Warning: Spoilers for The Batman
Sal Maroni, who was ultimately brought down by Carmine Falcone, is a major figure in both The Batman and the Caped Crusader’s corner of the DC Universe. The Gotham City mobster factored heavily into the plot of the movie and the backstory of the movie’s villains. That being said, he was never actually presented as a character in the story.
Over the years, Maroni has been brought to life in a handful of movies and TV shows. Along with Carmine Falcone, Maroni is among the gangsters who appear regularly in the Dark Knight’s adventures. As for his role in The Batman, the DC Comics villain was defeated before he could even become a thorn in Bruce Wayne’s side. However, he remained relevant to the main plot throughout the movie as a name that was brought up numerous times over the course of Batman’s investigation into the Ridder and his clues. One of the biggest mysteries Batman had to uncover relates to how the GCPD managed to bring charges against Maroni. Batman had to figure out the identity of “The Rat” who made Maroni’s arrest possible.
The Maroni situation became more and more complicated as Bruce continued to stumble upon some shocking secrets about the gangster, Falcone, and the Waynes themselves. As it turned out, Maroni was involved in the events that led to his parents’ deaths, and Falcone stood revealed as the mysterious Rat. Based on his history with Falcone in DC Comics, it’s fitting that the latter would be the one truly responsible for his downfall. Here’s how Maroni compares to his DC Comics counterpart, the details on his storied relationship with Falcone, and how his history in the comics sheds light on how the character could be used in a sequel to The Batman.
Sal Maroni In Batman Comics Explained
Salvatore “The Boss” Maroni made his debut in the pages of Detective Comics #66 in 1942. During the Golden Age of DC Comics, Maroni’s significance was limited to the role he played in the origin story of Two-Face. Like The Batman’s version, Maroni got his start as a mobster who had already been arrested. While on trial for murder, the criminal used a hidden vial of acid to disfigure the face of the prosecutor, Harvey Dent. As a result of the incident, Dent turned to a life of crime and retaliated by killing Maroni. Over the years, DC updated the origin stories of several of its iconic villains, but was mostly consistent in regards to Maroni and how he essentially created one of Batman’s greatest enemies. In the 1990s, DC Comics expanded the story into a 13-issue miniseries titled Batman: The Long Halloween.
While Maroni will always be best remembered for being a central part of Two-Face’s origin, another element of his character was added to the mix by Batman: The Long Halloween, which established the rivalry between Maroni and Falcone, who are both leaders of powerful crime families in Gotham. Maroni moved up the ladder in Gotham thanks to his father, Luigi “Big Lou” Maroni, who made their family a strong force in the criminal underworld. Their power was later threatened by the rise of a serial killer known as Holiday. Murders committed by Holiday caused Falcone and Maroni to become suspicious of each other’s activities. With each thinking that the other was their real enemy, Maroni took action by selling out Falcone to Dent. But in the end, he wasn’t able to save himself. He was killed by Holiday, who turned out to be one of Falcone’s sons.
How Powerful Was The Batman's Sal Maroni?
What was said about Maroni in The Batman indicates that his reputation in the movie is in line with how he was portrayed in DC Comics. As noted above, he led one of Gotham’s most powerful criminal organizations in Gotham, and the same appears to be the case for The Batman’s interpretation of Maroni. The fact that his arrest was described as the biggest drug bust in GCPD history speaks volumes about the power he held in Gotham City. His arrest wouldn’t have been such a big news story in The Batman if he wasn’t a huge figure in organized crime. The sway he held in the underworld was second only to Falcone himself.
Why & How Falcone Betrayed Maroni In The Batman
While there were naturally big risks in exposing his fellow mobster, Falcone had everything to gain by orchestrating Maroni’s arrest in The Batman. Falcone of course understood that Maroni’s fall would eliminate his biggest competition and pave the way for him to acquire even more power in the Gotham City underworld. With the second biggest crime boss in the city out of the way for good, Falcone’s position at the top would have been undisputed. He also wanted an even bigger piece of Thomas Wayne’s Renewal fund, which was desired by both crime bosses. To that end, Falcone revealed vital information on Maroni’s drug operations to the police, and used his influence to advance the careers of those who agreed to work against Maroni. At the same time, he went to great lengths to ensure that only a select few were aware of his role as the informant. For him, taking Maroni out of the equation was all about controlling Gotham City and acting as its “mayor” from behind the scenes. Bringing him down was a calculated move made to increase the tremendous amount of power he already possessed.
Could Maroni Return In The Batman 2?
Maroni is no longer the threat that he once was to the city, but that doesn’t mean he’ll never get a big-screen debut in Matt Reeves’ movies. His original role proves that Maroni can have a role even if he’s behind bars. In fact, his arrest may have set up The Batman 2, especially if Two-Face is picked as the sequel’s villain. It’s unclear if DC has any intention of bringing Harvey Dent into The Batman’s world, but if it does head in that direction, it would make sense for Maroni to be involved. That does seem possible, as Maroni has been arrested but not yet prosecuted. That task could be left up to The Batman 2’s take on Harvey Dent, whose efforts to prove Maroni’s guilt can lay the groundwork for his transformation into Two-Face. Not unlike the DC Comics character, Salvatore “The Boss” Maroni may be the person who disfigures Dent’s face. Maroni can also use his remaining influence to pull some strings and eventually push Dent over the edge.
