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Nightwing's Biography

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"It's a hopeless case. A lost cause. A town so mired in corruption and sin that it's drowning�.. When Batman sent me here, I thought I'd solve one case and book. But then I realized � if I could make a difference here -- well, that'd be something. This filthy old town needs me�. Surrounded by a dozen of my worst enemies. No way out. Nowhere to hide. The little brat was right. I do love it." -- Nightwing (Nightwing Secret Files # 1)

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Returning to Gotham, he began to work with Batman and Robin again, until twenty-one bodies washed up in the neighboring town of Bludhaven. At Batman's request, Nightwing began to investigate this heinous crime, and came to realize that Bludhaven had criminal problems every bit as serious as Gotham. Perhaps even more so. He became embroiled in a gang war involving the Black Mask and his False Face Society. Once the case was solved and completed, Dick decided to remain in Bludhaven as its protector -- splitting his time between his new home and his old. And indeed his new home needed a protector in the worst sort of way. Taking a job as a bartender to blend in and gather information, Dick worked closely with Barbara Gordon to begin the long process of cleaning up the crime-ridden city.

But the process has been undeniably slow. Still, Dick has met with some notable successes. But not only is he fighting the notable criminal element -- led perhaps most substantially by the cities crime kingpin Blockbuster -- but also the exceedingly corrupt local police force, corruption that goes up all the way to the top of the police department. For a time, he manages to form a sort of truce with a shady police officer by the name of Dudley Soames, but the true is most definitely strained, and Dick had little help in his battle on crime within Bludhaven�

Eventually Dick learned that Soames was working for Blockbuster and the corrupt cop tries to have the Scarecrow kill him, but in the end that failed and Soames barely escaped death at the hands of Blockbuster's own hired assassins. With Batman's help, Dick kept up the pressure on Blockbuster, gathering more evidence on the crime lord's activities while taunting him at every turn. Shortly thereafter an earthquake ravaged Gotham and the city is left deeply damaged. Dick rushed back to Gotham to see if he's needed and to check on his friends. Increasingly Dick found his time split in more and more directions as he tried to remain committed to his new home as well as aid his old one in it's recovery. His time ended up split even further as his old teammates in the Titans reunited once more to deal with a threat by one of their old comrades, Victor Stone. Dick agreed to rejoin the newly formed team once again, splitting his time even further.

Meanwhile, while Bruce wnet to Washington to petition for aid from the government for the beleaguered city, Dick and Tim maintain order in the shattered Gotham. Sadly, aid is not coming and instead the government decides to isolate the city, declaring it a sort of no man's land. Despite that, or perhaps because of it, Dick's closest friends decide to remain and defend what can be defended�

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"You weren't the perfect father but that's okay because -- probably nobody's a perfect father. No family's perfect, either. I was lucky. I was privileged. Not because of the big house and the money, but because you gave me a lot of yourself. You taught me, you showed me, you encouraged me -- you never lied to me and you never demanded that I be anything I'm not. I didn't imitate you because you insisted that I do so, but because I wanted to. Of all the men I knew, you were most worthy of imitation. Then I blamed you for letting me be who I was. Pretty dumb."

"Dick, I don't -- "

"Hold it. I've got one more thing to say. You and Alfred gave me a home and you gave me what we don't mention. The L word. You were the best family I could have had. Thanks." -- Nightwing (Nightwing mini-series # 4)

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Dick continued to split his time between Gotham, Bludhaven and New York, deciding to try and tackle the crime problem in the city from both sides as he enrolls at the police academy, intent on becoming an officer in the corrupt force. But Batman summoned Dick back to Gotham for a time to help out in that shattered city, forcing Dick to put his own plans on hold -- much to his annoyance.

But despite that annoyance, Dick could hardly refuse, especially with that city needing help so badly. Not to mention it being Bruce and his closest of friends who needed the help so Dick immediately put his own plans on hold and returned to Gotham permanently for a time. While still angry with Bruce, he found his bad mood tempered somewhat by the presence of Tim and Barbara while there. His stay ended up being prolonged after his efforts to liberate a prison from the criminals in charge resulted in numerous injuries

But in Bludhaven, things continued to deteriorate, with Blockbuster's reign going more or less unopposed. Fortunately the situation in Gotham slowly began to improve and Dick finds himself able to attend to his duties in his new home once more -- and equally important to him, finally managed to graduate from the police academy, becoming a member of the local police force. For a time, Dick also begins to work with a violent vigilante by the name of Nite-Wing, but the relationship would prove to be short-lived, as their methods were just too different. When Tad killed a federal agent he believes is working for Blockbuster, Dick is horrified, and is forced to bring the young man to justice.

And so Dick continues on as before, protecting his adopted city while splitting the rest of his time between Gotham and New York, ever vigilant and determined to make a difference...

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Nightwing: "Do you think you'll ever give it up?"
Batman: "I'll be too old someday. If I'm lucky. And you?"
Nightwing: "Not me. I've found my place in the world."
Batman: "Bludhaven?"
Nightwing: "Not just that. I was a leader for years and it nearly tore me apart."
Batman: "You like operating alone."
Nightwing: "Yeah. I don't know how you've stood the strain of responsibility. Me. And Tim. And �"
Batman: "You can say his name. I should never have made the offer to Jason. I ignored the warning signs. I was arrogant to think I could turn him into you. I'll never make that mistake again."
Nightwing: "Where does Jean Paul fit in with that? You thought you could turn him into you."
Batman: "He was driven. I didn't know it was by madness."
Nightwing: "Didn't you think I was good enough to be you?"
Batman: "You're better than me, Dick."
Nightwing: "What did you say?"
Batman: "It's like you said. Half of your life isn't a masquerade. I let this mask take over my identity. I am Batman. I always will be. I've left myself nothing else. Robin became an extension of who you are. Nightwing even more so. For me the mantle of the Bat has become a hiding place.
Nightwing: "Bruce -- "
Batman: "No regrets. I'd make the sacrifice all over again. In a heartbeat."
(Detective Comics # 725)

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