Damian Wayne is the son of Batman and Talia al Ghul. Since Talia is the daughter of Ras al Ghul, the leader of the League of Assassins and one of the Dark Knight's greatest enemies, there have always been tensions between her and Batman, despite their romantic feelings for one another. As such, she concealed her pregnancy from him and Bruce Wayne did not meet his son until the boy was ten years old.

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Damian was raised by assassins who trained to kill before most children could walk. He was reading classic books on military strategy when he was six and learned to drive when he was just eight. However, it was only when he moved in with his father that he learned to be a responsible caring person. Their relationship is unusual, even by the standards of most superheroes, but they still love one another and their journey together has been filled with some truly memorable moments.

10 Their First Meeting Made For An Awkward Start

Batman and Son, Bruce and Damian Wayne

Damian Wayne debuted in the story “Batman and Son” by Grant Morrison, Andy Kubert, and J.H. Williams III. After the Caped Crusader was captured by a squad of Manbats working for the League of Assassins, he was taken before Talia al Ghul. Here, she introduced him to his son.

Damian, all of ten years old, held a katana against his father’s throat. The boy said he always assumed his father would be taller. This was far from a good start to their relationship, and it revealed the different worldviews and high expectations each would place on one another.

9 Batman Showed His Son The Batcave

Batcave

Talia gave Batman their son to watch over without any warning. She demanded that Batman look after the boy and see to his education. Despite having known about the boy's existence for mere moments, he did so anyway.

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Batman blindfolded Damian and took him to the Batcave. Shortly after this, Tim Drake (who was Robin at the time) showed up. Damian was incredibly rude to Tim and began to shout. Alfred tactfully escorted Damian away, but within minutes, the butler had also lost patience. While any other ten-year-old on the planet would kill for an opportunity to see the Batcave, this spoiled rage-filled princeling made a fuss about it. However, by this point, the boy had already entered into Batman’s world.

8 Batman Earned His Son’s Respect Through Dominance

Batman screams at Damian

Damian is a bit of a spoiled brat. He was raised with unlimited wealth, tutors who trained him to become the perfect assassin, and a mother who assured him that he would one day grow up to inherit the world as the heir to his grandfather, the great R'as al Ghul.

After arriving at Wayne Manor, Alfred gave Damian a meal. The boy hurled the plate against a wall, screaming that it was not proper food and that he wanted his sword and laptop (which had been confiscated). At this point, Batman spoke to Damian not as a child, but as a “student of the martial arts,” scolding Damian for bringing shame on his sensei with such actions. This was the moment where Batman earned the respect of his son.

7 Bruce Took Damian To Crime Alley

Batman and Robin #1. Bryce Wayne takes Damian to Crime Alley

When Bruce Wayne was ten years old, his parents were murdered before his eyes in Crime Alley. At the start of The New 52’s Batman & Robin series by Peter Tomasi, Patrick Gleason, and Mick Gray, Bruce took his son to that very spot in Crime Alley.

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He explained how the traumatic loss of his parents had motivated him to become the man he was today, but that he was done living in the past. Rather, he was choosing to look to the future instead, which he planned to do with his son at his side.

6 Bruce Bought Damian A Dog

Titus and Damian Wayne

Damian struggled with rage and a desire to kill. He had, after all, spent the formative years of his life in the care of assassins. He chafed at the “no killing” rule his father enforced, which caused tension between them.

Bruce bought Damian a Great Dane as a companion. At first, Damian was less than appreciative, but soon, he softened up and learned to love the dog. He named the dog Titus, after the Shakespeare play Titus Andronicus.

5 Damian Risked Everything To Save His Father From NoBody

NoBody Batman Villain

NoBody was the name used by Morgan Ducard, the son of the famous bounty hunter Henri Ducard, who trained a young Bruce Wayne in detection work and man-hunting techniques. Morgan became the villain NoBody to hurt Bruce and tried to persuade Damian to betray his father.

At the time, Damian was chafing against his father’s rules and so agreed to accompany NoBody. He studied under the assassin, but in the end, he revealed that he did it all to help his father. They were family, and Damian would never betray his father, no matter their disagreements. After learning of this revelation, NoBody cruelly tortured Damian, nearly killing the boy. Batman rescued his son just in the nick of time. Then Damian killed NoBodym, breaking his father's heart in the process, to keep their family safe.

4 Father And Son Played Catch Together

Batman and Robin #8. Bruce Wayne and Damian Wayne play catch

After the fight with NoBody, both Bruce and Damian were badly hurt. They had each sustained concussions, numerous broken bones, and other injuries. Alfred patched them both up, but these were not injuries they could just walk off.

Since neither could responsibly go out on patrol in Gotham, they shared in a simple father-son activity together: throwing a baseball in the backyard of Wayne Manor. Titus even joined them.

3 Batman Checked On Damian’s Safety First In Death Of The Family

Every member of the Bat Family is affected by the Joker

One of the most harrowing Batman comics ever written is “Death of the Family” by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo. At the end of the story, Batman awakes in the Batcave, tied to an electric chair, only to find his entire Bat-family tied up in front of him, all seated at a table, their faces wrapped in bloody bandages. Before each person is a silver platter, which the Joker reveals has their skinned faces on ice.

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This is dark! It is also a ruse. Batman breaks free of his bindings and rushes to the aid of his loved ones, checking on Damian first. The boy turns out to be fine beneath his bandages, as is every other member of the Bat-family. The Joker was playing a head game the entire time.

2 Batman Fought The Gods To Resurrect His Son

Batman on Apokolips in Rovin Rises

Talia al Ghul ordered one of her minions to kill Damian. Batman grieved, pushed to the brink of madness by his pain. To be clear, such a tragedy does not belong on a list of best father-son moments and is mentioned here to provide context.

What does belong on this list is the epic struggle the Dark Knight undertook to save his boy. He donned a special Batsuit, the Hellbat, which drained his very life force, and used it to fight the New Gods of Apokolips to get Damian back. In other words, to save his son, Batman quite literally fought the gods and went to hell and back. Well, space hell.

1 Bruce Asked Damian’s Thoughts About Catwoman

Batman. Robin. Catwoman.

One of the key plot points of Tom King’s Batman run is the romantic relationship between Batman and Catwoman. In fact, the Caped Crusader proposed to his one-time enemy. Not long after, Batman traveled to the desert to confront his ex, Damian’s mom, Talia al Ghul. Naturally, Damian struggled with every part of this situation.

After a tense interaction between the Dark Knight, Catwoman, and Talia (in which much blood was spilled), Damian asked his father if he was happy. Bruce looked at his fiancee, then looked at his son and said he was trying to get there. This sweet interaction shows the love they have for one another, and that Damian—the one-time spoiled child sociopath—has come to deeply care about his father’s happiness.

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