fuckyeahjasontodd:

Fans of Jason Todd are often quick to point out his particular consideration and respect for women as one of his best features.  But who are the important women in his life, and what roles do they occupy? fuckyeahjasontodd is running a series of bi-weekly articles dedicated to the fascinating women of Jason’s world.  Continuing on from Talia’s article, this week we look at Scarlet.

Scarlet: Sidekick

“The only one you seem to give a rat’s ass about.  I think you call her Scarlet.”

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“However, Jason’s ambition has always been to be superior to Batman, and it’s possible that, in taking a sidekick, he again hoped to surpass Bruce by raising her better than Bruce raised him.  It’s ironic then that he seems to repeat some of Bruce’s mistakes in the way that he treats Scarlet, particularly in how he seems to see her more in terms of how she fits his mission and aesthetic than as who she is as an individual.  When she said she was scared that she’d never be able to remove her grotesque dollotron mask he comforted her, but he also failed to properly acknowledge her fears and her desire for a return to normality.”

I thought this was a great way to portray Jason’s hypocritical side, along with his ambition to best Batman. 

I also found it interesting that Scarlet was a young woman, particularly that she’s supposed to be a makeshift Robin equivalent. It seems to me that the female Robins are very transitory; they don’t get to hold the title for very long, nor do they get to be recognized as such. Stephanie Brown held the Robin title for less than a half-dozen issues before being summarily fired and tortured to ‘death.’In the new DCU line-up for September, ALL the Robins get a showcase — except for the female Robin. In fact, she’s nowhere to be found. 

Carrie Kelley’s Robin-ness does not exist in continuity; therefore it doesn’t quite ‘count.’ She was a Robin, but in a different world, a different universe. Scarlet was technically Robin-ish, wasn’t she? 

I don’t think a male Robin and Jason would have gotten on so well. I think Scarlet was a wonderful addition to Jason’s life. But I also think that she reflects the conscious or unconscious idea that female Robins don’t get to be ‘real’ Robins.