so many thoughts, so little words

I don’t know, I feel like that is the niche DC and the stories usually assign to Jason, but that’s exactly why it feels so forced. The more I read, the more forced it seems to cast Jason in the role of the “asshole.” But that’s just my take. Just my own thoughts. If I had to pick, the comic that most clearly pigeonholes him as an “asshole” is probably Countdown. It’s funny, though, because at the same time, that story portrays him as an asshole in the most superficial way I’ve ever seen.

Basically, any “asshole” move Jason pulls feels half-hearted. He’s all bark and no bite. Sure, he says some nasty things now and then. He’s got a bit of an attitude. But he doesn’t actually do anything to justify everyone hating his guts. Calling Jason an “asshole” in Countdown feels like a stretch; it’s more like he’s “kind of a jerk” or “a bit of a pain in the ass.” Not to mention, he’s just a kid in that story, while the other heroes are all much older. Yet, for some reason, everyone hates him with such intensity.

I don’t know, it just feels out of proportion to me. Generally speaking, the term "asshole" usually refers to people who are arrogant, unlikable, and morally questionable. The kind who say nasty things, provoke others, act haughtily, and are universally disliked. It’s hard to slot this type into a standard character archetype; they are clearly distinct from the typical "villain," yet calling them a "third-rate villain" would be giving them too much credit. They seem to occupy their own separate category: the "supporting character with an asshole personality." The most recent example that comes to mind is Flash from the Spiderman movies ig? He constantly bullied and targeted Peter in the early installments, whereas the unlikability of Jason in Countdown felt truly generic and wasn't really directed at anyone in particular. Countdown was an incredibly superficial, lazy attempt to cast Jason in the "asshole" mold. Ultimately, he didn't do anything particularly egregious from start to finish, yet everyone hated him to an absurd degree. It baffles me.

I think this is the main issue I have with Countdown. Clearly, both the narrative and Jason himself were trying to position him as an "asshole" within the story. I’m not sure what significance that held for the Countdown plot itself, but regarding Jason, I found it interesting: he played the asshole because that was exactly how the story— and the other characters—expected him to behave. The story assigned him that role, and he played into it. People expected him to be an asshole, so why not? He gave them exactly what they expected. It might seem a bit confusing, but honestly, if you decide someone is a terrible, unpleasant, and total asshole, chances are they’ll treat you exactly the way you expect—regardless of whether they’re actually like that or not.

The frustrating part here is that both the effort put into Jason’s character and the narrative arc turning him into an asshole feel incredibly superficial and shallow. Jason isn't actually "an asshole"; he just maintains a superficial "asshole" veneer, using an unpleasant attitude and harsh words. But that’s the extent of it. And clearly, he doesn't even have to try very hard, because people immediately latch onto that surface-level persona and instantly hate him. It’s a classic case of… subliminal? A self-fulfilling prophecy? Something like that. That "I knew this guy was insufferable" kind of vibe.

I mean, if DC really wanted to position him as an asshole, they should have done it right. If they wanted to convince us that he’s such a jerk that it makes sense for everyone, every single superhero, to hate him, they needed to include at least the following elements:

Harsh language. Basic-level insults. Calling people "morons" or "losers."

Harsh language. Truly harsh language. The character constantly twisting the knife in the protagonist's emotional wounds. Repeatedly saying the exact things the protagonist doesn't want to hear. Reminding them of their most regretted mistakes. Saying things that provoke such a strong reaction that the protagonist grows to loathe them. Genuinely loathe them, and for that hatred to be completely justified.

A basic tendency toward violence.

At least a baseline level of questionable morality.

Scumbag behavior at a basic level.

Scumbag behavior that violates all moral—or even legal—standards. (Characters defined as "scumbags" tend to lean more toward violating moral standards, whereas villains lean slightly more toward violating the law.) Backstabbing teammates. Killing pigs, kidnapping children, pushing an old woman into the sea, and deceiving everyone. Truly despicable actions that inflict harm on others.

An utter lack of remorse. This is crucial. In fact, the "scumbag" character should be arrogant, self-satisfied, or even gleeful about their actions, mocking the heroes.

Everyone hates them.

To some extent, he faces no consequence, or no one can really do anything about him, which makes him even more detestable. Because the role of a "scumbag" differs from that of a standard "villain," he avoids long-term repercussions; this makes him even more loathsome, further aggravating both the other characters and the readers. And he remains incredibly smug about it.

I’ll reiterate: these are just my thoughts. It’s fine if you disagree, but your disagreement doesn't really have any bearing on this post.

Of course, not every "asshole" character meets these exact criteria, but for me, a character who is "such a asshole that everyone, including all the superheroes, hates him" must meet this standard. Furthermore, a character who is such an "asshole" to a level that that becomes an appealing trait must reach this level. And the superficial jerkiness Jason displayed in Countdown was just boring and cheap, bordering on annoying. He reached the bare minimum level of bad words and an attitude, but on the actions aspect, the only thing he did that was kinda countable is betrayed the team and shot Domna, but that was a play and was to help them escape? If the story was trying to make Jason appears like an asshole, they have to actually make it convincing.

Then we have utrh. And, albeit reluctantly, most of his appearances throughout the rest of the post crisis era. Now we're getting sidetracked. Clearly, this part of the story positions Jason as a villain, not just an asshole. However, this version of the character is far more convincing, and he somehow inherits traits typical of a "bastard," stemming from his history as a villain, he was endowed with many characteristics usually reserved for bad guys: constantly antagonizing the heroes, questionable morals, violent tendencies, ethically dubious actions, and an unapologetic attitude. To me, this iteration scores higher on the "bastard" scale, but again this story positions him as an antagonist rather than just a generic jerk. His most egregious act, carrying a bag of severed heads, falls squarely into the category of morally questionable behavior, both in terms of its effectiveness and its impact. Compare this to Jason in Countdown: he engaged in "deception" and "betrayal," but those were merely ruses to save the team. It was a poor attempt at playing the bastard; it didn't fit the archetype at all, so I have to dock him points. Jason’s "bastard" persona in Countdown didn't even clear the minimum bar for me; he only managed the basics, like harsh language and an unpleasant attitude.

But then, and I think others have pointed this out, there is a certain artificiality to Jason’s persona in utrh. Whether or not you view him as naturally dramatic, that trait was clearly amplified to the point of being theatrical. There is a palpable sense of phoniness to the role, as if he is showing you exactly what he wants you to see.

Now, compare his portrayal in utrh with his role in Countdown, then compare both of those to his characterization in the New 52, ​​and finally, compare the utrh persona with how he presents himself at the end of that same story. You can spot the artificiality of his Red Hood persona when contrasted with his truly authentic self during the confrontation. Or, compare his behavior in Countdown: his prickly attitude when the Titans track him down and when he recounts his story to Jimmy Olsen; his general demeanor toward superheroes and his interactions with Donna before their relationship fractured. Like when he sought her out to warn her about the Monitors and comforted her at Bart’s funeral. Then there’s his role within the Bat-family during the New 52 era (I’m still struggling to reconcile the shift from Pre-New 52 to New 52), where he’s portrayed as a guy who is "kind of unlikable, formerly a bad guy and a killer who’s now reformed, yet still somewhat abrasive." Compare how he acts around Dick, Tim, and Damian, who view him as a jerk, with how he treats Barbara. And regarding Damian: I think he shows a certain level of patience and tolerance toward the kid. Then compare that to his dynamic with Bruce. Finally, weigh his "jerkish" behavior toward the Bat-family in the New 52 against the "jerkish" nature of some of the things Bruce did to him; I’d ask you to consider which actions truly deserve that label. Which ones should be classified as betrayal, deceit, inhumanity, or a violation of basic moral standards?

To simply label Jason a "jerk" in the New 52 era feels incredibly superficial to me, it’s judging the story purely on the surface. In reality, none of his actions really warrant that kind of negative mark, especially when compared to what others have done.

(n52 narrowed down his characterization into a bad guy who killed people but reformed and make it shallow, so it's easy for them to just position him as an asshole with an attitude ig. But he's all bark and no bite.)

In short, this is based on my reading experience spanning from the Post-Crisis era to the New 52, ​​so it might be incomplete or even incorrect. But if I'm not mistaken, his era of vile villainy came to an end after post crisis, and he became a reformed villain after N52. Along with that, the cruel, evil, and despicable acts he committed, and those quoted by readers, were all encapsulated in the post-crisis. “He disguised himself as Nightwing and killed people,” “he slit Tim’s throat,” “he tried to make Bruce kill Joker” (seriously?), “he shot Damian,” “he kidnapped and beat Mia,” “he slit Tim’s throat.” “He killed people” the most boring argument of my life.

I keep thinking that in N52 he must have gone through a thousand identity crises, and tended to play the bad guy to serve the story or what others think of him. The fact that his narrative is allowed to say, "Oh my god, I was so angry," makes me want to pull my hair out. Even worse, he'll talk about his Robin phase like this: "I was so angry, Bruce tried so hard, I failed, I was so violent and needed Bruce to guide me," like I was going to start killing people with my bare hands.