Most people think Batman is a great character. At some point or another, they may have even thought about how cool it would be to be Batman. Batman is known for always being prepared for any situation. Despite fighting the evil denizens of Gotham City for years, Batman now has to prepare for his biggest challenge.
You're likely aware of the recent developments in BATMAN AND ROBIN as well as what character has made a return. There will be some tiny spoilers from BATMAN AND ROBIN #38. If you haven't read it yet, beware.
Since Damian Wayne's death, Batman has been trying to figure out a way to bring him back. With the return of Damian, Batman isn't as ready as he might have thought. Aside from the joy and relief to have his son back, he discovered something different. Damian Wayne now has superpowers. At first, one might think this is a great thing. Damian died in the line of duty. Let's not get into the fact that Batman has been taking his ten-year-old son into the heart of danger (he was trained by the League of Assassins after all). With Damian in possession of super-strength, being able to fly, and being bullet proof, Batman doesn't have to be as concerned, right?
But think about that. Damian now has super-strength, is able to fly, and is bullet proof. This is a ten/eleven-year-old kid. He may not realize the extent of his powers. He could easily put innocents at risk.
Damian just came back from the dead. Even though he was a skilled fighter and could easily dive into danger, now he has actual superpowers. What kid or person wouldn't feel invulnerable after that? He might just cut loose and create all sorts of destruction. Things are already pretty tense in Gotham City for Batman (after the events of BATMAN ETERNAL). The last thing Batman needs is for the public to think he's even more of a menace than they already currently do.
What if Damian feels he's unstoppable or indestructible? He's died and come back. He now has superpowers. He may think he's invincible. The problem is, even the toughest superheroes have weaknesses. It's possible for Damian to become overconfident and suffer another injury or even die again.
Damian is going to be eager to go out and use his powers. Batman could take advantage of this new situation and take the night off, knowing Damian could handle pretty much whatever might come up. But this is Damian we're talking about. Batman will need to be there to keep him in line, at least in the beginning.
So what happens when Damian disagrees with Batman's plan? He can literally fly off on his own. Batman usually has a situation fully mapped out. Damian may feel, now that he's more powerful, that he'll know what's best. Barreling into a situation isn't always the best solution, even if you're indestructible. What happens when they do disagree? Damian would be able to pick up his father and fly him over to the top of a building and then zip back to the situation.
Batman may be Damian's father and Damian might respect him but how much is he going to listen. Kids always feel they know what is best. Batman can't just use a stern voice to keep his super-powered son in line. If Damian does disobey or gets out of line, can Batman ground him like he tried before?
The last time Batman tried grounding Damian, he still managed to leave the Batcave and we know that didn't go too well for him.
Having a super-powered sidekick could be an advantage in Batman's war against crime. He won't have to worry about Damian getting injured so easily. They could stop the bad guys faster and more efficiently that before but we know it's not going to be a smooth transition.
What does this mean for the Dynamic Duo? Part of the efficiency in the duo is their ability to work together so well. They have to be a well-oiled machine and understand where the other is and what they might need in the middle of a fight. If Damian is going to run off and try to take out all the opposition, it's possible he and Batman could get in each other's way or someone could get seriously injured. Batman and Damian will have to come to a really firm agreement in how they work together. Batman needs to make Damian understand the consequences of using his new powers. He's going to have to get an already stubborn child agree that he still knows what's best.
Or Batman can just hope that Damian's powers eventually wear off.
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