James Gordon as Batman in Batman 43
Jason is infact the families mob connections
important family group chat discussions
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Every time I see one of the “Bruce Wayne collects orphans” or “where does Batman get all these children???” jokes, I get this little ping in my head because, yes, it is a good joke, very funny, bonus points if it’s other characters trying and failing to combine Broody McBroodface with Tired DadTM. But also…
I just can’t shake the conviction that no one is as baffled and bewildered by his ever increasing number of children than Bruce Wayne himself.
Like, this man clearly never intended to be a dad. He is Vengeance and Justice Committed to The Mission. Kids don’t factor into that. And to that point, it’s worth noting that none of his kids were premeditated. At no point has Bruce ever thought “maybe I want a(nother) kid.” They just sorta…happen. And not even in the usual way! (Mostly)
Like, Dick? Bruce wasn’t going “orphan shopping.” He went to the circus to to relax for once in his godforsaken life and wow, would you look at that, a vivid recreation of his own trauma and, oh, who’s this kid Batman keeps running into on patrol, wait, this is the same kid?! Whoops, I guess I’m raising this kid now, Alfred how do you raise a kid!?!
Jason? Yeah, Bruce was just doing his usual Batman thing when he ran into a homeless kid and somehow got too attached. Tim just showed up one day and said, “hi, I’m your kid now, and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.” (Really. you can’t stop me). Damien basically did the same thing, only with more stabbing. Cass…?? Stephanie????!!
(Bruce googling in the middle of the night: Is it normal to adopt your son’s ex-girlfriend?? Or did she adopt me??? Giving a kid an unlimited credit card and vigilante training counts as adoption, right??)
Point is, these kids just…show up, needing help, and somehow, for reasons that defy all logic, Bruce is the adult best equipped to help them. And yeah, Bruce never intended to adopt a kid (…or seven) and, no, he doesn’t exactly know what he’s doing, but these kids need him so he takes them in and does His Best because he’s the one who can.
Which is all to say, I think we should see far more conversations re: Finding out Batman has approx. 5 million kids that go like this
Someone: What? Do crime-fighting orphans, just like…crawl out of the woodwork around you? Bruce, exasperated and visibly stressed: yeah, BASICALLY.
jason, watching tim cook: okay so he got the cookies
jason: grinding them okay, so like, cookie dough - oh adding milk, flour- okay, okay
jason: pancakes. cool, cookie panc- why are you baking them,
jason: WHY IS HE GRINDNING THEM UP AGAI- milk, flour- WHAT
jason: bro? whyd you
jason: whyd you do that??? why did you. make a pancake and made a pancake from a pan- waht??
jason: why did you square root a pancake???
While I'm sure bad guys in Gotham have learned over time that the Bats don't kill, that even after bashing your teeth in they'll flag down an ambulance or dump you unceremoniously at the ER, it's still a shaky trust.
One that is easily shaken seeing a child wielding a sword in the dead of night; nobody wants to learn how that is handled nonlethally. Or bad guys just surrendering one late night after running into an alley and Nightwing's standing over their unconscious buddy, holding the gun he wrestled away. They watch Red Hood break into the place they're robbing with a crowbar in hand and just decide they'd rather not chance it. They see a shadow that could be Black Bat and-- you get it.
More train than dragon but I fold, metro train from the DC area cause public transit is cool
Dick: Damian, why are you so thoughtful?
Damian: thinking about how to get revenge on Todd.
Dick [frowning]: for what?
Damian: the bastard gave me a parrot...
Dick: but that's great! I thought you liked animals!
Damian: yes, but he first taught this parrot to say, “Help, I've been turned into a parrot”
[GET REVENGE ON JASON]
Yeah... yeah this seems to check out
if you told vin diesel fast and the furious you were gay he'd be like "Some people like driving stick…some people like driving automatic…what matters is you cross the finish line.." and then he'd rev up a dodge challenger and drive through a building and kill 16 people
Look, normally I wouldn't dare touch smth other then Greatsword, but Anjanath has no right being such a bastard or having that kinda attitude for being an Act 1 monster so I'll make an exception
Dinah, who somehow got roped into being the batfam counselor: And why did no one explain to Jason that the Joker was nearly killed twice by the two people he originally called family and only third party interference stopped him from permanently dying, not only giving the young man closure but also opening a line of communication???
Bruce and Dick trying very hard not to look at a bewildered Jason: It just never came up.
Dick: So, you know how I’m part of an online circus?
Jason: What the actual hell is an online circus?
Dick, exuberant: It’s like... an on-demand Cirque du Soleil! People book us for events—birthdays, concerts, whatever—and performers log in from all over the world.
Jason: ...so you have clowns.
Dick, visibly sweating: Well, it’s more than clowns! We have aerialists, jugglers, fire-eaters—
Jason, standing up, looming over Dick: But you have clowns.
Dick, desperate backpedal mode: Technically, yes. But they’re like artistic clowns. Highbrow. Minimal honking.
Jason: Minimal honking? You’re telling me there’s still honking?
Dick, defensive: Controlled honking. Tasteful honks only.
Jason, crossing his arms: Joker-level honks?
Dick, horrified: Joker doesn’t even have a clown permit! He’s not qualified.
Jason: He went to clown school.
Dick: No, he shot up a clown school. That’s different.
Jason, sitting back down: You know why this pisses me off.
Dick, quietly: Yeah, I do.
Jason: It’s weird, right?
Dick: Super weird.
Jason: Sometimes I feel like you should be more messed up about clowns. Like, my level of messed up.
Dick: I know, bud.
Jason: It’s just... I feel alone in this whole clown thing.
Dick: You’re not alone. Gotham as a whole has a no-clown policy. Did you know circus clowns refuse to work here?
Jason: Of course. Otherwise, your little e-circus would’ve been torched.
Dick: By Joker?
Jason, thinking about that one time he shot up a department store window for displaying clown shoes: Uh... yeah. Yeah, Joker.
Dick: Well, for what it’s worth, you’d be great in the online circus.
Jason, deadpan: You saying I’m a clown?
Dick, grinning: No, but you are a high-value performer. People would pay top dollar to see Red Hood juggle guns.
Jason, pulling a gun from his holster and spinning it effortlessly: You mean like this?
Dick, mock clapping: Bravo! Now add some honking, and you’re ready for the big leagues.
Jason, standing up, gun still in hand: You have three seconds to run.
Dick, already halfway out the door: for the record, I'm a performer, so this retreat is performative and just to keep you happy-slash-entertained
Jason: get out!