recs and links

At the end of it all, the thing is: Palpatine breaks his heart.(or the one where Anakin makes the hard choice, the right choice, the other choice. Then he keeps making it.)

In which Katara meets a strange boy in the Northern Water Tribe, is successful in both waterbending and emotional vulnerability, and saves the day with the power of sheer stubbornness. Meanwhile, Zuko makes a friend. His second one, if you count Yue.

Damian has his orders: present himself to his father so that the Batman will finish his training and Damian can take his proper place at his father's right hand.However, Damian has also had caution and the need to maintain an upper hand in every situation ingrained into him for even longer than he has known how to hold a sword. Accordingly, he takes his time once arrived in Gotham. He learns his father's patrol routes and not much else, but in the process begins studying the other vigilantes in Gotham—the other children in his father's life. Perhaps they will give him a better idea of how to please his father, and if they have been trained by Batman themselves, there may even be something of value they can teach Damian.

“Meg, I miss you terribly," he says into the phone receiver."Charles Wallace," she replies, "of course I miss you too, but shouldn’t you be in class?"

Five times Rusty saw it coming, and once he didn't.

The breach of the peace began in the traditional English woodland at Kew Gardens at a quarter to four in the afternoon on the first of May when the morris side 'Queens of May' struck up a dance called Princess Royal and invited the crowd of bewildered tourists to join in.

The Batkids should really have more contingencies in place for when Bruce and Alfred are away from Gotham

When the teachers of Abbott start a betting pool around when Gregory and Janine will get engaged, can the two of them turn the tables?

Damian comes to Wayne Manor expecting many tests. He tells himself he expects them with a hint of anticipation; that he is looking forward to the satisfaction of overcoming each challenge from his father with ease. Damian is well-trained, after all, and he has been held to a higher standard than others all his life. He should be confident.

Michael's got the perfect torture idea during a chili-pepper-based-restaurant-themed reboot: a hot wings eating competition! The humans would actually, willingly, compete to see who can burn themselves more! And competition always brings out the worst in humans, right? ...Right?

Abigail and Peter go mudlarking on the Thames.

Damian made a promise to Father that he wouldn't adopt any more pets for the time being, but the cat is clearly in need of help.Father would surely agree that helping always takes priority. Still, it's probably expedient to keep it a secret for now.

“Well, that was fun,” Tim said, his hands shoved into his pockets. “It was a nice plan, but you know us. We can just drive back to San Francisco and I’ll get a flight.”Kon looked at his posture, the quintessentially Tim tilt of his head. “No, dude, are you kidding me? You’re gonna deny me this rite of passage? Get back in the car. It’s gonna be epic.”Tim had smiled, a big bright thing that lasted all the way until they got back on the highway and Kon tried to fight him for the aux cord because like hell was he going to listen to the same Marina and the Diamonds EP for 57 hours.

In setting up for Jon’s tenth birthday party, Kon realizes how many milestones he's missed in his life and comes to terms with the way growing up looks different for different people.

Steph needs assistance for a case. Well. Truthfully, Steph wants to hang out with Jason and catching a bad guy at a carnival seems like a perfect excuse.

Kon is outgrowing "Superboy". But what is he growing into?

There's some cruel, bitter irony in the fact that Tim, at eighteen, is back to stalking Dick to check on his health and well-being.

“I like your kitty ears.”Bruce stared at the girl blankly for a moment, before reaching up to touch one of the points on the cowl.“Thanks,” he rasped, then coughed, clearing his throat. “It’s actually a bat, though. Like this.” He pushed back the edge of the cape to give her a better look at the symbol on his chestplate.

A man wakes on a cold and desolate moor. He knows he is hurt. He knows he is alone. What he doesn't know is what he is, or where he came from. He doesn't know even his own name. But there is something else that this man knows, and that is that if he doesn't get help soon, he is going to die. And on this strange new world, there are so many dangers.

“Thomas Malone.” he introduces himself with a polite nod.“Alfred Pennyworth,” the young man replies, eyes narrowing when Bruce startles and squeezes his hand a little too tight. Holy shit.(Bruce gets sent fifty years into the past and meets a familiar stranger.)

PC Peter Grant is dragged back out of London into the wilds of the Herefordshire countryside to deal with a report of supernatural vandalism in Stirling Lines, the beating heart of 22 SAS Regiment. But supernatural vandalism is just the symptom, and within the blind patriotism and paranoia of the regimental high command is a much darker sickness, that flooding Wye intents to wash clean.

After rescuing Bruce from floating around the past, Tim is Not Okay.What comes next after losing everything that really matters?Tim’s got some thoughts. So do the rest of the family.And Ra’s al Ghul.…And the Joker.

When Bruce and Dick get transported to an unfamiliar Gotham, it only takes running into a different Batman and Robin for Bruce to realize two things: one, they’re in the future; and two—in the future, Dick Grayson is dead.

“I was made to be like you,” he says. “You died saving the world. I was—don’t you get it? Kal, I was made to die saving the world. I was made to die. And I did. So—” His voice cracks. “So why am I back?”