The following article contains spoilers from Batman #126, on sale now.

Batman's first encounter with the robotic villain, Failsafe, not only proves he's capable of beating Batman but the entire Bat-Family, too. In Batman #126 (by Chip Zdarsky, Jorge Jimenez, Tomeu Morey, and Clayton Cowles), Failsafe launched a surprise attack on Batman, forcing him into the streets to get away. If the Bat-Family hadn't arrived to back him up, Batman would likely be dead. While the heroes did escape with their lives, they were nonetheless defeated.

Failsafe's appearance is mysterious, but there might be some kind of explanation for it. He could have an unknown connection to Batman, maybe he's part of a backup plan, replacing Batman if he is ever deemed an unsuitable defender for Gotham City. If so, then Failsafe would likely be motivated to eliminate Batman from the equation, so he can take over. However, if he's essentially a "copy" of Batman, there's a high probability that he shares Batman's rule against killing people.

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Failsafe Spares the Bat-Family

There's still a lot that isn't known about Failsafe. Why he was made being the biggest mystery at the moment. The only thing that is clear is that he wants Batman dead. His assertion that he is altruistic indicates that he believes himself to be superior to Batman. The Dark Knight admits that at a certain point in his life he had a pessimistic view of the world when he thought friends and family were nothing but an illusion. He believes that this was the version of him that Failsafe was modeled after.

All of this seems to suggest that Failsafe is in actuality a contingency plan for Batman. In the event that Bruce suddenly becomes an ineffective hero, Failsafe would come in and replace him. Knowing himself, a more brutal version of Batman would likely have theorized that the only way he could no longer protect Gotham is if he falls. In that scenario, he might be ok with Failsafe's plan to kill him, knowing the potential harm a corrupt Batman could cause.

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Failsafe Only Wants to Kill Batman

But while certain protocols may exist to allow for the termination of human life, those would likely be for very specific scenarios. Batman wouldn't leave Gotham with a killer robot to defend it. He would have to instill in it all of his knowledge, experience, and even his beliefs, first. Failsafe wouldn't want to take human life unless there is no other option. As such, it seems likely that the only reason he spared the other members of the Bat-Family is that he agrees with his "no kill" rule.

Ironically, that provides some hope. If Failsafe does have some semblance of Batman's personal beliefs in him, then there is a chance he can be reasoned with. First, however, the mystery of his origins needs to be unraveled before any of this can be confirmed to readers.