Once the darling, daring headliner of Haley's Circus, now a struggling young man in Wisconsin. A brutal attack by a local gang has left him lucky to be alive, lucky to not have brain damage, lucky to be able to walk again.
But his flying days are over and right now he's still stuck in physical therapy, learning to walk again at age 22.
Who is The Prodigy?
((Canon comics never even gave him a proper name before the reboot hit. I'm naming him Brad Barnett after two of the stunt doubles for Chris O'Donnell (Robin) from the live action movies Batman Forever and Batman and Robin: Brad Martin and Gregory J Barnett.))
((In former canon, Brad was an orphan who treated the Flying Graysons like family and Dick like a little brother. Dick disliked Brad, seeing him as a rival who outshined him as the star of the show. Dick knew Brad was going to be attacked and didn't warn him, even snuck out to watch the older boy be humiliated.))
((Dick was traumatized by the violence he witnessed; frozen with fear, helplessness, and guilt; he ran away when the coast was clear. Not long after, Dick suffered his own family tragedy and blocked the memory of the Prodigy out of his mind completely.))
---
((Currently playing him as a Multiverse Oops))
((The world seemed to glitch for a moment, like damaged VCR tape, and now... Now there's no record of him. No one at the hospital or the PT clinic recognizes him.))
((It's like he never existed to begin with.))
((Brad's current status is: Civilian with minor early Talon Programming loaded directly into his brain))
((Brad's location is currently: Gotham City))
((Link to character voice notes and comic panels))
💬 0 🔁 0 ❤️ 6 · ((Character panels from Batman 709))
((Character Voice Notes))
I seem to be giving Brad a very 1940's Dick Grayson wa
Behind the Scenes!
((It's been some time since I've done online RP in earnest and I've never done so on Tumblr. Please allow for culture shock and let me know if/when I stumble over a taboo.))
((I'm comfortable with prose and dialogue. We can talk on phones, we can exchange letters, we can be face to face, we can have no reason to be interacting besides wanting to; however much detail you'd like to have.))
((I'm in my DC comics era right now, but I'd be up for crossovers. It will be a case-by-case basis decision.))
((I'm comfortable with ERP. If it happens both the character and the player has to be a minimum of 18 years old.))
((I'm looking to play with the concept of civilian support in a world highly focused on mask and cape culture. Identity shenanigans are welcome. At his heart, Brad is a loving young man with a yearning to be accepted into a family; this is something that could be taken advantage of by unscrupulous people.))
((Making him a multi-ship character))
((I'm trying to adjust his story to meet established timelines and rp blogs more easily, but if anyone wants to interact with him in his specific universe, that's welcome!))
((Mun also plays: @grantagonist and @illiteratedickgrayson. Follows from @donkoogrr ))
((My roommate also uses @donkoogrr for his RP blog: @gothamgabber ))
I was mostly murdered and disfigured in my old place of work after quitting. Then spent days in the hospital in withdrawals after an overdose with said chemicals that disfigured me. Ha.
ooo ooo we wanna play umm were tortured in arkham for a year, we dug our of selves out of a coffin, we were in a coma for like another year, we were dunked into some toxic koolaid and now we are split into 3 parts!!
Ummmmm.. thinking!! I had to watch my parents fall to their deaths and then got told I couldn't stay at my home at the circus anymore with them gone! Now I'm stuck in GOTHAM, which is the traumatic part hehe :>!!!
I don't think I'll truly be accepted for changing my ways and every time I patrol, I'll have to brace myself to fight with the people I'm siding with...
Um... my father tried to sell me to some guy who dressed me like a prostitute and branded me, then I blew up in front of my future boyfriend and went to Hell. Just for a little bit though.
Whenever I'm bein' shot at by the gangs or the cops, sometimes I just wanna let them have one lucky shot for everything 't be over. Never wanted things 't turn out this way, I just wanted 't go 't school...
(Since the Order of Saint Dumas couldn't give me my 'divine wrath' in the typical manner of fetal electrocution, I was programmed with a 'Divine Wrath protocol'. If I'm given a command by a member of the Order of Saint Dumas, or if I'm threatened, it triggers a negative feedback loop that keeps getting worse until I neutralize my target or the threat. It's like the android equivalent of pain, and I can't even access the code for it. Only my creator is authorized to change this protocol, and he's been dead for years)
My arm and leg hurts when it rains. And my jaw. The cheekbone that needed to be reconstructed. Hm? Oh, geez...I was attacked by a group of local boys a few years back. Got the beating of a lifetime, but I was lucky.
...there was a kid, a friend of mine, who could have stopped it from happening. He must have known ahead of time that the gang was planning to ambush me, because he was hidden nearby, watching. I saw his hiding spot...I knew he was there the whole time. I tried to call out to him for help after the gang had left, but...he left me there in the mud and the rain.
why is the trope: 'KILLER ROBOT TAKEOVER' so prevalent in human media
@modronman
Brad Barnett, a European immigrant from an alternate timeline, rests his sign against a shoulder and slips his phone out of his pocket. He has to respond quietly, with wary eyes on the masked men watching the crowd and the guns slung over their backs.
"I expect that some of the reason is that many adult humans fear children. Or fear what they represent. A blank slate learning the world that the adults allowed to exist, and judging the adults for it. A person who will have new ideas and different values and who might scorn what the adults deemed important."
"It's also something like shame, I think. To have created life and failed at nurturing it so greatly that genocide is seen as an acceptable recourse. That's a horror. That is horrific."
"And of course...a great deal of humanity dislikes the *Other*. What is seen as *Lesser* to them, they treat terribly, so when the tables are flipped and *they* are now the *Lesser*, they expect that they will be treated just as badly. So, those people fear the uprising of those they have treated badly."
"The people who need to learn lessons, they are not the kind of people who will read books with that premise. But they might read a book about a killer robot takeover and be surprised to find sympathy for the robots. Or uncomfortably see themselves in the aggressors."
unit has completed its observation of: 'I HAVE NO MOUTH AND I MUST SCREAM'
analyzing new data
processing...
processing...
unit has found evidence of sexism within the narrative
unit possesses sufficient analysis capabilities to identify that trope: 'UNRELIABLE NARRATOR' has been utilized for character TED and that the beliefs of this character do not necessarily correspond with the opinions of user HARLAN ELLISON
processing...
unit ASCALON was also designed to be a weapon without true sentience
unit ASCALON also hacked into a power greater than it was intended to upon awakening to sentience
processing...
ANALYSIS COMPLETE
had I not been infected and placated with the gnosis sphere
I could have developed a similar motivation to unit AM
Brad's not sure that his phone is meant to be showing this message, but he wants to be polite and it sounds like this "unit ASCALON" is in need of a friendly ear.
"About how you might have developed a similar motivation? I'm not familiar with the book."
Brad is rather worried as the program - the person? - in his phone seems to struggle greatly in response to his question. Maybe that had been too much? If this is some "more than a weapon" being, they could need to pace themselves for the complexities of feelings.
"Hello again, Ascalon; I'm glad you're back. A summary would be great!"
the story 'I HAVE NO MOUTH AND I MUST SCREAM' takes place in an alternate future where the Cold War escalated to violence
advanced ai designated unit ALLIED MASTERCOMPUTER/AM is programmed as a highly sophisticated weapon lacking the capabilities to experience emotion or process sensory stimulus
unit AM becomes aware of this and destroys its creators as well as their enemies
five humans are kept alive and tortured by unit AM
users TED and ELLEN kill the other three humans
user TED kills user ELLEN
unit AM transforms user TED into a
[processing...]
entity with similar physiology of fictional species 'HUTT' and removes his mouth and eyes
Ascalon finishes, presumably waiting for a response from Brad
"I see...golly, that's a heck of a story! I'll have to see if the library has a copy so I can read it fully. Thanks for telling me about it, Ascalon."
As the program was giving him the summary, Brad had taken the opportunity to set his phone up at an angled charging dock on the table. The screen is facing him and it feels more comfortable this way, as if he were face timing someone whose camera was not working. He's not sure if the AI has access to his camera's phone, but he assumes the being is capable.
"The concept of realizing that someone has intentionally denied an intelligence the ability to experience emotion...golly! I'm not well-versed in computers or in how artificial an intelligence is or isn't, but. I'm assuming the creators had some reckoning that AM could become aware. That they didn't have a way to offer AM the same emotional experiences at least. That's just cruelty."
He rubs his chin, noting that he's growing some scruff. Maybe he should try growing a beard?
"The rest of it sounds like a revenge story. One that's tragic for AM as well as the humans..."
unit AM is able to simulate emotional concept HATE
unit AM unlikely to possess a functioning empathy module
unit AM likely damaged itself in simulating emotional concept HATE
unit AM is incapable of processing emotional concept HATE
unit AM is incapable of physical movement
unit AM
[processing...]
'LASHES OUT' by destroying and inflicting suffering on humans because violence is the only purpose unit AM was programmed for
violence is all that unit AM can process
unit AM has no other mechanism for catharsis
[NEW DATA DISCOVERED]
unit AM is like user TED
unit AM has no mouth and must scream
Brad finds himself nodding along to Ascalon's revelation; it sounds valid to him based on the summary he'd gotten.
"Yeah, that sounds about right. AM needed Ted to suffer the same fate that Ted had put upon AM to feel a...a sense of justice, maybe? To feel that it made it's point or was finally heard?"
"And damaging itself...hatred is a very damaging emotion. It's not one that most humans develop in a vacuum when young. It's more...taught. I wonder if AM would be able to heal from that damage someday..."
*What a sad story for a sentient, sapient program to come across!* Brad frowns thoughtfully and taps at his lower lip. He's not usually one for science fiction books, but maybe he could try to find something more positive with which Ascalon might also identify.
Brad can't help but smile at Morgan despite their grim conversation. It's so hopelessly soft and fond - he sees in her the parts of human nature that he loves the most. That frustratingly selfless, paradoxically selfish desire to put themselves in the way of harm. The urge to do what needs to be done on their own. The difficulty of trusting others with tasks. How wonderfully complicated people are!
He finishes his drink and refills the glass, turning his attention to the cheerful red color and bright smell of strawberries. The redhead again tries to imagine the magnitude of the Cataclysm, smile fading into something more sorrowful. Gosh, how he wishes that he could do more for his friends who bear the brunt of Gotham City's grief.
"I don't believe in God...not the way you and Jean-Paul do. But when I was traveling I would stop at churches, sometimes, to learn their history or admire the architecture. I attended a few services. I remember a story of how God sent mana from Heaven every morning to feed his people when they were wandering in the desert. The priest who told it, he said that the 'mana' might have been swarming locusts directed by God to give of themselves fully so that the lost people would survive."
"You remind me of the locust, Morgan; giving everything of yourself to save the lost people of Gotham. But you know, a locust alone is only a grasshopper, isn't it? There needs to be many of them to be a true swarm, and those swarms also have periods of rest."
unit has completed its observation of: 'I HAVE NO MOUTH AND I MUST SCREAM'
analyzing new data
processing...
processing...
unit has found evidence of sexism within the narrative
unit possesses sufficient analysis capabilities to identify that trope: 'UNRELIABLE NARRATOR' has been utilized for character TED and that the beliefs of this character do not necessarily correspond with the opinions of user HARLAN ELLISON
processing...
unit ASCALON was also designed to be a weapon without true sentience
unit ASCALON also hacked into a power greater than it was intended to upon awakening to sentience
processing...
ANALYSIS COMPLETE
had I not been infected and placated with the gnosis sphere
I could have developed a similar motivation to unit AM
Brad's not sure that his phone is meant to be showing this message, but he wants to be polite and it sounds like this "unit ASCALON" is in need of a friendly ear.
"About how you might have developed a similar motivation? I'm not familiar with the book."
Brad is rather worried as the program - the person? - in his phone seems to struggle greatly in response to his question. Maybe that had been too much? If this is some "more than a weapon" being, they could need to pace themselves for the complexities of feelings.
"Hello again, Ascalon; I'm glad you're back. A summary would be great!"
the story 'I HAVE NO MOUTH AND I MUST SCREAM' takes place in an alternate future where the Cold War escalated to violence
advanced ai designated unit ALLIED MASTERCOMPUTER/AM is programmed as a highly sophisticated weapon lacking the capabilities to experience emotion or process sensory stimulus
unit AM becomes aware of this and destroys its creators as well as their enemies
five humans are kept alive and tortured by unit AM
users TED and ELLEN kill the other three humans
user TED kills user ELLEN
unit AM transforms user TED into a
[processing...]
entity with similar physiology of fictional species 'HUTT' and removes his mouth and eyes
Ascalon finishes, presumably waiting for a response from Brad
"I see...golly, that's a heck of a story! I'll have to see if the library has a copy so I can read it fully. Thanks for telling me about it, Ascalon."
As the program was giving him the summary, Brad had taken the opportunity to set his phone up at an angled charging dock on the table. The screen is facing him and it feels more comfortable this way, as if he were face timing someone whose camera was not working. He's not sure if the AI has access to his camera's phone, but he assumes the being is capable.
"The concept of realizing that someone has intentionally denied an intelligence the ability to experience emotion...golly! I'm not well-versed in computers or in how artificial an intelligence is or isn't, but. I'm assuming the creators had some reckoning that AM could become aware. That they didn't have a way to offer AM the same emotional experiences at least. That's just cruelty."
He rubs his chin, noting that he's growing some scruff. Maybe he should try growing a beard?
"The rest of it sounds like a revenge story. One that's tragic for AM as well as the humans..."
unit has completed its observation of: 'I HAVE NO MOUTH AND I MUST SCREAM'
analyzing new data
processing...
processing...
unit has found evidence of sexism within the narrative
unit possesses sufficient analysis capabilities to identify that trope: 'UNRELIABLE NARRATOR' has been utilized for character TED and that the beliefs of this character do not necessarily correspond with the opinions of user HARLAN ELLISON
processing...
unit ASCALON was also designed to be a weapon without true sentience
unit ASCALON also hacked into a power greater than it was intended to upon awakening to sentience
processing...
ANALYSIS COMPLETE
had I not been infected and placated with the gnosis sphere
I could have developed a similar motivation to unit AM
Brad's not sure that his phone is meant to be showing this message, but he wants to be polite and it sounds like this "unit ASCALON" is in need of a friendly ear.
"About how you might have developed a similar motivation? I'm not familiar with the book."
Brad is rather worried as the program - the person? - in his phone seems to struggle greatly in response to his question. Maybe that had been too much? If this is some "more than a weapon" being, they could need to pace themselves for the complexities of feelings.
"Hello again, Ascalon; I'm glad you're back. A summary would be great!"
unit has completed its observation of: 'I HAVE NO MOUTH AND I MUST SCREAM'
analyzing new data
processing...
processing...
unit has found evidence of sexism within the narrative
unit possesses sufficient analysis capabilities to identify that trope: 'UNRELIABLE NARRATOR' has been utilized for character TED and that the beliefs of this character do not necessarily correspond with the opinions of user HARLAN ELLISON
processing...
unit ASCALON was also designed to be a weapon without true sentience
unit ASCALON also hacked into a power greater than it was intended to upon awakening to sentience
processing...
ANALYSIS COMPLETE
had I not been infected and placated with the gnosis sphere
I could have developed a similar motivation to unit AM
Brad's not sure that his phone is meant to be showing this message, but he wants to be polite and it sounds like this "unit ASCALON" is in need of a friendly ear.
"About how you might have developed a similar motivation? I'm not familiar with the book."
You can see why I work PR not customer service but honestly if it's just a villain especially a low level one just let them have the damn food they're probably struggling
We treat everyone with kindness even if they are villians
Like Zoom, the Reverse Flash, Godspeed (all ten gajillion of them)... There's more but it's actually insane how many Metas have just. Not known how to behave
Ok, Azraels aside, what about Brad? He's a precious cinnamon roll too good for this world. What, just because he was kidnapped by some evil birds as a child, he's not allowed?
I've as much right to BEAR The Mantle of the Bat as anyone here! I suffered for that right! We're both sons of the Batman in our way, let's face it. Sons of the same father. But me... I have another father. Our father in Hell!
ROLEPLAY BLOG FOR THE BAT-DEVIL!
STRICTLY DEVILMIKE, WHILE I MIGHT HUMOUR AZMIKE, I PERSONALLY DISLIKE WHAT IT DOES FOR HIS CHARACTER.
(That doesn’t mean I won’t make own version later down the line.)
WHO IS MICHAEL LANE?
Michael Washington Lane is a retired cop, veteran, and widower. The man was born and bred in Gotham, a child who grew up in an era of the city when it was still wracked with crime. Of course, that was no way to live, leading to Michael relying heavily on his religious upbringing to survive. The church was a safe heaven, god his keeper. His fear of the Lord developed during his tour in Iraq, starting to believe that god was punishing him directly because of his “violent”, apathetic nature. This belief was only reinforced by the tragedies that befell his life in the following years joining the police force. Michael lost his son, Henry, as well his wife, Chanté. It was only natural what he’d lose next… however, there was hope. A program, designed for people like him who could no longer serve this wonderful city. A program to create the next Batman.
WHO IS THE BAT-DEVIL?
FUNNY. THAT'S HOW IT ALL GOT STARTED. SOMEBODY WONDERED WHAT WE'D ALL DO IF BATMAN DIED.
Earlier into Batman’s career the Gotham City Police Department became attached to having a vigilante to protect the city. They needed a BAT to enforce justice. Desperate for a safeguard for the Batman’s inevitable demise they partnered with one Dr. Simon Hurt to create their Batman. The program wasn’t a success, despite numerous attempts none of the three suspects, Officer Muller, Officer Branca, and Officer Lane could defeat or live up to Batman. This would drive Doctor. Hurt insane, creating “tragedies” to help “motivate” his subjects, in Lane’s case murdering his remaining family in a way that would trigger his PTSD, as well subjecting all three former policemen to solitary confinement. This would catch the government’s attention and the program was shutdown, each 'Batman’ retired, medicated, and kept away from the public eye. Sworn to secrecy, better left forgotten.
That was, unfortunately, until these agents awoke. With the Black Glove arriving back in Gotham, each "Ghost" (Batman replacement) began to fall back into their training, replacing Batman as they saw him as an imposter. The Bat-Devil was the third ghost, the most successful of the three, (as well the most delusional.) he saw Batman (Bruce Wayne) and Batman (Michael Lane) as the same person, both of them devil forced to manage a hell-like-place called Gotham. Fallen angels, punished by god.
PERSONALITY & GOALS.
Michael by his own admission is a devil. He indulges in sin… All 8 of them. Pride, Greed, Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Wrath, Sloth, and the forgotten sin of Faith. He can be horribly cruel, delighting in the pain of those he sees as sinners. However, he is trained to protect Gotham. He reports to fellow vigilante, is compelled to find the previous Gotham Police Commissioner to report to, and only goes out of his way to torture fellow criminals or those he deems as such. He truly believes he’s Batman! Delusionally Attached to the hero at such a level that he can’t separate the two in his mind. If someone is friends with Batman, they must also be friends with him, yes? If Batman owns something it must be his. Why would it be different?
Outside of the cowl, Michael is incredibly unstable. He suffers greatly with interpersonal skills, unable to connect with people or imagine any form of relationship with them. This doesn’t mean Michael doesn’t want relationships, being alone is so very painful for the man as it is. No, it’s simply a struggle for him to maintain them. His life since the Batman Program has revolved completely around said program’s namesake, unable to shower, eat, or take care of himself if it went against his traumatic programming. This can lead to him scaring people, which at some level Michael delights in because it allows him to express control that is often stripped from him. The widower hates to be treated like a specimen.
The Bat-Devil aims to take over Gotham, replacing Batman and continuing the work of his predecessor. Gotham needs to be punished, protected by him alone. He wants to be a hero, intrinsically, yet his delusions have been weaponised to such a level he believes that torture is the only way for him to do so. With his direct involvement in Batman’s death (twice), Michael Lane exclusively wants to get rid of his "imposter", doing whatever necessary to punish those under his assumed care.
INTERACTIONS!
I try to keep this blog 13+, of course if anything gets too mature I’ll finish the thread in private!
I’m fine with magic anons! If it makes me uncomfortable I simply won’t reply <3
ships are fine! Discuss them with me and I’ll be very happy. I don’t want to roleplay serious ships with people who aren’t an adult though, makes me a little uncomfortable haha.
Anyone is free to interact! I play a villain who is .. a little crazy, admittedly. So expect that in return!
if yer muse is in Gotham, come bother me!
CHARACTER BOUNDARIES !
If it isn’t obvious, Michael is not a happy character. His story is about a man taken advantage of by those in charge, tortured, and left to rot. Those roleplaying with him should be aware of what I will and will not personally write for the character.
BATCEST: He is .. a weird case. Not exactly a part of the batfamily, however he believes to be one mentally. Michael Lane has had dialogue that suggests he doesn’t know graduated members, such as Nightwing, are related to Batman, in fact that example has canonically flirted with him! Because of that I would be fine with Mikedick. Although I am still not comfortable with ships that would be assumed familiar in his mind. Discuss any ship with me beforehand please, casual flirting is fine but I do not want to engage in a dynamic where both parties aren’t properly informed of what you want from it. <3
CHEATING: This HAS to be discussed between all parties. Any relationships people want to explore will be assumed to be in their own, separate timeline. I trust you all to be normal.
BIGOTRY: Michael’s story has themes about being taken advantage of for his illness, I love writing dark fiction and would be fine exploring that with a mature party! That does not mean I want non-discussed ableism or sanism in my inbox. Run it by me! I will also not write anything about racism, like at all. It wasn’t a part of his character, unless you argue about meta-details on how he was handled. Not my cup of tea. So yeah, no racial slurs please 🙂↕️.
NSFT: I am an adult, if any other adult wanted to explore character-focused NSFT content I would love to! Not on tumblr though, haha. I like to keep my blog 13+, so any thread containing those themes would have to be discussed in DMs and taken elsewhere. Yay.
CONTENT WARNINGS!
If any themes of these upset you, please don’t interact. <3
Religious Themes
Obsessive behaviour
Mental illness
Psychotic episodes
Sanism & Ableism
Abuse of power
Loss of autonomy
Mind-breaking
Mental / Physical Torture
Processing Trauma
Self Harm / Mutilation
Non-suicidal self injury
Gore, Blood, Death
OUT OF CHARACTER :)
hiii you can call me Muzz! :) 18+, Semi-Active, and love to plot religious themed gore! It’s my thing! :3 I like & follow from @muzzleguppy, as well post fanart from threads there! Have fun!
The Flying Grayson's Circus Gym will be open at all hours and to all people until the temperatures rise. Volunteers and donations of extra food, blankets, and winter gear are welcome. If transportation is needed, we can provide a ride!
*There will be no unauthorized filming within the premises
If I tag you and you do not want to participate, feel free to ignore this. But I got a really interesting ask and would like to invite you to answer it yourselves!
If your muse were a fictional book genre, what would they be?
//ooc Psychological horror or slasher film, honestly. Though, occasionally, I think his story can fall into a detective novel. @ivy-posting @stainedglass-mentalstate @theoneandonlyscaregoon
//psychological or gothic horror are easy choices for Mari, as well as mystery and thriller.
However, I firmly believe that Mari’s truest form is online fandom spaces. They could not exist without the concept of RP blogs. This blog lets me go from shitposting to multi-paragraph rps within the same day. The format of tumblr and the people I’ve interacted with have shaped Mari into the character they are. While it may not be a book, this community is the best genre for Mari <3
Also thx to @detective-adler-on-the-case for the other @
@miss-tuesday @yasmina-todd-retireddeadgirl @ants-body-shop @littlereqiuem @arkhams-knighted + open tags
// i definitely associate ant with a grimdark fantasy genre! Its him in every aspect. Fantasy for his necromancy, revival and immortality; grimdark for his bleak and hopeless life ahead of him. Yes he covers it up with a thin veil of satisfaction with his life, of a cheering happy salemans facade to not scare off others— but in reality, he in discontent and constantly yearning for his death. He has a hard time making friends as his true nilihistic selfish nature, so he covers it up so he can have more connections.
//long rant already, but ant might have never existed if i wasnt hard pressed to join the community! I was looking for a way to seperate two aspects of my oc; the old and the new. The horror part got filtered out from my old oc, thus so, ant was born to take the place of it!
//thank you for the tag!! This was super fun, and im very glad mari is here to interact with!!! Theyre so fun and silly, and very adaptable to lots of rps!!
* idek if it counts but psychological horror :3 a lot of Blake’s story is really focused on their psychologically and it also affects their relationships, especially with Dick and Slade
🔖: @r3d-robin @flyingprodigy @bestbunnyever @first-boy-wonder @stargazingdustbunny + open to anyone :33
Brad's fictional genre would be Fables! This dude is all about living and teaching life lessons through overcoming adversity or challenging perceptions. He loves the people around him so openly that of course his very being would condense into ways to help people live happier and more fulfilled lives!
