There's some strange things happening in Gotham City right now. Batman was missing for a period of time after his fight with Joker in Endgame. This lead to the new robo-Batman suit with a new person taking the role. We've also seen the 'We Are Robin' kids take to the streets to become a new set of vigilantes in Gotham.
The idea of inexperienced kids running around the extremely dangerous streets of Gotham is almost hard to comprehend. How and why would they get organized enough to pull this off?
Note: There will be some minor spoilers for WE ARE ROBIN #1 & 2 and BATMAN #42.
It turns out, they are getting a little assistance. They're getting texts and guidance from someone simply going by "THE NEST," as in a robin's nest.
The question is, who is this The Nest person? We caught a glimpse of THE NEST at the end of issue #1. This isn't your average concerned citizen of Gotham. This guy has some resources and is aware of the needs of the city.
That brings about the question again, who the heck could it be?
I had a big suspicion in that first issue which was further driven home in the second issue. But let's look at some other possible suspects first.
Bruce Wayne
Batman/Bruce Wayne is dead, right? Well, apparently not. We saw him sitting on a park bench BATMAN #41 and in issue #42, he was seen with Julie Madison working at a community center or something. If he has returned, why isn't he out being Batman? Has he finally decided to give it all up to settle down?
Of course, Batman could never fully settle down. Maybe by setting up the We Are Robin team, he'll know the streets are safe and he'll have more time to actually lead a semi-normal life. This doesn't explain Alfred's sadness in BATMAN/SUPERMAN #21 when Kal visited the Batcave.
What's up with the need for so much clay, Julie?
Joker
If Batman is alive, what about Joker? Where's he been in the months since Endgame ended? Probably recovering after that brutal outcome, if he somehow managed to survive. What we did see before those events was Joker putting on quite a charade. He posed at Eric Border for months, working in Arkham Asylum and helping Batman out without anyone having a clue. Why couldn't he do it again?
Could Joker be setting up some bizarre twisted homage to Batman's sidekick he brutally murdered once upon a time? It doesn't make a lot of sense but what better way to to rub things in Batman's face than to take on a concept belonging to him and either making something truly good or evil out of it.
Lex Luthor
Is Lex Luthor becoming the new Wolverine? He's starting to pop up everywhere so why not in Gotham as well? He was just seen in the pages of GRAYSON. He's been butting into Superman's problems in BATMAN/SUPERMAN. We know, from JUSTICE LEAGUE, that he's aware of Batman's identity. Maybe this could be another ego boost for him. He would love to be able to take a Batman concept and evolve it into something bigger and more efficient just to prove he's better than Batman, even if he thought Batman was dead.
The only thing is, would he have the time? Would he actually go in disguise to talk to Duke Thomas (in WE ARE ROBIN #2) just to continue to pull this off? Or maybe he would just pay someone to do it for him. He almost resembles the guy in the equipment room and definitely has the means and tech to provide all of it.
Alfred Pennyworth
Did the butler do it?
The guy watching over in the first issue kind of had Alfred's...hairstyle. The cameras he uses look like robotic bats. That could be something Batman had in his arsenal or in development. When Duke believes he's being interrogated by a police detective, the guy kind of has Alfred's stance. Alfred is a trained actor and could easily play the part and wear a disguise.
You'll also notice his hands. He's wearing gloves. That's not too odd of a thing but in Endgame, Joker chopped off his right hand.
When we see the mysterious leader in WE ARE ROBIN, in this scene and another at the end, he's using his left hand. He likely has a prosthetic hand replacing his right, hence the gloves.
What does Alfred have to do if he believes Bruce is gone? (Does he know Bruce is hanging out with Julie Madison? Maybe that's Clayface posing as him again?) Alfred isn't the type to retire and give up on the mission. Damian is out going around the world in his own series, ROBIN: SON OF BATMAN. Alfred just has Wayne Manor to take care of (but then, is it still Arkham Manor?). The equipment room we saw in the first issue is stuff that Batman may have had made at some point or Alfred could have had them made from one of their manufacturing sources.
There could be other suspects but our money is on Alfred.
Who do you think the mysterious leader might be? Do you agree with our thinking?