He may be the most violent Robin, but even Damian Wayne has moments of humanity that shine through his rough and tough attitude. There’s a good reason Damian is Deathstroke’s favorite Robin, and it’s because he’s a trained killer A grim night brought Damian face to face with his ancestors and showed that the Boy Wonder does, in fact, have a soul.
Damian was conceived in a plan by his mother, Talia al Ghul, to mix her family’s bloodline with Batman’s to create a future ruler of the world. From the moment of his unconventional birth, Damian was raised by the League of Assassins who raised him in an emotionless environment to hone his lethal potential. He did finally have the opportunity to leave that life behind when he chose to live with his father and walk the path of a hero, but it’s been hard for the Boy Wonder to shake off the effects of the conditioning his mother instilled. r.
But after everything Robin has been through, he’s still is capable of showing moments of vulnerability as seen in Blackest Night: Batman #1 by Peter Tomasi and Ardian Syaf. After Bruce’s presumed death at the hands of Darkseid in Final Crisis, the body left behind was buried with Thomas and Martha Wayne. Unfortunately, Green Lantern’s foe, Black Hand, has been by to grave-rob Bruce’s skull, leaving the entire estate desecrated with the Wayne family’s bones scattered everywhere. As Dick ponders who would do such a thing, Damian becomes perturbed at the sight of his ancestors’ remains. Grayson orders Robin to move his father’s body, only for the boy to freeze up. Taking notice of Damian’s reluctance, Dick tells his partner “It’s different when it’s one of your own. When it’s someone close.” and allows Damian some space.
The unsettling experience gets Damian thinking about death, and while he claims to not be afraid of anything, he still asks his mentor how he deals with the concept in their line of work. It’s a noticeably different take on Damian who, just a few years earlier, was more than willing to decapitate enemies to prove his worth as a crimefighter. But this moment shows that contrary to popular belief, Damian isn’t as hardened as one might think and is capable of feeling things deeply. Dick Grayson knows Damian is a unique Robin because of his blood relation to Bruce, and this shows that well.
Damian was raised in a cold, sterile environment with the expectation that he would grow up to rule the world. And there’s no doubt that when he joined his father’s crusade, he was able to use the skills he’d learned to become an effective crimefighter. But the ruthless attitude he manifested in his early years gave the impression to many that he was devoid of the most basic humanity. The vulnerability he displays seeing his father and grandparents’ remains reminds readers that when the Robin mantle and League of Assassins training is stripped away, Damian is a kid with the same fears and anxieties as anyone else. Though many may want to call this particular Robin a monster, Damian has proven he has a heart beneath all his bluster.
