Warning: Spoilers for Batman #149!

Hot take incoming: I don’t think Tim Drake should ever grow out of being Robin. Props to fans who had badly wanted to see Tim move on for so long, and props to DC Comics for trying hard to give Tim new codenames and costumes. Past attempts to give Tim a makeover – like with Red Robin and Drake – just didn’t stick the landing, but maybe there’s a reason for that.

Whether DC and DC fans want to admit it or not, Tim Drake always needs to be Batman’s Robin, and the evidence is evident in Batman #149 by Chip Zdarsky, Michele Bandini, and Steve Lieber. In this issue, Tim Drake is on “take care of Bruce” duty, which has been the case for 30 years.

Tim Drake debuted as Robin in Batman #442 by George Pérez, Marv Wolfman, and Jim Aparo, where he declared that “Batman needs a Robin.” With that in mind, being so active and effective at “taking care of Bruce” is exactly why he’s such an effective Robin, why he’s arguably the best Robin, and why he needs to remain Batman’s Robin for the foreseeable future.

Tim Drake’s Job as Robin Is Still to Take Care of Batman

Panels Batman #442 by George Pérez, Marv Wolfman, Jim Aparo, Mike DeCarlo, Adrienne Roy, and John Costanza

Following the Bat-Family’s ordeal with Batman’s split personality known as Zur-En-Arrh, Tim Drake meets with Bruce Wayne to tie up loose ends at Zur’s lab. At that moment, Bruce admits the toll that Zurr had on him and still had on his worries. That’s when Tim re-assures Bruce that he has nothing to be truly afraid of, reminding them that not only is his Bat-Family there to help him, but Batman is allowing his family to support him for once to avoid another Zur trigger.

It’s moments like this that remind me why Tim Drake was always my favorite Robin and, in my opinion, the most definitive Robin. Maybe it’s an age thing as well, seeing as Tim was the most recent Robin when I got into Batman as a kid, but whenever I hear the name Robin, I think of the Tim Drake iteration. He was literally made to be Robin, as he’s introduced into Batman’s world as a concerned kid convinced that Batman needs a Robin.

Being Robin Is Vital to Tim Drake’s Mission

Panels from Batman #900/#135 by Chip Zdarsky, Jorge Jiménez, Chip Zdarsky, Mike Hawthorne, Mikel Janín, Adriano Di Benedetto, Tomeu Morey, Romulo Fajardo Jr., and Clayton Cowles

Tim Drake is the Robin, and the Robin that exists to save Bruce whenever Batman needs saving. Batman doesn’t just need a Robin; he needs Tim’s Robin in the same way that Gotham always needs a Batman. The day that Gotham doesn’t need a Batman is the day that Gotham crime has officially, fully been eradicated. It’s hard for me to imagine Tim Drake justifiably ascending to a new identity as long as Batman needs his Robin, and I don’t think that will be feasible until Bruce stops being Batman.

When Dick Grayson ascended to Nightwing, it’s because he did all he could as Bruce’s Robin. Dick was all about flying high and expanding his horizons. That was practically his mission statement, so it made sense for him to fly out of the nest and beyond the Bat-Family. If Tim Drake’s mission statement has always been to be there as Batman’s Robin whenever Batman needs it, then can he really do that without being Robin? There may be a day when Tim Drake progresses to a new identity, but for now, Bruce needs this Robin.

Batman #149 is available now from DC Comics.