In the world of Batman, Dick Grayson holds a special place. Not only was he the first Robin but he was the first of Batman's sidekicks to graduate to his own superhero identity. As Nightwing, Grayson struck out on his own and built a reputation as a respected hero. But he was always available to provide backup to Batman whenever needed. Grayson's two greatest secret identities both had their own positives and their own impacts on DC.
10 ROBIN: Batman's OG Sidekick
The Batman family has grown greatly over the years, starting out with only Alfred at the Caped Crusader's side. But Batman's first sidekick was Dick Grayson, whose parents were killed by a mobster. Bruce Wayne brought him into his life and eventually, Grayson took on the role of Robin. He was the first person to wear that costume and became the standard that every Robin who came after him was measured by. Dick Grayson was the first, and possibly best, Robin.
9 NIGHTWING: Batman's OG Graduate
Being the first Robin also meant that Dick Grayson was the first person who left the identity behind. Admittedly, he also made the transition to the next stage much smoother than most other Robins did, particularly Jason Todd.
Dick made the jump to being Nightwing relatively well and became one of DC's preeminent heroes. He was the first Robin to make a significant impact as his own hero.
8 ROBIN: Dynamic Duo
The pairing of Batman and Robin is iconic, to say the least. It's hard to imagine one without the other. As tough as Batman is, he needs a partner in the field to watch his back. Batman's war against crime in Gotham is not a one-person operation, no matter how he acts sometimes. As a team, they were virtually unstoppable since a hero always needs someone around to untie them from the giant clock face Joker has them strapped to this time.
7 NIGHTWING: Independent Hero
Moving on from being Robin meant moving on from Gotham. If Grayson was going to become his own independent hero and make a name for himself, he needed to put physical distance between him and Batman. A move to Bludhaven was absolutely key.
Once there, Nightwing was able to build his own roster of villains as well as maintaining relationships with a few of his old "friends" from Gotham.
6 ROBIN: Leader Of The Teen Titans
Not only was Dick Grayson the first Robin, but he was one of the first members of a new generation of superheroes in DC. Grayson ended up leading a team called the Teen Titans, first as Robin and eventually as Nightwing. Alongside Kid Flash, Aqualad, Wonder Girl, and eventually more heroes, the Teen Titans grew from being a junior Justice League to being a force to be reckoned with. Leading this group was a key part of Robin's transition to Nightwing.
5 NIGHTWING: Leader Of The Outsiders
Later on, Nightwing would lead the Outsiders, a team started by Batman filled with heroes willing to do the jobs that the Justice League wasn't. After the Titans came to an end, Robin would reform the Outsiders and keep fighting the good fight.
By the point the Teen Titans stopped working together, Nightwing had aged out of the group and needed to be part of something more proactive in the battle against various supervillains.
4 ROBIN: Youthful Energy
As Robin, Dick Grayson was filled with energy and exuberance that served him well in the field. It also got him in trouble on more than one occasion, but it was this youthful energy that brought him to Batman's side. Well, that and the brutal murder of his parents. But Batman needed the enthusiasm Grayson brought to the table to keep him engaged in it and hopeful for the future. An underlying desire for vengeance isn't enough in the long term.
3 NIGHTWING: Experience
After several years in the game and growing up as a hero, few people in the DC Universe have Nightwing's level of experience. To be blunt, he knows almost as much about the superhero line of work as Batman does.
His impressive level of experience has put him in the position to lead and mentor more than his fair share of young heroes. He has become a name that members of the superhero community have grown to respect and trust.
2 ROBIN: First Step To Becoming A Hero
Like Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson didn't grow up wanting to become a superhero. The untimely death of their respective families set them on an entirely different path, which brought them together. But when Grayson became Robin and joined Batman as a superhero, the Boy Wonder took to the life like a fish to water. Or like Sterling Archer to Glengoolie Black. Being Robin was the first step to becoming Nightwing.
1 NIGHTWING: Next Step To Becoming Batman
But being Nightwing is an important step on an even more critical journey. On more than one occasion, Dick Grayson has had to take on the mantle of Batman when Bruce Wayne could no longer fill the role. Jumping from Robin to Batman is improbable at best. Being Nightwing was a key developmental step on the path to becoming Batman. Without being Nightwing, Dick Grayson would have been ill-prepared to become Batman, even if it was only on a temporary basis.