Robin Won't Admit It, But He's the Same as Batman In 1 Heartbreaking Way
Warning! Spoilers for Batman and Robin #20!It's pretty normal for a father and son to share traits, and there's no denying that Robin is definitely Batman'sson. Damian and Bruce Wayne share many different things, including one heartbreaking trait. Damian rarely talks about his feelings, but one comic book just revealed how Damian truly sees himself.
Damian's true identity was revealed in a sequence from Batman and Robin #20 by Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Juni Ba where Damian admits that his civilian self is more of a mask than Robin will ever be. For the past few months, Batman and Damian's relationship has been heavily strained, with Damian considering leaving the role of Robin.
After Damian goes missing, Batman tries to track him down by rooting through his belongings, including his personal journal.Batman finds a few drawings that perfectly illustrate exactly how Damian Wayne feels about his identity as the Boy Wonder, and they're pretty similar to how Batman feels about the split between Bruce Wayne and the Dark Knight.
Just Like Bruce Wayne Is Batman's Mask, Robin Knows "Damian Wayne" Isn't His Real Self
Batman and Robin #20 by Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Hugo Petrus, Miguel Mendonca, Juni Ba, Marcelo Maiolo, and Steve Wands
A popular debate among comic book readers is whether Batman is the mask for Bruce Wayne or if Bruce Wayne is the mask for Batman. Things are a bit more complicated than that, though, as the Bruce Wayne that Batman presents to the world isn't the true Bruce Wayne. It's somewhat accurate to say that Bruce Wayne is a mask, but only because the ditzy playboy billionaire that Bruce presents himself as is a mask. This identity is completely separate from the true personality of Bruce Wayne, and it seems that Damian has adopted something similar.
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Damian's journal details how he feels about Robin and his role in keeping Gotham City safe, and one of the things he reveals is that he doesn't view "Damian" as his true self. He outright states that his "true form" is the guardian of Gotham City, and that Damian only exists as a disguise to hide his secret identity. It's a pretty heartbreaking confession, especially considering that Damian is currently struggling with the very concept of his identity, as he is trying to figure out who he is in the world and who he wants to be.
Damian Wayne Is Trying to Decide Who He Truly Is
Right Now, He Doesn't Even View "Damian" as Himself
Damian has struggled with identity more than any other Robin. While every other Robin has given up the mantle and sought out their own identity, they never struggled with who they were outside that identity. Dick Grayson always knew he was Dick Grayson, regardless of his superhero codename. But Damian isn't sure who Damian is. He's had to struggle over the years to decide if he's a Wayne or an al Ghul, and now he has to struggle to decide if he should even be a vigilante or not.
That's why it's so sad to see Damian adopt the same behavior as his father. With so many issues over who Damian is, it was easier to just say that Damian is a mask and throw himself into the role of Robin, which he has done for nearly twenty years. But now that Damian is stepping away from the mantle of Robin, he has to figure out who he is. Bruce decided a long time ago that the Bruce Wayne identity could just be another persona to serve Batman, and now Damian Wayne is going to have to decide who he really is under the mask of Robin.
Batman and Robin #20 is available now from DC Comics!
