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As the battle lines start to form for Infinite Frontier, Flashpoint Batman sees this as a cosmic opportunity towards his own atonement.
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Infinite Frontier #2, by Joshua Williamson, Paul Pelletier, Norm Rapmund, Jesus Merino, Xermanico, Romulo Fajardo, Jr. and Tom Napolitano, on sale now.
While the Flashpoint timeline was seemingly erased as reality reset itself, one of the divergent world’s most brutal figures narrowly escaped total annihilation and has resurfaced in the main DC Universe, both as friend and foe: The Flashpoint Batman Thomas Wayne. After participating in a plot devised by Bane to completely break Bruce Wayne, Thomas clearly has remorse in the more supervillain-oriented nature of his recent actions and, as the scope of Infinite Frontier and the rebirth of the DC Multiverse begins to take shape, the Flashpoint Batman may finally have a shot at redemption for betraying his own son at the behest of one of his arch nemeses.
As the Totality shifts the new universes in the rapidly growing DC Omniverse, Flashpoint Batman is rescued by President Superman from Earth-23. As Thomas recounts to President Superman how he managed to arrive in the House of Heroes where the multiversal team Justice Incarnate resides, he admits that the destruction of his own world affected him more than he anticipated. And as Flashpoint Batman and President Superman visit the Kingdom Come reality of Earth-22, Thomas confesses that he wronged his son and doesn’t deserve to even approach Bruce for a potential reconciliation, reasoning that it is for the best that his son believes him to be dead and avoid any further complications.
Thomas joined up with Bane and his plot to break Bruce because he was angry that his son from an alternate universe had not heeded his advice to live his life peacefully and leave the pain and anger that came with being Batman behind. Coercing Catwoman to leave Bruce at the altar in an effort to break his son psychologically, Thomas’ overtures to his son were rebuffed, even with the offer to rebuild their family. In response, an increasingly sinister Thomas sought to reshape Gotham City to his will, using Psycho-Pirate to telepathically convert the citizens to follow his vision before he was eventually overthrown and presumed to be killed in the final scuffle, sent back to his dying world moments before its destruction.
Thomas convinced himself that he was joining Bane’s plot with the ultimate goal of doing what was best for Bruce, even if some extreme tough love was exercised on his part. While speaking with President Superman, Thomas admits that his motivations were fueled by anger and self-loathing rather than familial love, frustrated with Bruce in following in his footsteps. Thomas goes as far as to remark that the campaign he undertook working with his son’s greatest villains to break him was his own personal low point. This candid moment of self-reflection is abruptly brought to a halt when the two heroes are approached by Earth-22’s Magog, who is looking to fight the intruders on his world.
Thomas Wayne has done plenty of morally questionable things in pursuit of what he believes to be right, both as the Batman of his world and regarding his feelings towards his son. With Justice Incarnate, Thomas has a new opportunity to atone for his actions and make things right on a multiversal scale as the mysteries of the Totality continue to loom over the omniverse. And while Flashpoint Batman appears to be working as a hero once more, he has no interest in reconciling with his son any time soon, feeling himself no longer worthy for such a gesture.
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