#stephy dearest

[alvindraperzzz]

I’ve seen several posts and fic talk as if Steph knows Tim best, understands him better than anyone else, and it always bugs me because it’s so untrue. There’s more evidence of the opposite, actually. Steph jumping to (incorrect) conclusions about what Tim is thinking or doing is a long established habit of hers. She frequently assumes things about him with no basis, or twists what he says to fit her narrative. Even without comparing her to his relationships with other Batfam members or Young Justice, it’s clear she doesn’t understand him. She certainly doesn’t get him more than everyone else.

[alvindraperzzz]

Most times I’m fine and then sometimes I’m reminded of how much I hate Batgirl 2009.

I was unfortunately reminded of this page from issue #8, as well as the defense I wrote up for it a few years ago the first time it pissed me off.

Never thought I’d post this defense because I knew it made me sound like a biased my-blorbo-can-do-no-wrong Tim stan, but I saw another post calling Tim a jerk for what he said here, so why the heck not.

Was he being a dick here? Absolutely. However, he was not being awful just to be awful. Three things in Tim’s defense:

One. She’s being snarky when he really needs to find Batman. Tim knows Ra’s is planning to attack the city. She doesn’t know that, but he’s really in a hurry because people’s lives are on the line, and he doesn’t have time for sarcasm and games.

Two. The last time they worked together, Steph went behind his back and actively sabotaged his investigation. She stole and destroyed evidence, lied to him, worked with a known enemy on a plan that got two children killed, hired assassins to attack Tim, and nearly stirred up another gang war. She never apologized or tried to make up for any of it, and later stalked him and broke into his hidden safe house. So before meeting here, the last few times they interacted she was a willing, active hindrance to what he was trying to do, endangered herself and others, and has done nothing to earn back Tim’s trust. He has zero reason to trust her or believe she’s changed, let alone be civil.

Third and final, it’s Batgirl 2009. Everyone looks bad in Batgirl 2009. It’s a recurring thing. Babs is mean because she’s jealous, Dick is a jerk and a hypocrite, Tim is the terrible ex boyfriend. They all are big meanie pants to poor widdle Stephanie for ~no reason~ so the writer can have Steph prove them wrong. So yeah, I take the fact that Tim even said this at all as a symptom of the book’s bias.

[alvindraperzzz]

I am Prudence and Prudence is me

[alvindraperzzz]

Batgirl 2009 makes Steph look either very self centered or completely delusional, if you’ve read her in anything that came before it

[alvindraperzzz]

Who the heck is this perky cheerful girl and what did she do with Stephanie Brown