The Turning Evil Files: The Robins Edition

Let's face it; every hero turns evil once in a while. It adds spice and (presumably) depth to the narrative, and every writer hopes to merciful god that it adds readers. While we considered trying to list and describe every comics character that turned evil, we ultimately realized that would probably result in computer running out of pixels. Instead, we decided to pick some more specific folders from the Turning Evil Files, and shift our focus to the Robins, that singular group of people who have benefited most from Batman's parenting skills.

Top three evil Robins, under the cut.3. DICK GRAYSON



Hey. Someone has to be on the bottom rung, and it ain't Damian.

Pre-Evil Goodness Quotient: Pretty high.

Dick Grayson has always been the straight arrow of whatever team he's on. The most evil thing he's ever done is failing to try hard enough to stop the execution of a mass murderer.

Evil Trigger: Alternate universes/timelines or morality tales.

Okay, maybe I'm pushing this one a little. But with the mixed up continuity of any long-term character, especially one that's been in about three books a month for fifty years, who's to say that the alternate universe version of Dick Grayson isn't the real guy? Also, this particular version of Dick Grayson got Trigon the demon's 'seed' put in him. That would drive anyone a little nuts.

Evil Name: Deathwing

Evil Acts: So many.

He went Terminator on his friend, Donna Troy, trying to travel back in time and kill her before she could give birth to her child. He attacked his ex-girlfriend. And he assaulted the innocent eyes of every reader of his comic.

Look at that. There's no forgiving that.

Yeah, I'd scream, too.

Redemption:

You can't stay alternate timeline/alternate universe/alternate reality forever. Crises happen, and Dick Grayson is now as squeaky clean as ever.

2. DAMIAN WAYNE-AL GHUL

This guy will probably punch through the computer screen for me putting him second, and he hasn't even hit puberty yet.

Pre-Evil Goodness Quotient: Low

I'm pretty sure that he wasn't born strangling someone with his own umbilical cord, but that's about it.

Evil Trigger: Not getting enough of his dad's attention.

To be honest, Damian didn't have much of a chance. He came from a long line of evil, evil people. Things really seemed to kick into gear, though, when he finds out that his dad, Batman, has other sidekicks. Sibling rivalry is serious with this kid.

Evil Name: Damian Al Ghul.

If you don't think that name is good enough, you aren't reading it right.

Evil Acts: Also, many.

He goes out, cuts the head off a minor criminal, fills it with explosives, shoving a hand grenade in the mouth, and gives it to his rival Robin, Tim Drake. Basically, this kid is an evil Wyle E Coyote.

Still better than Deathwing.

Redemption:

He finds out that his other brother, Dick Grayson, is a sweet guy, that being good makes for a happier life, and that his mother had mind-control implants placed in his spine. I'm not sure what factor tipped things for him, but the combination was effective. Looks like he's on the side of the angels now.

1. JASON TODD



Hooboy.

Pre-Evil Goodness Quotient: Respectable.

Most people forget that in his earliest appearances, Jason Todd was a pretty good kid. He went to museums to get extra credit for his school, befriended Dick Grayson, and was generally a nice guy. Just before his death he turned a little grumpy, but he was trying to catch a serial rapist at the time, and he dealt with it a lot better than most of the cops on 'Law and Order: SVU'.

Evil Trigger: Death and rebirth.

He got in a fight with Batman, went out to find his birth mom, was betrayed by her and turned over to an evil psychopath, who beat him to death with a crowbar. Really, can you blame him for getting a bit knife-happy?

Evil Name: Red Hood.

It was the original name of The Joker. Also, what else can you call this guy?

Evil Acts:



Collected a bunch of drug dealer's heads and put them in a duffel bag. Sicced an evil android on Batman and Dick Grayson. Beat up Tim Drake and graffitied the Titans Tower. Stabbed another vigilante through the shoulder. Kidnapped and tried to turn Green Arrow's sidekick evil. Shot Damian, who is, again, not yet old enough to shave. Threw Catwoman off a building. And just, basically, murderized or attempted to murderize everyone around him.

Redemption: Not yet.

I assume they're working on it.