Warning! Contains spoilers for Batman: The Brave and the Bold #13!

Nightwing has had a few different villains, unique to him, that he’s gone up against over the years, from Lady Vic to Double Dare. But none of these characters has really managed to stick with him as a true rival. It seems that DC is finally trying to take another crack at giving Nightwing a nemesis by introducing a new Nightwing-specific villain: the Unfallen.

While patrolling Blüdhaven in the story “Down the Road” by Tim Seeley and Kelley Jones from Batman: The Brave and the Bold #13, Nightwing is suddenly pulled into a supernatural mystery that involves everyone’s favorite ghostly hero, Deadman. The two acrobats need to team up to solve a mystery after Nightwing witnesses a woman jump from a bridge and seemingly vanish.

While following the leads that Nightwing and Deadman have discovered, it seems they’re being hunted by something truly dark. A twisted being known as the Unfallen lurks in the dark and is seemingly intent on dragging Nightwing down into the darkness, which seems to make him the perfect nemesis for Nightwing after his recent comic run.

The Unfallen, Nightwing’s New Enemy, Is the Opposite of Everything Dick Grayson Fights For

The Unfallen Joins Blockbuster and Heartless in Nightwing’s Rogues Gallery

Nightwing has always struggled to keep an interesting and compelling rogues gallery that’s truly his own. Not many Bat-Family fans could name villains like Lady Vic, Double Dare, Brutale, Shrike, or Jacob de Witt. Usually, the only Nightwing villains who stand out as potential arch-rivals are either Blockbuster or, potentially, Deathstroke. Maintaining a compelling rogues gallery is simply one of the challenges of being a legacy character, and to this day, Nightwing continues to struggle to have a set rival. Not even Nightwing’s new villain, Heartless, has proven himself as a true nemesis.

Nightwing has made it very clear that he wants to provide a net to catch those who “fall” in Blüdhaven. Because of this desire, he has used his vast new fortune to provide social safety nets for the less fortunate in his city. The Unfallen appears to be a demon specializing in pulling people down into darkness. The villain is a perfect foil for Nightwing, who has made his heroic identity all about lifting people up. That the Unfallen is supernatural just taps into the creepy side of Blüdhaven that has really only been explored using Nightwing’s best villain so far, Jacob de Witt.

New Villain the Unfallen Drags People Down into Darkness

Nightwing Tries To Lift People Up, Making Them Perfect Opposites

Nightwing has faced countless villains over the decades, but none has really managed to leave their mark as true enemies of Nightwing. While the Unfallen is unlikely to break this curse, there’s certainly no harm in trying, and the metaphorical potential is high. Nightwing has entered a new age where he’s all about providing for his city and improving it — instead of just fighting the corruption in it. Because of this, a villain who’s all about dragging people down makes the perfect antagonist for this era of Nightwing.

Batman: Brave and the Bold #13 is available now from DC Comics!