Red Hood Becomes DC's Most Tragic Hero in Just 5 Words

In just five words, Red Hood has put a darker spin on his already horrific origin. Like many others in the DC Universe, Jason Todd has fallen victim to Garro's spores and turned into an animal hybrid. While on the prowl, the vigilante looks back on his past with words that may shock his biggest fans.

In Titans: Beast World Tour: Gotham #1's story "Scavengers" by Gretchen Felker-Martin and Ivan Shavrin, Red Hood has been turned into a wolf after coming into contact with one of Beast Boy's spores. Now he prowls the back alleys of Gotham, digging through trash and attacking criminals.

Red Hood's mind, however, is unaffected and he contemplates the life he's living. He thinks about his actions as a vigilante and how little he's affected Gotham for the better. In a surprising moment of vulnerability, he recalls his murder in the "Death of the Family" storyline and thinks "I should have stayed dead".

Red Hood Regrets Ever Coming Back to Life

Jason Todd has an infamous place in DC history. He was the second person to become Robin after Batman fired Dick Grayson from the role. After a short tenure as the Boy Wonder, Todd's life came to an end when he was beaten by the Joker and left in an exploding warehouse. Robin's death shook Batman horribly, but the character rocked his mentor's life again after Todd came back to life. Todd became the vigilante Red Hood and spent many years antagonizing the Bat-Family. However, after tampering down his more violent ways, he rejoined his former team, though Jason's traumatic past hung over him like a dark cloud.

Red Hood has grown as a character and he tries his best not to let his past drag him down. But under the influence of the spores, Jason appears to be regressing to more primal, violent ways of thinking. While Jason has had his difficulties, he's made a life for himself filled with friends and family. But the darkest part of himself feels like much of his life as Red Hood has been wasted and that nothing he's done in the grand scheme of things matters. Jason's feelings of failure have become so strong he actively wishes he never came back to life.

Red Hood Believes He's Failed as a Vigilante

It's not uncommon for heroes in the DC Universe to wonder if they're making a difference. For all his faults, Red Hood has tried to rid the world of crime in the way he believes is best. But his extreme ways have had no better effect on improving Gotham than non-lethal heroes. Jason's animal form has given him a unique introspection into what he's doing as a hero. Unfortunately, the only lesson he seems to be taking is that things would have been better off if he'd never been around. Jason Todd's story is a tragic one, and his latest look inward has made Red Hood even more tragic.