JayToddz for the masses

Introducing Friday Femmes

Fans of Jason Todd are often quick to point out his particular consideration and respect for women as one of his best features. But who are the important women in his life, and what roles do they occupy? fuckyeahjasontodd is beginning a series of bi-weekly articles dedicated to the fascinating women of Jason’s world. Inspired by this post, the series will (hopefully) continue indefinitely until we run out of ladies. Suggestions are welcome!

Talia Al Ghul: Mentor/friend

Arguably the most important woman currently in Jason’s life, Talia is responsible for healing Jason in the Lazarus pit and bringing him back to full awareness of the world.

Read more about Talia after the cut!

When Jason was first resurrected he remained in the exact same state the Joker had left him in - alive, but grievously wounded and with severe head injuries. His injuries were enough to leave him comatose for at least a year, until he awoke and fled the hospital. Lost and brain-damaged, he wandered the streets of Gotham, fending for himself by pure instinct until Ra’s Al Ghul discovered him, and, hoping to uncover the secret of his resurrection, took him in.

Jason recently revealed in Batman & Robin #23 that he can remember at least some of his time spent lost and alone, and we can infer from this that he was probably able to appreciate and benefit from Talia’s kind treatment after he was rescued. And although Ra’s described the brain-damaged Jason as an unthinking, emotionless shell there is plenty to suggest that this wasn’t true. As Talia pointed out, even though Jason would retaliate reflexively when hit, he never struck back if when it was she who provoked him, implying that he was able to recognise her even in his damaged state.

Although mute and unresponsive, Jason acted as something of a confidant for Talia, who seemed to feel a motherly affection towards him. While it is very likely that it was his status as Bruce’s son that originally endeared him to her, he eventually seemed to become precious to her in his own right as well. Most importantly, Talia believed in him. She saw value and potential in him, even if he wasn’t cognizant of the fact at the time, and to someone with Jason’s insecurities that must be a powerful thing.

However, after his restoration in the Lazarus pit their relationship became more complicated. While Talia arranged Jason’s new training as a *lethal* vigilante this time, the writing gradually changed from emphasising the mother/son aspect of their relationship to focusing on the similarities between them. They are both lonely characters who are deeply private (or even dishonest) about their innermost feelings and motivations, they both have troubled relationships with a parental figure whose methods and morals they cannot fully agree with, and, most importantly, they both love Bruce but feel betrayed and abandoned by him. The addition of a sexual dimension to their relationship further complicates their exact relationship - while they did sleep together, it seems wrong to describe their relationship as ‘romantic,’ since there is no indication that either wishes to pursue a committed relationship with the other. However, the uneasy overlap between Talia’s status as mother figure and her status as a possible lover makes their relationship anything but simple to summarise.

A potential threat to their currently positive relationship is Jason’s ambivalent history with parental figures, and in particular mothers. It was his loving memories of his step-mother Catherine that led him to trust his birth mother so quickly and instinctively - a misplaced trust that was brutally destroyed. And although Talia seems to genuinely care for him, she has been less than honest during some of their interactions. So far none of her manipulation has been performed with the intent to hurt Jason, but we do know that he has (justified) trust issues, and that he really, really hates feeling manipulated and used. It’s not hard to imagine Jason reacting badly to some future miss-step on Talia’s part, and, as his feud with Bruce shows, he can react with furious anger to perceived betrayal.

On Talia’s part, we have seen that she is the most comfortable with Jason when she feels that she has control over him. She believed in his potential when he was brain-damaged, but after his restoration we saw her misgivings begin to take over. She was deeply unsettled by his plan to kill Bruce, and sought to change his mind through stalling and misdirection. At some points she even wondered whether restoring him in the first place was a mistake, recalling her father’s words that she had “unleashed a curse upon the world.” Both Talia and Jason have a vested interest in the batfamily, and it’s possible that at some point these interests may conflict once again. And, if one believes Morrison’s take on Talia, defiance can be grounds for disownment. Talia believed in Jason. As far as we know, she still does. But isn’t part of Jason’s tragedy the fact that he tends to disappoint the people who believe in him?

Either way, at the moment it’s clear that Jason feels deep gratitude towards Talia, seeing her as a saviour, mentor and friend. She also had a deep impact on his activities as the Red Hood, since it was she who originally encouraged him to contact Hush, and she who supplied him with money and weaponry. However, it is unclear how much influence she has over his current vigilante activities.