Nightwing Reveals His True Origin, Forever Changing How Fans See Grayson

Summary The latest issue of Nightwing offers a flashback to his first fall, offering a pivotal insight into his origin, one that may change how fans understand the deep connection between Dick Grayson and Bruce Wayne.

Dick fall as a child was the first instance of him confronting his fear, and overcoming it, a core part of his identity that was part of him even before the tragic death of his parents – and one that shows how similar he is to his mentor, Bruce Wayne, even before considering their similar traumatic backstories.

The redefined connection between Nightwing and Batman delves deeper into their strengths, showing their true connection goes far deeper than their parallel experiences and long time working together to protect Gotham.

Warning! Contains Spoilers For Nightwing #114!

Nightwing's origin as a circus kid whose parents were murdered in front of him is as pivotal to his character as Batman's similar origin – but DC has revealed the characters' connection goes beyond that. Though being taken in by Bruce Wayne and trained to fight crime shaped the trajectory of Dick Grayson's life, one moment proves he was always going to be a hero, even without Batman.

As revealed by the preview for Nightwing #114 – by Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo – readers are privy to the most important part of Dick's origin. Looking up to his parents, Dick wanted nothing more than to join them in their Flying Graysons act. So, one night, while he was much too young, he snuck into the big tent and climbed the ladder up to the top.

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Ultimately, he slipped, falling into the darkness and breaking several bones – though this was the first time Dick fell, but it wouldn't be the last.

Nightwing And Batman Share A Major Aspect Of Their Origin

Nightwing #114 – By Tom Taylor, Bruno Redondo, Adriano Lucas, & Wes Abbott

By depicting Dick Grayson's first fall in Nightwing #114, DC seems to be making it clear that Nightwing and Bruce are connected by their ability to overcome fear.

Like Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne witnessed the death of his parents at a young age due to crime, and it fundamentally changed who he was. Nightwing saw his parents dead after their circus performance was sabotaged by Tony Zucco. These two moments have always intrinsically connected the two characters, given that the similar nature of their trauma was the basis for the reason that Bruce decided to adopt Dick Grayson. However, with Nightwing #114, DC appears set to update the pivotal connection between the two characters.

By depicting Dick Grayson's first fall in Nightwing #114, DC seems to be making it clear that Nightwing and Bruce are connected by their ability to overcome fear. Famously, in Frank Miller's Batman: Year One, Bruce overcomes his fear of bats after falling into a cave, and subsequently, this fear is embodied in his superhero persona. Similarly, Nightwing's feats of acrobatic dexterity are more than just extensions of his family legacy, and his impeccable training – they are his own constant reminders of surmounting a fear that could have broken him.

[Nightwing #114] adds a layer to longstanding Batman lore, as the connections that have made Dick Grayson and Bruce Wayne lifelong allies are shown to have predated their shared tragedies.

The Connection Between Batman And Nightwing's Origins Is Redefined

Their Strength Is The Tie That Binds

While Batman hasn't been afraid of bats for years, Dick Grayson has recently been beset with a recurrence of his childhood fear of falling. Of course, this has significantly impacted his ability to function as a superhero – but more crucially, it has set the stage for a rich psychological drama as the character is forced once more to confront a primal insecurity deep within himself. It also adds a layer to longstanding Batman lore, as the connections that have made Dick Grayson and Bruce Wayne lifelong allies are shown to have predated their shared tragedies.

Nightwing and Batman will always share that major traumatic moment, when they witnessed the death of their parents. That shared trauma is what brought them together, and now Nightwing is following in Batman's steps again as he has to overcome his greatest fear. There's no doubt that falling from such a large height as a child likely terrified Dick, and now that fear resurfacing will jeopardize everything for Dick if he can't defeat it again. Just like Batman overcame his fear of bats, Nightwing is going to need to overcome this new fear of falling.

Nightwing #114 is on sale from DC Comics on May 21st!