Bruce Wayne, two decades into his crusade, still holds a code—refusing to cross the line, even as Gotham tests him nightly. Jason Todd, bold and brash, struggles under Bruce’s control, desperate to be more than a soldier. When intel points to the Joker operating overseas, Bruce forbids pursuit. Jason disobeys. He’s captured, beaten, and ultimately killed in an explosion—broadcast live for Gotham to see. Bruce is shattered. Guilt festers into obsession. He hunts the Joker through shadows and corpses, ignoring Alfred’s pleas and isolating from allies. He captures Harley Quinn, wringing out the Joker’s location, and finally corners him in a decaying theater. Joker taunts him, begging for death. As Bruce raises a batarang to deliver it, Nightwing arrives. A single throw knocks Bruce back—not enough to stop him, but enough to make him hesitate. Joker escapes into the storm. Bruce stays silent, trembling. Dick says nothing. He doesn’t have to. The line still holds… but barely.
Post Credits: Tim Drake pores over GCPD archives, connecting Batman’s cases with Bruce Wayne’s movements. He lifts a floorboard and finds a Domino mask. “He needs someone. Even if he doesn’t want it.”
