Nightwing

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Nightwing

Portrayed by Ian Somerhalder
Statistics
Full Name	Richard John Grayson
Age	25
Height	6'
Build	Gymnast
Eyes	Blue
Hair	Black
Skin	Anglo
Factions	Bat-Family

Table of Contents

Quoted!

Dick Grayson is the ward and adopted son of billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne. While handsome and available, he tends to keep a low profile outside of the occasional paparazzi incident. Nightwing is another of Gotham's shadows, part of Batman's brood, but has gained some notoriety as a hero in his own right beyond the confines of Gotham.

Reputation

To the wider public, Nightwing is known as one of the heroes of Gotham and especially as the personal savior and protector of the town called Bludhaven. In the hero community, Nightwing has a reputation for both incredible skill and a bit of an attitude. Cocky, self-assured and maybe even a little arrogant, he nonetheless has a habit of getting the job done and making it look easy.

Biography

Dick Grayson grew up as part of the Flying Graysons, a family of the world's most accomplished acrobats, generations of pure athletes of which he was the latest, shining light. When they were performing their circus act in Gotham, however, when Dick was only twelve, the real world intruded on the magic of the circus when an assassin murdered his family in cold blood, sabotating their rig and ensuring their deaths before a live audience as an act of revenge on the ringmaster. In the audience that night was a young billionaire named Bruce Wayne. Bruce took the boy in…and, in time, came to share his secret identity as the Batman. Driven by the same thirst for revenge that fueled Bruce's quest, Dick cajoled Bruce into training him as his partner, taking the name Robin after the Robin Hood stories he loved so much. Of course, everyone else just took it to be the bird. So he embraced it, wearing a red vest and showing just what a bird could do.

Years passed, with Dick growing more and more into the role of Robin. He proved himself time and time again in the street, even though some villains had a habit of taking him hostage, seeing him as vulnerable. That only made him tougher, though. As he got older, though, he branched out more and more. He met other young heroes and joined together to team with them - they became his closest friends and, at times, they regarded him as their leader. And, over time, his relationship with Bruce grew more distant - like any son, he was growing older, more rebellious, and he didn't like being told what to do. Eventually, it lead to a schism and Dick laid down the mantle of Robin. In its place, he designed a new costume, a new identity, a man's identity.

He called himself Nightwing.

In the years that have passed, Nightwing has become a prominent hero in his own right - and, along the way, he's matured enough to make peace with Batman and become part of his family once again. He mentors other young heroes while continuing to do work on his own. He's learned ot accept that he'll always be a bit in the shadow of the Bat - but there's plenty of room to fly in the shadows.

Character Details

On the surface, Dick Grayson is smirking, self-confident, playful and roguish. He has a habit of taunting his enemies and friends alike. A natural athlete and fighter, things tend to come easily for him that other people have to work hard at and he isn't in the least afraid of showing off. He was raised to be a performer, after all, and he's always aware of his audience. He was also raised to be a liar and a deceiver by his other father, Bruce Wayne. The mask of confidence he wears overlays the wounded heart that never quite healed after the day he watched his family tumble from the sky to land in bloody pools on the ground. Truly, Dick Grayson broke that day into a thousand pieces. The man that Batman helped put back together still has sharp edges, and they cut him as much as they do others. He hides his pain deep, though, maybe even deeper than Bruce, trying to pretend like he's over it, that he's moved on. He pursues fun and tries to make a normal life for himself, but the truth is he'll never be normal. Part of him will never heal and the only thing that ever makes it remotely better is putting a beating on those who deserve it. It may not be revenge…but it sure is satisfying.

Acrobat
Dick has been trained in acrobatics and gymnastics from almost before he could walk. While he is not superhuman, he possesses a natural acuity and talent for the craft that is virtually unmatched. He can twist, flip, spin and somersault with incredible skill. He can walk tightropes, swing on ropes and even dodge gunfire with his speed of movement and moves that most wouldn't even attempt.
Athlete
Dick may not be a match for Bruce in terms of fighting skill or detection, but he might be an even greater natural athlete. Dick's conditioning, strength, dexterity and stamina are all top of the line, constantly pushed to the limits of what's attainable in a normal human being. He works out religiously and treats his body very much like a temple (although occasionally he does allows for parties in the temple).
Martial Arts
Nightwing has extensive training in the martial arts, both from Batman himself and from various other teachers he's met through his life (or had 'assigned' to him by Batman). He's an excellent hand-to-hand combatant, especially deft at combining his fighting skills with his acrobatic kills. He's particularly good as a striker, with fast hands and feet. He's not quite as good as his mentor, but being just a little less good than Batman is still pretty damn good.
Detective
Dick doesn't have as much patience or natural talent for detection as Batman, but he's nonetheless well-versed in the skills. He knows how to gather clues, sort through evidence, pursue leads and chase down suspects. His mind has been trained by logic puzzles, tests and, ultimately, having to think fast in life-or-death situations. Nightwing can solve mysteries at an elite level and could easily be a superstar for any law enforcement agency lucky enough to have him.
Leadership
Dick's become comfortable being in charge. Often serving as Bruce's second-in-command among his fellows, he's also been a leader of teams of young heroes in the past. He's quick on his feet, decisive and doesn't mind telling other people what to do. He's got at organizing and has a precise, logical mind that lets him put together plans of action and use people to their best. He's also charismatic enough to inspire trust and loyalty in those who follow him.
Stealth
Nightwing has extensive stealth training, from cat burglary to ninja skills. He's excellent at staying hidden in shadows, moving silently, and following others without being detected. He can stay motionless and still for hours at a time, making him an expert observer and invaluable on a stakeout. He's even capable of pulling that classic Bat-trick of disappearing at a moment's notice, sure to infuriate police commissioners and angry girlfriends alike.
Security
Dick has extensive training in all manner of security systems, both electronic and old-fashioned. He's a master lockpick and can easily break into most any safe or through any door. He knows how to disable even the most advanced of security systems (and how to set them and plug their holes from a defensive standpoint). He knows the best way to get by guards and how to analyze and take advantage of weaknesses in any security set.
Escapology
Nightwing has been trained to slip through bonds and escape imprisonment. He can slip and pick handcuffs, dislocate joints to escape ropes and knows the way out of even seemingly inescapable prison cells. He's been taken hostage and prisoner far more than he'd like to remember and, while he had to be rescued a few times, he got pretty damn good at getting out on his own.
Pilot
Batman has some wonderful toys and he let Dick play with most of them. He's a highly skilled stunt driver, a capable jet and helicopter pilot and can put into operation even complex boats and watercraft. He's even driven a tank or two in his day. Personally, he likes the motorcycle the best, but he's damn good behind any wheel or stick.
Weapons
Nightwing extensively uses a variety of weapons, notably combat batons, bo staff and a variety of throwing weapons. He's moved from the classic Batarang to his own stylized variations, but the principle is the same, part boomerang and part shuriken. He's a master of throwing and melee weapons of a wide-ranging variety. He's even a masterfully skilled fencer and, in fact, is rather fond of swordfighting.
Jack Of All
Dick's had to learn a ton of miscellaneous skills, either as covers or simply as part of his elaborate training scheme. He's an expert scuba diver and paratrooper. He's well-versed in law and legal theory. He studied architecture for a time and knows enough about demolitions to dismantle and defuse most forms of conventional explosives. He's a skilled actor, capable of taking on multiple roles and improvising stories on the fly. He knows the basics of stage magick (although he's not the devotee to the art that his mentor is). His natural athleticism have made him good at a multitude of sports, notably basketball, baseball and track & field, beyond his gymnastic skills. He's got wilderness skills and can survive in a wide variety of harsh environments. He's even a passable ventriloquist and tried his hand at stand-up comedy a time or two. You never know when something will prove useful, and he's constantlly trying new things and expanding his repertoire of skills.

Allies
Nightwing's the oldest "son" and a vital member of what's sometimes called the Bat-Family, a strong organization of vigilantes and crimefighters centered in Gotham and lead by Batman. In addition, he has a variety of heroes and friends he's made over his years in costume around the world. These people can be called on in times of trouble and can provide skills and powers far beyond Nightwing's own capabilities. Of course, by the same token, they can call on him in return.
Son Of Wayne
Dick Grayson has a significant trust fund set up from the Wayne Foundation. While he still likes to make his own living when he can, the fact that he has around twenty million dollars just sitting in the bank certainly doesn't hurt. In addition, he is, as Bruce Wayne's oldest ward (even if he's of majority now) considered a partial heir to the Wayne Estate. He can also simply ask Bruce for his financial leverage and assistance in matters that reach beyond Dick's own resources. Of course, he hates asking Bruce for stuff like that, so, odds are, he'll only use such resources as a last resort.
Beyond Trained
There's conventional training and then there's Bat-Training. Dick Grayson's training was beyond intensive - it was his whole life, from an age at which most boys are mostly just worrying about girls or pimples or whether they can make the junior varsity team. From the age of twelve on, for Dick Grayson, life was war. His training, as a result, is so deeply ingrained as to be pure reflex, a natural response that's quicker than thought. Crimefighting is burned into his bones. The training goes so deep as to give him incredible abilities of concentration, pain tolerance, focus and meditation. He's extraordinarily difficult to distract and can perform complex tasks in violently adverse conditions. He's been tortured more times than he can count, mostly before he was old enough to legally drive and sometimes at the hand of his 'father' as part of his training. He was Bruce's first protege and, as such, he got the good and the bad, the mistakes and the victories. It's part of the reason their relationship is so complicated, but it's also made him an incredibly formidable man. Dick always knows that, by surviving his adolescence, he proved he can survive most anything.
Costume
Nightwing's costume is equipped with a thin layer of Wayne Tech designed bulletproofing, the very cutting edge, protecting him from even high-caliber bullets, blades and penetrations. The costume is flame resistant and insulated against electrical attack. It's equipped with numerous hidden pockets, along with a built-in grapple launcher in his bracers. His utility belt is equipped with a wide array of tools and gadgets, from simple lockpicks and scanners to more elaborate weapons and tools such as gas pellets, sonic grenades, and, of course his trademark throwing wings. His mask has flare-resistant lenses, a HUD readout with a wifi connection to the Oracle's computer network and voice-activated comms. It has infrared and thermal vision capabilities.
Nightcycle
Nightwing has a motorcycle he calls his own, a custom vehicle with quite a few tricks up its sleeve. Capable of going at speeds of nearly 200 mph, the Nightcycle has a fully electric backup engine, capable of going without gas for hundreds of miles. The cycle has weapons, including low-caliber machine guns, oil slicks, and razor dart launchers. The cycle is armored against conventional bullets and can withstand impacts of incredible speed and come out unscathed. The bike is keyed to Nightwing's optic signature and requires his retina-scan to start, unless he uses a specific vocal override code (with voice recognition).

Cocky
Dick's not shy about his own capabilities. He knows he's damn good and he isn't afraid to take risks and trust that his abilities will see him through. That can lead him to take unnecessary risks and put himself in situations where he's in over his head.
Grudges
Nightwing's busted a lot of bad guy chops over the years. Many of those chops belonged to completely violent lunatics who spend most of their vacation days in Arkham Asylum. There's always someone wanting him dead and he often has a price on his carcass. Looking over his shoulder is just part and parcel of what he does.
Traumatized
Dick tries to pretend he's over what happened to his family, that he's processed it and put it behind him. That is, of course, a lie. He still remembers, vividly, the sight of his family lying in pools of blood, murdered before his eyes. He's never going to feel whole or okay ever again, not really. He channels that rage and mourning into his fight, but there's still an open, festering emotional wound deep down inside him.
It's Complicated
Dick's relationship with Batman is an uneasy one. There is great love and loyalty there. He would die for Bruce and he knows Bruce would die for him. But they don't always get along. They butt heads. Dick doesn't like much being told what to do anymore and Bruce doesn't much like people not doing what he tells them. They have gone through periods where they aren't speaking to each other. Sometimes they'll disagree on how to approach a problem or an enemy and will lose time or miss out on things in their conflict. It isn't easy and sometimes it causes problems, but they'll also never be done with each other. While Bruce is like a father to the other Robins, Bruce was more like Dick's older brother and, like most brothers, they are prone to fighting.
Secret Identity
Protecting his secret identity is important to Dick, both for himself and for those he cares about. His identity leads inevitably to Bruce's identity and to the identities of the careful web of friends and family built around them. Very, very few are those trusted with Dick Grayson's dual life and he will go to extraordinary measures to keep that secret from coming out.
Temper
Dick has something of an issue with his temper. He's willful, pushy, demanding of himself as much as he is of others. When others push back against him, against his decisions, his leadership or just if they hurt someone he cares about, he can go off the handle in extraordinary ways, in part due to the undealt with damage still inside his psyche. This can result in him making rash decisions and alienating others when he needs to be calm. He's always working on this, but has more success on some days than others.

Relationships

New Player as of August 23 2015

RP Logs & Journals

May 28, 2018: A Bit of Magnetic Assistance

Nightwing and Polaris run into some explosive traffic and solve the problem together.

(permalink: log:7446 | tags: nightwing polaris | posted: 28 May 2018 18:47)

May 23, 2018: Team Players

It turns out growing up as vigilante crime fighters instills unhealthy behaviours in people.

(permalink: log:7431 | tags: nightwing red_robin | posted: 24 May 2018 05:48)

December 14, 2016: The Ghosts of You and Me

Takes place before 'A String of Lost Opportunities', Detective Richard Grayson attends Gotham University's Criminal Justice class as its guest lecturer, and manages to reacquaint himself with a figure from his past.

(permalink: log:4986 | tags: mortal_instruments nightwing zatanna_zatara | posted: 22 Dec 2016 10:55)

December 02, 2016: The Dark Devil Debuts

The Dark Devil, fresh off her latest fight, tests herself against Nightwing and Batman.

(permalink: log:4918 | tags: batman nightwing the_dark_devil | posted: 05 Dec 2016 13:50)

November 06, 2016: Missing Children

Batman and Nightwing investigate take a Bludhaven investigation out into Bristol County

(permalink: log:4869 | tags: batman nightwing | posted: 07 Nov 2016 03:44)

September 28, 2016: Boundary Issues

Batman treads on Nightwing's turf.

(permalink: log:4863 | tags: batman nightwing | posted: 05 Nov 2016 21:09)

September 27, 2016: Bat Family Outing

The bats have a family BBQ. No "shop" talk.

(permalink: log:4830 | tags: batman nightwing oracle spoiler | posted: 01 Oct 2016 14:41)

July 29, 2016: Staff meeting

Roy reports back to Dick and Tim with what he gained from his meeting with Jason.

(permalink: log:4586 | tags: arsenal nightwing red_robin | posted: 29 Jul 2016 18:07)

July 18, 2016: We were all family once

Nightwing seeks Arsenal and Starfire's advice on how to deal with New York's organized crime. They offer him better than that.

(permalink: log:4504 | tags: arsenal nightwing nyc starfire | posted: 18 Jul 2016 19:24)

July 10, 2016: Keeping this family together

Nightwing tries to get Batman to open up about his reaction to the news about Jason. That goes about as well as you'd expect.

(permalink: log:4471 | tags: batman nightwing | posted: 11 Jul 2016 02:47)

July 01, 2016: I Saw Your Face

Red Hood goes into Gotham and starts dropping clues…and killing more mafia scum.

(permalink: log:4420 | tags: nightwing red_hood | posted: 01 Jul 2016 21:12)

June 21, 2016: Failed Intervention

Nightwing drops in just as Oracle returns home … the discussion doesn't start well.

(permalink: log:4375 | tags: nightwing oracle red_robin | posted: 22 Jun 2016 06:37)

June 15, 2016: Of Role Models and Batcopter Brothers

Nightwing and Red Robin catch up while ostensibly on patrol.

(permalink: log:4338 | tags: gotham nightwing red_robin | posted: 15 Jun 2016 20:59)

June 14, 2016: A Girl with a Bird

Bloodied but not broken by their recent experiences, Nightwing and Catwoman meet by chance on a rooftop. The two discuss what they've been through and the uneasy truce they are forming.

(permalink: log:4334 | tags: catwoman nightwing | posted: 14 Jun 2016 19:29)

May 14, 2016: D.T.F (pt 1)

In the very heart of Gotham; two members of the Bat-Family and a thief find a missing ally.

(permalink: log:4194 | tags: bluebird catwoman fantomex nightwing | posted: 15 May 2016 02:45)

April 30, 2016: Still Life with Pyg

Harper, Dick and Bruce talk at Wayne Manor.

(permalink: log:4106 | tags: batman bluebird meat_is_murder nightwing | posted: 30 Apr 2016 19:56)

February 27, 2016: Awkwarrrd

Bluebird finally confronts Nightwing about his secret. Aka Bats are dicks!

(permalink: log:3436 | tags: bluebird nightwing | posted: 28 Feb 2016 05:43)

February 24, 2016: Mystery Pyg

Fantomex and Harper search for information in Arkham

(permalink: log:3729 | tags: bluebird fantomex meat_is_murder nightwing | posted: 17 Mar 2016 12:10)

February 14, 2016: Nightwing Down

Nightwing is captured and thrown into Arkham by minions; and reveals a shocking truth to Bluebird.

(permalink: log:3337 | tags: bluebird meat_is_murder nightwing | posted: 16 Feb 2016 13:25)

February 11, 2016: Ooze on First

Nightwing, Fairchild and Superman deal with a giant ooze named Daryl.

(permalink: log:3294 | tags: fairchild nightwing superman | posted: 12 Feb 2016 09:29)

January 10, 2016: Never Smile at a Crocodile

The Joker breaks into Arkham Aslyum in order to break people -out-.

(permalink: log:3057 | tags: bluebird joker meat_is_murder nightwing oracle the_cavalry | posted: 11 Jan 2016 02:50)

December 16, 2014: Batarangs

Nightwing visits Oracle to discuss Batarangs and Misfit. Tim visits as well.

(permalink: log:797 | tags: nightwing oracle red_robin | posted: 23 Apr 2015 23:53)

December 08, 2014: Nightwing Misfits

Oracle introduces Nightwing and Misfit

(permalink: log:781 | tags: misfit nightwing oracle | posted: 23 Apr 2015 23:27)

November 26, 2014: What Family Does

Dick and Babs visit a damaged Tim.

(permalink: log:753 | tags: nightwing oracle red_robin | posted: 23 Apr 2015 22:03)

November 11, 2014: Nightwing Gets The Punchline

Nightwing responds to Oracles message to contact her ASAP to be told Robin and The Joker. The meeting with Oracle, is tense.

(permalink: log:743 | tags: nightwing oracle | posted: 23 Apr 2015 21:34)

November 10, 2014: Of Birds and Messages

Robin takes a beating and is told to deliver another message to Batman… Oracle and Nightwing try to talk sense into him.

(permalink: log:643 | tags: nightwing oracle red_robin vorpal zola | posted: 18 Apr 2015 20:20)

November 08, 2014: Seeds of Smallville, Part One, Vantage Point A

Stryker's Island is broken apart by an unseen foe hellbent on bringing trauma to America's favorite city. (This scene is the first vantage point from a two-room scene)

(permalink: log:1411 | tags: booster_gold captain_marvel columbia nightwing ozymandias superman | posted: 23 May 2015 17:01)

November 06, 2014: No Double Date

Nightwing and Babs catch up before the Night Job and discuss, among other things, Robin

(permalink: log:656 | tags: nightwing oracle | posted: 18 Apr 2015 20:51)

October 14, 2014: Bats At The Zoo

Tim tells Babs and Dick about his job offer and doesn't get the response he expected.

(permalink: log:550 | tags: gotham nightwing oracle red_robin | posted: 16 Apr 2015 19:13)

October 06, 2014: 20141006-nightwing-pays-oracle-a-visit

Dick brings takeout for Babs - and receives an unexpected answer

(permalink: log:543 | tags: gotham nightwing oracle | posted: 16 Apr 2015 18:53)

August 13, 2014: Moneyball

A brief respite in the life of the Bat Family. Babs hosts a mini watch party for a baseball game at the clock tower. Bruce, Dick, and Cassandra are the guests.

(permalink: log:538 | tags: batgirl batman nightwing oracle | posted: 16 Apr 2015 18:35)

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