yurrrsssss-ghoul

[yurrrsssss-ghoul]

Hi, so, the way your last post made me think about how Talia and Ra's must have glazed over Bruce to make Damian look forward to meet him and actually make him want to stay with him. I just know that the expectations vs. reality hit Damian hard.

Also Damian is so much better than me because if my dad acted the way Bruce acted, I would have ran back to my mom. Also the way he celebrated his 13th birthday alone in that one comics?? I would have held a grudge and made it everyone's problem ngl.

If you don't know what this person is referring to, see my post.

Also, yeah! I feel like it all comes back to how Talia often tells stories of Bruce through the lenses of the legendary Batman— depicting him as the Dark Knight (tm) that protects the kingdom of Gotham against evil-doers and injustice (typical knight in shining armor story)— that got Damian all too excited, as per every other boys his age tends to be.

Talia tells Damian that his father is a king (albeit not exactly directly), and that gets him excited. The mystery nature that is shrouded around the identity of his father is bound to get anyone excited— because it promises greatness, among other things.

But when Damian meets Bruce, everything crashes and he is met with the reality that alludes to his very world; that his father isn't necessarily a great man, and that his mother just hyped him up to make Damian want to stay. It then opens the possibility of dissapointment, and it's ugly. Because now Damian is facing two grown adults that aren't truthful to him.

I also feel like this encompasses just how forgiving Damian really is. For the better or for the worse, he never really holds grudges against Bruce for all of his wrong-doings. Sure, he'd throw a tantrum here and there, put on a scowl on his face, but ultimately reasoned those things against him.

Damian already has low self-esteem to begin with, but he hides them under the disguise of an egoistical brat whose main sin is pride. Damian feels like the only reason Bruce sees him as a son is because of his biological status, and even then it's never really guaranteed. With Robin, it might cement his place besides Batman, but it also jeopardizes his development with other people.

How many times is Bruce going to assume the worst out of everyone who's interacted with Damian out of pure good-will? How many times does Damian have to chalk it up to him being insecure? How many opportunities or friends must Damian lose just to ensure Bruce that he's not being replaced?

(Batman and Robin 2023, issue #18)

Sure, you might argue that I'm leaving behind a very important context that is Bruce being unsure of his place as a father to Damian—

— but what about Damian?

"Dr. Bashar can't possibly take Damian under his goodwill because he sees some alleged potential" and "If Damian loses his mask, I'll lose him" can be two right things that exist, but the existence of another doesn't negate the other thing.

And Damian would forgive the man— because how could he not? Bruce is his father and he means well and he probably doesn't mean it—

Until it happens again.

Again.

And again.

But it doesn't matter, because Damian would continue to forgive, forever and always— because that's a trend we see in children raised in a dysfunctional home. They'd reason with their parents, the ones causing them pain, justifying their actions even if it means berating them to the nth degree in the process. In due time, Damian fundamentally believes that he might as well be the root of all of Bruce's problems.

You can make an argument. That Bruce doesn't mean the things he said, that he's struggling too, that he doesn't know how to raise a teenager (granted, Damian hasn't always been the most normal teenager), that there's more context needed. However, at that very moment, it still affects Damian, and these will stick to him for as long as he lives.

[yurrrsssss-ghoul]

WAIT what happened with dc dark legion what are the "recent events" I have no idea TT

Sorry it took me a fairly long time to answer, and by now this has probably become old news, but I think I still hold some responsibility regardless.

I'm not going to tag this post with anything because I don't wish for people to associate my baby boy with this bastardized version of him— and if this is your first impression of Damian, let me make this one thing clear; this isn't Damian.

Damian has shown to be very respectful towards women in the comics. A large number of his friends are women/girls. He has teamed up with more women than he does men and a lot of them have received more recognition in the fan base (Damian with Stephanie, Damian with Zatanna, Damian with Diana, etc).

The game is just making a spinoff to Ian Wayne.

[yurrrsssss-ghoul]

I feel like this needs to be talked about more because why is Damian's experiences being reduced to either one of these two things:

1) If it was done by a man, then it doesn't happen.

2) If it was done by a woman, she got age regressed (physically) and while still maintaining the age maturity, it'd be played off as an actual ship.

Also, a lot of people would say that those are bad writings and shouldn't be incorporated into the characters because it doesn't reflect their beliefs. It's just plain character assassination— which tells you that they could separate between a character and a mouthpiece of the writers. HOWEVER, this virtue (for whatever reason I couldn't possibly imagine) doesn't extend to characters like Ra's and Talia, or even Damian.

In light of recent (unfortunate) event

[yurrrsssss-ghoul]

Never mind. In light of recent event, I shall delete this fucking game.

EVERYONE SHUT THE FUCK UP

[yurrrsssss-ghoul]

I need people to understand that had it not been for Damian's big heart with overwhelming love for anyone and anything and the fact that his mother loved him (Bruce) and that he's his dad— Damian would not fw the bats.

Sure he'd acknowledge their skills and intellect and resourcefulness. Sure he'd maybe like to team up with them or whatever. But if Damian was in another family, he would not like the bats one bit.

[yurrrsssss-ghoul]

Sorry for dumping this in your inbox but you're kind of my go to for fact checking characterization of the al Ghuls so apologize in advance.

I just saw this skit on tiktok about Alfred giving Damian the belt (if you know what I mean) for Damian supposedly tell him as that he's a servant and it's his job to clean his room. Skit's words, not mine.

Genuinely, what is with people's obsession with seeing Damian get treated like that? Sure Damian maybe be mean at times but there are better ways to correct him than to hurt him. Why do some 'fans' want to see him hurt like that and by people in the comics that they claim are supposedly 'better' than his maternal side? Which is bs on so many levels.

As a person who deeply likes Damian's character, just can't wrap my mind around it. It's just wild to me that people would want a child to be hurt like that.

It's fine! I'm happy to be interacting with people and genuinely excited to have you here!! No apologies needed 🫶♥️

I'm flattered that you think of me as your go-to for fact-checking when it comes to the characterisation of the al-Ghuls, but I would also recommend you to check in with other people as well (my idol is literally @rasalghul777 and @daminette-56 . I also tend to fall back on their post just in case I say something incorrect) 😭 but thank you so much bb that's like the highest form of compliment I would ever hope to receive.

So, this is my totally normal and definitely not exaggerated reaction to that information:

Before I went on my (presumably) off-tangent rant— did the person doing the skit have an overly obnoxious face while playing as Damian? Did they stomp their feet as well? Maybe cross their hands and roll their eyes so much, the muscle must've developed? Because that's what I've been observing when people put Damian in these types of scenarios.

They portrayed Damian as an overly bratty, spoiled, sometimes helpless rich kid that just demands things and fully expects it to be handed directly at him— which, I admit, can sometimes be the case, but not in the way you'd expect it.

I assume this whole skit was either derived or inspired from that one scene from Son of Batman movie where Damian, who just recently arrived, asked Alfred to prepare him some tea. He asked it to be peculiarly made; brown sugar instead of white, freshly cut lemon, a china cup. Nothing outrageous.

He was also perfectly calm while saying that, just a boy asking someone who he thought was working for his father as a butler for something to drink. Sure, it would be nice to have some improvement in the politeness department, but other than that it was a perfectly reasonable request said in a perfectly acceptable manner.

It's confusing and weird on so many levels how these fans allowed the BatFam to perpetuate abuse/actions that are borderline on abuse in the name of discipline and would later look at you dead in the eyes while saying that they are, in fact, better than Damian's maternal family on so many levels, even though they'd scream wolf the moment Talia or Ra's does the same thing.

I get it— Damian isn't exactly a child sent from above, but there're many ways to correct him/discipline him, especially on things with nuance.

I know that the BatFam shouldn't exactly be the most accommodating, and I don't expect them to bend at Damian's every will just to fight off the allegations, but I feel like it's almost hypocritical that Damian also has to walk as if he's stepping on glass in fear he'd say the wrong thing and got hurt because of it.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again; the way Damian behaves, however bratty, does not entitle others to hit him.

I'm well aware that some people are tough nuts to crack, some might require a stricter way, but the line between discipline and abuse blurs easily especially when it comes to children. Damian isn't exempted from this, no matter how you wish to twist the fact to make it seem he's more mature as is. Because he's not.

These types of scenarios are frequent fantasies I've seen BatFam fanon fans often have of Damian— have him act all brattier than he actually was and have someone (more often than not, a white man) correct him. Yell at him, scolded or even hit him. I know I can't shout abuse each time Damian is slightly mistreated, but, like, put him in another situation?

Why are you fantasizing about this hypothetical scenario of Damian getting beaten by imagining him acting brattier, and celebrating the supposed justice served?? Shall I fetch you your pills?

In the same vein, it's the same type of icky I feel whenever people make Damian screaming how he's the only blood son and, therefore, should have more privilege only for one of his adoptive siblings said how he's the only one Bruce didn't choose/didn't want. Like, wow.

[yurrrsssss-ghoul]

Hi!

The name is Eddie, but some call me by my handle (Yurrrss)— whichever you prefer, really. Right now I'm a big fan of DC, particularly the al-Ghuls family. I make silly posts here, but I also do other stuff on my main acc @ellestrade where I post my equally mediocre art :)

[yurrrsssss-ghoul]

Taking a break from my usual al-Ghul posting, I feel like people forget that Damian's band of friends aren't the most logical or more skilled or whatever. They're children, teenagers at best, and that's the charm of it all; they're going to be ruled by impulse and hormones and feelings and heart, certain things they couldn't even comprehend yet, and sometimes make bad decisions because it really sounded very good and smart at the time.

I'm making this because I'm getting tired of seeing people depicting his friends (particularly Jon, Colin, Billy, and Mia) as this one saint that's very patient with Damian. The calm and demure one, the one with moral high ground, the one that agrees with Damian's older siblings that he's an unruly, rude kid because— not only it has a vaguely racist undertone, it's also not true.

Jon isn't afraid to throw punches at Damian whenever, Colin isn't afraid to jump first into actions to protect something he believes in, Billy would not choose Damian's older brothers over him, Mia would drag Damian to solve crimes or unravel a whole trafficking business on a school night.

And Damian would throw the punches back, he'd come up with a plan on the fly, he'd humor Billy and will accompany Mia on her little side quest despite not yet finishing algebra on page number 7.

They might agree that Damian is an unruly, sometimes rude, a complete anarchist, but they're also aware that they themselves are all of those things and more. They'll enable each other. They'll look at certain laws and go, "That's dumb" before doing something. They are each other's ride and die.

I can see making his friends respect or come to adore Damian's older siblings— things like Jon admiring Dick because he's Nightwing, his dad has told tons of stories of him and he literally used the name of a Kryptonian legend; or maybe Mapsbin admiring Cassandra because she's the cool older sister and can kick ass, and is also like a Batman to her— but when push comes to shove, they would not pick any of them over Damian.

[yurrrsssss-ghoul]

In a room full of Robins (past and present), Billy is making a bee-line towards Damian. No questions asked.

I keep remembering that one TikTok account where they often include Billy Batson (Shazam) in BatFamily under the same breath they would exclude Damian because they found him to be annoying or something (which is, fair. Not everyone has great taste.) However, they also upload a video later on where Billy teams up with Tim against Damian and I was like, "THAT BOY WOULD NEVER."

BILLY IS A DAMIAN FAAANNNNNNN!!!!!! Damian's bad attitude doesn't deter him at all and when i think about the times they've interacted Damian isn't really mean to him, just disinterested.

also i feel like i know what account your talking about bc they added billy before damian and then made a pissy tiktok about the ppl who were mad at them for it. like u want a little white boy to replace damian? okay. also team up against damian? if u put billy in a room with all the robin and told him to team up with one hes not picking tim drake. it really gets my goat sometimes when ppl ask me why i hate tim drake, like some how its unfathomable. why dont u go watch batfam tiktoks and get off my CASE

Shazam 2023 (#20)

[yurrrsssss-ghoul]

EVERYONE SHUT THE FUCK UP

[yurrrsssss-ghoul]

ily

Love you too!! 🫶♥️

[yurrrsssss-ghoul]

GIRL your damian piece made me SOBBB!!! like i truly believe that deep down he has one of the kindest souls ever.

LITERALLY!!

I think it's bs if a writer pushes the narrative that Damian is just 'naturally evil' or 'his roots stemmed from killing' because I genuinely don't think there's any universe where he's just plain evil.

You could argue that he's a little brat, but that's half the charm of being the little brother.

[yurrrsssss-ghoul]

Me when I ask someone to show which Ra's they're referencing to and they show me Ra's from Red Robin

Like sir why are you white

[yurrrsssss-ghoul]

whats ur ideal characterization of the al ghuls ?

This might come across as more or less a biased perspective, but I'll try to put them into sections (littler parts so it'll be more digestible) and back up with actual evidence with canon materials as to avoid being completely fanon-y.

First, I'd like to admit my flaws that sometimes I do tend to fall to certain tropes. I'm a complete sucker for mother-ly/childish/fun Talia who has her own things going on (the run where she was the CEO of LexCorp? Love it), I like to see more of Ra's being some sort of radical environmentalist and I do appreciate it when Damian acts more or less like a kid with love for art and theater.

However, I also understand that I can't have everything, and that their lifestyle also dictates their characteristics, so I'll try my best to keep both things balanced.

First, let's get a few things out of the way. The al-Ghuls are strict, they're disciplined and certainly smart and strong. Whatever I'm saying next does not negate any of these things; they certainly do commit wrong-doings here and there, though I feel like when discussing about the 'correct' characterization of the al-Ghuls, I think it all falls down under a single issue.

I'd like to see them more emotional.

Contrary to popular beliefs, the al-Ghuls aren't 'unfeeling monsters'. In fact, I believe that the primary factor that drives them towards their goal is the fact that they're emotional beings, ruled by their love if not passion, among other things.

Ra's love for the environment drives him to raise an eco-terrorist organization, Talia's love for the men in her life ultimately leads her to her demise, not to mention how she conducted an international hunt for her mother's killer outside of Ra's knowledge, Damian's love for his parents destroyed him altogether.

One way or another, all of them were (I supposed, martyred) for their love of someone else, or something else. Doomed.

The best I could describe this is by using the 'White guy philosophy'. Like how, if you can't imagine Batman comforting children, then you didn't imagine Batman. You just imagine some guy in a bat costume beating up criminals.

Similarly, if you can't imagine Ra's crying over animals that died or mourning his family, or Talia saving women or children and comforting them and loving her family, or Damian willing to sacrifice himself for his family— then you didn't imagine the al-Ghuls. You, in fact, are seeing them through the rose-tinted glass of stereotypical vision.

Consequently, anything that implies them pursuing a relationship because of genetics, blood, power, or whatever is inherently revolting.

A part of me died whenever people emphasized how they (the al'Ghuls) only reproduce to acquire the 'perfect heir,' when nothing could be further from the truth. Ra's genuinely loves his wives, and he didn't press it when Talia (his favorite daughter, by the way, and by his definition, perfect) refused to lead the LoA. Talia genuinely loves Bruce and wanted to have a family with him, but alas gave it up when she saw how he was endangering himself for her.

Thankfully, Damian is 14. And I haven't seen such claims made about him.

It all ties back to the al-Ghuls being 'unemotional', that everything has some sort of ulterior motives for them. That the notion of them conceiving or starting a family doesn't have anything to do aside from some grand plot of bringing down humanity.

It also fuels a lot of other issues, a can of worms I'm opening for another day.

Ra's wouldn't seek out someone to produce the perfect heir, he wouldn't condone animal cruelty or even unjust terrorism. Talia isn't some seductress that lures men to feast on them or whatever, and she certainly wouldn't sit alright if she witnessed a form of violence. Damian isn't some stupid, spoiled brat that scream out, "I'm the blood son" every other second.

Make them romantic people. Make them kind. But also make them fight to be kind, make their kindness be the end of them. That their virtues are also the sins that condemned them to hell. They are demons on Earth because they are angels that were exiled from heaven.

Also, like, separate them from what they do? Let Ra's sometimes just take a walk at his many gardens and care for animals, let Talia travel the world and allow her to go on her own adventures and let Damian act however he wants to be.

I'm ending this now because I really don't want it to go far beyond what was expected, but here are some things I'd love to be more incorporated into their writings.

[yurrrsssss-ghoul]

To also add on this train of hot takes, the story would be more compelling if the BatFam taught Damian that killing isn't the last resort than just killing being wrong.

and to add onto that my hottest batman take is that it’s more fun and compelling when batman is kind of an asshole

[yurrrsssss-ghoul]

also please shut the fuck up about talia al ghul if you haven't deconstructed your post-9/11 anti-arab racism and your western propagandist views on asian women because if i hear one more motherfucker act like talia being written as some unfeeling disgusting person who is a terrible mom who only cares about getting her father's power and is also some fucking seductress using her feminine wiles to corrupt male heroes is anything other than blatant racism i'm going to combust

[yurrrsssss-ghoul]

Me when I say some shit and a lot of y'all actually fw that