As the prodigal son of Batman and one of DC’s most iconic heartthrobs, the love life of Nightwing has long been a topic of consideration both in-continuity and among fans. Dick Grayson is usually paired either with Batgirl Barbara Gordon or with his fellow Titan, Starfire. But even Barbara knows who Nightwing should ultimately end up with – and she’s a lot like the Dark Knight.
Grayson: Future’s End #1 by Tom King, Tim Seeley, Stephen Mooney, Jeremy Cox, and Carlos M. Mangual re-contextualizes all of Dick’s relationships with one brief exchange between Nightwing and Batgirl. Discussing their relationship, Barbara says, “You want Batman. Someone sour and dark and perfect. I’m so many things. But I’m not Batman.“
Batgirl even says she hopes that a woman like that will save Nightwing. And while she may not be who fans immediately think of when it comes to significant Nightwing love interests, Dick has actually already has found someone exactly like Batman: the Huntress.
Batgirl’s Best Love Interests in DC History Go Way Beyond Nightwing
Between DC’s three main Batgirls — Stephanie, Cassandra, and Barbara — each has experienced all kinds of romances, from the super to the sweet.
Nightwing Isn’t Meant to Be with Batgirl or Starfire
Batgirl and Starfire may be Nightwing’s most popular love interests, but he’s had an intense relationship with Huntress in multiple continuities. Pre-Flashpoint, the duo had a charged romance during Helena Bertinelli’s earlier days in Nightwing/Huntress by Devin Grayson, Greg Land, Bill Sienkiewicz, and more. During the New 52, the pair worked as partners for Spyral in the Grayson series by King, Seeley, and Mikel Janin, later rekindling it for a short time during DC’s Rebirth period. There’s clearly a spark there, and Nightwing and Huntress’ ultimate compatibility actually makes a ton of sense.
In many cases, children seek out partners that resemble their parents, and considering that Batman was Nightwing’s primary role model for a good portion of his life, it does make sense that he’d be drawn to someone like the person who raised him. After all, Dick has always thrived in a dynamic duo where he’s able to balance out someone’s inner demons, as he does as Bruce’s Robin and also as Damian Wayne’s Batman. Helena is undoubtedly a hero, but she’s got her share of darkness, and many times, Nightwing has been there to level her out.
Nightwing and Huntress Are the Perfect Dynamic Duo
On the flip side, Nightwing is far from perfect, and he’s inherited a lot of Batman’s negative tendencies, including his own inherent darkness and obsessiveness when it comes to his mission. Someone like Huntress – who even Batman knows is exactly like him – can understand these drives, and in helping Dick to manage his own inner demons, she can potentially get a better handle on her own, just like Batman. In the end, these two have the potential to bring out the best in one another — if they can ever make it last for more than a short fling.
Huntress might not be Nightwing’s most famous partner, but she might make the most sense for him. More importantly, he might be what makes sense for her. Fans have already seen what Dick Grayson and Helena Bertinelli can accomplish together, and there are far worse fates for this dynamic duo than to be put together again. Whether Nightwing and Huntress manage to rekindle their flame is up in the air, especially given his current relationship with Batgirl — but either way, they’ll always be there to catch each other when they fall.
Grayson: Future’s End #1 is available now from DC Comics.
