I think the only time I have ever called my brother akhi is as a joke.
However I will say I am a stereotype and habibi, hubi, albi, hayati all leave my mouth when I am talking to loved ones (familial, platonic and romantic) but
Damian can’t really use these because not only are they sugar sweet
My love, my heart, my life (translations)
But also because they’re usually used from older to younger in a family context it’s not an explicit thing but with sibling relationships it’s very rare for the younger sibling to use these terms even in formal situations.
However do I believe that Dick would absolutely call Damian random pet names bc he thinks it’s funny how Damian flushes- yeah absolutely
DAMIAN HOWEVER would use Arabic to say shit that you cannot get away with in English
And he’d be fucking visceral
“عقل يخرا، و طيز تفكِّر" your brain shits and your ass thinks
‘I wanna hang your mothers pussy on a laundry rack and let it rain dicks’ is one we as a society do not use enough ‘بدي إنشر كس إمك عحبل الغسيل و خلي الدنيا تشتّي إيورة’
Tell me he wouldn’t???
Also Talia would absolutely call Damian Ya Rouhi instead of like habibi
And yeah mama, would absolutely come before ibny
This is just a mini info dump from an Arab batfamily fan because I find Damian calling his siblings Akhi... adorable (for me as a native speaker watching a writer use Arab words) and, not painful, just... itchy, it URGES me to make a pptx with 300 slides and just? Talk about Arabic?
So... أخي, Akhi, Brother.
It's not incorrect. The word is used in the right place and delivers its intended meaning. Other Arab speakers might not find a problem with it. They'd feel odd like I did but will likely go "eh" and carry on. But I'm an Arabic enthusiast, so...
Like with every language with geographically widespread users, the Arabic tongue kind of- deviated from its roots. The language has naturally branched out into so many dialects I myself can't keep track of.
Arabs from different regions can understand each other. They use the same words but for different purposes and with different pronunciations.
The original root language that holds them all (Quranic Arabic) was simplified into an easier, standard version that is used for formal speeches and as a communication bridge (seeing that you can't, say, translate something to Arabic and say it's for all Arabs if you use a certain dialect. Because an Arabic dialect is an identity at this point, tell me somebody is Syrian, and I know them already)
Now, with the fun part.
See, no Arab calls any sibling of theirs Akhi, I myself would burst laughing if mine did.
Yakhoi يَخوي (nonstandard, everyday Arabic for o, brother) , maybe, if I'm calling a stranger from the streets or an offender I'm going to give a piece of my mind.
Or, hold your breaths, my brother is crying, and the lights are out and I NEED to use the tenderest, most loving, most adoring, most revering tone I could muster so he just knows he is loved and family. Y'know? This specific situation.
And other Arabs might just say, no, I use it when, I use it when, I don't use it, etc.
The point is, nobody will mention Akhi. Because it's a Standard Arabic word, a formal word, and a word used in translated texts and stories when a foreign character we don't consider part of us call their brother. It's weird, it's devoid of emotions, and it's like watching a robot trying to be emotional, but it's a translated text. That's what translated texts use, and it's fine.
It is fine, Standard Arabic has been used for stories so much that nobody questions its influence on a character's characterisation.
I'm not saying Standard Arabic shouldn't be used for story writing, quite the opposite, in fact. I'm just saying that if Arabic is used to represent an Arab, its usage should also consider an everyday Arab experience and manners.
Now to Damian.
Akhi is robotic. Damian's personality does allow him to fall under that category. If for his well refined manners and polite, formal speech.
But even the King wouldn't call his brother Akhi.
He'd call him by his name. For my community (and most, I'm sure) siblings are called by their names, and if we look up historic Quranic (Root) Arabic speakers, they, too, call their siblings by their name. Yes, even the Sultan.
If not by actual name, then either endearing or demeaning names.
Arabs LOVE endearing names, but they're dipped in a pool of honey I don't think Damian would like to dive in.
Talia, on the other hand, would most certainly call Damian Mama. Arab parents call their kids by their own titles. It's the ultimate expression of parental love of all times, in my opinion.
(Don't make Batman call him Papa, though. Pretty sure Damian would malfunction)
-
Well, I said all that, but watching writers include Arabic words in his vocabulary is still sweet. Tt is not even a word, but it's such an Arab thing it's my favourite.
If only I could make subtitles of everyday Arab talk and show you, their speech is heavy with, excuse my English, word softeners, it's like they're talking in a TV drama and not the real world.
Watching Damian adopting it would be interesting :D
I dreamt a comic panel where Bruce described first Dick and then Diana. And it was like: Robin: My partner, my son, a hero. And then Diana was: Wonder woman: a woman 😭
Plz my friends actually stopped finding me annoying since I can talk about something other than Dick Grayson
Let me get it out
bring back tumblr ask culture let me. bother you with questions and statements
yes, their close platonic relationship in canon is important to me specifically because it's both close and platonic
yes, I also ship them romantically, or as part of a romantic poly ship
I refuse to lock myself into a single interpretation of a fictional relationship when there's multiple interesting ways to view it. I can do both
forever a dickroy truther because I want to watch them fight over who gets Donna as their best man for the wedding (it’s dick)
No listen there are exactly 4 flavors of dc fan
Fan 1; most canon content consumed in Wayne family adventures, lives in fanon stereotypes and tumblr reblogs, usually only reads fanfiction to get their content fix
Fan 2; has never looked at fanon content in their lives, has somehow managed to literally every comic book you’ve never heard of. Is violently pissed at the fladerization of their fave. (For some reason hates Jason Todd)
Fan 3; likes fanon and canon but they cannot touch. On. The. Plate. Good and separate like me when I have anything with mashed potatoes or sauce. Sure Dick can be a little naive in Fanon but if he needs help working a computer in canon they will riot or if people T h I n k their fanon is canon. (Low key also will ignore fanon they disagree with)
Fan 4; can’t tell the difference and/or substitutes the cooler one. Canon is a subway sandwich and Fanon are the excess toppings. They honest to god would not be able to tell you which idea they got from the comics vs Reddit vs a tumblr shit post. Sometimes fanon bleeds over and someone might read nothing butt nightwing and think it’s good who knows? (High key will ignore the canon they disagree with)
Anyway tag yourself
My love of fandom and its ability to recreate works completely .vs. my absolute hatred for most fandom Nightwing interpretations. FIGHT
Well it’s less direct comic panel and more a lot of implicit stuff but I have a few saved and a few that I remember things vaguely happening
But Jason Todd canonically resents Nightwing for being the perfect son
And for following Bruce’s teachings which he deems frankly ineffective and useless.
As well as feeling that he will never be able to live up to Nightwings legacy
(Feat Jason’s hallucinations)
But Dick Grayson is another story
Because Nightwing is Batman’s pride and Joy. Proof the the concept of the child hero and one of the first second gen hero’s who got justice league level respect without taking over a mentors titles
Meanwhile
Dick Grayson is his brother
And sometimes these two come into conflict like in under the redhood
You can see in the image here that when bludhaven got destroyed
Initially Jason wasn’t happy, his face was shadowed and he was genuinely upset and then Bruce screamed Dicks name and Jason immediately remembers himself and returns to taunting Bruce
Jason’s relationship is bad with nightwing bc he sees nightwing as another hand in Batman’s crusade
Dick has been Jason’s hero since long before he put on the uniform
And here is where I struggled to find more images
But Jason Todd and Dick Grayson have a completely separate relationship
Despite dick and nightwing being the same guy it’s very obvious when Jason is talking to Dick his Big Brother and Nightwing Batman’s lil perfect solider
They can insult each other and joke around and be supportive with one another
And Dick Grayson will always have Jason Todd’s back if not the red hood
There was a panel in I think the Nightwing 2021 annual where Jason was accused of murder and Dick goes to talk to him and Jason immediately goes “I didn’t do it” and Dick replies I believe you “just like that?” “Just like that”
And of course there was the iconic Nightwing and Batman fight during Gotham war with my boy did so well in he should’ve won
Anyway Dick and Jason are friends and brothers
Nightwing and red hood despise each other
Thank u for coming to my ted talk
I love how severely Jason refuses to differentiate between Bruce and Batman while also refusing to acknowledge that Nightwing and Dick Grayson are the same dude
Being trans and working in an office is funny sometimes
Bruce: culturally Jewish but doesn't really practice or believe.
Dick: Father was Catholic, but the circus celebrated everything from holi to yule to Eid so while he does fall more in line with his fathers beliefs, he's has the most knowledge about religious ceremony inside and outside of his own faith.
Jason: "literally was a catholic priest" Todd nuff said
Tim: Mom was Buddhist, Dad was agnostic, He's an Atheist bc if god is real he's a dick and i'm not worshiping him fuck you.
Damian Wayne: Culturally Muslim, but was literally in a murder cult so outside of some celebratory dishes and turns of phrase he doesn't really practice nor does he believe in it.
Steph: went to a protestant church as a child, is an atheist.
these are just my ideas if y'all disagree give me your ideas (Im writing a fic about religious angst and the bats so ya know)
….4…. I don’t wanna talk about it
y’all expose yourselves and take this fanfic test i was just forced to by an irl so now i’m making you too
But also my favorite thing to do is incorporate Dicks fanon character into his canon one
Because he would
Dick, despite being one of the most competent, well known and respected members of the hero community
He Is famously easy to underestimate
Like cartoonishly so to the point where the people who do feel like idiots to us
He’s so easy to underestimate that people who are aware of his skill either by direct combat or receiving a file on it will proceed to violently underestimate his abilities.
The first 2 instances that come to mind are
-the fact that deathstroke let him train Rose because slade knows how good Dick is but somehow doesn’t clock that the man that he’s been fighting for I believe it was at least 4 years (depending on timelines and when you believe the blockbuster storyline happened in relation to Judas contract) would be capable of manipulating his daughter into turning against him
Spryal. There is literally a scene where Dick collects DNA evidence in front of Helena because he’s cracking jokes and using a lollipop to do it. Not only is it in front of Helena it’s also INFRONT OF MINOS.
he’s canonically so good and making you see things that aren’t there and not see things right in front of you that he was a prodigy with the Hypnos facial tech.
There are more I’m sure but those are the most memorable ones in my brain.
But it’s also pretty prominent in his dialogue vs internal monologue
Where is dialogue is very wise-cracking and punny (let’s not talk about the term nightwinging it) his internal monologue is far more analytical and if it isn’t it falls more along self critical or caustic sarcasm.
Dick Grayson is the character who is most likely to play into that fanon characterization of him anytime he is not in a position where he needs to be in charge.
Like Dick does use the fact that he has a pretty face and a nice smile and a strong moral viewing of right and wrong to trick people into thinking he’s naive and not definitelyyyy not outwitting them.
He’s talked about how he’s the nice bat and the friendly one who will stop for a chat but when he puts his foot down it better not be in your neck.
And he absolutely would play up technical incompetence and being poor at life skills if it made him easier to talk to giving him more access to information.
Especially among the more anti hero and broader hero communities.
I mean Dick is canonically talked about as the one you go to with your problems when he literally told people he has files on how to take them down and then proceeded to SHARE the files.
That’s how much trust he’s built up in his community.
Anyway that’s not the reason that the fanon characterization exists but it’s a reason I find it very interesting in general.
Like there is a TikTok series where the canon and fanon bats meet and I genuinely if Canon Dick met Fanon Dick he would absolutely steal some of those lines and use them next time he needs a morally ambiguous older man who understands he might be a challenge but seriously how big of a threat could nightwing be to underestimate him.
I’m about to ruin your guys day. Let’s talk about canon and fanon. Dick Grayson edition. I’ve realized that some people don’t actually know what’s canon and what’s fanon. (It’s okay to like what’s fanon more than what’s canon, but I want to clear some things up)
Cooking: Dick can actually cook! Literally everyone says that he can’t cook, but he can! He has cooked for his younger brother (Tim Drake) numerous times! I’m pretty sure he’s cooked with the Titans too.
Singing: Dick is one of the only batfam member’s who can sing. In fact Dick is good at literally everything. (Not EVERYTHING but he can do most things)
Kindness: Don’t get me wrong Dick is a sweetheart but some people make it seem like he’s sweet, in a very dumb way. My point is that he’s nice, but not to the extent people make it out to be.
Brothers: This has to do with Dick and Tim, but I still want to add it. Most people think that Tim’s favorite brother is Jason. This is not the case. Tim is the closest with Dick. After Jason died, whatever Dick didn’t do for Jason, he did for Tim. He even trained Tim.
Ps: Tim even grew up with Dick as Robin.
I write bad Dick Grayson and TMA fanfiction on ao3 follow me @imtired_likerllytiredI literally keep creating and deleting accounts on this hellsite lurker since age 8
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