BruJay

BruJay is the family ship between Bruce Wayne and Jason Todd from the DC Comics and Titans fandom.

Canon
The relationship between Bruce and Jason has always been strain, as Jason tends to take things too far and hates the way that Bruce wants his second Robin to be more like his first one. Due to the pain Jason had suffered before and after he began to live on the streets of Gotham, Bruce thought that making Jason his next Robin would help him channel that pain into something good, rather than leaving him on the path that would lead him into becoming a criminal than a hero. When Jason died Bruce felt that he had failed him, as Jason's death became his greatest failure and nearly crossed the line to avenge him, until he realised that killing the Joker won't bring him back or make the pain go away. A resurrected Jason, however, didn't see it that way and felt that Bruce not avenging him and allowing someone else to become Robin in his place meant that he never cared about him. To get back at Bruce, Jason becomes the Red Hood and started to kill criminals than handing them over to the police. Despite what Jason has done, Bruce still cares about him and hopes that the two would one day make amends, as well as convincing Jason to stop using guns and from killing people. Even though the former is a losing battle, Jason has lessen his kills and only saves it for those who cannot be saved. Even though the two haven't fully mended their father and son bond, the two have formed a type of truce that allows them to work together from time to time.

Batman: The Adventures Continue
Even though Jason wasn't seen or mentioned in any of the episodes of Batman: The Animated Series, he does appear in one of new comic stories that continues the series from where it left off and filled in some gaps. Along with it having its own version of Under the Red Hood, titled: Red Son Rises. The story of how Batman met Jason in this universe is revealed when Bruce asks Alfred to tell Tim the story, while he goes to search for Jason.

Batman first came across Jason Todd when he was working on a case about a gang called the Wolves and was able to find their hideout, where he sees a skilled young man taking the whole gang on by himself, while wearing a red hoodie. Batman steps in when the young man picked up a gun, to stop him from using it. Jason's brother, Danny was the previous Red Hood who died while serving as a look out for the gang, Batman had came across his brother's body when he was looking over the crime scene with the GCPS before they met. Witch Dick's departure leaving a vacancy for a new Robin, Bruce decides to take Jason in and make him part of their family. Alfred and Barbara wasn't so sure about him from the aggressions Jason displayed during training, along with Batman refusing Jason to put on the Robin suit until he was ready. This led to Jason stealing the Robin suit so can join Batman and the others on the filed. Bruce wasn't happy about this and has the two fought over it, Jason manages to win it over by promising Brace that he isn't Dick and that he'll work hard to honour the trust he put in him, as long as Bruce gives him a chance. Bruce hesitated for a bit before he shook hands with Jason. After that things started to work well enough, still Jason started to show signs of enjoyment from punishing the more devious of the batman rouges. During Halloween night when the Scarecrow was up to one of his tricks, however, Jason nearly got the Scarecrow killed and showed no regret for his actions when Batman scolded him. Because of this Bruce agrees with Alfred when the butler convinces him that Jason is dangerous, while being unaware that Jason was listening until he made himself known to them. Angry that Bruce never trusted him, Jason takes the Robin suit as Batman tries to stop him before he manged to make his escape. As Jason continued to wear the Robin while working alone, his anger made him barbaric and showed no restrained when facing the Batman rouges, to the point he started to use guns. Batman tried to track him down, but Jason was always one step ahead of him. Until Jason got captured by Joker and had suffered a brutal beating from him when Batman arrived to save him, as he orders the Joker to step away from Robin. After the Joker's goons shot tanks that causes a fire, Batman goes up to Robin so he frees him from his restrains. Jason begs Batman to kill the Joker for what he did you him, everyone else and the people he will hurt, as he hands him the bloody crowbar. Only to watch Batman use it to free Joker from the topped over car he was trapped under. Jason felt betrayed by this and tried to stop Batman from saving Joker, but ends up knocking over more tanks that create an explosion. Batman had planned to go back for Jason after he got the Joker out of the flaming building, but as he turns to go back inside for Jason the building explores; and only the remains of the Robin costume were found. Batman had returned to the scene a few times to see if he can find any trace of Jason or means he might have used to escape, but when he found none he was forced to believe that Jason was dead.

Until years later when Batman finds a gun with Jason's prints on them. Bruce didn't want to talk about Jason when Tim asked Batman about him, but he did allow Alfred; while he goes in search for the former Robin he thought to be dead. His first encounter with Red Hood was at the Wolf Gang's old bar where the two had first met. Batman demanded Jason to tell him what happened and where he had been, as Jason tells him that he tool some time off to find himself after suffering blood loss and trauma, along with working on a new look before showing Batman his Red Hood uniform. Batman begs Jason to come home with him and that he was sorry for everything that happened, and would do anything to make it right between them, as he asks Red Hood for the same trust that he had once asked of him. Only to have Red Hood shake his head, before telling Bruce that he has gone soft and has failed to notice the many bottles of alcohol that smell like gasoline, Batman manages to get out of the build as Red Hood uses his guns to get it ablaze and sees Red Hood waving goodbye on one of the roof tops as he makes his escape. Due to the times Batman had brought Jason over to Lesley whenever he was injured and how he always like the old woman, he goes to her clinic to inform Lesley that Jason is alive and to see if he had turned to her for help. Remember the angry wild boy has Lesley yelling at Batman for allowing Jason to run wild and how he was his responsibility, not another runaway child who disappeared into the night, making Bruce accountable for what became of him.

After Jason had attacked the Batcave and payed Lesley a visit, Batman learns that he had kidnapped Tim, along with Lesley's call to him has her understanding that Bruce was right about Jason, he had gotten worse. Batman looks at the locations that Red Hood has been spotted and went to search the aria to to see if he can find him. When an attack at Penguin's club gets Batman to uncover Red Hood's hideout, however, the former Robin shoots his last dart at him he can bring Batman to where he is keeping the current Robin and Joker without any trouble from him. Along with removing his utility belt to make him less trouble when he comes to. Red Hood wants Batman to make amends to him by doing what he should have done that day, kill the Joker like he had nearly killed with the crowbar. Knowing that Batman would refused to kill, Red Hood planned to use Tim as a means to force Batman's hand, he even tried to convince the Joker to shoot Batman so he'll be forced to kill him in self-defence. Only to have the Joker refuse and then gets attacked by the clown's newest recruit, Striateman. In the chaos Striateman set into motion, Batman tried to save Jason when he fell and got his coat caught by the crowbar that got stuck in the wall during the battle, only to have Jason remove his face to show Batman his scared face. Only with him mocking Batman for not knowing when to let him go, Batman replies with how he never would let him go and that Jason should come back with him. This has Jason asking him for how long, knowing that he'll never be able to live up to Batman's code. Seeing Tim in danger gets Jason to rip his jacket so Batman will be able to save the Robin who needs him, as Batman watches Jason fall into the raging water. After the Bat-family got out, Batman used his bat-drones to search for Jason while wondering if he had made the right choice of letting Tim and Barbara join his war against crime, from seeing what it had done to Jason. The two tell Batman that Jason had made his choice just as they had made theirs. Unknown to the three, Jason was found and patched up by Slade and Sunny, who want to make Jason part of their family.

Batman: Urban Legends
One of the Urban Legends stories has Batman and Red Hood across paths when they find themselves looking into the same drug ring that are selling drugs that are similar to the Scarecrow's fear gas, but instead of fear it has users feel joy. One of the dealers was the father of a child Red Hood was helping after he learns that Tyler's mother was placed into a coma by the Cheerdrop drug, but when the dealer showed no concern or care for his family and leads to Red Hood killing the man in a moment of rage, he realises his mistake and contacts Batman for help. Wondering if he'll take Tyler in like he had done with him or find someone else to take him in, so he won't get placed into the system. Because of the deaths Jason has caused, Batman didn't want to work with him when Oracle informed him that Jason was also looking into the Cheerdrop drugs, but after Batman learns about Tyler and how Jason doesn't want the boy to be placed in the system, he agrees to let Jason join him on the case. When they went to place Tyler in Lesley's care for the time been, Lesley asks Batman to not turn Tyler into another Robin, but as he watches Jason pet the dog with Tyler he tells her that the boy is helping a Robin. After seeing the woman who originally created the fear gas, Red Hood wanted to keep looking for leads but the night had reached its end and Batman wanted them to stop and recharge. The former Robin didn't agree with him and went to crack some heads until he got answers, like Batman would normally do.

This led to Red Hood getting captured by Mr. Freeze, luckily Jason manages to send out an SOS before he passes out. Oracle informs Batman of the danger Red Hood was in and how Jason asked for him personally from how he has never asked Batman for help in the past. Knowing the meaning of this Batman races to his rescues, while hoping that history won't repeat itself upon him and Jason; failing Jason in at kind of way again was the last thing he wanted. Even though he succeeded in saving his former Robin from the track and the man who tried to shoot him, along with Jason being glad that Batman was glad to save him who tells him that that he'll always be there, Batman gets himself captured by Mr. Freeze and a man calling himself Cheer; while leaving Red Hood behind as they have no further use for him. With no leads to where they might have took him, Jason decides to act like a person than going around crack skulls when he went back to the doctor, while taking Bruce's advice on searching the bathroom to help him better understand Doctor Mormero and her estranged husband, who turns out to be Cheer. When Jason runs to the Batcave to collect the antidot, knowing that Cheer would have used his drug on Batman, Barbara reminds him that Bruce would kill her if he finds out that she let him into the Batcave. Jason also grabs on of Bruce's bat-suits that is used to fight criminals in cold temperatures, knowing that he'll be facing Mr. Freeze and Cheer.

As Jason fights the thugs while the Cheerdrop gas enters his lungs, he doesn't use the antidot as they only had one and Batman needs it more than he does. The joyful vision the gas makes him see is of Bruce telling Jason that Joker was the last villain to be taken down and that the world no longer needs Batman, and the mask free life can allow them to become a family without fighting with one another ever again. Jason, however, knew what he was seeing wasn't real and needed to fight it in order to save Batman, as he keeps reminding himself that what he was seeing isn't real. Luckily the arrival of the rest of the Batfamily creates on opening that allows Jason to free Batman from his restrains and to give him the antidot. Before Jason gave it to him, however, Batman was over joyed to see Jason and was glad that they were together again, until Jason snaps in him out of it. Batman nearly threw Cheer off the side of the build for what he forced him to see, but Jason stopped him by telling Batman that while he wish that Batman would brake his none kill code for people like Joker, Cheer isn't the guy he should cross the line for. Realising Jason was right Batman throws Cheer back onto the roof.

A few weeks later Bruce joins Jason as he visits Tyler and his mother at their new home after she became well enough to leave the hospital. Jason and Bruce than took a moment to talk about happened with Cheer and his drugs, as the events of the case has Jason stating that he is giving up the guns even though he has been using rubber bullets, none of it felt okay from how he nearly made Tyler an orphan like them. Bruce was glad to hear this, but Jason didn't want to hear whatever Bruce wanted to say on the matter as he wasn't doing it for him and skill thinks that bad people should dye, as well as him still figuring things out. The two then shake hands and before Jason takes off on his bike, Bruce tells him that life is too short for them to act like this. Lesley then joins Bruce as she asks him how things turned out between him and Jason, he tells her that they let each other down like they always do, but it still would take time for them to work things out and for them to get past the point where they can help each other. As Lesley gets into the car she asks Bruce what the gas made him see from how off he was, he tells her that he saw happiness. Bruce's vision was just like Jason's, a world where the two didn't have to fight and were together, along with it being a world where he and Jason had killed the Joker. When Jason returned to his home he finds a box with a letter saying saying "Only if you want it, B. PS family dinner at my please Thursdays." The box contained a new Red Hood suit that has the bat logo on the chest. Jason laughs when he sees it and then says, "Maybe old man. Maybe."

Batman: Death in the Family
The relationship between Jason and Bruce depends on the good and bad choices that viewers make in the interaction movie version of Under the Red Hood, as they can have Bruce die in Jason's place, have the both of them survive the bomb's blast or still have Jason die. Before Bruce and Jason when to Bosnia, Bruce realised that allowing Jason to fight crime isn't helping the build up rage in his ward and thought it best that he retires Robin from his duties, but Jason over hears this and runs away. This led to Jason taking it upon himself to follow Joker to Bosnia for what he did to Barbara, just as Bruce had followed Ra's al Ghul to stop him from obtaining deadly bombs when he ran into Jason; leading the two to think that they had followed each other until they informed one another of the villains they alone were following. Realising that their cases are linked, Bruce congrats Jason on his detective work and that it would take both Batman and Robin to stop them, as he calls Jason "son." When their mission lead to them splitting up, however, it had Batman being too from the building Jason went to find Joker in, where the clown beats Robin up with a crowbar.

In the version that has Jason die like he had done in the original animated film of Under the Red Hood, Bruce narrates his view of events from the said film as he tells them to Clark who he went to for support on Jason and what became of him. Bruce references Jason as his son more than once, as he talks about the night he first met Jason, fighting along side him as Batman and Robin and learning that Jason had returned to him as Red Hood. After Bruce finished telling Clark the story, he tells Bruce that he'll him find Jason. Showing that Bruce hasn't given up on him.

As for the version that has both Batman and Robin live, however, things take a turn for the worse. Even though Bruce was happy that Jason was alive and promises to fix up his son's broken body from the bomb's last, Jason felt nothing but rage towards Bruce. He began to view Dick and Barbara as victims of Bruce and how he shouldn't have used children to fight in his war. Looking at the smiles Bruce and the others were giving him had Jason see them as smiles of pity, along with picturing the Joker's twisted smile on their faces, mainly on Bruce's faces. Jason might had been alone before Bruce brought him into his makeshift family, but the trauma and injuries has him thinking that he was doing fine without them and that he was alive before be met Bruce. This lead to Jason running away from home the moment he was able to move his legs and swore off family. He then became something far worse than the dreams and nightmares they had planned for him, as Jason becomes a serial killer that targets criminals and villains; while wearing the R on his chest. Jason felt that crossing the line of Batman's none kill code would scar both Bruce and the criminals they face, leading him to become another criminal that Bruce needs to take down, as Bruce begins to start a case on Jason and killings. Jason's actions also caught Talia al Ghul's attention and decides to bring him into the League of Assassins. She references Bruce as Jason's father and how it makes him the brother of their infant son, Damian. Talia also tells Jason that due to what happened to him in Bosnia Bruce cuts ties with her for good, while she lied about Damian's exitance to Bruce so he wouldn't be forced to choose between their two families. As it allowed Bruce to return back to Jason. Despite Jason's swore off family vow, he decides take Talia up on her offer so he can secretly warp Damian's mind that would have him destroy Bruce and the League from the inside. Showing that Jason wishes to harm Bruce in one of the wore ways imaginable.

When it comes to the version of Bruce dying in Jason's place, the story takes many different paths as Jason works through his grief and wanting to avenge his father figure. With support or on his own. As Batman manged to arrive at the build Jason was locked in at the last minuet, the injured Robins manages to utter "I'm sorry" to him before Batman notices the bomb and tries to get the both of them away from it, only to have the bomb go off while Batman uses his body to shield Jason from the worse of the blast. After Jason comes to and sees the state Bruce is in he tries to call for help, but Bruce stops him so he can use his remaining time to tell Jason his final words to him. Knowing that Jason would want vengeance for his death, he begs Jason to promise him that he won't kill the Joker for killing him, along with telling him that protecting Gotham and others was what healed him and wants the same for him, as he loves Jason as a son and tells him so. He then tells Jason that he knows the pain that the young man has inside of him and killing the Joker won't make it go away, instead he should use the pain to make him strong for the others who have become their family. Before Jason could promise Bruce all this he dies, while Jason was too saddened to make that promise. After words Jason could either keep or go against his promise to Bruce, welcome the people who try to help him with his grief by telling stories about Batman or pushes everyone away from him as he makes it his mission to find and end the Joker on his own. While Batman's suit takes the place of Jason's Robin suit in the glass case that serves as a reminder of the family they lost.

If the story has Jason not keeping his promise to Bruce, even though he tells the Bat-family that they'll bring Joker in the right way for Bruce, knowing they wouldn't approve of him wanting to kill the Joker for what he did, Jason would encounter his father's killer at the dinner and kills the man he was talking to the moment he realised that he is the Joker. If Jason choices to attack the police who arrived on scene, he becomes Red Robin and his killing spree path would have him facing Two-Face, as the good and bad endings of this battle has Jason remember Bruce's final words to him; and how he wouldn't have wanted his son to become a killer. Due to the words of both Two-Face and Tim Drake, as well as seeing Bruce's face on a bill-board of the Bruce Wayne memorial for a orphanage fundraiser event. When Two-Face has Red Robin at his feet and begins to ask him who they have harmed to make him go after them, Two-Face takes note of the way Red Robin acted when he mentioned "Papa" and says that the former hero has daddy-issues, before letting the coin decide his fate. If the coin has Red Robin as guilty, Jason would be saved by a young Tim Drake who helps Jason to remember and understand Bruce's dying words. To help keep Bruce's memory alive and what he stood for as Batman, the reformed Red Robin has Tim serve as his sidekick, Batkid. But if the coin has marked has Red Robin as "innocent," however, the villain spears Jason's life after he gets Red Robin to realise what he had become, a failure. Meaning that he had failed Bruce as he remembers his late father's final words and what he wanted Jason to promise him. While Jason looks at Bruce's Batman in the cave, he promises Bruce that he'll do what he as asked of him.

While the version of that does have Jason keeping his promise to Bruce, Joker had went into hiding and Jason created the Red Hood as a means to draw him out. Jason did believe that he was doing good by targeting gangs, arms dealers and Black Mask to get the Joker's attention, but during his battle with Joker when he sees Jason's Robin masked face, a pleased Joke tells Jason that he was taking after his "papa." Jason disagreed as he knew that Batman wouldn't agree with this, only to have Joker tell him that he was talking about himself. As they continued to talk about the deaths Red Hood had caused and how he was reborn in the warehouse Joker beat him up in, Jason realised that he ended up breaking his promise to Bruce without realising it. If Jason decides to not kill the Joker and leave him for the police to take him away again, a scene of Jason's monolog from this choice has him visiting Bruce's grave from how his choices have made him alone. Still haunted of what he had done Jason perches himself on top of the Wayne Industry building, where he hears a voice that turns out to be Batman's when he asked the person he heard to show themselves. Talia had revived him against her father's wishes and only part of Bruce's mind was broken. Jason realised that Talia had twisted Batman to her will when she asked him to join the League and that it was what Batman wants, but Jason knew better and that Batman never would have wanted him to become a killer. The battle Red Hood has with Batman can have the three of them die by the bomb Batman had on hand, or have Jason being able to save him and stay alive. As he mangas to get Brace away from Talia and back the Batcave where the Bat-family look for ways to cure him. Bruce never gave up on him, Jason wanted to return the favour by not giving up Bruce.

Moments

 * Before Bruce learns that Jason is alive and became Red Hood, Batman would beat Joker whenever he would mention Jason or his death to get under his skin. Knowing that the second Robin's death had affected him.

Red Hood and the Outlaws
 * Jason's cherished memory that gets taken from him was of when Batman had put him before the mission, back when he was Robin and the flu bug he caught at that time made him too sick to go out and Bruce had decided to take a night off and watch movies with him; rather than leaving a sick Jason alone in the manor.
 * Jason keeps a framed photo of him and Bruce on their Robin and Batman suits.

Fanon
Because moments between Bruce and Jason are limited to the comics and a very small number of animated films and games, it has the family ship possessing the least media preference that would draw fans to it. Leading it to be overshadowed by BWDG, BruTim and BruDami, even though BruJay does have fans who are drawn to the drama of their father and son relationship, and would love to see them in other animated films, games or TV shows, like Young Justice. As Jason appearing in it for two brief moments got fans to wonder if the series would ever have Jason return to Bruce and the Batfamily at some point.

Because of the way that the members of the Outlaws reference the three main members of the Justice League, it has fans view Red Hood as the trio's version of Batman. Who people see as the one who keeps the League together the most, just as Jason keeps the Outlaws together. Fans also love how the Red Hood and the Outlaws comics as a few BruJay moments, as Bruce and Jason continue to on mending their father and son bond.

Fandom
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Trivia

 * One of the sneak peak scenes of Gotham Knight is of Jason grieving over Bruce's death, while Dick tries to help him through it by subjecting tat Jason should visit Bruce's grave. Just as Bruce had went to Jason's went he was dead.
 * Jason's character profile in the up-coming game has him respecting Batman and his code. A fact that fans don't agree with from what they know of Jason and his own views on how to stop crime.

Variations

 * Batfamily refers to the ship between Bruce, Jason, Selina Kyle, Alfred Pennyworth, Dick Grayson, Stephanie Brown, Tim Drake, Cassandra Cain, Damian Wayne, Lucius Fox, and the other sidekicks of Batman