I Can't Believe Red Hood FINALLY Got the 2 Words He's Always Needed from Batman

Warning! Contains spoilers for Red Hood: The Hill #6!

Summary Red Hood finally earns Batman's approval after showing strategic thinking in a mission.

Jason Todd's desire for Batman's approval stems from feeling inadequate as Robin.

Batman's relationship with Red Hood remains strained, but there may be hope for reconciliation.

I've watched for years as Batman and Red Hood have been at odds, going from brutal enemies to unlikely allies. Most of this friction has been from how Red Hood truly wants Batman to simply be proud of him. Red Hood has attempted for years to win Batman's approval, both as Robin and Red Hood, and I just can't believe it, but it seems that Red Hood finally has it now.

In preview pages for Red Hood: The Hill #6 by Shawn Martinbrough and Tony Akins, as Batman and Red Hood plan their assault on Korlee Jr., the watch member Strike would rather simply rush in and fight Korlee Jr. immediately. Instead of going with the direct and most brutal route, Red Hood instead cautions Strike to follow Batman's plan instead.

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Seeing Red Hood actually think things through and decide to play the long game, instead of immediately attacking the target in a place where they're at their strongest, Batman states that he's "impressed" with Red Hood. It's one of the very few words of encouragement that Batman has actually given Jason in the decades the two characters have been interacting.

Related DC Just Gave Red Hood and Batman the Moment They've Always Deserved (& I've Always Needed) DC has officially healed my soul by giving me a sob-worthy Jason Todd and Bruce Wayne moment that is as heartbreaking as it is perfect.

Red Hood Has Always Wanted Batman's Approval

Before Becoming a Morally-Grey Anti-Hero, Jason Todd Was Batman's Robin

When Jason Todd first became Robin, he was plagued with anxieties that he wasn't as good at the role or as deserving as Dick Grayson. This often led Jason to try and over-perform, both in his duties as Robin and just in his life as Jason Todd, such as his eagerness to study for school. While Jason was a great Robin in his own right, he never really got the approval from Batman that he so desperately craved. While Dick managed to help with this by giving Jason his approval to be Robin, Jason's anxieties only became worse after he was killed and resurrected as Red Hood.

Jason simply wanted to do what he felt Batman never could and prove that he was good once and for all.

After Jason Todd was murdered and returned to life, one of the first things he saw was that Batman had replaced him with Tim Drake's Robin. Naturally, this didn't help with Jason's feelings of being inadequate, and he immediately set out to prove himself as a better vigilante than Batman by removing all crime from Gotham City. Batman and Jason really started to have issues with one another, as Jason simply wanted to do what he felt Batman never could and prove that he was good once and for all. These differences led the two to fight for years, and even after Jason became a hero again, Batman still didn't have many positive words for him.

Red Hood's Relationship with Batman Will Always Be Difficult

Will Jason and Bruce Ever Truly Reconcile?

It's no secret that Batman is often pretty brutal towards Jason. Batman has beaten Jason on several occasions and kicked him out of Gotham City and the Bat-Family a few times as well. Batman has continually thought of Jason and referred to him as a failure. The few words of compassion and kindness Batman has towards Red Hood have always been few and far between. But it seems that might finally be changing as Batman admits he's impressed with Red Hood. While it might not be much, I think it's a step in the right direction for these core Gotham vigilantes.

Red Hood: The Hill #6 is available July 31st, 2024 from DC Comics!

RED HOOD: THE HILL #6 (2024) Writer: Shawn Martinbrough

Artist: Tony Akins

Inker: Shawn Martinbrough

Colorist: Matt Herms

Letterer: Troy Peteri

Cover Artist: Sanford Greene