I recently read this article concerning the "Robin" character in the latest Batman movie, The Dark Knight Rises. I'll leave the link here for your reading pleasure.
http://entertainment.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/16/14482709-what-was-the-deal-with-robin-in-dark-knight-rises?lite
The article boils down to this: Was the John Blake character supposed to really be Robin? Christopher Nolan says no. According to Nolan it was a wink to the audience.
First I think we need to discuss just who I'm talking about.
There have been several characters in the DC Universe that have had the Robin name. Dick Grayson was the first and probably the most memorable because he was the little orphan boy whose parents were killed and subsequently adopted by Batman. He has a place in comic book history because he was the first real sidekick. Not only that, but becoming a father figure allowed Batman to grow as a character in ways he normally wouldn't. His relationship with Grayson has set the tone for many other relationships Batman experiences. Grayson dropped the Robin name and instead fights crime as Nightwing.
The next was Jason Todd and nobody liked him. So much so that when DC polled their readers on what should happen to Todd, they overwhelmingly voted to have him be killed by the Joker. I think a lot of people didn't gravitate to Jason Todd because while Grayson can be strong willed at times, he never came across like a punk kid the way Jason did. Killing Jason Todd turned into a great emotional vehicle. For a long time Batman resisted ever accepting anyone else as Robin. That is until Tim Drake.
Tim Drake is unlike any other Robin. His story wasn't born from tragedy. In fact, quite the opposite. He has a loving father and a great circle of friends. But what he was above all else was a curious kid with exceptional skills at deduction. He figured out who Batman was and unlike the Robins that came before him, he wanted to be Batman's sidekick.
The next Robin was a short lived character. Uhm... probably not the best choice of words there because she died. Anyway, it's Tim Drake's girlfriend Stephanie Brown. And of course as in comics, characters don't stay dead. Even Jason Todd beat death. So far she's been the only female Robin and she's mostly forgettable as Robin.
The last Robin as of this writing is Damian Wayne. If you haven't guessed from the name, he is Bruce Wayne's biological son. And no the Damian part is not coincidence or even that subtle. Batman had an affair with Talia al Ghul and she gave birth to Damian. If you didn't see The Dark Knight Rises or read any of the comics, Talia is the daughter of Ra's al Ghul. Ra's was the villian from Batman Begins; and while Nolan didn't do the character justice, Ra's al Ghul translates to The Demon's Head. So, yeah. Damian. The son of the Devil. Or in this case the Grandson of the Demon's Head. This character is very interesting because the Robin character has always been a surrogate son for Batman. Now we have a blood son and much like Jason Todd doesn't have much qualms about killing people. He embraced the Robin suit so he could learn from his father. Now Batman is not there to protect a surrogate, but to mentor and inspire his own flesh and blood.
In the Dark Knight Rises, John Blake shares a lot of the qualities of Tim Drake. Even the name is very similar. Blake = Drake. It's one letter difference and even the B and D sounds are very similar. I understand why they chose to change the name. It isn't much of a surprise if you come right out and hold up a neon sign saying "This is Robin". I'm not going to get too critical about the name.
My question is why isn't John Blake Robin? There were rumors that Christian Bale didn't want the Robin character in the movie. I heard once that he wouldn't do the movies if Robin would be included. I don't know if any of that is true and I'm willing to believe that it isn't. But just from reading this article there seems to be some resistance to acknowledging Robin in this universe. Robin is not some minor character in Batman's life. So, why does Robin only get a "wink"? Do they believe that Robin detracts from Batman? In the comics it's not true. Robin enhances Batman not only by having a partner in his crusade, but also as Bruce Wayne.
At the end of the movie Bruce left all the Bat-gear to Blake. The hint was, at least for me, that John Blake would either become the new Batman or possibly take on a different persona. aka Nightwing. I'm a Batman fan. I very much would like to see the Christopher Nolan Batman series continue. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is on record as being interested in that role should it ever materialize.
Please share your thoughts.
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