Mitch Grayson Might Be My Isekai Self-insert Proxy But That's Not Hurting Anyone

The Batman (2022)

Psychoanalyzation of Batman and the Riddler

This movie is about the corrupt officials running the crime ridden city of Gotham. Batman is trying to uncover it all, as the Riddler brings everything into public attention. He wants to show the truth of the lying, murder, and corruption that is behind public officials in their city. He wants them to pay for their sins, as he says. Batman wants to protect the city from crime, be a figure to scare it away–he stands for justice. They both want to stand for justice, unmasking the truth, and bringing vengeance–something good. They do this through secret identities, personas, scare tactics, violence, and in the riddlers case murder. In that way, Batman and the riddler both represent something so similar yet slightly different.

Bruce Wayne – a millionaire's son, parents murdered on the street, and from a young age was forced to take on the responsibility of being a Wayne. Carrying a family legacy, being part of the big public eye, businesses, etc. When he took on the role of being Batman, it was a subconscious comfort for him. Something more therapeutic than realized. It became his main identity, his life. “Two years of nights have turned me into a nocturnal animal,” he says.

Bruce Wayne is secluded, wasn’t seen often. Growing up in such a dark place, no father, no mother, no support other than money–you’re bound to be this depressive figure. It’s an interesting depiction of depression, the loss of motivation to work, to follow those forced schedules that only drain you. Like Alfred tells him, “you have to keep up appearances, you’re still a Wayne.” Depression isn’t noticed in someone like this. Growing up with so much fear, in a city like this, he developed a complex. This conversation he has with Alfred, about the Wayne family legacy and what he’s doing; “I don’t care about that. Any of that,” he says.

“You don’t care about your family’s legacy?”

“What I'm doing is my family's legacy. If I can't change things here, if I can't have an effect, then I don’t care what happens to me.” He’s enraptured in his life as Batman, but he believes it’s what is needed. His family were public officials, trying to change the city for the better–that’s what he wants as well. It’s a cycle; Losing his parents at a young age → becoming an orphan, not having a healthy childhood with key protections → learning to fight fear on his own → protecting other people from danger to feel complete → still afraid, but subconsciously unaware and trying to fight it with public vigilance and inflicting fear. “Fear is a tool.”

The riddler has a better read on Batman then is really noted by Batman’s actual character. Perhaps he did know these things, just suppressed it, or perhaps it was all subconscious. Both the Riddler and Batman grew up as orphans. The difference is one was poor, and one was very privileged. The similarities they carried sparked the Riddlers' interest in him. He said that he was inspired by Batman; “you showed me all it takes is fear and a little focused violence–you inspired me.” Batman tries to avoid the realization his actions of trying to make things better inspired terrorism and the birth of a criminal who destroyed the city, it angers him. But eventually, he realizes what he needed to do differently. It only took the near death of a father-figure, falling in love then losing that love, a demolished city, and a few crazy criminals to make him say, “vengeance won’t change the past.”

Unlike Batman, the Riddler is actually aware of the similarities in their psyche, and believes they are almost the same. “Your mask is amazing. I wish you could of seen me in mine. Ain’t it funny? All everyone wants to do is unmask you, but they’re missing the point. You and I both know I’m looking at the real you right now.” He believes that he can read him, connect to them on a level of their actions and trauma. He sees the similarity between them. Batman, on the other hand, refuses to see it that way. He recognizes that yes, they were both orphans, both grew up in a melancholic, crime ridden city, and developed trauma because they were never properly taken care of. Alongside that, the truth of his fathers death being revealed is also making him come to his own reality. But if he has to face that reality, that everything he has devoted his life, his coping to for the past 2 years was pretty much a huge infringement, he has to reevaluate everything he was afraid of.

Edward Nashton, the Riddler, is a character shaped by systemic neglect and the corruption of Gotham City. Unlike Batman, whose trauma stems from the privileged position of a very wealthy orphan, the riddler represents the unseen stuffing masses of people of Gotham. He verbalates this anger and disparity with his very emotionally charged monologues:

“Do you know what being an orphan is? It's thirty kids to a room, twelve year olds and already a drophead, numbing the pain. You wake up screaming with rats chewing your fingers, and every winter one of the babies dies because it's so cold. But, oh no! Let's talk about the billionaire with the lying, dead daddy because at least money makes it go down easy, doesn't it? Bruce Wayne.”

The Riddler discreetly confronts the hypocrisy of Gotham's social and societal hierarchy. His hatred towards Bruce Wayne is just personal jealousy—it's ideological. He sees Bruce Wanye as a symbol of the privileged elite who willingly remain ignorant to the suffering of those less fortunate than others. Unlike Batman, the Riddler has no moral code to limit his actions. His belief in vengeance is absolute which leads him to enact what he sees as justice through sadistic and almost theatrical murders. The quote, “It can be cruel, poetic, or blind. But when it is denied, it's your violence you may find.” really encapsulates his perspective that justice is an obligation and when it's absent, chaos and discretion are the only recourse.

Despite their big ideological differences, the Riddler and Batman share a lot of disturbing similarities: they are both productions of Gothams’ corruption, both operate in the shadows, and both seek to expose the city's darkest and most corrupt secrets. The Riddler takes Batman's methods to an extreme, demonstrating how close the line between villain and hero can be. One of the most chilling moments in the film is when the Riddler expresses admiration for Batman, claiming he was inspired by him: “You showed me what was possible. You showed me all it takes is fear and a little focused violence. You inspired me!” This statement forces Batman to confront the possible consequences of his actions. His presence in Gotham, meant to be a force of good and a beacon of hope, has bred figures such as the Riddler, who takes his ideology and distorts it into something more sinister.

While Batman is known to only work alone, he does surround himself with allies but he keeps them at arm's length, while the Riddler is defined by his isolation. He is a man who has spent his whole life feeling invisible, his pain is ignored by the very system he tries to dismantle. His belief in his cause is so strong that he assumes Batman will join him in his big plan and mission, further emphasizing his detachment of reality and his furtherment into delusion. In his final monologue he says: “Oh, if only you knew how long I've been waiting for this day, for this moment. I've been inisale my whole life. I guess I Won't be anymore, will I? They remember me now. They'll remember both of us.” This moment really cements the Riddler as a tragic figure. His entire life has been consumed by the needs for recognition, and in his mind, his grand plan has finally achieved that. He doesn't want to be remembered—he wants to be understood.

The Riddler serves as a reminder of gothams failures. Where Batman chooses to fight against corruption while adhering to a strict moral code, the Riddler embraces the city's darkness. He forces both Batman and the audience to confront the uncomfortable truths about systemic inequality. In the end, the Riddler stands alone, not because of his lack of purpose, but because his means of achieving justice are too extreme even for Gothams dark savior.

By the end of the movie Batman won the battle, but the Riddlers message still stands—justice in Gotham is not just about vengeance; it's about understanding who is allowed to suffer and why

Notes - This is our first essay we have written together!! Half was written by me (scout) and half was written by maddie. We love watching these movies and digging deeper into the characters and plot. If you have any recommendations—please share! - S+M

I've given enough angst lately. Have something amusing:

Chef Bernard Dowd on Hell's Kitchen.

Imagine it, please. Imagine Tim gripping with bloody hands to the shreds of his self-control, trying not to physically attack Chef Gordan Ramsey for yelling at Bernard for fucking up the risotto.

People who say Bernard is boring are admitting to skill issues. Like, you really can't think up anything about him? This guy? This little whacko is dull to you? He is so chock-full of potential. He has years of potential angst or hilarity we haven't seen. He's a great reminder that Gotham is full of people as "boring" as anyone else in the real world.

He's just. He's a guy. He's a guy in love.

Just things

StephCass is canon the way the People have responded to official UNO rules

(Art is by the amazing @dahtwitchi. This is a freeform collab with no real goal)

SugarTobi moans quietly, rolling his hips against gvTobi with a short gasp against his neck. "F-Fuck...Yeah, yes, he'd like...Not too deep, we haven't, ah, trained ourselves yet..." SugarTobi's other hand braces itself on the eldest Tobi's hip and squeezes appreciatively. "Yeah, let him suck...He learns so fast~"

The youngest is shaking, lips parted and breath hot on gvTobi's thumb. His hand slides down the other him's arm to loosely hold his wrist. He wants to move forward himself, curl his tongue around the digit and take it into his mouth, but...Fuck, he also wants the other version if himself to take charge and...and fuck his mouth with whatever he damn well pleases. ("Not too deep". How embarrassing. What, is he the only one here with a gag reflex?)

SugarTobi's eyes flicker up to find gvMadara's, dazed and already near to falling into subspace. "Right..." he returns his attention to the man in his arms. "Command me, then. Tell me what you want me to do to your lovely body..." Dizzily, he becomes certain that he has spent too much time around Madara to have picked up some of his favorite descriptors of Tobi's body.

He huffs a laugh against his elders shoulder as he changes hands and begins to massage the man's nipples. That's new, too. Neither Sugar personally care about those, so...it's interesting. Caressing the parts of this body that is so similar to his own that if he looks down he can almost pretend he is touching himself. "Of course...don't go far past the uvula. He likes when you pet his tongue and let him suck..." A full body shiver goes through the youngest and he whines needly. "The...The palatine tonsils should be the limit..."

SugarTobi watches, enraptured, as his younger self begins to drift into subspace from gvTobi's fingers and voice alone. "Fuck...he's falling already? Wow..." He lightly bites his elder's shoulder to make sure he's paying attention. He's a bit jealous of the youngest, but won't let himself fall until he is sure that gvTobi can handle both or either of them. "He's going to be...extremely suggestible like this. Obeying orders is going to leave him euphoric...could probably get him off with praise alone." Not that SugarTobi knows anything about that. Madara's voice telling him what a good boy his is has certainly never brought him to one of the most intense orgasms of his life, no.

"It's....complete trust. If you get overwhelmed or don't want him...send him to my Madara; he will treat him well." He glances at the man he is speaking of and draws a short, stuttering breath at the intensity of the attention the Madaras are giving to them. The two Madaras in varied states of undress almost make him laugh and do fill him with a sense of accomplishment. Some of the most powerful ninja in the world are shucking their robes and running their hands over each other while hardly looking away from the trio of pretty lookalikes.

He meets the passionate gaze of the eldest Madara and presses his thumb down just a bit on the head of his alternate's dick on his next stroke. SugarTobi might shoot the man an arrogant smirk as he does.

Truly, this is the DC artists giving us a cheeky wink and a nod that not only do Tim and Bernard do freaky rooftop sex, they do freaky sideways building sex.

Every time a Gothamite tweets about seeing Batman and Catwoman getting frisky on a roof, Tim and Bernard one-up them. Pretty soon Gotham is like "BatCat, who? Red Robin and Tuxedo Maskless over there are doing things that defy both physics and public decency laws"

DC needs to give Tim Drake either an age-up + a new suit, or, give him the most badass, diabolical villain arc known to man.

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No notes, just joy

Thinking back to this panel, I think Tim has an opportunity to be the biggest little shit if truth serum gets involved.

Villain: With that truth serum flowing through Batman's little sidekick's veins, he will have no choice but to reveal the bat's deepest secrets.

Tim (as Robin): So whatever I say now will have to be accepted as the truth, no matter what?

Villain: Yes, because you have no other options.

Tim:

Tim: Batman called me dad once.

I bet he only really had a contingency plan for Damian just as a therapy thing. Like how some people write fanfiction. Everyone else's plans was the equivalent of "meme on them", "join them", or "pretend I'm Batman trying to talk Superman out of mind control (again) (wear chapstick, this could get gay)"

Tim Drake (1998): I don't make contingency plans because I have friends, unlike Batman who is a friendless loser

Tim Drake (2009): My contingency plans have contingency plans

Sometimes I really love being an old fuck and remembering when Tim Drake was just a clever kid who was part of a loving middle class family living in a brownstone in Gotham City. The parents were gone often, but that's why he was in boarding schools. He only followed Batman around to take pictures when the guy was crashing out and Tim needed proof to bring to Dick.

The fanon zeitgeist has mushed him around a bit and now he's seen as an abused little stalker who lived alone in a mansion because his parents are so neglectful.

And you know what? You do you, boos. Your writing and art and everything mean something to you. You go ahead and use this little guy to work through whatever it is that you're struggling with in life. Make him hurt so the hugs feel better. Combine your special interests and make that au that only three people will understand.