Vader a lungful of gas that knocks him unconscious. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-prepared-batman-kill-darth-vader/304972/3 "2005-05-22T19:17:55Z")
High density plastic foam, sprayed into Vader’s respirator mask. Blocks the breathing. Aluminum-based paint (which actually coats materials with a thin layer of metal) could be used to coat Vader’s optics. And Vader’s mind tricks wil not influence Batman’s thinking. His strength of will is too great. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-prepared-batman-kill-darth-vader/304972/4 "2005-05-22T19:46:59Z")
Luke Skywalker triumphed by appealing to the remnants of Vader’s conscience and turning him against the emperor. Batman could do the same – the story of his parents’ murder might strike a chord with Vader, who lost his own mother to Sandpeople (a superstitious and cowardly lot!). Better still, (spoiler for _Revenge of the Sith_)he could use his detective skills to produce proof that Palpatine lied to Vader about his killing Padme. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-prepared-batman-kill-darth-vader/304972/5 "2005-05-22T19:51:38Z")
Oop! Mods, could you put the last part of the above post in a spoiler box? ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-prepared-batman-kill-darth-vader/304972/6 "2005-05-22T20:12:32Z")
As you wish. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-prepared-batman-kill-darth-vader/304972/7 "2005-05-22T20:13:59Z")
> [@MEBuckner](#): > > As you wish. “Impressive. Most impressive.” ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-prepared-batman-kill-darth-vader/304972/8 "2005-05-22T21:18:51Z")
Problem there, BrianGlutton: He did kill padme. It was somewhat indirect, perhaps, but he did kill her. The Emperor can simply say that he saw her die through the Force and knew Vader did it, which is probably true. He knew she was going to die before Anikin said anything about it. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-prepared-batman-kill-darth-vader/304972/9 "2005-05-22T21:38:23Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > “Impressive. Most impressive.” Thought I rather Westlian. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-prepared-batman-kill-darth-vader/304972/10 "2005-05-22T22:50:24Z")
I imagine Batman would undergo the training to become a Jedi Knight before taking on Vader. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-prepared-batman-kill-darth-vader/304972/11 "2005-05-22T23:09:13Z")
I will now be a bit disappointed if BATMAN BEGINS doesn’t feature a young Bruce Wayne leaping through the swamps with master Yoda on his shoulders. “Your limits you must tax, faster and stronger than your opponents must you be!” ---
**Author:** ![SlyFrog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@SlyFrog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlyFrog)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-prepared-batman-kill-darth-vader/304972/12 "2005-05-22T23:40:06Z")
Eh. He’d just go hunt down some of those Ysalmari things from the extended universe to create a no force bubble. That being done, Vader would be a relatively easy kill (no ranged weapons, somewhat lumbering and mechanical). ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-prepared-batman-kill-darth-vader/304972/13 "2005-05-22T23:54:35Z")
> [@Askia](#): > > I will now be a bit disappointed if BATMAN BEGINS doesn’t feature a young Bruce Wayne leaping through the swamps with master Yoda on his shoulders. “Your limits you must tax, faster and stronger than your opponents must you be!” “Wise in the Force you are, Master, but grammar and syntax you must learn!” ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-prepared-batman-kill-darth-vader/304972/14 "2005-05-22T23:58:42Z")
How about the Batzooka??? ---
**Author:** ![Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stark_Raven_Mad)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-prepared-batman-kill-darth-vader/304972/15 "2005-05-22T23:58:49Z")
> [@SlyFrog](#): > > Eh. He’d just go hunt down some of those Ysalmari things from the extended universe to create a no force bubble. That being done, Vader would be a relatively easy kill (no ranged weapons, somewhat lumbering and mechanical). But his Force telekinesis would easily protect him from any projectile weapons Batman could whip up - the boomerang, or grappling hook/tie-people-up gun. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-prepared-batman-kill-darth-vader/304972/16 "2005-05-23T01:11:08Z")
1960s Adam West Batman: take the anti-Force pill from the Utility Belt. Then he can just beat Vader in a swordfight. Any darker Batman: definitely has to disabled Vader’s breathing apparatus and watch him choke to death. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-prepared-batman-kill-darth-vader/304972/17 "2005-05-23T01:19:13Z")
A nuclear device from the Bat plane. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-prepared-batman-kill-darth-vader/304972/18 "2005-05-23T01:23:57Z")
> [@Stark Raven Mad](#): > > But his Force telekinesis would easily protect him from any projectile weapons Batman could whip up - the boomerang, or grappling hook/tie-people-up gun. Not if the no-Force bubble is in effect. That means exactly that, no Force and no Force telekinesis. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-prepared-batman-kill-darth-vader/304972/19 "2005-05-23T01:36:52Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > Not if the no-Force bubble is in effect. That means exactly that, no Force and no Force telekinesis. But where would Batman get a Ysalmari? They’re a little-known creature that lives on a little-known planet in another galaxy. Batman isn’t going to find one at the local Humane Society shelter. For that matter, how would he even know that such a creature exists? > [@Stark Raven Mad](#): > > But his Force telekinesis would easily protect him from any projectile weapons Batman could whip up - the boomerang, or grappling hook/tie-people-up gun. True, true. Remember, Vader blocked Han Solo’s blaster shots _with his hand_!!! I wouldn’t count on any sort of projectile-based attack being effective. I’d try an electromagnetic pulse, to take out Vader’s breathing apparatus. Failing that, I’d try the spray-foam idea. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-prepared-batman-kill-darth-vader/304972/20 "2005-05-23T01:46:19Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > A nuclear device from the Bat plane. From orbit. It’s the only way to be sure. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-a-prepared-batman-kill-darth-vader/304972.md?page=2)