I know the popular take is Batman's rogues getting their butts handed to them by Bruce Wayne, and I'm not belittling that, because that's really funny for all stated reasons?
But how about a new take: most of Batman's rogues call him off limits, because they find out he is their benefactor, when/if they try to reform?
Mr Freeze won't touch him because when he's in Arkham, Bruce is the one who finances the research to help Nora Fries.
Poison Ivy won't touch him because he had been the one supplying her with plants, while in prison.
Harley won't touch him because he's just a great guy an' gotham needs guys like that.
Riddler won't touch him because he was the secret backer that time Eddie tried to open a detective agency.
Croc won't touch him because he's one of the few people who ever talks to him like a person.
Deadshot refuses any hits on him because he found out Wayne does a lot of secret work for people down on their luck who made bad mistakes.
- Two-Face having a crisis in the middle of the street because, on the one hand, he’s just trapped Bruce Wayne inside of a bank, so he can get some serious cash outta this.
- But also: Harvey is screaming at him like “f*** you dude, that guy was my best friend. Also, he visits me in Arkham and treats the both of us like a damn human being.”
- And Two-Face being like “f*** it, that’s fair. i’ll flip a coin and see.”
- Harvey: “you most certainly wILL NOT. Just walk away, man.”
- The GCPD, shielded behind their cars, staring in shock and confusion: “what.”
Bruce slowly forming an amicable relationship with the Rogues is such a fun concept to me, because as much horror as these people have caused, Batman’s whole shtick is that everyone deserves a chance. So, while he doesn’t forget that these people are in Arkham for very legitimate reasons, he also takes the time to treat them as human beings
Riddler gets asked one day by a detective why he seems to explicitly avoid anything Wayne related, and he’s just like, “oh, he’s actually helping me draft plans for escape rooms and puzzle boxes and stuff as a positive outlet for my implicit need for attention and a constructive way of using my intelligence. It’d be just rude of me to bother him, ya know?”
Ivy: “how many billionaires do you know that seem to genuinely care about our planet and make actual, tangible efforts to create technologies to preserve what we have? The man is a rarity. Also, he convinced the guards to let me have a few plants with me—for comfort. Nice guy.”
Freeze: “he’s basically the only person who’s every given a damn about helping me save my wife. No way in hell am I crossing him.”
Deadshot, scrolling (or whatever) through his potential contracts: “Wayne? Oh hell no. I thought I blacklisted those ones. Delete. Begone. Live your best life Mr Wayne. Payday will come from somebody else.”
Harley: “I just think he’s neat. Also I know he’s Batman and he’s a cool dude, but I’m not gonna tell anyone that sooooo yeah.”
Waylon (Croc): “he saw my previous cell in Arkham and flipped made sure I got an actual habitat, and not a shoddy hole in the ground filled with sewer water, which made my stay there much more livable. He gives me food sometimes when he sees me in the wild. Nice guy. 10/10 will not eat.”
I just,,, love this.