Batman & Deathstroke Take Their Relationship To The Next Level

This article contains spoilers for Batman #92.

Batman and Deathstroke have taken their relationship to the next level – with Batman taking Deathstroke into the Batcave. Batman has always considered his true identity a closely guarded secret, but in reality a remarkable number of people know Batman is Bruce Wayne.

In Deathstroke’s case, the assassin-for-hire’s vendetta with Nightwing led to his deducing the vigilante was really Dick Grayson. That naturally led to his figuring out Batman’s secret identity as well. He revealed that at one of Bruce Wayne’s Christmas parties, when he swapped his usual combat attire for a smart suit and attended as a businessman. He enjoyed trading barbs with Wayne, taunting him with his knowledge. “Your ex-ward’s grown into a good man,” he told Bruce. “Grayson’s extracurricular activities, shall we say, are among the best I’ve ever seen. But then, he did have the greatest teacher.“

This week’s Batman #92 sees the Dark Knight take his relationship with Deathstroke to the next level. Deathstroke was brought into Gotham City by a villain called the Designer as a pawn, but his usefulness has come to an end, and his contract has been pulled. Batman has placed Deathstroke under arrest, and the mercenary sees no need to resist. Unfortunately, Batman is too busy to take him to the GCPD; the Riddler launches his latest scheme, meaning Batman has other things to deal with. He chooses to keep Deathstroke with him as he takes the Bat-Train – yes, that’s a thing – to the Riddler’s location.

The Riddler is working with the Designer, and he too is just another pawn in the game. They’ve turned the entirety of Gotham City into a giant crossword puzzle for Batman to solve, and naturally that means they needed a base of operations outside the Grid. Manipulated by the Designer, the Riddler chose Wayne Manor, and naturally Batman immediately recognized the room from the Riddler’s broadcasts. So the Dark Knight simply took the Bat-Train back home.

It’s safe to assume the Bat-Train pulled up at the Batcave. Given that’s the case, this means Deathstroke is one of the few villains to have been shown Batman’s secret underground lair. Even more remarkably, Deathstroke accompanied Batman as they made their way up through the secret elevator shaft and into Wayne Manor. Batman is placing a lot of trust in Slade Wilson, allowing him to see a lot of his greatest secrets, but there’s a reason; he is well aware Deathstroke operates under a strict moral code. The assassin will never give away Batman’s secret identity – he’s already proved that – and so he can be trusted with the Batcave too. It’s a rare honor, bestowed upon few of Batman‘s friends, and even fewer of his enemies.

About The Author

Thomas Bacon
(4935 Articles Published)

Tom Bacon is one of Screen Rant’s staff writers, as well as a Peer Mentor for new writers and a member of the Care Team, offering support and a listening ear to members of the Comics group. A lifelong fan of major franchises including Star Wars, Doctor Who, and Marvel, Tom is delighted his childhood is back – and this time it’s cool. You can find him on Twitter @TomABacon.

A graduate of Edge Hill University, Tom remains strongly connected with his alma mater as a volunteer chaplain. He’s heavily involved with his local church, and anyone who checks him out on Twitter will swiftly learn he’s into British politics too.

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