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  1. #1
    The Fastest Post Alive! Buried Alien's Avatar
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    Default The resurrection of Alfred Pennyworth: when and how?

    If even Jason Todd could return from the dead, then it seems unlikely that Alfred Pennyworth, one of the most beloved characters in the BATMAN mythos, won't eventually be resurrected and reclaim his place as Batman's faithful confidante. When and how do you expect this to happen?

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  2. #2
    Moderator Frontier's Avatar
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    Now that 5G has shifted towards Future State, I think bringing back Alfred has become more of a when than an if.

    Considering how critical Tynion has been of how King handled it, I wonder if he'd end his run with bringing Alfred back.

  3. #3
    duke's casettetape lemonpeace's Avatar
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    nah, let that man rest in peace for a good minute; if not indefinitely then at least as long as Jason was gone. I am tired of resurrections (there is probably an earlier fan version of me that's so disappointed right now), so it would make it feel less cheap the longer it sticks. I don't care much as to how it went down but it happened and it should/could have compelling consequences, so let's pull that narrative thread for a while.
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  4. #4
    Astonishing Member LordMikel's Avatar
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    I could see a Robot Alfred. Otherwise I would think clone. A temporal distortion would work as well.
    I think restorative nostalgia is the number one issue with comic book fans.
    A fine distinction between two types of Nostalgia:

    Reflective Nostalgia allows us to savor our memories but accepts that they are in the past
    Restorative Nostalgia pushes back against the here and now, keeping us stuck trying to relive our glory days.

  5. #5
    Moderator Frontier's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by lemonpeace View Post
    nah, let that man rest in peace for a good minute; if not indefinitely then at least as long as Jason was gone. I am tired of resurrections (there is probably an earlier fan version of me that's so disappointed right now), so it would make it feel less cheap the longer it sticks. I don't care much as to how it went down but it happened and it should/could have compelling consequences, so let's pull that narrative thread for a while.
    Might depend on how long Tynion sticks around.

    I guess there's something to be said by taking a badly handled death sequence and trying to make the most of it.

  6. #6
    Astonishing Member Tzigone's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LordMikel View Post
    I could see a Robot Alfred. Otherwise I would think clone. A temporal distortion would work as well.
    I once, rather jokingly, said Bruce replaced real Alfred with an Alfred clone (that possessed two hands). I swear, though, at this point I wouldn't be that surprised if they actually did have Bruce replace Alfred with a clone-with-Alfred's-memories because of how emotionally messed up Bruce is written these days, and their unhealthy relationship dynamic. Though I still think the more likely course would bring him back and only later reveal he's a clone. Most likely, though are deal-with-devil (or tricking the devil) to get him back or a revelation that they were deceived on his death.

    I guess there's something to be said by taking a badly handled death sequence and trying to make the most of it.
    There is. I mean, we already have plenty of angst and pain, but more can always be added. I wouldn't mind addressing Alfred's enabling of Bruce, but I feel like that might be too much treated like attacking someone who can't fight back (because he's dead), and might bring back too many memories of the victim-blaming we had after Jason's death. And Alfred is more beloved by the fans than Jason was then. Anyway, we've seen some good stories and character directions come out of (what I think were) poor creative decisions in the past, so it could certainly happen again.
    Last edited by Tzigone; 10-22-2020 at 01:10 PM.

  7. #7
    Moderator Frontier's Avatar
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    That reminds me of that first New 52 issue of 'Tec where it seemed like Tony Daniel was setting up Alfred to be an AI in the Batcave.

  8. #8
    Astonishing Member Blue22's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Frontier View Post
    That reminds me of that first New 52 issue of 'Tec where it seemed like Tony Daniel was setting up Alfred to be an AI in the Batcave.
    Honestly...that seems like a natural progression for a character like him lol

    So dedicated to serving the Wayne family that even death can't truly stop him from fulfilling his duties. Sure it'd pretty much be what the MCU did with Jarvis, but I'm alright with it. Gives us back a character who honestly never should have died to begin with, and makes his death feel a little less...cheap. Because that's what his death was from the start. Cheap, meaningless, and seemed to only affect Damian in any real capacity. Which also felt kinda cheap when you look at how they chose to make it affect him.

    I go back and forth on how I feel about Alfred but he definitely deserved better than the prop that King turned him into.

  9. #9
    Moderator Frontier's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Blue22 View Post
    Honestly...that seems like a natural progression for a character like him lol

    So dedicated to serving the Wayne family that even death can't truly stop him from fulfilling his duties. Sure it'd pretty much be what the MCU did with Jarvis, but I'm alright with it. Gives us back a character who honestly never should have died to begin with, and makes his death feel a little less...cheap. Because that's what his death was from the start. Cheap, meaningless, and seemed to only affect Damian in any real capacity. Which also felt kinda cheap when you look at how they chose to make it affect him.

    I go back and forth on how I feel about Alfred but he definitely deserved better than the prop that King turned him into.
    I'm still not really sure how that death happened. Alfred made everyone think it was okay? Thomas manipulated him? It was technically a suicide?

  10. #10
    Astonishing Member Tzigone's Avatar
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    So dedicated to serving the Wayne family that even death can't truly stop him from fulfilling his duties.
    So depressing to me. That his entire life is service to Batman. There's nothing else left. No other purpose in life. It does illustrate very well some of the issues I have with their relationship (and by extension, Alfred's relationships with the others) in the modern era. For Alfred, everything is about Bruce. For decades now. He used to have his own life, but in recent decades less so. I never cared for him having a daughter, but him knowing about her and being so inactive in her life while he raises Bruce is worse. He used to have independent relationships with some of the other Batfam, but more recently his relationships with them are just extensions of his relationship with Bruce. I know it's supposed to be a father/son dynamic, but a lot of times it does rather feel like the servant born to be a servant and with no will or wish outside doing so. Either that or the mom who neglects the other family members for the one child she thinks needs her most.
    Last edited by Tzigone; 10-22-2020 at 01:39 PM.

  11. #11
    Moderator Frontier's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tzigone View Post
    So depressing to me. That his entire life is service to Batman. There's nothing else left. No other purpose in life. It does illustrate very well some of the issues I have with their relationship (and by extension, Alfred's relationships with the others) in the modern era. For Alfred, everything is about Bruce. For decades now. He used to have his own life, but in recent decades less so. I never cared for him having a daughter, but him knowing about her and being so inactive in her life while he raises Bruce is worse. He used to have independent relationships with some of the other Batfam, but more recently his relationships with them are just extensions of his relationship with Bruce. I know it's supposed to be a father/son dynamic, but a lot of times it does rather feel like the servant born to be a servant and with no will or wish outside doing so. Either that or the mom who neglects the other family members for the one child she thinks needs her most.
    I think there's something to be said for that kind of loyalty and dedication, especially when Alfred basically drops everything to be there and take over for Bruce, although these books tend to not leave any room for a life outside the costumed heroics.

    I mean, Alfred sometimes has better relationships with the family than Bruce does, so I don't necessarily view them as just an extension of his loyalty to Bruce.

  12. #12
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    What about Bruce's cloning machine from Snyder's run? Alfred knew that his master, once revived/resurrected, would also need his faithful servant, so he created a duplicate system that's hidden somewhere in the cave, and will only be activated in some specific circumstance.
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  13. #13
    Wily Veteran cc008's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LordMikel View Post
    I could see a Robot Alfred. Otherwise I would think clone. A temporal distortion would work as well.
    A.I. Alfred a la JARVIS?

  14. #14
    Moderator Frontier's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bob.schoonover View Post
    What about Bruce's cloning machine from Snyder's run? Alfred knew that his master, once revived/resurrected, would also need his faithful servant, so he created a duplicate system that's hidden somewhere in the cave, and will only be activated in some specific circumstance.
    I don't think anybody but Snyder wants to touch on it...although I guess Tynion could/would.

  15. #15
    Astonishing Member LordMikel's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by cc008 View Post
    A.I. Alfred a la JARVIS?
    Honestly, more Rosie the Robot.
    I think restorative nostalgia is the number one issue with comic book fans.
    A fine distinction between two types of Nostalgia:

    Reflective Nostalgia allows us to savor our memories but accepts that they are in the past
    Restorative Nostalgia pushes back against the here and now, keeping us stuck trying to relive our glory days.

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