Since he first appeared in 1939, Batman has been one of the most famous and fearsome superheroes of all time. Facing heroes and villains alike, Batman has proven his strength time and time again. The Dark Knight has even managed to defeat Superman in single combat numerous times. Whether he has to fight an ally or a foe, Bruce Wayne is known for his tremendous fighting ability and unwavering sense of justice.
Despite his incredible strength, intelligence, and fighting prowess, Batman is still just a human. Unlike his fellow Justice League members, Batman has no superpowers. This places heavy limitations on his abilities, but does not stop him from getting involved in fighting crime and handing out his own brand of justice.
Batman is a fighter and a lover – his alter-ego, Bruce Wayne, has had numerous children over his eighty-year reign. Many of whom do not share his limitations, thanks to the host of superheroes Wayne was able to charm. Because of this, there are a few of his Bruce’s kids that could, arguably, defeat him in one-on-one combat.
With this in mind, we’ve put together a list of 8 Batfamily Members Who Are Stronger Than Batman (And 7 That Aren’t).
15. Dick Grayson/Nightwing - Stronger
This one may come as a bit of a surprise. Dick Grayson first appeared as Batman’s sidekick, Robin. As an adolescent, Dick accompanied Batman on missions, learning from him. Dick is often remembered solely for his time as Batman’s teenage tagalong, but the boy wonder was much more than that. As Dick grew older, he struck out on his own to fight crime his way.
As a solo superhero, Dick took on the alias Nightwing. A title which he eventually set aside to become the new Batman after Bruce’s supposed passing in Final Crisis.
From his early years as a gymnast, to his adolescence as a crime fighter, Dick lived his entire life in intense physical conditioning. According to Chuck Dixon, Dick is far better than Bruce was at his age.
14. Jason Todd/Red Hood - Weaker
After Dick Grayson left to become Nightwing, the role of Robin was taken over by Jason Todd. Yet another orphan which Bruce Wayne felt compelled to take in. Despite similar backgrounds and appearance, Jason was very different from Dick; Jason was erratic, irrational, impulsive, and filled with anger.
His rash behavior is a distinct disadvantage in combat, one which eventually lead to his demise.
In Batman: A Death in the Family, Jason is beaten by the Joker. An untimely passing for a character with such an interesting character and personality.
After his resurrection in Under the Hood, Jason became Red Hood – a dangerous villain. Though he spent years training as an assassin, he was still eventually defeated by Dick Grayson.
13. Clark Wayne/Knight-Wing - Stronger
Clark Wayne is the grandson of Superman and the adopted son of Bruce Wayne Jr. His birthfather, Joel Perry Kent was born without powers due to being exposed to gold kryptonite before birth. Clark, likewise, was born without powers.
Clark was trained to fight by various members of the Wayne family– he served as Robin for some time before his adopted father tried to convince him to takeover the mantle of Batman. Clark refused, choosing instead to go by the alias Knight-Wing.
Two years after he began superhero work, and with the help of Superman, Clark was able to unlock his innate kryptonian powers. This places him dramatically beyond the scale of Bruce Wayne’s strength, making us sure he’d be able to best him combat, should he have to.
12. Damien Wayne/Robin - Weaker
This is a tricky one. It’s probably the closest call of all. Damien Wayne is one of the most dangerous members of the Batfamily. The son of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul, Damien was raised to fight from a young age. He is already a honed weapon when he becomes the fifth Robin.
Despite his incredible fighting skill, Damien is limited by his own arrogance. He is overconfident and spoiled, and he regularly uses lethal force to accomplish his goals. Bruce’s mercy requires greater strength and self-restraint.
Damien is eventually done away with by Heretic in Batman, Inc. #8. Passing at a young age, Damien never has the chance to grow into the fighter he might have been.
11. Tim Drake/Red Robin - Stronger
Following the passing of Jason Todd, Tim Drake became the third Robin, as well as Bruce’s adopted son. Tim proved himself to be superior to previous Robins in many ways: his detective skills, high-tech equipment, and intellect set him apart. Tim is often able to deduce the secret identities of other heroes and repeatedly displays the ability to make calm, level-headed decisions in combat.
After stopping a psychotic Jason Todd, Dick Grayson tells Tim that they are equals. Batman actually calls Tim smarter and better than himself.
As a teenager, Tim singlehandedly faced The Joker who had recently done away with Tim’s predecessor, Jason Todd. Despite his young age, Tim was able to quickly defeat Batman’s greatest adversary. This alone is convincing evidence that a full grown Red Robin would be more than a match for Batman.
10. Helena Wayne/Huntress - Weaker
A native of Earth-2, Helena was the child of an alternate Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle (Catwoman). Despite being trained by two world-class crime fighters, Helena a.k.a The Huntress, is ultimately a failed heroine.
Though Helena was the one who finally defeated The Joker permanently, she did not deliver the fatal blow.
Instead, the Joker passed of old age. Helena also failed to save her mother from a trap set by Silky Cernak. In Dawn of Time, Helena failed to save her own home (Earth-2) which was erased from existence. Later, she was dispatched in battle with the Anti-Monitor.
Helena’s lack of powers, as well as her numerous failings as a heroine, prove that she is less than a match for Batman.
9. Luand’r Wayne/Redstar - Stronger
Otherwise known as Bint Ibn al Xu’ffasch, Redstar is the twin sister of Tallant Wayne. She is also the daughter of Damien Wayne and Mar’i Grayson, and the grandchild of Bruce Wayne. Her maternal grandmother is the Tamaranean, Starfire.
Her alien heritage gives Laund’r a number of advantages in combat. Like all Tamaraneans, she can absorb ultraviolet radiation from living creatures, which she can then release in a savage blast. This power alone makes her a worthy adversary to anyone foolish enough to challenge her.
Redstar also boasts superhuman strength, superhuman durability, and the power of flight. She is a master of nearly all forms of combat: a talented swordsman, marksman, and is just as skilled in martial arts as Batman.
8. Thomas Taylor Wayne - Weaker
By far the most underwhelming member of the Batfamily, Thomas Taylor Wayne never actually appears in any comic or movie.
The only mention of him comes in Superman and Batman: Generations III – a comic that follows an immortal Batman and Superman as they journey through time.
In an interesting turn of events worthy of Game of Thrones, Bruce marries his own adoptive granddaughter. Together they have Thomas Taylor Wayne.
Very little is said about Thomas. He is mentioned only briefly after his passing. There is no evidence that Thomas ever worked as a crime fighter or that he had any combat ability at all. The lack of evidence or even of his existence mean he is clearly not a match for his ancestor Bruce.
7. Tallant Wayne/Ibn al Xu’ffasch - Stronger
Tallant is actually Bruce Wayne’s grandson. Like his twin sister, Tallant possesses some considerable powers due to his alien heritage. Unlike Redstar, however, Tallant is not a crime fighter.
Kidnapped at a young age, Tallant was raised by Curaré and the Society of Assassins. Curaré succeeded in turning Tallant into the ultimate weapon.
After his first successful mission, Tallant was dubbed Ibn al Xu’ffasch by his adopted mother. He then returned to Gotham where he trapped and defeated his sister, Redstar.
Redstar is one of the most powerful members of the Batfamily and Tallant was able to defeat her. This along with his lifelong training and his Tamaranean powers is evidence enough to show that Tallant would be able to defeat Batman one-on-one.
6. Carrie Kelly/Robin - Weaker
Carrie Kelly was the first female Robin. She appeared in Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again, and The Dark Knight III: The Master Race.
Despite her spirit and determination, Carrie lacks any real training. She is a 13-year-old girl scout who becomes Robin after Batman saves her life.
Though she serves as a more than capable Robin against The Joker, she is quickly and decisively beaten by Nightwing.
Unlike many other Robins, Carrie never went on to have a solo career. Though she did begin going by the alias Catgirl, she remained a sidekick. Unfortunately, it seems as though Carrie is not one of the most capable members of the Batfamily.
5. Brenna Wayne/Batwoman - Stronger
This one is a bit of a no-brainer. The evidence is pretty strong that Brenna Wayne is stronger than Batman.
Brenna was born in the 24th century and has the advantage of advanced technology, while Bruce lacks superpowers and relies on his own time’s technology.
Brenna is also able to defeat the Immortal Vandal Savage, who had been battling the Wayne family for a thousand years. Batman himself fought the Savage and failed to defeat him, which speaks to the abilities of Brenna Wayne. The fact the she was able to do what Bruce could not is pretty conclusive evidence that she is a stronger and more capable fighter. That being said, there is no way to tell at this moment what led her to being so powerful.
4. Stephanie Brown/Batgirl - Weaker
One of the less impressive members of the Batfamily, Stephanie was introduced in Detective Comics #647. Initially, she went by the alias Spoiler – her agenda was simply to spoil the criminal plans of her father, the Cluemaster.
Though she started out as an autonomous superheroine, Stephanie’s character had very little independence. Her efforts to stop her father largely consisted of leading Batman and/or the police to him. She functions mostly as a plot device, acting as a foil for other characters. A large part of her role was to be a romantic interest for Tim Drake.
Because of her lack of agency and her eventual passing, Stephanie is clearly not a match for the Dark Knight, but worth a mention.
3. Terry McGinnis/Batman Beyond - Stronger
Though he was raised by Warren and Mary McGinnis, Terry McGinnis was secretly genetically engineered to be Bruce Wayne’s biological son and heir to the mantle of Batman.
Appearing in the Batman Beyond franchise, Terry’s life began as a troubled child. He was a member of a dangerous street gang and engaged in all manner of illegal activity. After his adopted parents passed away when he was in high school, Terry changed.
He became the new Batman and began a personal quest for redemption, and though he had no previous training or skill, Terry learned quickly.
It was not long before Terry surpassed his mentor and father. It is clear that Terry’s skill and strength are greater than Bruce’s, but that’s not all Terry has going for him. The Batman Beyond suit gives Terry superhuman strength, numerous weapons, and a built-in computer system.
2. Bruce Wayne, Jr. (Earth-3839)/Batboy - Weaker
Its difficult to be the son of the most iconic hero of all time, but that’s no excuse for dodgy hero work. In this case, it seems the apple fell very far from the tree.
Bruce Wayne, Jr. had a short and disastrous career as Batman. A rather lackluster hero, Bruce Jr. has a long history of failing: his wife Kara Kent (Supergirl) was dispatched in front of him, he arrived to late to prevent the Joker defeating Dick Grayson, and allowed Superman to be framed. Even his attempt to discover his missing father resulted in Bruce Jr. being captured.
Far from being able to defeat the original Batman in a one-on-one fight, it’s a wonder Bruce Jr. even manages to get the Batsuit on by himself.
1. Cassandra Cain/Orphan - Stronger
Cassandra Cain is possibly the most fearsome member of the Batfamily. First appearing in Batman #567, Cassandra was raised by the master assassin David Cain.
Kept in total isolation, Cassandra was raised to be the perfect body guard and assassin. She was not taught to speak or read, but instead was taught to read body language.
She can interpret people’s moods and feelings through minute expressions, allowing her to mimic anyone’s fighting style and even predict their movements.
Cassandra is the ultimate weapon: she is a master of martial arts and was trained by both the League of Assassins and by the Wayne family. Her agility and coordination, while not exactly superhuman, come very close, setting her apart from other human Wayne family members.
Is there someone else in the Batman family you feel we missed? Let us know in the comments!
