“There are only two things that are more cruel than death: life and love.”
“I’d argue that love is crueller than both.”
look, I know we’ve talked a lot about Jason’s death, but I also want to talk about his resurrection. of course, that means I have to talk about his death too, because, seriously, you can’t have one without the other. and I know we’ve discussed the lack of consequences surrounding his death (in which I wish and pray everyday that the Joker would just choke and die), but I’m begging you to hear me out on some… other consequences of his passing. I mean– just, come on, he’s been haunting the narrative for years! the twenty years versus the six months, the scale is completely disproportionate! and I swear, these two topics are deeply connected! just… listen to me a little bit, please.
when we talk about death in general, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? well death is tragic, cruel, and terrifying, but usually, these elements are viewed through the eyes of the living. I mean, regarding the tragedy, perhaps the most tragic aspect is the future, along with all the possibilities and the life that the deceased was robbed of; yet, all of that was buried right along with them. the tragedy of loss and the cruelty of death in snatching away a life are most clearly perceived from the perspective of those left behind.
it’s the same story with the terrifying nature of death! I mean, when I think about death and its role, it always seems to hold more significance for the living than for the dead. for instance, if you are alive and fear death, then death is truly terrifying. when you are on your deathbed, gasping your last breath, death is terrifying. when you are anticipating and dwelling on death, it is terrifying. simply because you are still alive. once you are actually dead, death doesn't seem quite so frightening—because after all, you’re dead! it also depends on one's beliefs about the afterlife, but usually, death is often equated with eternal rest or a deep slumber: a state where you feel nothing (since you no longer exist). because of that, death doesn’t seem to be terrifying at all since you are already dead.
even so, that does not mean your death isn't terrifying. it remains terrifying for the living. your family, friends, and loved ones will weep, mourn, bury you, hold a funeral, grieve, and miss you. your death is a terrifying thing for those who were left behind.
a similar dynamic applies to the aftermath of death; this is most evident in the suffering, grief, resentment, mourning, and longing experienced by the living. whether it is a funeral or an act of vengeance, these things are for the living. the aftermath of death is something that concerns only the living; it has no impact on the deceased. this is also clearly illustrated in the comics, where Jay's death serves primarily to highlight Batman's subsequent grief and longing, or where Jay becomes a haunting hallucination for Nightwing. he’s been haunting the words, speech bubbles, narrative, and memories of Bruce, Alfred, Dick, Tim,... and so on. yes, that is precisely where the consequences of Jay's death are most vividly portrayed. death exists for the living to lament, suffer, and mourn. beyond the lack of consequences regarding the death itself (which is the absence of vengeance, changes in the circumstances that led to his demise, or perhaps even a definitive end to the "Robin/child soldier" era), there were still other impacts stemming from his passing (which is the emotional toll on the survivors) that were clearly depicted.
if you’re wondering why this person is going on at such length... I apologize, but I’m about to discuss Jason’s resurrection, and I suspect that part will be even longer.
Judd Winick once said that the how or why of Jason’s return mattered less than the purpose of his return. so, what was that purpose? what was the significance of Jason coming back to life?
reflecting on it with a sense of horror, Jason’s resurrection perfectly embodies all the traits I listed earlier, traits inherent to death itself, because his return serves as a perfect mirror and reminder of his own demise. the death’s presence lingers even within his resurrection; it only deepens the memory of his passing because, well, that’s the way it is. Jason didn’t just, bam, ta-da, instantly coming back to life, whole and healed. this boy had to dug himself out of his own grave. he still bore those wounds. he spent months wandering the streets, drifting in and out of consciousness, barely lucid. he had truly, truly, genuinely died. he had a grave, and a funeral, all of that stuffs. and then his resurrection made the reality of death, for someone who had actually died, more tangible and stark than ever before. to return to life while still bearing the marks of his own death…
and then, after going into the pit and truly, truly coming back to life, he had to face... all of these things. these consequences, and these lack of consequences. a dead person was forced to return to life to mourn, to suffer, to endure, to hate, and to avenge for his own death. where does such an ironic mix of tragedy and dark comedy come from? he had to confront both the tangible consequences of his death and the absence of consequences, which is: joker joker joker joker the lack of consequences where the meaninglessness where the way his death was erased and signified nothing where a new Robin had stepped in: so talented, so smart, so obedient...
he came back now, but... for what? well, to serve the plot. to create conflict with Batman. to face all the consequences of his death. to face the lack of consequences and meaning in his death. to face the lack of consequences and meaning in his resurrection. to come back and face all that, only to die again (at his father's hands? for the writers' original intent? yes, I’m talking about the ending originally planned for the utrh). and to come back only to die again because... well, everyone dies eventually.
to mourn, to weep, to grieve, and to seek revenge, these are usually the privileges and the burdens of the living, but then suddenly Jason comes back, and he has to deal with all that, crying, begging, grieving, and avenging because he was dead, and-
isn't it cruel, absurd, tragic, and terrifying? that someone who already died, and thus should have been immune to the consequences of that death, now have to go back, return and face every single one of them?
bringing him back to life after his death is truly cruel because- normally, it’s a third party who has to mourn, bury, grieve, and seek vengeance as a consequence of the death. but in the end, Jason is the one who has to find a way to avenge himself. first, he can never forget his own death; then, he has to process the grief, the anger, and the mourning, only to ultimately seek revenge. avenging one’s own death is a bizarre concept- because usually, the avenger is a friend or relative of the deceased. yet here, the dead kid has to avenge himself because it seems like no one else cares. I mean, that is just incredibly cruel.
bringing him back is cruel because he was already dead. dying and coming back to life means having to face and clearly realize everything death stole from him: his life, his family, his role as Robin, his place in the world, Bruce, his future, all the possibilities, any chance for future growth... all of that. Jason is someone who, upon returning, couldn't find his footing in the world. he had been replaced within the family. he had truly died, gone to heaven and all, got a death certificate and all, only to return rather than be properly resurrected. he came back to see his killer still alive and Bruce with a new Robin.
and look, Bruce invited him to be Robin before he invited him to be his son. he never actually called Jay his son. ugh, it breaks my heart every time I read Jaybin’s lines about how he "is a weapon" (when he’s just a kid, for god's sake). it’s as if he thinks that without the Robin role, he means nothing to Bruce at all. it’s not just about having the role of Robin taken away- he died in that suit, come back only to see Bruce with a new Robin; it’s like losing his very last place in the world. it’s cruel.
the cruelty lies in coming back to face the consequences of his own death: or rather, the lack thereof. Jason Todd died. so what? we can just have Tim Drake as the new Robin. Jason Todd died. so what? The Joker is still alive. his death didn’t... mean anything. he died, and nothing changed.
it reminds me of the argument Jaybin had with Bruce before he died. Gloria was dead. so why was Garzonas still alive? even though she was dead? still alive to commit countless other crimes and hurt other innocent people. she was dead. but it didn't matter. he was still alive. even though she was dead. There should have been consequences.
his return didn't mean anything either. that memorial. that damn memorial. it’s like being alive while your loved ones set up a damn shrine to you.
the lack of consequences the meaninglessness the absurdity the absurdity it’s all just so absurd.
now, I don't really like the idea of treating Jason and Jaybin as two different people. sure, he changed, but what kind of impact do you expect death to have on someone? no, this is the same boy—the boy that you loved so deeply, the cute, small little boy who said Robin was magic, the boy who tumbled and fought and laughed alongside you. god, my precious boy.
he is the very boy who was dead and he is the one who came back to life; it is precisely because he holds both these identities that it hurts so much. you died—yes—but then you came back. yet that doesn't change the fact that you died. and all these consequences keep reminding you of that! just shut up, shut up-
and this is the most agonizing, painful, and sickening thought I’ve ever had, because no, it wasn't supposed to be like this! it shouldn't have turned out this way! that isn't what the symbolism of resurrection is meant to be! it was supposed to be a miracle. it is a symbol of hope, of life, of a second chance, of divine intervention, of light, all of that! I defied the laws of the universe, I overturned the truths of Mother Nature; I conquered Death itself, I molded life to my will even when it sought only to kill me; I did it all of that just to stand here and face you, to see you again– to say, "I'm here, Dad, I am alive, I exist." and you witnessed a true miracle, a tangible miracle, a gift from the heavens, a creation of God, you saw it, you witnessed it, and you stood face-to-face with it. go ahead and hug him; sob uncontrollably and tell him you missed him; apologize to him; tell him you’re glad that he’s alive, that he’s back; tell him you’d do anything for him, tell him you’ll never let him go; tell him you love him; do what is fitting when witnessing such a miracle; do the right thing—do what anyone who has lost a loved one would do if that person came back to life, a lover, a mother, a father, a brother, a sister, a daughter, a son, just– no! what are you doing? stop! don’t do that! you mustn't—
he wished you had chosen him.
he thought—he truly believed—that you would.
it seems he didn't return through a miracle, but rather crawled back into the world of the living like a vengeful spirit. his resurrection and his life afterward are now tainted by death; the meaning and symbolism of his return have transformed into the meaning and symbolism of death. no, you are already dead—never forget that! they treat you completely differently from howthey did before you died, and that serves as a constant reminder that you are dead.
you struggle to find your place in life. to reconnect with those who used to be your family. to connect with other people and get to know new people. to resume the life you lost. you can do this—just forget that you died and move on. in fact, you don't even mention it (though the rest of the family still does). it’s okay; it’s all in the past; you can forget, you can forgive and move on, and—Bruce, why did you bring me here?
Jason's resurrection is the cruelest thing I have ever seen.
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