Do you think Bruce truly favors Dick from the other Robins?
Theeeee safe answer is, “No, he loves them all equally,” and Bruce himself would probably never admit to playing favorites and would probably hate to think that he’s biased in that regard, honestly.
In my personal opinion, Bruce does favor Dick over the others, and I do think there’s a canon basis for this. This idea was explored in the Infinite Crisis storyline.
“And your favorite. Subject Beta– Grayson, Richard– Nightwing.” – Infinite Crisis #4
OMAC is the speaker here, which is a program Bruce created that ended up backfiring on him. Therefore, Dick is canonically referred to as Bruce’s favorite in comics and we could technically drop the argument there. I also feel like this is suggested in the Under the Red Hood storyline in Batman #650 when an explosion happens in Blüdhaven.
He even begs to Jason, which is utterly bizarre coming from Bruce and says a lot. I know a lot of people don’t like the idea that Bruce would have a favorite, so I want to emphasize that Bruce does care deeply for every other person in his extended family – I think the difference is that Dick is arguably what saved Bruce from himself in the early days. Dick was this child that lit up Wayne manor and offset the darkness of Bruce’s life. In Bruce’s first year as Batman, it’s suggested that he had some suicidal thoughts and tendencies (and even after his first year this idea is sometimes explored, such as in Ego). Blood CW for this next panel, which I’ll type below since it’s difficult to read.
“Idiot. I’m an idiot. Shot and stabbed like an amateur. I turn the wheel of the car. It’s slippery with blood. My Blood. The blood of an idiot. I recount the night, if only to keep myself awake. I’ve already blacked out once. There’s too much blood. Just like… like eighteen years ago. Just like in the alley. […] In the headlights I can see the property. I pull in too fast. Cave in the back of a ‘57 Chevy that was my father’s. My father’s… I limp towards his study, leaving small red pools behind me. Father… I’m afraid I may have to die tonight.” – The Batman Files
Bruce was in a darker place at the beginning of his career, and he seemed to have… less of a drive to fight and a will to live, I guess. He seemed self-destructive and didn’t have clear goals. When Dick entered Bruce’s life, Dick had an immediate impact and gave Bruce’s life direction and meaning. To pull a cliche, they basically saved each other.
Dick was the first Robin, and he knows Bruce the best and has been there the longest compared to any of the other Batfam members, exempt to Alfred. I think Dick will always hold this unique spot in Bruce’s life because of the difference he made early on, and I don’t blame Bruce if he does regard Dick with this sort of bias since people can’t help that. Of all Batclan characters, Dick is the one that Bruce [talks about and thinks back on the most], and many people speculate that Dick’s death is the [only thing that can get Bruce to kill].
Bruce does care a lot about the others, though, and I don’t want to diminish that. Bruce spiraled into this reckless depression after Jason’s death, which lasted for a while and caused Dick and Bruce to be estranged for a bit. In Batgirl Vol 1, Bruce seemed immediately drawn to Cass as a father figure, more so than any of the others in my opinion. I think Bruce cares a lot about the people in his extended Bat family, but he can’t help singling Dick out a bit because of the history they share together and because of the early impact Dick made.
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