#i think that theres a lot that can be said abt the impact that pre52 could have if we just....

[duketectivecomics]

So with the news snippets as the Narrative Device in We Are Robin/Robin War, I’m was reminded of what happened after Steph’s death with the Child Registration thing and that’s what really spurred this on bc I’ve got a few Ideas about merging pre52 & N52 canons. And more specifically, thoughts on what growing up in the shadow of 3 Robin Deaths would mean for when the Robin Movement starts and what it means for Duke.

(Also wanna preface this, that y’all are more than welcome to your own interpretation/merging and are more than welcome to tag me in your metas on if/how you reconcile the canons! These are just some of my thoughts/plans!)

Okay. So in my Personal Melding Of Canons I like to consider Duke’s Brief Brush with Bruce to take place at the same time as No Man’s Land (so Zero Year ISNT a thing obvsly since NML replaces it), and he’s 10 at the start of That Event (so 11 by the end since it was meant to be a Full Year thing), Given that Tim isnt much older in NML than when he started out as Robin in Lonely Place, its safe to assume that Jason would’ve been killed (give or take) a few years prior to NML, and knowing for sure that War Games takes place (give or take) a few years after, its a pretty small window between Losing Robins. (I’m going 2 yrs in each direction for simplicity’s sake, but again, everyone’s welcome to their own ideas in that regard)

So Duke essentially grew up with Jason as the Robin at Batman’s side, and got to watch him Very Clearly Vanish and be replaced by Tim. (& just to Clarify, Duke is 8 when Jason Dies, 10 when the Cataclysm hits Gotham & NML happens and then ~12 when Steph dies bc of War Games)

And its such a relatively short timeframe, but it would be earth-shattering to an 8yo! The boy who was at the Bat’s side was replaced just so simply? and there’s not a single sign of him moving on to a new identity? (At least with the first its generally acknowledged that he grew up to be Nightwing, but the general public wouldn’t know of Robin’s death, only that he’s... gone. and there’s a slightly younger one in his place now.)

So here you have 8yo Duke, who sees this and keeps it tucked away, that Robins apparently can be replaced and that no one seems to make a big deal about it.

And then when Batman replaces Robin yet again, SHE disappears and Hey! Look At That! This time she’s Actually on the News and apparently got Killed bc of being a vigilante! And Duke around this point at 12 is Starting to Understand why his parents are more hesitant to let him stay out too late or why they try to get him to choose A Different Hero to dress up as for Halloweens when more kids end up dead in Robin costumes bc of Various criminals. (pulling from Gotham Central for that one, though I’m almost positive there have been other stories where kids have gotten killed in Robin costumes or dressed up as Robins & put in danger. its such a simple gimmick to repeat)

Fast forward another 3/4 years, Tim’s time has come and gone, and Damian’s taken up the mantle and-

He dies. (Or at the very least disappears but I’m pretty certain that his death had been published/publicized, given that it took place pretty publicly)

And then Batman’s been replaced by Bat-robot. (not 100% about keeping that particular part but stay with me here) And all Duke knows for sure is that his parents are missing and these Robin kids that helped save him seem to have the right idea about keeping their streets safe. And maybe if he helps them out, he can help make a real difference... And then Troy dies.

And this is by no means the first time that a Robin has died, but its the first that hits the closest to Home because Duke, Izzy, all of them are there for it. 

And with Steph’s death being only a few years prior, with Dami’s still so fresh, with a renewed call for parents & police alike to eye these kids with suspicion and do everything they can to ‘keep them in line’, there’s so much going on but Duke does realize something.

That he can rely on this team that he’s found, and that while Gotham’s in disarray and the Real Batman is MIA and so’s Robin, they damn well will need SOMEONE to step up.

Because while being Robin is dangerous, thats simply because Robins know that they’re needed right there on the front lines, and that leaping in for others, committing the selfless act to protect, even while it might be a direct danger to yourself, is what being truly heroic means.

Because even Batman couldn’t stop these Robins from being the heroes they were always meant to be, even as tragic as it is that they had to be so self-sacrificing so young. (But isnt it just as incredible, that Robin didnt need Batman to tell em to be so heroic? They just were. Robins dont need Batman to tell them what’s right and whats wrong, what to do. A Robin just takes that leap and flies.)