There's one tool in Nightwing's arsenal that's potentially his most brilliant, if not his most disgusting, weapon. Nightwing #138 reveals a gross method Dick Grayson uses in order to slip past his enemies completely undetected.
Nightwing was brought up as a crime-fighter by Batman, and if there's one thing that the Dark Knight ed onto his ward, it's the importance of quality weapons. Unlike most other heroes in the DC Universe, the Bat-Family is powerless, and relies on gizmos and gadgets to aid them in their crusade. While Nightwing doesn't carry the impressive array of tools found in Batman's utility belt, Dick gets along fine with the weapons he chooses to carry. More than anything else, his electrified escrima sticks help Nightwing keep villains at bay and help the hero take on criminals several times his size.
Nightwing's Best Weapon Is Smart, But Also Gross
But the best tool is a bit more subtle, though it may be a bit juvenile to some. In Nightwing #138 by Fabian Nicieza and Don Kramer, Ra’s al Ghul has returned and is insistent on transferring his consciousness into the body of his grandson, Damian Wayne. With Batman in Asia, and Tim Drake and Damian alone at Wayne Manor, Batman requests that Nightwing head over to protect them. Dick Grayson uses the Justice League’s transporter to get to the Manor where he notices several mercenaries are guarding the grounds. With time of the essence, Dick opts for the best approach to let him evade a potential fight. He throws a couple of stink bombs near the villains, who recoil from the foul odor before ing out. As Dick heads inside, he notes that villains never suspect anything "when it smells like that".
And to his credit, Dick is a hundred percent right. The fatales on duty are too preoccupied tracking the source of the powerful smell that they don’t even consider the fact that they’re under attack. In his time working under Batman, Nightwing learned a number of tricks and techniques to subdue his enemies. But most of those methods require time and effort, which isn’t ideal when time is of the essence. Tricking his enemies with a smelly knockout agent is a pretty inventive tool when it comes to stealth.
Is it disgusting for Nightwing to incorporate stink bombs into his cache of weapons. Arguably yes. Is it effective? Absolutely. Although a bit childish, it plays into human psychology and disarms people so Nightwing can save time without having to resort to fighting. A flash grenade or a sound could cause chaos and draw unwanted attention. But a familiar and obnoxiously rank smell easily hides an agent to make people out so Dick quickly move on. It may be a bit uncouth, but Nightwing’s stink bombs might be the most clever tool in his arsenal.
