Prime’s New Batman Show Admits The Harsh Reality Of 1 Iconic DC Character

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Prime Video’s new animated series, Bat-Fam, offers a fresh take on the classic Batman universe geared towards kids. Instead of familiar characters like Dick Grayson, Batgirl, and Tim Drake, the show features a reimagined team including a younger Damian Wayne, a reformed Volcana, a friendly Man-Bat, and even the ghost of Ra’s al Ghul. A new character, Alicia Pennyworth – Alfred Pennyworth’s niece – also joins the team, running a program called E*Vil that helps former villains turn their lives around. Luckily, fans can still count on the voice of James Cromwell as the beloved Alfred Pennyworth.

Fans of the Batman universe, often called the “Bat-Fam,” have been carefully considering how Alfred Pennyworth has been portrayed in recent stories. This was particularly noticeable in the episode “90 is the New 80,” which highlighted the difficult aspects of his life.

Bat-Fam Shows How Poorly Everyone Treats Alfred Pennyworth

Alfred Pennyworth consistently supports Bruce Wayne, a dynamic seen throughout Batman’s history in comics, films, and animated series. However, the third episode of Bat-Fam, titled “90 is the New 80,” explores how Bruce often overlooks or doesn’t appreciate Alfred’s help, a conflict sparked by a disagreement between Bruce and Alfred’s niece, Alicia.

Alfred is turning ninety, and his family wants to celebrate with a big birthday. But despite his repeated requests for a simple family picnic, they insist on planning exciting, physically demanding activities for him. He goes along with everything, even though it’s tiring and he’s clearly not feeling well. To make matters worse, everyone expects him to continue doing chores that are too difficult for someone his age, and no one seems to notice or care – they even call on him to help clean up after superhero battles damage Wayne Manor.

Things take a particularly troubling turn when Damian Wayne, as Robin, strong-arms Alfred into assisting him with a fight against the Mad Hatter and his daughter. Damian essentially makes Alfred wear the powerful Batman Tech Armor and join the battle – an absurd situation considering Alfred is ninety years old! When Batman himself falls under the Mad Hatter’s hypnosis, it’s actually Alfred who has to step up and fight Batman to prevent further chaos. Though he’s clearly exhausted and in need of rest, Alfred doesn’t get a nap. Instead, he finally enjoys the picnic he’d been looking forward to, surrounded by loved ones…and surprisingly, the ghost of Ra’s al Ghul.

In the end, Alfred Pennyworth reveals his greatest failing: he struggles to say ‘no’ to the people he cares about. This inability to set boundaries is what he considers his biggest weakness.

Alfred Pennyworth Has Always Been a Mistreated DC Character

Alfred Pennyworth has appeared in many forms throughout DC Comics, but he’s consistently depicted as a servant who doesn’t receive enough recognition for his contributions to Batman and the Bat-Family. Interestingly, this dynamic has been portrayed more effectively in the movies. Jeremy Irons captured Alfred’s sarcastic side perfectly in Zack Snyder’s films, while Michael Gough brilliantly showed his frustration in Tim Burton’s movies, often knowing Bruce Wayne wouldn’t heed his advice.

Alfred Pennyworth, Batman’s butler, was far more insightful than people often realized. He consistently looked after Bruce Wayne, even when Bruce tried to push him away, because Bruce tended to neglect his own well-being. Alfred also had a keen sense of who posed a threat. After his death in the comics, Alfred left his entire estate to Dick Grayson, believing that Nightwing would use the money more effectively to help others than Batman would.

There’s a sense of poetic justice in the dynamic between Bruce Wayne and Alfred Pennyworth. Bruce deeply cares for Alfred and would do anything for him, but he’s also depended on him heavily throughout his life, sometimes without showing much appreciation. While Alfred seemed accepting of this, it didn’t justify Bruce’s casual treatment of the man who practically raised him. The ‘Bat-Family’ stories explored this further, demonstrating that Alfred is always willing to help Bruce and his extended family, but he also understands when he needs to set boundaries and say no when they ask too much of him.

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2025-11-13 17:15