Who is Batman's TRUE Successor? | DC Comics

[@CRISIS_COMICS]

Who do you think should take over for Superman? Jon Kent or Conner?

[@daniel30855]

Jon. Conner has that personality that doesn’t align with the beacon of hope.

[@jermo1470]

Jon

[@xavierhugo9269]

Honestly Jon is really proving himself to be a good superman taking over for his father for a time he holds his fathers values and from what things are pointing to he'll be as strong if not stronger than superman later down the line

[@xavierhugo9269]

@Will N interesting opinion I wouldnt say I agree cause especially with alot more recent comics depicting everyone to be more serious but I dont think the best superman will necessarily be the one closest to the original aslong as they uphold and believe in the same values whilst having the power to back it up,I feel the specifics of the personality can vary more but aslong as the core aspects of superman is maintained I would say it's a good superman which I think jon fits in quite nicely so far despite being different personality wise but I think we can all agree connor would be one of the worse off picks like trying to have Jason become batman sure its happend and could happen but it would not be a good fit cause connor struggles to uphold superman's morals and also doesnt really have the power to back him up either tbh I dont really like him and feel he is kinda a sucky charecter he has kinda a Damian syndrome with none of the potential type a thing

[@daniel30855]

@Will N I agree. It’s been a while since we’ve seen Chris so I forgot about him.

[@The_Renegade07]

"I was Vengeance. I was The Night. But you?... You're Batman." - Bruce's dying words to Terry

[@arunr4407]

terry may go for training to damian

[@DrippleDragon]

I really think Dick & Damien as Batman & Robin are a great team and they have fantastic chemistry. I wish they had more comics expanding upon that duo because they remind me of Bruce & Jason but done without trauma, Damien respects Dick and Dick knows how to mentor and utilize Damien it’s just great

[@arunr4407]

if bruce dies , dck can be batman until damian grows up

[@CALLMEDIVINE14]

@@arunr4407 facts Damien have potential

[@joaquimgianini1234]

I’m pretty sure Damian was originally written to be Dick’s sidekick while Bruce was dead after shooting Darkseid and all of that, I think they balance each other out better than Bruce does with him. They’re both very dark and gloomy, Dick could be someone to shine some light into that void.

[@kingzr-oxxx9149]

Damian needs to be killed off

[@shmeebs387]

Yeah. New 52 really screwed their duo. Dick is the one who brought out Damien's character development, not Bruce. Dick is the one who turned Damien from a child assassin to a hero. The concept of Dick having to raise Bruce's son was interesting, and it flipped the Dark Knight-Boy Wonder dynamic. Now, Robin was the brooding edgy one, and Batman was the one who smiled. It was fun. Their characters juxtaposed one another better than Bruce and Damien imo.

[@insertclevernamehere92]

My personal pick is Terry, because more so than anyone other than Bruce, Terry IS Batman. He thrives in the role in a way none of the others ever seem to. To them it’s a burden, a weight they have to bear. For Terry it almost immediately becomes a part of himself, a core part of his identity. He’s genuinely happy in the role, and that feels really important to me. Realistically in the comics he wouldn’t be the one to take over after Bruce, that’d be either Dick or Damien. But at some point Terry WILL be Batman, it’s what he was born to be.

[@xxxbiggiepacwrldjohn6233]

Isn’t terry literally like a clone of Bruce though? Could be wrong but I think I remember that

[@scandinavianjoelmiller]

@@xxxbiggiepacwrldjohn6233 no he’s his son, terrys dads sperm was re written with Bruce’s dna

[@xxxbiggiepacwrldjohn6233]

@@scandinavianjoelmiller ohhhh I thought his dna was Bruce’s

[@arunr4407]

i like the idea of terry beiing batman and damian and bruce trying to make the world better with both their wayne and alghul resources like father and son bond

[@arunr4407]

and both of them training terry or damian training him in b=combat and other arts since he is the bes fighter in futre

[@jordanbraden4043]

Dick will always be the successor to the cowl in my opinion but I feel as though he wouldn't take it because of how much he went through to make his own identity.

[@kentinson1670]

I agree. The reason he became Nightwing was because we wanted to step away from Batman's shadow/ being a sidekick to Batman. He wanted to help people in his way

[@deadpool3982]

You mean except for the time he did take the cowl right? (Not including times he was just filling in for Bruce)

[@jordanbraden4043]

@@deadpool3982 yes

[@DrippleDragon]

@@deadpool3982 everytime Dick took the mantle it’s because he was forced too, it wasn’t properly passed down it was “We need a Batman now,Dick is the best solution.” Even in Battle Of The Cowl it’s different, he doesn’t want to but has too, Dick is the true successor and him and Damien make a great team I won’t lie, they have Bruce & Jason Chemistry done correct

[@deadpool3982]

@@DrippleDragon the reasons don’t matter the fact is that he clearly would take it because he understands the need for a Batman and he’s currently the best choice for the job. Also don’t forget that even after Bruce came back he continued being Batman which, and I could be remembering incorrectly, was the case until the New 52 reboot

[@markmessi9020]

Terry is definitely the best man to take over the mantle when Bruce ages out. He's my favorite Batman tbh. It's basically what happens when tech gets better and Batman becomes Iron Man with Bruce as his Jarvis. I love those kind of mentor student stories

[@lamarledennis3220]

isn't he a clone of Bruce?

[@sameer8996]

@@lamarledennis3220 no. technically he is a biological son of bruce wayne

[@sjaakbakker9944]

His father’s reproductive material was changed to bruce’s by amanda waller

[@poggerz6567]

@~ShadowBanned~ huh? How is he hating on Terry?

[@alsimmonshellspawn6021]

He doesn't have the martial arts skills that others have

[@alexdurain3753]

Bruce doesn’t want anyone to take up the cowl, but yeah Dick is the ideal candidate. Terry meanwhile forced himself into the role, and has more or less cemented himself as the next Batman.

[@a.c.slater7989]

I think Dick will hold the mantle until Damian comes of age

[@Dwayne_19K]

Forced? He was very much literally born to be his replacement he has the best traits of Batman in his DNA

[@RiceCubeTech]

Forced? He literally was begging Bruce to let him use the suit.

[@alexdurain3753]

@@RiceCubeTech Might wanna reread the comment.

[@dyladino]

For a long time I've thought Cass becomes "the bat" the one that focuses on the physical work fighting and saving people while Tim is Robin but more of a green arrow type where he has a more public persona and is the one that focuses on the detective side

[@danacoleman936]

I kinda like that

[@goosestep8665]

The title is batMAN!!!!! you people are insane!

[@nkemnoraulmanfredini7286]

@@goosestep8665 calm down

[@Intr0vertical]

@@goosestep8665 Are you braindead. There doesn't have to be a batman to be Gotham's main protector when bruce retires or dies. I'd prefer it but helena wayne and cass are both good candidates

[@RoronoaZoro-ur6hr]

@@goosestep8665 , I agree with you completely that if we’re going off of female successors to being Batman 2.0 then clearly the best candidate would be Helena Wayne, (Huntress), otherwise the only other best Batman 2.0 candidates are Tim Drake, (Batman Beyond), Dick Grayson, (NightWing), or Terry McGinnis, (Batman Beyond), hence why I don’t agree with this video at all, and if KZbin had a feature where instead of dislikes you something much bigger than a dislike I’d click on that instead.

[@Sun-Warrior1911]

Terry was a huge success as Batman imo. The one Bruce would choose or want to be BATMAN is definitely Grayson. He spent the most time with him, identical training fighting styles & agility. Their trauma is almost identical. Bruce loves him as his son, proud of his leadership, making his own path his own identity. When Bruce looks into his eyes I’m sure he sees the young man he wishes he could’ve been too. Bruce knows Dick has the Will & determination, & while Bruce as Batman is consumed by darkness, he knows that Dick is the only one who will never allow darkness to take him. No matter how deep the abyss is, no matter how far down Batman falls, Bruce knows that Dick has the strength & the Will power to bring Batman into the light!!

[@skollzzy]

Terry and Dick are the best possible successors, Batman’s most successful protégés imo

[@radicalred474]

I agree honestly if you ask me I think the Batman beyond Terry should of been either Damien’s or Dicks son. To create a brother like family structure between them after Bruce died. That makes more sense than the poor backstory they screwed Terry over with.

[@skollzzy]

@@radicalred474 I like the outsider view terry has basically a Robin while being Batman at the same time. The rebirth comics origin was fine, could’ve been better, but still ok. And the whole Bruce being his dad thing wasn’t even cannon. And I can’t imagine anyone willingly having a child with Damien lmfao

[@Shrimpstan]

if you think dick should be batman you dont understand dick,hes never wanted to be batman he doesnt want to be like bruce

[@dailycatsandgaming3178]

Forgot about cass

[@lordgonzo6611]

Dickbats was one of the most underrated eras in Batman history ever. Damian really shined as his robin

[@AtlasAdvice254]

The thing that I like about terry is that unlike the others who, tried to live up to the ideal of Bruce as the Batman, he was Batman to repay both himself and others for the failures that HE made. In an almost selfish way, he’s Batman for himself, just like how Bruce became Batman. Dick, Tim and the other robins just…admire him too much. Either to where they needed to make something for themselves or to where they wouldn’t want to disrespect the legacy Bruce has created

[@ultrashadow9551]

Admire him too much? Tell that to Jason.

[@ProtocolAbyss]

Dick didn’t become batman to admire him. He became batman cause of necessity, he never wanted the role.

[@dasher3532]

For the others, it’s a responsibility. For Terry, it’s a gift, and a privilege to take up the mantle.

[@gerardouribe4652]

Pop lol

[@lolsfordays5921]

Terry is my pick. He’s my favorite Batman but I also think his relationship with Bruce is one of the best in the bat family

[@ethansdroid]

As someone who has never read the comics, I completely agree with you. I've caught some stuff here and there from YT, but what really always sticks out to me was the show batman beyond. The relationship between Terry and Bruce specifically. Something about a grandfather role is so much different compared to a direct father role. Allowing more grace for mistakes and a second chance at fatherhood (correcting things you wish you had done differently) for Bruce, and generations of experience at your disposal for mentorship on Terry's side. I loved the show and while I'm not a HUGE fan that Terry got turned into Bruce's ACTUAL kid ("just had to go and ruin the ride" - Joker), I do find myself thinking that it absolutely screams at who the true heir is. Take everything I just said with a grain of salt because I wouldn't call myself a true "fan" based on my limited knowledge, but I like the story a lot.

[@FoxxyFire-HellFrost]

Dick is a great Batman. When he filled in for Bruce with Damian as his Robin, they did a really great job. He knows Bruce and the way he thinks and understands him and his motivations the best, so he is the only one I could ever really see as a replacement in main continuity. I love Terry and think he's an excellent Batman, but you sort of disqualified him so, my answer is Dick.

[@Watermelon_Man]

Terry in the DCAU is the absolute best answer. No, I don’t care about “but Post-Crisis canon”. Other than that, Nightwing is practically tied, but I don’t have him as truly number one because he inevitably wants to be his own man even though he understands (and is content with the fact) that it will be his responsibility to take up the cowl if need be.

[@amauriiuchiha3206]

Honestly the most interesting result that is actually feasible is Cassandra Cain taking up the mantle from Dick after he initially takes up the role. He’d mentor her But as Dick does he’d move on back to being nightwing, before doing so making a public “retirement” as Batman and introducing her as the city’s protector. She’d work as a pair with Tim who’s too old and experienced to be a side kick so he’d take up a name besides robin. Comic issue “DC Reloaded: The Bat and The Man?”

[@radicalred474]

Stop gender swapping Batman a woman can not be a man even if you made a BatBitch you’d still need to find a Male a Man to be Batman. Get it???? Hence the term BATMAN……

[@skeletor4436]

@@radicalred474 no one's gender swapping anybody we're not talking about batman in the literal term we're talking about batman in terms of the next main protector of Gotham

[@calebreynolds9183]

@@radicalred474 Cringe soyboy

[@ShortPuff]

​​​@@radicalred474 how little do you understand the meaning ? Holy shit, lmao This has nothing to do with " gender swapping ", kid.

[@radicalred474]

@@skeletor4436 then take man out of title that’s a masculine pronoun and can’t be transferred to a female successor. Simple I understand plenty I don’t need to live 6 life times to understand that a female is used for feminine pronouns and a male is for masculine pronouns. That’s simple basic biology

[@ianyoder2537]

To me the one true successor of Bruce wain is and will always be Terry Mcginnis. The reason is simple, it's his only option. Dick is Night Wing and Damion has the league of shadows, but if some one where to write terry into the comic there is no other way then to make him the new batman. That is unless you want to completely butcher his character and story ... an option I'm realizing with horror is incredibly likely. As for his qualitys of a hero, he has the most important one he's the one who stepped up when no one else will. The existence of terry Mcginnis as batman implies ether the rest gave up or were pushed away by a disgruntled Bruce. And I think that has the potential for an interesting story, he was the one who say both Gotham and Bruce at their worst but never gave up on ether.

[@ianyoder2537]

@Will N I'm more of a cartoon's guy but I know enough about most of the bigger story lines to get by. I'm basing this off of a bit of Young Justice lore, my sparse patchwork knowledge of the comics and my own personal subjective writing stile and preferences. The way I see it is Batman is two focused on the mission (the nebulous concept that it is) and knows it so he trained the robins (and various other sidekicks and partners) so they wouldn't be like him. And for as much as a bastion of strength and paragon of justice batman is, this life he leads simply isn't conducive to his long term health. Both mentally and physically. And in a city that's seemingly preternaturally predisposed to villainy and chaos. -Seriously the court of owls is centuries old and the joker is an infections madness, not to mention inexplicably supernatural powerhouses like poison ivy.- The simple fact of the matter is batman will never give up and Gotham will never get better, something has to give and it's the youth who'll take the brunt of the emotional strain. They all leave pursuing other options and carriers leaving Bruce alone again. He adapts to the new challenges as well as he always does but the ravages of time are unstoppable and age catches up with us all. While his old rouges retire or expire only to be replaced by new, fresh, fierce fiends, while batman grows older, slower, and more tired. Eventually the unthinkable happens, Batman in desperation kills a criminal, and forces himself into retirement. With no hero and crime as bad as ever Gotham is at it's darkest. But it's always darkest before the dawn. (Also I like the idea of a story line ware terry is confronted by or confronts the other ex sidekicks and partners and proves to all of them why he's worthy in different ways. But we simply can't have a story like that if terry's not acting Batman.)

[@ianyoder2537]

@Will N Well in the Batman Beyond show the reason Tim wasn't around was because he got arrested. I admit it's a cop out but it does mean that outside forces are still effective against the batman and Tim, especially since it'd be just the two of them. Maybe Tim died and that's what sent Bruce spiraling.

[@nahte123456]

If the question was just "which character besides Bruce is the best Batman" it'd be Terry. I think he works best both on his own and for others, but that doesn't really work in a main canon since he's so removed. So I think it has to be Dick. Damian and Cass have potential but they just haven't stepped into a role like that yet, and Damian especially has a lot more of growing and trials before he even could be.

[@ItsKagiVids]

Personally if I had to choose I have to go with Terry without a doubt because he actually becomes Bat Man full time unlike all the other Robins that eventually become there own hero's own anti hero's.

[@irvinvaldovinos7721]

Form what I researched Three people can be The Dark knight Dick Grayson, Terry Mcginnis, & Cassandra Cain (my opinion).

[@Shrimpstan]

WHY DO YOU PEOPLE KEEP FORGETTING ABOUT AZRAEL IHABHRHBWGBGFE

[@annakinskywalker4936]

@@Shrimpstan I think he's not even in the question. He is like as far away from Batman as possible

[@liberleo1384]

Agreed those three are the top candidates though terry is like 50 years ahead of the main story so I don't really view him as an immediate successor. Dick and Cass are left over but dick has always been reluctant to be batman and take on Bruce's principals to the extremes he would as such he prefers the freedom of being Nightwing but if not for his reluctancy I probably would have seen him as the best option. Cass as such so far is the best option she respects and fully believes in batman's ideals especially the no kill rule, she has the same level drive Bruce does and she has the best combat skills of the bat family to the point she seems super human which has made everyone she fought against terrified of her. Her only real downside is her detective skill but those can be worked on though with Tim as her robin her flaws are easily balanced out.

[@liberleo1384]

@@Shrimpstan Azrael is cool as hell but last I checked he not only kills but is also controlled by a cult which wants to rule Gotham as such he doesn't make the list at all.

[@Isaacisaperson4677]

@@Shrimpstanbecause he went insane right after he got the cowl

[@NeiyonSpyder]

If the characters were ever allowed to fully age, then most likely Dick would take over as Bruce gets older, but Cassandra would take over full time and eventually after their era is done, Terry would step into the mantle.

[@ShmuckLord385]

It seems to be pretty consistent that everyone in the mainline, but Dick, would need a competent teammate or foil in some major regard to truly step In for Bruce. I think they would need to form a duo at the least, becoming batmen, not a sidekick and mentor relationship, but something akin to a buddy cop relationship, where they have a partner with equal station. The only issue is none of them have Dicks optimism and emotional maturity, so I feel if the wrong Robin's pair up, you could just get 2 grim knights if they don't pull the other away from that precipice of murder.

[@king_supreme1102]

I think Cass and Tim would be a great team for that

[@Thatglasseskun]

Yoooo this is a good idea, maybe there couldn't be ONE replacement, but instead them all operating as a team. Batman works better with a robin, and Dick has been shown being a good team player with the titans and other bat family. Dick has the morals and heart, Tim and Barbra have the detective edge to them, cass, Damien and jason have the fighting capability and along side tim have the determination to keep going.

[@JayLiszte]

Tim drake because he’s the only One of the robins who genuinely understood the importance of Batman and Robin and volunteered to become a member of the bat family. He’s also the second greatest detective.

[@jason15212]

I wouldn’t say he’s the only one who understood the importance of the duo. You have to consider the fact that all of Batman sidekicks were his partners at very different time periods therefore have different relationships with BRUCE. Tim is the ideal sidekick or support character.

[@potatogamerz3421]

Actually THE greatest detective

[@MaLLinz289]

His intelligence would wipe the floor with the other heirs. Prep time

[@senittoaoflightning4404]

He also doesn't want to be Batman after he found out he would become a dictator and killer if he got the role.

[@xavierhugo9269]

Tbh I think dick is best suited for the roll with his experience and skill set his detective skills only being behind tim and Bruce and his combat skill could be arguable the best with a statement coming from dick himself during the new vampire run where he is the vampire king and he stated something along the lines of" I was better then all you guys when I was normal do you think you really have a chance now?"(something like that and kassandra,damien,and Jason were all present) so with that you could possibly argue he is the best fighter cause that would imply he was a better fighter than kassandra but it's not main line so I guess dick in that universe was just built different but to be fair he hasnt gone all out on kassandra or any of his brothers in main line continuity as far as I am aware so maybe at some point we will see

[@CRISIS_COMICS]

Dick has more emotional intelligence than the other detectives which gives him an edge a lot of the time; he also has better scaling than the others sans Cass who’s built different as a fighter. The Vampire shit is just irrelevant 😆

[@xavierhugo9269]

@@CRISIS_COMICS lol good points and yeah I would say it is quite irrelevant but i thought it was atleast worth a lil mention since it did happen

[@RoronoaZoro-ur6hr]

@@CRISIS_COMICS , Cassandra Cain is more perfect as the perfect Batgirl even more so than Stephanie Brown and Barbara Gordon, but she’s not the perfect ideal successor of Batman, so clearly this entire video is incorrect entirely.

[@24kgolding97]

Let's also not forget though that in main line continuity Bruce and Dick both fought each other and it was stated by the author that they were both going all out, and in the end the Victor was Dick Grayson, thus also proving he's a better fighter than batman himself, Catwoman has stated that he's faster than Bruce when working with Dick and that small fact was why she and Dick survived a fight. That being said Bruce is a better fighter than Damian, Tim, Jason and Steph (I'm not too sure about cassandra) and Dick bested him, Alfred has stated that his emotional intelligence is why he has an edge on all the others in terms of detective work, he's hacked alien super computers in minutes, and quoting Bruce "Dick is what batman should have been" in other words stating that Dick is the better batman and what the vision of batman should have been.

[@ΔεσποιναΚοκορι]

Yea but then he procceded into getting his ass whooped by Jason...

[@aweirdwombat]

I like Terry the most because he's the most interesting to me. He seems to hold up many of Batman's ideals while adding his own spin and trying to improve elements without undermining the very concept. With that said, I do understand the timelines and how the comic is written. As much as I like Terry, I agree if you're just looking at the main timeline there's more fitting choices.

[@Teeplesexe]

terry has a special place in my heart and is what i consider to be batman's true successor. he's also probably my favorite version of the character

[@thehybrid3947]

Personally I feel like Terry is a good successor to be the Batman I mean he is basically a younger Bruce but he has emotions he does go to support when needing it as well as he knows what type of games Bruce tried to pull with him wanting him to be Batman and even wear the older suit when his suit got controlled but Terry wants to be his own Batman someone who sure uses the symbol and suit Bruce last used but do it his way whilst using what he's learned and using his own life lessons and morals to drive him to be a better Batman than Bruce was and I know Dick is a good candidate but from my personal point of view Terry is the right Batman successor even if he isn't canon to the comics or anything like that

[@williehughes1690]

Terry Mcginnis and Dick Grayson are the best successors for the role of the Batman's mantle.

[@qthestruggler2715]

Terry McGinnis is peak. Uncontestedly the best successor of the mantle.

[@Watermelon_Man]

Also, I disagree with the Cassandra choice simply because The Bat absolutely should be able to encompass all of the aspects that make Batman who he is as a solo act. The Bat should always want the help of a Robin but still be fully capable in all aspects as an individual.

[@collind7158]

Haven't watched the video yet but it's Terry because he is Batman. Bruce also treats him with the most respect

[@fernandomalpica1870]

Although Terry didn't originated in the comic media until later i don't think that disqualify him from be a candidate. And to be honest i can see him as top candidate along Grayson.

[@gerstein03]

My pick will always be Damian. Mainly because he embodies Batman the same way Bruce does and because he's the only one of all the Robins who actually wants to be Batman. I'm usually not a fan of superheroes taking on someone else's identity but Damian following his father's footsteps and being the person he always wanted to be is something I like

[@christianfredrick4893]

Nightwing is Batman’s successor but he can never be Batman. Nightwing is what Batman strives to be. Current Damian is shaping up to be a beautiful character who can truly be worthy and live up to the mantle of Batman. But Terry IS Batman, it’s in his DNA like Damian, but Terry is what happens if you mix Dick Grayson and Bruce perfectly. Terry might not be the worlds greatest detective but he IS Batman

[@Jrg44]

Terry just feels like a natural fit too take over with the cowl to me

[@JobberGodot]

Damn good video! Imo it’d be fitting if Cassandra could take up the mantle of Batman AFTER Grayson does as a sorta precaution if something happens to Grayson that leaves the mantle to become Batman open again. But of course before that would happen and while we wait, Cassandra could be polishing areas of herself like detective skills, etc. Grow older, more experienced, so when the mantle is open from Grayson, she’ll be ready and confident enough to make the decision, to become The BATMAN

[@huntertezz]

I think after Dick it should be Damian. Damian is already better than Cass in everything except fighting and the only thing holding him back is arrogance but that's something he grows out of and even the current Damian is not as arrogant as he was when he first appeared.

[@Highspirekid13]

@@huntertezz nah it should go Dick, Tim, then Damian.

[@radicalred474]

I don’t think any woman should be called Batman. Cause no woman can be a man that would just make her a Batgirl. And then you’d still need to find a Batman. Stop trying to gender swap Batman it doesn’t work.

[@annakinskywalker4936]

@@huntertezz I mean like no offense to cass but I think most people in the batfamily are better than cass at everything other than fighting since she was ONLY trained to fighter for like 10 years which was her whole life.

[@ShortPuff]

Tim is in no shape to qualify as the next batman. Dude has seen his future twice, and each time he become a killer. Man's will have another mental breakdown if he became batman again. As of now, damian should also not become the next batman. He has regressed way too much in the comics. Going even as back as to killing again. we'll just have to wait until his grown to fully see if he can live up to that. Dick and Cassandra are really the only good choices in my opinion.

[@RogerRoger-be9lg]

I appreciate how even though Terry isn’t on the list, everyone is saying he should be the true successor. Which I agree with. Down the line,he eventually will take the mantle. He chose to be Batman of his own accord. Be it a twist of fate or what have you, he still willingly did it. Not only that, but he was the only one of the BatFam who truly understood Bruce, besides Alfred. And the times of changed. The way Dick, Damien, Cass, etc. did things won’t work on the new class of villains with newer technology in Neo Gotham. Terry thrives in that environment. It’s for all those reasons I say it should go to Terry.

[@tastytango4841]

I think after Bruce dies it should be Cassandra that helps terry this way he has someone to help him better his fighting prowess I think the problem with the future Batman successor, that writers seem to have trouble on is that it isn’t really who gets to be Batman but he do people in Bruce’s life help contribute to recreating a new better Batman out of someone with the will and perfect slate to be Batman

[@pale_blue_ruby]

Dick is sort of the spiritual successor. But he wouldn't be willing to do it. Damien could technically become a successor too, since we don't know what identity he would take on after robin. In some ways he might be suited to it. Terry is kind of a canonical successor, being the only one who has actually ever taken on that mantle permanently.

[@oldgames4377]

I always thought Damian had the most potential for becoming Batman while he’s right now not nearly mature enough I think that one day he’d grow up to be Batman especially if you look at the Damian in the DC animated universe which after he matured a bit he felt like Batman just not yet that mature

[@oldgames4377]

How about no

[@komickid833]

Tim and Cassandra are pretty much the perfect choices for Batman I had an idea of where Tim and Cassandra were both Batmans, but no one knew there were two of them. Tim functions as the detective, looking for clues, connections, and resources to gather information. His name is Auger, giving him that oracle connection. But he is also a backup if Cassandra needs it. With cass being the more active front, dealing with problems head-on. You could even call the book Shadow of the Bat.

[@ΔεσποιναΚοκορι]

And how exactly do u... U know.... MAKE CASSANDRA LOOK LIKE BATMAN????????

[@jacobharris954]

She can't she is a woman

[@quixotika3232]

A Cass and Tim tagteam as batman and robin would be the best. Especially with Tim providing the brains and her the brawns

[@TheFirstCurse1]

It'd be Batwoman, not Batman.

[@dailycatsandgaming3178]

​@@TheFirstCurse1no it would still be Batman that is literally the mantles name

[@dailycatsandgaming3178]

​@@TheFirstCurse1it says multiple times in comics that she is in a good position to become "Batman"

[@ryanbright1363]

Canonically Terry is Batmans successor. Given that Terry is confirmed to be a future canon member of the Bat Family that means the Batman Beyond timeline is the canon future. All his other kids take on their own mantles, but Terry is the next Batman & Bruce’s last apprentice.

[@joeyidc3212]

Terry did good in my opinion i don't know if he's the best but he became Batman as a teenager & made to adulthood that's kind of impressive & had to train in his off hours

[@BSH9009]

I'm abit surprised to not see Barbara on this list. I understand she's a pretty different character to Bruce but, I think that's exactly why she's be a good replacement. I think Barbara would bring a more stable and lawful view to the role of the bat. Which I intend to put on display when Gotham Knights come out.

[@CRISIS_COMICS]

She’s better as Oracle, an aid to the entire DC Universe.

[@IamNuideas2001]

Dick Grayson, being a cop for a time, would also be more lawful. During his stint as Batman, the police liked working with him more.

[@makes58]

@@CRISIS_COMICS you got yourself a dislike just for that shit take

[@reconquista3464]

I think babs is the second option after grayson

[@fishertheadore6095]

Why would a chick be on tha list?

[@buccaneercat]

To me it’s best for the Robins to grow into their own personas as they have. Dick becoming Nightwing, Jason becoming Red Hood, Tim becoming Red Robin. Batman’s goal has always been to raise them right so they wouldn’t need to fall into the dark place he resides. They’re all meant to grow past him emotionally. That being said, Terry was born to be the Batman of the future. It was his destiny to become his own version of The Batman, and he’ll always be my favorite successor!

[@dragon_ninja_2186]

What I like about comics is that there is no definitive answer. All these multiple comics and universes allow the reader to decide which person is the true successor to Batman. Of course some could use more development but perhaps in time they will.

[@shinkaiatsuya950]

Nightwing is an all rounder, Jason has the dedication, Tim has the detective skills, Damian has training and would thrive to become Batman just needs the EQ, so probably Terry.

[@majora919]

Im glad to see all the Terry respect in these comments always felt like he was underrated or forgotten

[@justinwilliams7148]

Terry has been literally designed to be batman and as Waller noted, he doesn't have Bruce's intelligence. The Batman of Tomorrow/Tim shows how he is the one to step up when the others quit or failed, so he's a strong choice. But I don't ever think we'll get that far. The truth is that Bruce Wayne is Batman and always will be. You may have a successor for a short time, but as we've seen from multiple universes/timelines/reboots across batman media, it all resets back to Bruce becoming Batman again and again.

[@socialaccount0000]

In my opinion, Terry is the best to inherit the Cowl, mostly because: Grayson: Is meant to be Batman without burden. He can never be Batman because he is actually happy, Bruce (as seen with Catwoman) can never be happy and be Batman at the same time. Jason: Inherited the vengeance aspect of Batman, and little else. He is what would happen to Bruce if "I am vengeance, I am the night" was taken to its extreme. He has the physical and intellectual capacity to be Batman, but lacks the ability to inspire hope or be a symbol for good. I thought he made good progress to being a full hero in the Dark Trinity storyline, but that was sadly canceled before we saw where that would lead with his character. Tim: As stated in this video, he does not want to be Batman. A Tim that has become Batman is a Tim that has lost everything else but the cowl. Tim has the intelligence and detective skills, but not the right state of mind or personality to be Batman. Imo, he is the perfect Robin, or support to an existing Batman, but little else. Damien: As stated in my previous comment, he has too much of his Grandfather within him. Best case scenario is he learns to find a middle ground between his father and his grandfathers mentalities, sticking to the shadows like an assassin, but not so outdated unwilling to change like the League is. Not necessarily a lethal protector, but more of a moon knight "make them too afraid to commit crime" sort of protector. Cassandra: Will likely be the best candidate for Batwoman, but I dont see her ever taking the full responsibility of the Cowl. In fact, while im not saying she doesnt have a personality, Batman is both Batman AND Bruce Wayne, Cassandra doesnt really have that secondary normal life to keep her grounded to reality like Dick, Terry or Tim do. If she ever became Batman, that is *all* she would be, and would probably become so tunnel visioned/focused on her job of being Batman that the rest of the world slips her by. Terry: As seen in the animated tv show (the only true canon imo), Terry is able to relate to Bruce's tragedy while also not being consumed by it. He isn't vengeance, he isn't the night, he's something beyond Batman/Bruce ever could be. He is able to balance being Batman and being himself better than any other possible inheritor, and thats what I think makes him the best candidate, he wouldn't lose himself to vengeance, he understands Bruce's philosophy while also not being restricted by it, and he isn't trying to mimic Batman 1:1 either. He is Batman, but he is also still Terry Mcguinness, he never loses his humanity like Tim or Jason do when wearing the Cowl. He is Batman Beyond

[@CRISIS_COMICS]

Animated Bruce ≠ comic Bruce; he can be a perfect heir to that Bruce and still not be the same in the context to the actual DC Universe.

[@socialaccount0000]

@@CRISIS_COMICS True. And I sadly dont know much about comic Terry besides that comic version of Batman Beyond is a continuity mess. That being said, with animated Terry not being an option I'd say the best current combination would probably be Tim & Cassandra. Cassandra as she has the right mindset to be Batman (or I guess, Batwoman) and Tim would be her lightning rod of sorts, keeping her grounded to reality and not just becoming Batman 24/7

[@dribblingdavid547]

@@socialaccount0000 You make a really good point

[@sawboss5794]

I liked it better when Terry wasn't Bruces son. But he's a good successor. Is like to see Damien become something else. The others have built their own identities.

[@mollieh4426]

Such a good video!!!! I loved your analysis and agree that Cass is the best fit!

[@ProfessorHurt]

Cassandra would be the best heir to Bruce. The problem with her isn't the character itself. It's DC, more those who are all mostly gone from the company that loathed the character. The reason on the WHY she wasn't fully battling for that cowl in the "Battle for the Cowl" event was because her role was already foretold prior. The writing was on the wall in the final issues of Nightwing and Birds of Prey that DC wanted Babs back in the role. It didn't happen-- YET but it made readers realize that DC was gonna cast Cass away (which they did for an entire year). Likewise, just when she was regaining the momentum of being back in the fold with Gates of Gotham, the New 52 happened. And Dan DiDio just last year confirmed of what was reported at the time. He used the New 52 to shelve characters he considered "toxic". But in a larger sense I believe he considered any showing of Cass would take away the regression of Babs back as Batgirl. Cass would be a Batman in Batman Inc, but Babs (who had a higher role prior) would be cast down to a lowly foot soldier. And the whole entire point of when she was reintroduced was to be "less" than the character she was prior. So again, she wouldn't overshadow Barbara Gordon. I think to a degree the "idea" is still around to this day but there are those among DC who are actively fighting for the character and it's a battle still to be determined.

[@goosestep8665]

She is a woman… the title is BATMAN!!

[@nkemnoraulmanfredini7286]

@@goosestep8665 again,stop

[@a.c.slater7989]

Youre forgetting Dick only took up the cowl because Jason beat Tim for it and Jason wasn't fully a good guy yet. I see no reason why Cass would want it or would even make a good batman. Cass is a godtier fighter but she can't speak and her detective skills are lacking. Batman also works with the police and justice league being silent wouldn't help her and someone like riddler would have a field day with her

[@ProfessorHurt]

@@a.c.slater7989 you forget she was making progress in her speaking skills and Tim was teaching her to be a better detective (even though many forget it was Cass who found the first big clue that Bruce was innocent in Bruce Wayne: Murderer/Fugitive). Further that is WHY Cass created the Network (the precursor to Batman Inc).

[@ProfessorHurt]

Also more my point is DC was neglecting the character at this point during Battle for the Cowl already decreeing she'd be ousted of the Batgirl mantle (originally meant for Babs then Charlotte and finally Steph) and be sent to limbo for their own stupid moves (aka canceling her series to make room for the Devin Grayson Batwoman series that never came and a heel turn to fill Jason's void as the black sheep).

[@slsbaconbits4012]

Before watching, Terry McGinnis is the correct answer... considering in Batman Beyond Bruce actually retired.

[@vaughnbutler6129]

Tim being slept on is insane. Whether or not he wants to be batman, he is the perfect batman heir.

[@FunkayJunk]

Cassandra Cain & Tim Drake duo would be unstoppable

[@clemusjohnson7858]

Terry he the only one who really took up the mantle of batman long after Bruce retired. Nightwing Robin, red hood, batgirl... they all retired

[@TheOvervoid]

I'd love to see Batman Tim face off against evil Batman Tim. Personally I prefer Cass or Tim. My preferred outcome would be the both of them holding the mantle and we could have something fun like Cass as (codename) Batman-Blue & Tim as (codename) Batman-Red or something. I wouldn't make Cass Batwoman as the name Batman is a part of what it represents.

[@ninjanunch27]

Knightwing is the chosen one. Terry on the other hand wanted the cowl. These two are my top two

[@wesleypatterson2989]

As of now, before watching the video, I'd say either Dick, Terry or Damien. Dick is, of course, THE OG Robin, and my personal favorite. Also as the oldest he's seen Bruce go through the most so understands what being Batman truly means the most, and how not to let the inherent darkness of Batman consume him. Terry saw Bruce at arguably his lowest point, so also understands what being Batman could do to him if he lets it. He's also faced some pretty big threats pretty much by himself which not many of the batfamily has done. Damien is still extremely young so this remains to be seen, but I think he has the potential to be THE best member of the batfamily. He is Bruce's only biological child, after all. I think it would also be a great endpoint for his arc of trying to exercise his grandfather's dark influence over him to completely shed that influence by outright rejecting the League of Assassins and donning the cape and cowl in his own right.

[@liberleo1384]

Terry and dick I can see but Damien I can't agree with he is far too defined by the status of being the heir of both to completely reject one over the other it would be better for him to forge his own identity outside of being Batman or head of the league and develop an identity using both as inspiration. Honestly I think him following a similar path to Jason would be the best choice for him someone not afraid of using "evil" means such as killing as an example for the sake of justice. Though I am biased against Damien being Batman tbh I just don't like how he viewed the role of batman and the arrogance towards it so as to how he is the "real son" which apparently takes away the legitimacy of the other robins and Cass

[@exile8110]

I personally think Terry deserve the title. He use to be a kid who did criminal things not only that but the family problems he had aswell. He put on the suit because he wanted to change and show that someone who used to be dequlient can change. He developed his own aura of batman and it work very well. Most villians he fights he trys to see the good in them wheres other would just beat the crap out of them and tie them up and call it a day. Not only that but the joker made the batman laugh and the batman made the joker not laugh. Im not the best at this but honeslty i can relate more to terry than any other underling bruce has had.

[@o.8.p149]

Terry is cool but in a universe where basically any other bat family member is still a hero he doesn’t work

[@dabigeasy74]

Terry for sure being that Bruce will never die.

[@cjisrael901]

Looks like most of the comments would choose Terry and I agree lol. But if picking from only mainline comics candidates, then I definitely understand your analysis. (Also, I never knew that Terry isn't cannon in the main run in the future)

[@lesliekilgore648]

ah, but DC has (in my lifetime of 46 years) entirely retconned the WHOLE DC universe. twice. so, never forget that Terry could 'become the batman' of the future.

[@chefcurry7202]

Terry is the right answer, he literally defined what being batman was and it's true purpose

[@TurtleMythic1251]

For me it would be either Cassandra or Terry.

[@Jinkintsu]

I believe Terry should always be Batman, something poetic about some random punk redeeming himself through that role, and making it all his own.

[@Gerberslay]

Terry will always bey favorite, he was just very fun and never felt like he had to be Bruce's Batman but his own Batman which is why to me he is a goat

[@The_Kamoohkster]

If Batman ever died or went missing, nightwing, if Batman lives into old age, Batman Beyond

[@princexerakugo7335]

Ciris how would you rank the bat family from weakest to strongest, I've recently gotten into the bataman comic sphere and it's pretty cool though consistently seeing who is the strongest members of the family would be fun.

[@CRISIS_COMICS]

Cass > Nightwing ~ Batman >~ Red Hood > Tim ~ Damian ~ Barbara; something like that

[@danielwesley5051]

Cassandra as the main bat, with Tim acting as Robin to provide the detective skills, and maybe Barbra for tech support and as eyes in the sky.

[@alphaomega5673]

I honestly think terry is, dick is his own type of hero but he’s not Batman, he may be what Batman could be but I think terry is just the most fit

[@QUEENVIONNA]

Lauren Faust's batgirl is crying in the background

[@Supergrunt8]

I was always of the mind that Tim would make a great successor because of his skill set regardless of the potential dark future versions that have been showcased. Damian is kind of a boring choice tbh. And Dick should be his own character, I think the DC universe needs him to be Nightwing more than Batman. Terry is the best choice imo. But you make a solid case for Cass, I'd love to see her take up the role in some capacity someday, even if it's only an alternative timeline.

[@Veteran_Spartan]

Terry hands down. Was never a sidekick and embraced becoming Batman. Everyone else was just "filling in".

[@datscrazy4095]

Nightwing Batman is LITERALLY Wally West Flash although i will say Terry is LITERALLY PART Batman but 🤷‍♂he just doesn't have that stamp on the comics, he's like a nice little alternate universe batman like Spiderman 2099

[@datscrazy4095]

wish someone could take up the mantle so he can be with Catwoman tho

[@NimN0ms]

You don't prepare to be Batman. You are made to be Batman. Terry is therefore the true successor.

[@dickhardpicard]

Umm Damian Wayne was made

[@gene081976]

Although I like Batman Beyond a lot, I like it as an alternate universe unless they resolve some issues: Tim Drake becoming Joker, Barbara fallout with Bruce. A few things that made Bruce character great in BTAS had Bruce fallen pretty far from grace in BB. Dick Grayson was a pretty good Batman, all things considering. It’s not who was the best Batman… that’s Bruce, but in a realistic scenario, Dick was a pretty good successor. Would have love to see this play out on the silver screen. Dick after Bruce, Terry (if the timeline where to include him) after Dick. Terry was probably born when Bruce was in his 50s, likely didn’t step in as Batman until Bruce was in his 70s. Dick would be a good Batman after Bruce, then Terry after Dick.

[@zuccsucc476]

Terry is the most committed to the mantle but Damian is the most skilled. Dick is just the coolest though

[@Someguywithalotoftism]

If I'm honest I would absolutely love Jason to become Batman. In my head I can see an amazing story and character arc with it, it would be just so cool. I'm biased as hell though

[@liberleo1384]

Jason is my favorite Robin as well but I think he doesn't make for a good batman as he doesn't agree with batman's ideals such as the no killing rule for example and has always been more guided by his emotions more then anything else. He best takes on Bruce's vengeance rather then any other aspect of being Batman. Being red hood is the best identity that Jason could have as he isn't confined by living up to the same rules as batman and do what he believes he must for the sake of justice instead of law. In short I think like Dick he outgrew being Batman and is better off being his own individual hero that can do things as he wants then taking on a mantle when he doesn't really want to live up to to the same standard Bruce did which would mean changing what principles batman represents.

[@matthewzaslavets8423]

Batman should definitely not stay the same. Both Dick and Terry are the best possible Betmen specifically because they are different from Bruce, they are exactly what the next Batman needs to be to exist, they can adapt and continue the legacy instead of just being Batman.

[@joshuajohnson413]

I think Dick would be a great successor for Batman. But I agree that it would be a role he wouldn't permanently stay in. Cass is also a very worthy successor and would work well with Tim as Robin. I think Damian, if he developed more and receives proper guidance, might also be able to fill Batman's shoes and do a better job than in those alternate future stories. I'd be interested to see each of the robins' stints as batman, although I don't think any of them would be too long lived. Ultimately, I think Terry or someone like him, who doesn't have all the baggage and has had a pretty well-adjusted life, would probably be good at being Batman and balancing it with his everyday life. Also, would you plan to do videos on successors for other superheroes? Just wondering.

[@eyelessnosea1413]

Terry is the only one to actually laugh at The Joker to his face... So yeah... A Batman who The Joker can't get under the skin of

[@Fanatic_Foremem]

I don't think Cass in any continuity is ever considered the "second" Batgirl. Since even if we ignore that barbara is the actually second, Stephanie took the title of batgirl a few issues before cass was ever officially called that.

[@senittoaoflightning4404]

1 that was Helena 2 she called herself "The Bat" not "Batgirl" 3 Bette Kane wasn't Batgirl on New Earth.

[@Fanatic_Foremem]

@@senittoaoflightning4404 so you knew exactly who I was talking about and wasted 2 points pretending you didn't and used the last point to go "Well nuh-uh because that was before the reboots"

[@senittoaoflightning4404]

@@Fanatic_Foremem Yes? I just corrected what you said. You claimed that Stephanie was Batgirl after Barbara, that was incorrect. There was no Batgirl between Barbara and Cass. The closest was Helena, who used "The Bat" as the title. And Bette wasn't Batgirl. Thus Cass is the second Batgirl in the New Earth continuity.

[@Fanatic_Foremem]

@@senittoaoflightning4404 I never mentioned continuities, you're adding that caviat. Which makes your entire argument null and void because you're not even talking about the same thing as me. It doesn't matter if the other points are right or not if you fail to understand what I was saying so horribly.

[@senittoaoflightning4404]

@@Fanatic_Foremem ​ You never mentioned continuities? "I don't think Cass in any continuity is ever considered the "second" Batgirl." "Cass in any continuity" "any continuity" "I never mentioned continuities" Sure... Glad to help.

[@tatersalad76]

Tim is the best choice when he's ready for the mantle. Bruce and Dick have both admitted it on separate occasions and stand by it

[@Kade_Kapes]

I’ve always loved the idea of Cassandra Cain taking over after Bruce, but obviously none of these things are ever going to happen in the long term because Bruce will always be Batman because that’s the status quo.

[@starman_3393]

I think that new Batman shall do everything he/she can to convince villains that it’s the same Batman (after all one of the greatest assets in Batman’s psychological warfare against his villains is the legend of Batman(the immortal powerful vampire which most of ghotam believes him to be). And for her convincing that she’s the same person as previous Batman is just impossible (for obvious reasons). I also believe that Batman’s most useful in skills crime fighting are his ability to improve people’s lives as Wayne (less homeless people, less villains ), his detective abilities (I mean Batman is the world’s greatest detective) and his mind games (people won’t commit crime if they think that it would result with them becoming food stocks of a immortal vampire)

[@Pakilla64]

Realistically (as far as realism goes in comics), Batman operating for the last 20 years together with his family should've eliminated crime, IF Bruce Wayne played an active part in the city's development. Bruce could've been the perfect mayor because he's always been a planner and a leader. If the writers weren't so insistent on maintaining the same status quo, Barbara would've become the commissioner, Tim Drake a police detective, Jason could've run the juvie rehabilitation program and I'd imagine Dick would start a community gym for children, restart his circus or found a stunt team under the name Flying Graysons. They'd all continue Bruce's work, but without masks. Hell I think even many former villains would've reformed and went back to society. Clayface would be the PERFECT actor. He'd literally make millions because his abilities would save studios a ton of money. Mr. Freeze could go back to perfecting his cryogenic technology and save lives. Selina Kyle could run a women's shelter and a pet shop. Poison Ivy could work to restore vegetation in parts of the world where they've been wiped out. Penguin, Ra's, Talia and Joker can go to hell, but the ones with PhDs aren't beyond saving. In some ways, they'd also be considered as Batman's heirs. As a crimefighter, I only see Terry taking up the cowl. Because crime and corruption is bound to make a comeback after all these years.

[@nkemnoraulmanfredini7286]

Batman fights crime and evil everywhere

[@AstraFulminous]

What's your opinion on Helena?

[@jimmyneutron5755]

I think Damian is a really good choice, but I could see why many disagree. I just love has character so much and he has become Batman before, like in Dceased where I thought it was actually pretty cool.

[@jeskerjames3260]

The Dark Knight's shoes are so big to fill, I kind of think it would take the entire Bat-Family working together as a unit to really be able to replace Bruce.

[@CRISIS_COMICS]

Bruce doesn’t agree.

[@Ejay923]

I think terry is the best one to do it and yes that’s a basic answer but it’s the best option for everyone terry is still wildly loved as a character and a successor to Batman to this day even tho his show came out more then 20 years ago and he’s one of the only people that accepts the role for what it is but doesn’t want to live directly in Bruce’s shadow he’s his own Batman and I love that about him the most

[@Foxy-Mask_Menace]

I'd want Terry. He's the best in my opinion.

[@brandogents6624]

Honestly if we go off the Animated series, Definitely 100% Terry. He is literally a clone of Batman, he was made to be his replacement after bats gave up the cowl. In the comics I'd say Dick Grayson would be the best choice. He's the closest to Bruce out of the entire bat family.

[@Cass_is_Strange]

Cass was adopted, she IS Bruce's daughter

[@RossPitSharkHunter]

You Cass's have each other's backs. I respect that.

[@swancss3097]

Nightwing is the only 1 until Damien is old enough

[@aidenveal1280]

My first thoughts were to be tim because he is the world's second greatest detective and Alfred even said he would but I feel like Terry ,jace and Richard would be able to carry the mantle because they were already batman

[@zaiwex]

Terry took out the Joker. That is considering an amazing feat. I really want to see if Terry is able to take on against Batman Who Laughs. But that is kinda overwhelming in terms of trying to write a story about it. It is definitely difficult to do it.

[@shism28]

For me it’s either Terry or Cass

[@Lordoftheapes79]

I don't think anyone can replace him. Bruce Wayne is Batman. They are one in the same. There will be no passing of the cowl. He's left a mountain of students, each a hero in their own right as his legacy.