Nightwing has at all times been thought-about a refinement of what Batman was meant to be. “The Lesson” from Nightwing 2022 Annual #1 (by C.S. Pacat, Inaki Miranda, Adriano Lucas, and Wes Abbott) solely reinforces this by proving that not solely is Nightwing a greater hero, however a greater mentor than Batman ever was. When Jon Kent got here to him for added coaching, Nightwing taught the brand new Superman by doing the precise reverse of what Batman did to him.
Basically, Nightwing used compassion and belief to show his apprentice. Given what number of profitable heroes Nightwing has educated since coming into his personal, this second, specifically, solidifies that he’s the best mentor within the DCU. Not simply because he adjusted his strategies to show somebody way more highly effective than him, however as a result of Nightwing managed to enhance upon the coaching routine Batman gave him by including his innate kindness to the combo.
Nightwing’s Technique of Coaching Is Totally different From Batman’s
Dick Grayson was the primary to undergo Batman’s coaching gauntlets. Flashbacks to these days revealed that, as anticipated, his strategies had been very strict. Batman wished Dick to coach relentlessly, working towards time and again till he lastly acquired it proper. As he put it, their responsibility required excellence, something lower than that was a loss of life sentence. It was numerous stress to placed on somebody of such a younger age, however nobody can deny the outcomes.
Nightwing although, nonetheless a lot he acknowledges that the coaching labored, additionally is aware of that he may have benefited from belief each now and again. Batman’s methodology was all about perfecting one’s self. There was no room for belief or compassion, solely inflexible willpower to get the job achieved. That does not monitor effectively with who Dick Grayson is, and it’s mirrored in how he teaches others. As he was instructing Jon, Nightwing could not assist however keep in mind his years studying from Batman. As he remembered every lesson The Dark Knight gave him although, Nightwing instilled the alternative in Jon. He acknowledged that Jon would not be good at one thing straight away, however that that is the purpose of coaching.
How Nightwing Grew to become DC’s Greatest Mentor
Lastly, he did the one factor Batman by no means did throughout his coaching: he trusted his pupil. When Jon was hesitant a few sparring match, Nightwing reassured him by trusting Jon to know what to do. This encouragement labored, enabling Jon to choose up the approach that Nightwing was instructing him. Nightwing might have taught loads of different heroes, from Damian Wayne to a number of of the Teen Titans, however this is perhaps essentially the most spectacular feat of mentorship but.
He actually adjusted his personal human requirements for a Kryptonian and managed to securely instruct him on correct defensive technique, all whereas avoiding the pitfalls of Batman’s harsh classes. Batman’s strategies would by no means have labored for Jon, who wanted kindness and persistence. The truth is, it would not have labored for an ideal many different heroes, however Nightwing has taken one of the best of what Batman taught him and improved it. It is no surprise then that one of many DCU’s strongest characters went to him for assist first.