Work Text:
So every so often…
When I’m looking for inspiration for a story—or when I just need to reacquaint myself with characters—I rewatch the DCAMU. As one does.
Recently I rewatched Justice League Dark: Apokolips War, and something finally clicked for me during that Damian/Raven scene. Specifically this line:
“When I asked you to join me in leading the League of Assassins. I wasn’t doing it because you were a good fighter. I… had feelings for you.”
Now, I know some of you are already like:
“Oh my god, yes, we know. Cute. Peak shipping material. What of it?”
Fair. Valid. BUT.
Am I really supposed to ignore the fact that Damian phrasing it as “join me in leading” is not, like… a low-key marriage proposal???
And I’m only being half cheeky here.
So. Let’s break this shit down—because it’s fun 🫶 Read my arguments blow👇
What is explicitly canonical in the dialogue
From this scene, we have some very clear, unambiguous canon facts:
- Damian asked Raven to join him in leading the League of Assassins
- He explicitly states it was not because she’s a good fighter
- He confesses romantic feelings
- He frames the request as emotionally vulnerable and deeply personal
- Raven understands it as such (her response confirms she clocked the weight of it)
That much is hard canon. No debate there.
Is “join me in leading” literally a marriage proposal in-text?
Strictly speaking? No.
The film never uses the words marriage, wife, queen, or bride.
So if someone asks:
“Is this explicitly stated as a marriage proposal in canon?”
The honest answer is:
No, not textually explicit.
But that is not where the conversation ends—and this is where I think my argument actually has teeth.
The cultural context matters (and canon allows for it)
Within League of Assassins canon across DC media, leadership is:
- Dynastic
- Familial
- Intimately tied to bloodline and legacy
- Almost always ruled by a pair or family unit, not some casual co-lead situation (Which I think most of us are aware of.)
So when Damian says:
“When I asked you to join me in leading the League of Assassins…”
He is not saying:
“Hey, wanna be my coworker?”
Nah.
He is saying:
“Stand beside me at the highest level of power in my world.”
That is functionally spousal, even if it’s not linguistically labeled as such.
Like, homeboy is basically saying: “Come be my Demon Queen.”
Ballsy. And we dig it.
Damian’s character specifically strengthens this reading
This part is key.
Damian Wayne:
- Does not emote casually
- Does not offer vulnerability lightly
- Does not share power unless it is earned or bonded
- Was raised in a culture where commitment precedes romance, not the other way around
For this character, with this upbringing, that phrasing carries way more weight than it would coming from literally anyone else.
And the fact that he only clarifies his feelings after Raven declines suggests:
- He understood the request as profound
- He believed the meaning was self-evident
- He only spells it out because she didn’t fully understand what he was asking—and in the throes of the final hour, he needed her to know what he meant.
Which is. So. Fucking. Cute.
Honestly, I feel like this actually reinforces the interpretation. If you disagree? That’s fine. We’re just not friends 😜
So what is my argument, canonically speaking?
My argument is not:
“Damian canonically proposed marriage.”
But it can be accurately stated as:
“Within the cultural and narrative framework of the League of Assassins and Damian’s upbringing, asking Raven to ‘join him in leading’ functions as the emotional and symbolic equivalent of a marriage proposal, even if not textually labeled as such.”
Which is:
- Canon-supported
- Textually defensible
- Character-consistent
- Not contradicted anywhere in the DCAMU
In fandom terms: This is strong implicit canon, not just shipping headcanon.
In conclusion (aka thanks for coming to my TED Talk)
I’m not claiming Damian said the word marry.
I’m saying that in the League of Assassins, shared leadership is an intimate, lifelong bond tied to legacy. And given Damian’s upbringing, values, and emotional restraint, asking Raven to rule beside him is functionally equivalent to proposing a shared life together.