Nightwing, aka Dick Grayson, is one of the four playable protagonists in WB Game Montreal’sGotham Knights.The vigilante is best known as the first Robin to be taken under Batman’s wing in Detective Comics #38, thoughGotham Knights' portrayal of Nightwing differsin a few key ways. Still, it remains consistent in both canons that Nightwing’s tragic origin story, which involved a traveling circus, is what led him to become a fully-fledged hero in his own right.
Gotham Knightsis not the first game that Dick Grayson has appeared in, though it is one of the few DC titles that actually allows people to play as him. Those that choose to enter the Court of Owls' Labyrinth will observe their characters experiencing hallucinations via the gas leaking into the corridors. If a player selected Nightwing for this part, they’ll bear witness to a flashback with the “Flying Graysons” that’s never fully explained in the game.
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Who Were The Flying Graysons?
While the specifics are unknown, the inclusion of the scene inGotham Knightswhere Nightwing witnesses the death of his parents, also known as the “Flying Graysons”, confirms that his origin story has remained relatively unchanged. This was already being speculated as the case back in June when fans were treated toNightwing’s character trailerthat showed off his agility and acrobatic training.
This brief video not only details his combat style and customization options but quite a bit about his kit. Nightwing comes equipped with signature items like his escrima sticks and newer additions such ashis Flying Trapeze glider, which allows him to fast travel. The name of his transportation is an obvious callback to the “Flying Graysons” moniker, but the references to his past don’t stop there.
Many comic books, television shows, and other mediums have attempted to delve into Nightwing’s past, with some of the morenotable depictions coming fromBatman: The Animated Series,Teen Titans, andYoung Justice. Haly’s Circus is referenced directly in all three of these because it was formerly his home, though he no longer lives with the group.
It’s common lore thatNightwing grew up in the circuswhere he received acrobatic training from his parents, Mary and John Grayson. His flexibility and acrobatic prowess are displayed throughoutGotham Knights' gameplay because of this.
The family performed an incredibly popular acrobatics routine under the banner of the “Flying Graysons” for Haly’s traveling circus. Unfortunately, it was a fateful night in Gotham that saw their success come to an end, though it also meant a new beginning for the young Dick Grayson.
Nightwing’s Trauma Explained
In most cases, his parents are brutally murdered by a mobster, Tony Zucco, in a trapeze incident disguised to look like an accident. After Zucco’s sabotage of the cables, the two fall to their demise with their son unable to do anything to help.
In many comics, Bruce Wayne happens to be in the audience that night and ends up adopting the boy as his ward. Bruce usually explains that he saw his younger self in Dick’s place and felt that the young acrobat needed to be able to solve the murder of his parents under his careful supervision. This eventually led tothe first partnership between Batman and Robin, though it was far from the last.
As such, Nightwing’s horror at seeing his parents limp on the ground during his hallucination-induced visions at the mercy ofthe Court of Owls Labyrinthmakes quite a bit more sense. His statement of “no, I don’t want to go through this again” as eerie carnival music plays makes the scene that much more heart-breaking for fans of Nightwing.
WhileGotham Knightsgave no indication of this, in some comic book storylinesDick Grayson purchases Haly’s Circusas it’s going under. This is likely a means of keeping his parents legacy alive and is a nice parallel to Bruce Wayne who also is always doing his best to honor his own parent’s memory. Perhaps future video game iterations of this character, or sequels toGotham Knights,will allow for something similar to occur.
Gotham Knightsis out now for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X.
