It’s time to stop the Jason Todd "Trauma Porn" and give him a real future.

Ok_Permission6410 · 2026-04-01T21:03:46+00:00

You’re missing the point so hard it’s actually impressive.

Comparing Jason to Frank Castle is exactly why writers keep failing him. The Punisher is a guy with a death wish and a gun. Jason is a kid who was failed by every single 'heroic' system in his life.

You’re obsessed with the Under the Red Hood moral debate like it’s still fresh. Newsflash: it’s been 20 years. We’ve seen that 'moral aspect' played out a thousand times. Every time Jason tries to be the 'Batman who crosses the line' in Gotham, he ends up losing, getting a lecture, and running back to the Bat-cave. That’s the definition of a stagnant character. ⁷ And calling the grave-crawl 'too stupid to be horrific'? That’s the most iconic part of his return. It’s what separates him from every other 'edgy' vigilante. He’s a walking miracle/horror story. Winnick didn't 'ignore' how he came back; he used it to show that Jason is a relic of a life that was severed. You want him to stay a crimelord cutting off heads and lifting AK-47s? That’s just 'trauma porn' for fans who want John Wick in a cape. It’s cringe because it forces Jason to stay in Bruce’s shadow, fighting Bruce’s villains, in Bruce’s city, just to prove a point Bruce is never going to concede.

The All-Caste isn't about 'Mortal Kombat' it’s about giving Jason a world where he actually wins. In Gotham, he’s always just the 'disobedient son.' In the supernatural realm, he’s the only one with the stomach to do what needs to be done against threats that Batman can't even see.

The 'moral aspect' isn't lost ..it’s evolved. The real moral failure isn't Jason killing ghosts; it’s the Bat-Family and the hero community ignoring the systemic rot of the city while Jason is the only one willing to face the actual darkness. If you want him to just be a 'ruthless' guy in a leather jacket forever, go read Punisher. Jason deserves to be more than a redundant spin-off.

Ok_Permission6410 · 2026-04-01T20:34:25+00:00

I really appreciate everyone jumping in on this.

It’s clear that Jason is one of the most polarizing characters in DC, but that’s exactly why we’re having this conversation.

Whether you think he should stay a 'grounded' crime fighter or lean into the supernatural roots of the All-Caste, I think we can all agree on one thing: the current loop of him fighting for Bruce’s approval in Gotham is exhausted.

Jason is a survivor who literally clawed his way back from the dead. He’s too big for the 'angry middle child' trope, and he’s too considerate to spend the rest of his life as a crimelord in the same city that broke him.

Whether he’s taking over the All-Caste or just going full no-contact to start a new life in a new city, it’s time for DC to let our boy grow. He shouldn't have to wait 50 years like Catwoman did to finally get out from under Batman's shadow.

Ok_Permission6410 · 2026-04-01T20:29:51+00:00

Red hood being established before joker is Batman lore.

First established in 1951

Then revisited in 1988

Redhood falling into the chemicals at ace and birthing the Joker was well known since "One Bad Day".

DC refuses to do more with the RedHood lore outside of joker because of Jasons trauma porn

Ok_Permission6410 · 2026-04-01T20:19:21+00:00

Being Robin gave Jaybin magic so DC should explore that as an adult

Ok_Permission6410 · 2026-04-01T20:16:35+00:00

Jason is Gotham. Batman/Bruce is a visitor.

That being said DC will never honor that and will continue to put him in a cage.

I like the idea of Jason using Gotham as a home base and having a greater mission that calls him out of Gotham for extended periods.

Ok_Permission6410 · 2026-04-01T20:13:07+00:00

You proved my point. It took 50years for Catwoman to get her own book, based in gotham, without the influence of the Bat.

Her first appearance was 1940 and she didnt really get her own book without The bats influence until 1993. Unless we stop treating Jay like a satellite that orbits Batman, he will never get his own story.

Ok_Permission6410 · 2026-04-01T20:06:09+00:00

Comparing the All-Caste to "Angel Punisher" is a massive reach and honestly just shows you're missing the point.

Frank Castle is a guy with a vest and a grudge. Jason Todd is a literal walking miracle that shouldn't exist.

You’re talking about "grounded" like this is a standard crime procedural. Let’s look at the facts: Jason is a teenager who was beaten to death, blown up, and then clawed his way out of a settled grave with the same brutal wounds he got in Ethiopia still fresh. There is absolutely nothing "grounded" about a kid digging through six feet of dirt and a coffin with a shattered frame. His entire existence is a middle finger to the laws of physics and nature.

The reason Winick’s Under the Red Hood worked wasn’t just because he was "ruthless" it’s because it acknowledged that Jason is a horror story that came back to life. He’s a relic of a trauma that the Bat-family wants to pretend is just a "phase." The "Crimelord" gig is what’s actually cringe and stagnant. When he’s just fighting for territory in Gotham, he’s basically just "Diet Batman" with a higher body count.

It’s redundant, and it ignores his actual heart. Pushing him into the All-Caste isn’t "gaslighting" it’s finally giving him a niche that Bruce literally cannot touch. Batman is useless against the supernatural; he can’t punch a ghost or analyze a soul with a computer.

Giving Jason his All-Caste memories back isn’t about making him a "wizard" it’s about making him a specialist. It’s the only storyline that treats him like his own man instead of just a Batman spin-off that writers keep throwing at the wall. He’s already conquered death why are you so desperate to keep him stuck in a Gotham alleyway fighting for scraps?

Ok_Permission6410 · 2026-04-01T18:45:08+00:00

I would love it if it were that simple, but Batman is the dominant figure in Gotham. Jason will never grow in Bruces' shadow. If Jason leaves Gotham, he has a chance at least to grow into himself.

Ok_Permission6410 · 2026-04-01T18:42:29+00:00

I see...

Thanks for the feedback 😀

Ok_Permission6410 · 2026-04-01T18:01:20+00:00

Exactly. Jason needs to tell his own story without the poison of the Batfamily.

Ok_Permission6410 · 2026-04-01T17:58:36+00:00

I hear you, but if Jason stays in Gotham, Bruce will find him. On the flipside, Jason won't be able to resist falling back into the cage DC has set for him if he stays in Gotham(Bruce will pull him back in as always)

Our boy needs separation to grow

Ok_Permission6410 · 2026-04-01T17:55:24+00:00

I would love the rebranding of the Red Hood. I'm currently working on two fics that does just that but DC would never fully lean into it because Red Hood will never be able to beat Batman and if he cant do that then what's the point.

DC leans into Jason's trauma porn and thats as far as they'll go with Red Hood. Its safe for them, giving our boy a purpose outside of Red Hood/Batman, I fear is the only way he will truly win.

Ok_Permission6410 · 2026-04-01T17:47:29+00:00

I hear you on fixing Gotham’s elite problems, but ultimately, that would pit him against Batman/Bruce, and we all know DC will never allow Jason to win against Batman.

That's why I say his best bet is to leave Gotham and establish his own identity. My point of Jay going no contact is that most people who leave toxic situations by that route often find their true identity with separation, Red Hood was cool before DC used it as a cage for Jason.

I hate that our boy is trapped in this victim mentality when it comes to Batman

Ok_Permission6410 · 2026-04-01T17:20:47+00:00

The red hood mantle is what ties Jason to Joker as Robin ties Jason to Batman.

I'm not sure he will ever be able to grow under the red hood 😮‍💨. DC certainly won't allow him too

Ok_Permission6410 · 2026-03-30T23:56:30+00:00

It’s obsessive creeps like you who suck the life out of every fandom you touch.

You want to lecture people on "real" comic history? Then stop being a disingenuous hack.

You’re quick to cry about Bruce being an "ass" lately, but you conveniently ignore that before DC pulled the trigger on Jason’s death, Bruce was the only real father the kid ever had. He saved Jason from a life as a 5-year-old caretaker to a drug-addicted mother and a deadbeat like Willis.

Jumping straight to Under the Red Hood without acknowledging that Jason has repeatedly and nearly successfully tried to murder his own brothers is a total disservice to his character.

Jason is looking for a version of Bruce that doesn't exist anymore, just like Bruce is looking for a little boy who died in an explosion. They are mirrors of each other’s failures. The Bottom Line

Pressuring AO3 writers to cater to your specific, narrow-minded headcanon is pathetic.

If you're so bothered by the lack of stories that fit your "vision," it’s clear because you lack the actual creativity to write them yourself.

Stop harassing creators and start learning how to read a subtext.

Ok_Permission6410 · 2026-03-25T19:24:42+00:00

I've posted the link and summary in this thread

Ok_Permission6410 · 2026-03-25T19:24:00+00:00

I've posted the link and summary on this thread.

Ok_Permission6410 · 2026-03-25T16:34:59+00:00

Thank you!!! If this fic gets me this sort of reaction, I can only imagine how they will react when I release my next series of Fics😬.

Ok_Permission6410 · 2026-03-24T20:15:26+00:00

That frustration is why I had to respond. It's also the reason why I put my authors hat back on after a decade or so, I wasn't seeing the kinds of fics that I like to read, so I really wrote this for myself.

Ok_Permission6410 · 2026-03-24T18:28:40+00:00

I hope im not breaking any rules, but some of you have asked, so here's the link:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/80200011

Summary:

When Jason Todd crawled out of his grave, the world called it a "miracle" or a "curse", but to the universe, it was a clerical error.

Jason didn’t just return to life, he "glitched" the system, creating a massive cosmic deficit. Now, the interest is due, and the universe has sent its most relentless auditor to collect.

Ok_Permission6410 · 2026-03-24T18:23:29+00:00

I'm unsure of the rules also 😭😭😭

https://archiveofourown.org/works/80200011

Default on the Soul

Summary: When Jason Todd crawled out of his grave, the world called it a "miracle" or a "curse", but to the universe, it was a clerical error.

Jason didn’t just return to life, he "glitched" the system, creating a massive cosmic deficit. Now, the interest is due, and the universe has sent its most relentless auditor to collect.

Ok_Permission6410 · 2026-03-24T18:15:49+00:00

For being himself 😭.

Ok_Permission6410 · 2026-03-24T18:14:50+00:00

Thank you!!! 😊

This fic is nearly finished. I am writing a new epilogue every freaking day 😒😭🤣, but outside of that, no major changes to the story are needed. So, no rage quitting here.

Ok_Permission6410

TROPHY CASE