Batman searches through the warehouse rubble for Jason. He regrets that Jason never listened to him but also notes that Jason was too young to try and make into Robin. He admits to himself that he was so deeply affected by the departure of Dick Grayson (the first Robin) that he realized he was afraid of fighting crime alone. He remembers his first meeting with Jason, who was stealing the tires off the Batmobile. Jason was living alone in an abandoned building. Bruce took pity on him and adopted him, soon revealing that he was Batman. Impressed by Jason’s fighting skill, Bruce assured himself that Jason would grow out of his rebelliousness. What mattered to Bruce most then was that he would no longer be alone without a sidekick.

Batman blames himself for failing to see how Jason’s emotional baggage would drive the growing tensions between them. After learning about Willis’s murder by Two-Face, Batman attempted to keep his discovery a secret from Jason, who felt betrayed when he eventually learned that Batman knew the truth. Jason nearly killed Two-Face himself but walked away, leaving Two-Face to face traditional justice. Batman erroneously believed that this choice evidenced Jason’s growing maturity. However, from then on, Jason became more angsty and reckless, making it difficult for Batman to rein in the boy’s destructive impulses. 

Batman finds Sheila among the wreckage. She weakly tells Batman that Jason tried to save her life by shielding her from the blast. She feels guilty that he’s a better son than she deserved. Sheila then dies of her injuries, but Batman keeps searching through the wreckage to find Jason’s body. He searches for a pulse and determines that Jason is dead. Batman carries his sidekick out of the disaster.

Meanwhile, in Addis Ababa, the Joker sells off the stolen medical supplies to his buyers. Two Iranian government workers approach the Joker to make a proposition. They invite him to meet their superior, but the Joker is annoyed by the implication that he will have to impress their boss. He’s surprised to learn that the superior they’re referring to is Ayatollah Ruhollah Khamenei, who wants to offer the Joker a government position.

Batman changes himself and Jason’s corpse back into civilian clothes before calling an ambulance to help. He answers police questions and denies knowing anything about the causes of the explosion. He promises to take responsibility for bringing Jason’s and Sheila’s bodies back to the United States. As he walks away, Bruce resolves to settle his long-time grudge with the Joker.

Batman tracks down the Joker’s warehouse in Addis Ababa, which is full of the corpses of his dead henchmen. He sees a message that the Joker has left for him, instructing him to meet him at the corner of 42nd and 1st. Bruce returns to Gotham City and has Jason and Sheila buried beside each other. Batman’s associates are the only people present at the funeral: Alfred, Commissioner Gordon, and Barbara Gordon. Alfred suggests reaching out to Dick Grayson, but Bruce declines, indicating his new resolution to work alone.

Batman determines that the Joker wants to meet him outside the United Nations Plaza in New York City. At the United Nations, Batman encounters Superman, who has come to meet him on behalf of the US State Department. According to the State Department, the Iranian government believes that Batman will try to cause trouble for their new ambassador when he addresses the international body. Since the ambassador has diplomatic immunity, no one can arrest or prosecute him for his crimes. Superman stresses the need for respecting diplomatic immunity since it ensures that Iran will respect their ambassadors and government officials as well. When Batman reminds him of the Iranian hostage crisis in 1979, Superman worries about stoking any new international tensions.

Batman demands to know who the new ambassador is. When Superman refuses to answer him, Batman punches Superman in the face. Superman’s near-invulnerable skeleton severely bruises Batman’s knuckles. As Superman tries to find out what is bothering Batman, the Iranian ambassador arrives. It’s the Joker.