10 Most Heartbreaking Moments In The DC Animated Universe

4. Dick Grayson Leaves The Circus - Batman: The Animated Series

Batman the Animated Series Robin's Reckoning
Warner Bros.

It would be remiss to make a list all about the DCAU's most heartbreaking moments and not include Batman: The Animated Series.

BTAS is rightly lauded as one of the finest animated shows of all time, boasting tremendous animation, gripping stories and superb reimaginings of some of Batman's characters to impart the definitive version of the Dark Knight.

One of the show's best episodes was Robin's Reckoning, a two-part special that recounted the origins of Dick Grayson and how he found his way to Batman. It's an incredibly heartfelt story, showcasing how two kindred spirits found each other through great tragedy, and how they turned that pain into a force for good.

Of course though, with it being about the death of Dick Grayson's parents and how he became an orphan, things were bound to get a little emotional. Arguably the saddest moment arrives when Dick says his goodbyes to Haly's Circus, with even the elephant welling up and giving him a hug with his trunk.

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Content Producer/Presenter
Content Producer/Presenter

Resident movie guy at WhatCulture who used to be Comics Editor. Thinks John Carpenter is the best. Likes Hellboy a lot. Can usually be found talking about Dad Movies on his Twitter at @EwanRuinsThings.