Alfred often appears as a loyal and diligent old butler, whether in comics, animations, or games, he is Batman's best assistant in life, and also his closest elder.
But there is a prerequisite, that is, Batman is Batman, the one that most readers knew or heard about - the powerful, wise, and capable one.
Batman can handle almost everything himself. In fact, if he wants, he can live independently, even if he's not good at cooking, he can invent machines to achieve fully automatic cooking, and so on.
For Batman to allow Alfred to take care of his life, it is more about expressing intimacy and trust towards his butler, not that he can't do it himself.
However, the Batman of Earth No.1 is the opposite. It is not that he lets Alfred take care of his life. Instead, Alfred must revolve around him, watching him all the time, playing both father and mother roles, to prevent anything unexpected from happening to Bruce.
This is not unfounded anxiety. From the moment Alfred knew Bruce Wayne of this universe, he was just an ordinary child, with a troubled background, being watched by many eyes. He also had psychological problems. How could Alfred, as his only remaining guardian, not worry?
The affection Alfred has for Bruce is more than that for anyone else in this world. Their relationship is not just a cold guardianship document; he is his father, teacher, guide, a strong backing in his career, and a thoughtful butler in his life.
The more he manages, the more attention he invests, and the more emotions accumulate. Their relationship has long crossed the barriers of professional and employment relationships, more like a parent and child.
But with a parent-child relationship, there will inevitably be conflicts over paternal authority. In the story of Earth No.1, Alfred opposes Batman's reckless intrusion into the party, but in the end, he still picks up the seriously injured Batman and takes him home to rest.
He believes that Batman is not ready, and indeed it is true. He has reminded Bruce in various tactful ways; Bruce may not understand, or is unwilling to admit it even if he does.
Alfred is responsible for Bruce's personal safety, so his reminders become more and more direct. In the end, he even expresses his attitude strongly, thereby intensifying the conflicts between him and Bruce.
It's been a long time since Bruce told him about some action plans. Perhaps he feels like Alfred can't understand it, or he won't support it. They haven't had effective communication for a long time.
Actually, as long as Bruce speaks up, Alfred will do everything he can to help him. But Bruce never said anything, Alfred doesn't know whether he is pretending to be strong or doesn't trust him.
"You have a good relationship with your butler, don't you?" Alfred turned to get the broom, cleaning up the shattered pieces of plates on the ground.
What surprises him is the Sherlock Holmes-like behavior Bruce demonstrated. Regardless of whether his deductions are right or wrong, he can deduce at all.
And he is deducing from the perspective of the culprit. As he speaks about what kind of person the lunatic is and what plans he has, he carries an eerie cheerfulness.
It's as if he's intrinsically linked to this savage criminal, a dual-sided entity, therefore sensing and understanding each other.
This inexplicable feeling is the main reason why Alfred is shocked. He never expected Bruce Wayne to be like this.
After Bruce sat back down at the bar, he used his hand to sweep away the remaining crumbs of the biscuits on the counter, saying: "Yes, he is the closest elder to me, no one can replace his position in my heart."
Alfred's hand cleaning the floor paused, then he said, "I'm glad you think that way, Bruce."
"Let's get back to the topic." Bruce said, twirling the biscuit crumbs with his fingers, "I've never met Andrewkin. But from his actual behavior that can be investigated, he is not a person that is easily influenced by Joker."
"When he was still a small-time journalist, he dared to trace a series of serial murders clearly manipulated by big figures, and he indeed found some critical evidence. This shows he is brave and insightful."
"When he thought that Mr. and Mrs. Wayne might be in danger, he bravely warned them. You should know that at that time, he, who held the evidence but had no background, was much more dangerous than the Waynes. This shows he means well and wants to save other people's lives as much as possible."
"After Mr. and Mrs. Wayne were killed, he did not exaggerate or fabricate the evidence he investigated and published it for fame. This shows that he is not a person who covets reputation and fortune."
"He handed these pieces of evidence to Little Bruce in some way, hoping that Little Bruce could use legal means to bring the killer of his parents to justice. This shows that he is a man who adheres to procedural justice and fairness."
"Such a person is usually very difficult to mislead because all they seek is truth and justice."
"So, you think that Joker kidnapped Andrewkin. He is brainwashing him, but it is not easy to succeed?" Alfred asked. He thought for a while and then asked: "What role has the Joker arranged for Andrewkin?"