Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Nightwing #124

The stage has been set for Robin, a major milestone that would certainly bring things full circle regarding Dick Grayson's key role in Batman's legacy. Having been Bruce Wayne's first ward and sidekick as the Boy Wonder, Dick Grayson has since grown up to become a major A-tier hero in his own right as Nightwing. As such, one has to wonder what's next for Blüdhaven's protector, especially if he does indeed get a permanent sidekick in the DC Universe.

In Nightwing #124 by Dan Watters and Dexter Soy, Dick Grayson is struggling to keep the peace between the city's rival gangs who've been manipulated into killing each other as justification for Blüdhaven's overly-aggressive police being armed with high-tech weaponry from Spheric Solutions. Spheric is a new company in Blüdhaven that's secretly connected to the dark cabal known as the Cirque du Sin and its godlike Zanni. Now, Nightwing finds himself saved at the end of this issue by a young kid named Bryce, a member of the Teddies who's seemingly taken it upon himself to be Grayson's new Robin-esque sidekick.

Nightwing Getting His Own Sidekick Would Be A Big Milestone

Bryce Needs A Mentor, And He's Already Got Dick Grayson's Back

With Bryce's older brother having been killed by the BPD and Spheric taking out the Teddies' leader Mama Bear, it's clear the young "cub" is looking for some guidance amid the chaos that's come to Blüdhaven, and the tenuous truce Nightwing has managed to secure between the city's rival gangs while he deals with Spheric. Recognizing that Nightwing is the only one who's trying to make things better and help the gangs, Bryce backs Grayson when tensions start running high between the Teddies and the Flyboiz. This is something Nightwing ires, appreciating the kid's spirit and heart.

Additionally, Grayson himself nearly loses his life at the issue's end due to some major hallucinations while fighting Spheric's deadly robots, with Nightwing having just given six pints of blood to the Flyboiz who were near death (also thanks to Spheric). That said, Nightwing was saved by the timely arrival of Bryce who fired on the robot and kept it distracted. Bryce then calls Nightwing "boss", having painted Grayson's symbol on his shoulder to show that he wants to follow the hero's lead, effectively positioning himself as Nightwing's very own sidekick going forward as this story arc continues.

Nightwing Has Definitely Risen To Batman's Level In Recent Years

There Have Been Some BIG Moments

Going beyond Nightwing most likely getting his very own sidekick, it's no secret that Dick Grayson has significantly evolved in recent years with Nightwing becoming a major A-list hero. Some key parallels to Batman have been achieved, but Nightwing has also come to sur his former mentor in more ways than one. Case in point, Nightwing inherited billions of dollars from the late Alfred Pennyworth, and he immediately used it to improve his city from the ground up, helping Blüdhaven as Dick Grayson on a level that hadn't really been seen from Bruce Wayne in Gotham.

Likewise, the aftermath of Dark Crisis saw the Justice League taking some time off to reassess, and they chose Nightwing to take the reins and lead a new premiere team of heroes to protect the world in the interim with The Titans. Even in this new Nightwing era, it's been shown that Dick Grayson continues to expand his operations in Blüdhaven, having his very own satellite safe houses that very much resemble a more modern Batcave (albeit one that's a little less gloomy). Likewise, Batman himself has recognized that Nightwing has become a far greater hero than the Dark Knight could ever hope to be.

That said, it's been pretty cool to see Dick Grayson achieve these milestones that have clearly helped elevate him to his adoptive father's level. This will be even more true if Dick does indeed take on Bryce as a new sidekick. While Damian Wayne was technically Dick Grayson's Robin before he was Bruce's, it was only temporary while Bruce was MIA and Dick was filling in as Batman. It's a whole other matter entirely for Nightwing to get a permanent sidekick, one whose training would probably have some exciting differences compared to how Grayson was trained by The Dark Knight.

What Could Happen Next For Nightwing

Where Does He Go From Here?

Looking to the future, one has to wonder if Dick Grayson even wants a sidekick to aid in his mission to keep Blüdhaven safe. He undoubtedly sees a kindred spirit in Bryce as someone who's just suffered great loss and is seeking justice, just like Grayson when his parents died and Bruce took him in as his ward. That said, one can imagine that Nightwing might have some conflicted feelings about bringing a kid into this world of heroes and vigilantes, which can often lead to great loss and hardship.

As such, it's going to be fascinating to see how Nightwing reacts to Bryce's bold decision to become Grayson's new partner in future issues. All things considered, this war that's come to Blüdhaven could very well become the perfect crucible that motivates Nightwing to bring Batman's legacy full circle (and beyond). Considering his status as Blüdhaven's primary protector, a former leader of a premiere superhero team, and his expanding network of allies and resources, it does seem like having a permanent Robin-type sidekick is the logical next step, one of the last big milestones when it comes to Nightwing truly being on Batman's level.

Nightwing #124 is on sale now from DC Comics.