Agreed.
Have to admit though, I was never really a fan of Robin. In fact every comic I've read with him in it has made me despise the character.
Until . . .
BATMAN: The Animated Series
Say all you want about how "unrealistic" it would be for Batman to have a son/partner but the series really showed how it can and should be done.
For those not in the know (and if that's the case you're really missing out), Robin doesn't begin his war on crime
until he's an adult. Grayson makes makes his first apperance in Batman's relatively early career but doesn't fight, again, UNTIL he's an adult. Wayne takes Grayson in as his ward/son when he witnesses the brutal murder of parents. After seeing how similar Dick is with his thirst for revenge and justice he reveals his alter ego to the boy.
Through years of training (the same training that Wayne endured) it was time for Grayson to finally put his mask on. Batman didn't endanger a child's life by taking in a kid having him risk his life every night. He saw someone he could relate to, took him in and guided him. The reason Robin isn't as "dark" or brooding as Batman is because his mentor didn't have the same experience when he was younger. Wayne had the same "guide" with Alfred but not to the same degree. Bruce had to find his own way of "dealing with the pain" by going off alone(travelling the world). So yeah, Robin should always be "lighter" than Batman but NOT to the degree where he isn't viewed as dangerous or intimidating. We have to remember here that Robin, no matter what story, is trained by Batman himself. That anger and determination would definitely find it's way into Grayson.
What people miss is that Batman and Robin share the same tragedy. Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson's lives are distinctly similar.
Grayson becomes Robin as an adult and isn't even Batman's full time partner. Nolan and Co. always claim that the only way they progress the story is if there's a challenge and a satisfying story to be told. Nolan could definitely tackle the challenge that is Robin.
BTAS did it in such a believable way that I'm sure it could be done in live action.
Anyone who writes the Dick Grayson/Robin off as homosexual, lame and unneeded hasn't seen BTAS.
Batman should definitely be the lone avenger of the night in his early years but there's going to have to be a time where Robin comes in to complete the story just as Gordon, The Joker, and other characters.
If Robin is to be done in a serious and realistic matter there has to be a film where Wayne takes a child in, apprehends the murderer of the child's parents, relates to child, thinks about how similar they are, contemplates the dangers of this child becoming distraught, violent and mentally ill as he gets older and decides to train him and guide him so he doesn't end up like the victims that end up becoming his enemies.
If this is still the "Nolanverse" then the sequel to that film above can have the young adult Grayson, now ready to take the path that Wayne chose years before after being guided by the criminal element and training with Ras Al Ghul and the League of Shadows. Still his own man.
For Robin to work he has to be a young adult (Batman Forever got this right), the murder of his parents has to be just as emotional and violent as Wayne's, the kid Grayson must be vengeful and angry as Wayne was in Begins, and he can't be overly corny.
He's essentially Batman's son after all. To knock him off as unnecessary is down right wrong.
If the live action Robin looks like his ridiculous comic counter part, doesn't have pants (never understood that one), is a young kid and serves as comic relief, forget it, Batman should fight by himself forever.
Until then it'll get old seeing Batman go up against villian # whatever in future sequels. Not only is the Robin character important to itself, it's also important for the Batman character. Through Robin, Batman can be reminded why he does what he does in the first place.
