Completely new to Comicvine, but I had to get this idea out there. Tell me what you think.
We've all been enjoying the rebooted Batman title, and there have been several articles and speculations about the Court of Owls and what it means for Batman, Bruce Wayne, and Gotham City. But it seems, at this point, like we're in the dark. We don't know anything about this Court of Owls - what it is, who runs it, what they want, what they've done already. It's extremely mysterious a little bit terrifying, which is why most of us love it so much.
But what if the Court of Owls isn't a new foe at all? What if it's really being orchestrated by an old, old member of Batman continuity?
Ladies and gentlefolk, I give you whom I believe to be the supreme mastermind behind the Court of Owls:
Alfred Pennyworth.
I know what you're thinking. He's the butler, for God's sake! He practically raised Bruce! There's no way he's a bad guy. Alfred Pennyworth is the one character in the entire DCU who is completely above suspicion.
But in a strange way, the Court of Owls may not necessarily be a bad thing. Maybe the death of Bruce’s parents was actually accidental, and after that Bruce slipped into such an awful, comatose state that Alfred pretty much engineered this persona of Batman for him to revert to. I mean, who better in a position to be controlling the strings? Nobody would suspect Alfred. And since he knows Bruce so well - he raised Bruce - who better to hide things from him? Maybe Alfred used the Court of Owls to orchestrate some grand, complex plot behind everything that’s ever happened in Gotham, and Alfred’s been at the head of it all. Which explains why there are so many theme villains and capes in Gotham. Because Alfred and the Court of Owls have been dragging them in for Bruce to, essentially, play with.
And think about it. Alfred pretty much controls Bruce’s every move. Who do you think got him tickets to the circus, where a daring young man on the flying trapeze witnessed his parents’ deaths?
This is one hell of a conspiracy theory, but Bruce trusts Alfred more than anyone. He doesn’t even think to question the things Alfred tells him, because Alfred is completely loyal and always has been. Alfred raised him. So when Alfred tells him something isn’t real, it isn't real. So if Batman really, legitimately believed that this Court of Owls did not exist - well, wouldn’t it have been possible that Alfred made it so he thought that?
And then we have this scene in Batman #3:
Alfred’s father? Served Alan Wayne? Who believed that owls were roosting inside his home? Hmmm.
And then there’s this little piece of commentary:
“They’re one of the rare birds that doesn’t build its own nest. Instead, what they do is find nests abandoned or in use by rival birds and take them over. In essence, they invade an enemy’s territory…and build their nests inside his home.”
Now I am going to feel awful for even thinking this, but…Alfred Pennyworth isn’t a Wayne. Wayne Manor - their “nest” - isn’t his. It’s in use. It was abandoned by the Waynes at their death. Now I’m not necessarily implicating Alfred in the Wayne’s murder, but…well. I’ll stay away from that for now.
Also, notice that in all of the ‘nests’ of the Court of Owls, there are a couple familiar features:
Giant coins? Suits of armor? A display case?
Let’s not forget who bought the giant penny for the Batcave in the first place (so that might be kind of sketchy, but I was reading through the Batman Files last night and apparently Alfred bought it for Bruce at an auction. Just sayin).
And also? I’d like to question the fact that it took a week to find little Bruce. A whole week? Alfred paid so much attention to Bruce after his parents died, I highly doubt that he’d disappear and it would take a week for Alfred to find him.
And note what Bruce says right here: “When Alfred finally found me…”
Not to mention this conversation:
“My point is, sometimes we become so concerned with little dangers that we don’t see the big one, right beneath our feet. That’s all.”
Now call me crazy, but this Court of Owls doesn’t seem like a ‘big one’ that’s been ‘right beneath our feet’ the whole time. You know? It’s not one that you just ‘don’t see’ because that implies it’s an obvious threat, and the Court hasn’t even shown itself until now. And this conversation is definitely not random. It’s very important and planned. And then he asks the million dollar question: Who’s watching you?
Well…Alfred is. All the time. That’s what Alfred does, he watches over Bruce Wayne. And I think that’s connected to that earlier statement, a ‘big danger right beneath his feet.’ I think this conversation is too calculated to not be full of big and important clues. And also I think it’s important that the danger this guy is talking about happened at the “home for boys I lived in, after my parents died.” Hmm. A danger in the home you lived in, after your parents died? Hmmmm.
Arguably the creepiest thing about this Court of Owls is the assertion that they’re watching you. Always. No, not you, it’s not so creepy that they’re watching any old average Joe - it’s that they’re watching Batman. And he didn’t know about it.
“The court of owls watches, watches all the time. Ruling Gotham from a shadowed perch, behind granite and lime. They see you at your hearth. And they see you in your bed…speak not a whispered word about them…or they’ll send the Talon for your head!”
First of all, the court of owl “watches, watches all the time.” Alfred’s not a superhero. He doesn’t get out there and fight (well, except for the occasional spurt of badassery). What does he do? He watches over Bruce. He watches out for Bruce. He watches Bruce. And “a shadowed perch, behind granite and lime.” Granite and lime - suggesting wealth? A great mansion, in fact? Perhaps a Manor? Alfred stays in Wayne Manor, like, all the time, right? As far as “they see you at your hearth, they see you in your bed” - now tell me, who has seen Bruce Wayne - Batman - in more vulnerable positions than Alfred has? Alfred Pennyworth has seen Bruce relaxing, sleeping, totally off his guard, not to mention watching over him when he was a child as well.
Also I would like to mention that "Talon" is a name that was used by an alternate version of Tim Drake on Earth-3 and that Dick Grayson has already been implicated once, which to me reinforces the idea that the whole Court of Owls thing is really happening within the family.
Now I’m not saying that this is likely. I doubt they would ever besmirch Alfred’s name in comic books, because come on this is Alfred we’re talking about. He’s untouchable.
But has that made us blind to the possibility? I think that the potential absolutely exists. I don’t think it will happen, and maybe I’m reading too much into things but…who knows? Maybe the reboot will be seeing even more changes within the Batfamily… the loss of Alfred, perhaps?
So sure, dismiss this as “never gonna happen” because that’s probably the likeliest conclusion. But don’t forget the most chilling revelation of them all about the Court of Owls…
…“They’re in our homes.”
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