My Thoughts

Batman and Robin
Mostly Robin in this regard, Robin is the sort of character that didn't start the sidekick wave, but he sure as hell made it spread throughout in a way that was enjoyable. Robin in my opinion is the definitive sidekick. He's a protege and a character of his own breed. After hearing of recent events involving the character in it's fourth iteration(technically 6th, but who's counting(me obviously)). Those events still up in the air, aside Grant Morrison himself saying that Damian Wayne is dead himself, and several news sources confirming this. I thought it appropriate to talk about the characterization of Robin, and his many forms.
First we'll start off with Dick Grayson, of the Flying Grayson's. His parents brutally murdered during a circus event that Bruce Wayne was enjoying. Dick fortunately fell in to the hands of the God-damned Batman, and became his ward. As the first Robin, and the concept of multiple Robins not existing until the 80's he enjoyed a very long tenure with the mantle. Lots of gay exploits, heh see what I did there? Yes the notion of Robin and Batman being a sort of gay symbolism was born with this version and era of the character. Albeit wasn't really a popular myth until the age of the internet. I still stick to the fact that Grayson and Wayne were as heterosexual as can be. It mostly was a father son situation taken for a ride due to weird writing and art. Dick eventually grew tired of the old man's attempt at restraining him and telling him how to be a hero, and took his own vision of a hero on the road. Thus, Nightwing was born.
Poor Jason Todd, who I rather like was the next to follow. After Bats caught him jacking his tires and Bruce feeling bad for him, Jason became the next to hold the title of Robin. A lot of people didn't like Jason, even though he had a better way of being an amazing Robin. He was a cast-out, an urchin. He had the best chance of becoming a turn-around character. Someone you could read from being a brash jackass in to becoming an amazing crime-fighting hero. Unfortunately, the fans supposedly(there is talk that the vote was a bit rigged by a certain voter) voted him to die in one of the most controversial comic book elections. In 2005 he made a return alive and well as the new Red Hood. A title formerly held by the Joker, who also killed Jason, and in that same decade put a bullet through Barbara Gordon's spine causing her to become crippled and take on the character of Oracle. I seriously suggest checking out the movie "Under The Red Hood", an animated feature involving's Todd's return.
Then came along Tim Drake, a master detective himself. At a very young age he was able to deduce the identity of Batman and had the same abilities to persuade Bruce himself to make him the next Robin. Bats saw a lot of himself in the child, and the dynamic duo was reborn in the late 80's and existed for a long time through most of the 90's. Tim really doesn't have much in the way of historic events in his tenure as Robin, but he is a definite fan-favorite. It's probably because he is considered a pure Robin that he's held in such regards. It kind of saddens me that he in the New 52 was never a Robin, and instead took on the title of Red Robin immediately. However, I can see why DC felt that jumping from Todd after his supposed death would be such a hard thing for Batman to take on, and in doing so have another Robin.
This all of course changes when Bats finds out he has an actual son, Damian Wayne. By far my favorite Robin. He epitomizes the character in every way, if you're going to look at Robin being a true protege to Batman. Yes I know after Batman's short-lived death, Dick took over the title in battle for the cowl and was a very good Batman for what he did, but who was there by his side? Damian was, and he was amazing as filling that roll that Bruce was to Grayson, even at their age-range. Yes Damian initially was rash and cut-throat, but what is Bruce in his current form? The exact same. However, Damian's excuse for that is simple. He shares not just the DNA of Bruce, but the DNA of the Al Ghul family. His mother is Talia, and he was raised to be a demon, that would help her family take over the world in the way that her father had dreamed. So he had a bit of Ra's in him as well.
Damian if I haven't said it, is my favorite Robin. His characterization is almost identical to Bruce's characterization of Batman. He is the perfect son for this occasion, and yes Bruce has reserves on this. Damian never had his parents killed before his eyes, but he has that same tenacity and willingness as if he did.  He did note his father's death, and his mother is for the most part dead to him, but that came later. And in some regards holds no substitute to Bruce's loss. He eventually accepted Grayson as his better half and enjoyed their time together as the dynamic duo during Bruce's absence. He adapted emotionally to situations very similar to Bruce's style. He was reflexive, and therefore in my opinion the best person when he came of age to claim the cowl. Grant Morrison made this character to the best of his abilities, and from what I understand has claimed his life in the upcoming issue of Batman Inc. 8.
This is the biggest death in the Batman universe since Jason Todd, but it has more depth than that. No one voted that Damian die. Grant essentially created the character, and even had created a future universe for him to romp around in(Batman 666). So he had every right to say when he's done writing about Batman, he's taking his son with him, in more ways than one. This man killed Batman(In Final Crisis, sorry read-along readers), and he can kill Damian if he damn well pleases. Then there is Batman and Al Ghul's connection to the infamous Lazarus Pits. Will this happen? I doubt it, since Bruce isn't insane enough to risk his son's own sanity in the pits. But, DC has been kind of stupid lately. And God forbid Scotty Snyder agrees to write that story, after what Grant has done for DC in recent years.
Whatever sorcery DC decides to cook up, I'll remember these characters and their placement in the said DC universe regardless of the old or new 52. Honestly, you can't get a better job in the super-hero world than being under the wing of Batman, unless you die of course... crap.

Suggested Listening: The Divine Comedy - Mother Dear