Warning: contains spoilers for Task Force Z #8!

DC has finally resolved the budding will-they, won’t-they romance between Red Hood and Batgirl by pretending it never happened. The possibility of a romantic relationship between Jason Todd and Barbara Gordon has been hinted at multiple times, but recent events suggest DC wants fans to forget it floated this idea prior to its Infinite Frontier reboot.

Jason and Barbara have worked together for years, since Jason Todd became the second Robin while Barbara operated as Batgirl. However, the Joker famously ended both of their first stints as heroes: he killed Jason in Death in the Family, and not long after, shot Barbara in The Killing Joke, leaving her without the mobility to stalk the Gotham night. These shared experiences became the spark that ignited a possible relationship between the two. In Batman Eternal, Barbara asks Jason to stay in Gotham so they can be together, but Jason refuses, saying that he’ll “never be Dick Grayson.” More recently, in Batman: Three Jokers, the pair share a kiss and Jason confesses his love in a note that never actually reaches Barbara.

Related: Even Red Hood is Calling Out How DC Keeps Changing His Character

Despite all these hints at a relationship, Jason and Barbara finally stamp out any sparks between them and reaffirm their friendship in Task Force Z #8, written by Matthew Rosenberg and drawn by Jack Herbert, Jesus Merino, and Vicente Cifuentes. When Jason sneaks into the new Batcave to retrieve a sample of Lazarus Resin, he finds Barbara waiting for him. Jason tries to take advantage of their shared experiences and gain sympathy, but Barbara immediately chides him for making everything about his past and states, “What happened to you was a long time ago and nothing to do with me.” The pair then explicitly stress three times within the next two panels that they consider each other friends, with no hint of a romantic connection.

Red Hood Batgirl heart to heart in task force z 8 comic barbara jason

Barbara’s refusal to commiserate with Jason about his death directly conflicts with their conversations in Batman: Three Jokers. In that series, their main point of connection is the trauma they share as a result of the Joker’s actions, and how their recoveries differed. Barbara remarks that she had a strong support system around her while she recovered, and expresses her regret that Jason had no one to help him heal from his Joker-induced trauma. The story ends with Jason offering to abandon his Red Hood identity for Barbara, though sadly she doesn't get his message, teasing that their relationship could potentially be rekindled in future. However, Barbara shows zero interest in empathizing with Jason in this way in Task Force Z #8, thus removing one of their more personal connections.

red hood loves batgirl three jokers

Ignoring this relationship is a good move for DC. Despite their shared history and romantic tension, Barbara Gordon’s most famous and long-standing relationship is with Dick Grayson, who just so happens to be Jason Todd’s adopted brother. This gives any romance between Jason and Barbara an uncomfortable inter-family dynamic that would never truly fade, especially given that at one point, Batgirl even married Nightwing. Even with their shared experiences, watching Jason and Barbara engage in romance would likely leave a sour taste in readers’ mouths, especially since her connection with Dick is such a fan-favorite. Jason and Barbara’s confrontation in Task Force Z #8 gave DC the perfect opportunity to nod to any semblance of romantic potential still lingering between the vigilantes, but the story instead repeatedly confirms a platonic relationship.

Of course, one can never say never, especially when it comes to comics. It’s entirely possible that DC could decide to bring Jason Todd and Barbara Gordon together at some point further down the road, just as any pairing is technically possible over a long enough time frame. However, their recent conversation suggests that DC has no intent of pursuing this avenue in the near future, and would rather fans forget the potential relationship that was teased between Red Hood and Batgirl.

Next: The Bat-Family Is Obsessed With Nightwing and Batgirl's Romance, Too

Task Force Z #8 is available now from DC Comics.