NIGHTWING PORTRAYAL

A modern-day Nightwing portrayal inspired by The Batman (2022)

BLUE SUIT ERA—Nightwing/Dick Grayson: aged 1-20-25, Mason Thames.

RED SUIT ERA—Nightwing/Dick Grayson: aged 30-43, Jared Padalecki.

STORYLINE (TW: Neglect, Murder, etc.)

CHILDHOOD — The Flying Graysons (2017)

Dick Grayson: Ten years old

Dick Grayson was born into The Flying Graysons, a circus family, on July 10th, 2007. His parents, John Grayson and Mary Grayson, were world-famous trapeze artists. Dick grew up performing acrobatics and became one of the best young performers in the circus. What audiences did not know was the Graysons were a deeply troubled family, and Dick’s parents did not get along. leaving him alone with his own self and thoughts a majority of his time while they were alive. Though they both loved Dick, and he loved them, he did not get the attention he deserved as he grew up. During a circus performance in Gotham City, mob boss Tony Zucco sabotaged the trapeze to ensure John's and Mary’s deaths after the circus refused to pay protection money. Dick had watched his parents fall to their deaths firsthand.

EARLY TEENS — Becoming Robin (2022)

Dick Grayson: Fifteen years old

Five years after the death of his parents, Dick Grayson had been a foster child for five years and was in and out of different foster homes before one day he was adopted by Bruce Wayne. Dick had begun to attend high school after his adoption, though he easily got into fights and was a troubled kid. Bruce had recognized Dick’s anger and pain similar to his own after losing his parents. Instead of letting Dick seek revenge alone, he had trained him in martial arts and took him in as the first ever Robin. However, as time went on, Dick saw that Bruce was neglectful and uncaring about Dick’s mental state and practically forced him into crime fighting. Though Dick liked being a symbol of hope toward the city of Gotham and being a hero for the people, he began to hate Bruce. He was controlling, emotionally distant, and overly focused on the mission. Because of this, early on in his career as Robin, he had gone rogue and run away from his adoptive home to pursue crime fighting of his own as Robin.

EARLY ADULTHOOD — Robin’s Revenge (2025)

Dick Grayson: Eighteen years old

Three years after running away from Bruce Wayne, Dick had found out the truth about his parents’ deaths during an investigation where a thug had mentioned Tony Zucco. Dick grew furious, tracking down Zucco and bringing him to an abandoned amusement park where he regretfully killed Tony. Because of this, Bruce and Dick had cut contact, and their tension between each other remained even stronger as he broke Batman’s no-kill rule.

ADULTHOOD — Becoming Nightwing (2026)

Dick Grayson: Nineteen years old

After the mistake of killing and growing completely distant from Bruce, Dick had gone fully independent as his own hero. He wore a black and blue suit and called himself Nightwing, which was derived and inspired by a story of a legendary Kryptonian hero that Superman had told him about. He stayed in Gotham for a few more months as Nightwing before moving to Blüdhaven and becoming the protector of it. He eventually formed the group "The Teen Titans," which lasted only a few years before they had all fallen out with each other and broke apart.

ADULTHOOD/MIDDLE ADULTHOOD/LATE ADULTHOOD — Nightwing Returns (2046)

Dick Grayson: Twenty-nine/thirty years old

After Dick killed Tony Zucco and The Teen Titans broke up, Dick took a five-year break from being Nightwing, where he was convinced he’d never come back to being a hero, as he regretted his past mistakes and letting his team fall apart. Until one day new and bigger threats emerged in the city of Blüdhaven. He picked his mantle back up and is instead now wearing black and red instead of black and blue. During this same time, he had finally made amends with Bruce Wayne, and he carried on his superhero career proudly.

Through all of his hard experiences, he kept his witty and humorous behavior as both Nightwing and as Dick. Bruce truly admired him as he grew into a man.