Every great hero eventually faces their dark reflection - from Owlman vs Batman to Ultraman vs Superman - and now Tim Drake's Robin is getting the same honor. Knight Terrors will see the Boy Wonder face a version of himself who is shown brandishing an intensely meaningful weapon. DC has announced that this summer the world of DC will be plunged into a living nightmare due to the new villain Insomnia in the Knight Terrors event. Insomnia will, for reasons still unknown, trap both villains and heroes in a nightmare world where they must face their own darkest fears.
In cover art for Knight Terrors: Robin #1, Tim's nightmare version has been seen holding a boomerang, which is a callback to one of the darkest moments in Tim's life when he planned and almost executed a murder. It seems Tim will face a version of himself wielding a boomerang and chains, as seen in disturbing art from Ivan Reis, Jorge Corona and Sam Wolfe Connelly, below. The issue itself comes from Kenny Porter and Miguel Mendonca.
Robin's New Boomerang Taps His Inner Darkness
After Captain Boomerang killed Jack Drake, Tim's father, during the events of Identity Crisis, Tim began plotting his revenge. Tim finally put his plan into action in Red Robin #26 by Fabian Nicieza, Marcus To, and Ray McCarthy. Tim set up a series of events where Captain Boomerang would get himself killed, but which he could escape at any point by not making the morally wrong choice. If Captain Boomerang simply decided to go home, he'd be fine, but as he continues to try and pull off his heist, he's pulled closer and closer to his own death due to Tim's plan. Eventually, Tim decides to back out of this, canceling the plan and saving Captain Boomerang's life. Considering the fact his worst nightmare version is seen brandishing boomerangs - and he's shown crying and impaled by them - it's clear that Tim's nightmare form is a version that went through with the murder.
Tim Drake Planned The Murder Of Captain Boomerang
The Bat-Family are no strangers to facing off against nightmare versions of themselves. Batman has fought many evil versions of himself from Owlman to the Batman Who Laughs, while Nightwing has faced off against foes like Deathwing and Nite-Wing. Tim Drake has also faced evil versions of himself, such as when he fought against the darkest future version of himself called Savior. But unlike all the other Robins, Tim never got to actually defeat the dark version of himself. Savior ended up willingly sacrificing himself, robbing Tim of his chance to face and defeat a personification of the darkness in him.
This new Knight Terrors events seem to finally give Tim the chance he needs to face the monster inside him, once and for all. While Tim did back off his idea to murder Captain Boomerang, he's never really gotten to face the darkness that drove him to even consider it in the first place. A variant cover from Dustin Nguyen, below, shows Tim leaping into the darkness, suggesting Knight Terrors may actually give him catharsis.
Tim Drake Is Facing His Own Potential for Evil
Throughout his career as Robin, Tim has always had a strange darkness that has followed him. From his inability to save several children during his time as Robin, to the fact he could still grow up to become the murderous Savior. This Knight Terrors event seems like it will finally give Tim Drake the chance to confront his darkness and come out of it a better and brighter Robin.
Knight Terrors: Robin #1 is coming from DC Comics July 11.