But what really surprised me was how the series ended. Characters that appeared throughout the series gathered in the Batcave as pieces of it were disassembled as if the whole series had taken place on a movie set. Heroes and villains mingled together like the cast and crew of a TV show that had grown close over the years.

Against the setting of this farewell party, Batman and Ambush Bug reflect on the series. Batman calls it a “great run” before turning to the camera and speaking directly to the audience on the other side of the TV screen.

“And until we meet again, boys and girls,” he says with his voice full of earnestness, “know that wherever evil lurks in all its myriad forms, I’ll be there with the Hammers of Justice to fight for decency and defend the innocent. Goodnight.”

Corny? Perhaps. I’m sure there’s some eye rolling from those who prefer their Batman to be darker and grittier.

However, there’s something wholesome about how this series ends. Part of the reason many kids (and adults) watch superhero media that is on the brighter and more hopeful end of the genre’s spectrum is that it allows them to escape from the real world where it seems as if there are no heroes and that the bad guys always win. There’s enough darkness in the world and such a show can be a source of hope and safety. To lose the show can be, for some, to lose that hope and safety. This can be especially true for young kids who don’t always feel safe in a fallen world affected by sin and may not yet be able to completely separate fantasy from reality.

But in a few words, Batman lets his fans know that everything is going to be okay. The show may end as all shows do, but their hero hasn’t abandoned them. Batman will continue to watch over them, fight for them, and keep them safe. If only in their imaginations.

The early followers of Jesus faced a moment similar to this. After the death and resurrection of Jesus, His disciples were faced with the sobering reality that their friend, teacher, and Lord was going to leave them to ascend to heaven. Over the course of their brief time together, Jesus had filled their lives with hope and meaning. Now, He would be leaving them alone. Again.

I imagine the disciples had a lot of questions, doubts, and confusion. Jesus had just returned to them and now He was going to leave them again? How would they accomplish his mission for the world without him being physically present? Would they ever see Him again? Despite the miraculous events of the previous days, was this, in fact, the end of their journey together?

It’s why Jesus didn’t simply say goodbye. Instead, he left his disciples with his own words of comfort and promises to them.

He told them that they wouldn’t be alone. He wasn’t abandoning them. In fact, He would be with them until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).

He also said that He would leave them the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-5). This third Person of the Trinity would act as a Comforter and a Helper to Jesus’ followers as they faced a future that was sometimes difficult and uncertain (John 14:16-17).

Those who followed Jesus may not have been able to see it at the time, but this wasn’t “Goodbye.” The hope that Jesus had given them through the life they had shared together with Him wasn’t coming to an end.

In fact, it was really just beginning.

Like Batman comforting young viewers who may not understand why their favorite TV show is ending and may be afraid to lose their hero, Jesus also comforts His friends.

He lets them know that this is part of the plan.

Things are going to be okay.

They are not alone.

This is something we should also remember as modern day followers of Jesus.

Even those of us who have known Jesus for years can feel distant from God at times. Maybe you recently failed or fell into a sin that you thought you conquered long ago. Or maybe a terminal diagnosis or lost job has you spiraling. It could just be the experience of existing and living in a world that seems to be falling apart all around us that is making you wonder if God really cares about what happens to us mere mortals.

Whatever the cause, there are times when it feels as if God has left you alone and that can be terrifying.

It doesn’t matter if just yesterday you felt so close to God that you could reach out and touch His face. All of that seems like a distant memory when the troubles of today have filled you with fears and anxieties about the future and questions about life that seem to have no answers.

In those moments of doubt, we need to be reminded of the character of God. That character is best revealed through the life and Person of Jesus. When we look at how Jesus interacted with His earliest followers, it is clear that Jesus cared and provided for His friends. Through Jesus, we can see that God’s character does not include abandoning those whom He loves.

And He loves us.

God loves us.

He loves us so much that He sends the same Holy Spirit that He sent to comfort His disciples thousands of years to also comfort us today.

Just as He stayed with His earliest followers through the worst that life had to offer, He also stays with us, even to the end of all things.

And so, like His earliest followers, we can be confident in this:

This is part of the plan.

Things are going to be okay.

We are not alone.

Thanks for listening. Your prayers are greatly appreciated.

If you found this content helpful, please consider sharing it with friends. Or, if you would like to help Redeemed Ink Media make more content like this or help in the advancement of Geek Culture Ministry, prayerfully consider making a one-time or recurring donation at:

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Thanks again.

That said, there is one trope that always seems to dominate these crossovers: A misunderstanding of some sort causes the heroes to fight each other before they finally resolve their differences and go on to team up to stop the bad guys.

Whether it’s a battle of power, intelligence, or ideals, fans want to see their favorite heroes go up against each other to see who’s the best and who’s right. Only after that has been resolved will readers be ready for the heroes to team up and save the day from whatever combination of villains is threatening the safety and security of the world.

But what if they never resolved their differences?

What if the fight between the two heroes was the whole story?

And what if the heroes allowed the fight to get in the way of their true mission to bring justice and stop the bad guys?

Can you imagine it?

Consider a situation wherein Batman and Captain America are so focused on beating each other up that they end up letting the Joker and the Red Skull get away.

If they became so focused on their differences that they allowed people to suffer and die, would they even be considered heroes at that point?

And yet this is very similar to how we can behave as Christians when we meet someone who is also a Christian but has slightly different theological beliefs from us.

To be clear, I’m not talking about disagreements over essential doctrine or the act of defending the core beliefs that anyone who calls themselves “Christian” needs to affirm to fit the basic definition of “Christian.” Nor am I talking about debate or discussion that is marked by curiosity, humility, and mutual respect. These types of interactions are healthy.

What I’m talking about are interactions with other Christians that devolve into petty arguments revolving around secondary issues and tertiary issues that have no bearing on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. These interactions are often marked by pride, arrogance, and tribalism. Participants in such arguments will often insult the intelligence or spiritual maturity of other Christians who love Jesus just as much as they do but have come to different conclusions than they have about secondary and tertiary issues. This happens even when both parties have engaged in valid and faithful study of the Bible and in prayer.

The natural result of this childish quarreling is division in the Church. It isn’t long before factions based around our personal preferences and egos begin to form and we start excluding from fellowship those whom Christ has chosen not to exclude.

And, while all of this is happening, the world outside the Church cries out in pain from dealing with what it means to exist in a fallen world plagued by sin and dark spiritual forces.

Even though we have the solution to their pain that is found in the hope of Jesus and could offer it to them at any time, we find ourselves too busy fighting each other to be bothered to do that.

It’s like we’ve become superheroes who have forgotten that their main mission is to fight the bad guys and save people, not to fight each other while ignoring cries for help.

If the heroes in this fictional situation can no longer be considered heroes because they have chosen to fight each other instead of the bad guys, what does that say about us when we fight other Christians over things that ultimately do not matter instead of using our time and energy to offer the hope of Jesus to a world that is hurting and in need of a savior?

Is it possible that in our arrogance we have abandoned our mission as well? The very mission that God has given us?

And is it also possible that when we fight and argue and divide over secondary and tertiary issues that we are no longer acting on God’s side but instead are acting on our own side? Even on the side of evil?

Jesus didn’t pray that we got every last issue of doctrine correct. But he did pray for our unity as followers of Christ and that we would be united around Him (John 17:20-23). Therefore we should take protecting that unity very seriously, even if we must sacrifice our pride to maintain it.

To do anything else would be to abandon the calling that God has placed on our lives and the mission that He has given us.

Or, to put it another way, it would be like superheroes choosing to let the bad guys get away.

Thanks for listening. Your prayers are greatly appreciated.

If you found this content helpful, please consider sharing it with friends. Or, if you would like to help Redeemed Ink Media make more content like this or help in the advancement of Geek Culture Ministry, prayerfully consider making a one-time or recurring donation at:

https://buymeacoffee.com/comiccleric

Thanks again.

If you found this content helpful, please consider sharing it with friends. Or, if you would like to help Redeemed Ink Media make more content like this or help in the advancement of Geek Culture Ministry, prayerfully consider making a one-time or recurring donation at:

https://buymeacoffee.com/comiccleric

Thanks again.