Summary
WARNING: Contains Potential Spoilers forABSOLUTE POWER: TASK FORCE VII #4!
DC’s crossover event,Absolute Power, is in full swing, bringing forth an epic battle betweenNightwingand the evilBatman, Failsafe. However, blows aren’t the only things traded in this Battle of the Bats, as Failsafe shares a hard-hitting criticism about the Original Boy Wonder that may very well reveal the true Batman’s own judgments concerning his son.
Usually, Nightwing’s empathy is one of the top traits listed by characters and fans that make him one of the best heroes in the DC Universe.
Absolute Poweris shaking the very foundations of the DC Universe as Amanda Waller, Brainiac Queen, and Failsafe wage war against Earth’s metahuman population by deploying a task force of Justice League-inspired,power-stealing Amazo robotsto hunt down and imprison DC’s heroes and villains.
In Pornsak Pichetshote, Claire Roe, and Lee Loughridge’sAbsolute Power: Task Force VII#4, Failsafe joins the Amazos in their hero-hunting mission, ambushing Nightwing, Miss Martian, Ray, Voodoo, and Tim Drake’s Robin. While all five heroes fight valiantly, Dick’s battle against Failsafe is particularly notable, as the android revealsthe first Robin’s greatest weakness is his empathy.
DC’s Evil Batman Calls Dick Grayson’s Empathy Out as His Biggest Weakness
“The First Robin, He’s Synonymous With Leaping Before He Looks.”
As Failsafe begins to fight Nightwing, the former’s internal monologue reveals a couple of interesting insights regarding Dick:“The first Robin, he’s synonymous with leaping before he looks. Especially when innocents are threatened. A lifetime of training having barely kept that empathy from becoming a liability.”Failsafe’s monologue makes it clear that he views Dick’s empathy as a weakness, a factor that he considers in planning his attack. Later in the fight, the Batman knockoff brutally breaks Miss Martian’s arm, leaving shards of bone exposed. This is a calculated move to exploit Dick’s empathy and destabilize the hero.
Failsafe seeing Dick’s empathy as his weakness is particularly interesting, asDick is usually commended in the hero community for his ability to empathize with others.In fact, his empathy is one of the top traits listed by characters and fans that makes Nightwing one of the best heroes in the DC Universe. This is exemplified inTom King’sNightwingrun, which puts a heavy emphasis on Dick leading with his heart rather than his fists when combating crime and threats in Bludhaven. Therefore, it’s interesting to see Dick’s greatest strength twisted into his biggest weakness.
Failsafe’s Criticism of Nightwing Reflects Batman’s Own Judgement
Failsafe Shares Batman’s Memories, Personality, and Opinions, Meaning His Judgments Are a Reflection of Bruce’s Own
This revelation concerning Nightwing becomes even more interesting when considering Failsafe’s true nature: a robot composed of Bruce’s memories, personality, and opinions. This means the android’s criticism of Dick might reflect Batman’s own judgment of his son. However, Bruce has undergone significant character growth recently, as highlighted inMark Waid’s mainAbsolute Powertitle(issue #2). This growth has led to Bruce being exceptionally proud of his son and the leader he has become. WhileBatmanmight have once viewedNightwing’sempathy as a weakness, his firsthand experience with its power makes it unlikely he still holds this judgment.
Absolute Power: Task Force VII #4is available now from DC Comics!
Batman
One of DC’s most iconic heroes, Batman is the vigilante superhero persona of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Forged by tragedy with the death of his parents, Bruce dedicated his life to becoming the world’s leading martial artist, detective, and tactician. Recruiting an entire family of allies and sidekicks, Bruce wages war on evil as the dark knight of his hometown, Gotham City.
Nightwing
Nightwing is the superhero moniker taken up by Dick Grayson, upon his aging out of the Robin role and becoming a superhero of his own. Inspired by the original Kryptonian hero of the same name, Grayson has risen to comic book immortality with the identity, earning respect as one of the greatest leaders in the DC Universe.
