#let duke thomas be a hater 2024

[casscainmainly]

Why Duke Thomas Should Be A Dick Grayson Hater

Dick and Duke is such an underrated and underexplored relationship. Here is my pitch for why Duke should be a Dick Grayson hater.

1. The Rooftop Thing

Reason number one and the start of Duke's grudge should be the rooftop incident in Robin War. Dick, as part of his plan or whatever, leads Duke to a roof and abandons him to the cops.

LOOK AT DICK'S SMUG FACE. Tell me you wouldn't hold a grudge too if this was the FIRST major interaction you had with him?? Duke should use this against him at any possible opportunity.

2. ACAB

From We Are Robin #2. Once Duke finds out Dick used to be a cop, it's OVER for him.

3. Jason and Damian

Duke is quite close with Jason and Damian (in my head, particularly Damian - that's his LITTLE BROTHER). Anyway, these two are obsessed with Dick. You have Jason, with his miles-long brother issues that puts Dick on a pedestal, and you have Damian, who thinks Dick is the best person on Earth who can do no wrong. They would talk Duke's ears off about him. Duke would HATE IT.

4. Robin

This panel from Night of the Monster Men sums up quite nicely the difference in the way Dick and Duke approach vigilantism. Duke is the 'idealised' Robin, whose Robin-ing isn't contingent on Batman; Dick is more or less too tied up in Bruce. I think, because the Robin identity means a lot to Duke, having the original Robin be like this would irk Duke a LOT.

5. Tom Taylor

SPOILERS FOR CURRENT NIGHTWING RUN: in Nightwing #116, Dick gets framed for murder and Babs tells him to reveal he's Nightwing to clear him of suspicion. She says Bruce suggested it, and recounts everyone who agreed:

Hm. Is someone missing here? Oh yeah: DUKE. TT probably just forgot Duke, but where's the fun in that? Instead, if Duke is a Dick Grayson hater, you have the funniest scene imaginable. Everyone gathered in the Batcave, laying down their identities for Dick, and Duke is like 'I don't give a damn. He can rot in jail.' and peaces out.

BONUS points if he does this to get back at Dick for reason number 1.

6. Parallels

Duke's origin deliberately mirrors Bruce's, but that means it mirrors Dick's as well. Duke and Dick parallels go insane: they both had loving families, lost both parents at once, were in the foster system (varyingly for Dick but for the purposes of this post I'm gonna include it), were wards/not adopted by Bruce initially, have a huge reverence for family, have a thing about heights, view Robin as separate from Batman, forged their own identities, etc.

Tell me this page doesn't slap:

Anyway Duke would HATE this too. He'd be so annoyed that the person he has the most in common with is Dick, and that would fuel his Dick Grayson haterism.

Dick, on the other hand, has no hard feelings towards Duke. Duke would be glowering at him from the corner of the room and Dick would meet his gaze and be like 'ah Duke is so cute' and smile back. This would make Duke 10000x angrier.

Anyway that's my ideal Dick and Duke dynamic, feel free to add or modify or disagree with anything!!

[shamelesstragedyenjoyer]

Chat, Euphoria (2024) by Kendrik Lamar is SO Jason Todd's and Duke Thomas's diss track to Tim Drake. Litteraly get a load of this;

The very first time I shot me a Drake, the homies had told me to aim it this way I didn't point down enough, today, I'll show you I learned from those mistakes.

Let me say I'm your biggest hater

I hate the way that you walk, the way that you talk, I hate the way that you dress

We hate the bitches you fuck, 'cause they confuse themselves with real women

And notice, I said "we," it's not just me, I'm what the culture feelin'

When I see you stand by Sexyy Red, I believe you see two bad bitches You don't even like women, it's real competition, you might pop ass with 'em

Have you ever walked your enemy down, like, with a poker face? Have you ever paid five hundred thou' ,like, to an open case? Well, I have [...] you just want the praise I hate when a bitch talks about guns, then somebody die They turn into nuns, then hop online, like "Pray for my city"

I'm knowin' they call you The Boy, wonder where is the man? 'Cause I ain't seen him yet. Matter fact, I ain't even bleed him yet, can I bleed him? Bet

I like Drake with the melodies, I don't like Drake when he act tough You gon' make a nigga bring back Puff, let me see if Chubbs really crash somethin' My first one's like my last one, it's a classic, you don't have one Let your core audience stomach that, then tell 'em where you get your abs from V12, it's a fast one, baow-baow-baow, last one Headshot for the year, you better walk around like Daft Punk

The crown is heavy I pray they my real friends, if not, I'm YNW Melly I don't like you poppin' shit at Big Red, for him, I inherit the beef Yeah, fuck all that pushin' P, let me see you push a T You better off spinnin' again on him, you think about pushin' ME