2. Grendel Prime (Batman-Grendel II: Devil’s Bones)
Background: Grendel Prime is a bit of a weird one, as he doesn’t technically set out to outsmart Batman as much as he does by proxy due to being a far superior combatant than him. Also, he’s kind of a robot so maybe “outsmart” is the wrong word… Maybe.
Grendel Prime is a solar (and sometimes electric) powered cyborg created by Orion Assante as a protector for his son. Unhappy due to the degeneration and lasciviousness of the world around him, he decides to contact the soul of Hunter Rose (the “Grendel” from whom he takes his name). During his attempted ritual in the wastelands of his world he is transported through time to Gotham city during the era of the Batman.
Present day: A museum in Gotham is opening a new exhibit that features items from some of the worst villains history has ever seen, and amongst the exhibits are the bones of Hunter Rose (the namesake himself). Protesters line the streets outside the museum demanding the exhibits be removed for fear of nurturing evil among the community.
As our dark protector of the innocent watches from a nearby roof top, keeping an eye on the commotion unfolding on the streets, suddenly the alarm of the museum is raised and a bright light shines from the inside of the exhibit room. Grendel Prime appears from the light and is met by gunpoint, which does not go over well, resulting in a cop taking an open hand through the throat:
As mentioned earlier, Grendel Prime is a bit of a weird one, in the sense that unlike the rest of the people on the list, his mission never was, or never became “Outsmarting Batman” but nevertheless he was prepared for anything that Bats threw at him, which is why “outsmarted him by proxy” might be more accurate. Let me take a slightly different format and demonstrate what I mean:
As Batman jumps from the room in an initial attack, Grendel Prime calmly looks up and shoots him straight in the chest, taking him completely off guard.
Batman tries to subdue him with a synthetic, hardening and expanding polymer. Grendel Prime wastes no time in immediately freeing himself by forcing out a large amount of energy in a solar burst.
Batman believes he is trying to gain footing to throw a truck at him but instead Grendel Prime smartly uses the weight of the truck above him to kick down and through the bridge they are standing on, and escape from Batman in the waters below.
After Batman realizes that Grendel Prime runs on solar energy, he sets up a trap, releasing a news report that Wayne Industries has now moved into the solar power business. As soon as he’s alerted to Grendel Prime’s presence in Wayne Industries he tries to capture him with an electrified steel mesh that can withstand energy bursts. Grendel Prime simply produces an energy sword and calmly cuts his way free.
To add more insult to injury, Grendel Prime had gone completely unnoticed to Batman when he entered Wayne Industries, even though Bats was waiting on the roof tops outside for that exact event to occur. He was only alerted to Grendel Prime’s intrusion after following a worker who is known for unpaid overtime into Wayne Industries.
Once in hand to hand combat, Bruce tries to grab Grendel Prime and is met with large shoulder spikes that spring out of his suit and causes a severed brachial artery in Batman’s arm.
Batman just keeps throwing everything he has at Grendel Prime and is met with nothing but calm, measured, unflinching resistance. He is outclassed at every turn of this issue, and not through lack of trying.
