This text comprises spoilers for Batman #125 on sale now from DC Comics.
The concept Robin is actually a toddler soldier is one which has typically been explored in Elseworld tales and is mentioned broadly amongst followers. Nonetheless, in Batman #125 (by Chip Zdarsky, Jorge Jimenez and Tomeu Morey), Bruce Wayne basically confirms that’s how he views his sidekick. This won’t come as a lot of a shock to readers as a result of countless variety of Robins which have come and gone, however the Dark Knight has by no means been fairly as upfront about it.
In Batman #125, Batman and Tim Drake (aka Robin) are working to take down Penguin, who’s on a mission to kill the rich elites of Gotham. After killing Colin and Clara Fitzroy, who occurred to be Bruce’s associates, Penguin vows to kill anybody who has inherited over 5 million {dollars}. Batman and Robin determine and infiltrate Penguin’s subsequent goal which is a neighborhood Gala stuffed with Gotham’s rich residents.
Whereas in the course of battle, Tim is hit with a bullet by means of his neck whereas making an attempt to free the captives inside. As he’s driving Tim to the hospital, Bruce realizes that he should get Tim out of his Robin swimsuit so as to shield his id. This causes him to mirror on the final Robin whose swimsuit he eliminated for a similar motive, Jason Todd. He recollects “a unique time, a unique soldier,” and admits that he was able to cease that day and disclose to the world who he actually was. That Gotham had misplaced a real hero in Jason. This confession is maybe extra telling of Batman’s precise sentiments, extra so than him labeling Tim and Jason as troopers. It is a distinct indication that though the Robins are, at occasions, referred to and handled as troopers, Batman holds every of them in deep reverence.
James Tynion IV, Scott Snyder and Genevieve Valentine addressed this splendidly in 2016’s Batman & Robin Everlasting when Damian Wayne illustrated Bruce’s respect and religion for every Robin in an anecdote from coaching. Damian remembered referring to himself as a “soldier for the trigger,” which prompts Bruce to clarify that he doesn’t need troopers. He’s not coaching Damian to be and act like a carbon copy of himself, he desires every Robin to return into their very own. He desires them to belief themselves and that they’ve somebody who believes in them. The message rings loud and clear, Bruce genuinely desires every Robin to resolve who they wish to grow to be for themselves, and that he has the utmost respect for every of them.
It ought to be stated that whereas Batman clearly cares for his sidekicks, he has had a couple of losses and even admits that he didn’t stop the day Jason died due to his devotion to the mission. The thought of Robin as a soldier can also be fairly evident in Frank Miller’s excellent The Dark Knight Returns which comprises the primary look of Jason Todd’s memorial with a plaque studying “Jason Todd, a Good Soldier”. Simply these examples would possibly make Bruce appear a bit irresponsible for accepting as many Robins as he has. Mix that with Bruce considering if somebody generally is a “glad soldier” and it’s straightforward to imagine Bruce views his sidekicks solely as troopers. Nonetheless, readers will even do not forget that every Robin clearly needed to go down their paths and would have executed it with or with out him. Some might need even ended up criminals with out Batman’s intervention.
Tim Drake is a superb instance of somebody who was in all probability going to grow to be a vigilante with or with out Bruce simply based mostly on his origin. He was initially rejected by Bruce, but he dons the Robin swimsuit for the primary time to rescue Batman and Nightwing, successfully forcing his means in. Tim was adamant that Batman wanted a Robin and after being rescued, Bruce reluctantly accepts Tim on a trial foundation. To say Batman views his sidekicks solely as youngster troopers means that Batman is barely in want of our bodies and that his Robins are considerably dispensable. However as Batman & Robin Everlasting so brilliantly put it — Bruce believes his job is to catch them till they be taught to belief themselves and resolve who they wish to grow to be. A tremendous instance of how Batman does not rule as a tyrant however as an alternative serves as a real captain.