WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Batgirl #49 by Cecil Castellucci, Robbi Rodriguez, Jordie Bellaire, and Andworld Design, on sale now
Barbara Gordon is one of the most brilliant heroes in Gotham City, a consistently moral and strong-willed defender of the people in her role as Batgirl. However, recent events of her life, such as an attack by the Joker in the heart of "the Joker War" and confrontations with her past choices, may have pushed Batgirl to her limits.
In Batgirl #49, Batgirl's brother James Gordon Jr. just threw himself to his death -- and it may have finally broken Batgirl, as Barabra Gordon seems to decide it's time to quit as a result.
After having her mobility restored by Luke Fox, Batgirl is back on the streets of Gotham, and not a moment too soon. A mysterious killer has started targeting women who have a similar appearance to Barabra and posing them as Batgirl. Both her father and her brother are concerned for her, fearing she may become a target. It's only complicated by James Jr. knowing that Barabra is the real Batgirl and that the other women being targeted fit a pattern. Investigating the crimes himself, James Jr. eventually realizes the horrible truth that he's in fact the one who's been murdering the women. Batgirl confronts James, who has had his psyche fully splinter into two halves: one dedicated to protecting his family, the other a murderous monster.
Batgirl, who'd previously only shown disdain for her brother and his crimes, actually tries to reach out to him and help him find the help he so clearly needs. But James fears what will happen if he's able to continue being a killer. Deciding there's only one surefire way to stop his darker side, James Jr. ends up throwing himself off the side of the lighthouse that he and Batgirl are standing on. The hero tries to save her brother, but it's too late. James Jr. is seemingly killed when he crashes to the rocks below, with both Batgirl and James Gordon Sr. finding his body. Unaware of Batgirl's true identity, Gordon initially assumes she was responsible for the crime and tries to arrest Batgirl. This forces her to tearfully flee the scene, leaving Gordon to mourn his son.
On top of all the recent traumas and tragedies Batgirl has had to confront lately, this might be the final straw for the heroine. The issues ends with Barabra, exhausted and crying from the loss of her brother, taking off her mask and seeming to decide to quit being Batgirl, as it's all "too much" for her to deal with. This means that another Bat-hero is off the board, a technical casualty of the latest conflict between Batman and the Joker.
While Barabra is still alive and healthy, it's unlikely that she'll be donning her own mask and suit, at least for a little while. However, this could see her move back into an Oracle-like position as the command center of the Bat-Family. Luckily, other heroes like Spoiler and Orphan are around who could take up the mantle of Batgirl again now that Barbara seems to be stepping away from it.