10 Times Nightwing Was Batman’s Best Ally

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Batman has seen many Robins, and fans all have their favorites, but Dick Grayson is the first and most iconic ‘Boy Wonder.’ Many believe he’s reached his full potential as the independent hero, Nightwing.

After leaving Bruce Wayne to operate independently in Bludhaven, Grayson took on the name Nightwing. He remains willing to help the BatFamily in Gotham whenever they need him, and Batman frequently calls on him for assistance. Many other heroes in the DC Universe, including the Titans, also recognize Nightwing’s skills and power, as demonstrated in various comics, movies, and TV appearances.

Having spent years working alongside Batman and other heroes fighting crime, Dick Grayson was a highly skilled fighter by the time he became Nightwing. He was fully capable of handling enemies, even large groups, independently. A clear demonstration of this can be seen in…

As a huge fan of these characters, I was really impressed with Brenton Thwaites as Dick Grayson! He’s up against a wave of ninjas sent by Lex Luthor – played brilliantly by Titus Welliver, by the way – and honestly, they barely slow him down. He even tells Tim Drake, the third Robin, not to get involved, but of course, Jay Lycurgo’s Robin tries to help, wielding his cool staff. It leads to a really exciting fight, but ultimately, Dick has to save the day and rescue his teammate. It was a fantastic sequence!

Interestingly, Nightwing didn’t come up with his own superhero name – Superman actually suggested it! Later, Nightwing returned the favor by mentoring Jonathan Kent, Clark Kent’s son, as he trained to become the next Superman, as seen in the comic Nightwing Annual 2022 #1, “The Lesson,” written by C.S. Pacat and illustrated by Inaki Miranda.

While it might seem strange for Nightwing to train someone as powerful as a half-Kryptonian, anyone familiar with Batman’s students knows they’re exceptionally capable. Dick Grayson, remembering Bruce Wayne’s lessons and having overcome his own difficult upbringing, was uniquely qualified to guide Jonathan and teach him what he needed to know.

Many fans believe Damian Wayne is an incredibly skilled fighter, particularly for his age, and some even think he’s better than Batman. But is he actually a more accomplished fighter than Dick Grayson, who Batman took in and trained?

The question of who had the better training was cleverly answered in a scene from the 2015 animated movie, Batman vs. Robin. Nightwing (played by Sean Maher) and Robin are shown in a tough martial arts practice, where Damian points out he was trained by his grandfather, Ra’s Al Ghul. Dick quickly counters that he was trained by Batman, who had defeated Ra’s Al Ghul in combat many times, and ultimately wins the sparring match.

Dick Grayson first appeared as Robin in a live-action movie serial in 1943, only three years after his comic book debut in Detective Comics #38. He went on to play Robin in many other live-action adaptations, sporting the classic red, green, and yellow costume. Finally, in the second season of the Titans series, he took on the role of Nightwing, marking a significant event for both the character and the show itself.

Nightwing, formerly Dick Grayson, makes his debut on the DC TV show (available on the DC Universe platform) in his signature black and blue suit. He confronts Deathstroke (played by Esai Morales), one of his most formidable foes. Teaming up with Deathstroke’s daughter, Ravager (Chelsea Zhang), Nightwing defeats Deathstroke and frees Jericho (Chella Man), who was held captive within Deathstroke’s mind.

You can find some of Nightwing’s coolest adventures outside of the traditional DC Comics in the animated series . This show features Jesse McCartney as the voice of Dick Grayson, charting his journey from Robin to becoming Nightwing. He leads a team of young heroes, all while being mentored by the Justice League.

After becoming Nightwing, Grayson was key to many important operations, including investigating the Bedlam Syndicate. He famously infiltrated a warehouse, rescuing kidnapped children and discovering the Syndicate was experimenting on them to create metahumans. He then destroyed the lab, but made sure to gather proof of their illegal actions first.

The team featured in Young Justice does have roots in DC Comics history. However, the show also brings in characters originally associated with the Teen Titans, particularly through Dick Grayson. Before Young Justice, Grayson – once mentored by Bruce Wayne – actually played a key role in creating the team that would eventually become the Titans, first appearing in The Brave and the Bold #54 back in 1964.

After almost sixty years, the Justice League fell apart, and a new team, the Titans, became the main superhero group in the DC Universe. Their first series, written by Tom Taylor and illustrated by Nicola Scott, marked this shift. Interestingly, Nightwing was leading the Titans at the time, essentially making him the leader of the new, primary superhero alliance.

Dick Grayson has occasionally broken the one rule set by his former mentor, even resorting to extreme measures to stop criminals. But these actions were always motivated by a desire to do what was right, unlike the calculated and malicious schemes orchestrated by the Court of Owls.

The Court of Owls, a secret society first appearing in DC Comics’ New 52 in 2011, once tried to recruit Dick Grayson (Nightwing). This happened during the 2015 storyline Batman vs. Robin. Specifically, while battling the Court’s assassins, known as Talons, one Talon was impressed by Dick’s skills and suggested he would have been a valuable member of their organization.

Batman is famously wealthy, inheriting a huge fortune as a child after his parents were killed. He continued to grow this wealth by managing the family business. This allows him to fund his crime-fighting activities without limit, though Nightwing briefly became even wealthier than him at one point.

The death of Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce Wayne’s loyal butler, deeply affected the entire Bat-Family in 2021’s Nightwing #78, written by Tom Taylor and illustrated by Bruno Redondo. Surprisingly, Alfred left behind a massive fortune—billions of dollars—and bequeathed it to Dick Grayson (Nightwing), as he considered Dick a son. While money doesn’t make Nightwing a better hero, it certainly gives him more resources and influence.

As a comic book fan, one of the things I really enjoy is seeing how different versions of the same character can be across alternate universes – it keeps things fresh! But with Dick Grayson, or Nightwing, it’s a little different. He consistently hits the mark, and that’s a good thing! While other heroes might wildly vary, Nightwing’s core essence always shines through, and I find that incredibly appealing.

As a huge DC fan, I was really fascinated by something in the Nightwing comic from 2017. The story, by Tim Seeley and Marcio Takara, establishes that Nightwing’s strong moral compass isn’t just a personality quirk – it’s a fundamental part of him that exists across almost every version of the DC Multiverse! Essentially, no matter what alternate reality you throw him into, Nightwing will always be a hero you can count on to do the right thing. It’s a cool idea that highlights just how inherently good the character is.

It’s safe to say Nightwing has likely wanted to fight Batman at some point, considering the harsh training, strict discipline, and difficult personality he experienced under him. He’s probably capable of winning, too, and surviving the fight without much trouble – a scene in Batman: Bad Blood demonstrates this.

The exciting finale of the 2016 animated movie features the BatFamily finding Bruce Wayne, who has been brainwashed and is believed to be dead. This leads to a showdown between Nightwing (Dick Grayson) and Bruce Wayne, a fight that ends in a tie. Nightwing proves he’s a worthy successor, skillfully battling the man who taught him everything he knows.

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2026-01-22 00:38