In the world of DC Comics, Batman started out as a loner. Aside from his constant companion Alfred, Batman was on his own when it came to leveraging his resources, strength, and training into battling the forces of evil and saving Gotham City from anyone who would threaten it. This battle didn’t stay lonely for too long. Before long, Batman was fighting alongside a colorful child sidekick named Robin, and over the years the amount of sidekicks simply grew and grew. For someone who started out as such a fierce loner, Batman ended up with more sidekicks and allies than most heroes ever have. Some of these sidekicks were so strong that they overshadowed the Caped Crusader himself. And some are so weak that you can barely imagine them fighting crime. And with all of these different sidekicks, the fan debate over which is best was downright inevitable.

Of course, it’s tough to actually rank these different sidekicks. There are various factors that range from their intelligence to their combat training to their special skills and abilities. With all of these different factors to take into consideration, then how can anyone ever figure out who is the strongest? Don’t worry, though, we’ve got you covered! We’ve sifted through decades of Batman history and explored the greatest sidekicks he has ever had. And afterwards, we put together a solid list of which ones are barely strong enough to throw a punch and which are already powerful heroes in their own right.

20 ALFRED

No list of Batman sidekicks would be complete without Alfred! While some would dispute whether he is more of a “sidekick” or a servant, the truth is that Batman has never had a more steadfast ally than Alfred -- he has stood by his master’s side when no one else would.

It’s fairly easy to underestimate Alfred. While he doesn’t have the super-training and powers of some of these sidekicks, he has military experience as an intelligence agent and to this day, nobody wields a shotgun better than him. Think of it this way -- past all the fancy gadgets and gizmos, Alfred is the last line of defense for the Batcave!

19 BAT-MITE

Even veteran Batman fans might be surprised to see Bat-mite on this list. This character is Batman’s own version of the Superman foe Mister Mxyzptlk, who's an imp from the Fifth Dimension who can do just about anything. So why is he listed as a sidekick who is hanging near the bottom of the list?

Well, this isn’t the regular Bat-mite. Instead, this is the version who appears in Batman’s head during "Batman R.I.P." when he has been forcibly injected with drugs. This sidekick has no real powers beyond guidance, but he helped keep Batman alive and sane (or mostly sane) during one of his worst ordeals.

18 JOHN BLAKE

The Dark Knight Rises was a controversial Batman movie. It’s a pretty solid film in its own right, but it often pales in comparison with the far superior Dark Knight movie. Nonetheless, it brought us one of the most surprising sidekicks of all in John Blake!

At first, Blake seems to have no connection to any known Batman characters. Towards the end, though, we find out his real name is “Robin” and he is inheriting Batman’s mantle as well as the Batcave. We know he is intelligent and resourceful, but his relative lack of powers and resources keep him low on this list.

17 DON AND ROB

In Frank Miller’s Dark Knight Returns universe, there is a very large cast of characters. Heroes and villains alike have more than their share of supporting appearances. And when it comes to the next sidekick -- or should we say, sidekicks -- they have been both villains and heroes. Who are we talking about? Don and Rob, of course.

At first, these hapless idiots were part of the Mutant gang. Batman helps break up this gang by defeating their leader, causing Don and Rob (and many others) to become the Sons of Batman. Eventually, Batman gives them special training and gadgets, leading them to become formidable foes, though they are still far from the best sidekicks he’s had.

16 ATOM

As we said, there are many characters in Frank Miller’s Batman universe. That means Batman ends up with many unexpected allies and sidekicks. One of the most unexpected allies is The Atom. This character was held captive by Lex Luthor and his cronies before Batman busted him out, causing Atom to join the Caped Crusader.

Atom’s ability to shrink himself down makes him useful for missions of espionage, and he can even do some cool tricks like traveling through phone lines. He is at his most useful when he manages to liberate the Kandorians, which frees Superman to act in open defiance of Lex Luthor.

15 AZRAEL

When you talk to Batman fans about their favorite characters, Azrael is quite controversial. He is most known for replacing Batman when our hero’s back was broken by Bane. And under Azrael’s watch, the Caped Crusader became a brutal character who slowly succumbed to his own kind of madness.

Once Batman gets his mantle back, he helps rehabilitate Azrael, and the latter becomes a decent sidekick. He helps to maintain order during the events of "No Man’s Land", but he is eventually cut down by a pair of bullets, so he was never really allowed to reach his full potential as either crimefighter or sidekick.

14 GREEN ARROW

When you imagine “sidekicks,” the proud Green Arrow doesn’t immediately spring to mind. After all, this character isn’t much of a joiner, and he doesn’t always work well with others. However, in Frank Miller’s universe, he ends up being one of Batman’s more reliable sidekicks, even when he only has one arm.

In this universe, Superman took Arrow’s arm and left him with a huge grudge. Arrow initially joins Batman just to get some vengeance on Superman, but he later becomes a full-fledged part of the team when Batman’s team begins taking back the country. As the heroes go public, Green Arrow becomes an inspirational icon once more.

13 SPOILER

When fans are tallying Batman sidekicks, they mostly think of Robin. And when they think of Robin, they often overlook Spoiler. Nonetheless, she actually served for a time as Robin, helping Batman take on the underworld before her untimely passing. As Robin, she was good... just not good enough.

After a few months, Batman fired her from the gig. She tried to subsequently prove herself, but she kicked off a gang war that cost her her life. However, she eventually returns and shows her potential, eventually becoming Batgirl. She has had more action and more titles than most sidekicks, earning her a place towards the middle of our list.

12 CARRIE KELLY

With Dark Knight Returns, Frank Miller showed us a Batman universe like we had never seen before. Much of this had to do with the Caped Crusader himself, but a lot of it was also due to his new sidekick, Carrie Kelly, aka Robin (and, later, Catgirl). Even with our brief glimpses into this universe, we have seen her really grow as a sidekick.

She goes from being attacked by gangs to helping fight Superman in the blink of an eye. And when she becomes Catgirl, she is basically the general of Batman’s new team. While other sidekicks have more pure power, she may very well be the best heir to the mantle of the Bat.

11 CATWOMAN

Catwoman herself would probably hate being labeled a sidekick. And nowadays, this could've sparked an actual fight between Bat husband and Cat wife. However, she has often been a stalwart ally to Batman, and she has proven herself more capable than most when it comes to fighting crime.

She has proven herself against various denizens of the Gotham underworld, and she’s taken on heavy hitters like the Black Mask. And in the live-action movies, we’ve seen her help Batman fight characters like Penguin and Bane. On top of her combat abilities, Catwoman gets points for knowing Bruce Wayne’s mind more than anyone else.

10 BATGIRL

Batgirl is another sidekick that really came into her own over time. She started out as little more than a Batman sidekick. Over time, though, she evolved into a hero in her own right. On top of that, she had to survive and triumph over more trauma than most heroes ever encounter.

Batgirl survived being crippled by the Joker many years ago. She used this time to become a different kind of hero, helping Batman and the Justice League as Oracle. Later, her body fully recovered, and she became a new kind of hero as the Batgirl of Burnside. In the fullness of time, Batgirl may emerge as a greater hero than any former Batman sidekick.

9 TIM DRAKE

Tim Drake had some pretty big shoes to fill when it came to being Robin. He was the third Robin, and the only one who had to really sell his worth to Batman. The Caped Crusader wanted to fight alone after the passing of Jason Todd, but Tim convinced him that Batman needed a Robin in order to succeed.

Tim was smart enough to figure out Batman’s secret identity, and he grew strong enough over time to defend Gotham City when Batman was absent. Like many of the best sidekicks, he eventually branched out on his own, giving himself the new name Red Robin. From his genius intellect to his heroic strength, Tim is tough to beat.

8 TERRY MCGINNIS

Many of these entries focus on sidekicks that had a tough time filling their mentors’ shoes. In this case, it applies to an entire series, as Batman Beyond had to prove itself as a worthy successor to Batman: The Animated Series. Fortunately, it was a worthy show that brought us a worthy addition to the Bat family.

Terry McGinnis grew to be a hero in his own right. Before that, though, an elderly Bruce Wayne was his friend and mentor, teaching him how to fight crime and defend his city. Eventually, Terry grew strong enough to win in a fight with a mind-controlled Superman, making him one of the tougher humans on this list.

7 DAMIAN WAYNE

Damian Wayne is the most recent character to hold the title of Robin. He is also Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul’s biological child, albeit one that was simply grown from their DNA. While he was brutal and headstrong, Damian ended up being one of the strongest Batman sidekicks.

Damian was trained in his early years by the League of Assassins, giving him a combat edge few would ever match. And genetics are on his side, too, as he has inherited all of the physical potential of Bruce Wayne’s DNA. As time went on, Damian has taken on his mother’s forces, the Joker, and even the next character on this list.

6 JASON TODD

Jason Todd may be the most controversial Batman sidekick of all time. He was often angry and annoying, and DC Comics eventually ran a phone poll about whether the character should live or perish -- fans chose to have him perish. He eventually came back, though, and helped prove what a strong sidekick he really was.

Jason was powerful enough to take on bad guys like Two-Face, and he was brave even in the face of certain annihilation. He even had a heel turn as a villain upon his return, and he was strong enough to take on characters like Dick Grayson, Damian Wayne, and Bruce Wayne himself. Hero or villain, he’s one of the strongest sidekicks Batman ever had.

5 DICK GRAYSON

Now we come to the most famous Batman sidekick of them all in Dick Grayson. While he’s not the most powerful character on this list, he does have the distinction of being the most powerful human. This is largely through a combination of his unique training and body of experience.

Put simply, Dick Grayson has seen it all. He has fought every single villain that Batman has, and he’s amassed a rogue’s gallery of his very own. He has gone on to be his own hero, Nightwing, and then as a world-traveling secret agent. What can we say? Dick Grayson is packing power, humor, and style... he’s the full package.

4 BAT BOTS

In Kingdom Come, we are presented with a very bleak future. Most of the heroes we know and love have retired or given up, but Batman continues to fight to defend his city. He can’t really do it all on his own, though (especially at his age), so he went and simply built himself some new sidekicks.

These Batbots can be remotely operated or can work on their own. Through Spectre’s narration, we are told that this mechanical army is able to keep the entire city protected. In other words, they do everything that Batman’s extended network of allies once did, making them pretty dam powerful!

3 PLASTIC MAN

Batman fans might be surprised to see Plastic Man on this list, and especially surprised to see him this far up on the list. Who thinks he’s so powerful? Well, you can go ahead and ask Batman... specifically, the Batman we see in Frank Miller’s Dark Knight Strikes Again.

In that story, Batman goes out of his way to liberate several of his old allies to help him fight Lex Luthor and Brainiac. Batman thinks Plastic Man is one of the most powerful people on the planet, declaring how easy it would for him to end them all. Any sidekick that Batman thinks could take him out definitely belongs high on the list!

2 SUPERMAN

In Dark Knight Returns, Frank Miller gave us the first (and best) clash between Batman and Superman. However, it wasn’t immediately clear why Superman was so willing to fight his former friend. In Dark Knight Strikes Again, we find out that Lex Luthor has the Bottle City of Kandor, and disposes of its residents if Superman acts against him.

When Batman finds out, he develops a plan to liberate Kandor. In the process, though, he demands Superman cooperate with him, making Superman one of the most powerful sidekicks Batman has ever had. He’s one of the few sidekicks genuinely stronger than Batman himself, earning a place near the top of the list. There’s only one sidekick that’s stronger!

1 LARA ZOR-EL

We’ve talked a lot about Frank Miller’s Batman universe. And many characters are quite different in that universe. For instance, Superman and Wonder Woman have a secret relationship, and they even end up having a child together named Lara.

We don’t see a lot of Lara, but it’s clear that she is much stronger than Superman. She is able to blow away a giant Brainiac ship in a single blast, ultimately defeating the villain. She’s got Superman’s strength and powers and Wonder Woman’s training. She’s only Batman’s sidekick for a short period of time, but she is by far the strongest sidekick he ever had!