Chapter Text
Where is Damian Wayne?
One week ago marked a shocking twist of events in history. It's on every television, every news segment, every social media post, every bit of fleeting small talk. And in the aftermath of it is the question we can't seem to get enough of: Where is Damian Wayne?
Now, it isn't a difficult question to answer- one would think. And yet, it is. Because everyone is looking at the present day.
The answer to this question is complicated. And to answer it, you need to go back farther than the events that transpired last week. You need to go back to where it all began. Well, maybe not where it all began.
I certainly do not want to start with Martha and Thomas Wayne's passing. Or the very first time Batman appeared. Robin's first debut would be redundant, and even Damian's birth would be- let's be honest with ourselves here- highly pretentious of me. When I say start when it all began, I mean I want to start at the point in time when Damian first began to disappear.
It wasn't seven days ago, it wasn't even a few months ago. No, this all started three years ago. The day of a different disappearance. The Waynes'.
In order to remain as unbiased as I can, my insight will be limited. This article, instead, will be a collection of thoughts and events strung together to form a clear and cohesive narrative. A story, even. To properly communicate to you all of the facets of what has happened these past three years that the public hasn't quite been privy to. (And some things it has been privy to, shed in a different light)
As much as each of us would like to speak about Damian and his time on this earth, we have to understand how little we understand- or even know. The only person who knows more about Damian is Damian himself.
But I believe there are answers here.
Somewhere in this collection of facts and opinions is the "X" that marks the spot. I have spent the past three years knowing something like this would happen, diligently compiling everything you see here. (Check here for the proper paperwork.)
And I hope to see the fruits of my labors.
So, Mr. Wayne, tell me what you find.
[Security camera footage from Grocery Moment, Gotham's most popular grocery store. Acquired by stealing security tapes and retroactively making legal deals with the manager.]
[This footage takes place five minutes after the approximate time of the Wayne Disappearance, one hour before Damian returns home, and thirty hours before the missing person reports will be filed.]
Damian waits in line for checkout, a cart filled with fruits and bread in front of him. He has a phone held to his ear by his shoulder, and his foot taps impatiently on the floor. He keeps sending occasional glares to the person in front of him.
DAMIAN (ON THE PHONE): No, I'm not home yet. I dropped my backpack off, and Richard sent me to go get groceries. (A pause) Astute observation, imbecile. If you must know, his name is Alfred, not 'the butler.' But Richard said he was busy. (A pause) No, he left me a note. But I'll see him when I get home. (A pause) Okay, I'll tell him.
The line moves forward, and Damian trails behind them, looking bored. He picks one of the tabloid magazines off the shelf, wrinkles his nose, and scoffs at it before placing it back.
DAMIAN (ON THE PHONE): Stupid celebrities. It's embarrassing, honestly. I still can't stand when my father does it. He makes a fool of himself. And for what purpose? I would hate to live like that.
Damian unloads his fruit and bread onto the conveyor belt.
DAMIAN (ON THE PHONE): No, not tonight. After this, I promised Timothy I'd play video games with him and Jason. (A pause) Sure, okay, I'll speak to you later. Goodbye.
He hangs up the phone and places it in his pocket, making his way to the cashier, who winces when she sees him.
CASHIER: Ah... Damian. Hi.
Damian doesn't say anything. She rings up his food in silence. He swipes his father's card.
CASHIER: Would you like a bag?
DAMIAN: Sure.
He takes the bag of groceries and begins to walk quickly out of the store. Someone might assume from a distance that he had a place he really wanted to go.
[Poem by Celina Paiger, published in her collection of poems titled: "A page from Paiger: Fifty Poems for Fifty Years"]
[The poem is titled: "I am Damian Wayne" and is, according to her, about her returning to her childhood home two days after her parents' death. She also describes it as: "A eulogy told from the perspective of the dead." It is "less about Damian and more about me," as she later tells Vanity magazine.]
I am Damian Wayne
Night of when the
Light of my family was snuffed out
Like candles in a breeze
He doesn't know they're gone
But I do
I walk home to darkness
No lights on
I eat dinner alone
In a table too large for me
I curl in a bed
And hear nothing but the
Howling of the wind
In the loneliness of the empty house
I will beg for answers I won't receive
Will I always be here?
The shadows answer
Yes.
[Segment from Becky Kisper's Ten-Page Senior High School Essay written two years after the Wayne disappearance. Titled: "An Examination of Celebrities Through the Eyes of the Media."]
"...When the Wayne Family disappeared, no one knew anything at first. Not even Damian. It took him almost thirty hours to make the report, to realize his family was gone. One has to wonder what he thought was happening. Did he just assume they were on a mission and didn't tell him? Did he think there was an emergency they were busy handling?
"What sort of stories did he tell himself during those thirty hours? What excuses did he make for them? What promises did he tell himself that they fail to live up to?"
[Footage from a live Gotham Gazette newscast thirty-six hours after the disappearance. Six hours after the reports were made.]
The camera is blurry and clearly handheld. It jostles as it pushes through a group of reporters, each with their own microphones and cameras. It comes to a halt at a line of caution tape, where, just a few feet beyond it, Damian Wayne and Commissioner Gordon are seen conversing.
GOTHAM GAZETTE REPORTER: Commissioner! Commissioner!
The commissioner ignores him.
GOTHAM GAZETTE REPORTER: Over here! Over here! What can you tell us about the Wayne Family?
Damian gives the commissioner a pointed look, causing the man to sigh and turn towards the camera.
COMMISSIONER GORDON: I'm sorry?
REPORTER: Where is the Wayne Family?
COMMISSIONER GORDON: Uhh, well, we don't know quite yet. But we're pretty sure the cause of it is from a magical origin.
REPORTER: A magical origin?
COMMISSIONER: (Visibly nervous) Well, we still need more... investigation. (HE CLEARS HIS THROAT) Yes, more investigation is needed.
REPORTER: Well, what about the bats?! Why aren't they here to help Gotham in this time of need? I mean, for God's sake, the Waynes are gone!
COMMISSIONER: Yes, well, the bats are... (HE LOOKS OVER AT DAMIAN)
Before the commissioner can say anything more, a reporter from the Gotham College Times pushes past, shouting his own question.
GCT REPORTER: Damian! Damian! Are you scared of the magical attack? Do you think you'll be targeted next?
DAMIAN: (Scoffing) Of course not.
GCT REPORTER: What are your thoughts on the footage of their disappearance? I have sources that tell me it's been recovered.
DAMIAN: It has. But, if you must know, I have not been privy to the footage yet. I am, however, sure I will be shown it shortly. [1]
Damian looks over at Commissioner Gordon. The man refuses to meet Damian's eyes.
GCT REPORTER: Are you worried about your family?
DAMIAN: No more questions.
GCT REPORTER: What? No. Hang on! What are your thoughts on your missing family?
DAMIAN: No. More. Questions.
GCT REPORTER: Are you even upset that they're gone?
Damian turns on his heel and leaves, storming back into the manor.
[1]: Damian does not review the footage until two years after this interview, after it was leaked online.
[A text message sent by a police officer to his wife on the first day of the investigation.]
"Will be home late. Kid won't let us move anything. He says he wants to keep everything the same for 'them' or whatever. Ugh. Annoying as hell."
Sent 9:08 PM
[Text messages shared between two GCPD officers two days into the investigation. Their names have been censored for privacy reasons.]
[Both this conversation and the one above were leaked by hacker group DiamondLuthers in an attempt to reveal corruption in the GCPD. It didn't change much, but the messages remained free to access online.]
***** ***
Superman finally got here
Took him 4 days
can u believe that???
********** ******
That's cause of the metropolis attack
but it still sucks
and hes not helping out
like at all
***** ***
yeah he spends all his time talking with the commissioner
while we're working our asses off
********** ******
see this is why I prefer batman
***** ***
Okay well then, where is he????
the world's 'greatest detective' would sure be helpful right about now
********** ******
stfu
[Police report filed to Commissioner Gordon five days after the investigation]
Dear Commissioner,
Please see the attached documents detailing our investigation into Wayne Manor. So far, we've managed to recover very little that would hint at the Waynes' whereabouts. I know you've recovered some footage from the manor, but you don't seem inclined to share it. I assume it wasn't helpful?
As per your request, the men have stayed out of the Wayne library entirely. And, as for the matter of Damian Wayne...
I know you told us to leave him be, but I really must insist otherwise. It is my belief that allowing him to remain in the manor while we conduct our investigation has been terribly detrimental to his health.
The boy keeps trying to assist us, but his attempts are neither helpful nor enlightening. And I fear this is also, in its own way, hurting him. He will disappear for hours at a time without surveillance, and we will be unable to locate him. When he does come back, he often looks distraught and disturbed.
I do not usually make requests like this, but I must communicate to you that having him here is like dangling hope in front of him on a stick. The longer we let him believe, the worse it will get.
But, as you said before, he refuses to leave. He is surprisingly strong and has resisted any attempts to be relocated.
However, his behavior is growing more and more erratic as this continues. I fear for his safety. For what he will do to himself.
I think this is tearing him apart. I never thought of the youngest Wayne as emotional, but seeing him up close... He cares about the Waynes more than we may ever know.
I beg of you, please talk to the boy.
[Damian Wayne's "mental wellness" journal given to him by the court-appointed therapist [2]. It has a front filled with flowers, and it has lined pages that begin with phrases like: "Today I am feeling..." and "On my mind is..." It is provided by an anonymous source.]
[This is its first passage out of two]
"I was told to write about my feelings here. This is all so ridiculous. Everyone is acting as if I 'care' about this. Which is so naive. It will, of course, resolve itself very soon. Out of all these dolts, Gordon is by far the most irritating. He is hiding something from me, I know it. He doesn't seem to understand that I do not care about what is happening. I do not miss my family. I couldn't care less about them. How pathetic. I am not grieving. If anything, I am bored."
[NOTE: The page is stained with tear drops.]
[2] The therapist only got two sessions out of Damian before a legal loophole was used to cancel their session. She refused to comment on their sessions due to client confidentiality, but she described in a passing comment as: "A difficult boy. He was good at giving nothing." Her name has been excluded for privacy reasons.
[Body camera footage from a GCPD Officer helping in Wayne Manor.]
The officer walks through the front hall of Wayne Manor. He travels through a long hallway, many of the rooms blocked off by caution tape.
He makes a left, turning and entering the kitchen where, at the very end of a long table, Damian Wayne sits alone. He's holding a book in his hands, but he is not reading it. He's instead staring at a wall absentmindedly.
His eyes flicker to the officer. His face was a perfect painting of apathy.
The officer keeps walking.
He continues through a different hallway, ducking underneath a line of caution tape. He walks into a library, right past a very large "Do Not Enter!" sign.
In front of a grandfather clock, he comes to a stop.
The camera shifts, the man's hands hidden from view as he reaches forward. A moment later, a loud clicking noise echoes through the room, and the man jumps back in surprise. With gears turning, the clock moves forward and then to the right, revealing a long, dark tunnel in the wall.
A secret passageway.
The man takes his phone out and slowly steps forward.
[News segment from the MNS (Metropolis Network Station). Aired live one and a half weeks after the Wayne disappearance.]
BLAIR KALLY: A shocking update on the missing Wayne case! According to a source from the Gotham City Police Force, the Wayne family manor has a passage leading straight to what can only be the Batcave.
[[Pictures pop up on a screen in between the two news anchors. They depict a dark cave with large computers, a giant penny, a dinosaur statue, and countless different bat costumes encased in glass.]]
BLAIR KALLY: I mean, look at it, John. That certainly looks like the Batcave, alright.
JONATHAN BALE: I don't know what else it could be, Blair. And, well, when you consider the fact that the bats have been missing for the exact same period as the Waynes, this would line up seamlessly.
BLAIR KALLY: And our investigators looking into it have found nothing that refutes these claims. In fact, all the evidence they've found only strengthens them!
JONATHAN BALE: I just cannot believe this, Blair. I mean, this is a world-changing shock! Although it would explain most of the bats' behavior for the past few decades. As well as why so many Justice League members are trying to help locate the Waynes.
BLAIR KALLY: Wow... And you know what I can't help but think about during times like this?
JONATHAN BALE: What?
BLAIR KALLY: Poor Damian! He's the only bat left here with his identity revealed.
JONATHAN BALE: I don't know, Blair. I have a feeling he might enjoy his newfound popularity.
[[Both anchors laugh.]]
[Letter delivered to the front of Wayne Manor. Provided by an anonymous source.]
Dear Robin,
The same offer I once gave to your father applies to you as well. I know how much you wanted to cover up things like this. I feel for your situation and want you to know that I have many tools to take care of this.
Condolences,
Martian Manhunter
The letter goes unanswered. And, considering the public still holds their knowledge of the heroes' identities, the offer was never taken up on.
[Footage from an unidentified news station. It was uploaded online by user GothamUpdates02.]
The footage displays Damian Wayne, standing in the middle of a swarm of reporters, microphones, and newscameras. He's holding a grocery bag in his hand, filled with five-minute microwave meals. [3]
He frowns as the microphones are forced toward him, visibly uncomfortable and nervous. Something highly unusual for the boy.
He tries to escape, but the crowd forming around him offers no exit points.
REPORTER 1: Damian! Damian! Is it true your father is Batman? Is Dick Grayson Nightwing? Are you also a member of the Caped Crusaders? Are you Robin? Who will protect this city now that they are gone?
DAMIAN: I don't know what you're talking about. Go away.
REPORTER 2: But I think you do. And my source tells me that-
DAMIAN: Well then, you have a faulty source. Because I assure you they are-
REPORTER 3: Damian! Your family has been missing for nearly two weeks now. How are you coping with this loss?
DAMIAN: It's not a loss. They're going to-
NEWS REPORTER 5: Not a loss? So you don't miss them?
DAMIAN: What? No, that's-
NEWS REPORTER 4: That would make sense. I mean, from how you're acting, I'd assume you want them gone.
Damian's face twists.
DAMIAN: No! I don't want them gone. I want them back. Which they'll be soon because-
NEWS REPORTER 2: (Sarcastically) And when they come back, will the bats come with them?
DAMIAN: For the last time, my family's not-
NEWS REPORTER 6: Commissioner Gordon already admitted the truth of the bats' identities last night on Gotham Weekly.
DAMIAN: What? He did?
NEWS REPORTER 3: Is that an admission that your family is the bats?
DAMIAN: I- I have to go.
NEWS REPORTER 1: Is that an official statement?
Damian doesn't say anything. He just pushes his way through the crowd.
NEWS REPORTER 6: (Muttering) Brat.
[3] Perhaps it was stubbornness, but during this time, Damian refused all help from the people who tried to support him... the number of which was debatable. But because of the fact that the family butler, Alfred Pennyworth, had also disappeared, this led Damian to do many of the chores on his own, such as grocery shopping.
[A social media post uploaded by user @_Super_Girl_Wannabe]
Honestly, Damian Wayne is not sad enough about his family's disappearance. Low key makes me feel like he didn't even care about them at all.
65k Likes 1.2k Replies
[A social media post uploaded by user @SnoopyDogOooooh]
The bats were my heroes. I loved them so much. And Damian's fucking ruining everything?? Like. We're grieving too, you know.
102k Likes 5.6k Replies
[A leaked email conversation (also released by hackergroup DiamondLuthers). This one is between Commissioner Gordon and Detective Renee Montoya (from the Bludhaven police force), around two weeks after the Wayne Disappearance. This leaked conversation spurred a small lawsuit and had many parts redacted due to confidentiality.]
Dear Renee,
This is getting more and more difficult to continue. Have you reviewed the footage?
Jim
-
Dear Jim,
Yes. I just reviewed it. I understand the dilemma you're having. I know you don't want Damian to see this, but... what if he has to?
Renee
-
Renee,
No. I have the final say on this matter, and I know it will only do him more harm. Especially right now. Once he grieves properly, we can show it to him. I contacted you to ask about contacting the FBI. It's about time we ended this investigation.
Jim
-
Jim,
If that's your choice, fine. I cannot argue against it. And I do agree it would be unethical to leave the investigation open. I did some investigating, and usually we would need to wait years, but considering the vague laws around magic, we should be able to file the circumstances under 'imminent peril.' Read this for me.
Renee
-
Renee,
Thank you. I also confided in lawyers, and there's a strong loophole around the [XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX] which should work.
Jim
-
Jim,
When will you close the case?
Renee
-
Renee,
Give me two days. I'll do it before I take my leave.
Jim
-
Jim,
You're leaving right after?
Renee
-
Renee,
Yes, I need to use up my vacation days. You see, [XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX].
Jim
-
You just don't want to deal with Damian
Renee
-
No, of course not. You have me all wrong, Renee.
Jim
-
You forget I'm a detective, Commissioner. You're one of the few adults left he trusts. Don't leave him alone right now.
Renee
-
He hates me.
-
But he trusts you.
-
He needs space. His family was always much better at handling him than I was.
-
You know Bruce would be disappointed in you.
-
Of course, Bruce would be disappointed in me. They all would be. No, they'd be more than disappointed in me. They'd be furious. Damian was their family. Most times, it felt like they cared about their family more than they cared about Gotham.
But that's the good thing about dead people, they won't be around to see all the disappointing things happen.
Official report from the U.S. Social Security Administration, the American Government, New Jersey, and Gotham City.
"The investigation of the Wayne family is now closed. They have been declared legally dead by the state of New Jersey."
Issued two hours after Commissioner Gordon boarded a flight for France with his wife and daughter.
[From video essay "The Fall and Rise of the Wayne Family: a Retrospective of Damian Wayne" from the YouTube channel: wonderwizard300. Posted two and a half years after the disappearance.]
Time stamp: 17:08 - 18:34
A man sits in front of a bulletin board, face blank. He is wearing a shirt with a wizard and John Constantine having a face-off.
Wonderwizard300: And that was when the Waynes were officially declared dead. Now, this technically shouldn't have been allowed to happen, but because of the grey area that was the magic laws, they were able to pull it off. And honestly, it's really good that they did.
Wonderwizard300: No one would know the true motives behind this until the security footage from the Batcave is leaked. But that's not for another two-ish years.
The man turns and places a photo of a set of graves on the bulletin board behind him. It takes an uncomfortable and unedited amount of time.
Wonderwizard300: When a family dies, their wills will usually include giving certain things to other dead family members. For example, Bruce Wayne gave the manor to Alfred Pennyworth. But Alfred Pennyworth was not alive to take the manor from Bruce. Still, it should have been easy for Damian to claim and inherit most of his family's possessions because he was their only living relative outside of Kate Kane and Stephanie Brown's mother.
Text that appears on screen reads: I'm excluding Duke Thomas's parents from this because they were and remain comatose. And as Bruce Wayne is his foster parent, issues surrounding that didn't arise.
Wonderwizard300: It should have been easy, but... it wasn't.
He turns and adds a photo of Oswald Cobblepot to the board.
Wonderwizard300: With the bats gone, crime didn't spike like many had predicted. Thanks to the efforts of Batwoman and Batwing, they were able to bring in other heroes to help keep the balance of Gotham safe from major crime takeovers. But that isn't the only way criminals looked to take advantage of this power vacuum.
He sighs.
Wonderwizard300: It becomes clear that with enough money to bribe both judge and jury, and a skilled enough scammer to fake legal paperwork, it becomes possible to challenge a dead man's will.
[Transcript from an interview conducted by Carl Rat and Bob Darmon. The identity of the informant has been hidden for their safety. They were a member of Oswald Cobblepot's (a.k.a. The Penguin) inner circle.]
"Yeah, well, I never consider it like that. But I did have a lot of contact with Oswald during his lawsuit against the Waynes. He had teamed up with Lex Luthor to try to obtain as many of Wayne's possessions as they could. To, you know, tarnish the Batman legacy or whatever."
Q: Why did Oswald do it?
"Well, even though it was assumed that those things were inherited by Damian, Oswald still wanted to land one final blow to his enemy. One final 'got you' I think. He had no Batman to punish, so hitting Batman's kid was as sweet as he could get to victory. And, well, the smart ones knew the bats weren't coming back."
Q: What was their plan?
"To attack Damian when he was down. Try to get the upper hand, you know? Steal everything you can while he is too busy grieving. The moment they found out the Waynes were the bats, they had a whole group of lawyers set up. And once they were declared legally dead, they pounced on him."
[A pause]
"The goal was to overwhelm Damian. I don't know what they wanted to do with the stuff if they obtained it. Maybe burn it in front of Damian? Hold it over his head and make him work to get back? I don't know. They just saw an opening to destroy what little of Batman was left. But, somehow, the kid held on. He got his own lawyer, actually. None of us had expected it. Oswald was furious. That was when he brought out his backup plan."
Q: Backup plan?
"So, a lot of the harassment that Damian went through during that time was because of him. He hired men to scream things at the boy, about his family, about him, about the bats. All sorts of shit. Never physical. The guys who would beat him up weren't the paid ones. They were just petty criminals. Angry at something Batman had done to them. And they saw this kid as an opening."
Q: Did Damian ever fight back?
"I don't know. I mean, you know the rumors that were following him during those months."
Q: Rumors?
"Yeah, the ones about him being too dangerous or violent without the bats to keep him in check? They were ugly, but, hey, they only helped Oswald. And when someone attacked him, Damian always had to make a choice. Between fighting back or just taking it."
Q: Can you remember what he did?
"No. I don't. But I remember being vaguely impressed at how much he kept pushing through it. But no one really knew what was going through that kid's head. Hell, no one knows even now."
[Paparazzi shots of Damian, hunched over a library desk. He is surrounded by legal textbooks.]
In one, his hair is a mess, and his eyes are wide and tired. He looks near tears as he stares down at the book.
In the other photo, his head is on the book. Maybe he's trying to sleep. Maybe he's awake.
In the next, his head is propped up in his hands. He's curled over the book, posture bent. His fingertips curled around his hair, almost angrily.
[Records from the Gotham City Judicial court case, Wayne V. Cobblepot. Transcribed by Marie Clawthorne. (Names have been simplified for easier reading.)]
[Miles Reels was Oswald's main lawyer in the trial. And Phil Wriller was Damian's.]
MILES REELS: Yes, your honor. I would like to call Damian Wayne, Bruce Wayne's son, to the stand.
BAILIFF: Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
DAMIAN: Yes.
JUDGE: The witness is yours.
MILES REELS: Thank you, your honor. Now, for my case, Mr. Wayne- can I call you Damian?
DAMIAN: No.
MILES REELS: Damian, I'd like to examine some of the claims my client has made on behalf of your father, notably concerning his choices of who to leave the manor to.
DAMIAN: I am my father's son. Why wouldn't-
MILES REELS: I would like to ask you one simple question, Damian. Are you Robin?
DAMIAN: I'm sorry?
MILES REELS: I would like to remind the court that it is illegal to lie under oath. The last thing you want to be accused of right now is perjury, Mr. Wayne. So, I ask this simple question: Are you Robin? And by extension, is your father Batman?
PHIL WRILLER: Objection. Irrelevant.
JUDGE: Objection overruled. Let Mr. Reels Continue.
MILES REELS: Thank you, your honor. So, Damian, my client has proof that your father intended to pass over the manor to Oswald Cobblepot.
DAMIAN: Forged proof.
JUDGE: Allegedly forged proof, Mr. Wayne.
DAMIAN: Fine. But that still doesn't make any sense. My father hated Cobblepot.
MILES REELS: And yet, here is my dilemma. We have no proof of that besides your word and your word alone. We have proof that Batman hated Cobblepot, but no proof for Mr. Wayne. And you're a very unreliable narrator. Especially considering how much you desire your father's wealth. The greed is palpable, is it not?
DAMIAN: Greed? What are you even saying, you-
PHIL WRILLER: Objection. My client's character is irrelevant to this case.
JUDGE: Sustained.
MILES REELS: Well, I digress. If what you told the camera is true, and you truly aren't Robin and your father isn't Batman, then we have no proof to back up your claims.
DAMIAN: Ask my aunt. Ask Lucious Fox. They'll all tell you my father never once-
MILES REELS: Damian, is your father Batman?
DAMIAN: This is childish.
MILES REELS: Answer. The question.
DAMIAN: I don't see why I have to. This whole circus you've set up is just plain ridiculous.
MILES REELS: Damian Thomas Wayne, are you or were you ever the superhero known as Robin?
DAMIAN: I can't-
JUDGE: The court requests that you answer the question.
DAMIAN: Fine, then. I plead the fifth.
MILES REELS: Hm. Well, considering we have no legal proof to connect the Waynes to the Bats, other than some media rumors, I'd have to relinquish the floor to...
DAMIAN: Wait.
MILES REELS: Yes?
DAMIAN: I... My father hated Cobblepot. He did. I swear it.
MILES REELS: We'll see if the jury believes you, Mr. Wayne. I've heard you're very popular with the media right now, so I'm sure the jury will be more than happy to listen. Unless-
DAMIAN: Fine!
[Silence. Then,]
DAMIAN: I am Robin. I am... Robin.
[Continuation of interview with unidentified informer by Carl Rat and Bob Darmon.]
Q: Do you think that the court case was a way to force Damian to admit to his family's identities?
"I never thought of it that way. But, yeah. I'd suppose so. I wouldn't put it past them."
[Excerpt from "What the Transcripts Don't Tell You" written by Dan Morley.]
"Another trial I was lucky enough to be a part of was Wayne v. Cobblepot. And there was something so... haunting about the final part of it. This is what the transcript says:
DAMIAN: I... plead the fifth.
MILES REELS: Hm. Well, considering we have no legal proof to connect the Waynes to the Bats other than some media rumors, I'd have to relinquish the floor...
DAMIAN: Wait.
MILES REELS: Yes?
DAMIAN: I... Fine. Yes, I am Robin. I am Robin.
"But the transcript leaves out so many things. How Reels walked away as he talked, lingering at his table, looking at the jury. The way the silence between Reels' sentence and Damian's 'Wait' stretched for nearly a full minute. The way Damian's eyes flickered around the courthouse, giving away his fear, even though his expression for the majority of the trial had rotated between passive and angry.
"What I witnessed was not finesse legal skill. Especially considering Oswald ultimately lost the trial. Probably because of Damian choosing to reveal his identity.
"What I witnessed was a man in a tie telling a grieving boy that if he didn't reveal his father's greatest secret to the entire world, his entire family's possessions and belongings would be taken from him. And that he was greedy for thinking he deserved it otherwise."
[Metrpoloker breaking news article: "Damian Wayne Won the Lawsuit, Lost the Identity War!"]
"The world has confirmation of what it has long suspected for the past few weeks. The Waynes are the Bats. No denying it now! And it was revealed in a petty dispute case, how hilarious!"
[News footage from GCM]
It shows a crowd of reporters crowding around Damian as he exits the courthouse. Everyone is talking in loud, excited voices. Damian's head hangs, his face covered in his shadow, shoulders hunched.
[Street interview with Damian Wayne one day after the lawsuit finalizes.]
INTERVIEWER: Damian! Damian!
The interviewer runs over to where Damian is standing in an alleyway. He looks almost nervous. He's holding a pair of sunglasses in his hand.
INTERVIEWER: How are you feeling now that the lawsuit is finally over?
DAMIAN: Fine.
INTERVIEWER: That's it? Just fine? Don't you feel relieved? Happy?
DAMIAN: Yes. Of course. Happy. I'm feeling so happy.
A small group of paparazzi notices him, and the camera lights begin to flash. Damian flinches at it, moving to leave.
PAPARAZZI: Damian! Look over here! Look over here! Come on, smile!
INTERVIEWER: One last question-
DAMIAN: I'm leaving.
PAPARAZZI: Damian! Smile! Come on, it's what your family would want!
Damian pauses, turns, and attempts a smile for the camera. It crumbles quickly, and after a few seconds of staring into the flashing, blinding lights, he hurriedly walks away.
[Security camera footage from an alleyway. Recorded on a camera without a password, allowing for public access to the footage. Archived by Carl Rat and Bob Darmon.]
A group of men surrounds Damian. Their stances are low, knuckles wrapped, clearly ready for a fight.
Damian has bare knuckles, but he's just as prepared.
When the battle breaks out, it is bloody. Damian's game is off. He lands some hits, misses others.
It's brutal. Many of the men are taken out. And yet, Damian comes close to losing more than he used to. He's Robin, and yet, in that moment, he fights like he has never had a single lesson before. As if this is the first time he's ever put knuckles to skin. It is desperate. As desperate as a fight could ever be.
One of Damian's punches slips, and the final man left lands a strong hook to the kid's ear.
Damian's face is bloodied and bruised, but he flips the man over and pins him to the floor. He lands a clean jab to the man's face. And then he lands another one. And another. And another.
Eventually, the man must lose consciousness. But Damian keeps punching. And then crying. Crying and punching until the security camera loses batteries.
[Crystal Brown. Quoted in McPhralin's academic textbook: Modern Culture.]
"One day, Damian came into my E.R., carrying this unconscious man with him. It was nearly two a.m. And he just brought this dying man in and begged me- like begged me- to save his life. He promised me more money than I could comprehend as long as I made sure he lived.
"So, you know, we rushed him into one of the rooms. He would live, but definitely with damage. Probably permanent tissue scarring and- Sorry, right. Yes.
"And after we stabilized him, I went out to where Damian sat. He looked like a ghost. Posture straight, eyes wide, staring at the wall with rapid attention. It was eerie.
"I sat down next to him and asked who did it.
"Still staring at the wall, he told me he found the guy on the streets.
"I told him I was pretty sure the guy was going to make it. And he nodded and told me that whenever I wanted money, all I had to do was ask. Whatever size donation. He didn't care.
"So, I gave him the price. It was embarrassingly low. Just to help with repairs and new machines. He wrote me a check and left.
"The thing I remember most from that was just how fixated Damian was with whether the man lived or died. It was obsessive. Like, if the man were to die, it would be the end of the world. Maybe Damian knew him? I don't know why else he'd act like that."
[An interview with Leslie Thompkins pulled from the gallery, "A recollection of Damian before Damian Wayne."]
"At first, the street fights were unexpected. Criminals would jump him, looking for cheap revenge. You know the sort of people, Jonathan Crane's goons, Riddler's men, all that shit. Damian tried to fight back at first. He apparently 'won' the first fight, but that's all I ever heard about it. After that, he never won another since.
"Eventually, he just... let it happen. Took the punches and the kicks. He just made sure he was alive enough to drag himself to my clinic, and that was it. I'd patch him up, and he'd be gone before the day ended.
"But his behavior grew different. Maybe it was the grief or some sort of bitterness, I don't know. But he began to seek the fights out. He'd start them himself. Only to lose... on purpose, I think. Then, he would stumble in here, let me patch him up, and do the same thing again the next day.
"It continued for around a month like that."
[Security footage from a camera positioned right in front of Wayne Manor's doorway. Assembled by Alfred Pennyworth, accessed from archived Wayne Manor logs given by an anonymous source.]
The footage shows a fisheye lens of a girl walking up to Wayne Manor's door. She knocks on it once. And then again.
GIRL: Damian! Are you in there?
She frowns, frustrated, and knocks again.
GIRL: It's me! Maps! Come out!
No response.
GIRL: Fine! Be like that! I'll be here same time tomorrow!
[Footage taken by a phone on the streets of Gotham. Posted to social media shortly after, where it garnered little to no attention.]
The video portrays Damian walking through the street with a man walking next to him. There's shocked giggling from behind the camera, as if the two girls are recording a celebrity they saw on the street. The man is crooning in Damian's ear, his voice vaguely intelligible.
MAN: I mean, honestly, I'm really happy the Waynes are gone, you know? It just sucks you didn't go with them. Why do you think that is? Were you left here on purpose? Cause you didn't belong? (Laughing) That's rich, don't you think? But I guess it makes sense, considering how, you know, you were the only one who wasn't wanted. But, like, I thi-
Damian whirls on the man, grabbing and pulling his wrist down. He raises a fist, mouth open, expression enraged.
And then he notices the camera.
He releases the man's arm as if it burned him. And then he steps back, looking around at the small but growing crowd. He curls in on himself.
One of the girls behind the camera says to the other:
GIRL 1: Holy shit. Was he going to punch that guy?
GIRL 2: I mean, are we even surprised? The fifth robin was always the most violent one.
GIRL 1: (Scared) Let's get out of here.
Damian's face turns flushed and terrified. And without a second word, he turns and runs.
[Paprazi photos of Wayne Manor covered in tomatoes. It is highly speculated that this was done by a group of criminals or criminal henchmen, although the security camera footage to determine the true identities of the people who caused this has not been shared yet.]
[From: An Interview with Casey Yayne. Conducted by Carl Rat and Bob Darmon.]
"Yes, I had to go into Wayne Manor once or twice. The first time, I didn't even know if Damian was home or not. I had to walk through to get some legal files and- well, it was weird. I had been in the manor before, and it looked very different. Almost all of the photos and paintings had been taken off the walls. Which was pretty weird.
"I then went into the television room, where he told me they were located, and I... well, the TV was filled with holes. I thought it looked like punches, but it was probably just the result of the remote being thrown at the screen.
"And then... the back wall of the room it- it was filled with paintings. They were all cluttered on one wall, poorly nailed together so tightly you could hardly see the wallpaper. All the ones of his family.
"But they were ripped, torn apart. As if certain people were specifically excluded. I have no idea who. The whole family was there."
Q: Was Damian?
"Damian? I... No, I guess I can't remember seeing him in any of the photos. But he must have been. Right?"
[Security footage from a camera positioned right in front of Wayne Manor's doorway. Assembled by Alfred Pennyworth, accessed from archived Wayne Manor logs by an anonymous source.]
"Maps" and a young boy walk up to the door.
BOY: Are we sure he'll be here?
"MAPS": No! But he'll be here one of these days.
BOY: What if he's here and doesn't want to see us? I mean, he could still be grieving and-
"MAPS": Come on, Colin. We'd be bad friends if we left him alone right now, right?
COLIN: Yeah... Okay.
"Maps" knocks on the door.
"MAPS": Damian! It's me and Colin! We have... uh... a cat for you to pet!
COLIN: Don't lie.
"MAPS": Shh, it's fine.
Colin groans.
"MAPS": Hellooo?
She sighs.
"MAPS": Is he really not here...?
[Transcript from podcast episode titled "Damian: Wayne or Shame?" From The Mind Podcast With Brent and Jack.]
BRENT: I love the Waynes. Well, I love most of the Waynes. Damian's just being a bit of a brat right now. I mean, he's not handling this whole thing with any sort of grace. His father and his siblings were always so happy.
JACK: Exactly. And when they were sad, it was for the right reasons, you know?
BRENT: Mhm. And I mean, this video we're about to show you guys really demonstrates how- frankly- how unstable he is. Like, is he even deserving of the Wayne name?
JACK: Seriously, dude! His dad would never have acted like that. He needs to grow up. He's acting like such a kid.
BRENT: Hundred percent agree. And on some level, I mean, I sort of get it. He's seventeen or whatever. But he-
JACK: Whoa. Wait, I thought he was fourteen.
BRENT: Oh. Is he?
JACK: I think so, yeah.
[The video that was referenced in the podcast episode above]
[It was taken with a phone camera and uploaded to social media, where it got a lot of attention.]
Damian stands in a grocery store, grabbing microwave meals from the freezer. The holder of the camera runs up to him, shyly tapping his shoulder.
POSTER: Robin! You're here, this is so cool. Would you mind taking a photo?
The camera is placed close to Damian's face.
DAMIAN: Of course I min-
His tone was brittle before he paused. Voice changing to something more restrained.
DAMIAN: ...I don't know.
POSTER: Well, there's this trend I want to do with you, too. It'll only take a few seconds, I promise. It's just me and you lip syncing to the song "My Mom's Dead" by Black Canary and-
DAMIAN: Rot in hell.
POSTER: What? I'm sorry?
DAMIAN: Fuck off and die. You insolent waste of-
The rest is cut off as the phone is slapped out of the poster's hand, falling to the floor.
COMMENTS:
[LivTheLizard99]
Loved the Waynes. Sad they're gone. Sucks this is all we're left with.
-View 8 replies- 458 likes
[R0S3]
Feel bad for Damian. Wish ppl would leave him alone :(
-View 18 replies- 50 likes
[capesandspandex]
hated him before the bats left. hated him even more now that they're gone. overreacting much?
-View 3 replies- 3.4k likes
[lucyloowhereareu]
I get he's sad. But this is just too much. Like, can't you be friendly? Is that so hard?
-View 11 replies- 1.2k likes
[wonderwomansbf]
honestly, sometimes I feel like he's not even worthy of being a wayne
-View 15 replies- 10k likes
Read More
Excerpt from: "The Wayne Legacy" by Sandra Moore.
"Gotham mourned for the Waynes and the Bats. One was their icons, the other was their heroes. There were statues and speeches, and memorials all over town. Every cemetery had seven graves set aside in honor of them; everyone sang their praises and treated Batwoman and Batwing even more gratefully than before.
"And yet, for Damian, it was different. The media turned sour. He was followed and mocked, and harassed by fans and adversaries alike.
"But why? Why, when the bats' public opinion was more positive than ever, did Damian's fall so low? Why was the public's grief treasured and shared, but Damian's grief pushed aside and denied?"
[Security camera footage from the gate in front of Wayne Manor.]
Damian walks back toward the house, bag of supplies in hand. He begins to squeeze through the gate when someone jumps out from a spot in the shadows and yanks him back.
They push Damian to the floor, hands around his neck.
Damian makes a few choked noises, but otherwise doesn't struggle. He just lies there. The person's fingers were squeezing tighter and tighter around the neck.
PERSON: You fucker! You motherfucker! Why do you get to get to live but they don't?! Why couldn't you die? You fucking bastard, when you die, I hope you rot in hell where you belon-
One of Damian's dogs, Titus, leaps out at him. He pushes the person off of Damian, barking and growling as he brings the person to the ground. He bites their hand; bones can be heard breaking.
The person shoves the dog away and scrambles upward, clearly spooked, and hurries away, cursing out the dog as he does.
Titus then turns to Damian, licking the boy's face. And the boy nudges the dog away.
The dog obliges, sitting down a few feet away, watching as Damian pushes himself up. Damian just stares ahead, not quite looking at anyone or anything, his hand grazing the bruises around his neck.
He sits there like that for the rest of the available footage.
[Damian Wayne's "mental wellness" journal, given to him by the court-appointed therapist. It has a front filled with flowers, and it has lined pages that begin with phrases like: "Today I am feeling..." and "On my mind is..." Provided by an anonymous source.]
[This is its second and final passage, written on the last page of the journal.]
"I can live in this world forever if you bring them back. I will live with everyone looking at me if it will bring them back. Please bring them back. I'll do anything. I'll take all the punches and all the words. I'll let them film their videos and write their stupid articles. I'll give up being a Wayne forever, I'll let them call me selfish and volatile and useless and weak and ungrateful- just bring them back. I will endure this world for the rest of eternity if you bring them back."
[Mail sent to Wayne Manor.]
Dear Damian,
I understand that you insisted on not having a funeral for your family. Because of this, no official funeral will be held. However, some of your father and siblings' friends are holding their own... celebration of life. And they know how much you meant to your family and how much your family meant to you. They know how important you all were to each other.
Please do not feel forced or obliged, but it would mean a lot to have you there.
- Kate
P.S. Forgive the mail. I wanted to send an email or a text, but I have a feeling you aren't really checking those. So I dropped this off at your front door.
[A response.]
Dear Kane,
I'm too busy to attend. So, I fear I must decline.
Sincerely,
Damian Wayne
[Jessica Arknowl's "News Weekly: Crime in Gotham"]
"In the passing of the bats, criminal activity in Gotham has spiked, so to combat it, Batwing and Batwoman have brought metas in to help fight the rise in crime. Despite the spikes in criminal activity seen here and here, they've managed to actually make crime dip toward a low.
"However, something to note is that Robin- it seems- has disappeared along with the rest of the bats."
[Email sent by Lucious Fox]
Dear Mr. Wayne,
I know you have been experiencing tremendous grief, and I do not wish to interrupt your process. However, as per your father's will, Wayne Enterprise has fallen into your hands. According to legal documents, your temporary guardian is Kate Kane [4], as she is your last remaining family member alive (excluding your mother, who has no legal claim to you due to undisclosed circumstances). Because of all this, Ms. Kane has been dealing with some of the more theoretical parts of Wayne Enterprise, even though she is not currently living with you.
I wish to key you in on our conversations. Hence, you have been cc'd on the majority of our email exchanges.
If you ever wish to become a central part of this company, please let me know. Once you come of age, you will inherit the place entirely.
I hope to hear from you soon,
Lucious Fox
P.S. Luke and Tiffany say hello.
[4] Since the court ruling, Kate Kane barely interacted with Damian once, opting to leave him to his own devices. Years later, in interviews, she will blame it on grief and express remorse. Though apparently, Damian resisted all attempts at communication when she tried to reach out a year and a half after the disappearance.
[Three months since the Wayne disappearance. One month since the finalization of the court case. Footage from the camera of paparazzi Michael Clams and tabloid writer Patrick Beele.]
Damian is surrounded by a large group of reporters, face carefully blank as he tries to push past them.
Beele runs up, pushing his microphone into the fray.
BEELE: Damian! Now that everything has finally settled, it's easy to say you've secured all your finances, correct?
DAMIAN: Uh... Yes.
BEELE: But now that you've secured almost all of your family's possessions, you are refusing to go to the celebration of life dedicated to your family and are denying any attempts to hold an official funeral for them. This speaks less to grief and more to greed, don't you think? One has to wonder, are you happy they are gone?
Damian's expression grows hurt and baffled. His mouth opens for a moment, a clip of a word leaving it. And then, slowly, it closes.
He doesn't say anything. Just stares at the camera.
That was the moment Damian stopped speaking completely. For the next six months, Damian Wayne would not utter a word to anyone. Not the news, not the people on the street, not to a friend in private, and not even to Ms. Prince.
He refused to communicate at all.
[Painting made by Damian Wayne.]
Its time frame is unknown; it's speculated to have been painted between one to three months after the Waynes' disappearance.
The painting depicts a monotone landscape. Dark grey sky, light grey floor, white outlines for the people. And there are a lot of people. Crowds of them, winding through the empty space, filling up the lower half of the portrait. As they walk farther away, they form into a line.
And at the end of the line is a void in the shape of a person. The only piece of pure black in the whole portrait.
The void stands alone, talking with a white-outlined person, while behind it, the people walk off the canvas. There is a glowing yellow light waiting for them.
The void's feet are melted into the floor. And its eyes are two pure white dots, staring at the viewer.
The piece is titled: Funeral.
The piece was sold for ten million dollars over a year later. Reportedly, it was auctioned without Damian's permission by his manager, but no official statement has been made.
According to rumors and constant paparazzi surveillance, Damian didn't leave the manor for two months. He had food delivered and wouldn't answer the door for packages or salesmen alike.
One month into his isolation, a car pulled up in front of the manor. A tall woman with a clipboard stepped out, walking up the many stairs, past the gardens, all the way to the manor. She entered without knocking.
Five hours later, she went back out to her car, pulling out two suitcases and dragging them inside.
The woman is later identified as Diana Prince from Washington, D.C.
Diana Prince took very few interviews, but in the limited amount she did take, she was asked the same question in every single one. "What made you decide to live with Damian?" It was a simple question. Why then? Why not earlier? Why not later? What was the catalyst to your arrival on the manor's doorstep after- seemingly- not having interacted with Damian once since his father died three years prior?
In every one, Ms. Prince declined to answer.
To this date, it has still not been revealed what motivated her to visit him. Or live with him. But one has to assume it was something important.
[Interview with Diana Prince two years after the disappearance. A retrospective.]
INTERVIEWER: So, Damian never really spoke to you?
Diana shakes her head.
DIANA: Not once.
INTERVIEWER: Whoa. That's so unlike him.
DIANA: ...Mhm.
INTERVIEWER: Did he use any sign language?
DIANA: He refused to communicate at all. He showed emotion, which was usually how I figured out what things worked. Although usually he was starkly apathetic.
INTERVIEWER: Really?
DIANA: Yes. He didn't care what food I gave him or what I did. He usually just stared when I asked him a question. Or he shrugged. He mostly just slept, watched television, or cri- He mostly just slept and watched television.
INTERVIEWER: Well, now I need to know what sort of television shows Damian was into!
[Video watch history from Damian Wayne, uncovered by a small, obsessive group of hackers. It was shared among small, fringe circles but otherwise went relatively unnoticed. It spanned over the full six months of Damian's silence, but couldn't access anything after that.]
View the full list of videos here.
Overview:
From gala videos to interviews to paparazzi recordings, the watch history makes up a nearly comprehensive list of every clip of Damian's family available on the internet or on television.
With multiple videos being rewatched over and over and over again.
One of the hackers first expressed disappointment when reviewing this history. He claimed it was "boring."
But other hackers found it fascinating. And it isn't difficult to see why. It appears that Damian consumed nearly every single trace of his family left on the internet. Like a starving man scrambling for scraps.
Damian will later admit in interviews (see: The Prince of Gotham's Tell All! and Truth of Damian Wayne) that during those six months, he never slept in his room. He only slept in his family's rooms until "the smell of them disappeared," in which case, he took to sleeping on the hallway floor.
Later house tours of Wayne Manor (notably: Exclusive Look Inside Wayne Manor!) reveal that the Waynes' rooms, including Damian's, have been boarded up. Blocked from opening. With Damian mostly sleeping in a plain guest bedroom.
[Continuation of interview with Diana Prince]
INTERVIEWER: How was living with Damian?
DIANA: Well, I'm happy I was able to be there for him. When I could. I had work and other duties, but I tried to make it to the manor three times a week. I actually- After the first two months, I actually almost took him with me. Back to DC.
INTERVIEWER: Why didn't you?
DIANA: I feel like the answer's obvious. He refused to leave.
INTERVIEWER: That's it?
DIANA: Damian is... he's very skilled at pushing people away.
[Unsent letter from Diana Prince to an unknown recipient. Supplied by an anonymous source. Dated eight months and one week after the Wayne disappearance.]
Damian spoke for the first time today. He insulted my attempt at making pasta. It was bitter and sad, but it was still him speaking.
I tried to encourage him, but he clammed up after that, not saying another word.
Still, those words are the most promising thing yet.
[Security footage from a camera positioned right in front of Wayne Manor's doorway. Assembled by Alfred Pennyworth, accessed from archived Wayne Manor logs given by an anonymous source.]
[Nine months after the Wayne disappearance.]
Maps and Colin walk up to the Wayne Manor door in the evening, knocking on it.
Diana opens it, blinking at them.
MAPS: Hello, Ms. Prince. We were, um, wondering if Damian was home.
DIANA: Hello, Maps. Collin. Nice to see you two again. I know last time you guys came over, Damian wasn't exactly... responsive, but-
MAPS: Oh, don't worry. He was happy to see us, Ms. Prince. Trust me.
DIANA: I know he was. I hadn't seen him smile once until you two came over. Okay, I'm so happy you're here. Let me go get him. He's been doing much better. He actually spoke to me a few weeks ago.
She turns toward the inside.
DIANA: (Yelling) Damian!
She turns back to the group.
DIANA: He'll be a moment. How's school?
MAPS: Good. A bit boring without Damian, but good. Do you think he'll be back at school soon?
DIANA: I don't... know. I think he's planning on dropping out, if I'm being honest. He hasn't said anything about it, but I have the feeling he thinks it's beneath him.
COLIN: That... sounds right.
DIANA: (Yelling again) Damian! Come down! Your friends are here!
She turns back to them.
DIANA: Something's been off with him today.
COLIN: We can come back later.
DIANA: No, no. He'll be sad he missed you. Let me go get him.
She exits the frame, presumably heading inside.
DIANA: Damian! You can't spend all day in-
Silence.
MAPS: Is something wrong, Ms. Prince?
DIANA: I don't... think he's here.
[Nine months after the Wayne disappearance. Thirty minutes after the previous footage.]
[Gotham Nights interview, camera BTS before the show goes live.]
Damian sits on a small sofa, a glass window overlooking Gotham City behind him. He wears a suit and tie, his blazer discarded on the sofa next to him.
He fidgets a little with the tie, looking between his interviewer- Eyman Willer- and the camera. His face and hands are powdered; his face to make him television-ready and his hands to hide the bruising on his knuckles.
Willer tries to talk with him as the camera crew sets up, but Damian is unresponsive. Willer shares a worried look with the producer.
A woman comes to reapply powder when Damian scratches his nose. Damian scowls at her before quickly letting his face go lax. She hurries away, and yelling is heard from behind the camera.
CREW: And we are on in three...! Two...! One!
Willer turns to the camera, flashing a smile.
WILLER: It's eight o'clock on a Saturday, and this is Gotham Nights, the interview show where media is less 'me' and more 'you.' I'm your host, Eyman WIller, and I'm here with the man of the hour... Damian Wayne!
One of the cameras in front pans to Damian, in what is supposed to be a shocking reveal for the audience. Willer turns to Damian.
WILLER: Damian, thank you so much for taking the time to talk with me tonight.
Damian glances from Willer to the camera. He opens his mouth and then closes it. No sound escaped his mouth. He looks scared and alone. Then, he turns to the interviewer, the smile on his face so wide it must hurt.
DAMIAN: Thank you for having me! It's an absolute delight to be here with you.
[News article from the Gotham Gazette by Vicki Vale, published six hours after the interview finished. Titled: "Damian Wayne charms audiences in new interview with Gotham Nights!"]
"Nine months after his family's tragic disappearance and six months after he dipped out of public life, refusing to speak, he makes his debut into the common eye. And- surprisingly to all- this comeback was an astounding success!
"The view count for Gotham Nights for that interview peaked at one million live viewers, with people all over the world tuning in.
"'It was refreshing to see him happy,' says Paige Walker, a long-time viewer of Gotham Nights. 'I'm so glad he's finally over his family and can heal.'
"'It was honestly a little magical,' Eyman Willer laughs about. 'It was honestly like we had Bruce Wayne back.'"
[Transcript from private camera footage recorded by an unknown device taken from Damian Wayne's dressing room. Provided by an anonymous source.]
Diana Prince storms in, the door slamming open as she enters. The people huddled around Damian hurried out.
DIANA: (Thunderous) What are you doing?!
Damian does not turn to face her. He looks at her through the mirror.
DAMIAN: Hello, Diana.
DIANA: Cut the crap, Damian. You never called me Diana before this.
DAMIAN: Well, I'm calling you Diana now.
DIANA: Damian... what are you doing?
DAMIAN: What does it look like I'm doing?
He laughs. It's clearly fake.
DIANA: You cannot expect me to let you do this to yourself.
DAMIAN: Do what to myself? You act like this is some sort of self-harm. It isn't. I want to do this because I want to do this.
DIANA: What are you doing? What is this?
Damian abruptly stands up. He finally turns to look at her.
DAMIAN: Diana. I must thank you for all your work, but I have no more need for you now. You can try to stop me, but it won't really work.
He walks over, stopping with a foot between them. He looks her dead in the eyes.
DAMIAN: I'm continuing with this if it kills me.
DIANA: This isn't you.
DAMIAN: Well... That doesn't matter.
Diana Prince frowns, looking around the room.
DIANA: I want to help you.
DAMIAN: (Bitterly) Well, that's funny. Because I don't want your help. Get out.
DIANA: Damian, this isn't some sort of joke. I'm serious.
DAMIAN: Oh, I know. You want to help me, just like you wanted to help my father.
DIANA: What are you talking about? This has nothing to do-
DAMIAN: This has everything to do with him. Let me spell it out for you: You can't save my father, and you can't save me. Go back to Washington. Where you're actually wanted.
DIANA: Don't say words you're going to regret, Damian.
DAMIAN: I regret everything, Diana. Now, get the fuck out.
She hesitates, and then she leaves. She gives him one last look before shutting the door. Damian turns to the camera, grabbing it, frowning when he realizes it was on.
[A photograph of a document for the emancipation of a minor. Many parts are censored, but the name "Damian Wayne Thomas" at the top, in scribbly handwriting, is not.]
Paparazzi reported Diana Prince carrying suitcases with her as she left Wayne Manor. The next week, she didn't return.
No one except Damian knows the true reason for this switch-up in temperament and the fixation with public perception. But maybe people have attempted to figure it out. Here are a few possible explanations.
[Excerpt from the book, "Celebrity Personas in the Modern Age," written by Bill Kale]
"It appears that [Damian] Wayne is not in fact [Damian] Wayne at all. In fact, Wayne most likely saw the disappearance as a separation between him and his loved ones. His attempts at forming a personality in the following year are proof of that mindset.
"Bruce Wayne wore a mask, his persona for the cameras starkly different than Batman's. And it is therefore no leap to claim that [Damian] wears a mask too.
"My guess is that it is a desperate endeavor by Wayne to prove himself worthy of his family. To prove that, for all his flaws and blemishes, he is one of them. He can pretend like they pretended."
[Excerpt from “Understanding Damian Wayne,” a short essay for The Bludhavener by Andy Bellhare]
"Damian saw his family as a key. A fundamental piece of his world. And when they died, he recognized the space they left behind as a hole he needed to fill. And that is exactly what he did.
"He is trying to fill the hole in his heart with himself. He is trying to replace the people he lost by becoming them."
[Excerpt from opinion piece from the Central Times titled: "Damian is not a Wayne" written by Patrick Hollows.]
"The change in Damian's demeanor is a pathetic last-ditch venture to find acceptance. My theory, if I were so allowed to throw my hat into the ring, is that there were very few people in this world willing to tolerate his personality. So, he had to change.
"Although, this is assuming the Waynes loved Damian at all. Which is already highly debatable. I'd sooner say they resented him then say they cared about him. Maybe that was why they disappeared.
"Maybe Damian was left behind on purpose."
[Excerpt from a rebuttal opinion piece titled “Damian Wayne is Still the Same, Fuck You” by Samantha Linny.]
“It astonishes me every time someone believes something so idiotic to be so ridiculously true. Just because Damian was rude once when he was grieving doesn’t mean the personality he displays on interviews isn’t his real one. People like to point to times before the Waynes' disappearance as proof of Damian acting 'aloof' or 'cold,' and I think that was just misinterpretation. I believe that the Damian on the television screens- happy, smiling, giddy, open- is his real personality. No matter what other people say.”
The majority of the articles above went unreviewed or barely read. (Although Samantha Linny's article is fairly popular among the general public.) Some I had to scrape the internet for. But, by far, the most popular take on Damian Wayne is Riley Reed's near-famous ending paragraph to the first part of her novel, "In the Reeds."
[Excerpt from Riley Reed's autobiographical study of culture titled "In the Reeds"]
"When Damian Wayne appeared on that interview, no one knew what to make of him. Was this a manifestation of his grief or a rejection of it? Was he truly so happy?
"People like to make claims, but it is my belief that Damian Wayne persisted despite his grief. He refused to be consumed by it. It was him, showing the world that he was fully healed. I do not believe for a moment that Wayne's grief affected him and his choices to embrace the media at all. This was him refusing to be shaped by it. This was him thriving."
EDITOR'S NOTE: Damian was seen reading "In The Reeds" a few months after its publication. It was reported that he was seen throwing it into the trash. Although, whether that correlates with her section on him is unknown.
[A post-it note that originally was stuck to the main fridge of Wayne Manor's kitchen. Written approximately two hours before the Wayne disappearance. It is crumpled and long since ruined. But it's still readable.]
[Provided by an anonymous source.]
"Dami! Alfred's gonna be a little busy. Can you go get the groceries when you get home? Thank you! And try ur best to be nice! -Dick"
[Post to Holly Holz's private social media account]
@holz_holly
guess who just got asked to be DAMIAN WAYNE'S new manager!!!
@tellyTellAll replying to @holz_holly
Shut. Up!!!!! he'll be crazy difficult to work with tho
@holz_holly replying to @tellyTellAll
Yeah but it'll be a fun challenge. Trust me, telly. i'll make this kid into the next best thing. he'll be the magnum opus of my career.
[Holly Holz's To Do List for Damian. Provided by an anonymous source.]
1. Work on your smile (it's convincing, but it's too ugly)
2. Speak in soundbites. Here's what that should look like.
3. We want you to be likable. We need to fix the way you phrase things. Here are alternatives.
4. Once we fix the smile, we're going to want to make sure you smile a LOT
5. Dos and Don'ts
6. Laughing is the most disarming thing you can do. Laugh when you're nervous, when you're happy, when you don't know what to say. Work on replacing microexpressions with laughter.
7. Take the high ground, always be friendly and approachable. I know that's something you've never done in your entire life, but you're going to have to learn how to be, and you're going to have to keep at it whenever you are in public.
Click here for numbers 8-17.
[Paparazzi shots of Damian in public with P.R. Manager Holly Holz. Damian is wearing sunglasses, and Holly is holding a stack of papers she's reading off to him.]
[Clip of interview on the Jamie Follay Show]
HOST: So, Damian, tell us about how you overcame your grief.
Damian laughs.
DAMIAN: You just need to experience it. Embrace it. And then get over it. Eventually, you'll reach the end.
HOST: So you believe there's an end to grief?
DAMIAN: Of course. Most days, I don't ever think about my family at all.
[Security camera footage from a hidden camera installed on the wall of Dick Grayson's Bludhaven Apartment by Timothy Drake. Recovered and provided by an anonymous source. Recorded 10 months after the disappearance.]
The feed shows Damian entering the apartment- something he inherited as per the will, but hasn't entered since the disappearance.
He walks around, running a hand over the tables, wiping off dust. He is wearing a red and white jacket with a phoenix on the front breast pocket.
He finally walks over to the television, where there's a collection of framed photos lined up underneath it. He stares at the photos for eight minutes and six seconds. Then, he picks one up.
He looks at it for a long while. It's a photo of him and Dick Grayson, sitting at some unspecified location. Damian is asleep on the man's shoulder, and Dick is holding up his phone to capture the moment. His grin wide and bright.
Damian brings a hand to his mouth and lowers his head. Shoulders shaking, his body slumps to the floor.
For a while, there is nothing but muffled sobs.
An hour later, he brings himself to his feet, eyes puffy and red. He places the photograph where it belongs.
But then, almost impulsively, his hand jolts out and snatches a different framed photo, tucking it in his pocket. He looks around. As if worried someone would catch him. He then exits.
It was difficult to determine what photo he grabbed, but it appeared to be a candid family photo. A joke shot before the official photo was taken.
[A photo of Jason Todd. He is reading Antigone in the Wayne Manor library. His jacket is red and white, with a phoenix on the breast pocket. He is glaring at the camera.]
[Vlog footage from @MirandaSmith when she attended the first Wayne Gala since the disappearance. Held for around eleven months since the disappearance. Two months since Damian re-entered the public eye.]
The vlog mostly consists of a series of sped-up clips formatted into a thirty-second montage. It shows her in a fancy dress, dancing with strangers, eating from a large buffet, meeting Damian Wayne, walking by locked-off doors, and kissing Lex Luthor.
[Footage from security cameras set up for the Wayne gala and the Wayne gala only.]
Diana walks in, dress pooling on the floor. Damian notices her and exits his conversation quickly.
DAMIAN: So nice talking to you, senator.
SENATOR JAMISON: Likewise, Damian. Always a pleasure.
Damian hurries over to where Diana is standing, frowning.
DAMIAN: (Through gritted teeth) What are you doing here?
She leans back on a wall, raising an eyebrow.
DIANA: Can't a woman apologize?
Damian paused for a moment before scoffing.
DAMIAN: You don't want to apologize.
She sighs.
DIANA: You're right. I don't. But I do want to be on your side. If you want to... do this. I'll support it, Damian. I want to-
Holly walks up to the two of them. She laughs, slinging an arm over Damian's neck, earning a flinch from him, and holds out a hand to Diana.
HOLZ: Pleasure to meet you. I'm Holly. You must be Diana. I have to say, I love your dress. It's a very brave choice for this gala.
DIANA: Mm. Nice to meet you as well.
HOLZ: It's amazing to finally connect the name to the face. Damian has said so much about you.
DIANA: He has?
HOLZ: No.
Diana falters.
DAMIAN: Holz, why don't you talk with Clarence about the buffet? I heard he was switching the appetizers from chicken dumplings to something vegetarian.
Holly frowns, releasing Damian.
HOLZ: And you're telling me this now? Seriously, Damian, you need to keep your priorities straight. I can't believe...
Her voice fades as she walks off. Damian turns back to Diana.
DAMIAN: You can stay for this gala, but don't come back. I wouldn't take an apology, and I won't take this. Listen, I don't need you or anyone else. Do not baby me. Do not pity me. You will stay for the gala, and then you will leave.
DIANA: I- Fine. Fine, Damian. If that's what you want, then... fine. I'll stay, and you'll never have to see me again.
She rubs the bridge of her nose.
DIANA: You are so difficult sometimes.
DAMIAN: I am.
He smiles.
DAMIAN: I'm just like my father. Isn't that right?
[Diary of Lex Luthor's Assistant. Excerpt from the two and a half pages posted onto the assistant's social media account as part of evidence in her long rant about corruption in the company after he got fired.]
"Today, I went with Lex to the Wayne Gala. He wanted to use the opportunity to make business deals, specifically with Damian Wayne. The boy was not so forgiving of Lex's help in the lawsuit case, but they still talked amicably. Albeit with tension-filled smiles and perhaps a bit too much enthusiasm to be real on Damian's part.
"I noticed Diana Prince standing alone in the back, dressed up in some fancy dress, swirling a cup in her hand.
"I went up to her and we had a lovely conversation. I think. I can't remember most of it due to the alcohol.
"I asked her why she came here. She told me she couldn't always protect the people she cared about in the past. She told me she wanted to fix that. I had no idea what she meant, but I stood by her for a while. To keep her company.
"I got us some drinks. She sipped hers slowly, watching Damian from across the ballroom.
"She kept her eyes trained on him the whole time. Watching him through the entire conversation. Constantly surveying. Constantly worried.
"I asked her about him, and she told me she can't stop him from doing what he wants anymore. Not without his father or his siblings. But she could stop him from hurting himself. She can protect him when it all comes crashing down.
"Then, Mr. Luthor and I needed to leave. In the car, he informed me that the new Wayne was more hostile but much easier to manipulate.
"I felt bad. I almost wanted to tell Ms. Diana."
[Interview at Rolling Castle between anchor Steven Weere and Damian Wayne. Eleven months after the disappearance.]
STEVEN: So, you and Lex Luthor have entered into a co-investment deal. Can you tell us anything more about that?
DAMIAN: Well, there's nothing much to it. We just saw eye to eye on a few things and decided it would be better to merge our opportunities instead of using them against each other.
STEVEN: Ahh. And your manager, Holly Holz. Would you be willing to address the rumors about her past time working for Lola Limmer?
DAMIAN: I mean, there's not much to say. Yes, Holly made a mistake. But that's in the past. I mean, you can't honestly expect to pin Lola's death on her, can you? It was a tragedy. A very heartbreaking tragedy. But celebrities die from overdoses all the time. And Holly is trying to move on. And, well, I know a lot about recovering from tragedies.
On the anniversary of his family's disappearance, Damian lay at the graves made for his family in the cemetery closest to the manor.
There are over one hundred different paparazzi shots taken of him during that time. From people hiding in the bushes around the cemetery.
His face is hidden in most of them. His position adjusts throughout the day, sometimes leaning on one grave, sometimes facing one. He's there with a book he didn't read and food he didn't eat.
In the final photo taken that day, he is staring directly at the camera.
[Aishia Clarvor, head of photography at The Gotham Gossip. Interviewed by Carl Rat and Bob Darmon.]
"The thing about the stare that really captivated a lot of photographers was how starkly apathetic it was. But apathetic isn't the right word. It was passive. Uncaring? Drained, maybe. As if the emotion was completely sucked out of it. You see a lot of photographs of people laughing or concentrating or crying, but rarely so... you know. I mean, yes, it's a paparazzi photo. It isn't exactly high art. But it's still fascinating to discuss."
[Damian Wayne's Schedule. Compiled by Holl Holz.]
Note for Damian: (PLEASE PLEASE DO THIS) Read the attached pages. I don't think I can teach you humor, but I'm sure as hell going to try. And then the second one is about slang. DON'T try to memorize all the slang and definitely DON'T use them all in one sentence. They are NOT a separate language. This is NOT a spy mission. Just... familiarize yourself with them. Okay?
Monday: 11:30 AM - 2:00 PM Collaboration with DatesAndFlowersWithKokoCoco. It's a pretend date where you talk about flowers. 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM Appearance at... Read More.
Tuesday: 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM Publicity stunt with you and Vixen being a part of Zatanna's new routine. Then, you'll be interviewed by some comedian who was on some television show that was popular ten years ago. 4:00 PM - 10:00 PM Charity ball happening. Wear something that costs a lot of money, OR pick from one of our fashion brand deals. Have a lot of photos of you taken. Stay next to actors, the more popular and well-known, the better.
Wednesday: 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM Walk around Gotham for paparazzi and public image. Be nice. 7:00 PM - 11:30 PM Late night talk show with Black Canary for your company and her album... Read More.
Thursday: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM Production meeting with Lucious Fox for the future of Wayne Enterprises about the new technology. 2:30 PM - 6:00 PM Gilda Dent's birthday party... Read More.
[Recorded footage from a phone camera backstage on People's Weekly Tonight Moment. One year and one and a half months since the disappearance. Uploaded online a year after it happened, to little or no attention by a then-fired crew worker.]
Holly stands next to Damian, tightly holding his shoulders.
HOLLY: What the fuck was that?
DAMIAN: I don't know, it was a slip-up. He's the one who-
HOLLY: Do I look like I give a fuck what he did? Damian, you are a product. I need you to understand that. And when you do shit like that- when you let your emotions control you- you no longer become something marketable. And what is a product that can't be sold?
DAMIAN: (Monotonously) An abandoned toy in the kitchen aisle.
HOLLY: So, for the love of all that you are worth- and trust me, you aren't worth much- you are going to go back out there and apologize. You are going to laugh if you feel uncomfortable or nervous or sad, and you are going to blame it on the grief and promise you want an unbiased discussion about your family's impact on Gotham. Do you understand me?
DAMIAN: Yes.
HOLLY: Good.
She sighs, patting his back.
HOLLY: You're doing amazing tonight. Okay? I just don't want this little "slip-up" to ruin everything.
DAMIAN: Don't touch me.
Holly frowns. She keeps her hand on his back.
HOLLY: You're back on in five.
DAMIAN: I'm so tired.
HOLLY: No, you're not.
DAMIAN: I am. I'm so tired. What's wrong with me?
HOLLY: Drink water. Have more of the soup I bought for you. That always cheers you up.
She turns and walks away.
[Clip of an interview shared online. 5.6 million likes. Over a hundred million views.]
JARRY JALLING: I mean, no offense, but six months?! How were you not bored out of your mind?
DAMIAN: Oh, well, you know, I just re-read Moby Dick.
For a moment, they both stare at each other. Jarry, unsure if Damian's joking. Then, a moment later, they both burst out laughing.
-
Comments:
[LivTheLizard99]
AAAAH DAMIAN!!! lowkey used to hate him but he’s so fucking funny I fear I have to stan
-View 36 replies- 1.4k likes
[R0S3]
SO good to see him get to be his true self like this. Happy he’s finally healed.
-View 130 replies- 107k likes
[capesandspandex]
If all it took was his family dying for damian to become popular, send me back in time with a rifle if you know what I mean 😂😂
-View 20 replies- 34k likes
[waterfeetdeep12]
Literally his biggest fan. I would give both kidneys for this man
-View 18 replies- 11k likes
[wonderwomansbf]
Damian is getting more attention, and I AM HERE FOR IT
-View 11 replies- 78k likes
Read More
[Receipt from FARM'S PHARMACY. Dated one year and three months since the disappearance.]
1 WOOD GROUNDER
1 MARLEY'S BOWLS GREEN CIRCULAR POTTERY BARN BOWL
25 MORPHINE TABLETS (PRESCRIBED BY DR. LARKER)
5 SEA SALT BOXES
10 CAN OF SOUP
1 GOTHAM TIMES MAGAZINE
3 STRAWBERRY SWEET PACK OF GUM
[Footage recorded on a phone camera. The camera shows nothing, as if stuck inside a pocket. But the audio is crystal clear. Provided by an anonymous source.]
DAMIAN: I don't want to.
HOLLY: Well, you have to. They're paying me eight hundred thousand for this. So you better fucking wear it.
DAMIAN: They're paying you eight hundred? I thought it was two hundred.
HOLLY: No. They're paying us one million. I split it eighty-twenty. It's proper industry standards.
DAMIAN: That doesn't sound-
HOLLY: Just- come on. Wear the T-shirt, Damian.
DAMIAN: I don't like the way it looks, I don't like the way it feels, I'm not wearing it. It's hideous.
HOLLY: I. Don't. Care.
DAMIAN: Well, I- Ow!
HOLLY: Sorry, sorry, I didn't think I was grabbing that tightly. Is it bruising?
DAMIAN: No, no. That was there already. I don't know why it's like that. I didn't hit it against anything.
He sighs.
DAMIAN: It's... fine. Whatever. I'll wear the shirt.
HOLLY: Thank you.
[Security footage from a cafe just a mile from Wayne Manor. One year, four months after the disappearance.]
Barbara Gordon sits alone at the table. She sips her coffee, looking around at the people around her laughing and talking.
The chatter fades into surprised exclamations as the bell at the door rings and Damian Wayne steps into the shop. Standing outside is a pack of paparazzi. They first attempt to follow him, but the manager is quick to push them out. Damian stands at the door, watching them for a moment, before he walks over to Barbara's table in the back.
BARBARA: Damian.
DAMIAN: Barbara.
BARBARA: Sit.
Damian eyes her for a moment. She motions to the tiny plate in the middle of the table.
BARBARA: Croissants.
Damian sits.
DAMIAN: You haven't spoken to me for over a year, and suddenly, out of the blue, you want to meet up? I don't mean to be cold, but I'm not an idiot, Gordon.
BARBARA: Damian, I-
DAMIAN: How much?
BARBARA: ...What?
DAMIAN: Don't dance around it. You want money, don't you?
BARBARA: What?! No! I- No. Not at all. I wanted to apologize.
DAMIAN: For what?
She looks over at the paparazzi.
BARBARA: For one, I'm sorry for doing this in public. I didn't realize-
DAMIAN: It's fine. I know you didn't want to go to the manor.
Barbara nods her head.
BARBARA: Listen, Damian. Your family meant a lot to me. They were like a second family- no, they were probably more than a second family. But... when they disappeared, I knew- I knew they wouldn't be coming back. At least not any time soon. They were never the type of people who avoided tragedy, you know that? They always- Well, they always ran at it headfirst.
Damian looks away.
DAMIAN: If they came back, I'd want to tie them up and never let them leave the manor. Just trap them there forever.
BARBARA: That's funny. Dick said the same thing about you.
DAMIAN: What?
BARBARA: Yeah. It was- I don't know when it was. But he was talking with me about how he didn't want you to fight. That every time you two went out as Batman and Robin, he was terrified you were going to get hurt. And that he was going to lose you.
DAMIAN: I didn't... know that.
BARBARA: Well, yeah. Anyway, I just wanted to say I'm sorry for not talking to you. It's been... a lot. For all of us. And-
DAMIAN: You're worried about me, aren't you? This is about my 'behavior' on interviews.
BARBARA: Yes. I am concerned about you. Whatever you're doing for the television screens. It's not you, and it's definitely not healthy.
DAMIAN: You and Diana and your ideas. It's not hurting me.
BARBARA: It sure looks like it is. You look like you haven't slept in a year and like you have a hundred-and-twenty-degree fever.
Damian sighs. He does, in fact, look terrible. Styled hair and makeup can't hide the shake in his muscles or the depth of his eye bags. He looks a little bit like a walking corpse.
DAMIAN: Gordon, let's be honest here. You don't know me. You knew Richard, you knew Jason. You knew my father and Stephanie and Cassandra. And you probably knew Timothy and Duke. But you didn't know me.
BARBARA: Is that really what you think?
Damian doesn't say anything. He just takes a small bite of the croissant. The silence stretches. Eventually, Barbara begins to speak again.
BARBARA: The crime rates are almost gone.
DAMIAN: I've heard.
BARBARA: Not what your dad thought would happen when Batman disappeared, huh?
DAMIAN: No, not at all.
BARBARA: If you want, I'm sure Oracle would love to have you help her out. It's become a pretty boring job lately.
DAMIAN: Really?
BARBARA: Mhm. Especially since all your weapons are locked up. I know you probably want to get back to vigilantism, even if it's just behind a screen. I can talk to her, if you want?
DAMIAN: Well... I'll consider it. Maybe.
He looks away.
DAMIAN: But I have a pretty busy schedule, so I don't know. It probably won't be able to make it happen.
Barbara sighs.
BARBARA: You know, they wanted you to be happy.
DAMIAN: (Whispering) What?
BARBARA: They wanted you to be happy. They wanted you to be so happy. (Her voice cracks) What was your dream job again? Doctor? Veterinarian? Painter?
DAMIAN: Doesn't matter.
BARBARA: But it does. It would to them. They'd be so sad. You know they'd ask you a hundred times if this was something you really wanted to do. Would you say yes every time?
DAMIAN: Of course I wouldn't. I wouldn't even say yes once.
BARBARA: Do you think this is what they wanted for you? For you to throw away the things that gave you joy in pursuit of- what are you even in pursuit of? Why are you doing this? Any of this?
Damian stands up abruptly.
DAMIAN: It's time for me to go.
BARBARA: Damian-
DAMIAN: This was nice. You make pleasant company. Let's do this again sometime soon.
He turns away and leaves. If he looks back, the camera feed doesn't catch it.
[Transmission from the Batcave to a small burner phone. Provided by an Anonymous Source.]
Mother,
I have received your last message and I assure you that nothing is wrong. I know your current undercover mission has made it difficult for you to hear any news, but there have been some dangerous alien attacks on the planet. Because of this, Father has made a journey off-world to deal with it. Hence why he has not responded to your transmissions.
I am doing quite well. My life has been very busy lately, and my family has so many things they want to do. I went to the mall with Cassandra yesterday and had dinner at a restaurant with Timothy.
Once you finish your mission, do not hesitate to visit.
Damian
[Clip from: PICK A HOT SAUCE PICTURE. A segment from episode 276 with Booster Gold and Damian Wayne. Hosted by Stella Haley. One year and six months since the disappearance.]
STELLA: And we're back! We have Damian Wayne and Booster Gold here for you all tonight playing: Guess! That! Hot Sauce! You two ready?
BOOSTER GOLD: Hell yes, Stella!
Damian looks off stage for a moment, dazed, before snapping back into reality.
DAMIAN: Mhm!
He blinks a few times, wiping off sweat from his forehead.
STELLA: Now, without further ado, let's see... photo number one!
-
Comments
[BlueTheBerryGirl07]
Whoa, does anyone notice how pale Damian is? he looks sick
[XxGirlxXwoofwoof]
omg I just noticed that. holy shit i hope he's okay
[LegosLegosLegos]
Not to be too much of a detective but didn't he have a little fainting thing last week when he attended that one award ceremony?
[Lilypads90]
@LegosLegosLegos oh fuck I forgot about that. What is going on?
[profhaterduh]
honestly i hope he's overworking himself.
[BlueTheBerryGirl07]
@profhaterduh what the fuck
[Footage taken from camera SONY B (LEFT) MARGET'S CAMERA DON'T TOUCH. From the "GOT GOTHAM?" Newscast Station. Five minutes before it goes live. One year and eight months since the disappearance.]
Damian Wayne sits on one of the interview couches, a makeup crew surrounding him. The host is nowhere to be seen.
Holly Holz sits next to him, holding a clipboard in her hand.
HOLLY: Favorite piece this season?
DAMIAN: Mira Lackey's "Winter of Beauty" dress.
HOLLY: Thoughts on the drama between Kathy and Neal Gray?
DAMIAN: I can't pick. I love them both.
HOLLY: Why?
DAMIAN: Neal's been a good friend, and Kathy's so... nice?
HOLLY: Kind.
DAMIAN: Kind.
HOLLY: Good shows you're watching?
DAMIAN: Dana and Marley.
HOLLY: What do you like about it?
DAMIAN: I love the chemistry between the two girls. Lucy Bailey does a fantastic job with Marley, and her… uh…
HOLLY: Her improvisational skills.
DAMIAN: Her improvisational skills really bring the whole show to life. I’m a big Lucy Bailey fan.
HOLLY: Would you ever want to meet her?
DAMIAN: Never meet your heroes.
HOLLY: How's your relationship with Barbara Gordon?
DAMIAN: She struggled a lot with my family’s passing, but now that she’s in a better place, we’ve been able to reconnect.
HOLLY: Will we be seeing more of you two together?
DAMIAN: Something about her being busy.
HOLLY: Wrong.
DAMIAN: I'll try to make our schedules work.
HOLLY: Good. Okay. Good.
She stands up, brushing off her legs.
HOLLY: You're good. Try not to use fancy words. It's pretentious and makes you look stupid.
DAMIAN: Okay.
Holly walks off, and the makeup team finishes. The host hurries on, giving Damian a quick grin before he turns to the camera.
Someone yells something from far away, and the host clasps his hands, leaning forward and smiling widely.
HOST: And we're back from the break. I'm here with Damian Wayne and-
He turns to Damian.
HOST: Damian. I must ask. I know you were part of the red carpet this year, and I just need to know: what was your favorite piece? So many viewers are arguing in the comments about their choice. And we'd love to know your thoughts.
DAMIAN: Well, you know, I have a hard time picking. But, I'd have to say, Mira Lackly's "Winter of Beauty" dress was phenomen- great. It was such a... great dress.
HOST: Oh, yes. That's a favorite piece of mine, too. Although, what are your thoughts on the drama about that piece?
DAMIAN: I really can't pick between them! Kathy and Neal are both great, and both have a lot of claim on the dress. Neal's a good friend, and Kathy is just so kind.
HOST: And you know what? Good on you. There's a lot of grey area in this feud.
DAMIAN: Indeed, there is.
The host claps Damian on the back.
HOST: So, what's on your television these days?
Damian shivers, rubbing his elbows. He attempts a smile, clearly freezing. The host frowns. Damian is wearing a jacket. This was recorded in the middle of summer.
DAMIAN: Well, I've been actually watching a lot of Dana and Marley.
HOST: Dana and Marley! Such a good show.
DAMIAN: Amazing show. And Lucy Bailey? Her improvisational skills are genuinely amazing, and the chemistry between her and her co-star? It's so so well done.
HOST: Are you a big Lucy Bailey fan?
DAMIAN: Huge fan.
HOST: Oh, wow. Would you ever want to meet her?
Damian shakes his head, scratching his wrists. As the interview goes on, the scratching grows faster and more intense.
DAMIAN: I run by a strict don't-meet-your-heroes policy.
HOST: Very smart. Have you ever met any of your heroes? Probably your family, right? I'm sure they were your heroes.
Damian laughs.
DAMIAN: I um... I don't really recall...
HOST: Do you not consider your family heroes? I mean, your father was Batman! You had Nightwing and Red Robin as brothers! You worked side-by-side with Signal and Spoiler. I mean, you were surrounded by people you must have considered your heroes. What was your experience living with them?
DAMIAN: ...Uh, probably the- probably, um-
Damian looks off camera, expression distressed. His voice rasps when he talks next.
DAMIAN: Could you repeat the- Could you repeat the question?
The host looks down at his key cards.
HOST: Oh dear, I'm sorry. I meant to ask about you and Barbara Gordon. Silly me! Apparently, paparazzi caught you two talking, and I know she was the daughter of a good friend of your dad's.
DAMIAN: ...Yes. Yes, she was. And, now that we've both finally been able to recover from my family's passing, we're trying to reconnect.
HOST: It's really important to hold onto the relationships that make up strong in trying times. We need the support.
DAMIAN: Couldn't agree more. Support is key. And I'm so lucky to have so many people willing to support me.
HOST: Will we be seeing more of you two?
Damian waves his hand around arbitrarily.
DAMIAN: Oh, I don't know. I'll have to see if our schedules align.
[Security camera footage from the backstage hallway of "GOT GOTHAM?" Recovered a year and a half later when searching through the files.]
Holly and Damian walk through the hallway, loudly arguing.
HOLLY: ...ucking terrible. How could you mess up that badly?
DAMIAN: Why is it my fault? He threw me a question I wasn't expecting and... honestly? It was weird. Why would he bring up my family like that?
Holly stops in the middle of the hallway, turning to face Damian.
HOLLY: Doesn't fucking matter, Damian. This whole thing is terrible. You just messed up on live fucking television. And you might have even given away that they let us know the questions beforehand. Now, the whole station's gonna be angry at-
DAMIAN: I didn't give anything away. I just stumbled over my words, and the guy moved on. That's it.
HOLLY: That's not it, Damian. This could ruin so much. Also, your attempts at 'saving' it? Abysmal. Almost hilarious how pathetic it was.
DAMIAN: It's not that big of a deal. I was just tired, that's it.
He shivers again, sweat on his brow.
HOLLY: But you weren't tired. I know you weren't.
DAMIAN: (Sharply) How do you know that?
Holly sighs. She walks away, running a hand through her hair.
HOLLY: I've been putting some energizing supplements in your food. Usually, the soup I give you 'cause it's easy to put the powder in, but-
DAMIAN: Energizing supplements? What did you put in my food?
HOLLY: Like I said, energizing supplements.
DAMIAN: What exactly did you put in my food?
HOLLY: Relax, Damian. It's nothing crazy. Just a bit of morphine to get you through the-
DAMIAN: Morphine? You've been drugging me?!
He backs away from her, scrambling for something in his pockets that he doesn't find.
HOLLY: I've been helping you, Damian. Your personality isn't particularly likable already. But, with a boost, you've been doing much better and-
Damian leans against a wall, hands holding up a pen in lieu of a knife.
DAMIAN: You're fired.
HOLLY: I'm sorry?
DAMIAN: I said you're fucking fired. Get out. Get out. Get out.
Holly frowns.
HOLLY: You can't fire me.
DAMIAN: I just did.
She backs away.
HOLLY: Fine. But you need me. You need me, Damian Wayne. You know you're nothing without me. You'll come crawling back. Give it a month or two. Give it a year. But you'll show up on my doorstep one day begging to be taken in. Just wait.
She turns and leaves. Damian stays there, still and watching, until the sound of a door closing can be heard.
He collapses onto the floor, sobs echoing through the empty hallway.
With shaky hands, he brings out his phone, dialing a number. It doesn't even ring. It goes straight to voicemail.
PHONE: You've reached Wayne Manor. I'm Alfred Pennyworth. I'm afraid Master Bruce is not available at the moment, and neither am I. Please leave a message so I may deliver it when we get back.
The phone beeps and Damian hangs up. He calls a different number that goes straight to voicemail. And another. And another.
Once he's exhausted that, he tries something different.
The phone rings once, and then a second time, and then-
DIANA: Damian?
Damian doesn't say anything; he just stares at the phone, his breathing heavy and ragged.
DIANA: Damian? I- Shit, okay. Give me a minute. Clark! I need a fav-
She hangs up the phone.
Damian sits there for a few more minutes until Diana appears in the doorway. She looks frazzled and windblown.
DIANA: Damian?
DAMIAN: I...
DIANA: Are you hurt?
She hurries over, grabbing his shoulders and checking Damian up and down.
DAMIAN: I miss them.
DIANA: Damian... you've spent the past year and a half doing practically nothing but missing them.
DAMIAN: Yeah.
She sighs.
DIANA: I know what it feels like. Your father was one of my- one of my best friends.
She looks over him again.
DIANA: That's not it. What happened?
DAMIAN: I think I'm going to die.
DIANA: You're not going to die.
DAMIAN: I'm sorry. I'm sorry for leaving you all alone, Diana. You lost my father, and now you're going to lose me. I'm sorry.
DIANA: You're not going to die. What's going on?
DAMIAN: Do you know, last time I died, I went to hell?
DIANA: What?
Damian shrugs.
DAMIAN: I don't mind. I mean, maybe I deserved it. I don't know. I was eleven. But no one in my family is going to hell. Or, is in hell currently. I suppose. So, when I die and go to hell, I won't even- I won't even get to see them again.
DIANA: Do you think I'm going to hell? If there even is a hell.
DAMIAN: You don't believe me?
DIANA: Do you think I'm going to hell?
DAMIAN: Of course you're not. You're wonder- You're you.
DIANA: Well, then, when I die, I'll walk down to hell and drag you up with me, okay?
DAMIAN: Your attempts at comfort are pitiful.
DIANA: Well, it's true. But you're not dying today, okay? I can't lose you too. So, you aren't going to die. And that's final. You are not going to die.
DAMIAN: Well, then you should get me to an ambulance. Because I'm pretty certain I overdosed on morphine.
DIANA: ...What?
DAMIAN: I thought it was some kind of food flavoring. I saw her put a bit in, and the soup had always tasted so dull, so I put in a little bit more and then a little bit more and then-
He turns to the side and coughs up a bit of blood. His breathing is significantly shallower.
DAMIAN: I did not think she was drugging my food with it.
His voice turns bitter.
DAMIAN: But, hey, son of the world's greatest detective, right? Hm. As if. What a fucking sham. What a fucking-
Diana picks Damian up, yelling up at the ceiling.
DIANA: Clark! Clark!
And then, they disappear in the blink of an eye. Perhaps a camera glitch or someone messing with the tapes.
Any trace of Damian in any hospital records is either non-existent or wiped clean. There is no proof he even had an overdose. Although, like always, rumors will spread.
He does, however, show a significant dip out of public life. For next month, his schedule greatly decreased, citing health concerns as the main reason in later interviews. However, after that initial month, his schedule skyrocketed back up to its usual intensity, past kindness long forgotten.
[Security footage from a camera positioned right in front of Wayne Manor's doorway. Assembled by Alfred Pennyworth, accessed from archived Wayne Manor logs given by an anonymous source.]
[Two weeks after the security footage was taken.]
The sky is dark, the manor's houselights glowing. The door swings open and Diana walks out, attempting to drag Damian with her. The boy resists, shaking his head. They are mid-argument.
DAMIAN: I'm just saying- what if Holly was right?
DIANA: Holly tried to drug you, Damian. She drugged you every single day. And you have not even come close to recovering from that. You're nauseous half the day, and everything you eat, you just throw up. And despite everything going on right now, you're still attending every single thing you're invited to.
DAMIAN: But whatever she was doing, it worked. I felt happy. I felt happy for the first time in forever. I could forget about them.
DIANA: Is that what you want? You want to forget them?
Damian wraps his arms around himself.
DAMIAN: ...No. I don't. I don't want to forget them.
[Interview with Leslie Thompkins. Conducted by Carl Rat and Bob Darmon.]
LESLIE: Yes, around that time, Damian came to see me about withdrawal. He didn't tell me when he started doing morphine, just that he was off it, and he felt terrible.
LESLIE: I had a few medications to help him, but I worried. I had no idea if he'd relapse or where he got the morphine. I mean, grief is a difficult thing. I asked him about it, and he told me it made him feel happy in ways he hadn't felt since his family died.
LESLIE: I didn't... know what to say to that.
[Security footage from a camera positioned right in front of Wayne Manor's doorway. Assembled by Alfred Pennyworth, accessed from archived Wayne Manor logs given by an anonymous source. One year and nine months since the disappearance.]
A tall woman walks up to the door, knocking on it firmly.
She waits for a moment before knocking again, just as firmly. This time, the door opens. Damian stands there, hair messied and eyebags wide. He looks sick. He stares at her, shocked.
DAMIAN: Mother? But your mission-
DAMIAN'S MOTHER: I left it. I knew something was wrong the moment I received your letter and hurried here as soon as I could. And I'm glad I did that, because clearly I was right.
DAMIAN: Nothing's wrong, mother. I just-
DAMIAN'S MOTHER: I actually got around to some reading on my way over here. There's a lot you neglected to inform me of, Damian. A lot.
DAMIAN: Mother, I... I apologize. I never wanted to mislead you.
DAMIAN'S MOTHER: You look ill.
Damian gives a dry laugh.
DAMIAN: It's a long story.
DAMIAN'S MOTHER: Well, why don't you tell me? I have nothing but time and an eagerness to hear what's been transpiring in my son's life while he lies to me.
DAMIAN: I didn't- Okay. Come in. Please.
Damian's mother walks forward, slow at first, until suddenly she is swiftly wrapping him in a hug.
DAMIAN'S MOTHER: Shh, darling. You're okay, you know that?
There is a muffled sob, barely heard.
DAMIAN'S MOTHER: I am so sorry. I am so sorry.
She carefully picks up the boy, his head under her chin. And carries him off-screen, the sound of a door shutting a few seconds later.
[Security Camera from the patio of Wayne Manor. One year and ten months since the disappearance. One month since Damian's mother arrived.]
Damian sits in the distance, throwing a ball for his dog, Titus. His cat, Alfred, sits next to him. He does it mind-numbingly, sitting on the edge of a wall, lazily throwing it while Titus bounds across the field.
Damian's mother and Diana sit on lounge chairs, Diana holding a cup of coffee.
DIANA: He's not doing well.
DAMIAN'S MOTHER: No, he isn't.
Diana sighs and leans back.
DIANA: Talia, what are we going to do? He's... barely eating, and he acts miserable whenever he's not in front of a camera. I mean, I can't get him to do anything.
TALIA: Do you notice that the days when he acts 'fine' are when we comment about how miserable he is? Because I have. It's a terrible attempt.
DIANA: I just wish he would talk to me.
TALIA: Myself as well. After all, the woman poisoning him was the direct result of my negligence.
DIANA: Oh, don't blame yourself. I should have known Holly was... Honestly, just thinking about her makes me so...
TALIA: I still don't understand why I am not afforded the privilege of knowing the location of Holz's residence.
DIANA: Because you would try to kill her. And Damian would be upset if either of us killed her.
Talia rolls her eyes.
TALIA: You act as though I am clueless about my own son's wants. I wouldn't kill her. I would just make her understand the consequences of her actions.
Diana rubs her temples.
DIANA: (Muttering) Why does Damian want you here?
TALIA: Because I am his mother. Why does Damian want you here?
DIANA: Whatever. We can't have this argument again. It makes him sad. Or... sad-er I guess.
TALIA: Yes, I... suppose you're right.
They continue to watch him for a moment longer. Talia rests her head on her hands.
TALIA: There is so much I did not know. So much that he has gone through. Why did he keep it from me?
DIANA: I don't know. I guess he loved you. And we try to protect the people we love.
Talia frowns.
TALIA: Exactly.
She stands up.
TALIA: So why couldn't he let me protect him?
[Security footage from a camera in a tree at the cemetery farthest from Wayne Manor.]
[One year and eleven months since the disappearance.]
Damian stands before his family's graves, dead flowers in his hand. A young woman is visiting a grave nearby. When she notices him, she slowly walks over.
GIRL: Holy shit. You're... Damian Wayne. Are you Damian Wayne?
DAMIAN: I am.
GIRL: Oh, wow. Okay. Wow. Oh my god. You're here. This is so cool. This is- Wow. I- My brother loves you.
DAMIAN: Oh.
GIRL: Random question: Are you still addicted to heroin?
Damian blinks at her.
DAMIAN: I'm sorry?
GIRL: Ugh. Sorry, sorry. That's so out of pocket. Sorry. That's just what my mom's been saying. She says you overdosed a few months ago. I mean, no one has any proof you did. But there have been a few rumors, and if they're true-
DAMIAN: I'm not allowed to speak about any rumors.
GIRL: Oh. Yes. Right.
She turns to the graves.
GIRL: So, um... How often do you come here?
DAMIAN: Uh... this is my first time.
She nods.
GIRL: My brother thinks your family is still alive. I don't know if that's insensitive to tell you or not, because if it is, I really didn't mean-
DAMIAN: No, that's fine. I don't know how they could be, though.
GIRL: Well, he thinks they're in another dimension. Fighting some evil king who has them imprisoned in a dungeon to make it back to Gotham and save the world from total annihilation. Typical Batman things. At least, I think that's typical. You'd know better than me. But he wrote a whole book about it.
DAMIAN: Huh. He and I have... two very different ideas of where they went.
GIRL: What do you mean?
DAMIAN: I think they're dead. I'm pretty sure they're dead. But I like to imagine sometimes that they got trapped in a magical universe. They spent the first few weeks trying to get back, but then they realized they couldn't. They were trapped there. I imagine them in a house, a really large house. Happy and eating on a long, long table. And they've forgotten all about me.
GIRL: That's a miserable thing to imagine. Wouldn't you rather they be in pain? Struggling to get back? Fighting every single day to return?
DAMIAN: I would. That's why I imagine them happy without me. It makes me feel a little- a little better that they're dead.
GIRL: Oh.
DAMIAN: Yeah.
He looks over at the graves.
DAMIAN: (Unapologetically) I'm sorry.
The girl gives a small laugh.
After a moment's consideration, Damian spits on one of the graves.
GIRL: (Shocked) Hey, why the hell did you do that?
DAMIAN: That way, they'd have to haunt me. I mean...
He looks at the graves.
DAMIAN: They would have to haunt me then, wouldn't they?
On the two-year anniversary of the Wayne Family's death, one thing was released onto the internet.
It was leaked security camera footage taken from a hidden camera placed in the Batcave. Previously, it had been kept solely in the Gotham Police files until an ex-policeman (Bob Darmon) leaked it to the public on the second anniversary.
[Security footage from the Batcave. Leaked two years after it was officially taken. Unseen before by both the public and Damian Wayne.]
The bats all gathered around a strange machine centered in the middle of the Batcave. Their butler, Alfred Pennyworth, waits off to the side.
NIGHTWING: This should be easy enough.
SPOILER: And, uh, we can leave any time?
RED ROBIN: Yup. Emergency button in your glove. Press it any time. It'll bring you right back here.
ORPHAN: Third day?
RED ROBIN: Right. So, on the third day, it'll automatically transport us back here. No matter what.
RED HOOD: No matter what?
RED ROBIN: Well, unless we disable it. Or we die.
RED HOOD: (Sarcastically) Goody.
NIGHTWING: What if someone else disables it?
RED ROBIN: They can't. Only you can disable your own button. Which, unless you guys want to be trapped there forever, I don't think we'd want to do.
SPOILER: But, what if I, like, accidentally disable my button?
Red Robin is growing visibly annoyed.
RED ROBIN: You won't. It takes like five separate steps to disable it. There is no way for you to do it unintentionally. I promise.
Signal enters from off-screen.
SIGNAL: Okay, I alerted Superman about this. He should tell Robin.
ALFRED: We should tell him which universe we're at so he knows how to retrieve us if things go awry.
BATMAN: We don't have the time. We go in, we fix the problem, we leave. Understood?
MAJORITY: (Mumbling) Understood.
ALFRED: Are you sure I need to come?
NIGHTWING: Mhm. We need eight people to go. Otherwise, it'll mess up the frequencies.
BATMAN: Enough. We understand the mechanics and the assignment? Good. Activation in three, two, on-
And then, with a blink of light, they disappear. Even the machine is gone with them.
According to later interviews (Conducted by Carl Rat and Bob Darmon) with employees, Damian was shown the leaked footage at 11:01 AM.
At 11:30, he appeared in an interview for Gotham Streets, grinning wildly. No sign that anything was wrong at all.
Workers for Gotham Streets reported hearing screaming between the times of eleven and eleven-thirty. Although no source for this was ever confirmed.
[Video essay titled: "The Fall and Rise of the Wayne Family: a Retrospective of Damian Wayne." From YouTube Channel: wonderwizard300. This was published two and a half years after the disappearance. Six months after the footage was leaked.]
Timestamp: 1:13:53-1:16:24
The man sits in front of a crazed bulletin board. He is wearing a shirt with a wizard and John Constantine having a face-off. He looks vaguely hungover.
Wonderwizard300: And that... was when the footage was leaked.
He sighs.
Wonderwizard300: I was in my college dorm when it happened. My roommate dragged me over, showing it to me with this morbid fascination. And as someone who was closely following Damian Wayne, it was surreal. Absolutely surreal. Everyone had assumed something had taken them. Even Damian did, I'm sure. So, for the confirmation to be that they left?
He looks back at the bulletin board.
Wonderwizard300: And I knew the footage meant two things. One, the bats died. Or two, they chose not to return. And either way, it meant that their coming back was impossible. Even if they were alive.
He leans back, picking up a printed-out photo of a camera and pinning it to the overflowing bulletin board.
Wonderwizard300: We never saw any reaction from Damian Wayne to this news. I mean, surely he must have felt some way about it. But...
He shrugs.
Wonderwizard300: We'll never know.
[Security camera designed and upheld by Cyborg in the Justice League Headquarters. Files accessed and obtained through the help (and minor bribery) of John Constatine.]
[Recorded five hours after the footage was leaked. Thirty minutes after Damian's interview ended.]
Crowds of Justice League members are gathered, murmuring and looking at the screens on the wall, talking among themselves.
They are loud and confused, and then they are silent.
Parting, they divide as Damian Wayne storms through them. Identities are out in the open concerning him. He has abandoned his mask and hero outfit. Privacy long forgotten.
They know exactly who he is, who he was, and who he's related to. They cleared out of his path. His trail of anger and emotion as he walks, body etched with rage, eyes hollow and empty.
Damian was Robin. He is powerless. He was their ex-leader's son. He is a civilian. He was important to some of their most important heroes. He is brimming with unstable emotions. He was grieving. He is still grieving.
Damian pauses a foot away from Superman, looking up at the hero before him.
Superman reaches out a hand to place it on Damian's shoulder.
Damian swats it out of the way, voice flat and apathetic.
DAMIAN: Don't.
Superboy steps in between them.
SUPERBOY: Hey, Damian. Listen, I know-
DAMIAN: Well, look who finally decided to join us. How was your time off-world? Eventful?
SUPERBOY: Don't do this. Come on. I just-
DAMIAN: Get out of my way.
There is a long, drawn-out silence. Maybe it was something in Damian's voice. Or maybe it was the absence of something in Damian's voice. But Superboy steps back, hurt crossing over his features.
DAMIAN: Superman. I have a question for you.
SUPERMAN: Damian, I-
DAMIAN: Did you or did you not know that my... family was planning a suicide mission?
SUPERMAN: It wasn't a suicide mission. They fully intended to come back alive.
DAMIAN: Uh-huh.
SUPERMAN: I'm serious. That's all they did; they told me something had come up and they'd be gone. And if they weren't back in three days, to consider them dead. I was going to tell you, and then there was an attack on Metropolis. And by the time it was over...
DAMIAN: They were supposed to be back.
SUPERMAN: Yes.
DAMIAN: Who knew?
SUPERMAN: Just me, the commissioner, and a few chosen detectives. We knew they were dead and buried, so we faked an investigation.
DAMIAN: And no one told me?
SUPERMAN: I thought you knew! I thought the commissioner told you.
DAMIAN: Well- I- Someone could have destroyed their way back, right? What was it? Some alternate universe?
SUPERMAN: They couldn't have. The links are still active. The emergency buttons are working just fine. Either they've been manually disabled, or they had nothing to teleport with.
DAMIAN: Can't you trace the links? Can't you find them?
Superman kneels in front of Damian, looking up at him. Damian averts his gaze.
DAMIAN: I can't believe they chose that. Who chooses to leave?
SUPERMAN: People who thought they were going to come back.
DAMIAN: No. No. People don't die like that. So... stupidly. So pathetically. Not them. Especially not them.
SUPERMAN: People do. Humans do
DAMIAN: There has to be something more. Something you're lying about. That you're not telling me. What is it?! What aren't you telling me?!
SUPERMAN: Nothing, Damian. This is it. This is all we have.
Damian gives short, uneven breaths. Then, his expression twists in anger.
DAMIAN: You do! You have to! You have to know, you have- so tell me goddamnit! Where are they?! Where are they?! Where are they?! How can I follow them? How can I follow them?! I just- (softer, on the verge of tears) I just want to follow them. I'll follow them anywhere. Where are they?
Superman tries to wrap his arms around Damian.
SUPERMAN: I don't know, Damian. I don't-
Damian pushes him away, stumbling back. His fists clenched.
DAMIAN: Then- Then- Then, fuck you.
Damian looks around at all the heroes, staring at him. Watching like observers at a show. An audience of powerful spectators.
DAMIAN: Fuck- Fuck all of you.
When he leaves, he keeps his head held high. His face contorted. He is a bat, he is a Wayne, he is a ticking time bomb, he is a child, he is someone they care about, he is a cornered predator that only knows how to bite.
[Five hours after the previously shown footage, Damian is sitting alone at a fountain in the middle of a closed-down strip mall. Security camera installed by the shops.]
He holds out a few scraps of bread, hungrily eaten by the crows standing by his feet. A girl walks up, the crows scattering.
GIRL: You are a very difficult boy to find. When you want to be.
DAMIAN: Maya... You're in civilian clothing.
MAYA: Damian. You're also in civilian clothing. Although yours looks a bit more expensive than mine.
DAMIAN: Superman sent you.
MAYA: Yup. The fucking Boy Scout. Believe it or not, I actually didn't hear about your family until literally today. But, don't worry, I'm all caught up.
DAMIAN: Okay.
MAYA: If it helps, I'm sorry.
DAMIAN: It doesn't.
Maya sighs.
MAYA: I worried about that.
She sits next to him.
MAYA: You know, the stars are pretty dull in the city.
DAMIAN: What am I doing?
MAYA: You're enjoying the stars with me.
DAMIAN: No, like, what am I doing? What's the point of anything? I gave up being a vigilante, I gave up drawing, I gave up my life, and I lost most of my family. All I have left is my mother, Diana, and my pets. What's the point? What am I doing?
MAYA: When was the last time you were happy?
DAMIAN: When I was on morphine.
Maya blanches.
MAYA: You were on morphine?
DAMIAN: Long story.
MAYA: I have time.
DAMIAN: Maybe not that much time. I- Listen, do you want to know the truth?
MAYA: Always.
DAMIAN: Sometimes, I don't like being me. I like to pretend I'm someone else. (He swallows.) Like I'm a stranger watching this all play out on my couch, and I- Damian is on a television screen. Like that's me, and I'm someone else.
Maya frowns.
MAYA: Why?
DAMIAN: Because, then, no one truly knows me. Not even myself. And I can be...
He leans back, hair dipping into the fountain. For a moment, he stares at the sky while Maya stares at him.
DAMIAN: The stars are pretty dull.
[Footage from another Wayne Gala. Provided by an anonymous source.]
Damian stands off to the side, blazer in his hands. He sips a glass of punch, staring at his shoes.
Holly Holz walks up to him, wine in her hand. Damian bristles when he sees her.
DAMIAN: What are you doing here?
HOLLY: I work for Bea Colbert now. Convinced her to let me be her plus one. She's a lonely girl, so it wasn't hard.
DAMIAN: What do you want?
HOLLY: You think I'm so evil, don't you? Listen, I'm just trying to do my job. I never intended for you to develop such a strong dependency on it. But I caught glimpses of you in the interviews after it.
She laughs.
HOLLY: You did not hold up well without it.
Damian glares.
DAMIAN: And whose fault is that?
HOLLY: (Shrugging) I wasn't the one who told you to go off morphine. You could have stayed on it. It made you more likable, that's for sure.
She leans back against the wall, sighing.
HOLLY: This is a terrible way to celebrate your seventeenth birthday, don't you think?
DAMIAN: I can have you kicked out.
HOLLY: But you haven't.
DAMIAN: Well, maybe I will. Maybe I'll tell the whole world about you. I'm sure the public would love to know that you drugged one of your own clients. I'm sure that'd do great for your business model.
Holly glares. Her voice sharp and furious.
HOLLY: Listen to me once, Damian, and listen carefully.
She jabs a finger in his face.
HOLLY: When they split you open at twenty-seven after you've died of a drug overdose, they will find nothing inside of you except a whiny, crying, miserable fourteen-year-old boy. You will not escape yourself, Damian Wayne. You are just as pathetic as everyone else. So, fine. You can hold your galas and throw around your daddy's money, but just know that deep in your tiny, shriveled heart, you will spend the rest of your life waiting for people that will never arrive.
Her hand drops.
HOLLY: You won't say a word about anything I did. Because you know what, Damian? You need me. I built you.
Then, she turns and walks away. And Damian watches her leave. Hand gripping his glass so tight it shatters.
[Security feed from a Double-Ooh-Seven Gas Station]
Damian Wayne enters, wearing a large baggy sweater, baseball hat, and glasses. He slips among the shelves, pulling out a pack of bubblegum and a bag of chips off the shelf. He waits for a minute before walking to the front.
MAN: That's it?
DAMIAN: Yep.
The man checks them out slowly. Damian remains patiently still, but his fingers twitch.
MAN: Alright. Eight-ninty-nine.
Damian nods and looks at his wallet. His voice is dull and practiced. He pulls out a twenty-dollar bill.
DAMIAN: Do you have change for a twenty?
MAN: Sure.
He goes to look in the cash register.
DAMIAN: Actually, you can just- keep it. Here, take the whole thing. I don't want change.
MAN: Are you sure?
DAMIAN: Yes.
The man shrugs and takes it. Damian stares at him, as if waiting for something.
DAMIAN: Actually- Actually, I want to buy this too.
He grabs a tabloid magazine off the shelf, sliding it on the counter. The man snorts when he sees the cover. Damian blinks, expression shifting.
DAMIAN: That one's just horrendous, right? I mean, honestly, I never liked him.
The man chuckles, looking down at the tabloid magazine.
MAN: Yeah, always hated that brat. You know, I never believed that he cared about his family.
Damian seems to lighten up.
DAMIAN: Exactly! Myself, as well. After all, it's clear as day in the videos. It was obviously a publicity stunt. A way to make a quick buck out of pity points.
MAN: Thank you! I'm glad someone agrees with me. Nowadays, everyone loves him. I just don't understand it.
DAMIAN: Me neither. And I don't buy his happy-smiley thing he has going on. It's so false. Why are so many people falling for it?
MAN: Hundred percent. The mask is going to slip eventually. I mean, I remember what he was like before his family died. He was just a...
DAMIAN: Demon?
MAN: Yeah, a demon. Honestly, (in an exaggerated whisper) I'm pretty sure his family didn't even like him that much.
They both laugh.
EDITOR'S NOTE: For efficiency's sake, we've cut out the majority of events that happen in the four months after. They consist mostly of the usual interviews, talk shows, red-carpet appearances, paparazzi pictures, ecetera. They're not particularly useful for the majority of this and have been mostly seen by everyone anyway.
However, here is the full list for anyone who's interested.
[Security Camera footage from the Wayne Manor patio. Provided by Anonymous Source.]
Damian sits in the back, perched on one of the tables, holding Batman's cowl in his hands. He stares at it until Diana walks outside.
DIANA: Talia and I wanted to know where you wanted to-
She freezes when she sees him. Before storming over and snatching the cowl out of his hands.
DIANA: Give me that- what are you doing with this? Did you go into the Batcave?
DAMIAN: Didn't do a good enough job locking it down, did you? I wanted to have it. I want to have everything.
He sighs.
DAMIAN: Diana, why couldn't I be Batman?
DIANA: You know why I- and everyone- agreed that you should stay away from vigilantism, don't you?
DAMIAN: It was a stupid mistake. I don't understand why it cost me everything.
DIANA: It was a choice. And it would have cost you everything if you had... succeeded, you know that right?
DAMIAN: Have you told my mother?
DIANA: No. But you should. When you're ready.
Damian's head dips down. He looks at the cowl.
DAMIAN: I just wanted to hold it. I don't want to actually go back to being a superhero. I gave up on that one a long time ago.
Diana sighs sadly, coming to sit down next to him.
DIANA: I'm sorry. I never wanted to...
She swallows.
DIANA: I just couldn't lose you too. I lost your father, and you were all- you were all I had left of him. I can't protect you from everything, but I can protect you from this.
DAMIAN: I used to care a lot about being Robin. Or keeping the mantle. But I just... don't. Anymore. They're gone. And I'm still here.
He laughs.
DAMIAN: I mean, what would I even be, anyway? I couldn't be Robin. I'd be Batman. And no one wants to be Batman. Being Batman means pain. It means you've lost people you'll never be able to get back.
DIANA: I... I don't want you to become Batman, Damian. I won't let you. You know that's what your family would want. You know your siblings would be devastated to find out you became Batman. Probably your father too.
DAMIAN: I know. But can I just... can I hold it?
She hands the cowl back to Damian. He holds it carefully, looking into the empty eye sockets.
DAMIAN: Do you think they were... happy before they died?
DIANA: You believe they died now?
DAMIAN: I mean, the other option is they manually disabled their only way home. Sometimes death is the kinder way to be left.
DIANA: I don't know if they were happy when they died. I don't even know if they realized they were going to die, if the hit that killed them was the hit they wouldn't survive. But I do know one thing. In those three days in that unknown universe before they died, they missed you.
DAMIAN: How do you know that?
DIANA: Because I knew them.
Damian gives a small smile. And Diana smiles back at him. Slowly, Damian tilts toward Diana, resting his head on her shoulder. They sit like that for a while, the wind in their hair. Until, eventually, Talia comes out.
TALIA: Diana, I need the dinner order. And-
She pauses, grinning.
TALIA: (Whispering) Did he fall asleep on you?
DIANA: (Whispering) I think so.
TALIA: Hm, okay. We'll just order him the wraps.
Diana nods. She doesn't move, and neither does Talia. After a moment, Talia notices the cowl, walking over and quietly prying it from Damian's limp hands.
TALIA: Does he want to...?
They stare at each other, communicating something unspoken through their eyes alone.
DIANA: He can't become Batman, Talia. We know that. But I think- I think I was so focused on making sure he didn't turn out like Batman, I forgot about Bruce Wayne.
Talia hummed.
TALIA: And what was Bruce Wayne but a man consumed by grief?
[Security footage from the final Wayne Gala held so far. Provided by an anonymous source.]
Damian stands in the middle of the gala, laughing with the crowd around him.
One of the women- a well-known actress who paid a lot of money not to be named- grabs Damian's shoulder. He cringes away, obviously uncomfortable, but doesn't directly shake her off.
UNNAMED WOMAN: ...And then, Dami came over and told me-
DAMIAN: 'Dami'?
UNNAMED WOMAN: Yes! It's my nickname for you.
HUSBAND: Oh, that's so cute.
UNNAMED WOMAN: I know!
DAMIAN: It's... Honestly, I just preferred to be called Damian. I find nicknames frivolous.
The woman laughs.
UNNAMED WOMAN: Now, I know that one's not true! Didn't your family call you nicknames all the time?
DAMIAN: That was different. It was- It was a long time ago.
The unnamed woman laughs again, her husband helping hold her up. It's clear she's terrible at holding her liquor.
She leans over, grabbing his head and forcefully kissing the side of his face. He looks visibly uncomfortable and begins to make a subtle effort to distance himself from her with little success.
The group around makes small 'aww' noises, giggling among each other.
OTHER WOMAN: Damian, I have to ask you about-
Talia appears behind Damian, prying the unnamed woman off like she's a leech. She then drapes her arms around Damian, resting her chin on his head. An action that appears to soothe his uneasiness. One might even call it comforting.
TALIA: (Smiling) What's so funny?
OTHER WOMAN: Talia! I must say, you look stunning tonight.
TALIA: Why, thank you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to borrow my son for just one moment.
UNNAMED WOMAN: Hang on! We were talking to him.
TALIA: And your husband has been talking to Clarie Bellwoods in the manor's supply closet.
She flashes a sweet smile and tugs Damian away.
The woman turns to her husband.
UNNAMED WOMAN: ...Jeff?
Damian turns to face Talia once they're out of earshot, irritation clear on his face.
DAMIAN: If she ruins my gala...
TALIA: She's not going to ruin your gala. If anything, there'll be more buzz around to talk about. If it comes out to the public. Either way, you should be grateful I didn't kill her.
DAMIAN: It wasn't even that bad.
TALIA: You looked like you wanted to die. Besides, she wasn't listening to you.
Damian sighs.
DAMIAN: Did you even need me for anything?
TALIA: Of course I did. Do you remember why Diana came to live with you?
DAMIAN: Well, after the morphine-
TALIA: Before the morphine. At the very beginning. When it was maybe a month or so into that time when you refused to speak. She came to live with you. Why?
DAMIAN: I- I think she was concerned about my silence and wanted to check in. She eventually decided it'd be better if I didn't live alone. So she flew back to DC and brought her luggage to move in with me for a few months. To make sure everything was okay.
TALIA: Hm. Do you know what's funny?
Damian glances at her, confused.
DAMIAN: Uh... what?
TALIA: Diana gave me a very different answer. A very different, very contradictory, and- yet- very mundane answer. So much so that I feel like you both were trying to make up something on the spot to divert my focus.
Damian looks away.
DAMIAN: Well, she would know better than I do. I probably just got it wrong and-
TALIA: I know about the morphine, I know about your father- what could you possibly be keeping from me now?
She cups his face, turning it toward her.
TALIA: I think you're lying to me again, habibi. I think something happened to cause her to move in with you. And I'm going to figure out what.
She kisses his forehead and walks off.
[Two years, ten months, three days since the Wayne Family Disappearance.]
[A variety show interview called "Celebrities and You," where popular figures go on the street to interview civilians. The camera work is clearly hand-held and absurdly amateur, but that appears to be part of the charm.]
Damian walks, holding a microphone in his hand as he strolls the street. The woman behind the camera is talking to him as they walk.
WOMAN: So, do you visit here often?
Damian nods his head.
DAMIAN: Of course. I used to get groceries right over there. And that arcade was where- Well, yes. It's right by my house. Of course, I visit it often.
They walk in front of a fruit stand.
DAMIAN: Hey, Lilly, mind if we get you on camera?
LILLY: Oh my god, no, not at all, Damian... Wayne. It's so cool to see you here. You haven't visited in such a long time.
DAMIAN: Yeah, feels good to be back. Alright, let's get to the questions. What's it like running this stand?
He holds out the microphone for her to talk into.
LILLY: Oh, it can get boring sometimes. And crazy hot during the summer.
DAMIAN: Oh, definitely. I mean, I wish you were able to have a fan out here on those sorts of days.
LILLY: Ugh, yes! A fan would be so great.
DAMIAN: Well, out of all the options, which fruit would you recommend for me?
LILLY: Well, the strawberries were picked...
She trails off, noticing something. Damian pauses too, back straightening. He looks around, eyes narrowing. His friendly expression replaced with uneasy tension.
Gotham has grown... quiet. The hustle and bustle slowly turned into uneasy murmuring. It sounds wrong, even through the screen.
The camera turns, going in and out of focus as the crowd parts until... there. Walking down the street, looking around with panicked, baffled expressions are-
The Waynes.
Their hair is frazzled, eyes wide, breathing heavily. They crowd around each other, looking at the people surrounding them like aliens. They're searching for someone in the herd of people slowly building.
They notice Damian a few seconds after, recognition and relief appearing on their faces before it quickly dissolves into fear.
Most people, when reviewing the footage, claim that on first viewing, the silence felt like it lasted too long. In reality, it only lasted for a fragile thirty seconds.
The camera slowly pans back to Damian.
He is staring at the Waynes with an unreadable expression. He opens his mouth. And then he closes it.
And then, the boy laughs.
It is small. Like it slipped through his lips. Almost nervous in delivery.
He laughs again. This one louder, more unreal, more plastic, more like a sob.
Then, after another moment of silence, he drops the mic. He turns on his heels. And he runs.
That was the last time Damian Wayne was seen. As of writing this article. Or, at least, the last time he was recorded being seen.
It was one week ago. The entire world has been turned upside down with the return of the bats.
So, why did I write this article? Well, my co-author and I have this fascination with Damian. And with a bit of sleuthing, bribing, talking, and help from our anonymous source, we were able to compile a very clear timeline. Something that reveals a deep cut of Damian's time in the past three years.
And we did it all for you, Mr. Wayne. Or, am I speaking to Mr. Grayson, perhaps? I could go down the list of names (Todd, Drake, Thomas), but it would get much too dull (Cain, Brown, Pennyworth). The point is, we wanted to give you the facts. You and the public deserve to know what's going on.
I hope this provides clarity, understanding. Maybe even a bit of horror.
And, hey, the investigation is still at large. Maybe the answer is somewhere in here. Maybe there's a clue as to where Damian Wayne is hiding. But the truth of the matter, and what I hope was conveyed very clearly here, was that we'll never know. We can guess and theorize, write opinion pieces and poetry, but that says more about us than Damian, doesn't it?
'Where is Damian Wayne?' is less the key question here. Perhaps the question this article asks is: Why did Damian Wayne disappear?
But there is no answer. If I wanted one, I guess I'd have to ask Damian himself.
"The Disappearance of Damian Wayne"
Published by the Gotham Ghost. Written by Carl Rat and Bob Darmon.
Carl Rat is an investigative Gotham Ghost reporter who has worked with the Ghost for nearly twenty years. He specializes in celebrity gossip, helping uncover the Sparrow Scandal from a few years back. He's interested in stories that are gripping, ugly, and dramatic.
Bob Darmon is an up-and-coming columnist for the Gotham Ghost after leaving his job with the Gotham City Police around a year ago to pursue telling the truth and uncovering facts. He's worked hand in hand with Rat to create some of the most haunting stories the Ghost has put out yet.
"Well?" Jason asked, looking up when Dick entered the kitchen. He tried to act casual, but his voice betrayed him. It had anxiety traced all over it. "What did you find?"
"Look at this," Dick said, his voice surprisingly vacant. He looked down at the newspaper in his hand before letting it flop onto the table.
"No one reads actual newspapers anymore," Tim muttered, not looking up from his computer. He chewed on his nails nervously. The frantic typing echoed through the room. "It's online, isn't it?"
"Just... look at this," Dick sighed as, slowly, Jason picked the papers up. The words in the title made his eyes widen. Dick addressed the nine people all crammed in the kitchen, voice heavy. "It's an article," he said. "From the Gotham Ghost. About Damian. Addressed to us."