Watching his young son Damian train in the Batcave, Batman worries at the indoctrination that Damian's mother Talia al Ghul must have used to turn him into a veritable killing machine. Bruce hopes that despite this, he can shape Damian into a good man. Alfred Pennyworth assures Bruce that as Batman, he has been all of his proteges' moral compass, and that Batman will always need a Robin, just as Robin will always need a Batman. Just so, Bruce wonders what would befall Damian if he weren't around.