Batgirl: Difference between revisions

Line 12:

* [[Action Girl]] / [[Faux Action Girl]]: Betty's level of competency varied wildly by the needs of the story--but usually she needed rescuing from whatever jam she and Batwoman had gotten themselves into this time.

* [[All Love Is Unrequited]]

* [[Animal Themed Superbeing]]

* [[Animal-Themed Superbeing]]

* [[Distaff Counterpart]]

* [[Hair of Gold]]

Line 34:

==== Tropes exhibited by the Barbara Gordon Batgirl include: ====

* [[Action Girl]]

* [[Animal Themed Superbeing]]

* [[Animal-Themed Superbeing]]

* [[Badass Bookworm]]

* [[Combat Stilettos]] (though in Batgirl: Y1 she switched to flats after her heel broke on her first mission)

Line 40:

* [[Distaff Counterpart]]

* [[Hot Librarian]]

* [[May December Romance]]: Not as big a deal in more recent stories (where both characters are well into their twenties) as in older ones (where they're in their teens), but Barbara is significantly older (probably by about 5 years) than Dick Grayson.

* [[May-December Romance]]: Not as big a deal in more recent stories (where both characters are well into their twenties) as in older ones (where they're in their teens), but Barbara is significantly older (probably by about 5 years) than Dick Grayson.

** She has now been retconned to the same age as him thanks to Flashpoint. They were already about the same age in earlier works such as Batman: TAS.

* [[Redheaded Hero]]

* [[Retcon]] / [[Ret Canon]]: Barbara's age. She was originally a college graduate with a Ph.D while Dick Grayson was still in high school (later a Congresswoman while he was in college, meaning she was, at some point, at least 25), but has been gradually de-aged over the years until the post-[[Flashpoint]] reboot has them at the same age, and barely out of college. Rumor has it that one of the reasons for the reboot was that word around the office was that Barbara was probably pushing 30 by this point, and that wasn't workable. This arguably began with ''[[Batman ~~the~~ Animated Series (Animation)|Batman the Animated Series]]'', which showed her as roughly the same age as Dick and paired them up romantically.

* [[Retcon]] / [[Ret Canon]]: Barbara's age. She was originally a college graduate with a Ph.D while Dick Grayson was still in high school (later a Congresswoman while he was in college, meaning she was, at some point, at least 25), but has been gradually de-aged over the years until the post-[[Flashpoint]] reboot has them at the same age, and barely out of college. Rumor has it that one of the reasons for the reboot was that word around the office was that Barbara was probably pushing 30 by this point, and that wasn't workable. This arguably began with ''[[Batman: The Animated Series (Animation)|Batman the Animated Series]]'', which showed her as roughly the same age as Dick and paired them up romantically.

* [[Stuffed Into the Fridge]]: Her injury in ''[[The Killing Joke]]'' is this, no question. It's been noted that she's not so much a ''character'' in that story as she is a plot device to cause Commissioner Gordon and Batman pain. Alan Moore is on the record saying that this was a case where DC probably should have reigned him in.

Line 52:

==== Tropes exhibited by the Helena Bertinelli Batgirl include: ====

* [[Action Girl]]

* [[Animal Themed Superbeing]]

* [[Animal-Themed Superbeing]]

* [[Anti Hero Substitute]]

* [[Identity Impersonator]]

Line 65:

While the ''[[Batgirl]]'' title was a decent seller, it was not quite up to Bat-family levels and it was decided to end the series. A lot of rumors on the internet say this decision was meant to clear the way for the new [[Batwoman|Kate Kane Batwoman]], who DC planned to make a major push on in conjuction with the ''52'' series, but this has yet to receive any sort of official confirmation. The character was not in limbo long, as [[Executive Meddling]] made Cassandra the [[Face Heel Turn|new villain]] of the ''Robin'' series, with nearly a one hundred eighty degree turn in her characterization, skillset and competency. This did not go over at all well with the fans, among the strongest reactions being the creation of ''[[Cass Toons]]''.

Eventually, it was revealed that Cassandra's new personality was the result of being [[Brainwashed and Crazy|drugged by Deathstroke]], which was either an [[~~Authors~~ Saving Throw]] or [[Voodoo Shark]], depending on how willing a given reader was to swallow it. A new ''Batgirl'' miniseries was put out to try to justify the changes and cement her [[Heel Face Turn]], but it was written by the same author as the much-despised ''Robin'' plotline, and did not sell well.

Eventually, it was revealed that Cassandra's new personality was the result of being [[Brainwashed and Crazy|drugged by Deathstroke]], which was either an [[Author's Saving Throw]] or [[Voodoo Shark]], depending on how willing a given reader was to swallow it. A new ''Batgirl'' miniseries was put out to try to justify the changes and cement her [[Heel Face Turn]], but it was written by the same author as the much-despised ''Robin'' plotline, and did not sell well.

Despite reestablishing her as a hero, DC decided to separate Cassandra from the Batgirl persona and had her renounce the identity in the first issue of a new ongoing series, replaced by Stephanie Brown (See below). DC then declared that 2010 was a "big year" for Cassandra, but fans have called [[Lying Creator]] since her only appearance was in ''Red Robin #17'' as a crime fighter in Hong Kong. In this comic Tim gave her back her old costume and said that he hopes she will wear the symbol. [[Gail Simone]] had said that she would appear in ''[[Birds of Prey]]'', but unfortunately [http://www.606studios.com/bendisboard/showpost.php?p=7631969&postcount=8 this was not able to happen] despite her efforts, once again leaving fans gnashing their teeth. It was later revealed that Cassandra was barred from appearing in Birds of Prey due to her being used in ''Red Robin'' and the upcoming ''Batman: Gates of Gotham'' mini-series, which of course caused the fandom to cautiously [http://dcwomenkickingass.tumblr.com/post/3965397198/gates-of-gotham-to-feature-return-of-cass-cain-to\ rejoice once again.] Fans were cautiously optimistic that this means she will play an active role in the upcoming ''Batman: Incorporated'' by [[Grant Morrison]]. As of issue #6, Cassandra is now an agent of Batman Inc. under the new identity of '''Blackbat'''. The miniseries "Batman: Gates of Gotham" established that she'd "always liked it" in Gotham, implying that she'd be moving back, but absolutely no sign of her has been glimpsed in the New 52.

Line 74:

* [[Abusive Parents]]

* [[Action Girl]]

* [[Animal Themed Superbeing]]

* [[Animal-Themed Superbeing]]

* [[Anti Hero Substitute]]: Subverted in the original series. Cassandra's outfit and backstory scream this when contrasted with Barbara Gordon's, but she is very much [[The Cape]].

* [[Big Eater]]: At least after really tough fights.

Line 102:

[[File:misfitbatgirl.png|frame]]

==== Tropes exhibited by the Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe Batgirl include: ====

* [[Animal Themed Superbeing]]

* [[Animal-Themed Superbeing]]

* [[Catch Phrase]] - "Darrrrrrrrrrk Vengeance!" (despite being a bright, bubbly girl)

* [[Identity Impersonator]]

Line 124:

''(Both laugh hysterically) ''<br />

'''Stephanie:''' Oh, man. [[Always Second Best|I can't beat you at anything.]] }}

* [[Animal Themed Superbeing]]

* [[Animal-Themed Superbeing]]

* [[Blue Eyes]]

* [[Casual Danger Dialogue]]: Stephanie has mastered the art of the [[Seinfeldian Conversation]] while facing her own impending doom.

Line 135:

* [[Incorruptible Pure Pureness]]: Stephanie has never once lost [[Plucky Girl|her positive, upbeat attitude]], never [[Darker and Edgier|descended to the same levels as the people she fought]], and also never so much as cheated on a test. She is the only Bat-character to never [[Angst]] or approach psychosis because of her affiliation with the icon.

* [[Insistent Terminology]]: Barabara originally refused to call Stephanie "Batgirl" for a variety of reasons, both personal and professional, and it was when she finally did that helped Stephanie accept that she had earned the name.

* [[Legacy Character]]: She picks up the immediate mantle from Cassandra Cain, becoming the third "real" Batgirl in current continuity, but she also struggles with the even larger burden of living up to Barbara's original legacy. This is exacerbated by the fact that Barbara [[The Obi Wan|serves as her mentor.]]

* [[Legacy Character]]: She picks up the immediate mantle from Cassandra Cain, becoming the third "real" Batgirl in current continuity, but she also struggles with the even larger burden of living up to Barbara's original legacy. This is exacerbated by the fact that Barbara [[The Obi-Wan|serves as her mentor.]]

* [[Nice Job Breaking It Hero]]: You could rename this trope Pulling a Stephanie Brown.

* [[Nice Job Breaking It, Hero]]: You could rename this trope Pulling a Stephanie Brown.

* [[One of Us]]: Within the series, Batgirl likes Supergirl all the more because she is able to follow the [[Techno Babble]] explanation for their current crisis and has a sufficient grasp of grammar to realize that "BFF" is ''already'' plural.

* [[Overshadowed By Awesome]]: Stephanie is probably a more skilled martial artist than any person in the entirety of the Real World, but considering she lives in ''Gotham'' she keeps being humbled and humiliated by Batman and people with superpowers.