From what I can gather, this is the moment lots of people, especially the critics, turned off their brains. This is not my usual defense of the indefensible, this is plain as day, fact. If you didn’t get it, please pay attention now. Batman does not spare Superman because their mothers share the same name. Batman has spent 18 months obsessing over killing this alien who can destroy the Earth. It isn’t until Superman uses the name, that the alien becomes humanized. At first, Batman becomes even more enraged because he thinks it’s another trick. Once he realizes it’s Clark’s mom’s name, he starts to understand that maybe they’re not so different. He never considered the evil alien had a human mother or let alone would be willing to die for her. Bruce couldn’t save his mother. No matter how many goons Batman brands, he was a helpless kid when she was killed, just like Clark is now. He’ll never be able to bring his Martha back. Now he has the opportunity for redemption. It literally has nothing to do with their mothers having the same name, that was just the spark (that you can see snapping Bruce out of his kill-rage) that showed him Superman wasn’t pure evil. With potentially his last breath, he asked his killer to save someone else. There’s no argument. It’s not confusing. It’s not grasping at straws. It’s in the narrative. It’s the entire reason we were shown the murder of the Waynes one more time. This moment goes down as one of the biggest problems amongst the dissenters, when it’s actually one of the most emotionally stirring and theme appropriate scenes if you’re paying attention.

Cinema Wins, explaining the Martha scene in Batman v Superman
(via bisexualclarkent)

THIS. Another take on the “Martha” issue. THIS. THIIIIS.

“the biggest heart of all”

Damian: “… Add that to the pile of rookie mistakes I’ve been making.”

Oliver: “Eh, go easy on yourself, kiddo. We were all new once. And you’re training under him. That’s like jumping into the deep end of the ocean.”

D: “Bat – the boss doesn’t seem very happy with me.”

O: “Hmm. Not talking much. Acting grumpy.”

D: “Yeah.”

O: “That’s just the way he is. Green Lantern took him to a theme planet once. The whole planet, one big amusement park. I asked him how it was, you know what he said? [in Batman’s voice] ‘Enjoyable.’ That’s it!”

D: “Because he doesn’t care…”

O: “Wrong. It’s the opposite. Underneath, he cares more than any of us. He has the biggest heart of all. That’s why he has to hide it so well.”

From “Batman Unlimited: Mech Vs. Mutants”

Family Protection 101: The Batfam Method

Dick really did learn from the best.

*spoilers ahead*

In the “Robin War” story arc [see Grayson #15], in order to keep the We Are Robin gang (a group of young wannabe-Robins) safe from the now-“lawful” brutality and arrest of anyone associated in any way with the name, Dick, alongside his “brothers” (he actually calls Jason, Tim, and Damian that!), start to train the wannabes so that they would truly be Robins. Dick eventually sends them out on a mission, where the wannabes, along with the “original” Robins distributed among them, were caught by law enforcement and put behind bars. Towards the end of the issue, we learn that Dick planned for all of this to happen. Duke frustratedly points it out, telling Dick: “You manipulated us! Just to put us away! Tuck us in safe, like we were all your damn kids!”. To which Dick replies with that charming smirk of his: “Batman once said to me that being a Robin is about one thing. Family. And I take care of family.”

In Bruce’s “absence”, not unlike the aftermath of the “Battle for the Cowl” story arc, Dick steps up to fill his shoes once again. Not as Batman, but as leader and mentor. It seems to run in the Batblood, this leadership and mentoring thing. Jay, Timmy, Dami, and Duke, too, have each had their shots at leading a group, being the brains, not just the brawn. And the heart, too.

Now, we fastforward to Batman: Rebirth, with the “I Am Bane” story arc. I’m sure issue 16 gave most of us Batfam fans butterflies in the stomach, what with the Robins (sans Tim… shucks) being in all their obnoxious brotherly glory (to Duke’s somewhat-shock), at a Batburger joint no less. Bruce gets serious, though, as he firmly tells the boys to steer clear of Gotham while he handles Bane because he doesn’t want to lose anyone else in their family. As soon as he storms off, the boys voice out their plan to ignore that order. At the end of the issue, we see Dick, Jason, and Damian horrifically… incapacitated. Dead, even? Has Bane gotten to them already? *heart races*

We move onto issue 17, where we immediately find ourselves in the Fortress of Solitude. Supes arrives and is greeted by Bats, in his, ya know, own way. We collectively sigh in relief as we see the boys in individual glass cases, unconscious. Bats tells Supes that he can’t wake them up now, or it might be the last time he’ll be able to do that. Supes is basically babysitting his unconscious sons. Drastic, a horrific method in the real world, but given the Bat family’s need to constantly outdo each other in martyrdom, I guess this was the only way he could protect them.

So, yeah. Dick thinks ten steps ahead, probably because he’s seen how Bruce thinks twenty – even more – steps ahead. And when it comes to protecting their families, they tend to be a bit drastic about it.

I love the Robin War story arc, especially how it showcases the dynamics of the Robins, including Duke, and how they each uphold Bruce’s legacy in their own ways (since, ya know, he was still amnesiac at the time, blissfully unaware that he is the Batman).

I’m loving the “I Am Bane” story arc, too. There’s something… raw and primal about Batman and Bane’s dynamic. It’s not convoluted. Kind of strips them both to the basics. Great writing, great artwork. 10/10 for me right now.

Also, it’s clear that each of Bruce’s sons have shown great potential as leaders. Dick has proven himself over and over, leading the Teen Titans, Titans, The Outsiders, and at one point, the Justice League. Jay, Timmy, Dami, and Duke have been leaders in their own right, too. It’s in their Batblood, what with their dad being the epitome of a leader. 🙂

As it turns out, Dick has died (at least) twice because of Damian’s recklessness: once, in the comic series for “Injustice: God’s Among Us” (parallel earth), and the other in “Damian: Son of Batman” (in the future).

Batman and Mario Puzo’s “The Godfather”

I was listening to that beautiful main theme from the soundtrack of “The Godfather” film when this all occurred to me: parallels with the Bat family. However, I’m limiting my discussion to Bruce, Dick, Jason, and Tim (and maybe a teeny bit of Damian) since they’re the only ones I can relate The Godfather characters with at this point. So, here goes.

I vaguely remember a quote about how none of sons were the father, but each of them had a characteristic that reflected their father. It had something to do with Vito Corleone, but it seems to be very appropriate with Bruce Wayne, as well.

None of the Robins (much less anyone outside the Bat family) could ever really replace Bruce as Batman because, well, Bruce’s Batman is the definitive Batman (in my opinion, at least). All his strengths, all his flaws… they’re all very… Bruce. Does that make sense? Regardless of whoever dons the cowl in Bruce’s absence, he/she will always be doing it in homage to him.

But, having said that, each of the Robins has a special trait that they share with Bruce – whether or not it was something they learned from him. I’m fondly reminded of that set of panels from the Robin War story arc where Dick, Jason, Tim, and Damian tell the civilian Robins-in-training the most valuable trait of being a Robin according to the Batman. And, interestingly (I’m pretty sure, not coincidentally), each of them spoke of a trait that reflected Bruce’s Batman and the specific Robin concerned.

Anyways. Naturally, I start with the fathers:

Bruce as Vito Corleone:

For all his sins and flaws, Vito is revered as a character, both by his fellow characters and the audience. Perhaps it has something to do with his brilliant on-screen portrayal by Marlon Brando? Regardless, we find it in ourselves to revere him because he’s sympathetic. We know that he’s a criminal, a cold-blooded murderer, a thief, yet we romanticize him because we’re given glimpses into his most vulnerable moments: his home life, his struggle to be a lesser evil, his orphaning, etc., etc. He witnessed his mother murdered by a merciless mafioso in front of him at a very young age, leaving him an orphan and prompting him to escape a life of poverty and into the United States.

Familiar scenario? I guess I don’t have to go into detail about what Bruce has been through (except, he wasn’t born into poverty and had a generally happy childhood before the Crime Alley event, of course).

The main difference, I suppose, is that while Vito used crime to right the wrongs in his life, Bruce wanted to break the vicious cycle.

As fathers, both of them want to protect their children from the chaos in their individual crusades. They built empires so that their children would have better lives than they did growing up, but at the risk of exposing them to the behind-the-scenes reality and enticing them to join in. Vito wanted his youngest (and most promising) son, Michael, to steer clear of the “family business”. Bruce trained Robin so that he wouldn’t become like him, consumed by darkness; he wanted his kids to be able to channel their frustration in positive and productive ways (leave the extravagant-ness of his methods to fiction, though).

Also, both are tired old men, jaded by experience, but refusing to pass on the mantle to their children just yet.

Dick as Sonny Corleone:

The eldest. The most obvious heir to the family business. Chatty. Very, very protective of his family. Can get very emotional, and will be extra aggressive when angered.

Jason as Fredo Corleone:

The second son. Willing to do shady/underground dealings to expand the family’s (and his personal) empire. Master manipulator. Has a history of betraying his family.

Tim as Michael Corleone:

The third son. Seemingly weak at first. The most introverted. Brains before brawn. Has the closest temperament to the father. Was initially the most sheltered one, as two older brothers had already gone deep into the “family business”. Eventually takes over the empire.

Damian as the unborn child in Kay’s womb??? Or, we could go with an aged Damian holding his pet, Alfred Pennyworth *wink wink*:

Some thoughts on “Martha”

For those unfamiliar with the Batman mythos outside of the films (with or without bias in favor of a competing comic universe), or even some intimately acquainted with it, Bruce’s 360-degree change in attitude towards Clark during the culmination of their one-on-one in “Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice” at the mention of “Martha” (both their mothers’ name) may seem ludicrous – that a mere mention of a name could end the most anticipated battle between two of the most iconic superheroes of all time on the big screen. Disappointing, right?

But to lambaste Zack Snyder and the rest of the cast and crew for letting that happen is to ignore 75 years worth of reasons that make Bruce and Clark iconic, at the forefront of which is their love for their respective families juxtaposed with their orphaning.

I’ve only recently immersed myself in comic books, specifically in the DC Universe, particularly on the Justice League and the so-called Bat Family and their related titles. At the moment, I can hardly focus on any other family than Batman’s. I… I love them, especially Bruce, Dick, Jason, Tim, Damian, and Alfred. They feel like a home away from home sometimes. Like they could be living under your roof. (Anyways. I digress.)

And while almost 100% of what I’m reading from cover-to-cover are from the Modern Age, I’ve done a bit of research on the Golden, Silver, and Bronze ages, including alternate universes and timelines.

If one thing is consistent, it’s that Thomas and Martha Wayne’s death in Crime Alley basically created Batman. Apart from the Flashpoint Paradox where roles are reversed (Thomas becomes Batman in response to his son’s death), this seems to be a DC universal constant. How many writers have taken over the mantle of recreating Bruce Wayne since Bill Finger and Bob Kane introduced him? Bruce has come to have multiple titles (Detective Comics, Batman, etc.) since then, but he remains driven to be Gotham’s protector by that night, albeit an altered detail here and there.

The writers basically rub it in our faces time and time again: if Thomas and Martha Wayne lived, perhaps there would be no Batman, no Dynamic duo, no international crime-fighting enterprise known as Batman, Inc. The trauma of seeing those precious pearls drop to the ground on that fateful night turned a child into a legend of the night.

Clearly not everybody copes the way Bruce does. His “children” were orphans, too. They each dealt with the darkness their own way, yet none of them matched Bruce’s obsessive nature, his channeling of practically his entire being and all of his resources towards an endless pursuit of justice.

So, yeah. Bruce Wayne coped differently, end of story. As a fictional character, he can afford that much exaggeration and extravagance.

The version of Bruce Wayne that we meet in the film is reminiscent of Frank Miller’s version of the Dark Knight – older, more jaded, still wary of anyone who poses a threat to Gotham. He’s definitely been through too much to be surprised by much anymore. Yet the one thing that can throw him off is his one vulnerability: his parents.

When Clark choked out “Martha” in that scene, he and Bruce weren’t yet the best friends – BEST FRIENDS – they are in comic book canon. They were strangers, and in Bruce’s mind, enemies: Clark was an overpowered alien, a threat to the planet that had to be stopped. They hadn’t yet discussed personal histories or shared tragedies.

Given this context, imagine the wheels in Bruce’s mind stopped dead in their tracks when this ALIEN, this THREAT, utters that name. (Imagine you were Batman and you overhear a stranger mention your ex’s name, which happens to be “Martha”. You had a bad break-up, so this at least makes you cringe, right?)

Bruce is a man who isn’t fazed by his mortality, with a reputation among the JLA and his own family for rarely showing emotion. A man without superpowers, yet near-invincible due to his brilliance and sheer willpower.

Kryptonite is to Clark, as a death of a loved one is to Bruce. They each have one major weakness, it seems.

So, maybe “Martha” wasn’t so far-fetched, after all? Maybe a three-hour movie simply couldn’t just convey the depth of “Martha” to everyone’s liking?

I loved the film so much that I watched it twice – once alone – during its opening week. I felt that almost every aspect was on point, with some acceptable re-imaginings for the sake of telling a story on the big screen. Most of all, it felt very… DC. Very Bruce. Very Clark. In the Modern Age, at least. It wasn’t pretending to be anything else.

I made this post because I was thinking about that whole “Why did you say that name???” spiel, when I vaguely recalled reading “Bruce was traumatized as a chlid” or something to that effect. So, yeah.