Does Dick Grayson Become Batman? Titans' Nightwing Ending Makes Him Everything Bruce Wayne Wasn't (2024)

Warning: The following contains SPOILERS for the Titans' series finale.Despite Titans continually teasing Dick Grayson becoming Batman, the series' ending proves that he is a better hero and a better person as Nightwing. The story of Dick Grayson in Titans is that of a young man trying to find himself and his place in the world, even as he struggles to pull himself from the shadow of the Bat. This proved more challenging for Nightwing than in the comics, as the story of Titans focused on the sins of Dick Grayson's past and those of his mentor.

Titans season 4 was a notable change of pace in this respect, as Dick Grayson had a far less active role where the main plot and the battle with Brother Blood was concerned. While he was still the team leader, most of Dick's screen time was focused on his supporting his teammates and his developing romance with Kory Anders. There was also far less emphasis upon Bruce Wayne's efforts to push Dick Grayson into replacing him as the guardian of Gotham City, which dominated the first three seasons of Titans.

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Related: Where's Bruce Wayne? Titans Quietly Confirms What Happened To Its Missing Characters

Titans' Nightwing Ending Allows Him To Achieve What Batman Couldn't

While Titans season 1 found Dick Grayson trying to make a difference on his own terms as a detective with the Detroit Police Department, he was dragged back into his former life when he tried to help runaway Rachel Roth escape the Cult of Trigon. Dick's reformation of the TItans led directly to his being put in charge of new Robin Jason Todd, whom Bruce Wayne felt might benefit from an environment where he was more than a sidekick. While Jason had some missteps as a Titan, he became a better hero as the Red Hood than he had ever been as Robin, thanks to Dick Grayson's tutelage.

Dick found even greater success as a mentor training Tim Drake as the third Robin. Tim had an uphill battle earning a place among the Titans, being an adept detective who had deduced the secret identities of Bruce Wayne, Jason Todd and Dick Grayson, but having little martial arts training. Dick gave Tim the training he needed and some direct combat experience with Jason Todd in Titans season 4. Both agreed that Tim had the potential to be the best Robin ever, once again showcasing how Dick was far more effective a mentor than Bruce Wayne, even ignoring how he developed the TItans into an effective team.

Why Titans Didn't Make Dick Grayson Batman (Despite The Hints)

In the comics, Dick Grayson's story is one of overcoming both adversity and trauma. While he continually trained his mind and body to be a master crime-fighter, Dick also struggled to work past the tragic deaths of his parents and avoid becoming lost to darkness to the same degree as his mentor. While Dick Grayson wanted to be a hero, he never wanted to replace Batman and grew tired of living in his shadow. This desire to avoid spending the rest of his life known as the "and Robin, the Boy Wonder" pushed his adoption of the Nightwing identity.

The Dick Grayson of Titans undergoes a similar journey to find himself, albeit less directly than in the source material. The show continually teased the idea of Dick Grayson replacing his mentor and gave him ample opportunity to step in and succeed where Batman failed. However, Dick Grayson ultimately rejected Bruce Wayne's request that he "be a better Batman," so that he could be a better hero on his own terms and in his own way. He also became a better person as Dick Grayson than he ever could have been replacing Batman, realizing that being a good hero did not necessarily equate to being a good person.

Titans' Ending Proves Its Nightwing Is Better Than Batman

The Titans finale ends with the Titans parting ways to pursue their own lives, while promising to always be there for one another. The sole exception to this is Starfire and Nightwing, who decide to enter into a romantic relationship. While it is left vague if the two heroes will form a new team of Titans to mentor now that their young charges are going off into the world on their own, it is clear that Dick Grayson has surpassed his mentor by finding a partner with whom he can share his life. In this, Nightwing proves he is truly free of his mentor's lonely legacy.

Titans season 4 is now available for streaming on HBO Max.