Work Text:
Red Hood Claims "EPIC the Musical" Made Him Do It
Jorge Rivera-Herrans denies taking credit for the Joker's Death
EPIC: The Musical's popularity soars to new heights after Red Hood kills the Joker while singing 'Ruthlessness'
Red Hood Singing and Murder of Joker Goes Viral
Here's how it started.
"You should check out EPIC," Tim said.
They had been winding down after a patrol, chatting and eating burgers on a Batburger roof.
"What's EPIC?" Jason asked.
"It's a musical version of the Odyssey," Tim said. "It's not a real musical - like it hasn't been performed by people on a stage - but a group of different people recorded the songs and people have been making animatics to it on YouTube. I think you'd like it."
"We'll see," Jason huffed.
See, he was easily defined as a Classics Nut (listen, he might prefer Austen, but Greek myths are fun, and can you really blame him for getting worse about it after meeting Diana?).
His mother – Catherine, not Sheila – would hum showtunes whenever she was well enough to cook, and Jason still has fond memories of them dancing to them around the kitchen.
So, theoretically, he should have been really excited about EPIC.
But he wasn't. He couldn't help thinking that it would be like every other shitty modern adaption, that he would get pissed, and upset, and then he would go on patrol and Batman would be upset that he was upset and then it would get worse.
So he avoided EPIC like the plague.
He scrolled past videos he saw on YouTube. He shut down anyone who spoke to him about it. His subordinates were confused about it (all of them had mentioned it at least once, and some of them had to be threatened into silence).
Dick, Tim, and Duke all brought it up to him at least once. Which made sense, Dick loved showtunes, Tim liked mythology, and Duke liked Jason.
Duke was actually enough of a nerd (a book nerd, not a punk nerd like Timmy or a prep nerd like Dick) and he understood Jason's tastes enough that Jason almost caved in.
Almost.
But Duke, unlike the other two, doesn't really continue pushing after first being told off, so EPIC was put aside.
Until Harley.
Joker broke free of Arkham (again). He killed several people and put many more into the hospital (again). He was caught, beaten half to death, and put back into Arkham (again).
Harley got hurt helping the Bats in the commotion, and somehow, Jason visiting her in the hospital turned into her using her magic therapist powers on him.
After he finished ranting about Bruce (again) Harley nodded, and told him, "I'm assigning you homework."
Jason paused. "You're…not really my therapist, Harley."
"Don't care. You got homework."
Jason groaned; he didn't have time for homework, plus he wanted to ignore his feelings (you really think Harley would understand the Bats better by now).
She glared at him. "Homework."
Jason sighed. "Fine. I'll do it."
"You gotta promise."
"Fine, I promise," Jason said, rolling his eyes. "What's this 'homework'?"
She smirked. "You're gonna sit, and listen to EPIC. In full."
Jason stared at her, aghast. The betrayal. "This hurts worse than Bruce not killing the Joker."
"You'll enjoy it!" she called as he left.
"I hate you!" he shouted back.
Later that night, Jason went to YouTube and found a 'full movie version' of EPIC with subtitles.
And then he hit play.
And okay. It was good.
There were obviously some changes made (it definitely wasn't a faithful adaption) but they told a good story and the voices were nice.
He finished the first saga, then the second, and stopped after the third.
He had to stop.
Ruthlessness was an amazing song. In more ways than one. Poseidon had a lovely singing voice, the drama and the ending were incredible, and the words...
The words hurt.
He couldn't help thinking about how the lyrics applied to him and Bruce, over and over again.
If Bruce wasn't such a shitty father...if he had actually cared...
"You are the worst kind of good, 'cause you're not even great. A Greek who reeks of false righteousness, that's what I hate. 'Cause you fight to save lives, but won't kill and don't get the job done..."
Jason clenched his fists.
He would get the job done, instead.
What was worse was how the next verse fit.
The "You reveal your name, then you let him live-"
Because Dick had revealed how Bruce had basically revealed all their identities to the Joker. As far as Jason knew, he never asked Martian Manhunter to take that information away, either.
"Ruthlessness is mercy upon ourselves."
Why was he sitting around waiting for fucking Bruce to kill the Joker?
Jason's killed before, and he'll kill again. Bruce was never going to get his ass in gear, never going to take that step to protect them.
"Ruthlessness is mercy upon ourselves."
It was time for Jason to be merciful. To himself.
He changed into his uniform, and suited up. Helmet, check. Gear, check.
Weapons?
Double check.
And then he made his way to Arkham. If Joker can break out every few months, it can't be that hard to break in.
It wasn't.
The guards let him in, and got out of his way.
Before he knew it, Jason was inside and walking towards Joker's cell.
He started singing.
"I'm left without a choice and without a doubt. Guess the pack of wolves is swimming with the shark now. I gotta make you bleed, I need to see you drown. But before you go, I need to make you learn how ruthlessness is mercy upon ourselves."
His voice sounded strange singing with the modulator, and gave it an extra creepy tone.
Good.
He wanted Joker to feel fear first.
It wasn't long before he was standing outside Joker's cell.
"And now it is finally time to say goodbye, today, you die. Unless, of course, you apologize, for all our pain, and all your crimes."
So he was changing the lyrics a little. Jason wanted to see if he'd apologize. Or at least if he knew Odysseus's next lines.
He didn't. Joker just laughed and seemed delighted.
Jason continued, ignoring the drivel Joker was spouting about 'visiting little old me?'.
"The line between naivety, and hopefulness, is almost invisible. So close your heart, the world is dark and Ruthlessness is mercy-"
"Die."
Jason pulled the trigger.
The noise echoed in the asylum.
The blood splattered the back of the wall, and Joker fell forward, his eyes empty, the hole in his forehead stark between them.
It was done.
Jason holstered his gun, and left.
The guards didn't bother him on the way out.
When he woke the next day, he had thousands of text messages.
Not that he saw them, because Dick had pried open the door to his safehouse and was waking him up.
"What do you want, Dickhead?" Jason asked. For once in a long time, he'd slept with no nightmares. He didn't want to wake up just yet.
"You killed the Joker!" Dick cried.
"Yep," Jason said, grinning.
"You were recorded! Why didn't you wipe the tapes? Also, why did you sing?"
"Because I didn't care?" Jason said with a shrug.
Honestly, a lot of his normal planning had gone out the window. He had focused on the song, on the meaning, and how he was going to finally breath again.
And it hadn't fixed everything. Jason knew he was still chock full of problems (their whole family was) but he did find he could breathe a bit easier with the realization that the Joker could never hurt anyone ever again.
He was gone.
"People are petitioning the Mayor to throw you a parade," Dick continued. "Crime Alley's been celebrating non-stop!"
Jason scowled. "No pigs are bothering anyone, right?"
"Most of the cops are also celebrating," Dick admitted.
"Then all's well that ends well," Jason said, sitting back.
It wasn't over, of course.
Bruce was going to make a fuss, as he always did.
And Jason wasn't even done listening to EPIC.
But for once, it felt like a new beginning.
...
He'd have to send Harley a gift basket.