WARNING: Contains potential spoilers for DC Vs. VAMPIRES: WORLD WAR V #3!DC recently introduced a new Batman in continuation Other worlds row DC vs Vampiresand for two months I racked my brain trying to figure out who it could be, especially since most of Bruce Wayne’s male heirs are dead. However, with the final clue revealed, I think I have finally solved the mystery of who is behind the hood.
DC vs Vampires: World War Five #3 by Matthew Rosenberg and Otto Schmidt continues the tense three-way war between vampires, the human resistance, and Damian Wayne’s vampire guerrillas, with tensions rising following Damian’s murder of the Vampire Queen Barbara Gordon in issue #1.
In issue #2, the vampires began their revenge when Vampire Wonder Woman hunted down and killed Talia al Ghul, nearly killing Alfred Pennyworth. Now, in issue #3, Black Adam, Wonder Girl and Raven – supporters of the fallen queen – close in on Damian. Luckily for the Boy Wonder, the new Batman arrives just in time to offer help. I’m 99% sure that the man behind the hood is Damian’s grandfather, Ra’s al Ghul.
Connected
Fans Think The New Batman Is Ghostmaker Or Azrael (I Know They’re Wrong)
Hoa Hanh is a vampire operative and Jean-Paul Valley is dead
The newest Batman from Earth-63 has been teased for months, first through various covers and then making his official debut in DC vs Vampires: World War Five No. 2. Despite his appearance in the previous issue, there was little evidence of his identity, especially since the mask covered his entire face. The only detail I found out was that he was a man. Since most of Bruce Wayne’s male heirs had died, this helped narrow down the possibilities. Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake and Duke Thomas were eliminated due to their deaths in previous issues of the series..
Following the debut of the new Batman in issue #2, I wrote an article speculating about his identity and was surprised that most fans guessed that Hoa “Ghost Maker” Khan or Jean-Paul “Azrael” Valley. What shocked me was that Azrael was already shown dying in DC vs Vampires: Total War #5, and the Ghost Maker was established as an ally of the vampires (he was even seen hunting down Big Barda and Mister Miracle’s child in the last issue). So unless Azrael has miraculously returned from the dead (again) or Ghost Maker is working as a double agent, these theories seem unlikely.
I thought Luke Fox was the new Batman, but DC just debunked that theory
I’m 99% sure that Ra’s al Ghul will be the new Dark Knight of Earth-63.
While I initially suspected that Luke Fox was the new Batman, clues in issue #3 made it clear that I was wrong. for two main reasons. First, we get a partial face reveal, and the new Batman’s skin tone is noticeably light, which doesn’t match Luke’s. Secondly, this Batman speaks to Damian with noticeable familiarity, and as far as I know, Luke and Damian have had minimal interaction, making it unlikely that Luke would interact with the younger Robin in such a familiar way. But why do I now believe that the new Batman is Ra’s al Ghul?
One of the biggest clues is how the character speaks. The new Batman not only addresses Damian with a sense of familiarity, but also speaks in a decidedly superior tone.even calling Damian “child.” This is very typical of Ra’s al Ghul and also suggests that the man is older, which also fits with my theory. Of course, Ra’s signature goatee is absent when his face is partially revealed, and this Batman uses contractions that are not typical of Ra’s speech patterns. However, despite these inconsistencies, it is the final clue that ultimately convinces me that Batman is Damian’s grandfather.
Connected
‘I’ve trained you better than this, child’: DC’s new Batman reveals important identity clue
Who do you think will be the new Batman?
The clue that ultimately led me to suspect that the new Batman from Earth-63 was Ra’s al Ghul was this one line: “I taught you better, child.” This line stands out because it confirms that the new Batman has a personal connection with Damian and even trained him. Since Nightwing and Batman are dead, this rules out the two most obvious candidates for training Damian. Alfred Pennyworth is also excluded from participating, having recently become DC’s new Green Lantern. Thus, the most likely candidate is Damian’s grandfather, Ra’s al Ghul. With this hint and Ras al Ghuls absence from history, it makes sense that he could be DC’s newest character. Batman.
DC Vs. Vampires: World War Five #3 Available now from DC Comics!