Actually, Batman is and always has been in a constant state of defeat. His goal is to stop crime and he never, ever, will. Crime and evil go on just as justice and goodness do.
While he's stopping one super villains latest plot, the others are getting away with theirs. Penguin runs a successful criminal empire that's only occasionally inconvenienced by The Bat family. During any Joker storyline, Joker defeats Bats in every encounter up until the one where he goes back to Arkham, which he considers home. Joker adding to his body count is a defeat for Batman each time.
The episodic structure of comic books, movies and gives the illusion of the hero having the final word. But if you look at it as a constant time line, all the heroes and villains have "win some of them and lose some of them" life.If you break it down to individual fights, Batman get defeated a lot.His power and strength as a super hero comes from his ability to learn adapt and not let the defeats stop him permanently.
But by the same logic, Batman may win a specific fist fight, and even spoil one grandiose plot of a villain. but the villains pick themselves up and start again, just like Batman does.They survive and carry on.
I think its funny that people point to The Dark Knight Returns as Batman defeating Superman. Batman beat the snot out of Clark but he didn't beat him. Batman's fake heart attack was an escape, not a defeat of Superman. Had the fight gone on, Batman would have lost another way instead of losing via fake death.AND Superman discovered Batman's gambit any way. He knew Bruce faked his death and just let him get away with it.
But in DKR2, Batman defeated Superman, no holds barred. Out thought him, literally pounded him into the ground and told him "Get the hell out of my cave." But at that point Millar was writing an over the top ridiculous almost parody of the edgier and darker movement he had started, and the idea that with prep Bats can beat anyone.
But if you want to get down to individuals who could beat him in a one of one fight: Wolverine, Loki, Odin, Thor, Thanos. Kronos, Abomination, Silver Surfer, Deathstroke, Power Girl, Grendal, ( the DC version ) Dr. Psycho, Captain America MIGHT be able to. They established that in JLA/Avengers. Galactus of course, comedic fan art notwithstanding. Dr. Doom.Superman in the main stream universe. Wonder Woman if she doesn't hold back. Anyone with a power ring that keeps their wits about them and doesn't freak out cause it's Batman. Plastic Man could destroy him, its Plastic Man's personality that keeps him from being the most lethal person in the universe.Batman himself has mentioned as much.Dr. Strange has such a wild variations of extreme power he could take Bats down. The Hulk can. They had a cross over where Hulk fought Batman and Batman won because of contract negotiation.But even in story Batman beat Hulk by using gas and "nerve strikes". Hulk shrugs off gas attacks, bullets and missiles. Bruce's flesh and blood fist and feet wouldn't even register if the story was written true to characters.
Hell, The Joker beats him in hand to hand sometimes. I'd LOVE to see him beaten by Squirrel Girl. That would be the funniest damn thing ever.
And NO amount of prep, fan wanking or anything could make one bit of difference against The Saint of Killers from Preacher. The Saint took a nuclear strike to the head and didn't even blink. Just spit into the radiation and flames and said "Not enough gun." The Saint Killed The Devil and GOD for pity's sake. The gun Bats used to kill Darksied wouldn't work against The Saint. wouldn't even phase him. Bats wouldn't even see him draw, The Saint draws faster than human eyes can see.
So, no, Batman can't defeat every one, doesn't defeat every one, and shouldn't be ABLE to. That would ruin him as a character and make him a joke.A one-note joke at that.
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