#Warren McGinnis

[nightwings-blue]

"so do i look like him" but terry has warren's eyes, has his face shape, his frown, has that crease in between his eyebrows when he frowns and the same squint.

only to realize that he also has bruce's hair, piercing blue irises, strong chin, and his subtle smile after he finds out he has bruce's DNA too.

terry spending hours looking in front of the mirror trying to decide who he looks more like, if he really has his dad's features or if he was seeing things wrong the entire time.

[theycallme-ook]

You know i do wish we had an episode adotation of that one tie in comic where mary got kidnapped i think. Or just any mary content in general. Love her so much

Yeah I wish they'd included all the Mary centric episodes.. she barely exists as a character except for when the writers need her to say a few lines 😭😭 but she means so much. To me. So as reconciliation I will offer some of my own hcs:

Korean (tho that's true of all my Mcginnis stuff)

I think that Terry gets all of his fire from her. I think they're very similar in personality, Mary's just had time to chill out and find a place in the world. I think it's interesting to have the reason Terry was staying w his dad at the beginning of the show be bc he and Mary were so similar that their fights got really bad so he decided not to be around her much for a while.

She works in aeronautical engineering so she's very smart and capable, and tries to teach that to her kids but doesn't actually get how to do so bc teaching is it's own set of skills that she hasn't mastered as well

She's also where Terry gets the ADHD from. Hers went very much untreated and she's trying her best to give Terry better support than she got growing up but also just. Isn't quite sure how. Her parents were very much the "just push through it" type and she wants to do better for her kids. She knew to get treatment for Matt when he displayed signs of autism but didn't know to do that for Terry bc she thinks that's normal. Part of their issues stemmed from this

She grew up in Seoul until age 10 when she and her parents moved to Gotham. She struggled to adapt and so threw herself into her studies to prove the sacrifice of their old life to be worth it and to give her something steady that she could control. Despite marrying and having kids with a Korean-American man it doesn't fix the disconnect she's feeling or magically reveal to her how to pass on her culture to her kids. Warren is 4th gen and tries to help her out but it's just not the same

I also think Warren and Mary were just dating until she got pregnant and felt, well. They did feel pressure to marry but they also genuinely thought they could make it work, and they did! For a while. But rushing it really killed their romantic relationship in the end and they weren't able to get along again until they were divorced and able to go back to only being friends

Bisexual

[bluejaysandblackbats]

You're Just Like Quicksand

Fandom: DC Comics, Batfam, Batman Beyond

Summary: Jason Todd is ready to go into semi-retirement after fifteen years working with troubled youth, but one case in particular forces him to confront the sins of his youth and painful memories from his past.

Chapters: 15/?

Characters: Jason Todd, Terry McGinnis, Warren McGinnis, Mary McGinnis, Matt McGinnis, Bruce Wayne, Original Character(s)

Relationship(s): TBA

Additional Tags: Protective Jason Todd, Good Sibling Jason Todd, Retired Jason Todd, Multiple POV, Hurt/Comfort, Parent-Child Relationships, Canon Divergent AU, Angst, Mourning Jason Todd

Chapter Fifteen: Back of the Closet (Jason's POV)

Every day after I finished dropping Terry off, I spent a few minutes getting Avery-Marie cleaned up for dinner, and I checked on Andrew in his room. He’d taken up painting as a hobby, and he rarely came out of his room for anything. It was our normal. I knocked on the door frame, and Andrew looked up from his painting. “Whatcha working on, Drewby?” I asked. 

“Mom’s garden,” Andrew answered. I sat beside him, rustling a hand through his hair, and I kissed his temple. It’d been two years, and I still couldn’t get past the joy I felt looking at his face every day. “How was your day? Is your friend’s son okay?” 

“Uh-huh… I’m worried Powers is after him because of something his father found out… I’m gonna have someone look into it,” I answered. Andrew looked at me. 

“Are you gonna put the helmet back on?” Andrew questioned. I shook my head. 

“I don’t want to. I wanna see if the authorities can suss this out without help… Did you go to therapy today?” I questioned. Andrew nodded. I never pushed him to talk about it, but he’d tell me sometimes if he was in the mood to talk. Andrew continued to work on his painting. 

“I talked about you today… And Mom… Why weren’t you and Mom getting along?” What happened?” Andrew asked. It was a long time coming, but I was surprised he finally asked me about it. 

“It was my fault… I didn’t pay enough attention to her, and I never listened to her pleas about making nice with your grandfather. She just wanted me to work through my trauma. And I wanted to close it off and pretend it didn’t matter,” I answered, “Your mother was the sweetest woman I ever met. She was a good wife and an amazing mother. We weren’t gonna divorce… I would’ve stayed with her forever if I could’ve.”

Andrew smiled. I’d been seeing a lot more of that recently. Avery-Marie finished taking her bath, and she knocked on the door. “Uncle Andy,” Avery-Marie whispered as she knocked on the door. “Uncle Andy, can I show you something?” 

Andrew stopped painting, handed me his brush, and he let Avery-Marie in. He never turned her away. Even on his bad days, he gave her his full attention, showering her with love and affection like he used to do with Maggie. He picked her up and kissed her cheek. “What is it, Sugar Plum?” Andrew asked. 

“I made you something,” Avery-Marie whispered. She always whispered to him. He set her down, and she ran to grab her backpack before returning with a handmade suncatcher. “Grandpa put his present in the car.” 

Andrew opened his window and taped it there. “Wow. Thank you so much, Avie. Every time it’s sunny, I’ll be able to open my curtains and see the rainbow. This is so nice,” Andrew grinned. 

“I’m gonna start dinner,” I whispered to excuse myself. Andrew would help Avery-Marie with her homework while I cooked. It always calmed my nerves. I liked dinnertime. It was the only time I had to clear my head and focus on a single task. I didn’t have to think about Abigail surrendering custody of Avery-Marie to me. I didn’t have to think about Michael being tangled up in the magic scene in Louisiana. I didn’t have to think about Andrew’s agoraphobia. When I cooked, it was just me and the stove. Today, I made burgers and french fries. It was Avery-Marie’s favorite. I brought our meal to Andrew’s bedroom, and we ate at the little table by his closet. Avery-Marie sat on my knee while we ate. Andrew took his pills with dinner. After dinner, I put a movie on for Avery-Marie, and Andrew took a nap beside her. 

**

When nighttime came, Andrew listened to the police scanner before bed. “That’s a code I haven’t heard in a while,” Andrew whispered. 

“What’s that, Drew?” I questioned. 

“The code for masked vigilantes. At Wayne Powers on the roof. Do you think it’s Grandpa?” Andrew asked. I shook my head. “Dad?”

“It’s Terry,” I answered. There was no doubt or hesitation in me when I said it. It had to be Terry, and I felt my blood run cold. Andrew frowned and nodded at me. 

I shook my head, feeling torn between my duty to Warren and his family, and my duty to my family. It felt like the same thing. Warren, Mary, Terry, and Matt felt like family… But Andrew grabbed my hand. “You stepped away because you didn’t want to hurt kids… Now you have the chance to save one. Go ahead, Dad,” Andrew reassured me, “Don’t be gone too long, or I’ll call Uncle Dick.”

“Uncle Dick is in California,” I whispered before kissing his forehead, “Comms are in my bedroom.” 

I left the room and got dressed in the last model of my costume. I hadn’t worn it since the kids were babies. They knew about it. That wasn’t a secret to them. 

I took my motorcycle through the old passageways to get there faster, and I could tell from the sound of the security guards that Terry was there already. I turned comms on, calling straight to the cave like old times, hoping someone was on the other line. “Anyone on the line?” I questioned. 

“Hood?” Bruce’s voice half-exclaimed on the other line. 

“What’s his location and why would you let him wear the—?” I heard a gunshot and a hissing noise before looking up to see Terry in the Batman suit tailing a plane. “He can’t do this on his own—.” 

“The kid is in the suit against my wishes… But he’s got it under control. He’s got a natural talent for this… Go home, Hood. Stepping in now would only jeopardize his safety. Unless you’d like to talk about—.” 

“Listen here, you sick old man. I’m only coming there, so I can chew you out for allowing this curse to take another kid,” I whispered. The drive to the cave felt like it took an eternity, but it was only a few minutes. Bruce sat in his chair, looking more alive than I’d seen him in years. He had a distinct twinkle in his eye. I hadn’t seen that in him since I was a little boy. 

“He said he’s heading straight home… I didn’t know he was one of your kids. If I did, I wouldn’t have hit him so hard when I caught him down here. What’s your opinion on his mental state?” Bruce asked. 

I couldn’t lie to him. “Terry craves adrenaline, and he’s smart… Intuitive and compassionate. He has a record and a past, but that’s not reflective of how strong his conscience is. Terry feels guilty for things that he’s done, and he has a strong desire to set things right even if they seem completely out of his control. He’s deeply empathetic… More than anyone I’ve ever seen, and I originally planned on partnering him up with a defense attorney before I took a step back from work two years ago… I’m not gonna be able to talk him out of this, am I? And I can’t tell his mother. That’d kill her,” I answered. 

“He reminds me of you… He’s got a smart mouth, but I think that comes with being a teenager,” Bruce replied. 

“You like him… You lonely old—. You want him back here, don’t you?” I questioned. 

“This city’s falling apart. I think he’s fresh, and I appreciate his raw talent. If you say no, I’ll respect that—.” 

“But he won’t. I know how this works,” I interrupted. I wanted to blame Bruce this time, but I knew it was as much his curse as mine.

[empressgeekt]

headcanon - batman spawn growled as babies

made on mobile. Apologies in advance.

Okay, so I was watching cute baby clips on YouTube to make me laugh after a bad day. And I came to this clip with this cutest baby girl who growled at her brother when ever he made her upset instead of crying.

Now all I can think of is a baby damian growling at Talia, and here just being weirded out. Like "great he's trying to learn intimidation tactics young" but on the other hand he's too cute and helpless for it to really work they way damian wanted it too. Even Ra's was confused the first time Damian did it to him and it took a lot to stun the demon's head. The Al Guals had ni idea where this came from, and just chuck it up to damian being damian. Besides the boy grows out of it quickly.

The Helena does the same thing years later, and Damian remembers his mother mentioning that he did that. Then Alfred walks in and says that Bruce did the same thing as an infant. Selina finds the whole thing hilarious.

Even further in the future Warren and Mary mcginnis would wonder why their sons were so insistent that they were wild animals as babies.

[dailydccomics]

finally someone other than a Flash is fucking around in the timeline Batman Beyond vol 6 #48

[starryoak]

One thing that I think is an understated sadness in the JLU episode “Epilogue”,  is that while it’s not explicitly stated, along with the reveal of who Terry is, that also tells you the likely reason Warren and Mary McGinnis divorced. After all, Warren, unbeknownst to him, had his own genetic material overwritten with Bruce’s, so that they could make another Batman eventually; it’s both an interesting explanation as to why Warren and Terry/Matt look nothing alike, but it… also kind of tells you that it’s likely the reason Mary and Warren divorced is because Warren believed Mary was cheating on him.

And, well, there wouldn’t be anything to disprove that! Genetically, Terry and Matt aren’t Warren’s children. But that basically means that Mary wouldn’t be able to explain or defend herself because, even if she had never slept with anyone in her life but Warren, she would always be seen as lying, because even an objective analysis would indicate she had to be.

It actually reminds me of a few cases like that in reality, not the idea of genetic information being overwritten, but a real life case of someone’s children not being their biological children despite objectively giving birth to them; Lydia Fairchild was a woman who, during a routine paternity test to enforce child support, seemingly was not the mother of her two children, while her ex-partner was the father, she was not! She stood accused of fraud as a result of this, and as she was pregnant with her third child at the time, the court ordered a witness present at the birth to collect blood samples and testify in court. When the DNA tests returned, she was apparently not the mother of the baby in question either, despite the obvious evidence to the contrary! Her defense attorney uncovered a similar case to Lydia’s where another mother had been found to not be the biological parent of her own children, it had been uncovered that this was due to a condition called chimerism; when fraternal twin zygotes merge into one singular being in the womb, this leads to the person being born with two distinct sets of DNA. When DNA from her parents were collected, Lydia’s children were found to be her parent’s grandchildren, and when DNA from a cervical swab was tested, what do you know? Her children’s biological parent was her own unborn twin!

Yes, this entire damn post was an excuse to share an interesting medical fact, if you were wondering.

[red-jenny]

Batman: Beyond the White Knight, Sean Murphy, 2022-2023

[obscure-batfam-bracket]

[lazlolullaby]

"Nurse" Terry AU

i mean a reboot of Terry Mcginnis being a home medical assistant for elder care.

Not the grimdark cop out twist, "lol Bruce was Crazy the whole time, the doctors were his rogues gallery" but. Mundane elder care for the man who fought too hard for this city to even consider he would live to old age. + Bonus medical support for the future Batfamily.

TL:Dr Terry as Alfred's successor. Caring of people that have made/continually make dangerous choices, dry wit, checkered past, willing to kill, etc. He just needs time to grow into it.

More details under the cut, accidentally evolved into a not fic:

Bruce already has a partial caretaker in Alfred, and he's not going to live forever, despite all of the fandom jokes otherwise.

I'm thinking Bruce is 70, so Dick and Barbara would be 50s, Jason and Cass 45, Tim, Duke, and Stephanie 40s, and Damian is 35. Titus was replaced with a few other service dogs before Ace.

Maybe it's like Batman Beyond where Bruce drove everyone away. Maybe the Golden Age of Heroes wound down, with his contemporaries either dying or leaving him alone to stand vigil.

Maybe it's not. When his kids are grown with their lives and vigilantes or not, they can't be there 24/7 for Bruce.

I prefer the Batfamily is around, just that they have their own lives. Someone is always in the Manor in the mornings, but when Vigilante things happen, someone has to be home to make sure Bruce doesn't go out as well.

Bruce, thanks to his vigilante history, has heart issues, bone and joint issues, canon Childhood PTSD compounding with complex Vigilante PTSD, and bad reactions to drugs and medications thanks to all of the Chemical Attacks.

Bruce is still good at his ADLs (Activities of Daily Life). Things like walking without assistance, eating, showering, putting on clothes, and going to the bathroom.

He's gotten denture implants and is doing physical therapy enough to walk with a cane. He can't open jars, but he can still zip and button.

He's retired but still runs the Cave. He's mostly fine, but sometimes the Bats see him struggle. Someone finds him at the bottom of the stairs, unable to get up and refusing to say when he fell. Dick puts his foot down when Bruce has a heart attack.

The batfamily makes up a rotation sheet, but it's not enough. Vigilante first aid is different from elderly medical aid. Not to mention the mental and emotional toll that it's taking, seeing their parent/leader disabled and crabby as hell.

(also. Untrained family members who care for Alzheimer's patients by themselves have a severe risk of cutting their life short due to stress. Use the insurance. Get help.)

So they get Bruce a fully trained nurse assistant to check in every other day for the midmorning and a first aid assistant for the night time. And they'll keep rotation at "vigilante time" 9-9. It's flexible, he doesn't need them all of the time.

So about Terry. Despite everything, it's still Gotham. His family was held up at gunpoint after a trip to the movies. The gun does go off.

But it's also a Gotham with several active vigilantes.

The response was quick enough that only Warren was hit, and the gun was knocked on the ground fast enough so Mary was physically fine. They get taken to the hospital. Mary might remember which vigilante. Terry might need to see pictures.

Warren's insurance plan with Wayne-Powers is pretty great, he's off on disability for a few months. And Mary is pregnant, so as she was progressing she can't lift or help with heavy things. Terry tries to help. He's getting well versed in getting snacks, waters, basic house chores done, but he's only 8. There's no grandparents or extended family to call.

So they apply for help. The insurance sends a home medical assistant to come around a few days a week. And Terry sees how much it helps. How much of a burden that it lifts, how everyone in the house can breathe a little easier. That sticks with him.

When the insurance runs out and they still need help, Mary calls the support card that the Vigilantes gave her. They get a second volunteer (maybe a cousin of his highschool group? Chelsea or Dana?) that also helps.

The worst is over, Warren is safely back to work + working from home to help out, Mary is fully recovered, and baby Matt is perfectly healthy.

And Terry is restless. Energy spent worrying about his family and taking care of them is churning in him. He's lost some time with his friends and is feeling isolated.

The cracks become apparent in the parents marriage, it gets tense at home.

The second volunteer comes around sometimes to babysit him and Matt while Mary and Warren are "working their relationship out". They tell him about the community center that sets people up with job training and temp healthcare jobs like this. Activities for the neighborhood kids after school.

Luckily and unluckily, that's where Terry gets recruited into the Red Hood gang.

Jason isn't really using kids for gang things. Well. Keeping them as look outs, making them deliver care packages to the homeless/protected witnesses, maybe ferrying a little naloxone here and there to his addiction rehab centers. They know what they're doing is illegal, but it also helps the community. Terry is pretty content with that most of the time. Most of the time.

And then Charlie had to get it in his head he's going "Big Time", riles Terry up, and make them go off plan.

Terry and Charlie get caught, they get booked in Juvenile hall. They don't say anything, don't reveal about Red Hood's movements. (Not that Jason would tell any kids anything like that.)

Terry got out, his parents officially split, he went with his Dad, his Mom took his younger brother. Now that he doesn’t have Matt, he can’t go back to his gang friends, his parents don’t trust him, people are hesitant to trust him, he’s getting frustrated again.

The Bats are also...more focused on the Gotham villainy side of things, not the company. Dick never got a business degree so he can't really do anything, not that he was interested, Jason is dead + his civilian alias is handling Crime Ally, Tim is burnt out of CEO duties and recovering in R&D, and Damian tried, but he was frustrated in following his father's footsteps, so that was stopped.

Derek Powers is still a thing but not all "glowy". Warren brought up the weapons file + discrepancy to Tim, so Terry's dad is safe (for now).

So Jason sees this kid who wants to help but just needs to be mentored and his act cleaned up. And Bruce, who's a little bit listless and needs a project that won't be too taxing.

So the Batfamily talks and throws them together.

BUT ALSO - fun storylines:

Derek Powers tries to kill Bruce through his medical assistants. He's a manipulator, also trying to get Terry for cheap, but Terry isn't biting. Terry checking the medicine before giving it to Bruce and finding it wasn't the usual. (Bruce knew, but he also wanted to make sure no one was slacking.) IDK if the day nurse/pharmacy tech got turned by Powers but Terry was planned to take the fall.

Bruce subtly training him in stealth tactics and strategy. The rest of the Batfamily getting in on it too.

Terry was able to clock that "Father Peterson", a pillar of the Crime Alley Community, was a civilian alias of Red Hood. (Peterson checked in on him in juvie. His foot stance is similar to Red Hood, the cadence when he's talking with his goons slips, their morals don't directly align but do intersect, people thought they were grudging allies, but if they're the same person it tracks.) Terry does further digging and connects the deceased Jason Todd-Wayne's old photos to Peterson, but realizes, "oh. There's reasons why he doesn't involve his rich family", and decides not to bring it up.

Maybe finding an actual CEO replacement for Wayne-Powers? Stephanie could pull a Cinderella rags to riches story. Or have the Fox family come back? Tam or Luke?

Terry following Bruce down to the Batcave a couple months in. "Sure. A nerd Collection." But not actually believing that it's the Batfamily base until he sees the collection of suits. When the family shows up after patrol he just shrugs, "you told me stick by him."

[theycallme-ook]

dont know if u are still taking the prompts but if u are, could u pls draw baby terry with his father? im having thoughts abt them since terry turned one this month

Sometimes I think abt how young Warren and Mary must have been when they had Terry. Anyways.

[bluejaysandblackbats]

You're Just Like Quicksand

Fandom: DC Comics, Batfam, Batman Beyond

Summary: Jason Todd is ready to go into semi-retirement after fifteen years working with troubled youth, but one case in particular forces him to confront the sins of his youth and painful memories from his past.

Chapters: 14/?

Characters: Jason Todd, Terry McGinnis, Warren McGinnis, Mary McGinnis, Matt McGinnis, Bruce Wayne, Original Character(s)

Relationship(s): TBA

Additional Tags: Protective Jason Todd, Good Sibling Jason Todd, Retired Jason Todd, Multiple POV, Hurt/Comfort, Parent-Child Relationships, Canon Divergent AU, Angst, Mourning Jason Todd

Chapter Fourteen: Fathers and Sons (Terry McGinnis' POV)

I hadn’t heard from Jason in over two years, but he was at the funeral. I thought it was strange. I wondered who invited him. I wondered why he stood so far away. Mom couldn’t move. She couldn’t process any of it. So, we stood beside her as everyone paid their respects and went home. They could go home. I couldn’t. I could never go home again. I had to officially move in with Mom once they let me into the crime scene that was once my dad’s apartment. Everyone left, and I stayed behind. Mom took Matt home, and Jason finally approached. I couldn’t pretend. I resented him for letting me go without a reason. So, I let him have it. I couldn’t remember what I said, but I know it was harsh. He stood there, tall and strong with sadness in his eyes. Jason didn’t move. He didn’t flinch. I tore into him until I didn’t have any other words to describe how I felt. And without missing a beat, he said, “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you… But I knew you were good. I wouldn’t have done that if I didn’t think you could handle it… But I missed it. Every moment.”

I swallowed hard. My stomach was in knots. It only took a few little sentences for me to forgive him. I knew he’d understand my grief. My anger. My emptiness. “What are you doing here?” I questioned, my voice breaking as I asked him. 

“I promised Mary that I’d look after you while you got your things. I also promised her that I’d try to get you to eat. We could get whatever you want,” Jason whispered, “We’ll go eat… And then we’ll get your stuff. I promise.” 

“Why? Why now?” I asked. 

“Because I lost my parents as a kid. And in retrospect, I think I needed someone who could show me how to process grief without being pacified with emotionally addictive coping mechanisms. Are you alright with me coming around for a little while?” Jason questioned. I wanted to say no. I wanted to pretend I didn’t need him, but I couldn’t lie. I nodded. 

** 

After Jason took me to eat, we went to the apartment. Jason came with me, and he stood by quietly while I packed everything that I could into a box. Everything I owned fit into one big box. It made me feel sick and empty in my chest. I looked up at Jason, almost pleading for him to feel it for me. Feel my pain.  

“One of the kids in my program took my family from me. He got too attached… And he—. He developed a jealous streak. He thought I passed his case on because of my children… And he took them from me. I was afraid that those feelings would keep me from helping you… And I didn’t want to make the same mistake of passing your case onto someone else, so I stepped away. Besides, you were so independent. You didn’t need me as much. You and Warren were doing alright. But, he—. He called me. He said something changed a few months ago. What was it?” Jason questioned. The confession seemed out of place. 

“It wasn’t like that. I get into with some guy at school sometimes, but it’s—. Dad was swamped at work. He didn’t have the time to talk about it anymore… So, I stopped explaining. I’m not messing around with gangs or stealing anymore. I swear,” I promised him. He nodded. “I would’ve understood if you told me what happened to your kids. I’m sorry, Jason.”

“It’s—. Thank you… I probably should’ve explained, but I—. It’s a lot to dredge up,” Jason replied, “Which is why I want you to talk about this on your own time. I’ll be available whenever you feel like talking about him. I spent a lot of time talking to Warren. We became friends. He was kind to me.”

“What did you have in common with my dad?” I questioned. 

Jason smiled as tears slid down his cheeks. “He had a normal life… Normal problems… But this—.”

“Feels wrong… I don’t think Dad would’ve opened the door for those twips,” I interrupted him.

Jason nodded as he looked around. He must’ve seen something because his jaw tightened. “Terry, after today… don’t come back here. Something’s not right. This isn’t—. If you see something weird, I want you to call me,” Jason whispered. He stepped into the doorway, and I could tell there was something wrong in his eyes. A switch flipped, and he scanned over everything. 

“What is it?” I questioned. Jason shook his head as he took me to his car. His face went dark, and he looked around. 

“I don’t know… I just feel strange about all of this, Terry. Get in the car, and I’ll take you to Mary’s. It’s getting dark,” Jason whispered. He shut the door and got in the driver’s seat. I looked at Jason. 

“Does this mean I’m back in the program?” I asked. I felt stupid as soon as I asked it. 

“Is that what you want?” Jason questioned. 

He wanted me to say it. Not for his ego. I don’t think he had one, but it was all for me. He wanted to know what I wanted. And he needed me to ask him. I started hyperventilating, and Jason tapped the dashboard between us until I calmed down. “I don’t know what I’m gonna do without my dad,” I mumbled.

“And I can’t fill that space, but I can create a space for you to cope if you’ll let me help you,” Jason answered. 

We didn’t say anything else for the whole ride home, and he walked me up to the door and said goodbye to my mom and Matt before leaving. And somewhere in between me entering my room and seeing Matt, I dropped my dad’s picture and found the disc. And that’s when I decided to get involved with Bruce Wayne. I didn’t know much about the old man, and I didn’t really care, but I needed his help. I knew I couldn’t go to Jason because he’d tell me not to get involved. He would’ve taken over, and I wanted my own answers… and it was Mr. Wayne’s company. 

**

Jason picked me up from school after Powers’ people accosted me. He pinched the bridge of his nose, before sighing. Avery-Marie sat in the back seat, kicking her feet. She had noise-canceling headphones on. “Are you okay?” Jason asked.

“I’m alright… Is that Avery-Marie? She’s so big now,” I whispered. 

“Yeah… She’s in kindergarten… Why is Powers’ muscle hassling you?” Jason questioned. 

I shook my head like I didn’t know, and he accepted it. He knew I was lying, but he didn’t push for an answer. “Powerphones off,” Jason commanded, and Avery-Marie looked up. 

“Grandpa, can I have a cookie in the car?” Avery-Marie asked. 

“Sure, Avie. Did you see Terry in the front seat?” Jason questioned.

“Hi, Terry! Do you want a cookie too?” Avery-Marie offered. Her blonde curls reached past her shoulders, and she wore glitter star stickers on her face. “Grandpa, is Terry coming over to play?” 

Jason tapped the steering wheel as he started driving. “Not today, Sweetpea… Terry’s busy.” Avery-Marie pouted as she handed me a cookie.

“Maybe some other time… ‘Kay, Avery-Marie?” I offered. 

Jason nodded. “If he’s free, maybe he can babysit sometimes,” Jason suggested. He wanted me at the office. I knew what that meant. He wasn’t ready to let the situation with Powers go. Not completely anyway.

[wrdn-tabris]

like terry was very much living full time with his dad it seemed while matt was living full time with their mom. which does not make the most sense to me plus it doesnt seem like smth that is. commonly? done??

then of course the show never rlly goes into it bc warren dies and terry moves in with his mom, it never really explains that and just makes ur own conclusions.

after terry was released from juvie did warren get full custody over him? or was he like ‘terry will function better with me’ after the divorce. like he obv still spent time with matty but its like so confusing n u never rlly get any hints to why it was like that

anyways what was up with the custody situation with the mcginnis family

[asha-mage]

I just want to hear all your thoughts regarding Terry McGinnis lol. Any 🌶️ takes regarding him lol.

"Epilogue", the Batman Beyond distant finale, is an act of narrative surgery that exists for a single purpose: to get the inevitable 'Terry is actually Bruce's son' plot line out of the way, before other less skilled writers could do it worse.

Comics/Superheroes being what they are it was just a simple truth that someone, at some point, would EVENTUALLY just make the connection and decide to retcon Terry as Bruce's biological son for The Drama Of It All. The risk would be that kind of twist could undercut some of the core themes of Terry's character: so much of the point of Batman Beyond, and why Terry works as the new Batman is because being Batman isn't something that comes with the baggage of family legacy or inheritance. He is just some kid who, like Bruce, lost someone incredibly important to him to Gotham's senseless violence and then decided to stand up on his own and say 'no more'. The reveal of Terry being a super special scion of the Wayne family undercuts that unless it directly engages and knocks down the idea that being Batman was anything but Terry's choice.

So rather then wait for others to do it and risk them wrecking it, the DCAU takes the chance to get out ahead of it and essentially speed run the entire arc over the course of 'Epilogue'. Terry's dream sequence where he confronts Bruce about his DNA, and his following conversation with Amanda Waller directly and frankly addresses the issue from every angle, leaving no room untrod.

Yes part of his DNA is Bruce's, yes he was the subject of a project to ensure Gotham would always have a Batman, but keyly as Waller reveals the project failed. The hit man she hired to kill Warren and Mary McGinnis backed out, and Amanda realized that what she was doing was wrong: not just an insult to everything Bruce went through, but a unjust cruelty that could just as easily create another supervillain as a new Batman.

The episode goes out of it's way to have Terry confront and then reject the idea that his life is a sham. Pointedly none of the things that make Terry a good Batman are things that can be explained by sharing DNA with Bruce, especially as Waller points out, his devotion to helping others. Had Waller never interfered with Warren McGinnis's DNA, Terry still would have become Batman- he still would have grown up an angry punk in a decaying Gotham, he still would have been sent to juvie, his parents still would have gotten divorced, his father still would have ended up murdered by Powers for the sake of company secrets, and that would still have driven Terry to seek out justice in an unjust world by taking up the cowl.

Like I said: narrative surgery. Introducing this idea before other writers can do it, and then executing it in a way that it doesn't damage the underlying themes and ideas of Terry's arc, but rather reinforces them. Most importantly it leaves no space for another writer looking to work out their own complicated relationship to their father. The matter is fully resolved by the end of Epilogue, where Terry resolve to continue being Batman regardless, but to not make Bruce's mistakes.

It's no small feat to future proof your story, especially when your dealing with superheros and even if that's maybe played a role in why we haven't gotten a proper Batman adaption, I can't find it in myself to mind.

[lorbanery]

Someone has definitely written a fic where Terry McGinnis realizes and has to come to terms with the fact that his parents kind of fucked him up, right?

Like, he's Batman. Batman deals with fucked up families. Eventually he's gotta learn to recognize the red flags of an abusive household, of how kids act out when they're being mistreated at home, of what are appropriate consequences for behavior and how that changes based on the kid's age.

And I know the show tries to go out of its way to be like "well Terry really WAS a pretty badly behaved kid" like ooohh he was in JUVIE for a whole FEW MONTHS but also like

Let's really think about this for a second

This whole "Terry was a Bad Kid" narrative ultimately hinges on one particular event: His arrest alongside Charlie Bigelow. Now I don't think they ever mention how old Terry's supposed to be during the series, and they certainly never mention how old he was when he and Charlie got arrested. But we DO know that the arrest happened 4 years before the events of the series because in the episode where all of this backstory is elaborated on, they mention that Charlie's sentence was 4 years. Now, Terry's in high school, which narrows his present day age to between 14 and 18; but the fact his mother got custody after his dad died makes it pretty clear he can't be older than 17.

So if we're GENEROUS.

If we assume that Terry is 17 during the events of the series

that he's 17 when Charlie's released from jail after serving a 4 year prison sentence

that would make Terry, AT THE OLDEST ... 13 years old when he was arrested

thirteen

years

old

when his parents got divorced

thirteen years old

when his mother declared that she couldn't deal with him, that his father was the only one who could "control" him, and gave up custody of TERRY, but not of his little brother

thirteen years old when his parents SPLIT UP him and his little brother, who had to have been a kindergartner at the oldest at the time

Like this is cruel. With the exception of some extreme circumstances, you don't do that to kids. You don't just separate siblings like that. Like, not to say that it doesn't happen, just to say that I don't think I'm off-the-mark in assuming that pretty much every modern child development expert would very much suggest you DON'T DO THAT. Like I know there are folks out there who know very well how it feels, but for the rest of us just imagine being thirteen years old and your mom says she wants custody, but only of your sibling, she doesn't want custody of you.

PERSONALLY

I THINK THAT'S PRETTY FUCKED UP

Oh and let's not forget that it is at least heavily implied if not outright stated that this divorce was at least partially triggered by Warren suspecting Mary of cheating because these two redheads gave birth to two kids with jet black hair. Yeah I wonder why a tweenage Terry was so angry and spending a lot of time out on the streets instead of at home where his parents were constantly fighting about whether or not he was "actually" their kid?????

And it's not like she changed her tune about him after he moved in! At even the faintest WHIFF of rules bending she was ready with an accusation of Terry going back to his old ways. DESPITE him completely turning himself around. Like juvie worked for him the way authoritarians want it to! He spent a few months in juvie after doing One Bad Thing, got scared straight, and decided he was never going to do Bad Things again. Hooray! The fictional criminal justice system works! Sure he was still getting into fights, but he was doing it to try and help people. He did his time, he turned his life around, the boy is an A student, he's had four years proving himself Not a Delinquent. Yet Mary McGinnis is CONSTANTLY jumping on any excuse to assume that Terry's up to no good.

And I will admit that she's probably justified in jumping to conclusions initially upon finding drugs in Terry's backpack. But I still find it a bit EXTREME, given, again, his recent history up to that point, that Mary refuses to even CONSIDER believing Terry when he says they aren't his and he's not using them ... until he gets a drug screening.

And don't even get me started on the way Matt talks about him. This kid is in elementary school there's no way he's come to the conclusion all on his own that his older brother who, as far as we know, he hasn't even SEEN in FOUR YEARS is just a delinquent who's always secretly up to something. Oh but he's been living alone with Mary this whole time HHMMMMMMMMMM

I'm harping a lot on Mary here, but listen that's just because Warren's dead and so we only got to VERY BRIEFLY see him and Terry interact. Given that brief interaction? I don't have a problem assuming that he treated Terry much in the same way, as a delinquent constantly on the brink of a relapse. he just benefits from being killed off for Plot purposes so we can't see all the ways that plays out like with Mary.

Anyway it kills me every time Mary McGinnis treats her son like shit and Terry goes all

*pained bishounen face* Even if I didn't do what she's accusing me of, I still deserve her suspicion and I can't blame her for it.

[stolenheartchronicles]

Here's how I would introduce Terry McGinnis.

In this post, I've described my vision for how DC comics should be split into three separate and simultaneous eras - past, present and future. I would request you to read that post first.

So, I would set the Batman Beyond storyline about 20 years after the Future era of DC comics.

At this point, Bruce and Selina are in their 80s, and still happily married.

The story opens with Selina's death.

A terrorist organisation goes after the Wayne Family. They shoot a ray gun at Bruce but Selina pushes him out of the way. The Ray hits her but doesn't harm her instantly.

Days later Selina dies in her sleep due to a blood clot in an artery caused by the Ray.

Bruce is devastated and wants revenge.

A scientist who worked for a weapons manufacturing company, Warren McGinnis, finds out that the company has secret links with that same terrorist organisation. He finds out about this new weapon (the ray gun that killed Selina), and how the company gave it to those terrorists. He tries to expose them, but they have him killed and make his death look like an accident.

His son, Terry suspects that his father was murdered and tries to investigate. He gets captured by a wing of the terrorist group.

Helena Wayne rescues him, but tells him to go home and not to get involved.

However, Bruce sees a bit of himself in the kid and agrees to help him get justice for his father. He takes Terry under his wing and begins training him to be a detective while helping him investigate his dad's murder. Cassandra Cain agrees to train Terry in combat.

Both Damian and Helena disagree with what their father is doing. They tell him they understand he's grief stricken, they all are. But also ask him not to use this kid for his own revenge. Bruce assures them that that's not why he is doing this. That he really does see potential in young Terry McGinnis.

Bruce's equation with Terry would be similar to how it was in the Batman Beyond show. Only in this timeline, he isn't a broken and lonely old man. He has lived a full life in spite of all his trauma.

He has a picture of his late wife and partner Selina Kyle Wayne right next to the Bat Computer. He often talks to her. He carries out conversations with her as if she's responding to him, teasing him, scolding him etc. She's very much alive in his heart.

Selina's death is what brings Terry into Bruce's life. Becoming a mentor to the young man gives Bruce a new purpose, and helps him survive losing the love of his life. Until he too passes away a few years later.

And if we want to spice things up with some additional drama, maybe Terry has a crush on Damian's daughter! 🤭🤭🤭

I'd love to know what my fellow Bat Fam fans think. Thanks for reading. 🙏