Bargaining With Batman

Batman's Sanity Hangs in the Balance.  Can Batgirl Save Him?

Peter J. Tomasi along with guest penciller, Cliff Richards, returns to his examination of Batman's grief in "Batman and Batgirl #21".  Tomasi has been using the Kubler-Ross model of the five stages of grief and this chapter's examination covers the "Bargaining" stage.

Here is the Wikipedia definition.

Bargaining — "I'll do anything for a few more years."; "I will give my life savings if..."
The third stage involves the hope that the individual can somehow postpone or delay death. Usually, the negotiation for an extended life is made with a higher power in exchange for a reformed lifestyle. Psychologically, the individual is saying, "I understand I will die, but if I could just do something to buy more time..." People facing less serious trauma can bargain or seek to negotiate a compromise. For example "Can we still be friends?.." when facing a break-up. Bargaining rarely provides a sustainable solution, especially if it's a matter of life or death.

For this definition we are not speaking in the first person.  Or rather, I should say, Batman, is not speaking in the first person.  When the above definition says, "I will do anything for a few more years" Batman is really saying, "I will do anything for a few more years, if Damien were only alive".  

Batman, of course, is not dead here.  His son is dead and as we find everything in this chapter is post mortem.  

Tomasi has taken the interesting tact of handling this stage for Batman not through his eyes but through the eyes of Batgirl.  In fact, Batgirl, does a little Bargaining of her own.  

Batman has not asked for any help in coping with his grief (although he has shared some grief with Alfred) and here we find Batgirl trying to volunteer her help.  Naturally Batman rejects all her advances and pretty much spends the entire book ignoring her entreaties.  When they first meet in this issue, Batgirl can barely share two words with Batman before he storms off.  

This actually allows Batgirl to come to grips with a death in her own family.  Her brother died when she confronted him and he fell to his demise before she could grab him.  She blames herself and she takes this opportunity to make a confessional of sorts to her father, Commissioner Gordon.  She can't speak to him face to face, it would expose her identity, but it least she talks it out.  This alleviates her guilt to some degree and lightens the emotional load.  Too bad Batman doesn't afford himself the same luxury.

Batman makes his own effort at bargaining by confronting some two bit hoods that are attempting a robbery and holding some hostages.  The robbers decline his offer and make the mistake of going for the whole enchilada.  Classic mistake.

It's not clear what kind of bargain Batman is really trying to strike here.  Damien is already dead so he can't bargain for more time with him.  Are we to understand the bargain he really is trying to offer here is his own life?  Is Batman trying to sacrifice himself in order to join Damien in the afterlife in order to end his misery?

This would run counter to the aforementioned definition of "Bargaining".  It barely comes close to the part where there is a "sustainable solution".  If so, Batman would be dead.  He doesn't voice this but this would end Batman's career in crime fighting and his "raison d'etre" is to avenge the death of his parents and seek revenge for the innocent.  (Something he tangentially he refers to later in the Batcave.)  Deep down Batman realizes this and violently takes down the hoods.  

Batman doesn't bargain.  He can't even transcend the denial stage of grief.

Batgirl offers a unique solution to overcome Batman's grief and in doing so she allows herself a solution to overcome her own pain.

Batgirl offers to take the place of Robin which is a wonderful solution.  It would help exorcise her own demons and fill the role Batman so desperately needs, a sounding board to bounce his troubles off of.  I would have loved to see Barbara Gorden as the new Robin.  She can't get close to her own father as Batgirl but at least she would have had a father figure in Batman and he would have had the protege he needs to protect and nurture with the added benefit of not being so raw.

Batman declines this ingenious offer, telling her to go....

The fool.

Well, perhaps I should be a little more sympathetic.  Batman is deeply in the throes of pain.  The kind of pain that is of superhero proportion.  Maybe if talks his anguish out with someone he truly loves.  Someone he loves nearly as much as much as he loved Damien.  Perhaps then he could come to some sort of bargain and work through his depression.

I wonder who that could be?

Next up, Batman and Catwoman.