Movies News Talk
As Batman: Dark Age reveals a reinterpretated origin story that casts a dark shadow over Dick Grayson, the legendary Nightwing, get ready for a major change in his narrative. Set in the 1960s and running forward in real-time, this retelling offers Bruce Wayne's path as the Dark Knight a fresh viewpoint and, with it, a radical reinterpretation of Dick Grayson's beginnings.
Dick Grayson is no more the innocent circus acrobat Batman saves in this other reality. Rather, he discovers himself caught in Gotham City's criminal underworld, directly employed for the infamous Carmine Falcone. This turn of events throws a wrench in the accepted story of their shared past and separates the two heroes across the law.
Batman's first meeting with Dick in Batman: Dark Age is not at all like the archetypal beginning. Having seen Dick's criminal behavior, Bruce tries to steer him toward a better road; but, Dick, hardened by his past, turns away his advice and runs away. This sharp contrast to the well-known story highlights the controversial relationship growing between these two legendary people.
The Effects on Nightwing's Character
This sinister beginning narrative presents an other view of Nightwing's character. Gone is the young, idealistic Robin, replaced by a person shaped in the criminal underworld of Gotham. This Dick Grayson is tough, dubious, and rebuffing of Batman's direction. His past events have molded him into a more complicated and morally dubious person, so subverting the conventional wisdom regarding the hero we know and love.
The knowledge that Falcone plans Dick's death in this timeline throws still another level of complexity into their relationship. Seeing Dick as a liability, Falcone tries to get rid of him, so underlining the corrupting effect of Gotham's criminal underground and the dangerous road Dick has chosen. This clear discrepancy with his mainstream background begs problems regarding the reasons behind his criminal activities and the elements guiding him down this sinister road.
A Turning of Fate: Investigating the Dynamic Duo's Future
The Dynamic Duo's future depends much on this changed past. The narrative opens a world of possibilities for their relationship while Dick Grayson's fate hangs in the balance and Batman struggles with the death of his ward. Readers are left with an interesting look into a possibly darker and more complicated future as the issue of how this dark origin will shape Nightwing's path and his relationship with Batman is yet unresolved.