WARNING! Spoilers for Batman: Dark Age #6It’s been decades since Dick Grayson originated theNightwingmantle and redefined himself as a full-fledged vigilante, butBatmanjust revealed that he doesn’t see Dick as the hero he’s become. When Nightwing dies in an alternate universe as a result of the Joker’s latest scheme, Batman’s final moment with him unmasks the hidden truth about how he sees his former sidekick.
InBatman: Dark Age#6 by Mark Russell, Mike Allred, Laura Allred, and Dave Sharpe, the Joker enacts his own chaos in Gotham after getting brutally disfigured in anexplosion at Arkham Asylum. Batman and Nightwing arrive to stop him, but Nightwing soon gets knocked off the burning building. As Nightwing falls to his death, Batman cries out,“Robin!”
Batman’s use of the “Robin” title in lieu of Nightwing shows that he hasn’t accepted Dick Grayson as a solo hero, and instead has continued to view him as his sidekick all along.
Batman’s Final Word to Nightwing Confirms He Still Sees Him as Robin
After 40 Years, Batman Hasn’t Accepted Dick Grayson’s Superhero Status
As thefirst Robin in DC lore, Dick Grayson has cemented himself as the definitive iteration of Batman’s trusted sidekick to many fans - and to the Bat himself, it seems. Dick quit his role as Robin and became Nightwing in 1984, and from then on he’s made a name for himself in the hero community. However,Batman still sees him as Robin first and Nightwing second. He has even admitted that hedislikes working with Nightwingbecause it makes him miss the days when they were the Dynamic Duo. Dick may have grown up quite a bit since his early years as Robin, but Batman hasn’t accepted that fact.
“Gotham City Will Turn You Into Something Worse”: Batman Admits He Recruited Nightwing to Stop Him Becoming a Supervillain
A new origin story for the Dynamic Duo reveals the exact reason why Batman took Dick Grayson under his wing - and it has everything to do with Gotham.
Since becoming Nightwing inTales of the Teen Titans#44 by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez,Dick Grayson has done everything in his power to distance himself from his Robin personaand embrace his identity as a solo vigilante. The distance he’s cultivated isn’t limited to emotional distance, either; Nightwing relocates from Gotham and becomesBlüdhaven’s protector, claiming his own city just as Batman did. His entirepurpose behind becoming Nightwingwas so he could escape Batman’s shadow, thus rendering Bruce’s inability to accept him - in his dying moments, no less - all the more devastating.
Nightwing and Batman’s Father-Son Relationship Complicates Their Dynamic
Batman Calling Nightwing “Robin” Solidifies Their Bond - For Better and Worse
Although Bruce calling Dick by his former title can be perceived as an insult to what he’s built as Nightwing, there’s a more heartwarming perspective to consider.Batman and Nightwing’s relationshipis that of a father and son, with all the ups and downs that come with that dynamic. When Batman refers to Nightwing as Robin, it isn’t intended as an insult, and is ratherthe superhero equivalent of a parent still seeing their grown child as their baby.Bruce will always see Dick as the little boy he took in all those years ago when he needed him most, regardless of how much time passes.
Batman’s parting word to Nightwing takes on a tragic layer of depth.
With this take on the subject in mind, Batman’s parting word to Nightwing takes on a tragic layer of depth. AsNightwing plummets to his certain death, Batman is reminded not of their recent adventures but of how they began. Bruce is losing more than his crime-fighting partner; he is losing his child.Batmanhasn’t quite come to terms withNightwinggrowing up and moving on from their days together, but the fact that he hasn’t is a testament to how deeply Bruce Wayne treasures Dick Grayson and their time together, reinforcing their father-son bond to the very end.
Batman: Dark Age#6is available now from DC Comics.
Nightwing
Nightwing is the superhero moniker taken up by Dick Grayson, upon his aging out of the Robin role and becoming a superhero of his own. Inspired by the original Kryptonian hero of the same name, Grayson has risen to comic book immortality with the identity, earning respect as one of the greatest leaders in the DC Universe.
