#let him seduce you with his autistic swagger

[theclaravoyant]

I find it funny that Archie says she expects Stede to be “more charismatic” as if his charisma isn’t the only thing keeping him alive to this point . Like . Charisma isn’t about attractiveness it’s about his ability to recruit and inspire his little band of misfits and charm his way into the hearts of so many people - Spanish Jackie for example, as of next episode he’s been back there THREE SEPARATE TIMES despite breaking her nose jar and then robbing her . Not to mention Zheng ! My man may not ooze swagger but he’s got charisma in buckets

[ciboriaadastra]

@mooitstimdrake I didn't! I posted it under the previous poll, so I was trying to post new panels and pages for anyone who checks the notes :o but I can post them again! You can never get enough of BTK-era GhostBat

Batman: The Knight (2022) #5

"You're amazing, Bruce. I thought I was alone in the world...but you..."

One of my favorite scenes in BTK is this scene; because throughout the series from Minhkhoa's introduction to the very last scenes in the final issue, the text overemphasizes that this is a friendship, what Bruce and Minhkhoa have is a deep friendship unrivaled by any other...but the fifth issue is all about Bruce learning espionage and the power of seduction, and he fails consistently to develop this skill in every scenario he's put into EXCEPT this moment. There is one person he successfully seduces, and that person is Minhkhoa Khan.

Bruce plays to Minhkhoa's boasting and leans into his own sad, mopey twink energies. His autistic swagger and disposition of a damp mop are captivating. There's no way Bruce can compete in this playful rivalry they have at this point...Minhkhoa already had skill in this area, while Bruce is undersocialized and is trying to build from scratch and failed. Minhkhoa is drawn in to comfort him, because he thinks of Bruce as his equal, the only person whom he believes can be his equal; if he lets Bruce take this failure too much to heart, he'd lose the one person who understands him. Their relationship would end, everything they had would end. Minhkhoa would have to accept being alone again so soon after realizing there's a chance he doesn't have to live like that.

The almost kiss is so perfect. Minhkhoa has his arm around Bruce. Their faces inches apart, gazing into the other's eyes, light perfectly framing their eyes in a way that's unnatural for the environment (sunset on a bridge in Moscow) but more than appropriate for a romance trope, the tinge of blush in Bruce's face and ears. Avery interrupts, and they break apart with knowing smiles. Bruce's wink when he says "Of course not." We weren't doing anything, Ms. Oblonsky. "Just debriefing."

Yeah, sure. Debriefing definitely involves hugging and prolonged eye contact.

Bruce worked some magic on him. Instead of taking and owning the win like he had been minutes before, Minhkhoa's giving credit to Bruce. "Technically I win" there's nothing to qualify here...the task was Get The Book. You successfully obtained it. Bruce didn't because he accidentally hit on a married woman and overcorrected his course so hard he's the reason the mission took a nosedive and you had trouble getting out of the embassy in the first place.

"So you have learned something from me after all."

So you have learned how to seduce people.

Given the place Minhkhoa reaches for when he tries to pull out the book, Bruce had managed to snake his hand there without detection. He had a reason to pass his hand over Minhkhoa's chest...like you would if you're about to kiss somebody.

There's so much going on in this scene overtly and in subtext, and remembering it always makes me a little crazy. It's a shame BTK came out so much later than Fear State, because I would have loved to see this scene get referenced in Fear State, when Minhkhoa is rooting around for the memories of Bruce's romantic and sexual trysts. I also kind of just want Jorge Jiménez to redraw the almost kiss because I know he'd make it even more gay than it already was.

Batman (2016) #113

Also while I've put this page here, I would like to point out this line

"You need to be more gentle."

I can't articulate why this makes me go crazy as my brainpower significantly decreases past 3 am but...augh.

Minhkhoa just wants to see who you been with since the divorce, Bruce. Who you tried to fill the gaping hole with. The people you got close enough to almost marry. How have you been coping without him. He's unnecessarily competitive like that, always been and always will be.

"You're really not embracing the spirit of this, Batman."

Yeah actually, literally letting another man into the deep recesses of your mind is a deep level of intimacy. Not saying it's just like gay sex but Minhkhoa seems to think "the spirit of this" is just like sex and that's pretty gay. And of course he's in for the fun of it while Bruce is...addressing a need...so to speak.