DC Is Setting the Stage to Kill Jason Todd a Second Time
Spoilers ahead for Catwoman 58!Recent changes to the Red Hood are laying the groundwork to get the vigilante killed. “Gotham War” has driven a wedge in the Bat-Family and no one’s suffered in it more than Jason Todd. Batman’s ultimate betrayal of Red Hood causes major problems for Jason, and it could wind up costing him his life. The “Gotham War” crossover has fractured the Bat-Family after Batman refused to tolerate Catwoman’s plans to steal from Gotham’s elite. Red Hood briefly allied himself with Selina, putting him into Bruce’s crosshairs. Spurred on by the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh, Batman used a machine to re-condition Jason Todd’s behavior. Now Red Hood experiences an intense level of fear every time his adrenaline levels get too high. When Scandal Savage came to rescue Jason and bring him back to Catwoman’s base, Red Hood was too petrified to even move. But Batman is convinced that this is the best for Jason and will allow him to live a ‘normal’ life.
Red Hood Can’t Do Basic Things Without Succumbing to Fear
In Catwoman 58 by Tini Howard and Nico Leon, Red Hood is searching for Batman, but fires are raging through Gotham and Jason can barely tolerate the idea. He tries to run past a couple of cops, but the elevation of his heart rate sends Jason into a panic, causing him to collapse in the streets. However, Jason hears a little girl’s cry coming from a nearby fire, and he pushes past his fear to try and save her. Unfortunately, the stress of the event is too much and Red Hood collapses inside a burning apartment complex. Thankfully, Batman and Catwoman arrive to save him and the girl from the flames.
Batman’s brainwashing of Red Hood was intended as a ‘gift’ from the Dark Knight so Jason would be forced to retire and curb his violent impulses for good. While the conditioning does keep Jason from fighting, it also prevents him from doing anything that requires an elevated heart rate. Red Hood can’t even run without being overcome by terror. Even though he tries to push through the fear and save a child from a fire, it isn’t long before he succumbs to his panic. If Jason doesn’t find a way to undo what Batman did to him, then the chances of him surviving long-term are practically nonexistent.
Red Hood is Basically Defenseless Thanks to Batman
By removing Red Hood’s ability to defend himself, Batman has set Jason up for failure. If he’s blindsided by a villain or even a random mugger (not exactly an uncommon event in Gotham), Jason could easily get himself killed. Not to mention this is the worst time for Jason to be unable to fight back as Vandal Savage is launching a full-scale assault on Gotham. Red Hood might have been overzealous in his methods, but this change in Jason’s behavior is so extreme, it’s not going to allow him to survive in Gotham for long. Hopefully, Batman is willing to undo his changes to Red Hood’s mind because right now Red Hood is a sitting duck. Catwoman 58 is on sale now.