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A mother was just tucking her boy to bed when the child’s eyes lit up and asked earnestly, “Mamán, would you have a story for me?”
And the mother, who could never refuse her son with his face so bright and yearning, obliged him.
“Of course, hijo. Have I ever told you the story about why Superman carries a sword?”
“It was many years ago of, course. All the way back to your abuelo. In my father’s youth, their Superman had but his charm and his love for the people to defeat his foes. He had his strength and his powers and his fists to fight for justice. But Superman was also a father, and he had a Superboy.
“Superboy was the sunniest and happiest chico you could imagine. When he was ten years old, he got his powers, and started to help his father with his work as a hero. But he was young, brash, and overly curious. He saw nothing but the light in the world and the goodness in the hearts of people. But he was also lonely, for his abilities set him apart from normal children. He needed more than just his father as a companion, he needed a friend. And that was when Robin entered his life.
“And dios mio, the stories about those two boys! It would take years to tell them all!
“Robin was another boy hero born of the Batman, Superman’s closest confidante. Robin was…difficult. Kept secret from his father, he was raised first by his mother, who was the queen of assassins. Robin was taught to kill, and for much of his childhood, he was groomed to be a ruthless tyrant with a legacy stained by blood. When Batman learned of Robin, he took the boy under his wing and taught him to be a hero. But it was difficult, and Robin stayed arrogant and hard-hearted.
“When Superboy and Robin first met, it was like fireworks exploding on nochevieja, and not the good kind. Superboy was the smile, and Robin was the frown. Superboy was always happy and kind, while Robin was serious and rude. The boys fought a lot. They constantly argued. They didn’t like each other very much. But there was begrudging respect between them, for they were a unique pair—the sons of the greatest heroes of the world.
“Each respected the other for his skill and power. Each respected the other for persevering despite the burdens and expectations of their parentage. Eventually, their cooperation stopped being forced. Their partnership became a friendship. They grew to rely on each other and help the world in their own right as the sons of super heroes, even when they were still just boys.
“It did not take long for them to realize how much they needed each other. Superboy was the only one who could fully understand Robin, and the reverse was also true. Their arguments became playful banter. Grimaces turned into gleeful grins. They would look into each other’s eyes and understand without words. Their fingers would touch and they held hands. And in the hidden corners of their own little world, they kissed. There were some tears and happy words, a lot of embracing and much laughter, for when the two boys realized they were lovers, it was a wonderful thing indeed.
“And that is when Robin shared his craft with Superboy—his skill with a sword. He learned his swordplay from his mother, first as a means to kill, but under his father, Robin learned to use it to defend, protect, and subdue. He saw it as an extension of his being, and by sharing it with Superboy, he was sharing with his beloved everything that made him who he was.
“Robin passed the art to his beloved in hopes that should it come to pass that Superboy would lose his powers, he would not be defenseless. Robin had gifted Superboy his first sword that day—a handsome silver blade with an ebony hilt. Superboy cherished it greatly. Every day, they would practice with their swords until it became an intimate dance between them, their passions sharp and true, jabbing, thrusting and swinging through the air.
“The years passed. By the time my father had met my mother, a great evil had arrived, and Superman had sacrificed his life to save the world. Superboy took his father’s place as Earth’s Superman, and from then on, Superman was known for using his sword.”
“But, Mamán,” the boy protested. “Everyone knows that Superman’s sword glows like brillantes esmeraldas!”
The mother gave her son a sad smile. “Verdad, hijo. But do you know why?”
The boy shook his head.
The mother continued in a gentle tone. “Superman, like his father before him, is not of this world. He hails from a dead planet, and they are not like you and me. They have powers of gods, and they are much longer lived than any human. Their years shame even the oldest tortugas. That is why Superboy, who is now Superman, was the Superman when your abuelo and abuela married. He was the Superman when I was born, and when I was a child, until I myself married your father. And he is still our Superman now, when you were born, and now as you are.”
“But that means…Robin…” the boy began, but his lips trembled.
“Should no harm come to him, Superman can live for a very long time,” the mother continued quietly. “But his beloved, Robin, was not the same. He, like other humans, aged until his time came to depart. On his last day, he called Superman to him and gave him a sword that shone like emeralds—the one you know he’s wielded for so long. That sword is made with the blood of Superman’s dead alien world, and is the only blade that can ever pierce his skin.
"Robin said, ‘Beloved, my time is past. Yet the world still wants for a savior. Be Superman for them, just as you had when we were young. I give you this sword, my final gift. I know that eternity might become cold and lonely, so I give you a choice. Should the world finally have no need for Supermen or Robins, and should you find no other reason to wander, no other man to love, unsheathe this sword and find your way back to me. I will wait for you until we can dance together again.’
“And that is how Superman got his green sword, the final gift of his greatest love,” she finished solemnly.
“So why doesn’t Superman go back to his beloved?” the boy asked.
“Superman still has a job to do,” the mother said. “And he’ll keep doing it until he knows it’s done. I can only guess how much he wishes to see his beloved again, and join him beyond, where they will be boys once more…laughing, playing, and loving each other, without the burden of the world on their shoulders.”
“Will he ever get his wish?” the boy asked, his face pleading as he sympathized with his hero.
“I know he will, hijo.” The mother said. “The stars listen to every little boy’s wish…even if they are Superman.”
