Slade was Robin's obsession- any one of the Teen Titans would agree.
But why?
Why was Robin so easily pushed off guard by this one criminal? Why could he never beat Slade- regardless of how hard he trained? Why were the walls of his room littered with articles listing Slade's crimes, and theories of his identity? Why did he spend so much of his time trying piece the puzzle together, when he knew he couldn't find anything?
Cyborg thought it was because Robin was determined. After being beaten so much, after being pushed around by Slade, Robin wanted him gone. He needed to find him and stop him, or he would continue to doubt himself.
Starfire didn't like thinking about Slade when she thought about Robin- it angered and saddened her. Robin tried so hard to do the right thing, and then Slade turned up and ruined everything! Why could he not leave them alone? It was not Robin's fault! Robin could not help but take the bait and follow the trial that was left to him, like a Glorg would chase after a Zarnic.
Raven had her theories, and they pointed towards his old mentor. Slade was always telling Robin he needed to do better- just like Batman ha d(she'd seen that much through her encounters with Robin). Maybe Robin thought that if he could catch Slade and prove him wrong, he would finally feel like he had left Batman's shadow.
Beast Boy took the less emotional approach to the question- Robin was just trying to catch Slade because he was a really bad guy. Even if he did go nuts and all that whenever Slade popped up, it was all for the best… right?
Still, no matter how hard the other's tried, they could not understand the true depth of the problem.
His voice set Robin's teeth on edge- so calm and collected and infuriating.
He twisted everything around and made Robin's life hard.
He left traps for Robin and expected him to solve them, and if Robin couldn't, Slade would say he was disappointed. He made it seem like Robin should care about the stupid games. He wanted to train him just like Batman had- he was always showing holes in Robin's training, and making the teen feel uncertain about his role as leader, and angry for and at Batman. He was angry because Batman hadn't taught him everything he needed to know, and outraged on his mentor's behalf, because Batman had taught him everything and Slade was being an ass.
Worst of all, Slade knew how to get his way. Oh he could have tried torturing Robin, but the boy was too tough for that- all Slade needed to do was threaten the other Titans, or some innocent civilians and he had Robin wrapped around his finger. Robin hated that. He hated that Slade could make him do things- had made him do things. He'd stolen for Slade, attacked his friends on the man's command and there had been no loophole until his friends had figured things out and gone to rescue him.
The true reason for the obsession was simple, and yet so far reaching at the same time. Slade was evil, cunning, determined, calm, frustrating, egotistical, manipulative and well-trained, but above all else, he was an extortionist. The very same type of criminal that drove Robin into a costume with the same colours as traffic-light.
Slade had made Robin feel weak. He'd been defenseless and at the mercy of his enemy, all because he couldn't bear to see another family killed at the hands of an extortionist. That was a long time ago -back before he'd become Robin- but the wounds were still fresh, and if his adopted father's life was anything to go by, they probably always would be.
It had happened at Haly's Circus, during the time when young Richard Grayson entertained crowds with his parents, up on the trapeze. They were the amazing Flying Grayson's! His family were famous aerialist and the main attraction for circus goers. They'd been doing so well for business on tour that Mr. Haly decided the troupe would go and perform in Gotham.
And then he'd come. Tony Zucco. A crime lord of Gotham City that had demanded money from Haly for 'protection'. "Accidents happen, Haly," Richard remembered him saying, as the creep walked out of the red and white tent. "You're making a big mistake."
What none of them had known that night was that Zucco and his thugs had tampered with the trapeze equipment. The ropes holding his parents had snapped, and there was nothing Richard could do to save them. He had become an orphan, become Robin, all because a piece of slime like Zucco was looking for his next pay day.
Slade's plans were bigger than that, but it didn't change how Robin saw him. He would do anything to get what he wanted- lie, steal, threaten and manipulate. Robin had seen what he was the second he saw him, after tricking Thunder and Lightning into doing things for his personal gain.
And then he threatened the lives of Robin's friends- his family. Immense dislike for the villain had turned to pure hatred, and Robin had begun to scare himself with his own thoughts. He had a vow to never kill, and he didn't ever want to break it, but there had been times during his 'apprenticeship' when he'd amused himself with murderous thoughts. Most of them had been fairly light-hearted, like stuffing that damned controller down Slade's throat, while others had promised suffering in ways the Joker would have approved of.
So he fought Slade.
He distanced himself from his friends whenever Slade reappeared, because he wanted them safe. He wanted the others to be out of the way so Slade wouldn't hurt them, and Robin wouldn't feel like it was his fault.
He had to catch Slade.
Not to lay his own demons to rest, but to lock up another monster and keep his family whole.
Robin wouldn't lose another family to another extortionist.
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R&R!