What Villain Does Robin Become? A Shocking History
Hey fellow Batman fans! Have you ever wondered if Batman‘s iconic sidekick Robin ever turned to the dark side? As a hardcore comic lore expert, I‘m here to guide you through the murky history of Robin‘s falls from grace across DC storylines. Strap in – things are about to get crazy!
Dick Grayson Becomes…The Joker?!
Let‘s start with the original Robin himself – Dick Grayson. Now in mainstream continuity Dick has proudly fought the good fight as Robin, Nightwing, and even as Batman. But in the alternate reality of Frank Miller‘s 2001 story The Dark Knight Strikes Again, his life takes a seriously twisted turn.
In this dystopian future, Dick has become bitter from years of being abandoned by Batman and turned into a murderous, psychopathic criminal known as the NEW Joker. Yes, you read that right! He basically tries to succeed the deceased original Joker by adopting his crazed persona and vicious killing sprees. Talk about a dark what-if timeline!
What‘s even more shocking is that this unhinged New Joker still retains his incredible acrobatic skills from his former Robin days. Instead of justice, he deals out horrific violence – carving a bloody smile into his victims‘ faces in gruesome homage to his mentor.
According to Miller‘s script notes, he envisioned this version of Dick Grayson as "psychotic and rapidly becoming something worse than just a mere homicidal maniac.” Yikes! It just shows how losing his way and disconnecting from Batman corrupted Dick’s moral core completely.
This version of a villainous Robin is definitely terrifying! It makes you appreciate just how much Batman and Dick‘s father-son bond in main continuity helps keep him heroic. Still, the New Joker twist makes for one of DC’s wildest alternate takes – and shows no Robin is truly safe from darkness!
Jason Todd Rises As The Red Hood
Let‘s move on to Jason Todd – potentially the most controversial Robin! As we all know, Jason was brutally beaten and blown up by the Joker, much to Batman’s despair. But death is rarely permanent in comics – and in 2005’s Batman: Under the Red Hood arc Jason made his fiery return as the violent vigilante known as Red Hood!
Now on the path of an anti-hero, this resurrected Jason uses ruthless and lethal tactics in his quest for vengeance. He tortures Black Mask, challenges Gotham’s criminal underworld, and even hijacks Amazo – putting him firmly at odds with Batman.
Of course Batman and loyal readers had huge questions about this guns-blazing version of Robin. Was he still a hero deep down or irrevocably a dangerous villain? It was a debate that challenged what Batman‘s code really meant.
In reality Red Hood has values that toe the line. While no boy scout, he does try cleaning up crime in Gotham more permanently! And when the chips are down, he often joins the Bat-Family against threats like The Joker. For example, while the villain genocide storyline Batman: Endgame went too far for him, Jason still rescued civilians from Joker’s chaos.
So while Red Hood plays rougher and dirtier than Batman, he walks that ambigous road between dark heroism and villainy – it’s why fans are so divided! Personally I think he adds some volatile spice to the Bat-Family dynamic!
Do Any Other Robins Turn Evil?
Those are the big two examples of Robin’s falling on the dark path– but are there others? Well across DC’s vast mutliverse the answer = yes!
In the mash-up world of DC vs Vampires, a vampire plague brings out Robin’s dark side – literally! Both Jason Todd AND Tim Drake get turned into fanged fiends. While Tim struggles against bloodlust, Jason fully embraces vampirism and leads a cabal of undead Robins in battling Batman! It‘s an epic showdown event of fangs versus capes!
Another example comes from Tim Drake’s trippy adventures in Teen Titans Go! In the animated movie Teen Titans Go! To The Movies , Robin gets hypnotized into becoming supervillainRed X – the very same alter ego he created to infiltrate Slade! While played for laughs, it shows Robin’s potential for menace.
And of course I can’t forget my gameplay as Robin in Batman: Arkham Knight! After being dosed with Joker’s infected blood, Robin joined Harley Quinn’s gang of supervillains trying to kill Batman! Thankfully just a fear hallucination, but it still haunts me!
So while mainstream continuity sticks to heroic Robins, across DC‘s vast stories and worlds, almost every version of Robin has potentially cracked under pressure! It really makes you value the bonds that keep Batman and Robin together as a dynamic duo – instead of iconic hero vs fallen sidekick!
Conclusion: How Robin Stays A Hero
As we’ve seen, Robin falling to the dark side, whether fully or partially, is a huge recurring motif across DC storylines! It represents how the bright light of heroes like Robin and Nightwing can tragically transform into menacing darkness without the bonds of trust, family and mentorship.
But that’s exactly why the enduring Batman and Robin brotherhood stays so meaningful. Batman’s partnerships show he trusts others to carry on his mission. In turn Robin grows under his wing into legendary heroes like Nightwing. And even Anti-Heroes like Red Hood often come back from the brink because deep down, they still believe in Batman’s cause.
So while tales of evil Robins are gripping, we must appreciate the relationships that keep Robin heroic; over 80 years young justice balances the dark night. And as long as Batman keeps mentoring Robin – whether Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake or newcomers like Carrie Kelley – the legacy of the Bat endures. Excelsior!
