“The imagery is beautiful and horny yes but what’s the world building for why a jewish!Bruce would have a Doubting Thomas painting in the study?”
Simple. Alfred (english protestant) bought it for Thomas Wayne (lapsed catholic) as a joke, re: how Thomas NEVER listens to him even though he (Alfred) ALWAYS ends up being completely 100% right.
then Martha (somewhere between conservative and reform) of course found this FUCKING HILARIOUS and is always 100% down to clown with Alfred when it comes to being a Bitchy Queen, and outright refused to let Thomas throw it out
[Thomas, whining, as Alfred yet again simply points to the painting in order to win the latest argument] “Martha, darling, i am BEGGING you to let me put it up for charity auction 🙏🏻 you know your mother hates it anyway.”
“…Thomas, sweetheart, that’s a more convincing argument for KEEPING it than it is for selling it off. However, you can auction it-“
“-on the day that you are right, and Alfred is wrong.”
…Alfred still thinks about that deal, sometimes, Thomas’s voice still echoing in the barren blackness of his bedroom during the few hours he manages to steal away for himself. Regret tumbling round and clinking against the defenses of his heart like the ice in his glass of scotch.
“…you sure you won’t come with us, Al? Don’t think about what it looks like, just-“
“Not yet, Thomas. There’s still… there’s too much at stake. When Bruce is older, perhaps, and not quite so… vulnerable, to the press, and the societal circles you walk in… but right now, it’s too dangerous. The world you and Martha live in, it’s safer for you - and Bruce - if I’m… just the butler.
“…I can’t imagine a world in which that’s true, Al. I’m never safer than when you are at my side.”
“…ah… ahem, well, I hope… that is, one day, I should never be more happy than to finally be proven wrong. Oh, go on then, off with you. You’ll be late to the theater.”
