WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Dark Nights: Death Metal #7, by Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo, Jonathan Glapion, Yanick Paquette, Bryan Hitch, Nathan Fairbairn, Alex Sinclair, FCO Plascencia & Tom Napolitano, on sale now.
The conclusion of Dark Knights: Death Metal is finally here and, in addition to both reforming the DC Universe in a previously unseen way and setting up the Future State event, it sees the return of a beloved member of the Bat-Family. After Robin King brings a very worn down and literally dead Batman to his knees in what seems to be the Dark Knight's last stand, the Caped Crusader once again defies all odds and gathers his undead Bat-Family to end the Robin King once and for all.
In addition to the expected members, a number of villains and Groblins join the undead group, along with Batman's oldest ally, Alfred Pennyworth.
The zombie Alfred is more than happy to help his family take down the evil version of his adopted son. Alfred's death in Tom King, Mikel Janin, and Tony S. Daniel's Batman #77, at the hands of long-time foe Bane, has left a sizeable impact on the Bat-Family for months, with Batman and Damian Wayne seemingly being impacted the most. Grief over losing Alfred indirectly led to Batman's failures causing the "Joker War," Damian's fracture with the Bat-Family and abandonment of the Robin identity. Just as his death created an emotional fracture in the Bat-Family, his return in this issue is the emotional crux that cements them coming together and the "We're All Batman" line the Dark Knight throws out in opposition to the Robin King. Ironically, one of the villains who join the Bat-Family in their final stand is Bane, the same man who took Alfred's life.
By the end of the issue, the DC Universe is restored to its new and unprecedented form, setting the stage for what amounts to an Omniverse where the heroes' earth is no longer the center of it. At one point it is noted that those who died, in both the Dark Knights: Death Metal event and in the months before it, have been resurrected. Depending on how far-reaching this is and who it applies to, this seems to reveal that Alfred's return was more than a one-off and the beloved butler is back for good.
Other than the single line about the return of those who died at the end of the issue, two recent Batman series support the idea that Alfred is back for good. Batman: Three Jokers features Alfred Pennyworth being alive and well in what seems to be the present DC timeline. While questions over whether or not Three Jokers is canon have been raised and unanswered, there's a chance that the series could take place in a post-Death Metal world where Alfred has long been revived and returned to his familiar role as Batman's butler and most trusted ally.