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| As a result of the New 52 in 2011, the entire line of DC characters was relaunched, incorporating properties belonging to the company's imprints: Wildstorm, Milestone, and Vertigo. As such, elements of this character's history have been altered in some way from the previous incarnation. For a complete list of all versions of this character, see our disambiguation page. |
Damian Wayne is the son of Batman and Talia al Ghul. This makes him an heir to the world's greatest crime-fighter, and its greatest super-villain Ra's al Ghul. Damian became the fifth Robin, working alongside his father as Batman.
History
Early Childhood
Son of the Bat
Sometime after Batman became a public hero, he fought Ra's al Ghul and the League of Assassins. During his adventure, he met Ra's' daughter Talia al Ghul. The two young adults fell for each other and, after a brief fling, they conceived a child.
Bruce was unaware of the child's conception and returned to crime fighting for years. Talia on the other hand, taking advantage of the hero's impressive genes, believed their child to be a perfect heir. The child was born and given the name Damian. Talia then used the League's extensive scientific resources to inorganically speed up the child's aging - giving him the physiology of a ten year old in less than five years.
During this time, Damian was raised by Talia and trained by the League of Assassins; Damian became a skilled assassin by an early age. Coupled by his innate talent for the art and his lineage, Damian became a respected member of the League.
Becoming Robin
Eventually, when Talia deemed that Damian was ready, she allowed him to go to Gotham and meet his father - the Batman. Batman was surprised to learn he had a secret son with a supervillain but sought to learn more about the boy anyway. Despite his intense training to become a remorseless assassin, Damian was sympathetic to his father's vigilantism in Gotham and volunteered to become his next sidekick. Batman agreed and granted Damian the mantle of Robin, his fourth ward to use the name.
However, the father and son were not active together very long before Bruce was seemingly killed by Darkseid during a massive invasion. Bruce's first protégé Dick Grayson took over the mantle of Batman, and Damian, not giving up on his father's missions, agreed to continue on as Grayson's Robin.
Though the two were originally contentious of one another, they bonded closely, forming a brotherly relationship. As the Dynamic Duo, they faced new threats such as Doctor Hurt, Professor Pyg and Flamingo.[3]
Eventually, Bruce returned from the dead, having been travelling through time the entire time, and Bruce and Damian returned to patrolling together as Batman and Robin, father and son.
New 52
Born to Kill
Batman and Robin
Main article: Batman and Robin: Born to Kill
Bruce tried teaching Damian, still a cold-hearted assassin, about the sanctity of life, but had trouble relating with his son.[4] Damian began showing restraint, which Bruce commended, although Alfred still criticized him for not being supportive enough.[5] Bruce bought Damian a dog named Titus.
They were both targeted by a super-villain named Nobody.[6] They were kidnapped by Nobody, who tried to show Batman that his no-kill methods were ineffective. He encouraged Robin's darker side and tried to take him as an apprentice.[7] Robin angrily left the Batcave to work with Nobody, who asked him to execute a criminal.[8] Robin revealed that he was lying, and refused to betray his father. Nobody decided to torture Robin, continuing his personal vendetta against Batman.[9] When Batman discovered their location, he beat Nobody mercilessly and came close to killing him, but stopped when he realized Damian was watching the fight. Nobody swore that he would return and kill their friends, so Damian killed him with a move Nobody had taught him.[10]
Though deeply shaken by the killing, Bruce reacted with compassion rather than anger. When Damian regained consciousness, they talked about how difficult it is for Damian to adjust from the life of an assassin. Despite their differences, they played ball with Titus and began to enjoy spending more time together as father and son.[11]
Batman Incorporated
Main article: Batman Incorporated: Demon Star
Damian as Redbird with Jason Todd as Wingman
Batman and Robin began working together against Damian's mother Talia al Ghul, revealed as the head of Leviathan. During a fight in a meat factory, Damian converted to vegetarianism and adopted a pet cow who he named Bat-Cow. He was believed dead when he was shot in the head by an assassin named Goatboy.[12] It was revealed that Talia had created another clone as his replacement, the obedient fully-grown Heretic.[13] Robin was shown to have faked his death, and is confined to the Batcave at Batman's orders. To avoid the bounty Talia placed on his head, he began using the name Redbird and switched to a new costume.[14] This allowed him to team up with Jason Todd, who was using the Wingman identity. They worked together with Batman Incorporated to take down the League of Assassins' top killers. However, Batman told Damian he had to quit crime-fighting altogether.[15] Bruce revealed that he has seen Damian's future, as told through "Batman in Bethlehem". If Damian did not retire, his actions would lead to a plague that would force the President to nuke Gotham.[16] Batman Incorporated fought Leviathan in the streets, while Damian was forced to stay inside. Alfred Pennyworth got him a cat to take care of, who he also named Alfred.[17] Damian refused to stay home while his allies were dying, and Alfred allowed him to leave knowing he could not be stopped.[18] He flew his exo-skeleton into the center of the battle, where Leviathan had taken over Wayne Tower. He neutralized the child soldiers, and teamed up with Dick Grayson to take down the remaining assassins. The Heretic flew Grayson aside, and challenged Damian to a sword-fight. Despite his bravery and refusal to give up, Damian was impaled through the chest and killed.[19]
Resurrection
Main article: Batman and Robin: Robin Rises
After various trials and tribulations involving his corpse, mainly revolving around Ra's al Ghul and Apokolips, Batman managed to rescue his son's body and, through using the Omega Sanction infused within a Chaos Crystal shard, brought Damian back to life within the Batcave.[20]
Son of Batman
Damian attempts to atone for his past
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Robin War
The Gray Son of Gotham takes on Red Robin
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Batman & Robin Eternal
Robins united
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DC Rebirth
Teen Titans
Robin leads the Teen Titans
On his 13th birthday Damian was sent a package by his grandfather Ra's al Ghul, which contained a dead robin.[21] After meeting with his mother Talia, he discovered that it was a warning from his cousin Mara al Ghul, who had chosen him as her prey as part of an initiation ritual she must undertake in order to properly join the League of Assassins. Mara had been made leader of a group known as the Demon's Fist, which was originally supposed to be led by Damian but became hers when he chose to leave the League. They too had chosen targets that they must hunt down in order to ascend to the League. Damian decided to collect the other Demon's Fist members' targets in order to form the new Teen Titans; comprised of Starfire, Beast Boy, Raven and Kid Flash.
In the Name of the Father
Robin meets Superboy
While searching for a tree for Christmas,[22] Jonathan Samuel Kent accidentally torched some woodlands near a swamp in Hamilton. He was subsequently rescued by Maya Ducard, the daughter of the villain Nobody, and Damian's pet dragon-bat Goliath. Jon later awakened in the Batcave and found out that Robin had been keeping him under surveillance for a long time. The two initially did not get along, and the situation was further complicated when Batman and Superman arrived, blaming each other for the conflict.
The ensuing melee was abruptly averted when Jon used his Freeze Breath to separate the two sides and allow him to explain the situation to his father. While their fathers were discussing the lab tests that Damian had performed on Jon, the two boys went off to look at Damian's pets. However, due to Damian's snide remarks and goading, Jon lost his temper and another brawl broke out between them. This was also put down quickly as Batman and Superman looked down on them in furious silence.[23]
In order to properly discipline their sons and teach them the value of working together, Superman and Batman had them undergo a series of challenges. However their lack of teamwork and animosity toward each other caused them to fail every challenge. The boys finally managed to put aside their differences and worked together in order to save their fathers from an apparent threat in the Batcave, but this later turns out to be a ruse. At this point, Alfred declared them to be the Super Sons.[24]
Super Sons Vs. Kid Amazo
The Super Sons
Jonathan was paid a visit by Robin, posing as both his school's bus driver and his substitute teacher.[25] He was later unwillingly recruited by Damian to help him investigate a series of break-ins at LexCorp. This misadventure was further complicated with the appearance of Lex Luthor, who tried to capture them both.[26] The two boys managed to escape Luthor and followed a lead to a home in Providence, Rhode Island, where they encountered a family who still retained their powers from the Amazo Virus. However, one member by the name of Reggie Meyer was driven insane by the excessive use of his powers and took the alias of Kid Amazo. He had also stolen the Amazo Armor from LexCorp and had planned to use it and the abilities of the Super Sons to lure the Justice League into a trap.[27] Thanks to the arrival of Lex Luthor and aid from Reggie's super-powered sister Sara, Kid Amazo was taken down. Not wanting to explain themselves, Robin and Superboy quickly left the area and headed back to Hamilton. However, their absences from their respective homes did not go unnoticed as they encountered both Lois Lane and Alfred Pennyworth while trying to sneak into Jon's home.[28]
The boys were subsequently punished by their respective parents. Batman forbade Robin to go crime-fighting for a week while Superboy was forced to do his chores without using his superpowers.[29] With the prospect of moving to Metropolis on his mind, Jon eventually ran off and headed to Gotham to speak with Damian in the Batcave. This resulted in another argument and a short fight, before Alfred arrived. They were later joined by Batman and Superman, and worked out their differences. With Superman's and Batman's permission, the two boys would be allowed to go on their own, provided that they would do so together.
The Lazarus Contract
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Dark Knights: Metal
Main article: Dark Nights: Metal
Damian aided in fighting the Dark Knights upon their invasion, forming the Gotham Resistance with Green Arrow, Killer Croc, Nightwing and Harley Quinn. They lost Croc, the Teen Titans and the Suicide Squad, but they defeated Mister Freeze, Riddler and Damian's evil Earth -22 self and made the discovery that beings from the Dark Multiverse can be killed by Nth Metal.
The New Teen Titans
Damian's second team
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Death Metal
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Infinite Frontier
Lazarus Tournament
Battle for Lazarus Island
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Shadow War
All-Out War
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Batman vs. Robin
Father versus son
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Lazarus Planet
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Dawn of DC
Return to Gotham
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Knight Terrors
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The Gotham War
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Beast World
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Powers and Abilities
Abilities
- Archery: Damian asserted that his training with the League of Assassins gave him greater mastery of the bow than even Green Arrow.[30]
- Artistry: Damian is considered as skilled with a brush as he is with a sword.[31]
- Aviation[32]
- Business Management: Trained by his mother and the League of Assassins in the way of controlling a company with an iron grip. Even as a young boy he knows that in business there are wars and even in war there are assassins. Damian is involved with the Wayne Enterprises' board members. He even intimidated the board members by tracking down financial irregularities within the Wayne Enterprises' accounts.
- Cooking[33]
- Computer Hacking[34]
- Deception: According to Batman, Robin was a skilled liar.[35]
- Disguise: Damian has disguised himself as an elderly busdriver and a substitute teacher.[25]
- Driving: He learned to drive at the age of five.[25]
- Escapology[36]
- Firearms[5]
- Genius Level Intellect: Damian has inherited a genius IQ from his father. He states he is smarter than anyone teaching at any level of school.[33]
- Indomitable Will[37]
- Intimidation
- Investigation: Damian, having been trained under the "World's Greatest Detective", has been able to deduce people's actions as well as solve mysteries with few amounts of data.[38]
- Martial Arts: Damian has stated he knows just as many martial arts as Batman and can use them more effectively. This may be a largely overstated comment, but one should not ask for verification. Damian may not be physically tough, but he knows how to control his weight to his advantage in combat. He has stated that he knows "one thousand ways to kill a man." Damian's training with Batman and the League of Assassins has made him a highly formidable combatant. He is one of the few people capable of fighting on par with Connor Hawke, who is amongst the world's most skilled martial artists.[39]
- Medical Science[41]
- Music[42]
- Occultism: Damian has some knowledge of magic and mysticism. He knows at least one magic spell, which allowed him conjure mystical chains to bind Gotham Girl, using a magic wand.[34]
- Peak Human Condition
- Pedagogy: He once taught a geology class for a day at Jon Kent's school.[25]
- Stealth: Damian was able to sneak into Gotham City and furthermore into the Batcave virtually undetected until he felt necessary. Of all the Robins, Damian may be the one that is the most silent.
- Stick Fighting[43]
- Swordsmanship: Damian assaulted both Tim Drake and Bruce Wayne on separate occasions with his sword, apparently the same sword used by Ra's al Ghul. Although Damian no longer uses his sword he may be unmatched with one if armed correctly.
- Throwing: Damian is trained by the League of Assassins in shuriken throwing and further trained by Batman in Batarang throwing.
Weaknesses
- Arrogance: More often than not, Damian believes himself to be better than he is, this has allowed him to underestimate opponents as well as irritate his allies.
Paraphernalia
Equipment
- Utility Belt[4]
- Wand of Klarion: Damian possesses a magic wand that belonged to Klarion the Witch Boy, which he can use as a conduit for spell casting. He stated it could only be used once.[34]
Weapons
Notes
- The idea that would eventually become Damian was originally created by Mike W. Barr as an unnamed baby put up for adoption. However, The DC Comics Encyclopedia New Edition (2021) states the baby at the end of the the graphic novel Son of the Demon is not Damian Wayne. Grant Morrison and Andy Kubert revamped the character, creating his look and personality in the "Batman and Son" storyline.[45] His first appearance in Prime Earth continuity is seen in Peter Tomasi's "Born to Kill" storyline. However, Damian is stated as being genetically modified by his mother in the bio of Batman and Robin vol 2 0.[4]
- Damian's age has been stated twice throughout publication since New 52:
- In Teen Titans (Volume 6) #1 during DC Rebirth, Damian celebrates his 13th birthday.
- In Robin (Volume 3) #1, Damian is remarked to be 14 years old.
Trivia
- While the Pre-Flashpoint Damian did not meet his mother until he was eight,[38] New 52 Damian knew his mother his entire life and they had a mother-son relationship.[46]
- Damian has declared himself a vegetarian.[12]
- Damian has a strong love for animals. The pets he has owned include Goliath (dragon-bat), Bat-Cow, Titus (dog), Alfred (cat), Wiggles (dragon), and Jerry (turkey).
- His best friend is Jon Kent.[47]
- While in a simulation created by Batman where no one became Robin, Damian practiced Buddhism. It is unknown if Damian was actually Buddhist or if this was just creativity on behalf of his father.[48]
- When Damian first died he originally went to Hell, the only people he told were the Teen Titans.[49][50][51]
Recommended Reading
- Batman and Robin (Volume 2)
- Batman Incorporated (Volume 2)
- Robin: Son of Batman (Volume 1)
- Teen Titans (Volume 6)
- Super Sons (Volume 1)
- Robin (Volume 3)
- Batman vs. Robin (Volume 1)
- Batman and Robin (Volume 3)
Related
- 646 Appearances of Damian Wayne (Prime Earth)
- 557 Images featuring Damian Wayne (Prime Earth)
- 82 Quotations by or about Damian Wayne (Prime Earth)
- Character Gallery: Damian Wayne (Prime Earth)
Footnotes
- ↑ Detective Comics #1000
- ↑ Nightwing (Volume 4) #110
- ↑ Robin Rises: Omega #1
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Batman and Robin (Volume 2) #1
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Batman and Robin (Volume 2) #2
- ↑ Batman and Robin (Volume 2) #3
- ↑ Batman and Robin (Volume 2) #4
- ↑ Batman and Robin (Volume 2) #5
- ↑ Batman and Robin (Volume 2) #6
- ↑ Batman and Robin (Volume 2) #7
- ↑ Batman and Robin (Volume 2) #8
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Batman Incorporated (Volume 2) #1
- ↑ Batman Incorporated (Volume 2) #2
- ↑ Batman Incorporated (Volume 2) #3
- ↑ Batman Incorporated (Volume 2) #4
- ↑ Batman Incorporated (Volume 2) #5
- ↑ Batman Incorporated (Volume 2) #6
- ↑ Batman Incorporated (Volume 2) #7
- ↑ Batman Incorporated (Volume 2) #8
- ↑ Batman and Robin (Volume 2) #37
- ↑ Teen Titans (Volume 6) #1
- ↑ Superman (Volume 4) #10
- ↑ Superman (Volume 4) #10
- ↑ Superman (Volume 4) #11
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 25.3 Super Sons #1
- ↑ Super Sons #2
- ↑ Super Sons #3
- ↑ Super Sons #4
- ↑ Super Sons #5
- ↑ Green Arrow (Volume 6) #32
- ↑ Robin: Son of Batman #4
- ↑ Detective Comics #968
- ↑ 33.0 33.1 Batman and Robin (Volume 3) #1
- ↑ 34.0 34.1 34.2 Batman (Volume 3) #77
- ↑ Robins #2
- ↑ Batman (Volume 3) #81
- ↑ Batman vs. Robin #5
- ↑ 38.0 38.1 Batman and Robin #10
- ↑ Robin (Volume 3) #8
- ↑ 40.0 40.1 Batman vs. Robin #4
- ↑ Detective Comics #995
- ↑ Adventures of the Super Sons #9
- ↑ 43.0 43.1 DC Rebirth Holiday Special #1
- ↑ Lazarus Planet: Omega #1
- ↑ Batman #655
- ↑ Batman and Robin (Volume 2) #0
- ↑ Robin 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #1
- ↑ Robins #5
- ↑ Batman and Robin (Volume 2) #38
- ↑ Robin: Son of Batman #1
- ↑ Teen Titans (Volume 6) #40
  This character is or was an incarnation of or an ally of Batman, and a member of the Batman Family. This template will automatically categorize articles that include it into the "Batman Family members" category. |
 This character has been a member of the Justice League of America, or the Justice League in any of its various incarnations, sworn by a duty to act as guardians of America and the world by using their skills and/or superpowers to protect Earth from the clutches of both interstellar and domestic threats. |
 League of Assassins member |
 Court of Owls member |
 This character is or was primarily a member of the younger superhero team known as the Teen Titans, in any of its various incarnations. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Teen Titans members" category. |
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