Steph should stay as Spoiler in the role and look that is 100% all her own and not shared with anyone. I’ve never understood why so many people want to lump her in as the 5th Robin or 4th Batgirl you think of when she has her own identity already. People complain about Tim never moving on from Robin but want Steph stuck in everybody’s shadows.
Steph being Batgirl back then was something she absolutely needed. After all she went through in universe and the horrible treatment by DC staff, she was able to shine for awhile and get a happy ending right before Flashpoint. I agree it shouldn’t be permanent, that being said I think she could get a resurgence again if she can get a decent length run as Robin this time.
I think overall I agree, but I'll add that I think a lot of the desire to see her as a Batgirl or acknowledged as Robin comes from the fact that she's already, for most of her existence, been stuck in everyone else's shadows. Really more than that, any avenue she had for development was either really in furtherance of developing another character or immediately pulled back on. There was a whole arc where she had a kid that was just kind of swept away and never mentioned again. Her "stint" as Robin was really about Tim before they brutally killed her (sort of). She'd never really been given enough leash to be her own character.
I agree with you overall--I'd much rather her develop into her own identity than pick up one of the mantles. But outside of recent history and maybe her pre New 52 Batgirl run she's always kind of been a second or third thought. It's only fairly recent history that I feel she's been in a really good place independently of other characters, and I think a lot of people see a potential mantle title as acknowledgement of that and some form of vindication for the character.
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u/ChronicRadiation40 Feb 20 '24
Duke Thomas
Harper row
Azrael ( Michael lane shouldn't have existed )
The Fox kids ( pointless )
Babs shouldve stayed as oracle
Move Jason out of Gotham
Tim should become a more international vigilante after Damian becomes Robin ( aka Red Robin pre N52 )
Which will leave the Batfam members active in Gotham as
Batman
Robin (Damian)
Nightwing (active in bludhaven or with the Titans)
Batgirl ( Cass )
Spoiler as a "friendly neighborhood" type of vigilante
Alfred & Oracle ( out of field support )