Warning! Spoilers ahead for Batman and Robin #7!Ra’s al Ghul is finally back in action, and it’s all thanks to an unexpected Batman ally. The patriarch of the al Ghul line has been absent ever since he was killed off for what seemed like for good during the epic crossover “Shadow War” several years back.
But nothing can keep Ra’s al Ghul down for long. Now he’s returned and roped in someone who’s grown close to Ra’s’ grandson Damian. What does Ra’s al Ghul’s return mean and how will Robin handle it when he finds out someone he cares about has forged an alliance with the Demon’s Head?
Where Has Ra’s al Ghul Been?
Ra’s al Ghul, the leader of the terrorist organization the League of Assassins, seemed like he was turning over a new leaf. When Damian Wayne left Gotham to find himself, he arrived on Lazarus Island to compete in a tournament held by Mother Soul, Ra’s kept Robin company and advised him on several important matters. During this period, Ra’s made the groundbreaking decision to open up his infamous Lazarus Pits to the public. Unfortunately, this would ignite the firestorm that was “Shadow War”.
Batman’s former ally Geo-Force, furious at the al Ghuls and Deathstroke orchestrated a war between the two. Geo-Force disguised himself as Deathstroke and publicly executed Ra’s al Ghul using a powerful grenade to reduce the villain to ash. Talia ordered Deathstroke’s murder, forcing Batman and Robin to race against time to solve Ra’s’ murder. While the Dynamic Duo saw that Geo-Force faced justice for his crimes, there was nothing that they could do for Damian’s grandfather, and Ra’s’ ashes were returned to Talia.
But death has never been a problem for Ra’s al Ghul and shortly after the terrorist leader’s death, the DC Universe became embroiled in a conflict when Lazarus Island’s volcano erupted, covering the world in Lazarus Resin. In Lazarus Planet: Next Evolution #1, the resin caused Robin’s girlfriend Flatline to hear Ra’s’ voice from beyond the grave. After following al Ghul’s voice, Flatline opened the urn containing the villain’s remains, only for Ra’s to appear before Flatline, telling her they had much to discuss.
Robin’s Girlfriend Returns and Brings a Dark Secret With Her
In Batman and Robin #7 by Joshua Williamson and Simone Di Meo, the new and improved Man-Bat leads a cult that has formed in his new name. However, on the other side of Gotham, Batman and Robin have already taken out several cult members, thanks to Flatline, who formally introduces herself to the Dark Knight. Flatline has come to Gotham and is looking for her sister Mila. With Batman’s permission, Robin and Flatline head off to search for Mila while Bruce handles the Man-Bat situation.
Free to look for Mila, Flatline and Robin catch up after their long time apart. Robin tells Flatline everything that’s happened since he’s came home and how he and Bruce’s relationship has improved significantly since Flatline last saw Damian. The Boy Wonder asks Flatline what she’s been up to and she tells him a story about how she’d been running her former mentor Lord Death Man’s criminal empire. Unfortunately, the stress of the crime ring was too much for Flatline and she’s using this mission to retire from crime.
However, while Flatline tells her love interest this story, she hears a voice that calls her story a lie. Flatline has a vision of Ra’s al Ghul, who implores her to tell Damian the truth about why she’s come to Gotham. He also warns Flatline that “time is running out”, but Flatline simply tells al Ghul to stop talking to her. Damian catches a bit of her private conversation, but Flatline tells him it’s nothing and the two head out to look for Mila at the Iceberg Lounge.
Flatline is Working with Ra’s al Ghul, But for What Reason?
Ra’s al Ghul’s return and Flatline’s partnership with him was established nearly a year ago and this is the first time fans have seen any development on that front. Damian seems to be unaware that Ra’s has come back to life and he’s also unaware of what Flatline went through during Lazarus Planet. It seems that Ra’s is potentially using Flatline for some unknown purpose and that Flatline does not want Damian to know about her work with Ra’s al Ghul.
Ra’s’ words confirm only two things: That Flatline did not come to search for her sister, but for Damian, and that whatever she’s come to do is extremely time-sensitive. Perhaps Flatline is dying and Ra’s is encouraging her to make her peace with Damian before she passes. Or perhaps Mother Soul has returned and is coming for Damian. Or maybe Flatline only brought Ra’s al Ghul back to life halfway and Damian is needed to bring his grandfather back in a more permanent capacity.
The latter seems most likely because Flatline clearly doesn’t want Damian to know that she’s been working for Ra’s. It seems odd that Flatline just wouldn’t tell Robin what’s going on as the two were quite close on Lazarus Island. But for whatever reason, Flatline has chosen to hide her new alliance from her boyfriend. Maybe she feels that she’s protecting him, but she should know that Damian has a complex relationship with Ra’s and he’s not going to take this kind of secret well.
Robin and Flatline’s Relationship is on Borrowed Time
Robin and Flatline might have fond feelings for one another, but Damian has a tough time dealing with people who keep secrets from him. Maybe it’s possible Flatline is trying to protect Damian, but that line of thinking, combined with her secretly working with his grandfather, is a recipe for disaster. By working for Ra’s al Ghul and not telling Damian that Ra’s was alive, she’s crossed a line she might not be able to easily fix, putting her relationship with Robin in peril.
It’s hard to speculate on Flatline’s reasoning for hiding this from Robin. But what’s done is done and now the question is a matter of when and not if the relationship is going to go sideways. While it depends on how pressing Flatlline’s secret is, one thing is for certain: Robin is going to be absolutely heartbroken when he finds out about Flatline’s betrayal. Hopefully, Batman can help his son pick up the pieces when the truth about Ra’s al Ghul and Flatline finally comes to light.
Batman and Robin #7 is available now from DC Comics.
Batman and Robin #7 (2024) | |
|
|
