WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Event Leviathan #3, from Brian Michael Bendis, Alex Maleev and Josh Reed, on sale now.
Event Leviathan is pushing Batman to his limits as he tries to uncover the mastermind of the operation that's taking out spy organizations such as A.R.G.U.S and the D.E.O. across the DC Universe. As a result, he assembled DC's best detectives -- Damian/Robin, Lois Lane, the Question, Elongated Man, Manhunter and Green Arrow -- to go after his prime suspect: Jason Todd.
However, the innocent Red Hood proves to be slick for them, and by the time the dust settles at the end of this issue, it becomes perfectly clear the Dark Knight's mistake in accusing Jason might have paved the way for the rise of his deadliest enemy ever.
The team confront Jason on a rooftop and this issue deals with the outcome of the chase. Even though he's not Leviathan, Jason knows the vigilantes won't believe him and takes on the heroes. Jason wins, taking out Batman and Robin in the process, reminding us all why he was Bruce Wayne's protege in the first place. But when Lois corners him for an honest talk, Jason reveals he's pissed at the betrayal, which he saw coming Batman has been on his back for shooting Penguin and his history of reckless behavior.
He tells Lois he's not Leviathan, and despite this ambush, his head is clear and he's been thinking about why he's such an easy target to frame. Leviathan has a somewhat similar mission to him, and Jason makes the surprising revelation that he actually endorses their philosophy.
This is a subtle heel turn that makes him sympathetic to Leviathan and its forces, even if he's not actively affiliated with them. Jason still thinks they're doing what the heroes were too scared to do -- remove villains from the table -- and he's a fan of their work.
Jason hints that he's washing his hands of his former allies and family. When Bruce and Damian express regret at how they fared in the fight, it's apparent the Caped Crusader knows Jason isn't an enemy he wants. His mistake, though, might have created a monster, since an inspired Jason took both Batman and Damian out with relative ease. And if their entire detective collective wasn't good enough for a Jason who wasn't even enraged in battle, DC's heroes might not stand a chance if Jason really cuts loose.
If his pessimism turns him against Batman and DC's other heroes, Jason seems more in line with the views of Ra's al Ghul or the League of Assassins. Especially from what he tells Lois Lane, it seems like Jason is embarking on a dark new path, alone and angry. Even in his solo series, he was clinging to humanity and on the verge of embracing his inner-darkness. Between a recent incident where he though his father was still alive and the death of his friend Roy Harper in Heroes in Crisis, these accusation against him could be enough to turn him away from Batman for good.
A frustrated Red Hood takes out a bunch of street-level vigilantes plus the Bat-family, but he still points Lois towards Amanda Waller. While that indicates that he hasn't completely left the side of the angels, the threat of him breaking bad is still as dangerous as it gits, especially given how much he knows and how talented he is as as fighter.
While Batman's miscalculation about Leviathan is an uncharacteristic mistake, Jason still seems to be at the top of his mental game, close to being Batman's true equal. Without the support of Batman, the ex-Robin is a true lone wolf with no one ready to trust or believe in him. Dor hunting him down like this, Batman might end up top of his hit list in due time, paying the ultimate price for a lack of faith.
Event Leviathan #4 goes on sale Sep. 11.