More Examples Of Just How SMART Jason Todd Is
In the same way that I get annoyed at Damian having taken some of Tim's traits in the past 10 or more years--
I get just as annoyed that I can't help but feel like they gave some of Jason's traits to Tim for--Gosh, even longer I think? 'Cause they at least started during that during Tim's Red Robin series.
Which didn't even come out that long after Under the Hood.
Feels nearly criminal in fact.
I'm not saying writers are intentionally borrowing from these other characters. Odds are they haven't even thought about it this much.
But the super smart, master planner, incredible tactician, that's always 10 steps ahead of you?
THAT'S NOT TIM DRAKE.
THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE JASON TODD.
And don't get too far ahead of me, they're all Bat-Family, they're all great planners and tacticians, that's how this bunch survive the stuff that they do.
Come a little closer, and I'll show you what I mean. It's about the extent of it.
Tim was always a very clever boy with a knack of getting out of tight spots. Very smart in his own right.
But he was nothing compared to Jason Todd.
Back in the days when Jason was still normally called 'The Red Hood' and not just 'Red Hood', he knew just the right thing to say, to get just the right reaction out of people. He can read people like nobody's business.
He hardly does a thing, but he has Black Mask right in his trap and Black Mask has no idea.
Jason Todd plays the role of someone so arrogant, he has to be in over his head right? Surely he is.
That's what Black Mask is thinking at least.
Arrogant--but not crazy.
Jason wants to piss off Black Mask, he wants him to be annoyed. He's doing this not purely for the money (though that'd be great), he's doing this because he's going to set Black Mask's men up.
See this confidence in Jason?
I don't see the hot head all these people make Jason out to be on display anywhere. This is a cool-headed genius, that knows the moves he's making. He may not know everything, he's not omnipresent, but he damn well knows what he's doing.
Jason Todd is able to play chess with human beings.
And given these guys are still under the impression that Jason is another arrogant thug, who probably got lucky or something, they don't realize Jason already has his next 5 moves planned out.
Even better is, when there's an element he had no way of predicting coming into play, he's smooth as silk, it's an instant and he's using his next idea to see how it goes. No sign of insecurity or hot headedness on display. He's not going into a rage, or frustration.
He's fully aware of how intelligent he is.
Guy didn't even want the money.
HE'S NO MERCENARY.
He's a fallen angel scrubbing the waste of Gotham City with as many bullets as he can, bit by bit.
There's a reason why this story kept Jason Todd popular all these years despite the countless (probably actually countable but shush) bad comics that have mischaracterized him as something he's not.
'Cause Jason Todd at his best is so great...it topples over all of that.
