Warning! Spoilers ahead for Future State: Gotham #15
In the latest issue of DC’s Future State: Gotham, Nightwing may be ruining the Bat-Family’s future for good. Serving as the leader of the Gotham resistance movement in the face of the oppressive Magistrate, Nightwing has been doing all he can to free his family’s city. However, this new issue reveals just how desperate Dick has become now that he’s decided to turn on his own allies and family members.
In previous issues of Future State: Gotham by Dennis Culver and Giannis Milonogiannis, Nightwing had been micro-dosing a new chemical compound to give himself an edge over the Magistrate. Derived from the Venom drug that enhanced Bane’s strength, this new compound enhances the mind. Fittingly known as Brane, Dick built an entire suit to keep pumping the chemical into his system after taking a much higher dose which allegedly made Nightwing precognitive. Seeing a path to save Gotham, Nightwing now believes he must become Batman by any means necessary (even if that means taking down the Batman who already exists in this future era).
Now, the new Future State: Gotham #15 sees Dick Grayson’s Batman being confronted by the Bat-Family after he brutally beat Jace Fox’s Batman into submission. Rejecting their help and refusing to reveal his plans to not rewrite the future he saw, Grayson has darkly turned on his allies. While it’s unclear whether or not his vision is real or a drug-induced fantasy, the fact remains that the former Nightwing’s willingness to fight his own family proves he’s become incredibly unhinged.
While Jace is determined to take back his title as Gotham’s new Dark Knight, he’s not the only Batman operating in Gotham’s future. Not only has Damian Wayne returned from Hell as Batman-666, but he’s been tricked into joining Hush who’s posing as the original Caped Crusader. Likewise, the real Bruce Wayne has returned after faking his death for years. While one would hope that the first Batman and Dick’s surrogate father would be able to redeem Nightwing, he may be too far gone thanks to his constant use of the Brane compound.
At any rate, a massive Batman War is clearly imminent for Gotham City with Nightwing right at its center. Engaging in battle with the Bat-Family by the issue’s end, it’s only going to be a matter of time before he faces the city’s other Dark Knights. Apparently, the only way Gotham will finally be saved is if Dick takes on the mantle of Batman as he’s done in the past. However, is this the genuine truth or is Nightwing just seeing what he wants to see? Fans will have to wait and find out as DC’s Future State: Gotham continues.
