The following article contains spoilers from Robins #6, on sale now from DC Comics.

Batman has always been regarded as a tough mentor. He sets a standard of excellence not because it pleases him, but because it could be the difference between life and death in Gotham City. However, he also brings a rigid moral code that have caused tension with some of his more aggressive allies. As a result, the Dark Knight often has a hard time giving these allies the benefit of the doubt, even after years of working alongside them.

While this may be motivated from a desire to not see those he cares about descend a dark path, there may be a more personal reason behind it. Batman is known as a dark hero who struggles with psychological issues that in some ways rival those of the villains he faces. He has admitted at times to having fantasies about taking the lives of his enemies, but he has thus far avoided crossing that line. As a result, when his allies exhibit violent behavior it may remind him of his own inner struggle, and he responds by sometimes forcefully saving them from themselves.

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Batman vs Huntress

Batman has often struggled with his own proclivity towards violence. With as many resources as he has access to as Bruce Wayne, he could have chosen any number of ways to help his city. However, instead of working as a politician or activist, he chose to become a violent vigilante. While he is an established protector of Gotham City, there is no denying that it takes a certain kind of person to choose that path before all others.

The consequences of this decision are often shown in how he has to restrain himself from killing the heinous villains he encounters. More than once he has vocalized how he would love nothing more than to kill criminals like the Joker, who he has actually envisioned torturing in retaliation for all the people the Clown Prince has hurt over the years.

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Red Hood Blames Batman For His Trauma

This supressed feeling within himself is likely how he justifies his attitude towards his more violent allies such as Red Hood, Huntress, and Jenny Wren. He sees himself in their struggles, and realizes that they are dealing with a similar struggle. Knowing this, he likely feels that he has no choice but to rein them in harshly, often pushing them away in the process and damaging already unsteady relationships.

Red Hood is perhaps the best example of this. Batman always knew that it was risky to take on Jason Todd as Robin, but ultimately felt that his actions would be more helpful than harmful. When Jason ended up pushing a man off a balcony, the Dark Knight distanced himself from his protege and a fair amount of trust was lost between them. Things became even worse when Jason took on the identity of the ultraviolent Red Hood, who had no qualms about executing criminals. Even though Todd has recently stepped away from his more lethal methods, the two still have difficulty trusting one another.

Huntress is another one of the Dark Knight's allies who initially chose a much darker path. While her origin is very similar to that of Bruce Wayne (she also witnessed her parents being killed by criminals), the Huntress chose to repay violence with even greater violence, creating a dark reflection of what the Caped Crusader could have been if not for kinder souls (such as Alfred Pennyworth) being present to help quell his anger.

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Batman Rejects Jenny Wren

The most recent of his allies revealed to have taken a dark path is Jenny Wren. Robins #6 (by Tim Seeley, Baldemar Rivas, Romulo Fajardo Jr., and Steve Wands) reveals that Wren actually shot and killed a villain who threatened to explose Batman's identity. The Gotham City vigilante didn't respond well to the situation, rejecting her for making a spur of the moment decision, and unwittingly spurring her on to later become a villain.

In each of these situations, Batman witnessed the worst case scenario. Ignorant of the best way to help, he applied the same methods that he uses for himself, namely harsh criticism. This lack of empathy and understanding has cost him in every circumstance, resulting in no one actually learning how to effectively deal with their anger. In most cases his technique has backfired, sparking physical altercations and plots for revenge.

If Batman could come to terms with his own temptation to use excessive violence, he might be able to better connect to his proteges when the are tempted to waver. He could better understand what they are feeling and try to help them find ways to effectively process and deal with those feelings. Doing so could actually help them all improve themselves, not merely as crime-fighters, but as people who have suffered trauma and finally found a healthy way of living with their pain.