My 2nd round pick in the "Sidekick" category is...Nightwing. The quintessential sidekick all grown up. Dick Grayson broke the chains of the Robin identity and became a hero all on his own as Nightwing despite regularly returning to fight at Batman's side as though he will always be his sidekick at heart. He has been the leader of The Teen Titans, The Outsiders and even the vaunted Justice League of America for a time.
Although Nightwing doesn't have any superpowers he does posess the peak athletic strength and endurance of a man who regularly engages in intensive physical exercise.
His detective and martial arts skills are almost at Batman's level, making him one of the best crime fighters alive. Being a master of a half dozen martial arts such as: Judo, Jeet Kune Do, Taekwondo, Aikido, Wing Chun, and Escrima. He also possesses vast training in other martial arts such as Hapkido, Jiu-jitsu, Karate, Savate, Kendo, Ninjitsu, and Tai Chi. He was trained by Batman in everything from escapology to criminology, fencing, stealth, disguise, and numerous other combat/non-combat disciplines. He is among the seven characters in the DCU that fans are considering for best martial artist.
Dick being a prodigious natural athlete, possess a peak human level of agility and acrobatic skills. He is the best acrobat in the DC universe. He is the only person on Earth who can do the quadruple somersault now that his parents are dead (he used to be one of three).
Batman is now dead and there are a number of "contenders for the cowl" but the odds on favourite to become the new Dark Knight of Gotham City - the new Batman - is Nightwing.
