kiragecko:

I’m thinking of an AU where after Bruce died, Dick wasn’t available, and Tim ended up having to take care of Damian. I’m not sure where Dick would be - kidnapped, in space with the Titans, on his honeymoon - doesn’t matter, really. Tim would be balancing Wayne Ent., Damian, protecting Gotham, and his life(which would be the first to go).

I’m not sure if he’d become Batman, or if he’d call Cass and get her to take the cowl, or let Jason have it, or decide there would be no Batman because Bruce is gone. He might not let Damian become Robin until he’d proven he was worthy, or let him take the name as long as he lived up to Tim’s high expectations. I think Tim would push Damian hard, but he doesn’t see fighting as the important part of being Robin, so it would be about making Batman’s job easier, making Batman happy, being like Jason and Dick. And Tim would probably act enough like Talia that Damian would respond to him and try to live up to his impossible standards.

Whether Tim managed to do a good job, everything fell apart horribly, or Tim did okay but some of his parents more disturbing traits kept showing up would depend on the writer I guess.

I just keep imagining Tim teaching Damian how to act sympathetic to victims. Damian trying to earn Tim’s love by mimicking him perfectly. Tim promising that Damian can be Cass’s Robin after he learns how to compensate for her every weakness.

“It’s good that Cass doesn’t need you to make her laugh, you may never be good at that, but she will need you to be a better detective than Jason or Dick was…”

Damian would be trying to compare himself to Tim’s Robin, and Tim would be dismissive - “You have to be much better than me, I’ve never been a good Robin. Now these are the ways Jason helped Batman…”

I think the dynamic could be fascinating.

Interesting. I’m going to have to think about this one for a bit, because it seems fascinating.