Batman & Robin Missed Out On A Crucial Character Evolution - CBR

Ever since 1966, Batman films have always varied in their levels of camp and how many allies the Caped Crusader fights crime with. In some instances, he is a solo act, fighting crime with brutal efficiency, and in others, he's a part of the Justice League, defending the world from apocalyptic threats. One film featured the largest Bat-family of all -- Batman & Robin. However, even with new characters that could evolve, the film still scuttled a perfect opportunity for one character to undergo an iconic change.

Batman Forever introduced audiences to Dick Grayson, a trapeze artist who was a part of the circus with his family. But when Two-Face killed them for interfering with his plan, Dick wanted to wage war against him and the criminals who worked with him. At first, he was reckless, but eventually, he came into his own and became Robin with the help of Alfred. Named after the title his family gave him for saving his brother, Robin held great significance to the character until he finally came to terms with their deaths. But the sequel had a chance for him to grow as his own hero even further, becoming Nightwing.

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Nightwing arrived in the comics after Dick separated himself from Bruce to become his own person. The title represented his growth and ability to provide for himself without existing behind the shadow of the Bat or risking becoming just like him. The name was also tossed around in Batman Forever when Dick tried to work with Bruce early on. Ironically, Batman & Robin teased his evolution both narratively and visually, with him and Bruce having a huge falling out after it was revealed Bruce didn't trust Dick to work on his own. But once Dick went solo, he never embraced the name change and instead rejoined Batman and Batgirl as a trio to stop Mr.Freeze.

To make matters even more confusing, Dick's suit in the sequel was designed almost identically to Nightwing's classic black and blue outfit. All the hero needed to do was lose the cape and paint his red Robin symbol blue. Then, when he rejoined Bruce against Poison Ivy, he would've done so as his own hero and established that their dynamic would change, and Batman had to respect it. Considering Dick was much older in these films when he met Bruce, a short stint as Robin leading to his Nightwing persona felt like the logical choice. The change would have also added incredible significance to the film's title.

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Batman & Robin may spend most of the time with the Dynamic Duo, but eventually, their duo becomes a trio, making the title outdated. In reality, the name was representative of their enduring partnership and friendship. That said, if Dick embraced his Nightwing persona, the title would have undergone an evolution of its own. Rather than literally explaining the film's two heroes, Batman & Robin would've signified that they would always be partners whether Dick was Robin or Nightwing. In essence, the title would've been a celebration of how important these two are as heroes.

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Dick Grayson has yet to appear in other films with Batman, but his transition into Nightwing has been chronicled in shows like Titans. It's more than an evolution for the hero, as it signified his ability to grow up and be something other than what his surrogate father became. Batman & Robin had a great opportunity to show this by having Dick be his own hero, with Batman and Batgirl becoming a new team. But instead, the story relied on the status quo, which ultimately undermined Dick's development.

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