Want to hear more from the actors and creators of your favorite shows and films? Subscribe to The Cinema Spot on YouTube for all of our upcoming interviews!
Founder & former Editor-In-Chief of The Cinema Spot | NYU Journalism | Twitter: @prestoncmoore
Every Monday, three of the endlessly creative minds at Geek Motivation write a movie plot. We write plots for future movies, we write plots for hypothetical movies, we even write plots for movies that have already been released, but sucked. After that, we post a poll on our Twitter account for you to vote on your favorite. Welcome to Fan Plot Monday, and enjoy our takes on Robin!
In the DCEU, this film could take place before Man of Steel and up to the present when the story is being told. Bruce is narrating the story, but we don’t know why…
The story begins in the circus big top, “where it all began”, the night of the Flying Graysons fateful performance. We also focus on the Drake family, who get a picture with the performers before their death. There is a clear focus on the performance, especially Dick’s acrobats. Dick’s parents then parish, Tim and his family rush out. Later, Bruce Wayne speaks to Dick.
We see Bruce and Dick become Batman and Robin, but Dick and Bruce eventually have a falling out, and later on, Bruce takes in Jason Todd. Too much time shouldn’t be spent on Nightwing or Red Hood because after all this is a Robin film, and their stories can be expanded upon in other films.
During this time, Tim Drake, who is growing up to be both intelligent and acrobatic himself, is seen investigating the investigators, deducing everything about them. Tim, eager to become the next Robin, tries multiple times to do so, even putting his family in danger by meddling with a criminal Batman is trying to stop. Luckily, Batman saves Tim and his parents. Despite this dangerous event, and after much deliberation, Batman is welcoming to Tim. It is in this moment, Tim realizes he wants to be his own hero as Red Robin. Nightwing takes notice and offers him something additional: membership into the Teen Titans/Young Justice, setting up a film devoted to the team.
It is finally revealed in a twist that the story is being told by Bruce to Damian Wayne, who is to become the next Robin.
It would be challenging to capture a balance between all Robins for this to be done right, but it could essentially chronicle all the stories simultaneously while bringing forth a definitive Robin. Too much time shouldn’t be spent on any one Robin because the mantle of Robin is the sidekick of Batman. We can see Damian Wayne fight alongside Bruce in future Batman or Batfamily films, especially if Battle for the Cowl comes into play.
Fade in to tough looking mobsters running scared through an alley. All of a sudden they reach a dead end and turn to see a boy dressed in bright reds and greens donning a mask. Robin uses acrobatics to get the upper hand, but he gets cocky and ends up getting surrounded, taking serious blows. The mobsters see something off screen and look terrified, and run off. Batman appears. He says to the young crime fighter “You’re supposed to be preventing trouble, not seeking it out.” It is revealed that Robin sought those men out to get information about their boss, Tony Zucco, who gave the order to have Robin’s parents killed.
The next scenes focus on Robin training with Batman and let us see the different forms of martial arts that he excels in, and his incredible reflexes. Through conversation and momentous in Robins room we learn about his past: a son of two circus performers who was orphaned after an “accident” during one of their performances. The scenes also show how Robin sneaks away during the day to find more information about Tony Zucco.
One scene in particular shows how he has hidden a network of information in his desk with a picture framed of “The Flying Grayson’s introducing Little Robin” with him and his family in uniforms similar to his. After time has passed Bruce notices that Robin has been sneaking out and finds him. He has a heart to heart with him about how when his parents died he wished to have someone to help avenge him, and joins Robin on the condition that he won’t kill Tony, since killing someone is not something one can come back from. Robin reveals all the information he has and together they figure out the location of Tony’s high security hideout.
After sneaking and fighting their way through several levels of Tony’s compound on the Gotham Docks, they find Tony and detain him. As Batman goes to signal the police, Tony goads Robin into losing his nerve and attempting to kill the mobster. Before Robin delivers the final blow, a batarang flies in and sticks in the wall between them. Robin looks up to see Batman standing over him, and breaks into tears, just as the sound of sirens approach from outside. Batman grabs a hold of his young ward, and just as the police burst in he uses his grappling hook to hoist them out of the room.
The movie ends at the batcave where we see Robin testing out an assortment of weapons. Batman enters with the newest issue of The Daily Planet and the title reads “Batman and his Sidekick Robin Save the Day.” Robin replies “sidekick…really?”
8-Year old Dick Grayson, the center of the Flying Graysons at Haley’s Circus, is young and fails to see the corruption of the people around him. As Dick readies himself for his act, he sees mafia boss Tony Zucco, threatening the circus owner for “protection” money. Dick, too young to understand, ignores this and makes his way to the trapeze with his parents. His loving mother pins a gold emblem to his chest, and says, “Fly, my little Robin,” as she does before every performance. The Flying Graysons take flight. Dick lands on his feet, only to see his parents swing back for what would be their last time. Their wires snap, causing them to plummet to their death, leaving the last Grayson heart-broken and full of guilt as he watches Tony Zucco and his thugs running away.
Dick, now a 9-year old boy belongs to Gotham City’s orphanage, until millionaire Bruce Wayne adopts him. Dick, confused, becomes angry and sneaks away from Wayne Manor to find Tony Zucco and his parents’ murderers. He runs as far as he can into the streets of Gotham, becoming terrified of the people around him. He takes shelter in an alley, where three teens approach him. Dick tells them, terrified, to stay away from him, but they come closer. A large shadowed figure drops down, scaring away the gangsters and rescuing Dick. He awakens in the Bat-cave to Alfred, Bruce’s butler, caring for him. Dick sees an unmasked Batman coming down the stairs. Recognizing Bruce, he is shocked. He asks for Bruce’s help in finding his parents’ murderers. Bruce denies him and sends him to his room. He angrily complies with tears running down his face. Alfred says to Bruce, “Sir, my opinion may have no value to you, but, if you don’t help him, who knows what he will become? He could end up just like you. Dark and angry.” Bruce listens, and walks to Dick’s room as he cries himself to sleep. He says, “Your training starts tomorrow.” Dick sleeps happily.
Dick, now 18-years old, is the official sidekick of Batman. Our heroes are seen spying on an old, successful Tony Zucco. Dick tells Batman he’s ready confront him. Batman urges against it, due to lack of evidence. Dick, seeing Zucco discussing his drug trade says, “It doesn’t matter. He’s selling illegal drugs. I’m bringing him in.” He leaps down, and Bruce angrily screams, “Robin!” Dick leaps into the room as Zucco’s men open fire on him. Using his acrobatic skill, Dick defeats them all, leaving only Zucco. Robin threatens arrest, but Zucco says, “Go for it. I already have cops on my side. You have no evidence. Arrest me. This will be fun.” Robin, frustrated, charges at Zucco only to be stopped by Batman swooping down to stop him, then making their escape in the Batmobile.
The two arrive at the cave and have it out. Batman yells at Robin for making a foolish mistake, and only making their goal harder. Dick responds only to say, “Why did you call me that? Why did you call me Robin?” Bruce sighs, saying, “I called you that because I remember the night your parents died, you were wearing this.” He shows Dick the gold emblem from his mother. “Before I adopted you, I talked to the people around the circus. They told me that your mother always called you her little Robin. And she told you before the shows to fly.” Dick, enraged, says, “Well Bruce, you’re not my parent. You’re not my family. You’re not even my partner, so don’t ever call me that.” Dick walks away and Bruce is left alone. Alfred approaches him, “Sir…” Bruce looks back at him with piercing eyes. “…Master Dick is upset because he feels betrayed. He thought you were here to help him catch Zucco, not become this sidekick.” Bruce replies, “I know Alfred, I just want him to do it the right way.” Alfred quips back, “And I wanted you to do it the right way too, but here you are in a bat costume.”
Bruce walks up to Dick’s empty room with the window open. He looks out and sees one of his bikes has gone missing. He chases into the city after him. Dick, at a warehouse, sees Zucco and his men loading drugs into a truck. He snaps pictures. Dick confronts Zucco and his men, once again defeating all of Zucco’s partners. He says, “It’s over Zucco, I have evidence, I’m bringing you in.” He replies, “Go ahead! I’ll be out in a week!” Dick’s fists tighten. Zucco says, “What are you going to do? You arrest me, I get out. You let me go, I have all the protection in the world. Kid, I run this place, the only way you’ll beat me is if you kill me.” Dick charges at Zucco and begins beating him, only to be tackled by Batman. Batman says, “I know you’re angry, but this isn’t the right way to do this. If he gets out, we’ll put him back in. And we’ll do that as long as it takes. But don’t trade in your humanity. Don’t become dark and angry. Don’t be like me.” Dick’s fists unravel, and he drops to one knee. He takes a sigh of relief and says, “You’re right Batman. I’m sorry.” The two reconcile and arrest Zucco accordingly.
Dick and Bruce appear at the court hearing. The judge sentences Zucco to twenty years, on drug and murder charges with no chance of bail or parole. Dick looks at Bruce. Bruce says, “The people he paid off only think about money. I offered double what he payed to do the right thing.” The duo walks out of the courtroom. Dick says to Bruce, “Well Bruce, we solved this case, now what?” Bruce says, “Well that’s up to you. You’re more than welcome to stay with me.” “It’s been 9 years Bruce, I can’t just go back to being normal, but I need to be my own person now. You’ve helped me become this, but now it’s time for me to do my own thing.” “Where are you going to go?” “I hear there are some crazy things happening in Bludhaven!” “Well, no matter where you go, you will always have a home to come back to.” They shake hands, and Dick drives away on his motorcycle.
Dick reminisces on his time spent with Batman as he drives through the city. He passes the Gotham City limit. He says to himself, “I have to go, because I can never be that. I can never be dark and angry. That’s Batman, that’s not me. Me? I’m Robin.”
Don’t forget to vote for your favorite on the poll!
Founder & former Editor-In-Chief of The Cinema Spot | NYU Journalism | Twitter: @prestoncmoore
7 Comments on “Fan Plot Monday: Robin”