InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "We were only pretending."

mysteryfan (mysteryfan) wrote in scans_daily,
@ 2009-09-25 14:23:00

Entry tags:

char: batgirl/cassandra cain, char: batgirl/oracle/barbara gordon, char: batman/bruce wayne, char: robin/red hood/jason todd, char: spoiler/robin/batgirl/steph brown, creator: andersen gabrych, creator: cam smith, creator: pete woods, title: detective comics

Jason's Eighteenth Birthday

From Detective #790 and War Drums TPB

tags: title: Detective Comics, char: Batman/Bruce Wayne, char: Batgirl/Cassandra Cain, char: Oracle/Batgirl/Barbara Gordon, char: Spoiler/Robin/Batgirl/Stephanie Brown, char: Red Hood/Robin/Jason Todd, creator:Anderson Gabrych, creator: Pete Woods, creator: Cam Smith

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	mysteryfan 2009-09-26 02:48 am UTC (link)
	But I do think that if he sees--especially after Jason--a kid heading for disaster, he feels driven to try to help that kid avoid disaster. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

retro_nouveau
2009-09-26 03:06 am UTC (link)

I agree completely, I love the idea that he would kick her out primarily because he cares for her health and happiness. I just think it's pretty obvious that he should keep her close, send her on missions to match her capabilities, and keep up the training while working on building her patience. Just telling her to stop is to put her on a much more direct route to the graveyard, he needs Zatanna's help to make that stick.

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teekoness
2009-09-26 04:27 am UTC (link)

I can't help but think Bruce doesn't really understand why Steph became a superhero.

Whereas he and Dick had happy lives prior to their respective tragedies, Stephanie's original life WAS the tragedy. Becoming a superhero was a way to to take charge of her screwed up home life. Telling her to take off the cape and cowl is like telling her to accept her lot in life.

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cygna_hime
2009-09-26 06:17 am UTC (link)

I hadn't really thought of it that way before, but I think you're right, and I think it's a hefty chunk of both Jason's and Steph's Bat-issues. For Jason, he was extra-special-super-mega-desperate for Bruce's attention and approval (in his own way) because he had no one else who had ever given it to him and nowhere to go if Bruce decided he wasn't good enough.

And for Steph, the cowl was always her way of fighting back. Bruce thinks he's saying, "You're not crippled like I am, you have a life; go back to that the way I wish I could." Steph hears, "You don't deserve agency, you don't deserve a way out; go back and accept that you're a victim." So, without either of them meaning it, they fail to understand each other at all.

It's telling that neither Steph nor Jason ever had supporting casts like the one Dick developed, or the one Tim used to have. No family (worth the name), no friends (except other Bats), no team, no future--no wonder they cling to the cowl with all the pure pigheaded Bat-stubbornness they have. And I think that's something which has never quite clicked for brilliant billionaire Bruce Wayne, who always had alternatives.

Which is all me taking a lot of words to say what you said in many fewer, so: motto.

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mysteryfan
2009-09-26 03:57 pm UTC (link)

Well to me, I'm not sure that on top of his crimefighting and other work that it's reasonable for him to remake everything to revolve around trying to keep her alive while he lets her fight crime because she really wants to, if she's not ready or appropriate.

He values soldiers, who follow orders. If she wants to be a part of his army, I see the pressure being on her to follow orders.

No other risky professions--if the people in charge care about the new hires--welcome someone who's not ready to risk their life.

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