It’s no secret that Batman and Red Hood had disagreements about how best to protect Gotham. But a few words from Jason Todd suggest that Bruce Wayne is fighting a hopeless battle trying to save his city.
Batman has been fighting for a just cause in Gotham for years, and no matter how much damage he’s taken, he never stops. Despite the numerous colorful criminals fighting for control of the city, Bruce considers it his duty to protect Gotham from such psychopaths as the Joker or Two-Face. But despite the fact that he has given his all, Batman is struggling to save Gotham from himself and simply cannot eradicate the evil forces lurking in his shadows. Even with the additional allies he’s gained over the years, it seems like Gotham is a city that just doesn’t want to be saved.
By topic: Little Red Riding Hood Actually Admires Batman’s Most Criticized Flaw
No one in Batman’s orbit likes to voice his criticism of Batman’s operation more than Jason Todd, and in Batman #641, Jason really lays out what he thinks about his former mentor’s obsession with Gotham. Batman finally came face to face with the Red Hood, only to discover that his ex-Robin, Jason Todd, was hiding behind the mask. Although Batman doesn’t want to believe it, Red Hood’s skills and attitude definitely prove that it’s Todd. The confused Dark Knight wants to know what made Jason start killing as recklessly as he did, but a smug Todd says that’s just who he is. He criticizes Batman for not killing the Joker, but mentions that this is only part of a larger problem. Todd claims that despite Bruce’s mission to save Gotham, he doesn’t understand the city the way Jason does, who believes the city is actually evil.
No matter how straightforward he is, it’s hard to say that Jason is wrong. Batman’s biggest failure in Gotham City is that he has never been able to contain his malign powers. But Little Red Riding Hood raises another interesting point, calling the city “evil”. Given Gotham’s haunted history and the horrific events that took place there, Jason may have summed up why saving the soul of the city is an impossible task.
The truth is, Gotham has always been pretty confusing. Demon—worshiping cults, evil secret societies and criminal clans are only part of his disgusting legacy. The arrival of the Dark Knight may have helped a few more outlandish villains emerge, but Gotham City was dealing with crime long before Batman hit the scene. And it doesn’t help that Gotham has experienced many nightmarish disasters, for example, it became the epicenter of the invasion of the Dark Multiverse in Dark Knights: Metal. Bruce Wayne’s desire to save his city may come from a noble position, but history is not in his favor. The Red Hood may have a point of view that Gotham may actually be evil, which means that Batman is doomed to fail in his mission.
