[ad_1]
Ever since he joined Batman’s crusade, the hero now known as Red Hood has gone through a lot of changes. From being a problematic Boy Wonder to a specter that haunted his allies, Jason Todd has played a lot of roles in the Bat-Family. But what does the history of Red Hood reveal about his character? And can a deep-dive into Jason’s journey potentially reveal the true nature of the long-struggling vigilante?
Screen Rant has put together a definitive look at Jason Todd’s past, present and potential future to give fans everything they ever wanted to know about the Red Hood.
Jason Todd: Robin, The Boy Wonder
While fans are likely familiar with the Post-Crisis origin of Jason that was shown in Batman #408, Jason Todd’s very first appearance was quite different. Making his debut in Batman #357 as an unnamed member of the trapzee artists, the Flying Todds, Jason is a redheaded acrobat. His parents would be killed in Detective Comics #526, which led to him being adopted by Bruce and subsequently hired as the newest Boy Wonder after discovering the Batcave and an old Robin suit. But after Crisis on Infinite Earths, this origin was changed to have Batman discovering Jason Todd stealing wheels off the Batmobile.
Interestingly enough, in the few short years before DC’s reality reset with Crisis, Jason was a completely different sort of Robin than the one most fans are familiar with now. In addition to the similarities between Jason and Dick’s origin, Jason’s personality was very much like the Robin that preceded him. He was a go-getter that was determined to be Batman’s sidekick, even though Bruce wasn’t keen on the idea of giving him the role. However, with the Post-Crisis characterization, Jason had more edge and came from a much more tragic background. The rebellious tendencies of Jason Todd are something that would be a core aspect of his characterization years on.
Jason Todd: The Cautionary Tale
In addition to Jason’s more defiant nature, the Robin was also more intense when it came to dealing with criminals. He was much more brutal with criminals, with Batman having to reprimand him for going over the line. Jason was also more impulsive, running headlong into danger in spite of the consequences. This spontaneity had dire results for the Robin during the infamous Batman story arc “A Death in the Family” when Jason’s desperation to reunite with his mother kickstarts a chain of events that ends with Joker killing Jason Todd. For the first time, a Robin had been killed in the line of duty, and though Jason shuffled off the mortal coil, he took on a dark new role in the Bat-Family.
For the better part of two decades, Jason Todd wasn’t around. In fact, the only lingering presence he had was his Robin costume that was turned into a memorial in the Batcave. The death of Jason had a profound effect on the Bat-Family, with Bruce taking it the hardest. Batman wanted to retire the role altogether until Tim Drake managed to earn the title. But even when Tim Drake became Robin, Jason served as a cautionary tale, letting future Robins know that safety was not guaranteed working alongside Batman. Though he was gone, Jason Todd became a symbol for the dangers the Bat-Family faced in their mission.
Jason Todd: Red Hood
Thanks to the machinations of Superboy-Prime in Infinite Crisis, Jason Todd returned to the land of the living. But upon his arrival, Jason began walking a very dark path. In a story that rivaled the infamy of “A Death in the Family”, the “Under the Hood” storyline brought Jason back and ratcheted up the character’s intense and violet nature. As the Red Hood, Jason sought to prove that Batman’s way of fighting crime was inefficient and Todd acted as judge, jury and executioner towards criminals. Since his Post-Crisis change, Jason had always had issues with anger and violence. But in taking on the Red Hood mantle, Jason found himself free to be his most unrestrained and destructive self.
After Red Hood’s proper introduction to canon, he spent the remaining years before the New 52 serving as a minor foil to the Bat-Family. Because of the trauma he incurred, Jason kept himself at arm’s-length from his former allies. In fact, he demonstrated a desire to replace Batman after Bruce disappeared during Final Crisis. Jason Todd briefly assumed the Batman role during Battle for the Cowl to give Gotham the Dark Knight he felt it deserved. He also modified his Red Hood outfit to give himself a more ‘traditional’ superhero look. Though his methods were unbefitting of the Bat-Family, it was clear that Red Hood wanted to be a hero more than anything else.
Jason Todd: Bat-Family Member
The last decade has seen numerous improvements for Jason. As part of his characterization in the New 52, Jason grew into a team player and a surprisingly great leader. He led several incarnations of Red Hood’s team, the Outlaws, and joined the Bat-Family much more often on their adventures. There was tension, but Jason has slowly purged himself of most of the anger he’s harbored since coming back to life. He’s even made concentrated steps to grow as hero, putting his trademark pistols aside for some less-lethal options. That isn’t to say that Jason’s become a pushover as of late, but he has seriously chilled out to the point where he could rejoin his family once more.
In probably the greatest change for the character, Red Hood is at a point in his life where he and Batman trust one another again. When Red Hood was involved with Task Force Z, he convinced Bruce to let him lead a crew of villains so that he could uncover a dark plot that put all of Gotham in danger. The trust between the two is reciprocal as Future State: Gotham showed that Jason was willing to infiltrate the Magistrate on the order of someone he believed to be Bruce Wayne. There’s been a lot of uneasiness between Batman and Red Hood ever since Jason was killed. But now the two have a relationship where they know they can rely on each other once more.
The history of Jason Todd is a brutal one, but for better or worse, he’s grown considerably. Though he’s had some traumatic few years, Red Hood has evolved into one of the Bat-Family’s most complex members.
[ad_2]
Source link
Armessa Movie News