Batman's Greatest Fear Keeps the Bat-Family in Fear

Batman's greatest contribution to the DCU may be the Bat-Family, but Batman's Dark Nightmare: Noel reveals the real reason Bruce created the team.

The Bat-Family may be one of Batman's greatest success stories, but a nightmare could cloud the team's goals. Batman: Noel reveals the real reason that might have really motivated Bruce Wayne to form his team and keep such a tight grip on them.

Batman may have a reputation for being lonely, but the truth is that he almost always has someone by his side. The Bat-Family has come a long way since Bruce embarked on a mission to rid Gotham of criminal activity. What began a long time ago as a simple mission developed into an operation full of Robin and Batgirl to help Batman realize his vision. Despite some missteps and tragedies along the way, the Bat-family has perfected their work over time. Batman is the leader of the team, and he helps ensure Gotham is safe for the next generation after he's gone.

However, Batman's twisted fantasy may have accidentally revealed the hero's dark reasoning for creating the Bat-family. In Batman: Lee Bermejo's Noel, Batman is spending his Christmas Eve trying to track down the Joker. Batman returns to his Batmobile after talking to Superman Just for it to explode, manipulated by the Clown Prince of Crime. Batman survived, but his bell rang loudly, giving the Joker ample opportunity to eliminate his foe. As Batman's consciousness fades in and out, and he has a dark vision of a potential future in his own death, everything in Gotham turns to hell. The streets are rife with crime, and the only thing keeping order in the streets is a group of Batman-inspired vigilantes who use extreme violence and murder to bring peace.

Batman Needs The Bat-Family To Protect His Legacy

It's hard to see Bruce Wayne's legacy as Batman being corrupted by a group of ultra-violent vigilantes, especially considering how cautious Bruce is when adding new members to the Bat-family. Bruce has incredibly high standards when it comes to who he trusts to bear his mark and work directly with him. While much of this is likely due to him making sure everyone is safe as much as possible, it seems like what Batman really wants is to avoid the future he's dreamed of.

Bruce Wayne is determined to save Gotham, but even he knows he won't last forever. The Bat-Family is a team that shares Batman's beliefs and wants to help Gotham thrive. But it seems the team exists to combat Bruce's greatest fear: his symbol being destroyed in his absence. Bruce is going to die one day, and when he's not around, anyone can easily put on the Bat emblem and start doing justice, whether they fit Batman's principles or not. The Bat-Family may help Bruce in his mission to fight the menace of Gotham, but they may also exist only to allow Batman to protect his legacy long after his death.