The following contains spoilers for Task Force Z #12, on sale now from DC Comics.
Jason Todd pretty much destroyed his relationship with the Bat-Family during Task Force Z, but the series’ final issue revealed that the problems in the family don’t end with the Red Hood. Batman has had trouble with his ever-growing family for a number of years. His relationships with certain members have been a lot worse than they are right now but, apparently, they still aren’t as great as they seem.
This revelation came from the Bat-Family reunion at the end of Task Force Z #12 (by Matthew Rosenberg, Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferreira, Adriano Lucas, and Rob Leigh). Stephanie Brown was the only member of the family to come after Jason. That was after he left a letter for Bruce saying he was sorry for everything. Steph read the letter herself, despite it being addressed only to Bruce, which Jason seemed a little offended by. Steph then revealed that she only goes through everyone’s mail like that because nobody would actually tell her anything otherwise.
Spoiler Is Still A Bat-Family Outsider
That one fact really shows where Steph sits with Batman and the rest of the Bat-Family right now. It also shows how little has actually changed in their relationship. She’s been Robin, and she’s currently Batgirl again, alongside Cass and Barbara. She’s proven herself time and time again. When Bruce returned from his Final Crisis death, he even told her so. Despite the reservations Batman and the Bat-Family had for her when she was just Spoiler, they trust her now.
Except now, that trust is in question. It was assumed that Steph was now entirely accepted, especially given her closeness with the other Batgirls. She’s close with them and with Tim, even despite their breakup. However, it’s implied that even that isn’t enough. She didn’t specify that it was Bruce that didn’t tell her anything, but everyone. Although some members of the Bat-Family may treat her differently, more generally, they don’t want to keep her in the loop.
It’s why she feels a connection to Jason and why she’s the only one that wanted to say goodbye. In Jason, she sees a kindred spirit. Both have been the outcasts of the Bat-Family at some point or another. And, in a way, they still are. The actions of Red Hood in the whole Task Force Z debacle certainly made his relationship with them worse. After all, he didn’t just lie to them, he fought with them. He even broke Tim’s nose. Compare that to Stephanie’s mistakes and there are some similar messes. Her death in “War Games” was a result of her accidentally starting a gang war in Gotham, which caused its own kind of mayhem and destruction.
The Bat-Family Isn’t As United As They Seem
The biggest difference between Steph and Jason, though, is that Jason doesn’t look for approval. In fact, a lot of his actions, even in the recent, past have been about pushing his family away. He wants to do his own thing without being criticized. Steph, on the other hand, wants nothing more than to be treated as an equal and accepted. She tries her hardest to meet Batman’s impossible standards and, even when she exceeds them, it’s never enough. No wonder she snoops through the Dark Knight’s mail then, as it’s the only way she can feel in any way like an equal in this dysfunctional family.
The Bat-Family has improved in recent years, but it’s still not as tightly-knit as it seems. This rather problematic behavior from within the Bat-Family is slowly tearing it apart. There’s a lot to read into the fact that the only one of them who wanted to say goodbye was Steph. It could suggest that a secondary Bat-Family is forming within the main one, made out of those most pushed away and neglected. Steph and Jason are givens, both feeling like they each understand something about each other that the others don’t. Damian could find some common ground with them too – if he stopped acting superior to them for a moment.
When Batman asks for 110% at all times, it’s impossible to meet those standards. The ones who don’t meet his standards the exact way he wants, like Steph and Jason, tend to get ignored or forgotten about. That’s the real problem with being a member of the Bat-Family. As Steph proved here when she checked on Jason though, the only way to deal with that is for Batman’s kids to stick together.
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