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In the final fight between Batman and Superman in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, Superman addressed Batman as Bruce which is his true identity. How did he know Batman was Bruce Wayne?

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    ...He can see through his suit? ;)
    – Walt
    Mar 26, 2016 at 9:16
  • Yes Superman has x-ray vision but bone structure is not enough
    – Aniruddha K.M
    Mar 26, 2016 at 9:18
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    I don't think it's really x-ray, though... That's just the term coined for his ability to see through solid objects. I think his vision works differently than regular x-ray and he can fine-tune it to see whatever he likes. He is an alien, after all.
    – Walt
    Mar 26, 2016 at 9:21
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    He also caught on at the party.
    – Yetisasquatch Alienbeliever
    Mar 26, 2016 at 15:05
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    Christopher Reeve's Superman was able to tell the color of Lois's panties once she moved away from the lead lined planter.
    – Michael Richardson
    Jul 5, 2017 at 21:11

3 Answers 3

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It's strongly implied when Clark/Superman can hear Alfred talking to Bruce during Lex Luthor's party (when Bruce starts snooping around so he can hack into LexCorp's mainframe) that he is realizing that Bruce Wayne is Batman.

Also I would venture to say their conversation at the same party suggests that both are on to each other about the other's identity (as evidenced by the direct question from Clark to Bruce about Batman, and Bruce mocking the Daily Planet's love for Superman).

I don't believe there's any explicit evidence in the film, just suggestions. That said, if everything in a movie is explicitly stated, that kind of takes some of the fun of interpretation out, right?

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  • But I still feel that Bruce has no clue and still has no clue that Clark Kent is Superman, but your theory make sense
    – Aniruddha K.M
    Apr 1, 2016 at 1:21
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    @war_Hero i wouldn't doubt that. You could argue that Bruce not knowing what Superman meant when he said "Martha" indicates he didn't know Clark was Superman, as you think a guy like Bruce would have researched the Clark a bit if he knew who he really was.
    – Dom Vito
    Apr 4, 2016 at 14:28
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    @war_Hero: The WB cartoons handled this neatly in the Batman-Superman special in the late 90's. Superman simply used the X-ray vision to learn who Batman was. Later on, when Superman is in his apartment, undressing to turn in for the night, he finds a small bat-shaped transmitter stuck to his cape. He looks out the window, and using his super-vision he sees Batman a half mile or so away, looking at him. After a moment Batman gives him a thumbs-up and departs.
    – EvilSnack
    Oct 20, 2019 at 3:58
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It's not explicitly stated in the film but it can be speculated that he got it in the party.

He heard him talking to Alfred and maybe by the conversation he made his speculation about his secret identity. He even stopped him from stealing Kryptonite, so he might have done all his research from the time of party to this point of time. And it was no tough for him with his super-hearing.

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  • even with that there are a ton of loopholes, how did superman know about white portuguese
    – Aniruddha K.M
    Mar 28, 2016 at 6:44
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    @war_Hero I do feel film was too rushed for small details.
    – Ankit Sharma ♦
    Mar 28, 2016 at 6:45
  • If Supes listened hard enough, he could probably hear the Bat-computer's cooling fans.
    – John Sensebe
    Mar 28, 2016 at 17:49
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I think it is a bit like the video game Batman: Arkham Knight. After you rescue Jim Gordon, he somehow knows Batman's true identity, You never figure out how he knew but, there was evidence of Batman talking to Alfred, and just like the party scene in BVS Clark knows about Batman's identity by just doing the simple and putting two and two together.

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