Articles
All of Batman’s Mentors, Ranked by Importance to the Hero
As DC heroes go, there is no one quite as formidable as Batman. Despite not having any actual superpowers (and no, we are not counting being rich as a superpower), Batman is one of the most powerful heroes. He’s incredibly difficult to beat, both physically and in terms of strategy. He is prepared for almost anything at any time and whatever he’s not prepared for, well, just give him time. A lot of that comes down to training and, over the years, Batman has had no shortage of teachers helping to shape him into Gotham’s Dark Knight.
But while Batman has had no shortage of teachers, there is a much shorter list of people who have had major influence over the hero. These teachers transcend merely educating him in methods of combat or fundamentals of investigation to something more. These are the people who have shaped him not just as a vigilante but as a man as well. Here are Batman’s mentors, as ranked by how important they are to the hero. Not every teacher made this list, but not everyone on this list is a “teacher” either.
7) Harvey Harris
If there hadn’t been Harvey Harris, Batman might not be the World’s Greatest Detective. While Batman’s close partnership with Commissioner Gordon is the relationship with law enforcement that most Batman fans know best, young Bruce Wayne actually started out learning about detective skills from private detective Harvey Harris. In the comics, Harvey trained a young Bruce Wayne—though Bruce was wearing a brightly colorful costume to conceal his identity at the time. Harvey figured out who he was despite this and ended up teaching the young crimefighter the art of detective work. Harvey is also credited with giving Bruce the idea for the name “Robin” and the older detective’s impact can still be seen not only in Batman’s excellent detective skills, but in the existence of the Robins as well.
6) Ted Grant
Ted Grant, also known as the Golden Age superhero Wildcat, doesn’t get the appreciation he deserves as a hero or as one of Batman’s mentors but his significance to the Dark Knight’s fighting skills (not to mention those of several other heroes, including Black Canary, Catwoman, and even Superman) cannot be understated. Ted taught Batman all about boxing which might sound minor considering Batman has mastered countless forms of martial arts. However, at the end of the day it’s street-level skills that often get Batman out of the biggest jams and thanks to Ted, Batman has those gritty, regular brawler skills.
5) Kirigi
Speaking of martial arts, Bruce has trained under many great masters but one of the most significant might just be Kirigi. A master of ninjutsu, Kirigi is behind the training of the likes of Lady Shiva, the League of Assassins, Bronze Tiger, and more. What makes Kirigi unique is that, among all of the martial arts training that Batman has undergone, it’s what he learned from Kirigi that has arguably had the most impact on Batman. Without the master’s specific fighting techniques, there have been more than a few times that Batman would have been defeated but, perhaps more than that, it’s the stealth skills that Batman learned from this mentor that he’s fully incorporated into his own work.
4) Henri Ducard
Let’s get something settled right now: Henri Ducard is not Ra’s al Ghul, at least not in the comics. Ducard is actually a French detective and manhunter from whom Bruce learned how to investigate, track, and apprehend outside of law enforcement. While Bruce would ultimately leave Ducard’s training because of the man’s utilization of killing in his work, Bruce learned a lot about how to operate extralegally and how to pursue particularly difficult criminals. Ducard also serves as a reminder of Batman’s own no killing vow, and one can only think that every time he manages to use what her learned from Ducard without taking a life, he is himself reminded that you can take what serves you and leave the rest.
3) Shihan Matsuda
While Shihan Matsuda is another ninjitsu master, Matsuda’s influence as a mentor is much, much larger than martial arts. One of the things that has become almost synonymous with Batman is his position that he can’t let anyone close to him. There are various reasons for why Bruce doesn’t do well with his personal relationships, but one of them is the idea that they’re a weakness and that’s an ideology he got from Matsuda. As it turns out, Bruce had feelings for a woman named Mio, but Mio wasn’t exactly on the level. She was actually an assassin sent to kill Mio and, after she attacked, the master delivered to Bruce that haunting bit of “advice” to never need or love others because it’s a weakness. While that is actually terrible advice, it has dramatically shaped Batman.
2) Ra’s Al Ghul
It might seem odd to consider Ra’s Al Ghul a mentor. After all, he’s one of Batman’s greatest enemies. However, there is nothing that says your enemies cannot be mentors in a sense—and depending on where you are in Batman’s continuity, he did actually train with the League. No matter where you are in Batman’s history, the Dark Knight has learned a lot from the Head of the Demon. He’s learned valuable fighting skills and stealth from Ra’s as well as strategy. One could also argue that he learned how he does not want to be from Ra’s, something that is reinforced as Bruce parents and mentors his own son, Damian.
1) Alfred Pennyworth
Alfred Pennyworth may not have taught Bruce how to fight or any particular martial arts skills. He may not have instructed him in investigation or gadgetry. But in terms of mentors, there is no one more important to Batman than his beloved butler. Alfred stepped up and raised Bruce after the death of his parents so in a very real way, everything Bruce Wayne is (and, in turn, everything Batman is) is because of Alfred. He’s the intellectual and emotional support Bruce needed both to grow up and to grow into his mission as well as to maintain the man under the cape and cowl. All of Bruce’s other mentors may have given him a lot, but it’s Alfred’s guidance that takes all of those disparate lessons and turns them into knowledge and power.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
