Hypothetical Question: Should Bruce Offer Terry and His Family to Live at Wayne Manor?

[Winter]

I dunno, I actually like it because it makes Batman into Big Boss and Terry into Solid Snake.

For me, it undercuts Terry's character. That there is nothing special about him. He's a former delinquent who comes from a middle class family who cross paths with Batman and learns that Bruce Wayne is Batman by accident and then steals the Batsuit to avenge his father. As Bruce himself says, "Terry...I've been thinking about something you once told me. And you were wrong. It's not Batman that makes you worthwhile. It's the other way around. Never tell yourself anything different."

But with the reveal that Terry was genetically destined to be Batman, only exists because of Batman and that Bruce knew all this and decided to let Terry be Batman to carry on his legacy gives the impression that No, Terry is only worthwhile because of Batman, anyone else who says differently is selling something.

Oh sure Justice League Unlimited tries to make it seem that what Bruce said before still appeals but then you look at Terry in that episode. He's been redesigned to look more like Bruce, he's more brooding like Bruce, his cloths have changed to better line up with Bruce's sense of style and his voice has changed to sound more like Bruce. The episode SAYS one thing the framing of that episode says the exact opposite.

Hence why Terry in my series would be a red head (he dies his hair at first but stops after a while) to make clear that Terry is the biological son of Warren and Mary McGinnis. Plus we already have the son of Batman in Damian and frankly the series has done more with that idea than what's been doing with Terry.

[Thebestoftherest]

IT feels like the right of kings garbage, that only people of a certain blood can matter.

[CharlesPhipps]

IT feels like the right of kings garbage, that only people of a certain blood can matter.

Which is strange given that Bruce's other children are all adopted.

For me, it's about subverting that expectation.

That Bruce when faced with a child of his own blood....desperately would want him NOT to be Batman and grow up happy.

Which sadly would also mean avoiding anything to do with him.

[Winter]

IT feels like the right of kings garbage, that only people of a certain blood can matter.

Which is strange given that Bruce's other children are all adopted.

For me, it's about subverting that expectation.

That Bruce when faced with a child of his own blood....desperately would want him NOT to be Batman and grow up happy.

Which sadly would also mean avoiding anything to do with him.

I think the best way to look at this is by contrasting it with Dick. To my knowledge Dick is the only other member of that Batfamily who has taken on the mantel of Batman and stayed that was for a year or so. Dick is the next in line to become Batman should anything happen to Bruce followed by Tim if something happens to Dick/If Dick doesn't want to become Batman.

Bruce didn't choose Terry. No one choose Terry to be Batman Except Terry. Terry isn't a chosen one, he's the one who chooses. He's the one who breaks into Wayne Manor and steals the Batsuit from Bruce. He's the one who convinces Bruce to let him be Batman for at least an hour to avenge his father. He's the one who does that Batman has never been able to do, Break the Joker by playing his own game.

Making Terry his son and having Bruce be aware of that diminishes Terry because now it's Terry had no choice. He was going to be Batman one way or another. It was his destiny.

I'm not against this kind of story but that's the story it was until Epilogue. The reason I see Return of the Joker as the perfect finale for the series is because of its ending. Joker has been dismissive of Terry this whole time, calling him Batfake and brushing him off as a pretender to the thrown. And then he faces him and quickly realizes that this isn't Bruce but he IS Batman.

And Joker just can't except the fact that he's not dealing with Bruce and that he's being bested by some no name nobody who wasn't even really chosen by Bruce to succeed him but stole from him.

That's why Bruce being his dad bugs me, why so many of the BB comics bug me, because the series is doing everything it can to turn Terry into Bruce. Terry's enemies and allies are now children of Bruce's enemies and allies. Mr. Fixx didn't kill Terry's dad, the son and or grandson of Joe Chill did. Terry now has his own Catwoman to deal with the Jokerz have gone from just a gang to the series trying to make the Next Joker and try to forget that Blight is Terry's arch nemesis.

IMO, Terry is at his best when he's just Terry McGinnis. Former juvenile delinquent Turn Dark Knight. The first character in the series to take on the title of Batman and the only other character in the series to hold that title instead of becoming Robin.