Previous Post > Okay, first thing. I don't think Leslie Thompkins *should* have killed Stephanie "Robin IV" Brown as some sort of warped point to Bruce about the dangers of costumed vigilantes. Well, that's tough luck, because that's still why she did it. > I think she should have done it and NOT have it retconned away. I think this should be a VERY painful thing for Bruce, Tim, Alfred, Dick, Barbara and pretty much everyone in the Bat-family who knew, respected and trusted. > > Tim, most of all, should say things like "I want to wave a magic wand so this never happened... but I can't." > Basically, Leslie killing Stephanie through deliberate lack of treatment is a bad thing. It's not a "bad thing", it's MURDER. >And bad things happen. Murder need not happen, that's what makes it appalling. >And, time travel and Infinite Crisis notwithstanding, they can't un-happen. Leslie killing Stephanie should stay one of those things *because* of the rage it caused us all as fans. It didn't enrage me, it just reassured me I'd made the right choice in not touching Batman books for some years previously, and made sure I didn't buy any until Dini and Morrison took over.

> > Okay, first thing. I don't think Leslie Thompkins *should* have killed Stephanie "Robin IV" Brown as some sort of warped point to Bruce about the dangers of costumed vigilantes.
>
> Well, that's tough luck, because that's still why she did it.

I don't really care about the why. She shouldn't have done it in the first place, no matter her reasons. (I added the "as some sort of warped point" part as a clarification I guess wasn't really needed. Whoops.)
I didn't want anyone to think I'm saying "Leslie killing Steph was a good thing!" It's certainly wasn't. I'm just explaining why I don't think it should be retconned away. There's a lot of story potential there.

> > I think she should have done it and NOT have it retconned away. I think this should be a VERY painful thing for Bruce, Tim, Alfred, Dick, Barbara and pretty much everyone in the Bat-family who knew, respected and trusted.
> >
> > Tim, most of all, should say things like "I want to wave a magic wand so this never happened... but I can't."
>
>
> > Basically, Leslie killing Stephanie through deliberate lack of treatment is a bad thing.
>
> It's not a "bad thing", it's MURDER.
>
> >And bad things happen.
>
> Murder need not happen, that's what makes it appalling.

Hence, the enraged reaction. From both the fans and Batman.

> >And, time travel and Infinite Crisis notwithstanding, they can't un-happen. Leslie killing Stephanie should stay one of those things *because* of the rage it caused us all as fans.
>
> It didn't enrage me, it just reassured me I'd made the right choice in not touching Batman books for some years previously, and made sure I didn't buy any until Dini and Morrison took over.