#stephy dearest

I was unfortunately reminded of this page from issue #8, as well as the defense I wrote up for it a few years ago the first time it pissed me off.

Never thought I’d post this defense because I knew it made me sound like a biased my-blorbo-can-do-no-wrong Tim stan, but I saw another post calling Tim a jerk for what he said here, so why the heck not.

Was he being a dick here? Absolutely. However, he was not being awful just to be awful. Three things in Tim’s defense:

One. She’s being snarky when he really needs to find Batman. Tim knows Ra’s is planning to attack the city. She doesn’t know that, but he’s really in a hurry because people’s lives are on the line, and he doesn’t have time for sarcasm and games.

Two. The last time they worked together, Steph went behind his back and actively sabotaged his investigation. She stole and destroyed evidence, lied to him, worked with a known enemy on a plan that got two children killed, hired assassins to attack Tim, and nearly stirred up another gang war. She never apologized or tried to make up for any of it, and later stalked him and broke into his hidden safe house. So before meeting here, the last few times they interacted she was a willing, active hindrance to what he was trying to do, endangered herself and others, and has done nothing to earn back Tim’s trust. He has zero reason to trust her or believe she’s changed, let alone be civil.