Batman and Robin #3

Issue Details

Synopsis

BORN TO KILL PART 3 - KNIGHTMOVES In the Batcave, Damian Wayne shows little interest in the Great Dane dog that his father Bruce bought for him, while engaged in a game of chess with Alfred Pennyworth. Bruce, meanwhile, is heightening the manor's perimeter defenses. Alfred explains that the move is meant to protect his family from harm, but Damian is annoyed that such decisions are being made without him. Despite having been trained by the best chess masters in the world, Damian is rash, and he loses to Alfred, letting his anger get the better of him.  Bruce returns, and prepares to go out on patrol. For the third night in a row, he orders Damian to remain at home and out of danger. The boy is suspicious of what could make Batman behave in this way, but his father is insistent that he remain at home. He suggests instead that Damian name the dog. Damian rejects the dog, believing that it was meant to be a distraction. Bruce responds that the dog was meant as a gift - a reward for showing so much self-control lately.   After Batman leaves, Damian defiantly dons his costume, and plans to go out on patrol. Alfred warns that there is likely a good reason that Batman would ask him to stay out of danger, but Damian is too angry to listen. Surreptitiously, Alfred places a tracer onto the boy's Batcycle. Damian notices, and flicks it away, unaware that Alfred had planted a second tracer on his cape - expecting him to find the first one.   Out on the streets of Gotham City, two thugs hold a couple at gun and knifepoint, forcing them to withdraw money from an ATM, all while filming it on a mobile device. When they decide to become more violent, they are surprised by appearance of Robin, who disarms them, and brutally beats them both into the ground.   As he stands over their unconscious bodies, a voice comes from behind him, commanding him to finish them off. The voice belongs to NoBody, the very person whom Batman was trying to protect Robin from. NoBody suggests that Batman is holding Robin back from his true self - a self that desires mercilessness and killing. Despite Damian's reticence, NoBody points out that in the process of beating the thugs, one of them suffered brain damage at his hands. He delivers a chop against the thug's neck, killing him. NoBody knocks an outraged Damian aside, suggesting that their encounter has given him a glimpse of what the future holds for Gotham once Batman Incorporated has been eliminated.   As NoBody peels away Damian's mask, Batman leaps down from the Batplane, calling him out with his real name - Morgan. Immobile, Damian watches as Morgan and Batman exchange blows. Finally, the villain unleashes ultrasonic waves from devices in his palms, incapacitating Batman. The disorientation forces Batman into the street, where he is hit by a car.   Batman and Robin wake strapped into a rusted out convertible at an abandoned drive-in theatre. As they come to, NoBody welcomes them, and prepares them to watch a special film of his own design on the big screen.