Concurrent with Selina’s narration are Bruce’s own thoughts, which examine a rarely seen perspective on the possibility of a world without a Batman: Bruce Wayne’s. Throughout King’s run, Bruce’s colleagues, enemies, and own family have offered up their opinions on whether Bruce should forever be Batman.

Just as Selina needed to figure out what course her life had to take, Bruce likewise needs to do the same for himself. And it’s a realization that makes Selina’s decision all the more heart-wrenching.

After a self-examination of what has driven Bruce to be The Bat, he comes to the self-realization that being with Selina has the capability to change him, for the better. Throughout Batman’s career, there has been little, if anything, that has made him seriously consider hanging up the cape and cowl. On the eve of his wedding, he has come to understand that the death of his parents no longer needs to define him – his love for Selina can do that going forward. This shift would have been poised to be a huge, fundamental change for the character of Bruce Wayne – that from this point on, love could be a stronger driving force than death.

But just as Bruce realizes his deeper need for Selina’s love, her presumed needs for him take that love away, standing to drastically alter the nature of Bruce Wayne – and Batman – for the foreseeable future.

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Adding to the heartbreak is the now-moot revelation that Bruce and Selina did in fact intend to hold a legit, legally-binding ceremony. Previous storylines indicated that the pending Bat/Cat wedding would not necessarily mean a more conventional Bruce/Selina union. That idea implied only a kind of pseudo-commitment – one that was more between the masks than the couple wearing them.

Only on the cusp of that now-broken relationship are the ultimate feelings of both sides known – and yes, had their wedding gone through, their marriage would have been as loving and legitimate as any other. Not that it wouldn’t have presented its own unique problems – even arranging the ceremony was fraught with challenges only a super-couple would ever face.

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Only a supervillain would have to break her acting maid-of-honor out of an insane asylum to stand up at her wedding. Bruce takes a more conventional approach, with Alfred to essentially serve in the role of best man. And it’s Batman who finds the perfect individual to perform the ceremony – an alcoholic judge who can make the marriage legal, but while too drunk to remember ever doing so.

None of that matters now, though – the Bat/Cat relationship lies broken. “Broken” being the most appropriate way to describe their aborted wedding, as the final panel of the issue contains the biggest surprise of all. As Holly returns to Arkham, she kneels before none other than Bane – the villain who has seemingly found a new way to break The Bat.

Alongside Bane are several of Batman’s foes who were key to events leading up to this momentous issue – and one other influential character thought gone. But was Bane in fact behind these machinations leading to Selina breaking up with Bruce, or are he and Batman’s other enemies merely all too happy to learn Batman’s heart is now broken?

Readers will get a possible look at just how a jilted Bruce acts out in Batman #51, on sale July 18.