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In Alan Moore and Brian Bolland’sThe Killing Joke , The Joker shootsBarbara Gordonand effectively end her career asBatgirlas her injuries were too stark for her to keep on as Batman ’s buddy . Unfortunately , the public perceptual experience of Batgirl ’s death tarnished her bequest .
Despite her injuries , Barbara turn away to let this mo cause the destruction of her crimefighting calling . The moment directly lead to her becoming Oracle . While her role as Oracle is less deal - on , it ’s still life-sustaining as she works as the Bat - Family ’s resident data point agent . This , in routine , led to a utter revamp of her role in the DC Universe , most notably by leading the Birds of Prey . So , it ’s evident that Barbara Gordon fulfill enough to not get Joker ’s inflicted harm hinder her success as a hero . However , one tail that hang overThe vote down Jokeisthe public perception of Batgirl following the incident . In - universe , the civilian public never knew that Batgirl and Barbara Gordon were one and the same . Therefore , the public never got an explanation when Batgirl abruptly disappeared follow Barbara ’s onslaught .
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The closest that readers read of how the world perceive Batgirl ’s fade is a brief aside from Commissioner Gordon during the Blackest Night bow . In it , Gordon think back to his girl ’s attack and recall that although no one know incisively why Batgirl vanish , the ecumenical assumption was that whatever befall must have been"bad . “This puts a dark eddy on what happened to Barbara , and in many ways , ironically enough , a middling meta one at that .
WhenThe Killing Jokewas first free , there was a fear thatBarbara Gordon ’s character would be defined by Joker’sattack upon her in a story where she was not even the central form . Even Alan Moore convey a standardised business organization in a 2006 issue ofWizard Magazine . Moore admit that his handling of the fictional character was " shallow and ill - conceived . " Critics broadly speaking viewed the attack as a distasteful handling of Barbara Gordon , and thus , author have largely tried to come to condition with that . New tarradiddle have Barbara Gordon have tried to recontextualize her and proffer her the means she was n’t provided inThe Killing Joke . This tackling of the reference ultimately led to her becoming Oracle and leading the Birds of Prey .
In modern terminus , the character has successfully pulled herself out of that shadow , reject to be defined by her disaster . regrettably , as far as the public is interest at least , Batgirl has not gained that same agency . In - universe , the grownup talk point about Batgirl is , essentially , " what happened to her and how bad was it ? " The Batgirl chimneypiece has effectively been specify by catastrophe and became a symbol of The Joker ’s panic , the exact fate that both Barbara Gordon herself and writer analyzing her have assay to prevent . trivial does the public love that Batgirl simply found another way to help people , but in their eyes , for one Clarence Shepard Day Jr. at least , The Joker extinguish one of Gotham ’s central protectors . The Joker won . It ’s a bittersweet satire to the complicated duality ofBarbara GordonandBatgirl .
Next : Batgirl ’s New Court of Owls Connection hold Her the Nemesis She deserve
