Injustice: Broken Family

Just Because I Understand

It had been a week since Superman had demanded a worldwide ceasefire. It was another dark night in Gotham City, and Kevin asked Dick and Barbara if he could talk with them about today. The two of them could tell that something was up, so they were willing to talk to Kevin. They were at the Gotham Clocktower, sitting in the living room. "So what's up Kevin?" Dick asked, "everything okay?" Kevin sighed, "it's rather complicated. Or, maybe it isn't. I just don't know!"

"You can still tell us," said Barbara as she placed her hand on Kevin's shoulder in a comforting manner. Kevin hesitated and said, "it's about my mom. You see..."

Hours earlier...

Kevin was minding his business when he got a call from his mother Andrea. Kevin picked up and said, "hello?" Andrea said, "hey Kevin, I know this is a bit of a surprise, but I'm actually moving back to Gotham and I was wondering if you could help me unpack into my new house. I'll text you the address." Kevin smiled and said, "sure, I can help you, Mom." An hour later, Kevin went to the new house that Andrea was living at, and he helped her unpack her items. When they were finished, Kevin asked, "so Mom, what made you want to leave Bellevue and come back to Gotham? I thought you associated Gotham with negative memories?" Andrea shrugged and replied "it actually has to do with a new job I got recently." Kevin raised an eyebrow and asked "a new job, eh? I thought you liked being a manager at Half Price."

"I did, it's just that I found a better opportunity," said Andrea. "So what's this new job?" Kevin asked, slightly concerned. "Well, I'm working for Superman and the Justice League," said Andrea, "I'll be helping Superman get rid of crime as The Phantasm." Kevin's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates and he asked in shock, "WHAT?!?!?! You're taking Superman's side?!?!?! I thought you were done being The Phantasm?!?!?!" His voice was practically cracking like Gordon Ramsay screaming by the third question. He couldn't believe this. "Well, things change," said Andrea, "think of all this from my point of view, Kevin. Joker destroyed Metropolis and 11 million people are dead because of him. You know all the horrible things he's done. You told me what he did to that Gordon girl you like and how you cried for 90 minutes after seeing the photos. If he shot me or destroyed Bellevue, wouldn't you do the same?!?!?!"

"Mom, Joker's actions did make me sick to my stomach and I do believe he was an irredeemable monster, but you raised me to believe that I shouldn't wish death upon others no matter their evil," countered Kevin, "and no matter how justified Clark's actions were, he still murdered in cold blood!" Andrea snapped, "Clark did what your father was too weak to do! All the lives that damn clown took or ruined, all for his own amusement! And what did the great Batman do? Bring him back into Arkham which at this point is no longer a place for rehabilitation but is instead a revolving door for gimmicky criminals. I'm joining Superman to ensure a tragedy like Metropolis never happens again and so that innocent women like Barbara Gordon never suffer under the hands of a psychopath! If anything, Clark showed me that I was right to enact vengeance upon Bronski and Sol 20 years ago."

Now

"After that, I made up some excuse that I had to go shopping for college supplies," said Kevin, "and here we are." Dick and Barbara looked at Kevin, shocked that his own mother who had sworn off being the Phantasm would suddenly go back to her old ways of being a killer vigilante. Babs was willing to brush over the fact that Andrea said Kevin liked her. She would discuss that for another time. But she knew that Kevin cried after hearing how she got paralyzed. "I'm sorry to hear that Kevin," said Barbara. "We both are," said Dick, "this must suck, knowing that your own mom would do something like this." Kevin looked down silently for a moment, and then he said while looking at his friends, "but you know what the worst part about this is? The worst part is, I actually understand why my mom would do this. I mean, she and Dad genuinely wanted to get married, and then those gangsters threatened her father, and she was forced to flee. And then they killed her father anyway. It drove Mom to become The Phantasm, and she killed the men responsible for her father's death. The happy life she wanted was destroyed by the cruelty of criminals, and she felt murderous revenge was the only option. If there's anyone who can relate to what Clark went through, it's my mom. So sadly, I understand why she would do this." Dick and Barbara nodded, understanding Kevin's internal conflict. "But, just because I understand, that doesn't mean I agree with my mom," continued Kevin, "I feel so conflicted. I want to love my mom, but I also love Dad and I want to remain loyal to him because I agree with Dad that what Clark did was wrong. But I also don't want my mom to think I hate her because I'm disgusted with what she's going to do. I just hate that she's going down a path I can't follow. What do I do?"

"I think the best thing you can do is give it time," said Dick. "I agree with Dick," said Barbara, "I'm certain that eventually your mom will see the error of her ways and realize that Clark was wrong too. What happens next is now up to her. But just remember, even if she decides to choose being The Phantasm over you, you'll always have us, Kevin." Dick nodded and said, "we're always here for you." Kevin smiled a little and said, "thanks for letting me get this off my chest, guys." But little did Kevin and Barbara know that this would be the last time they would speak to Dick before he died.