Frutiger Aero FTW

I know it's been a decade since this show came out and this might be a little late to ask but

In 2012 I painted the top image: Rise

We could totally could talk about how Damian's death affected each Batfamily members, but I just need to talk about Tim and Damian specifically. Because even though the narrative treats it as just another Tragic Batfamily Event™ after looking back at some issues, I genuinely think for Tim it was like, all hell broke loose. Like a psychological break. Cause this guy straight up hallucinated Damian. He was quite literally talking to the walls. He looked at empty air and his mind went no, he’s still here actually.

And I know most people would be like "Oh but Bruce lost his son," "Yeah but Dick lost his little brother too," and yes everyone's grief mattered, I'm not trying to take anything away from all of that. In fact, I'd argue how everyone's reactions were handled fairly well in writing. It's just, what gets me personally about Tim's is how specific the guilt was. He didn’t just mourn Damian, he put the entire system on trial. He blamed Bruce for letting a ten-year-old wear the colors at all, he blamed Dick for encouraging him as Robin, he blamed the missions, the symbol, Gotham, the whole machine that took a child raised as a weapon. And of course he blamed himself.

And also I have to point out, what I do appreciate from the writers was the fact that they didn't shy away from making them complicated. They weren’t instant brothers. Damian tried to replace him. Tim resented him. They were mean to each other for a good while. So imagine the kind of grief that comes from that.

Ugh and don't even get me started on his monologue. His monologue oh myyyy goshhh.

"For all your training-- your maddening confidence--you were just a kid. Just a ten-year-old boy who should not have been out there!

You shouldn't have been with Dick! You shouldn't have been with Bruce!

That's why I started the Teen Titans! To protect you... to protect all of us kids! Because the adults are too caught up in saving the world. We're the only ones who can save each other."