Why Batman Always Needs A Robin

3. It Makes Batman Vulnerable

Robin Suit Batcave
DC Comics

On the flip side of a Robin increasing the stakes and bringing a bigger sense of jeopardy to a Batman story, one added element that the presence of Robin brings along with it is a sense of vulnerability to the World's Greatest Detective.

With those higher stakes, it has often meant that various villains have purposely gone after Robin as a way to get to mess with Batman - again, A Death in the Family being a prime example of that, or in how Leviathan had Heretic go after (and kill!) Damian Wayne in 2013.

Following the death of Jason Todd at the hands of The Joker, his crowbar, and a rigged bomb, Bruce Wayne was more troubled and vulnerable than he'd ever been before. This was an angry, emotional Bruce who was stripped bare and put into a tailspin as a result of the heinous acts of the Clown Prince of Crime.

Looking away from Jason and Damian's deaths, the initial death of Stephanie Brown is another moment which showcased the Dark Knight's vulnerability - with Bruce left aghast at how he'd been double-crossed by long-time cohort Dr. Leslie Thompkins.

Senior Writer
Senior Writer

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