Ever since the release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice earlier this year, fans have been curious as to what exactly happened to Batman's sidekick Robin.
It's clear the character is an important part of Batman's history, as he keeps the Boy Wonder's Joker-graffitied costume in the Batcave as a grim reminder. In the weeks following the film's release, it was confirmed that the Joker did indeed murder Robin prior to the events of Batman v Superman, in a fashion many fans assumed would mimic the iconic Batman story "Death in the Family." However, new details from Suicide Squad reveal that the Joker may have had help.
Spoilers for Suicide Squad below!
As revealed early on in the film as each character is introduced via a brief text intro, Harley Quinn played a role in the murder of Robin at the hands of the Joker. The introduction doesn't go into any detail but simply states that she was complicit in Robin's murder.
That definitely adds a new element to a storyline many DC Comic fans thought they already knew. In the "Death in the Family" story, Robin is brutally murdered by a crowbar-wielding Joker, with Batman unable to find the boy in time. Harley Quinn was nowhere to be found in the story, as the character had yet to be invented.
Adding Harley Quinn into the equation could make for an interesting new spin on a classic Batman tale, but it remains uncertain if the story of Batman's greatest failure will ever be explored on screen. Might the tale of Robin's death become a standalone Batman (or Joker) film? Joker actor Jared Leto has revealed that a number of the Joker's scenes didn't make it into Suicide Squad, which has fans wondering what other secrets about the character's backstory might have been revealed.
It seems odd for these various teases and comments about the death of Robin to be tossed around without building to something more meaningful. What's the point of telling audiences Harley Quinn was involved in murdering Robin if that is never fully explored or brought up again the films? With that in mind, it seems like a given that fans will one day see one of Batman's most tragic storylines brought to life on screen. It's just a matter of when.
