If Ben Affleck’s return to the DCU as Batman is a long-term arrangement, then Tim Drake is the best Robin to his caped crusader and correct a major DCU Superman misstep. When Batman v Superman revealed that Robin was dead, it opened up the question of if there’d ever be another one in the DCU and who it’d be. Ben Affleck seemed ready to leave the role behind but is now set to return as Batman for Aquaman 2. With Henry Cavill returning to the role of Superman, Affleck may yet come back to Batman fully, which opens the Robin question back up.
While there have been half a dozen Robins, it’s Tim Drake who best fits the Batman story of the DCU. The character represents an aspect of Batman’s story that was attributed to Superman in what was an ultimately questionable creative decision from Justice League. With Dick Grayson confirmed as the Robin who’d died, Tim is the best of the remaining Robins to take up that role. This Robin’s story also aligns most with the direction of Batman’s emotional journey and the trajectory that the DCU set up, as it actually echos the comic storyline Tim Drake was introduced in fairly closely.
Tim Drake Is The Robin That Ben Affleck's Batman Needs
While the relationship between Batman and Superman is important, Tim Drake ing the DCU as Robin could fix the largest looming issue between the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel. The events of Batman v Superman helped Batman to understand that he was starting to become too extreme and caught up on personal retribution more than actual justice. However, throughout Justice League, Superman’s significance to Batman’s character is heavily inflated, making Superman into the figure that pulls Batman out of his grief and get back on the track of being a more ideal hero. This, however, is a role that Tim Drake is far better suited for.
Of the four characters most known for their time as Robin, Jason Todd and Damian Wayne generally tend to reflect the darker tendencies of their caped father figure. On the other end of this, Dick Grayson and Tim Drake tend to reflect the more traditionally heroic traits. With Dick Grayson dead, that removes one of those more ideal figures from the equation. Jason may reinforce Batman's vengeful tendencies and Damian Wayne, at least initially, certainly wouldn't help to curtail Batman's brutality. Early on, Tim Drake represents a sort of youthful idealism that can help Batman through his grief over Dick before eventually coming into his own.
Tim Drake's DC Lore Fits With The DCU's Batman
Everything that the DCU has already established about Batman points to Tim Drake. In the comics, Tim Drake is the third Robin, taking up the mantle after the death of the previous Robin. In that case, Jason Todd was murdered by the Joker, and left for Batman to find. While Zack Snyder confirmed that the DCU’s dead Robin is actually Dick Grayson, the Tim Drake storyline still works. Following the death of Jason Todd, Batman was understandably grief-stricken and started to veer into darker, more extreme territory in his application of justice. Seeing the need for a Robin in his life, Tim Drake took on the role.
The costume also has something of an allusion to Tim Drake already, featuring a staff as the primary weapon. This is largely a trademark of Tim Drake, who mainly uses a staff whereas Dick Grayson uses escrima sticks. This could be an indication that the staff is the standard weapon of any character named Robin, but the use of the staff certainly seems to point to Tim Drake. With the DCU now seemingly getting back on track, it’s entirely possible that Ben Affleck will return as Batman again after Aquaman 2. If that’s the case, then Tim Drake would definitely be the perfect choice for Batman’s latest Robin.
