WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Robin #11, now on sale from DC.

The Bat-Family is familiar with tragedy, with virtually every member of the alliance having dealt with the loss of loved ones. However, one of the more tragic deaths -- and one that touched them all -- may about to be reversed. But DC should consider the ramifications of doing so.

The potential resurrection of Alfred Pennyworth was just teased in Robin #11, by Joshua Williamson, Gleb Melkinov, Luis Guerrero and ALW's Troy Peteri, but given the engaging growth his death allowed for the Bat-Family, perhaps the beloved character should remain dead.

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Following the conclusion of the Lazarus Tournament in Robin #11, the contestants go their separate ways; notably, Damian seemingly intends to return to Gotham. While Flatline assumes he intends to reunite with his father, it's hinted Damian has a far different plan: having stolen a sample of the Lazarus Pit waters that allow for resurrection, it seems he  intends to attempt to bring Alfred back to life. Alfred's death has hung over the Bat-Family since he was murdered in the 2019-2020 "City of Bane" story arc.

Having captured Alfred as part of his plan to conquer Gotham, Bane initially used him as a hostage in an attempt to keep the heroes out of the city. When Damian ignored that and attempted a rescue mission, he was beaten and forced to watch as Bane snapped Alfred's neck.

Since then, it's been confirmed that Damian blames himself for Alfred's loss, causing the Boy Wonder to pull away form the Bat-Family. Throughout Robin, Damian has been guided by a voice in his head, meant to evoke either the spirit, or perhaps merely the memory, of Alfred. But now, it's become clear Damian intends to resurrect Alfred, regardless of what his allies may think of his plan. However, from an outside perspective, maybe Alfred shouldn't be revived. As a landmark element of the Bat-mythos, Alfred's presence has been a comfort for every hero to wear the cape and cowl over the years -- but in a way that kept characters like Batman from changing too much.

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Alfred looking stern

By removing Alfred from the board, DC has actually found a surprising amount of storytelling momentum. His death forced Batman to accept new allies, like Ghost-Maker, into the family, while also pushing away old friends like Lucius Fox. That, in turn, set the stage for Jace Fox's arrival and subsequent decision to carry on the Batman legacy. Meanwhile, Alfred's death set up a new status quo for Nightwing, positioning him to become a major public figure in honor of Alfred. Damian's journey of self-discovery has reaffirmed his connections to the rest of the universe, and Alfred's demise has seen Barbara Gordon take a more proactive position as the unofficial leader of the Bat-Family.

All of these developments came as a result of Alfred's tragic death, and undercutting any of them by bringing Alfred back to life would be a disservice. Alfred's barely been dead a few years, and the impact of that loss is still sending ripples through the entire DC Universe. While it's a major loss for the Bat-Family, it's introduced a lot of promising changes to the status quo for Batman and his allies. Removing the impetus for these changes might blunt their effectiveness, which would be a genuine shame. While it's interesting to see Damian wrestle with the temptation to revive Alfred, hopefully, DC ultimately decided to leave the character deceased.

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