Friday, April 09, 2010

Batman Needed To Give That Plan More Thought

As I understand it, one of the things Tim (Red Robin) is mad at Stephanie about is during Batman R.I.P she hired at least a couple killer-types to attack Tim (back when he was still Robin) and generally make life difficult for him. She did this under orders from Batman. He knew (because he's Batman, I assume) he might go missing while dealing with the Black Glove*, and didn't want Tim focusing on trying to find him, when he should be concentrating on improving his skills or protecting Gotham or something. Tim figures all this out somewhere along the line, and he's understandably peeved at Steph for not only hampering his attempts to find Bruce, but bringing more dangerous criminals into Gotham.

Figures the one time Spoiler actually listened to a more experienced hero was the one time she absolutely shouldn't.

What I can't figure is why Batman thought this was a good plan. He's plotted things far enough ahead to see he might go missing. He knows Tim well enough to know Tim will focus his energies on finding Batman, rather than progressing as a crimefighter. So shouldn't he have realized once word got out The Bat wasn't around, Gotham would go nuts? Doesn't that happen every time Batman goes away for awhile, regardless of how many other heroes are present? He had to realize that, so why tell Spoiler to go out and concoct other ways to make things more difficult? If he wanted Tim to improve, amp up the difficulty on the training simulators, make him spar with Batgirl**, call up the Ghosts of the Dibneys and have them teach Tim what they know about sleuthing***. Or get Tim an internship with the Shadowpact or something, teach him about the supernatural.

A plan which is going to put more innocent people in danger, either because they become targets, or because Tim's so busy dodging attempts on his life he doesn't have time to save others, is villain planning. Maybe that's not what Batman was thinking of when he gave Spoiler that mission, in which case, he should have said so.

* I'm assuming he expected the Black Glove to be the one who would take him out of the picture. I'm not prepared to accept he knew Darkseid's minions, running around inside human shells, would find him after the helicopter explosion and try to create their own Batmen. But maybe he did know that was going to happen. He is Batman, after all. Well, he is Batman in the past right now, but not the present, but likely will be again in the future.

** If you'll recall, Cass Cain was running with the Outsiders by this time.

*** Ralph and Sue had also shown up in Batman and the Outsiders by this point, so it's in play.

3 comments:

SallyP said...

Well...I guess old Bats DIDN'T think of everything for a change.

Haw!

Seangreyson said...

I don't know, this sounds a little drama queenish from Batman actually. Well I'm not going to be around, but you know Tim's going to be focused solely on me, so let's have his ex hire people to distract him.

He's a good detective, so he'll figure it out which puts the spotlight back on me again, and damages one of the few healthy relationships in his life who might have helped him through the grieving process.

Yes this plan will work, Tim will spend his entire life trying to be me. Because the only way I know how to deal with grief is to become the Batman.

CalvinPitt said...

sallyp: Yeah, it's too bad he can't save being wrong for little things, like ordering the fish instead of the chicken at a restaurant. Always has to be something big.

seangreyson: It's sad that Tim became Robin because he figured a sidekick would keep Bats from sliding too far into darkness, and all it seems to have done is get Tim dragged down along with him.