Although he is not yet ready to admit it, the patient is gradually beginning, in his own time and in his own way, to understand that, once we dispense with his ego and bravado, he is little more than an object. An object which is now in my possession, to do with as I please, as I have already done with Richard Grayson.
The systematic removal of his costume is proving to be an effective way to help him learn this lesson. For many years he has hidden behind a false identity, pretending to be something other than he really is. As we strip away his illusions, he will come to experience life without disguises. In time, he will acknowledge once and for all who he is and what his true role has always been.
The era of the Bat is coming to an end.