Jason
I don't know if it's just me, but I feel like trouble has a habit of following me. Like everything I touch turns to shit. I've been tortured, died, been brought back from death. Nothing goes the way I want it to.
As a child I was alone, and I learnt foremost that that's the best thing to be. That was until I met Bruce. Lucky asshole found me trying to steal tires from the Batmobile, trying to scrounge up some meagre piece of opportunity Gotham had to offer. He took me into his fold, trained me how his mentor trained him. I became the fearless Robin, his closest ally. Well, second closest. First prize always went to Dick.
I always thought that we'd be partners forever. Just goes to show how much I knew.
When Joker got me I thought nothing of it. Batman would come to help me. Batman would come to save me, but he never did. Day by day Joker stripped away the hope Bruce gave me: drills, knives, poisons, you name it. And still, Bruce never came. He just replaced me and began where we left off.
I'm going to warn you now, it didn't turn out well.
Finally, Joker let me die. He packed up all his things, set a bomb and let me die. 'Sweet release' I called it. That was, until Ra's Al Ghul tried to bring me back for his own use. Needless to say, I was really pissed. But in that moment of pure hate, I felt a shocking clarity: I needed to get rid of Gotham's problems… permanently. I was baptised in blood. I was The Red Hood.
So how in holy hell did that turn out for me? Well, I kicked Joker's ass, Bruce kicked my ass, and then Arkham changed my ass. Wait, that sounded weird, didn't it?
Bruce came to visit regularly, explaining his actions every day. How he tried to help me, even if he needed help himself. I met my replacement, Tim. He's pretty cool for a kiss-ass. The Bat family became my family again. Together, we ended my reign of terror, and I was a free man. Back on the streets, better Jason. Y'know, Bruce offered me a new identity, and I said no. If I was redeeming myself, I would redeem the Red Hood.
So that's my story. Before her, at least.
