Magpie [Damian Wayne] (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
iamverybadass) wrote2019-01-13 11:21 pm
iamverybadass) wrote2019-01-13 11:21 pm
Entry tags:
Application (Imeeji)
Character name: Damian Wayne a.k.a. Robin a.k.a. Red Bird
Character canon: DC Comics (blended continuity because Damian's timeline is spread across Preboot, New 52, and Rebirth. Western comics are just Like This.)
Canon summary:
Damian Wayne, son of Batman (a.k.a. Bruce Wayne), grew up hidden away from his father for the first ten years of his life. He was raised by his mother, Talia, in the League of Assassins, taught to kill and maim from the time he was old enough to grip a blade. She wanted him to become the world's conqueror, a new Alexander the Great. Her father, Ra's, wanted to steal Damian's body for himself so that he might have yet another chance at life.
Neither would succeed. Damian was presented to his father on his 10th birthday, and although they got off to a very rough start, Damian quickly grew to idolize Bruce and even began to trust his adoptive brothers (eventually). He struggled to understand the moral code they lived by given how at odds it was with his murderous upbringing, but he was enamored with this new, heroic way of life. When his grandfather came to steal his body, it was this new family of bats that he ran to and was rescued by.
Unfortunately, they were not so able to save Damian from his mother. Enraged by her son's rejection, she launched a world-threatening war against Gotham City and placed a bounty on Damian's head. Batman did everything he could to protect his son, but Damian was ultimately killed during the final battle--though he was, of course, resurrected. This is comics after all. He still doesn't know all of what happened during the months that he was dead; only that his father was relentless in his efforts to bring Damian back to life.
After Damian's resurrection, Batman was struck with a nasty case of amnesia, and Damian was left to figure out what to do on his own. So, he decided it was time to atone for all the wrong he'd done in his youth. He found his stash of stolen sacred artifacts and returned them to the people he'd stolen them from. Problem is, there was a world-ending lunatic who'd been looking for those exact items to use in his scheme to end the world. Damian and a couple of friends he made during his time atoning had to work together to put a stop to that, almost at the cost of Damian's life for a second time.
These days, Damian is busy figuring out how he fits into the hero business. He tried his hand at leading his brother's superhero team, but decided he didn't want to just fill the role his brother and father had left for him. He hand-selected his own team and established a secret base for them to operate out of without the watchful gaze of their parents and family and all the expectations that come with that. He's determined now to define who he is and who he'll become on his own terms, and to hell with the moral code and structure that their predecessors left them.
Character in canon:
One of Damian's most core traits is that the boy craves acceptance. He needs to feel as if he and the skills he has to offer are valued, because as long as he has value then he has a place to belong. He, unfortunately, has a hard time remembering that simply being loved gives him all the value he needs. Being raised amongst criminals and assassins and taught to discard emotions for the clinical precision and detachment needed to carry out violence will do that to a kid. In Damian's view of the world, he needs to prove his worth in order to have worth.
This need for approval can, in the right circumstances, lead him down dark paths. While he lived with his mother and her League of Assassins, he genuinely believed what he was doing to be just, somehow. His kills supported his family's cause and won him praise and rewards, so how could be truly be wrong?
On the other hand, his craving for approval can lead him right back out of those dark depths. When he was sent to live with Bruce, he was exposed to the morals of a hero for the first time. While it wasn't an easy lesson for him to grasp, he tried his best to adhere to his father's expectations because he needed to feel as if Bruce cared for him. And he did finally come to accept the morals that his father cherishes--protecting the weak at all costs, even at his own expense. He bought into them so thoroughly that, when he was given the choice between rejoining his mother and her life of crime or staying with his father and protecting Gotham City, he had no hesitation in choosing the path of a hero.
Of course, that doesn't mean he doesn't still have his struggles in adapting to this path. He knows that he has some high expectations to live up to and that his past is always going to follow him, both literally and figuratively. Sometimes, even his own teammates can't keep themselves from wondering if he's more villain than hero. And let's not forget about the two (2) visions of different futures in which Damian's actions bring about mass death and destruction.
Given these constant reminders, it's no wonder that Damian is never able to feel like he's actually earned his right to be where he is. No matter how many times he saves the day, how many crimes he stops or lives he saves, he always feels like he can't measure up to his father or older brothers. He's always worried that some choice he makes may lead him down the path to ruin and prove everyone's fears about him true. He has difficulty even believing that he can have friends given how sordid his past is and how many people in the hero community know about it.
Now, this doesn't mean that Damian doesn't think he's a good person. He knows himself, and he knows what his goals are. He's died to save the world! Twice! He puts every ounce of energy that he has to spare towards fighting crime and saving people. He knows that he's a good person (at least, knows that he can be one) even if some days it does feel like he has to force himself to truly feel like it.
The real crux of the problem is that Damian Wayne has almost no social skills. He was raised first by criminals and madmen, and then by Bruce Wayne, the world's most emotionally constipated and occasionally unhinged super hero. He hasn't exactly had the best role models in the world for learning how to relate to other people, much less work on a team as equals or, heaven forbid, friends.
With most people, Damian is a distant and abrasive person who is prone to condescension and insults, and is confident in his skills to the point of arrogance. He doesn't understand how to work with people as equals and instead dishes out orders without ever earning the necessary respect, and he frequently fails to explain the reasoning behind the orders he gives. Because he was raised from birth to lead and grew up with a near absolute authority over grown adults within the League of Assassins, he has a warped understanding of the authority and respect that he is due, and he has no real idea how to earn it with people from scratch.
Enter Jonathan Kent (or any fuzzy animal, honestly). Damian's relationship with Jon allows us to see past his prickly exterior and into his...slightly less prickly interior. While the friendship hasn't made Damian magically develop basic social skills, he does genuinely and sincerely enjoy the other boy's company. They've exchanged vows to always protect each other, held sleepovers, and Damian even bought him an incredibly thoughtful Christmas gift. In short, Jonathan is his closest friend. Damian has been able to relax so thoroughly around the boy because Jon, unlike so many others in his life, approaches Damian with a sincere warmth and acceptance that he doesn't get many other places. Because of that, Damian is able to let his guard down and trust that when all is said and done, Jon will be there for him. And more importantly, it's given Damian hope that he can win over more friends in the future, and is setting an example for what those friendships should look like.
To sum up: Damian Wayne is a boy who has lived a hard life and has become hard because of it, but he is beginning to heal. Given enough time he...probably will not even approach being a warm and cuddly person, but he can at least become someone who is knows when to use a gentle touch, and who will be loyal to the very end.
Character in Imeeji:
Damian in Imeeji will still be a fairly closed off and socially inept person. Friendliness and social skills in general are not innate for him, or else he'd have a much easier time getting along with others in canon than he does. That said, he won't be particularly aggressive or intentionally rude without a reason behind it. (At least not initially.) Since Damian will have no memory of being raised to behave as a superior person, and because he doesn't remember any other biases he picked up along the way, he will be a much calmer person. This may change depending on what sort of biases he gains from the team he's placed on, but his first days and even weeks in the game will be spent treating everyone more or less the same.
Except for his own team, of course. They will have the benefit of being the focus of Damian's need for acceptance. Although his upbringing in canon certainly exacerbated this trait, it didn't create it from out of nowhere. Damian won't have the same pathological need for his worth to be validated by someone, but he will still want to feel as if he's contributing to his team in some way. The most obvious method is helping earn points in games and lives, but even just helping with chores or doing mundane acts of kindness like buying or winning a treat for them could be all he needs to satisfy this urge.
The biggest change from his canon personality will be that he won't have the same fear of his past catching up with him or coming to light hanging over his head. Because he doesn't know that he's a former assassin or about the visions of dark futures, he won't have the expectation that people are going to judge him for a past he's left behind already. He'll be able to talk and even argue with people without worrying that maybe he just isn't a person who can have friends. He'll be able to bounce back from fights without spending days or weeks brooding about it. In short, he'll be able to handle conflict in a much healthier way because he won't descend into spirals of self-judgement or fear of judgement from others.
It's certainly going to help that he won't have the same warped view of the respect people should treat him with either. With no memory of being a future ruler of an assassin's league, and no memory of his extensive teachings or combat skills, he'll be able to see people in general as his equals. He won't feel like it's acceptable to declare himself leader and throw orders around, and he'll be much more inclined to actually ask for the input of others before trying to make decisions. Or, at the very least, he'll be willing to hear out what others have to say. Basically, amnesia will make Damian a person who is much more able to function in a true team. He will still have some awkwardness in his interactions with people, and he won't be out making friends left and right, but he'll be missing many of the obstacles that were drilled into his personality as a result of his upbringing.
Other things that will change without the memory of his upbringing and training: his confidence levels. In canon he is so assured of his knowledge and abilities that he nearly always come across as arrogant and is often condescending. But in canon it is a fact that he has the skill to back up his claims. In Imeeji, without the memories to give him that obscene level of self assurance. Depending on what he's attempting to do, he may even ask for tips or advice from others who know or remember more than him. Additionally, he'll be much more cautious until he regains some memories. Since he won't know that his pastimes include leaping from skyscrapers and charging straight at gun-wielding maniacs, he'll be more cautious in the risks he takes and feels comfortable with others taking.
Finally, Damian will still have a natural inclination towards heroism--or at least protecting people where he can. The premise of Imeeji will definitely encourage him to focus this protective streak on his team first and foremost, but it the question of who to protect in the more violent games is very likely something he will have to wrestle with each time. While in most cases he'll want to protect his team, it will rarely be an easy choice for him, particularly without his memories of being an assassin. The weight of taking a life will be very heavy until he regains those memories. Even after he regains them it's likely to be a difficult choice, particularly if he is placed on a team that wants to prioritize protecting others. Damian himself isn't someone who wants to hurt people he cares for or innocent people, so he won't come down 100% on one side or the other of the argument. Instead, it will nearly always be a discussion and decision that he must make with his team.
Character canon: DC Comics (blended continuity because Damian's timeline is spread across Preboot, New 52, and Rebirth. Western comics are just Like This.)
Canon summary:
Damian Wayne, son of Batman (a.k.a. Bruce Wayne), grew up hidden away from his father for the first ten years of his life. He was raised by his mother, Talia, in the League of Assassins, taught to kill and maim from the time he was old enough to grip a blade. She wanted him to become the world's conqueror, a new Alexander the Great. Her father, Ra's, wanted to steal Damian's body for himself so that he might have yet another chance at life.
Neither would succeed. Damian was presented to his father on his 10th birthday, and although they got off to a very rough start, Damian quickly grew to idolize Bruce and even began to trust his adoptive brothers (eventually). He struggled to understand the moral code they lived by given how at odds it was with his murderous upbringing, but he was enamored with this new, heroic way of life. When his grandfather came to steal his body, it was this new family of bats that he ran to and was rescued by.
Unfortunately, they were not so able to save Damian from his mother. Enraged by her son's rejection, she launched a world-threatening war against Gotham City and placed a bounty on Damian's head. Batman did everything he could to protect his son, but Damian was ultimately killed during the final battle--though he was, of course, resurrected. This is comics after all. He still doesn't know all of what happened during the months that he was dead; only that his father was relentless in his efforts to bring Damian back to life.
After Damian's resurrection, Batman was struck with a nasty case of amnesia, and Damian was left to figure out what to do on his own. So, he decided it was time to atone for all the wrong he'd done in his youth. He found his stash of stolen sacred artifacts and returned them to the people he'd stolen them from. Problem is, there was a world-ending lunatic who'd been looking for those exact items to use in his scheme to end the world. Damian and a couple of friends he made during his time atoning had to work together to put a stop to that, almost at the cost of Damian's life for a second time.
These days, Damian is busy figuring out how he fits into the hero business. He tried his hand at leading his brother's superhero team, but decided he didn't want to just fill the role his brother and father had left for him. He hand-selected his own team and established a secret base for them to operate out of without the watchful gaze of their parents and family and all the expectations that come with that. He's determined now to define who he is and who he'll become on his own terms, and to hell with the moral code and structure that their predecessors left them.
Character in canon:
One of Damian's most core traits is that the boy craves acceptance. He needs to feel as if he and the skills he has to offer are valued, because as long as he has value then he has a place to belong. He, unfortunately, has a hard time remembering that simply being loved gives him all the value he needs. Being raised amongst criminals and assassins and taught to discard emotions for the clinical precision and detachment needed to carry out violence will do that to a kid. In Damian's view of the world, he needs to prove his worth in order to have worth.
This need for approval can, in the right circumstances, lead him down dark paths. While he lived with his mother and her League of Assassins, he genuinely believed what he was doing to be just, somehow. His kills supported his family's cause and won him praise and rewards, so how could be truly be wrong?
On the other hand, his craving for approval can lead him right back out of those dark depths. When he was sent to live with Bruce, he was exposed to the morals of a hero for the first time. While it wasn't an easy lesson for him to grasp, he tried his best to adhere to his father's expectations because he needed to feel as if Bruce cared for him. And he did finally come to accept the morals that his father cherishes--protecting the weak at all costs, even at his own expense. He bought into them so thoroughly that, when he was given the choice between rejoining his mother and her life of crime or staying with his father and protecting Gotham City, he had no hesitation in choosing the path of a hero.
Of course, that doesn't mean he doesn't still have his struggles in adapting to this path. He knows that he has some high expectations to live up to and that his past is always going to follow him, both literally and figuratively. Sometimes, even his own teammates can't keep themselves from wondering if he's more villain than hero. And let's not forget about the two (2) visions of different futures in which Damian's actions bring about mass death and destruction.
Given these constant reminders, it's no wonder that Damian is never able to feel like he's actually earned his right to be where he is. No matter how many times he saves the day, how many crimes he stops or lives he saves, he always feels like he can't measure up to his father or older brothers. He's always worried that some choice he makes may lead him down the path to ruin and prove everyone's fears about him true. He has difficulty even believing that he can have friends given how sordid his past is and how many people in the hero community know about it.
Now, this doesn't mean that Damian doesn't think he's a good person. He knows himself, and he knows what his goals are. He's died to save the world! Twice! He puts every ounce of energy that he has to spare towards fighting crime and saving people. He knows that he's a good person (at least, knows that he can be one) even if some days it does feel like he has to force himself to truly feel like it.
The real crux of the problem is that Damian Wayne has almost no social skills. He was raised first by criminals and madmen, and then by Bruce Wayne, the world's most emotionally constipated and occasionally unhinged super hero. He hasn't exactly had the best role models in the world for learning how to relate to other people, much less work on a team as equals or, heaven forbid, friends.
With most people, Damian is a distant and abrasive person who is prone to condescension and insults, and is confident in his skills to the point of arrogance. He doesn't understand how to work with people as equals and instead dishes out orders without ever earning the necessary respect, and he frequently fails to explain the reasoning behind the orders he gives. Because he was raised from birth to lead and grew up with a near absolute authority over grown adults within the League of Assassins, he has a warped understanding of the authority and respect that he is due, and he has no real idea how to earn it with people from scratch.
Enter Jonathan Kent (or any fuzzy animal, honestly). Damian's relationship with Jon allows us to see past his prickly exterior and into his...slightly less prickly interior. While the friendship hasn't made Damian magically develop basic social skills, he does genuinely and sincerely enjoy the other boy's company. They've exchanged vows to always protect each other, held sleepovers, and Damian even bought him an incredibly thoughtful Christmas gift. In short, Jonathan is his closest friend. Damian has been able to relax so thoroughly around the boy because Jon, unlike so many others in his life, approaches Damian with a sincere warmth and acceptance that he doesn't get many other places. Because of that, Damian is able to let his guard down and trust that when all is said and done, Jon will be there for him. And more importantly, it's given Damian hope that he can win over more friends in the future, and is setting an example for what those friendships should look like.
To sum up: Damian Wayne is a boy who has lived a hard life and has become hard because of it, but he is beginning to heal. Given enough time he...probably will not even approach being a warm and cuddly person, but he can at least become someone who is knows when to use a gentle touch, and who will be loyal to the very end.
Character in Imeeji:
Damian in Imeeji will still be a fairly closed off and socially inept person. Friendliness and social skills in general are not innate for him, or else he'd have a much easier time getting along with others in canon than he does. That said, he won't be particularly aggressive or intentionally rude without a reason behind it. (At least not initially.) Since Damian will have no memory of being raised to behave as a superior person, and because he doesn't remember any other biases he picked up along the way, he will be a much calmer person. This may change depending on what sort of biases he gains from the team he's placed on, but his first days and even weeks in the game will be spent treating everyone more or less the same.
Except for his own team, of course. They will have the benefit of being the focus of Damian's need for acceptance. Although his upbringing in canon certainly exacerbated this trait, it didn't create it from out of nowhere. Damian won't have the same pathological need for his worth to be validated by someone, but he will still want to feel as if he's contributing to his team in some way. The most obvious method is helping earn points in games and lives, but even just helping with chores or doing mundane acts of kindness like buying or winning a treat for them could be all he needs to satisfy this urge.
The biggest change from his canon personality will be that he won't have the same fear of his past catching up with him or coming to light hanging over his head. Because he doesn't know that he's a former assassin or about the visions of dark futures, he won't have the expectation that people are going to judge him for a past he's left behind already. He'll be able to talk and even argue with people without worrying that maybe he just isn't a person who can have friends. He'll be able to bounce back from fights without spending days or weeks brooding about it. In short, he'll be able to handle conflict in a much healthier way because he won't descend into spirals of self-judgement or fear of judgement from others.
It's certainly going to help that he won't have the same warped view of the respect people should treat him with either. With no memory of being a future ruler of an assassin's league, and no memory of his extensive teachings or combat skills, he'll be able to see people in general as his equals. He won't feel like it's acceptable to declare himself leader and throw orders around, and he'll be much more inclined to actually ask for the input of others before trying to make decisions. Or, at the very least, he'll be willing to hear out what others have to say. Basically, amnesia will make Damian a person who is much more able to function in a true team. He will still have some awkwardness in his interactions with people, and he won't be out making friends left and right, but he'll be missing many of the obstacles that were drilled into his personality as a result of his upbringing.
Other things that will change without the memory of his upbringing and training: his confidence levels. In canon he is so assured of his knowledge and abilities that he nearly always come across as arrogant and is often condescending. But in canon it is a fact that he has the skill to back up his claims. In Imeeji, without the memories to give him that obscene level of self assurance. Depending on what he's attempting to do, he may even ask for tips or advice from others who know or remember more than him. Additionally, he'll be much more cautious until he regains some memories. Since he won't know that his pastimes include leaping from skyscrapers and charging straight at gun-wielding maniacs, he'll be more cautious in the risks he takes and feels comfortable with others taking.
Finally, Damian will still have a natural inclination towards heroism--or at least protecting people where he can. The premise of Imeeji will definitely encourage him to focus this protective streak on his team first and foremost, but it the question of who to protect in the more violent games is very likely something he will have to wrestle with each time. While in most cases he'll want to protect his team, it will rarely be an easy choice for him, particularly without his memories of being an assassin. The weight of taking a life will be very heavy until he regains those memories. Even after he regains them it's likely to be a difficult choice, particularly if he is placed on a team that wants to prioritize protecting others. Damian himself isn't someone who wants to hurt people he cares for or innocent people, so he won't come down 100% on one side or the other of the argument. Instead, it will nearly always be a discussion and decision that he must make with his team.