I hate bad parent or āfailing at being a decent parentā Bruce for so many reasons. Itās sad, itās infuriating, itās unfair. But mostly because it makes no fāing sense. Part of it is because I canāt see his character being a bad dad for a number of reasons, but mostly because that would mean that he wasnāt the only one who failed those kids.
Thomas and Martha failed (not as much as everyone else for obvious reasons but still) for not showing Bruce a better example, for not setting higher standards.
Alfred failed the most after Bruce if the latter was a bad father. Because he was right there. Because he partially raised that boy into the man he was (I always blamed Alfred for Bruceās unwillingness for showing physical affection to a certain degree. I canāt imagine how Bruce mustāve felt growing up with an always professional butler as a sole remaining parental figure). He failed to sit them down and forcing them to talk when the situation warranted it. He failed to lecture them all on their short comings. He failed to save them from themselves and each other.
Commissioner Gordon failed because I know for a fact that he knew some of it from Barbara who had been Dickās go to person to rant about Bruce. Especially if Bruce happened to be really abusive.
Lucius Fox failed because he was a close family friend and knew about their home situation.
Leslie Thompkins failed because sheās a doctor and probably a mandated reporter. She shouldāve seen, she shouldāve interfered.
Clark failed. He was supposed to be Uncle Clark, Superman. He of all people shouldāve known and he couldāve acted.
Selina failed. She was on and off in a relationship with Bruce for years. She should have done something.
Every member of the Justice League, sometimes even Titans, when they were no longer children themselves, failed. They were meant to be heroes. Heroes donāt leave children suffer.
Sometimes, to an extent, Dick has failed. Jason has failed. Barbara, Tim, Steph, Duke, Cass has failed. For letting Bruce take in more children and treat them the way they were treated. (Damian is often too young to know better). They were never meant to be responsible for saving their siblings, and they should never be expected to do so, but they couldāve spoken up.
None of them are good people or deserve to be heroes if they let those kids suffer for the sake of friendship or respect.
(This goes for other heroes as well.)
