Batman: What Is Damian Wayne's True Origin? (2024)

Ever since Batman first met his son Damian Wayne, both characters have been forced to grow in ways that neither expected. As the son of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul, Damian was raised to excel in everything he pursued.

Many fans know Damian in his modern incarnation from when his mother introduced him to Bruce in the "Batman and Son" story by Grant Morrison and Andy Kubert. However, as with all things involving the League of Assassins and Ra's al Ghul, the origins of Damian Wayne are even more complicated than they seem.

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Damian's actual origins can be traced back to the 1987 graphic novel Batman: Son of the Demon written by Mike W. Barr and drawn by Jerry Bingham. At the start of this story, Batman is wounded while fighting a group of terrorists and collapses in a back alley, only to reawaken in the Batcave and discover that it was not Alfred who rescued him, but his old paramour Talia al Ghul. The two investigate further crimes committed by the terrorists, whose leader is named Qayin. Talia takes Batman to meet with her father Ra's in his secret mountain base, where they reveal that Qayin murdered Talia's mother. Batman agrees to help them stop their shared enemy.

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He and Talia reconcile their past and go to bed together, embracing one another and consummating a marriage that Batman had been forced into long ago. The scene is one with loving intimacy and marks a turning point in the narrative. This story is not merely Batman partnering with his most formidable enemy to stop a new threat, but is instead the Dark Knight's first time giving himself over to love -- rather than be completely defined by his personal crusade. Soon after, Talia reveals that she is pregnant. Overcome with joy, Batman gives her a beautiful jeweled necklace to celebrate. However, as they fight against Qayin's forces, Batman begins to act rashly, prioritizing the safety of his wife and unborn child above the success of the mission. After Ra's base is attacked, Batman threatens to quit so that he can remove Talia from danger. Amid the stress of everything, she collapses. Later, while she lies in bed, Talia tells him that she lost the pregnancy. The news shatters him, and he agrees to lead Ra's men against Qayin.

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In the climax of the final battle, Ra's disables the machinery Qayin was using to weaponize a satellite. The two men become embroiled in battle, nearly killing one another. Batman rescues Ra's, delivering a kick that knocks Qayin back into hissing electrical cables, killing him. Batman has avenged the death of Talia's mother, but she still ends their relationship. He returns to Gotham, heartbroken. The story ends nine months later with a newborn baby that has been dropped off at the front of an orphanage, wearing the same necklace Batman gifted to Talia.

Writer Mike W. Barr revealed to CBR's Brian Cronin that he originally intended for this story to be canon, but that Warner Bros. were furious about Batman having an out-of-wedlock child (even though the comic explicitly referenced their marriage). In response, Warner Bros. claimed the events of the story would never again be mentioned in future comics.

This lasted until 2006 when Grant Morrison scripted "Batman and Son," in which Talia explicitly references the events of Son of the Demon. However, while she recalls a night of romantic intimacy, Batman accuses her of drugging him and having sex without his consent as part of a "eugenics experiment." Talia admits to this, but insisted Batman's genes were needed to produce an heir to her father's empire. Not only did she have this secret child without his consent -- already a major change from the original story -- but Talia did not give the boy up to be adopted, instead having him trained by the League of Assassins. She also changes the location of the night in question. But in this new retcon where she chose to raise Damian herself, she asked Bruce to help, allowing the two to bond as Damian fought alongside his father as Robin.

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