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Robin Is Bisexual In Gotham Knights And It’s Honestly So Sweet
The video game unapologetically embraces the character’s canonical queerness.
If you were worried that Tim Drake aka Robin’s queerness would be ignored in the video game Gotham Knights, the good news is that not only is it explicitly acknowledged, it’s done so repeatedly and lovingly.
For those unfamiliar with the game, it’s an open-world RPG set in Gotham City following the death of Batman. In the Caped Crusader’s absence, it’s up to his superhero family — Batgirl, Nightwing, Red Hood, and Robin — to take up his crime-fighting mantle.
Like any family, this group occasionally discusses personal matters (in cinematic sequences), and for Tim, many of those conversations revolve around his burgeoning romance with Bernard — and in which he’s faced with nothing but acceptance and encouragement to pursue his love interest.
This makes good on narrative director Amy Lemay’s previous promise that the game would reference Tim’s sexuality in a way that reflects “the real world.”
“Tim is bi in the comics, therefore Tim is bi in the game,” she said during a Q&A in the title’s official Discord. “It’s not a huge plot point – it’s just a part of who he is and this comes up in the character interactions we have in the Belfry within the scope of how normal conversations would bring this up. Other NPCs and characters in the game also offer forms of representation, in ways which reflect the world we live in.”
Tim first came out in Batman: Urban Legends #6, written by Meghan Fitzmartin, in which the hero realizes he’s falling in love with his friend Bernard after his life is threatened. When Tim approaches Bernard about his feelings, the boy responds by asking him on a date.
\u201cWell, it's officially - Tim Drake/Robin is CANON BISEXUAL! \ud83e\udd2f\ud83d\udc4f\ud83d\udc4d\n\nKudos to the writers for weaving this chapter so greatly and tastefully into the Batman Mythos - from a longtime Tim Drake fan \ud83d\ude0e\ud83d\udc4d\u2764\u201d— WriterGuyKai (Kai)\u2712 (@WriterGuyKai (Kai)\u2712) 1628585253
In Gotham Knights, the two still haven’t gone on that date, but Tim is processing his feelings for Bernard and wondering if he can be both a superhero and a boyfriend. His family repeatedly chimes in encouraging him to follow his heart and even attend Pride.
YouTuber Ashley Versus created a supercut of those moments you can watch below.
Gotham Knights is available now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Microsoft Windows.
No. It exists in it own timeline.
Tim Drake.
Bernard Dowd.
Rachel Shatto, Editor in Chief of PRIDE.com, is an SF Bay Area-based writer, podcaster, and former editor of Curve magazine, where she honed her passion for writing about social justice and sex (and their frequent intersection). Her work has appeared on Dread Central, Elite Daily, Tecca, and Joystiq. She's a GALECA member and she podcasts regularly about horror on the Zombie Grrlz Horror Podcast Network. She can’t live without cats, vintage style, video games, drag queens, or the Oxford comma.
Rachel Shatto, Editor in Chief of PRIDE.com, is an SF Bay Area-based writer, podcaster, and former editor of Curve magazine, where she honed her passion for writing about social justice and sex (and their frequent intersection). Her work has appeared on Dread Central, Elite Daily, Tecca, and Joystiq. She's a GALECA member and she podcasts regularly about horror on the Zombie Grrlz Horror Podcast Network. She can’t live without cats, vintage style, video games, drag queens, or the Oxford comma.
