Summary

• Batgirl initially disliked and put down Nightwing because he reminded her of the boys who harassed her in the past. It felt like revenge for her.
• Despite their rocky start, Batgirl and Nightwing became inseparable as they matured as individuals and heroes.
• Their relationship is now back in the spotlight in Nightwing's current run, proving that they are a perfect match despite their initial dislike for each other.

Dick Grayson aka Batgirl, are staple of Batman’s ever-growing Bat-Family, with their relationship being a core part of what makes both characters tick. Yet well before Batgirl and Nightwing ever became an item, Barbara had no desire to date Dick and would put him down for a reason that originated from her traumatic younger years.

Initially meeting in the field after Batgirl took it upon herself to start crime-fighting sans Batman’s knowledge, Dick’s Robin didn’t exactly treat Batgirl with respect at first, but as they both matured as people and heroes, they became almost inseparable.

Eventually getting hitched in the final act of the epic comic event that was 2020’s Dark Nights: Death Metal, Dick and Barbara’s relationship has been brought back into the spotlight with Tom Taylor’s current run on Nightwing, proving that the pair are a perfect match, even if that wasn’t the case from the start.

Batgirl Didn't Care For What Dick Grayson Represented Before They Dated

Birds of Prey #84 (Gail Simone and Joe Bennett)

itting that her flirty relationship with Nightwing while he was still Robin started as genuinely antagonistic in 2005’s Birds of Prey #84, this initial dislike is revealed during a particularly vulnerable moment Babs has with Helena Bertinelli aka Huntress, as she reminisces on past woes stemming from her insecurities. Saying that Dick was “…so like the jocks who’d made my life miserable,” Barbara goes on to reveal, “I really enjoyed putting him in his place, putting him down a little bit,” and finishes things off with a confession: “It felt like revenge.”

For Batgirl, knocking Dick down a few pegs felt like she was finally exacting “revenge” on the boys who had harassed her when she was a younger and far less confident person, something that made sense at the time from Barbara’s perspective. While an understandable if not slightly unfair reason to dislike Dick and treat him the way she did, Batgirl alludes to feeling petty and guilty about this and many more mistakes she’s made only a few s later, proving that she’s become a far better version of herself compared to where she started.

Batgirl Was Purposely Antagonistic Towards Nightwing To Get "Revenge"

Having no real reason to treat Dick like an equal for quite some time, considering he was particularly mean-spirited and dismissive towards her at the beginning of their relationship, it wasn’t until the 1970s that Barbara and Dick got serious and from there — and outside of a few side relationships like Nightwing’s various flings with Starfire — the rest was history. There’s no doubt that Nightwing and Batgirl are one of DC Comics’ best couples, but that doesn’t mean their journey to getting there was always a guarantee.

Birds of Prey #84 is now available from DC Comics.