#nightwing analysis

[misakiisstupid]

CONFIDENTIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL REPORT PATIENT: Richard "Dick" Grayson THERAPIST: Dr. Misaki Eto SESSION DATE: [REDACTED] FILE STATUS: TOP SECRET

SESSION NOTES:

[BEGIN TRANSCRIPT]

Dr. Misaki Eto enters the room with a cup of tea, placing it in front of Richard Grayson, who is sitting with a bright—albeit tired—smile.

Dr. Eto: "Alright, Richard. Before we begin, I should let you know that this is a safe space. You can talk about anything, no judgment. Also, I brought tea. Because, frankly, you look like you need it."

Grayson: chuckles "Oh, you have no idea." takes the tea gratefully "And you can call me Dick."

Dr. Eto: "Dick, then. So, tell me, what brings you here today? And if you say ‘Bruce made me,’ I will absolutely call him and tell him he needs therapy first."

Grayson: laughs, but it sounds a little too practiced "Well… technically, it wasn’t Bruce. It was a friend. They said I needed to ‘get my head checked out’ because I don’t know how to take a break. Which is ridiculous, by the way. I love breaks. Breaks are great."

Dr. Eto: raises an eyebrow "Uh-huh. And when was your last break?"

Grayson: sips his tea, eyes darting to the ceiling as if the answer is written there "...Does sleep count?"

Dr. Eto: "If you have to ask, then no. So, when was it?"

Grayson: "Define ‘break.’"

Dr. Eto: "Time where you are not working, fighting, solving other people’s problems, or emotionally carrying an entire group of people who do not understand the concept of processing their emotions properly."

Grayson: silence blinks sips tea

Dr. Eto: "Yeah, that’s what I thought."

Grayson: sighs, rubbing his face "Okay, okay. So maybe I don’t take breaks. But I like helping people. I can’t just… stop. What if someone needs me?"

Dr. Eto: "What if you need you?"

Grayson: pauses, clearly thrown off "...Well, damn."

Dr. Eto: "Yeah. Damn. That’s what I thought." leans forward "Dick, I’ve seen a lot of people like you. People who think that if they just keep moving, they won’t have to deal with all the weight they’re carrying. But let me ask you this: what happens when you finally stop?"

Grayson: "...I don’t know."

Dr. Eto: nods knowingly "That’s the problem, isn’t it? You don’t know because you never stop. You’re a high-functioning burnout case waiting to happen."

Grayson: huffs "Okay, that’s dramatic."

Dr. Eto: "Is it? You flinch when I bring up rest. You deflect with humor. You refuse to admit you’re exhausted because then you’d have to acknowledge that you need help. And if you do that, then what? You think everyone around you is going to fall apart?"

Grayson: "...Maybe."

Dr. Eto: "Alright, let’s do something fun. On a scale from ‘I’m doing great’ to ‘I cried in my car last week and pretended it was just allergies,’ how are you?"

Grayson: sips tea aggressively

Dr. Eto: nods "Got it. Not great."

Grayson: laughs softly "You’re good at this."

Dr. Eto: "You’re not the first person I’ve met who wears a smile like armor." leans back in chair "But here’s the thing, Dick. I don’t care how many people you help if you’re running yourself into the ground while doing it. If you burn out, if you collapse, who takes care of you?"

Grayson: quietly "...I don’t know."

Dr. Eto: softens "That’s what we need to fix. You deserve rest, Dick. You deserve to stop without feeling guilty about it."

Grayson: nods slowly "...That’s really hard for me."

Dr. Eto: "I know. Which is why I already made the decision for you."

Grayson: blinks "...What?"

Dr. Eto: "You’re taking a mandatory two-week break. Effective immediately. No work, no fighting crime, no carrying the emotional baggage of your entire family. Just rest."

Grayson: laughs, but in the way someone does when they’re hoping you’re joking "You can’t be serious."

Dr. Eto: "Dead serious. And to make sure you actually take this break, I’ve already written letters."

Grayson: "...Letters?"

Dr. Eto: "Letters. One to your work—because I know you have a job outside of whatever it is you actually do—one to your family, and one to whoever signs off on your daily self-sacrificial tendencies."

Grayson: stares "You did not."

Dr. Eto: smugly "Oh, I did. And if I hear that you are not taking this break, I will personally show up at your home and read them all aloud."

Grayson: mutters "This is an abuse of power."

Dr. Eto: "This is therapy."

Grayson: sighs, rubbing his temples "Okay, okay. You win. Two weeks."

Dr. Eto: smiles warmly "Good. Now, finish your tea. It’s supposed to help with stress."

Grayson: "Do you have one that helps with existential crises?"

Dr. Eto: grins "I’ll see what I can do."

[END TRANSCRIPT]

THERAPIST NOTES: Diagnosis: Overworked. Severely emotionally exhausted. Too good at pretending he’s fine.

Treatment Plan: Mandatory two-week break. Monitor stress levels. Introduce actual rest as a concept. Maybe trick him into hobbies that don’t involve saving people.

Letters Sent:

One to his very concerned workplace

One to his probably dysfunctional family

One to the man who may or may not be Batman

Conclusion: Richard Grayson is a chronic overachiever with a hero complex the size of Gotham. He is a genuinely good person who struggles to believe he deserves rest. For now, I will force him into taking a break. If he does not take it, I will personally track down the person who raised him and tell them to intervene.

…Though, something tells me that person is also in desperate need of therapy.

FILE STATUS: ACTIVE NEXT SESSION: TWO WEEKS (AFTER HE ACTUALLY RESTS)

[shyjusticewarrior]

When Bruce said he was proud of Jason for stepping away from guns, Jason immediately clarified that he wasn't doing it for him.

When Dick said he was proud of Jason for stepping away from guns, Jason didn't feel the need to clarify this.

Interesting contrast I noticed.

[lena-thinks-too-much]

It is so, so important to me that people understand that Tim didn't figure out the bats because Dick was a "Show off". Like yes, Dick Grayson is the most flamboyant, dramatic ass man you will ever meet.

But the quadruple somersault? There's no way that was because dick was just showing off. Because you're telling me Bruce Wayne, who's so committed to hiding his identity that he literally acts like a completely different person out of the mask in public just to ward suspicion, would miss the fact that Robin regularly uses the flying Grayson's trademark move? There's literally no way.

In the comics we see Tim explain his deductive process to Dick and Alfred and they're both surprised impressed whatever. We don't see him explain it to Bruce. I think Bruce would be surprised and shocked that a 9 year old was able to put the pieces together but I don't think he'd be surprised that the quadruple somersault gave it away.

So if Bruce was possibly aware of such an obvious give away, why let it continue?

I'll tell you why.

It really comes down to the physics

So Dick was 9 when he started out right? That means the most he'd have likely weighed was 43kgs or roughly 95lbs in freedom units.

But Dick and both of his parents are gymnasts who tend to be smaller. So he was likely less than that.

In physics, rotating objects build up angular momentum (this is how bikes stay up right for example). The more rotation, the more momentum. And objects with less mass build up that momentum much faster than those that are heavier.

Robin constantly has to fight people who are nearly 3 times his size. I teach 8 year olds, they're tiny. A quadruple somersault for a small boy that weighs less than a hundred pounds is a brutal weapon. Especially if you add in the acceleration from gravity as he drops in from above.

And I can guarantee you this logic tracks because Dick literally utilizes this idea, without the somersault, in the 2009 teen titans cartoon.

Yeah, that's right. We're talking about the infamous knee drop.

Like it is borderline savage. Add in a quadruple somersault and the resulting force is nearly fatal. It's likely the main reason Batman would ever allow him to do it with the cape on.

Also, Dick landing feet first on the penguin in the first image probably gave the guy severe back issues

[incorrectbatfam]

WFA spoilers ahead

Content warning for discussion of mental illness

Can I take a moment to appreciate how they showcased Jason's PTSD in the latest ep? This isn't the first time but I feel like this round struck much closer.

Although this is the website where people are open about mental illness, there's still a reluctance to address the "loud" or "frightening" or "angry" or "messy" side of it. Stuff like bipolar, schizophrenia, addiction, PTSD. It's why I'm extremely hesitant to talk about my own problems even under anonymity.

Conversely, there are mainline comics (and other media) that use this category of mental illness as an excuse for characters to go all-out in their aggression. Even if not intentional, it perpetuates the idea that a trigger will always send the person spiraling until either the worst happens or someone steps in as the "hero." It's basically sending the message to people like me that we're a ticking time bomb.

Then there's WFA. Jason's not fully present during his episode. It leads him into a dangerous situation while at the same time he's unable to grasp things like pain. The adrenaline and the overwhelming sense of fear drives him into fight mode. He gets tunnel vision while he's beating up the bar patrons to try and find the Joker. Without getting into details, I've been in Jason's shoes. I've found myself in risky places doing things I'd later regret. All because of the disconnect from reality that makes me believe what I'm doing is necessary. Not even justified, just necessary. Almost like a survival instinct.

And what's so important is that Jason isn't a villain and Dick isn't a savior. Dick reaffirms Jason's trauma and guides him through tangible steps rather than giving broad sweeping advice. Of course there's no one-size-fits-all coping method, but the biggest thing is having somebody in your corner who sees you beyond this bad episode. Sometimes I have that, sometimes I don't. WFA won't show it since it's all about family, but the times I didn't have someone were exponentially scarier.

At the same time, there are consequences that a simple grounding exercise can't remedy—Jason got hurt, he hurt others, and his appearance at Noonan's definitely put him on someone's radar if not the Joker. And they're just as real as his feelings and (hopefully) he's gonna be held accountable. Because that's how it goes in real life. Something sets me off, I screw up, I get bailed out, and once I come down from it I have to fix the mess I made.

Maybe I'm just reading too much into a fan comic. But I know that if a few panels can resonate so closely with me, then it's worth talking about because someone, somewhere is also feeling the same way.

[nightmare-foundation]

Nightwing is not the favorite child, he's the favorite soldier. Dick Grayson is the golden child turned scapegoat. Everyone needs Nightwing but no one needs Dick. In this essay I will-

[farshootergotme]

Now that I have the confidence to send you asks, fully expect me to bug you periodically from here on out

Anyways- do you think Dick qualifies as a scapegoat? Cause I 100% think he's a scapegoat. People always try to shove the 'golden child' role onto Dick, and it always confused me cause like. He doesn't fit it at all if you actually look into what a golden child is.

Dick is definitely one of the scapegoats of the batfamily (Jason being the other) and it makes me sad that people always label him a golden child when he's the exact opposite. Seriously- he's hit, beaten, unfairly blamed, lashed out at, not told about important things (Jason or being replaced, Jason dying, Jason's funeral, probably other things, i wouldn't be surprised), etc. Definition of a scapegoat to me.

It's also why I hesitate to label him the 'favorite' even when the comics try to say otherwise. Mostly because... favorite children aren't really treated this way. Favorite weapon, maybe, as I've said in a post I've made before, but that's it. Bruce wouldn't kill for him or any of his kids. He's come close, yeah, but he's also come close to killing the Joker too after Jason's death and had to be threatened into not doing it. Every time, it's in a strong surge of emotion, and the second Bruce thinks rationally- well, he doesn't do it. Dick isn't at all unique, Bruce wouldn't kill for him either.

I think Bruce is the most proud of Dick, and has a unique relationship with him due to knowing him the longest and the parentification, but I don't think that makes him the favorite. Maybe to the other batkids, but probably not in reality.

I don't think Bruce really HAS a favorite- Dick is probably the closest to it, but still.

Though, if you wanna play around with angst and fanon ideas, maybe both Dick and Jason are the favorites and that's why Bruce treats them the worst? Dunno, it'd make a fun fic, even if it's not really grounded in canon (though I ignore RHATO and Comic UTRH).

Idk. Just,, gestures. Dick is a scapegoat to me.

Hope my 2 am rambling made sense lol

Okay, I see you, but I'll argue:

Dick Grayson is both the scapegoat and the golden child.

Now, you might not believe this since he doesn't tend to be both at the same time, and it isn't common for these roles to exist within the same individual. But Dick Grayson is praised and favored as much as he's blamed and pushed.

A golden child is the one who carries most of the expectations in the family. The parent expects them to be perfect, make no mistakes, take on roles they're pushed into with no issue (thus parentification can happen), and continue on and on to be good enough and meet the criteria so they don't make the parent disappointed.

The love is conditional hence they develop this unhealthy perfectionism and self-esteem and self-worth issues that will follow them till adulthood even when they're out of that environment and living their own lives.

The reason why a parent might choose a specific child (or children) to be the favored one is because they tend to see this child as an extension of themselves. And consequential to this, they will project their insecurities onto said child and force them to improve—be the best—where they fall short. All of their capabilities are overvalued, making the parent see them as special and much better than the rest, causing the unrealistic expectations a child must hold and fulfill so as not to “fail” their parent(s).

Although this child might seem like the favorite and who could do no wrong on the outside, the love they receive isn't something they can take for granted.

When a golden child underperforms or isn't as good as they're expected, the parent’s demeanor might change. They will feel the disappointment and fear this might cause the treatment they get to change. Sometimes the child might even fear abandonment or rejection from their parent as a result of their failures.

The mix of all this turns into a person who's over-competent, hard-working and someone that tends to take charge of things so they aren't at risk of failing, making them ‘natural’ leaders in any group they might be part of.

Sounding familiar yet?

Now, let's move on to the scapegoat:

A scapegoat child is the one that is blamed by all the things that go wrong in the family. They are constantly criticized and shamed by things they might've not even been part of, but somehow they're now involved and taking all the blame for the others so there are no consequences for anyone but them.

(All the blame also messes with their perception of certain events, making them prone to self-blame for the problems that occur in the family or their behaviors towards them.)

The scapegoating in the family may be due to subconscious projection from the parent when they're dealing with difficult emotions such as shame, guilt, rage, etc. They feel threatened by their own feelings and therefore they will try to escape from them by externalizing those feelings and making them their scapegoat’s problem.

Because of this treatment, the scapegoat might become an outsider in the family, feeling excluded and isolated from the rest. And for this, when push comes to shove and they're going through a rough patch, they will not have any reliable support they can go to inside the family as they'll be ignored or otherwise unfairly treated, having their feelings be invalidated.

Like the golden child, there's some aspects the scapegoat shares with the former:

Being treated differently by the parent/family.

Having unrealistic expectations placed upon them.

Being pushed into roles or responsibilities the child isn't meant to take.

Fear of expressing how they feel.

Self-worth issues and low self-esteem.

Although they're usually roles that are considered opposites, they aren't as incompatible as one might think. A child can alternate between being a scapegoat or the golden child, and this usually happens when the parent is very emotionally unstable, commonly due to a disorder such as narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) or borderline personality disorder (BPD).

(I have so many thoughts about the latter applying to Bruce, but I will refrain from elaborating to not make this longer than it needs to be)

Having all I've said until now in consideration, I'm sure you've noticed how Dick meets both criterias—dare I say the golden child more often than the scapegoat.

Bruce is always speaking about how Dick is “better than him” and “the thing he's ever done right”, but in both of these statements you can see he's taking who Dick is and making it as something that's part of him, comparing Dick's accomplishments to his and putting him in this pedestal, and because of this projection happens and Bruce starts seeing Dick as an extension of himself.

This is why, when he or Dick fail, Dick will suddenly become the scapegoat, contrasting with the former golden child position he was in.

Here you can see the high expectations, praise for his accomplishments, his siblings feeling like Dick is better than them (i.e. treated differently than the rest), and you can also see how when he doesn't meet the expectations, he's met with disappointment (see: Alfred disappointed he's not as bright as he usually is) or judgment (see: Bruce angry at him because he isn't committing to his cause as much as he expects him to).

And these are examples of Bruce being too harsh on Dick and expecting him to do better, blaming him for his brother's death, and in result Dick having a habit of blaming himself and accepting mistreatment, thinking it must be his fault.

More often than not, Dick is put on a pedestal by his family and even his friends sometimes. They praise and love him, but when there's occasions in which he's acting less than perfect, the treatment towards him can change.

Dick Grayson can be the golden child as much as he can be the scapegoat.

[sasheneskywalker]

dick grayson meta list

New York was Dick's city by heroesriseandfall

Dick Grayson's Attitude to Relationships: A Photo-History by luanna255

fannon temper temper by knight-on-the-rise

Nightwing's weird fem-coding by arguablysomaya

Bruce firing Dick vs. Dick firing Tim by nightwingmyboi

one of the reasons why dick gets kicked out after getting shot by the joker by danny-chase

dick sacrificing himself for bruce by hood-ex, jackhawksmoor

snaps showing dick's various skills by hood-ex

Do Dick and Jason get along in comics? by hood-ex

dick inviting people to talk about their problems with him by cautiousamber, fyeahdickgrayson

dick, tim and friendly violence by waynedrake, silverwhittlingknife, fantastic-nonsense

who made damian robin? by fantastic-nonsense

Dick is Canonically Bruce's Favorite Child by fantastic-nonsense

Dick second only to Batman in regards to his detective skills by fantastic-nonsense

Dick is Bruce's favorite Robin by theflyingwonder

was there ever a reason given as to why Dick's weapon-of-choice became escrima sticks? by theflyingwonder

Dick Grayson: Martial Arts by theflyingwonder

Dick's struggle with anger (with bonus Tim and Jason) by silverwhittlingknife

Has Tim ever put Dick on a pedestal? by silverwhittlingknife

When people say that Dick “has a temper�� what do they mean? by silverwhittlingknife

In issue #110 of Nightwing (1996), why does Dick look angry when Tim tells him that Bruce considered adoption? by silverwhittlingknife

Why does Dick try to resurrect Bruce in the Lazarus Pit when before he tried to talk Tim out of it? by silverwhittlingknife

Dick + 5 Sophie's choices ("What's it gonna be, kid?") by silverwhittlingknife

Dick and Tim during Murderer/Fugitive, and their argument over whether Bruce killed Vesper by silverwhittlingknife

Robin Dick Grayson Characterization by celaenaeiln

One of Dick's greatest strengths is his ability to manipulate every single person in existence by celaenaeiln

Dick Grayson's talent for manipulation literally brings the world to its knees. by celaenaeiln

Dick Grayson is genuinely one of the greatest fighters in all of DC by celaenaeiln

what robin was created for by celaenaeiln, idk-udontknoweither

Dick is Bruce's favorite by a LONG shot and the batkids all know this by celaenaeiln

Up to date with the trends, if you don’t mind! by northoftheroad

The origin of Nightwing’s eskrima sticks by northoftheroad

Dick Grayson’s Nightwing suits by northoftheroad

Dick Grayson’s Nightwing suits, Part Two by northoftheroad

Dick Grayson’s Robin suits by northoftheroad

Dick Grayson's Robin suits, Part Two by northoftheroad

Dick in school throughout the ages by northoftheroad

how many people or which people had/have a crush on Dick? by northoftheroad

fanon hug-happy Dick is an exaggeration. by northoftheroad

Let’s try a new job this week…. by northoftheroad

Dick Grayson – 80 years of hairstyles by northoftheroad

Dick Grayson knows how to take care of himself by northoftheroad

Dick Grayson knows how to cook by northoftheroad

The origins of Nightwing by northoftheroad

Variations of Dick Grayson’s and Robin’s origin by northoftheroad

Dick Grayson – the Bat family punching bag by northoftheroad

Nightwing, son of Batman, part 1 by northoftheroad

Nightwing, son of Batman, part 2 by northoftheroad

Nightwing, son of Batman, part 3 by northoftheroad

Hits and Hugs by northoftheroad

Dick never attempted to kill Tony Zucco by farshootergotme

Part 2 of 'Dick never attempted to kill Tony Zucco' by farshootergotme

dick, tim and their reactions to bad situations by zahri-melitor

Dick isn't Damian's Parent by zahri-melitor

dick catching tim by zahri-melitor

The Candlelight Oath by zahri-melitor

the framing of Dick and Damian's relationship as "Damian was Dick's Robin" by zahri-melitor

owlman/batman parallels when it comes to dick by disco-troy

dick is a nice civilian by frownyalfred, disco-troy

dick, tim and their relationship with bruce by bitimdrake

dick and tim are similar by bitimdrake

Dick Grayson Comics Timeline by bitimdrake

Dick and Jason were never close in canon by comic-commentary

Dick is a nerdy li’l Shakespeare buff by luanna255

several fun facts about Dick that you can use for comedic effects/running jokes by allovesthings

[I will be updating the list every time I find a new meta post.]

[glitter-stained]

After a mission together, Jason takes one look at Dick's posture as he stares down at the city, and takes him to one of his favourite rage rooms.

Jason finds the dead body of a child he tried but couldn't save. Dick watches Jason punch a wall and tear at his own hair and manhandles him on a chair, shoves an icepack by his ribcage and teaches him to breathe.

It's okay. Your anger is not shameful. You don't have to be afraid of it, and there's no need to laugh and hide while it's boiling under your skin. You have a right to your own rage.

It's okay. Your anger is not violence, your emotions have not doomed you to be the worst version of yourself. You were not made for all this blood. You can live through the rage without letting it consume you.

[blade-liger-4ever]

Relationship Analysis: Moonwatcher Should Have Gotten Winter Instead of Qibli

Boy, been a while since I did one of these posts, huh?

I know, I'm late to the party. The books have long since ended, and in such a way that I (regrettably) got rid of my favorite one in the franchise, Winter Turning. However, I've had many thoughts about Moon's endgame relationship which, while handled poorly, was not ideal from the beginning at all.

Sit down and prepare yourselves readers, for I have bottled this up for far too long.

The unhealthy relationship with Qibli

This will get many a fan irate, for Qibli was outwardly nothing but kind, loyal, and supportive of Moonwatcher during the second arc. However, despite this disposition, inside, Qibli was an emotionally destroyed dragon - to the point that even in Moon Rising, he literally thought in ways to make people like him.

Now I feel for Qibli. His mother beat him like a drum for the smallest of mistakes, his siblings tried to kill him repeatedly, and for reasons beyond my total understanding of how this fit into the plot because of how poorly executed it was, his grandfather was hoping to groom him as his criminal successor. None of this is good treatment for anyone, fictional or real. However, because this effectively broke Qibli, he was left desperately craving love and validation for his worth as an individual.

I kid you not, it's confirmed in-universe that Thorn unwittingly earned his entire devotion by simply complementing him. One sentence, said in earnest but without much thought to his background - and Qibli would have done anything to keep gaining such affirmations, which he did.

Furthermore, it's not just Thorn's love he wants.

It's that of the world.

Qibli spends the entire books doing everything in his power to do whatever it takes to get love, or even platonic affection, from the dragons around him. If it means being silly or serious, he'll transform into that type of dragon to get it. Even going to Jade Mountain Academy was done because disobeying Thorn would run the risk of losing her affection, which Qibli is desperate to maintain. And when he meets the pretty, naïve to the world Moonwatcher, who has no life experience and wants to see the good in everyone, he falls for her because of a few reasons: one is that he recognizes she won't hurt him, and another is her natural sweetness is something new to him.

So he observes and trails after her like a lost puppy looking for scraps of love to eat.

This is where it gets unhealthy because Qibli, though well-meaning, begins to see her less as an individual dragon with individual worth, and more like a goddess of perfection that he can't live without. No joke, every two chapters of Darkness of Dragons (and not to mention the snippets of his mind we see in Book 6), Qibli does nothing but pine after Moon while bemoaning how he's practically worthless unless she sees value in him, thereby encouraging him to do anything to earn her love. This makes him put Moon on a pedestal of perfection that is above all worldly things and will make him do anything to keep her in the box he's ascribed to her lest she prove she's not all he believes her to be and thus necessitating his reason for living. And because Moon, due to wanting to believe her father figure Darkstalker is actually good and trying to make the world better, basically asks both her admirers to reject reality as she has in order to not grow up and face the truth: that Darkstalker is evil and must be stopped, no matter how personally painful it is.

And as expected, Qibli chooses pleasing her over doing the right thing in this matter because if he denies Moon this, she will not chose him. And he will lose the perfect goddess he envisions and crawl up and die in the desert because, without her validation, he has no reason to do anything but cease living.

This is unhealthy because it traps Moon in a relationship that keeps her from maturing and learning that evil does exist alongside the good in the world. Couples can be silly at times and have fun, but not to the point of regressing into childishness. This is what happens to Moon, and Qibli will never tell her no for fear of losing his perfect deity.

The healthy relationship with Winter.

Yes, Winter was far from kind to Moon in their first few interactions. He threatened her, yes. He yelled at her, yes. He didn't trust her, yes.

But name a time he raised a talon against her. A time where he viewed himself as nothing without her approval.

Additionally, Winter had good reasons for withholding his trust from her. The amount of times Moon hid things from him, unintentionally blindsiding him with this knowledge when he'd thought she'd just proved to be different from other NightWings - how would you react? Be honest, because if a man hid that he was a mind reader and seer from me throughout our friendship, hid that he was on friendly terms with an ancient bane of my people (and who posed a threat to the whole world), I'd have serious issues with him, too.

Now, Winter was abused similarly to Qibli - however, it was mental and emotional abuse, which forced him to grow up and see how their treatment of him, while "normal" among IceWing extremists, was still wrong. He knew this because his friend Lynx was treated well by her lesser noble house, and he recognized quite quickly that even the "evil NightWings" took as much care with their dragonets as any other mother IceWing would. This made him think, and after seeing how genuinely nice and steadfast in her beliefs Moon was, it allowed Winter to become openminded and grow out of his abuse and the views he'd been forced to swallow.

This is made better by the fact that, while his thoughts often drifted toward Moon, he didn't make her the center of his world, or consider breaking his moral principles just to earn her affection. Because at the penultimate moment of dealing with Darkstalker, yes, Winter is rightly traumatized from having his whole personality rewritten (and likely hurt that Moon is uncharacteristically unbothered by this), but he won't please her with rejecting reality. Doing so would mean making a relationship easier, but Winter isn't thinking just about what they could have.

He's thinking about how many lives would be lost if he did so, and how much danger she will put herself in if he agrees.

And despite having that opportunity - that opportunity to have a relationship with Moon, to finally get his heart's desire to be with her - Winter says, "No. It's wrong, and I can't do that, even if it's what you really want."

Winter will not compromise himself and do the wrong thing for her, nor will he allow her to live with the dangerous misconception that the world is full of rainbows and unicorns, that nothing is ever wrong.

This is why Winter is the genuinely healthy choice for Moonwatcher. He seeks not to please the world, to bend to evil, and he does not manipulate in order to gain love. Because while he does have his own craving for love, Winter recognizes that very few people will actually gift him with it. He makes his peace with that, and chooses good over evil because he'd rather not lose the world than lose love that he can - and has - lived without.

He won't trap Moon in a fantasy, but help her grow into adulthood and recognition of the beauty and ugliness of the world around them.

(Not my art.)

These are my thoughts on which dragon is worthier of Moon. I hoped you liked it, and that it got some of you thinking.

Take care, and see you in the skies!

[thesmallgremlinofdeath]

Batman Prodigal is such a gold mine for understanding Dick’s feelings about the figure of Batman.

Like, honey, you're soooo normal about your relationship to your dad.

Also the symbolism of the bat insignia " hiding " his heart both figuratively and litteraly I'M UNWELL

[shyjusticewarrior]

"Nothing Jason says can be taken for truth."

"I believe you."

[ambriel-angstwitch]

Batman Hush Part 4

(Batman 614-616)

Bruce really does try to kill this man. But people keep stopping him. First Superman now Catwoman.

I do like Bruce’s monologue and I do think it’s could be true. He’d 100% feel guilty about it and probably get mad at himself for it after the rage fades but I don’t think he’d truly regret it. He wouldn’t want to undo it I don’t think.

I think it’s interesting his commentary on his sons. Dick was remarkably talented but one thing Bruce fails to mention here is that Dick also had something Bruce wanted to help him work through just like Jason. Dick had grief which Bruce understood better than rage. (Though let’s be real Dick has also had rage. I mean he wanted to kill his parents killer.)

Once again somebody else stops Bruce from killing for his son, and everyone else the Joker hurt. It’s interesting that every plea not to end Joker is usually not a moral plea rather a plea for Bruce. They know that the world won’t be worse if Batman kills Joker but they don’t think that Batman will surprise.

Though all these people stopping him makes me wonder why he failed to mention any of this to Jason. Like I feel like when Jason asked “Why didn’t you avenge me?” saying “Superman stoppped me and then Catwoman and then Jim said he’d send the entirety of the police department to hunt me down if I did so” is a pretty good defense

Not Tim and Dick gossiping at their Dad’s friends funeral. That’s such a brother thing to do though. Tim’s like “Are we supposed to know this guy?”

I love Bruce’s comment on his sons how they fill his life. I just love when he expresses love for his children (even if not directly to them)

That’s definitely not traumatizing at all to see your dear friends face overlayed on top of your sons

What about the relationships he’s had with men? (I’m going to be honest I can’t think of any of those that ended well either)

All jokes aside Dick does have a point and while Bruce brushes him aside at first he will come to realize that

I love when the Robins or Bruce question whether Robin was a good thing. Like it’s always just such an interesting thing to consider. Like Bruce’s concern that he ruined his kids lives. But he loves his kids and he’s admiring Dick’s gifts and I just love that.

I love how clear it is that Talía loves him and not just in a self centered way. Like Talia’s not perfect but she cares about what he wants. She wants him to want her but even more so she wants him to be happy even without her.

Some villains in love with a hero might destroy what that person loves so that all they have left is them but no Talia chooses to heal the person that he loves even though that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll choose her.

And she has a final conversation with him to make sure he knows the risks of what he’s doing and will do it anyway.

I love Alfred looking out for Bruce, and I love him expressing the feelings the Bruce will not. He knows Bruce, he cares for Bruce, He raised Bruce and I love seeing that portrayed

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[wondertwinsenthusiast]

Think about Dick Grayson, such a loyal and loving person, having to leave Bruce and Gotham so many times over the years. Whether Bruce pushed him away once more, or maybe he just felt so sick he just had to leave. Sometimes nobody's at fault, it just happens. People drift away, and maybe Gotham was never truly his hometown anyway.

They'll never be 9 and 25 again, each other's whole world.

They say you never love anything the way you love your first child. Bruce will forever miss the little boy he took in, with great fear and greater love. He misses the little ball of sunshine that was shaking his chandeliers and rocking his world.

They say the firstborn ages with their parent, that the two are maturing together. Dick will forever miss the man who wrapped his jacket around him and told him it'll be okay when he was sobbing on the circus floor. He misses Bruce's soft smile, the one he had when there were fewer wrinkles, white hairs, and all sorts of aches.

The persistent heartache that it is to love and to be loved by Bruce Wayne. The pain of having to be the one who leaves first.

Tiktok slideshows are going to be the end of me.

[nightmare-foundation]

Okay but can we talk about how the fandom acts like it'd be a great idea for Bruce and Harvey to reconcile and for Harvey to essentially be a part of the batfamily??

Cause everyone acts like it'd be cute! Uncle Harvey this, uncle Harvey that- and on the surface level, it is!

But um.

Are we forgetting that Two-Face nearly beat Dick to death when he was, what, 12-14 years old? And that Dick genuinely hates Two-Face, and for good reason?

That event was DEEPLY traumatizing for Dick. It completely changed his perspective on things because he'd never had the shit beaten out of him before, nor been so close to death. Shit, I think it's implied in the comic that Dick might've needed to be resuscitated, but it's unclear. Regardless, Dick was captured, tied up, and beaten bloody with a baseball bat, and was left broken on a warehouse(?) floor. He BARELY survived- Bruce was almost too late.

And, well, doesn't that sound eerily familiar? That's REALLY similar to what happened with Jason, the difference is that Dick lived and Jason didn't. But somehow no one seems to consider that Dick MIGHT not want to spend time with his almost-murderer.

On top of that, no one seems to consider the consequences of what would happen if Harvey DID reform and more or less become part of the batfamily. Because like,, it'd be bad.

First off, I can't see Dick being friendly at all with Harvey, even knowing he's reformed. He'd be glad Harvey's reformed, I'm sure, but I doubt he'd tolerate Harvey being in his presence for long.

Secondly, Dick would have ISSUES with Bruce. I can't imagine he'd be at all happy knowing Bruce is trying to be all buddy-buddy with the man who nearly killed him as a child. And, honestly, with Bruce being... well, Bruce, I can't see him immediately telling Dick, and instead Dick would absolutely find out the hard way. That by itself would cause a mountain of issues, I have no doubt that Dick would be PISSED.

And then there's the trauma side of things. I have zero doubt that Harvey being around so often would trigger Dick, and dealing with that trauma being brought up again and so frequently would be harrowing and exhausting.

And I can't imagine Dick not struggling with his fears and insecurities, especially if Bruce is being a stubborn asshole about it. I highly doubt Dick would want Bruce to stop being friends with Harvey, but if Harvey gets close to the rest of the batfamily, I imagine it'd be HARD to avoid him. Something something, Dick not being heard (as per usual), feeling like Bruce is choosing his sons almost-murderer over him, etc.

Just. Gestures. I don't think it'd go over well at ALL. Dick wouldn't at all be happy.

Granted, this is IF the rest of the batfamily befriends Harvey too and doesn't know what happened. I think Tim canonically knows (Dick did tell him in a comic), but I'm not sure about the rest.

Regardless, yall get my point. It's like if the Joker was reformed and Bruce befriended him and forced Jason to have dinner with him. Not exactly fun!

[farshootergotme]

What I think certain colors in the batfamily mean:

Red ♥️: Change. Rebirth.

See: Red Nightwing costume, Red Hood, Red Robin, Robin.

Yellow 💛: Hope. Courage.

See: Robin, Batgirl, The Signal, bat symbol.

Green 💚: Commencement. New.

See: Robin, Oracle.

Blue 💙: Safety. Responsibility. Duty.

See: Nightwing, old Batman costume.

Violet/Purple 💜: Independency. Strength.

See: Batgirl, Spoiler, Huntress.

Gray 🩶: Commitment. Solemnity.

See: Batman, Red Hood, new Robin costume.

Black 🖤: Justice.

See: All.

[ghost-bxrd]

Just listened to Welcome To Night Vale and thought— why isn’t there something similar but with Gotham City? Like, a podcast about a radio channel broadcasting today’s weird phenomenons, Bat sightings, the newest Bat rumors and, of course, people taking bets on open air about when the next Arkham breakout will be (and when Red Hood will snap again and shoot Batman in the kneecap).

Ngl I think that would be hella funny.