Nightwing's 10 Biggest Flaws That Prove He Isn't As Perfect As People Think

Nightwing has quickly grown to be an essential part of the DC Universe. From his humble beginnings as the first sidekick of comics into a full-fledged hero in his own right, he's practically been elevated to Batman status with his brains, his skills, and his fighting style thanks to his acrobatic training. Yet, there are a few key flaws in his superhero career that reveal he might not be the idol hero every fan assumes.

Every hero has a weakness, and the weaknesses of characters like Nightwing and Batman are more complicated than just Kryptonite, precisely because they don't have superpowers. On the contrary, their flaws are their inherent human nature. While Nightwing is still one of the best out there, here are the 10 biggest flaws that prove Nightwing isn't actually the perfect superhero.

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10 Nightwing's Love Life Stops Him From Being a True Hero

Dick Grayson Often Chooses Romance Over Being a Vigilante

It's no secret that Dick Grayson is a kind of ladies' man, and like his father Batman, he can make a dumb decision if it involves a pretty girl. From Starfire to Barbara Gordon, Nightwing is no stranger to love triangles, and he has been known to choose his love life over his vigilantism, as when he dated Defacer, a criminal from Blüdhaven. Just like Batman and Catwoman, sometimes his romance transcends his morals.

One of the most startling examples of Nightwing thinking with something other than his head comes in Nightwing Annual #1 (1997), by Devin Grayson and Greg Land. In this story arc, Nightwing is investigating a string of murders and decides to marry his suspect to deduce if he will be her next victim. It doesn't hurt that he's attracted to his new wife and suspect.

9 Nightwing Is Too Self-Sacrificing

Sometimes Nightwing Chooses Tragedy Over Happiness

In Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo's run on Nightwing, Dick Grayson's iconic relationship with Batgirl almost ends, exactly because Nightwing is too self-sacrificing. Even though sometimes he chooses a romance over being a hero, at other times he's too idealistic and chooses the Batman route of suffering instead of being happy, thinking this will make him a better hero. Like every overly honorable hero, Nightwing would rather end things with Barbara Gordon than see her in danger.

In the Nightwing run, Nightwing tries to sacrifice a piece of his happiness to become fully Nightwing, and so he tries to break up with Batgirl for his own good. Thankfully, she's not so easily pushed aside, and she dismisses the idea as completely unnecessary. It is a moment like this, of sacrificing his own happiness to be a hero that stops Nightwing from becoming the perfect superhero of DC.

8 Nightwing Isn't Too Good at Fighting Alone

Dick Grayson Often Phones a Friend In Battle

In what is normally seen as a healthy response to Batman's solitude, Nightwing is also a core team player. From the Teen Titans to the Titans, Nightwing has even lead the entire Justice League during events like Dark Crisis and Absolute Power. But while Batman's self-sufficiency is definitely a flaw, Nightwing's reliance on other heroes means that he doesn't often fight many battles on his own.

Batman, on the other hand, was able to take down the entire Justice League in Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's Batman: Endgame when the Joker had mind controlled them - and all by himself too. It's hard to imagine Nightwing being able to pull this off, specifically because in his case, he would have no friends to call on to fight his friends. Nightwing isn't too good at fighting alone, but he needs to be.

7 Nightwing Is Optimistic to a Fault

Robin Calls Out Nightwing's One Blind Spot

At other times, Nightwing is not at all like Batman. Most often, he acts as a foil to his own father and mentor and is light and quippy where Batman is dark and brooding. However, Robin sees this as Nightwing's major flaw. In Ba tman and Robin 2024 Annual #1, by Joshua Williamson and Howard Porter, Damian Wayne reveals that he thinks Nightwing is often too optimistic, thereby losing a sense of urgency and realism that is required for the life of a vigilante.

While Nightwing's lightheartedness is what makes him Nightwing, it certainly could be seen as a major flaw. Unable to recognize the darker aspects of life, his optimism makes him too trusting to both heroes and villains, believing in redemption for everyone, even those like the Joker. T his very optimism could be what irrevocably hurts Dick Grayson in the end who won't see the other shoe dropping like a pessimist might.

6 Nightwing Also Has a Secret Rage

Dick Grayson Is Fueled By the Death of His Parents

But his optimism isn't always his demeanor. In fact, Nightwing has an intense rage that fuels him too. In Nightwing #112, by Tom Taylor and Sami Basri, fans are given a glimpse into Dick Grayson's anger as he trains with Batman as a boy, and his rage starts to control him. Just like Batman, Dick had to watch the death of parents as a child, and he was helpless to stop it. Nightwing acts like a glib superhero with not a care in the world, but his horrible trauma runs deep within him and affects everything he does.

Sometimes, Nightwing breaks and hits too hard. Then the facade of "perfect superhero" breaks, and Nightwing is just another superhero trying to heal his own past hurt by his present vigilantism. Until he heals from this trauma, Nightwing will be unable to evolve into DC's central superhero.

5 Nightwing Cares Too Much What Other People Think

Superman Calls Out This One Nightwing Flaw

Sometimes, Nightwing's classic glibness isn't just a reaction to a childhood with someone like Batman - it's a defense mechanism so that he will be loved by everyone. Of all people, Superman is the one to call out this flaw. In Nightwing #104, by Tom Taylor and Travis Moore, Superman tells Nightwing that he can't be everyone's friend. Being a hero means being able to stand up to those who do wrong, and sometimes jokes just won't cut it.

Coming from Superman, this advice is not only ironic but applicable to Dick's life. In battle, Nightwing often chooses the path of peace and lightness when sometimes a fist is needed to deal with those who don't respond to lightness. As long as Nightwing continues to need to be loved by everyone in the world, he won't be able to be the superhero the world needs in hard times.

4 Nightwing Breaks the No-Kill Bat-Family Rule

Dick Grayson Crosses the Line Batman Won't Cross

Every fan knows about Batman's famous no-killing rule, and it has been established across the Bat-Family at large. Even though members like Red Hood often break it, no one expects the pure Nightwing to follow suit. But he does break it - twice. In Joker: Last Laugh, by Chuck Dixon and Scott Beatty, Nightwing does what Batman couldn't do and kills the Joker, to take revenge for the death of his brother Jason Todd.

In a much more nuanced way, Nightwing doesn't necessarily kill with his own hands but allows a death to happen. In Devin Grayson and Patrick Zircher's Nightwing #93, Nightwing looks away as the villain Tarantula shoots and kills the villain Blockbuster. His compliance is as much an act of murder as if he did it himself. If pushed too far, Nightwing will break and break the killing rule at the same time.

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3 Nightwing Looks Before He Leaps

Dick Grayson Is Often Too Impulsive

While Nightwing's fantastic acrobats are what make him a good fighter, Batman has some judgment according to what he considers a weakness of his once-mentee and now-ally. According to Bruce Wayne's alternate personality, the name of Nightwing is synonymous with leaping before he looks. Like an acrobat, he is used to leaping into situations, but the world isn't like the circus - there isn't always a safety net to catch him.

Batman is the master planner, so it's no small slight that any version of him considers Nightwing impulsive. Dick Grayson is continually growing in power as he takes command in DC, but if he keeps leaping before he looks, he will not only lead himself into danger but his entire team also. Nightwing still has some patience to learn before he can become the perfect hero.

2 Nightwing Isn't Even Gotham's Best Fighter

As Good As He Is, Batgirl Is Better and Proves It

Nightwing's acrobatic skills also make him one of the best fighters in Gotham - but even Nightwing admits that he's not the best there is. Nightwing #86, by Tom Taylor and Robbi Rodriguez, shows Nightwing admitting that Cassandra Cain's Batgirl is a better fighter than him. He knows she's stronger, faster, and more lethal, considering she was raised by an assassin, where he was raised by circus performers.

When they have fought in the past, Batgirl has come out on top. As strong and capable as Nightwing is, there's no denying that he can't be a perfect superhero if he's not even the best fighter in his home city. He shines in battles that involve acrobatics, but when pitted against some of his own friends and allies, he's a second-rate fighter. At least he has no pride in admitting when someone is better than him.

1 Nightwing Is the Ideal Sleeper Agent

The DC Universe Places Too Much Trust in Dick Grayson

In the main continuity, Nightwing has led every DC hero to victory, whether in Dark Crisis or Absolute Power. But in alternate timelines, that very leadership capability and worldwide likability can be a serious problem. Just as in DC vs. Vampires, by James Tynion IV, Matthew Rosenberg, and Otto Schmidt, a vampiric Nightwing leads the secret takeover of the DC world because nobody expects him to be evil - not even Batman.

As long as Nightwing holds that much sway over DC, he will always be a threat in moments of mind control or special curses. In these regards, he has a lot of work to do to become that version of the perfect superhero he is often lauded to be. As Nightwing enters his new era, he will continue to grow in strength and intellect, and maybe, it won't be too long until Nightwing becomes that very hero he is destined to be.

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.

Created By Edmond Hamilton , Curt Swan , Marv Wolfman , George Perez

Alias Dick Grayson

Alliance Teen Titans, Titans, Outsiders, Justice League, Batman Inc., Birds of Prey, Young Justice

Race Human