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Could the shocking news about the Justice League and Batman’s death ignite a war between the Bat-Family?
With the shocking revelation that key members of the Justice League will die in Justice League #75, it’s clear that the DC Universe is in store for a massive shake up in the near future. Of the people most potentially affected by the deaths, the Bat-Family stands chief amongst them. Batman has raised a small army of heroes who view him and his legacy as their guiding light. But Batman died once before and it led to an all-out war between his children to see who would continue the legend. Could Batman’s next death lead to another battle for the cowl?
The original “Battle for the Cowl” came about after the fallout from “Final Crisis,” where Batman was seemingly killed by Darkseid. Reeling from their loss, the Bat-Family scattered across Gotham, each of them trying to figure out if they were up to the task of becoming Batman. While many donned the costume, the final battle between Dick Grayson and the still evil Jason Todd led to Dick taking on his adoptive father’s name. This led to its own fallout as Dick chose the recently introduced Damian Wayne to be his Robin, pushing Tim Drake away from the family. The harsh reality of having to face up to the legend of Batman led to the family fracturing and Batman’s second death could fully break them.
The Bat-family have always had shaky connections with each other, oscillating between a happy family that trusts each other more than anybody else and a fractured mess of heroes who explain their emotions with their fists. The Robins mini-series has had the five characters to bear the moniker reflecting on their time as the Dark Knight’s partner and how it affected them to face brutal realities as mere children. They ultimately came to the decision that being Robin was a bad thing, choosing to distance themselves from each other and Batman while they slowly dealt with their unresolved issues.
Meanwhile, the Batgirls series has had the titular characters relying on each other more than ever when Gotham turned their backs on them. While the younger Batgirls chafe against the watchful eye of the semi-retired Barbara Gordon, they still view themselves as sisters against the world. Both groups of Batman’s partners show how much the Bat-family relationship can change on the drop of a dime. But Batman’s death could be the final nail in the coffin that permanently changes their family relationship into a hostile one.
Alternatively, their patriarch’s death could be the moment when the Bat-family decides to step out from under Batman’s shadow once and for all. Red Hood is arguably the one character who has moved the farthest away from the family and even he went back into the fold. But recently, the characters have started distancing themselves from the Batman even if they remain part of the broader family. Oracle and Nightwing have stepped into positions emulating Batman with which they’ve found new ways to help the world. Even Damian Wayne, who’s wanted to become Batman since he was introduced, has stepped out and started to carve his own niche in the world.
Additionally, at a time when Batman has left Gotham behind, his brood has risen to the challenge of protecting the city in his stead and they’re succeeding in places he never had. They’re all evolving into new phases of their lives and they don’t necessarily need to center around Batman. His death could be the inciting incident that forces them to finally retire the Batman and let his legacy live on through them. Ultimately, Batman’s legacy could be a legion of heroes who operate with his principles but never as him.
The lives of the Bat-Family lives on a precarious edge. Alfred’s death sent them hurtling down a dark spiral they only recently dug themselves out of. Batman’s death could lead them to places they’re never able to leave, even if they hide it under a thousand layers of mental fortitude and training. But the death of the old generation means that the new generation has to step into the shoes of the old one. Whether they step up to the challenge as a family or a fractured collection of individual heroes remains to be seen. While the Bat-Family has weathered thousands of tragedies across their lives, another war to see who wears their patriarch’s costume could be the wedge that finally drives them apart. Or it could be the moment they enter a new age of heroes in Gotham, one where the Batman has come and gone.
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