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Batman's a dick, but Dick's actually a pretty good guy
More feelings about War Games and Steph's Robin arc, because apparently I have all of them and I'm not done talking about them yet.
1. Why I Loved Catwoman In War Games, Part Two: Because she treats Steph like a rational outsider would assume she ought to be treated - that is, like a human being, but also like part of the team. I just - when she took Steph home and Steph was all, "aren't you worried about me knowing your secret identity?" and Catwoman was just like, "I figured you knew it already because why wouldn't they tell you, you were a Robin right? But P.S. I trust you to keep my secret." EVERY. SINGLE. FEELING. Because, yeah, that logic totally makes sense, except that it's human logic, not Batman logic, so sadly it bears no relation to reality.
Also, I'm pretty sure this was the first time someone actually trusted Steph with their own secret, even if it wasn't done 100% intentionally? Because Batman outed Tim without his consent and Tim's reaction was anger and betrayal, which, yeah, justified, but it was directed at Steph as well as Bruce and also hardly reassuring. And Steph reached the cave but not the mansion, so I don't think she ever knew Batman's secret identity? (And even if she did, it wasn't because he told her.) So basically now I really wish Steph had run into Catwoman instead of Batman and Robin when she first started out, or at least that they'd met a little earlier so Selina could tell Bruce what a dick he was being.
2. Why I Enjoyed War Games In General, Part Whatever: Because Bruce was an enormous asshole, but he was supposed to be. And the audience was supposed to think he was, and we're supposed to not like him for it. And I love the breakdown of the Batman/Oracle relationship for this, since Babs provides a kind of anchor for the reader while everything around her starts going crazy. And while that relationship doesn't start off on the best terms, at first it's a matter of differing opinions and Batman overruling her, because he's Batman and he can do that. And then as the story progresses, he doesn't even listen to her long enough to hear her opinion - which culminates, of course, in Barbara's headquarters being infiltrated by Black Mask on live television, and when she tries to reach Batman he won't even take her calls. And that's terrible, and we're supposed to think that's terrible. Really, I am not at all surprised that by the time the storyline ends he's alone - there's really no other way it could have ended.
3. OH MY GOD HE IS SUCH AN ASSHOLE THOUGH. Steph comes to him and asks to be Robin and he says yes, and he trains her and takes her out on missions and - I mean, he clearly doesn't trust her, not completely, that's what the whole probation/zero tolerance/disobey me once and you're out thing was about, and the not telling her anything ever thing, and he's right to say she isn't ready. But he knows what she's like, that she's rash and impetuous and doesn't take orders super well, and if they've been working together he should know how much she's changed (or hasn't), and if he's Batman and he's training her and he takes her out on missions and she's not ready, that's his responsibility, and his fault, and the fact that he blames her for it - that he uses it as a reason to fire her, instead of keeping her back from actual missions until she's actually fully trained (like he did with Tim, like he presumably did with the other Robins) - god, I can't not hate him a little bit, WHAT IS HIS DEAL SERIOUSLY.
1. Why I Loved Catwoman In War Games, Part Two: Because she treats Steph like a rational outsider would assume she ought to be treated - that is, like a human being, but also like part of the team. I just - when she took Steph home and Steph was all, "aren't you worried about me knowing your secret identity?" and Catwoman was just like, "I figured you knew it already because why wouldn't they tell you, you were a Robin right? But P.S. I trust you to keep my secret." EVERY. SINGLE. FEELING. Because, yeah, that logic totally makes sense, except that it's human logic, not Batman logic, so sadly it bears no relation to reality.
Also, I'm pretty sure this was the first time someone actually trusted Steph with their own secret, even if it wasn't done 100% intentionally? Because Batman outed Tim without his consent and Tim's reaction was anger and betrayal, which, yeah, justified, but it was directed at Steph as well as Bruce and also hardly reassuring. And Steph reached the cave but not the mansion, so I don't think she ever knew Batman's secret identity? (And even if she did, it wasn't because he told her.) So basically now I really wish Steph had run into Catwoman instead of Batman and Robin when she first started out, or at least that they'd met a little earlier so Selina could tell Bruce what a dick he was being.
2. Why I Enjoyed War Games In General, Part Whatever: Because Bruce was an enormous asshole, but he was supposed to be. And the audience was supposed to think he was, and we're supposed to not like him for it. And I love the breakdown of the Batman/Oracle relationship for this, since Babs provides a kind of anchor for the reader while everything around her starts going crazy. And while that relationship doesn't start off on the best terms, at first it's a matter of differing opinions and Batman overruling her, because he's Batman and he can do that. And then as the story progresses, he doesn't even listen to her long enough to hear her opinion - which culminates, of course, in Barbara's headquarters being infiltrated by Black Mask on live television, and when she tries to reach Batman he won't even take her calls. And that's terrible, and we're supposed to think that's terrible. Really, I am not at all surprised that by the time the storyline ends he's alone - there's really no other way it could have ended.
3. OH MY GOD HE IS SUCH AN ASSHOLE THOUGH. Steph comes to him and asks to be Robin and he says yes, and he trains her and takes her out on missions and - I mean, he clearly doesn't trust her, not completely, that's what the whole probation/zero tolerance/disobey me once and you're out thing was about, and the not telling her anything ever thing, and he's right to say she isn't ready. But he knows what she's like, that she's rash and impetuous and doesn't take orders super well, and if they've been working together he should know how much she's changed (or hasn't), and if he's Batman and he's training her and he takes her out on missions and she's not ready, that's his responsibility, and his fault, and the fact that he blames her for it - that he uses it as a reason to fire her, instead of keeping her back from actual missions until she's actually fully trained (like he did with Tim, like he presumably did with the other Robins) - god, I can't not hate him a little bit, WHAT IS HIS DEAL SERIOUSLY.