Batman movies: there are a lot of them. We see Batman’s origin again and again. With a new Bruce Wayne flick coming out, we will see the genesis of the Batman once more. But repetitive as it may seem, this upcoming version gives the impression of something new, something different, something that we have not seen before on the big screen. 

But what is this piece of information that makes this movie seem new and different? Simple: it is Batman’s need for a Robin.

Batman and Robin are known as the dynamic duo for a reason. There’s a reason why whenever one Robin moves on, Batman soon finds someone else to fill the mantle. But why is it that Batman needs a Robin? 

Robin reminds Batman what he fights for and serves as a reminder to not venture too far into the darkness.

But how did I draw this conclusion from a movie that has three trailers out, none of them featuring even a hint of Robin? I have read a myriad of comics, and in them there is a trend that when Batman who doesn’t have a Robin, he gets more brutal, he gets colder, and he spirals down, getting closer and closer to crossing his line, which is similar to the Batman that is shown in the trailers.

This film appears to have many different villains, featuring characters from his expansive rogue gallery, but the primary antagonist is The Riddler. The Riddler is a character who will likely frustrate Batman to no end, someone who will test the limits of his mind, someone who Batman can’t catch. And I believe Gotham’s vigilante will nearly reach his breaking point, nearly breaking his code, nearly crossing the line. 

He will pull through, though, he will catch the Riddler, but he will not heal. He won’t trust anyone, he will continue to beat down all those who cross his path. Then, he will get a ticket to Haly’s Circus to see the Flying Graysons. And that is where I believe the movie should end.

But what does this ending mean? Well, as some may know, there are many different characters to fill the mantle of Robin, but few live up to the first. Dick Grayson was a circus acrobat, from a family of the greatest acrobats in the world. Haly’s Circus was threatened by the mob to pay protection money, they declined, so as punishment, the mob sabotaged the lines to the Circus’s most successful act. And mid-performance, in front of a crowd of many people, Bruce Wayne among them, the Flying Graysons fell––all of them, but one.

Bruce, seeing himself reflected in the last Grayson, decided to take him in. And when Dick found the Batcave and Batman working on the case, he knew he had to help. Dick became Robin and began his career as a crime-fighter after rigorous training. With Robin by his side, Batman strives to be a better person, to make sure he is a good example, to ensure that Robin knows he is trusted.

Batman needs a Robin, that is a fact, and I believe that this movie will prove it.