Batman Beyond:Nightwing: Where is he now?

[filmationbatmanfan]

Greetings fellow Gothamites.

I was thinking about Batman Beyond and what had happened to Bruce's former allies. In the series, Barbara Gordon is now Police Commissioner and married to the D.A. And in Return of the Joker, Tim Drake is in high tech communications and is apparently married. The question is, whatever happened to Dick Grayson? formerly Nightwing and the original protege of Bruce Wayne. We do know that he was mentioned in the episode, A Touch of Curare and he was mentioned a couple of times in Return of the Joker.
In this post, I thought we could all come up with our own ideas about what happened to Dick Grayson. I came up with a couple of ideas.

1: Dick got into some type of career in law enforcement or maybe in criminal law as an attorney with a wife.

2: They could have created a new young super hero of the same non powered genra and he/she is being mentored by an older Dick Grayson.
This opens the forum up for discussion. If you could come up with Dick Grayson's fate during the time period of Batman Beyond, what would you have had happen to him?
Cheers.

[Dark Nightwing]

Wow, that is a very good question. What did happen to Dick Grayson? Matt, is it possible that we could get an interview with Bruce Timm and/or Paul Dini? I would love to get a vague idea of the ultimate fate of Nightwing.

[Batlaw]

A good and long pondered question Filmation.
We know from bits and pieces and teases that Nightwing is not only still around alive and kickin, but supposedly still "active" as well in the time of Batman Beyond. The fact he would still be in costume and active b y then doesnt sit 100% with me but no biggie.
Personally I think he remained in Bludhaven and had his share of failed relationships (maybe kids maybe not) and is primarily "retired" from the superhero game due to age (he would have to be in his 70's). Most likely alone and not isolated and bitter like Bruce and I assume he continues the good fight in his own ways as he can. I like to think his relationship and connections with his former teamates and Mentor remain pleasant and intact but I dont know?

If I remember correctly, the creative team cited Nightwing's exclusion being because nobody had THAT much of an affection for him, nor could they come up with a worthwhile need or reason to include him? Like many, I hated how he was never included at least once in future incarnations of the DCAU and BB in particular. The couple of throw away comments and references were not sufficient.

[darkfire1978]

Im thinking he followed Batman footsteps more than just becoming a hero in his own right. The idea of him remaining in Bludhaven is great but what if he went the way of Bruce by recruiting people to assist him in Bludhaven as well. Then there is also the idea of him becoming a Titan and fighting crime on a global scale. Yes he would be in his 70's but what if he was the mind behind a new team of Titans. Perhaps a Titans of the future. Nightwing's future could have gone many ways. I think I am happy with not knowing. Barbara became the Commisioner, Robin became some techy guy and Bruce, just became the father figure to a new host of the Batman. I want to beleive that Dick is somewhere still fighting crime but with more of a fatherly nuturing sense. Something that he did not learn from Bruce...but from his other role model. Alfred.

[All Star Batman]

Here's how I see it. Dick left Gotham and went to Bludhaven, where he became his own hero. Later on, he formed a new team called the Outsiders, teaming with other heroes from his Titan days(if TT is part of the DCAU) and others. Years later, he retires and is now just a bitter old man with a drinking problem. That's how I see it.

[The Dark Knight]

Well I'm pretty sure Barbare told Terry that after Grayson had gone, he had left to look after a new city as Nightwing, Im not sure if thats talking about TNBA but I think it seems likely that he would leave the team and go on to protect elsewhere. But I'm trying to remember: was the Nightwing suit in the Batcave?

[Dark Nightwing]

laughingcatsxp said:

Well I'm pretty sure Barbare told Terry that after Grayson had gone, he had left to look after a new city as Nightwing, Im not sure if thats talking about TNBA but I think it seems likely that he would leave the team and go on to protect elsewhere. But I'm trying to remember: was the Nightwing suit in the Batcave?

The Nightwing suit was in the batcave. This doesn't necessarily mean anything. It could have merely been a spare to continue the collection that started with Tim's costume.

As far as what you are saying, after his cameo in the JLU, I would say you are correct. I don't recall Babs ever talking about Dick in BB.

[The Dark Knight]

It was in Return of the Joker where Barbara was telling the introduction of the Robin/Joker Junior story.

[filmationbatmanfan]

Actually, the only reference Babs made about Dick was in "A Touch of Curare" when Terry asks her why she hates Bruce so much, so Babs treats Terry to coffee and tells her story. From what I recall, the beginning of the chat was something like this:

TERRY: So you and Dick Grayson what? Dated?
BARBARA: In college. Puppy love. Dick eventually got tired of living in Bruce's shadow and when I decided to stay with Bruce, it hurt him, so he left.
TERRY: You and Bruce were partners..friends...Whoa! (When Terry is guessing, Barbara smiles and keeps silent).
Apparently, Barbara had a romantic relationship with Bruce at some point and they tried to hint on that in Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman.
I recently saw the second episode of Batman Beyond and Terry finds something in Wayne Manor with the initials DG and inquires. Bruce refuses to acknowledge or answer it, which to me indicates that things are most bitter between Bruce and Dick as opposed to Barbara and Tim's bitter feelings against their former mentor.
Cheers.

[Batlaw]

You are Both right The DarkKnight and FilmationBatmanfan. Both conversations between Barbara Gordon and Terry McGinnis took place and they were the only solid references to Dick Grayson / Nightwing in Batman Beyond.
I believe the exact exchange between Babs and Terry in ROTJ, was...
Babs: "Dick Grayson, Nightwing had left to establish himself in another city" (from there she recounts to Terry the story of Tim Drake's abduction and she and Batman's search for him.
(it should be noted however; the official WB BB website states Dick "moved accross town and got his own apartment in Gotham where he acted alone as Nightwing") I'm fine in assuming that couldve been his first step before moving to Bludhaven.

Also in speaking to Terry in ROTJ, Babs ackknowledges "Dick has
issues" refering to his past with Bruce. Although in "Old Wounds"
they elluded to Dick and Bruce's relationship having been mended to some extent.

The Nightwing costume is pictured in the Beyond Batcave. Dont think it's presence or absence for that matter Nec. has any siginifcance.

Barbara confirmed for Terry that she and Bruce did have an intimate relationship at some point after TNBA and prior to BB. Not something I personally agree with but with so much "missing time" unaccounted for, I can accept it because who knows what couldve happened to make such an affair less objectionable.

I believe Bruce gave Terry one of Dick's old suit jackets to wear for a social function and when asked, Bruce declined to answer any questions about "D.G.".

I feel condident we can safely assume it was in fact Dick Grayson / Nightwing on the Bludhaven Bridge in "Grudge Match".

[filmationbatmanfan]

Agreed. If Bruce Timm and Company went to all the trouble of showing us Bludhaven in animation, it only seemed fair give Dick an unofficial cameo and have him know nothing of what was going on. Also in Return of the Joker, we are given proof that Dick is still alive somewhere.

TERRY (after his first meeting with Tim Drake): Were all of you that bitter when you left?
BARBARA: Comes with the territory McGuinness. Look up Nightwing someday. Has he got stories.

I admit. I watch Batman so much, it gets into my subconscious.

Cheers.

[Hush Riddler]

I would've thought that Barbara would have married Dick, or at least been in a wheelchair from Joker cripling her. I see Nightwing being the Police Commish of Bludhaven... seeing as if Babs is around 70, that doesn't make Nightwing to old for the job, does it? We know Nightwing is still alive, but if it hadn't been for The Return of the Joker episode, I would've presumed him to be dead... But I can see Dick Grayson being Bludhaven's Commish because he was on their police force in the days of Nightwing... Definatly.

[Dark Nightwing]

The Timmverse never acknowledges or even hints that Dick joins the police force. While it is quite possible, Beyond really didn't go by the rules of the comics. Dick and Barbara were separated by the time of TNBA.

Nightwing would be old now, but he may still be fighting crime in a really advanced suit. Who knows? I wish we could ask Timm or Dini.

[BruceBatman]

I think that Dick just kept being Nightwing, then retired.
Now he is probably just a loner and wants nothing to do with anybody!

[gnark]

i was really surprised how much i liked the batman beyond series but i really do wish they showed dick grayson or atleast touched the surface as of what happened to him maybe show some flash backs of nightwing in action would love to of seen that