Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Nightwing #122

The newest issue of DC's Nightwing reveals Dick Grayson's life could have gone down a much darker path, way back when he was Batman's very first Robin. In the present, Nightwing's city of Blüdhaven has been thrown into chaos thanks to a massive gang war and a new company named Spheric Solutions arming the police with brutal advanced weaponry to "keep the peace". However, Nightwing and Barbara Gordon have found evidence not only that the company's CEO is behind the gang war, but was also a Gotham villain from Grayson's past.

In the new Nightwing #122 by Dan Watters and Dexter Soy, Nightwing recounts his history as Batman's first Robin and their encounter with the Cirque du Sin, a traveling circus of crime luring the rich and wealthy not to rob them, but to slaughter them following their performance. It's here that Robin meets Colombina, a harlequin clown whom Nightwing believes to be Spheric's CEO Oliva Pearce in the present. Appearing to be the same age as Robin, Colombina reveals not only that the Cirque du Sin took her in and gave her purpose, but also that they wanted to provide the same to Robin as well:

While Robin obviously didn't end up ing the ranks of the Cirque du Sin in the DC Universe, it does seem likely Dick Grayson would have been offered this darker path had Batman not taken him in after the deaths of his parents.

DC Reveals The Cirque du Sin Wanted Robin To Them

A Dark Circus of Vicious Criminals

It truly is interesting to think about what might have been had Bruce Wayne not adopted Dick Grayson as his ward and made him his eventual sidekick. After all, Dick Grayson had been living with his parents as part of Haly's Circus where they all performed acrobatics and trapeze as The Flying Graysons. Following their murder, it's not hard to imagine an angry young Dick Grayson ing the ranks of the Cirque du Sin would have given him a dark purpose and cause just like Colombina (had Bruce not been there for him).

As this new run of Nightwing continues, it will be exciting to see what the Cirque du Sin has in store for Grayson in the present. Olivia Pearce aka Colombina is still working to disrupt Blüdhaven by fueling a war on both sides, and all seemingly in service to the dark circus' leader known as The Zanni (The Colombina's counterpart in the early Italian theater known as Commedia dell'arte). That said, Nightwing still doesn't have enough evidence to prove that Pearce is who he knows her to be.

Batman Taking in Dick Just Became Even More Important To DC History

There Was A Much Darker Path Available To Nightwing

Whether it's the Cirque du Sin, the Court of Owls, or some other nefarious group, it's become clear that Batman taking in Dick Grayson was a crucial moment in the DC timeline, one that resulted in the creation of one of DC's greatest heroes but also likely prevented the creation of a dark villain. As such, it's going to be very exciting to see Nightwing cross paths with the Cirque du Sin again. After all, it's quite possible that this opening act is all a means to try and corrupt Nightwing into their ranks once more.

Nightwing #122 is on sale now from DC Comics.