DC’s Hush 2 storyline just cranked up the stakes in Batman #159, and if you thought the first issue was wild, you’re not ready for what comes next. Written with intensity and illustrated by the legendary Jim Lee, this issue dives deep into moral dilemmas, haunting pasts, and fractured alliances. Here’s everything that goes down.
Batman’s Decision: Save the Joker or Let Him Die?
At the end of Batman #158, readers were left on edge with Hush forcing Batman into an impossible choice—save the Joker, who was on the brink of death, or let him die. Batman #159 wastes no time answering that question.
The story opens in Crime Alley, with Bruce reflecting on the night his parents were killed. That memory weighs heavily on his current actions. As the Batmobile cruises through Gotham, it’s revealed that Batman did, in fact, save the Joker. He brings the Clown Prince of Crime to none other than Dr. Leslie Thompkins at her clinic—one of the few people who knows Bruce’s secret identity and can be trusted to treat someone like the Joker discreetly.
A Tense Medical Rescue at Leslie’s Clinic
Leslie isn’t thrilled to see Bruce show up with a nearly dead psychopath in his arms. She questions why he didn’t bring Joker to a real hospital. Bruce admits it wasn’t safe—Hush might be watching, waiting for him to go public.
Though hesitant and limited by her clinic’s equipment, Leslie does what she can. Joker’s injuries are brutal. His body is a roadmap of surgical torment—clearly Hush’s handiwork. As Leslie works to stabilize him, Joker begins to regain consciousness. Batman sedates him, knowing full well the dosage might kill him. But it doesn’t. It works. Joker slips into a medically-induced coma, giving Leslie the time she needs to save his life.
Batman’s Crisis of Conscience
While Leslie operates, Batman dozes off and dreams of the Joker murdering his parents—blurring the lines between trauma, guilt, and obsession. He wakes to learn the Joker survived, thanks in part to the drug Batman administered. But there’s a catch: Joker needs extensive care, and hospitals are off the table.
Leslie gives him no choice. If Batman truly wants the Joker to live, he’ll have to take him back to the Batcave. And so he does.
Studying the Joker’s Mind and Body
Back in the Batcave, Batman begins studying the Joker like a science experiment. He scans his brain and examines his altered physiology. What he discovers is alarming. Joker’s prefrontal cortex is hyperactive, his pigmentation erased on a cellular level. Even his fingerprints are gone. It’s as though he’s been chemically transformed into a living ghost.
Despite the temptation to end it all, Batman stays firm. He won’t play into Hush’s hands. “I will not do what Hush wants,” he says, staring at the unconscious man who has haunted his life.
Red Hood Returns—And He’s Furious
But just when Bruce thinks he has control of the situation, Jason Todd—aka Red Hood—makes a dramatic entrance. Gun in hand, Jason confronts Bruce in the Batcave, furious to discover Joker alive and breathing.
Red Hood fires a shot, aiming to end the Joker once and for all. Batman barely manages to redirect the shot, which hits the Batcave’s power grid instead. The cave plunges into darkness, and a brutal fight ensues—20 seconds of chaos in pitch black. Jason fights like a man possessed, forcing Batman to shoot him in the head just enough to break his helmet. It’s a strategic move. Bruce had to know if it was really Jason this time—not another Clayface trick like in the original Hush arc.
A Painful Confrontation Between Bruce and Jason
As the power kicks back on, the standoff escalates. Guns pointed at each other’s throats, old wounds resurface. Jason accuses Bruce of saving the man who murdered him with a crowbar. He strikes Batman, furious and heartbroken.
Bruce doesn’t resist. He confesses: “You are my partner, my Robin. You were also so young. I never should have put you in harm’s way.” The guilt is raw, and it hits Jason hard. But his rage hasn’t cooled. He knocks Bruce out with the butt of his gun and leaves.
Meanwhile in Gotham: Riddler Has a New Look and a New Role
The issue cuts to the Gotham Clock Tower—Barbara Gordon’s headquarters. She’s with Dick Grayson (Nightwing), and they’re not alone. A newly redesigned, militarized Riddler stands before them. He’s bulked up, tattooed, and apparently playing for their side now.
Dick’s skeptical. “Why would you help us?” he asks.
Riddler’s answer is simple: “You don’t understand Hush like I do. You’re going to need all the help you can get—Dick, Babs, even Bruce.”
What does Riddler know that they don’t? Why is he switching sides now? Questions swirl, but answers will have to wait.
Final Thoughts: The War With Hush Is Far From Over
Batman #159 ends with uncertainty and emotional fallout. Bruce is broken, Jason is enraged, and their greatest enemy might be controlling them like chess pieces. The Joker—still alive—might be the key to unraveling Hush’s plan. But how long can Bruce keep him safe? And should he even try?
As the Hush 2 arc continues, one thing is clear: this war is personal, and no one will walk away unchanged.
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