Dick And Kory Canon Again In 2025 🙏, Starfire And Nightwing Together Again As A Couple 🙏, Mom And

Okay listen there are 5000 timelines so stay with me as I cobble like 10 together for angst reasons.

(My weird fanon x canon take on Dick becoming nightwing)

I am a Bruce kicked Dick out truther

So

Bruce freaks after Dick gets shot and goes ‘this can’t go on’ and Dicks like what?

Bruce decides that Robin is done, Dick can’t be Robin anymore. But Bruce doesn’t have that right, it’s Dicks name! Hell it’s Dick mother’s name for him, Bruce has no right!

Except he does, he made the suit, he made the tools, the schedules, the taught Dick most of what he uses on a day to day basis.

Which means he can take it away.

And he does.

Dick of course doesn’t stand for this, which causes a big argument to get even bigger. Alfred is furious because Dick is still a child, a child who just had a bullet pulled out of his shoulder. Bruce should’ve let the boy rest before starting this argument.

But now that it’s brought up, it’s never going back down, Dick won’t take this loss of control as anything other than a lack of trust that he can handle himself. He won’t see that Bruce is worried for him, that Bruce can’t stand to lose him.

They get into a screaming match and it’s bad, Dick Grayson is one of the few people who get pull Bruce out of callous logic and into cruel rage.

So Bruce says something I’m sure at least 50% of children with tenuous relationships with their parents have heard

“If you don’t like my rules get the hell out of my house” or some various, maybe Dick gets him to yell at him for the first time possibly ever that hot raging anger that makes tears bundle in the corner of your eye. Maybe Bruce’s anger is cold that’s honestly your choice.

But Dick… Dick doesn’t take him all the way seriously and pushes just a tad more, yells one last thing. In a rage, maybe something about his parents, or Batman or this whole fight being Bruce unable let go of the image of a loved one dying by gun.

Well whatever he says..that’s it

Bruce’s voice goes back to the dead Batman growl and he tells Dick it was a mistake to make him robin, leave the suit and drop his keys with Alfred.

Now Bruce is a very intelligent man, Bruce is a very calculated man. You’d think that Mr. Very smart and calculating would realize how that sounds to a young teenage boy.

Especially a young teenage Boy whose first experience with the Gotham was being place in a juvenile detention center and being forced away from a life he knew with people he loves.

But no. Bruce is being an idiot and does not realize that he basically just went.

My house

My stuff

My rules

I made you

If you want to make your own choices you get the fuck out and don’t take anything from me.

Nope doesn’t get that at all

Alfred is horrified because he thinks that Bruce is behaving like a spoilt seven year old (oh if you don’t listen to me you can’t play with my toys)

But he doesn’t say anything, just watches as Dick tries to fit 7-9 years of his life into a backpack.

Watches as Dick leaves all the expensive gifts and allowance money Bruce has given in and only takes the money he got from working summer jobs (it builds character which Alfred is a big fan of) or mowing lawns or tutoring kids.

He needs a place to spend the night but him and babs are on the outs, him and the titans are tight but the closes people to him location wise are not Donna or Wally so he doesn’t feel safe collapsing and sobbing into their arms.

It’s Roy, the closest person to him rn is Roy and him and Roy haven’t gotten over their teenage crush/I must be better than you thing and Dick doesn’t wanna be ridiculed (which Roy would never but our boys in a bad headspace)

All and all it leads to him freaking the fuck out in the pouring rain, but fuck it he doesn’t have time for this. He’s on his own now, fine. Whatever he can do this.

Cue Liu, the boys home and the violent manipulation our boy goes through in canon.

“I thought she loved me but she was using me” and keep the age gap fucked up here for angst purposes later!

And he can’t do this

Fuck that

After that shit show and he’s dismantled her little empire and gotten her arrested… he, like a very logical 16/17 year old. Has a fucking huge panic attack. Huge enough that his heart rate jumps so severely a certain blue boy-scout comes to check on him.

And sees his nephew in the pouring rain, violently dissociating, looking thinner, more worn and dead eyed than Clark’s ever seen him.

Yeah no, that’s not gonna work for Clark.

He takes Dick back to metropolis and we get Clois parent comfort hours.

Lois decides she’s gonna Kill Bruce

Clark decides he’s not gonna stop her

Dick gets better with them, less jumpy.

The comfort of people who’ve loved you since your were a child + regular trips to kanas farms for menial labor jobs around animals and southern cooking. Do wonders for a boy wonder lol.

They do the infamous “have I ever told you about the story of Nightwing and flamebird”

It’s a title freely given and that’s a huge difference.

Dick goes back to the titans, does his lil costume change and new name reveal. And then leads them as well as he always had. Without the pressures of disappointing the bat, I mean he’s already ruined that relationship.

The titans do great work, become a respected team, take a bunch of kids under their wings.

They’re messy, drama filled, mirage still happens, Roy gives in to addiction, Wally has a heart condition. Dicks fighting everyone for the right to marry Kori. He’s still being manipulated by brother blood.

But they make it through.

Kori and Dick aren’t together anymore, they both make the mature choice that they need to heal separately. And maybe if they’re better they’ll try again.

Roy has Lian and with Dick and Wally’s help. Gets his shit together

The titans is an entirely independent organization from the league, Dick Grayson will not take a Dime of Bruce’s their money.

Merch sales, stock trading and tax write offs keep them afloat.

He hasn’t spoken to his Dad since he was 17, he turns 20 a week after Donna dies.

He’s met and helped Jason for 2 years in bludhaven but he doesn’t touch Gotham.

Because that’s Bruce’s.

Bruce gave him Gotham, Bruce gave him Robin, Bruce gave him a family.

So Bruce could take it away

And Dick

Internalizes this SO heavy

The titans can’t touch Bruce, Nightwing can’t trust Bruce, he quits any/every job he land if he finds out they’re so much as using Wayne operating systems. His relationship with Jason is entirely separate from Bruce. So much that, Bruce knows about the hanging over of the Robin suit and literally nothing else.

He doesn’t know about aspen, he doesn’t know they meet up for food once a week, or that they’ve taught each other their mother’s recipes. He doesn’t know that they’re close.

When Batman’s busy, Bruce’s life falls down the list of priorities. Jason’s doing his Robin duties, getting good grades and living his life. Bruce doesn’t need much more.

I need Nightwings early habits to be Dicks full on trauma response to basically being informed that the life he fought for was actually a loan that could be taken away from him.

He buys his childhood circus

He buys his apartment building

He doesn’t involve Bruce when the circus burns or building explodes.

Doesn’t involve Bruce when his relationship crumbles. Or for tarantula/ blockbuster/deathstroke/crutches advice.

Nvm I’ve somehow clutched a pass I will learn nothing from this stressful lesson

Who let me reread outsiders (2003) instead of studying for my finals. I’m crying all over my laptop

I’m done ranting about Steph and Damian this is nightwing first account I’m here to thirst over him, his morally ambiguous tall younger brother and his ex-fiancé

That’s my job

Now PAY attention to my girl so I can go back to leering at Dan moras art thank you

Bruce: … Dick why don’t you go back to school? Is a volunteer position as a gymnastics teacher all you want in life

Dick who is getting his 3rd masters (this one’s in quantum physics bc he binged too many YouTube videos late at night and now has a hyper fixation) : hmm yeah I don’t know, I don’t think I sit well for tests

Okay listen I adore batsibling content in fanon but each group gets a different type

Gossipy more like friends 80% of the time. will shit talk each other but if anyone says shit they’re getting decked. It’s fluffy but in the “you know I love you right?” Is said really awkwardly after the other sibling is surprised you’re on their side way Jay and Dick

Sweet and fluffy I don’t like angst in this at all give me a very healthy very wholesome soft relationship that’s just good all the way through Tim and Dick

So sweet it hurts tooth rotting fluff needs the same taste as cotton candy with the weight of a brick Dick and Damian

Bratty younger sibling and anger issues older sibling get into fist fight and are hugging 30 secs later. Will punch each other in the face and then defend the other one against their parents without blinking. Damian and Steph

Very very awkward affection like I love you and would die for you but we’ve had like 3 whole conversations. Damian and Jason (on Jason’s end Damian’s a lil shit)

You know when your little sibling is finally no longer insufferable and you can finally chill together at family events and you’re like. Fuck wait you’re growing up stop that’s illegal. Damian and Tim

“I broke your laptop”

“Yeah well I put nair in your shampoo”

“I should’ve killed you at the tower”

“Don’t be a lil bitch bc you couldn’t handle the gig”

Jason and Tim

Supportive big brother who brags about his sisters achievements while being a lil worried she’ll beat him and no one will ever need him again and baby sister who tries so hard and does so well and hopes she’s living up to their expectations (dick and cass)

I’m friends with your ex now and so sometimes I’ll bring it up to fuck with you bc I think it’s funny energy like Steph tells Cass about what Tim has done during their relationship and Cass who loves Tim but also women has to affectionately beat him up now (Tim and Cass)

Cass and Damian? I don’t think I’ve ever seen these too interact in a fic where Cass can speak actually…. Fuck we need more baby Assassins squared content in this fandom

Let us commiserate on the absolute cringe of everyone else here without acknowledging we are just as bad (dick and Steph)

Cass doesn’t like Jason and so I will leave them out

Remember these aren’t their canon relationships these are just what I like to read in fanon (inspired by their canon relationships in most cases but also fully canon with dick and Tim we ignore any authors who say otherwise my babies)

With Wally don’t forget that’s crucial here

Polytitans they call kiss on the lips (dick and Donna excluded)

he wants to be under Dick

Dick Grayson wanted to be a contortionist when he grew up rotating his head 180 degrees while keeping body in the same crawling position on the ceiling: what's wrong... are you scared of me

*most creepy Annabel-esque laugh you've ever heard god abandoned us as soon as it was unleashed*

Robin whose mouth didnt move:

Goon:

Villain:

God:

Heros:

Batman: you see why he has a leash now?

Robin bats eyelashes thru mask:

Goon: ... I... can the whites move?

Batman: usually no

Goon: then... how?

Robin:... 7

Goon: wha? seven what?

Robin beginning to move on the ceiling: 6

Robin: 5

I love it when people draw Robin!Dick as a little creepy unsettling child like yes he embodies the blue eyed stare and moves in ways humans were never meant to move in and he never really grew out of it. Like the bright colours, the flips and the quips are so deceiving he’s so unsettling in the way no other Robin could quite replicate. I just know every criminal breathed a sigh of relief when he finally outgrew the tights.

dick grayson to bruce wayne

I am hijacking this post to rant about my fave one sec

AND this is why Batman’s greatest success in his opinion is Nightwing.

Because Dick Grayson is whoever you need him to be at that moment. While Batman can switch from a chemist to a physicist to a professor to a doctor to a billionaire. Fundamentally his character is the same he will not change or accommodate for anyone even his children. He is rigid in character if not skill. And he accidentally raised his oldest son to fill in those grooves, to alter himself perfectly to fit into the position required of him.

It’s why Nightwing as a hero is so revered. Because he is a leader, solo hero, spy, teammate, brother, father figure, son, support. He’ll erase the gaps that are flawed in the dynamic by changing his tone, behavior, skill set etc.

Superman needed to train his son he went to Dick Grayson

They needed to soften the assassin characters (Cass and Damian) dick was either a support or main presence in their initial development.

He’s the de facto leader of any of the second gen teams

It’s why he can still work well with his siblings bc while he won’t accommodate Jason’s killing he’s willing to work with him at a middle ground. Him and Tim have almost always had a phenomenal relationship because Nightwing is trained to cover up the gaps and the in between. The nooks and crannies of character compromises the other characters wouldn’t either bc of stubbornness or bc of simple inability to do so.

It’s why his undercover runs are so interesting

Bc he’s a chameleon character

Bc he needed to accommodate for Batman his entire life (ahh parentification our old friend)

The thing about “Good Dad Bruce Wayne” and “Bat-Dad” is….that’s the dream. I love any and all depictions of Bruce Wayne that prioritize him DOING THE WORK to be a good father to his kids.

I never look for reasons to criticize Bruce or his parenting. My frequent bitching and moaning about him and how he’s written comes from one place and one place only:

IMO a lot of the time, instead of writing Bruce putting in the WORK to be the PARENT, people just write him being 70% of the problem and only 30% of the solution and call that ‘good enough.’ Because hey, at least he’s trying to be part of the solution and fix his mistakes and be better for his kids, and isn’t that the most anyone can ask for?

Well, no. Its not. Especially since with the exception of Damian, Bruce chose each and every one of his kids with full knowledge of what he was doing. He doesn’t GET to do the bare minimum, even when his kids require more effort than the norm, like the situations with Jason sometimes are beyond the ordinary. There’s no quota to parenting. 

The thing about Bruce Wayne is he is pretty much the most competent individual in the DC universe. He has more resources available at his disposal than any other parent can dream of. He has excelled at every thing he’s ever put his mind to….

Except, often times….being a parent.

And parenting is not somehow inherently more impossible than saving the world every other week. Its just not. It literally is just: put your kids first. 

And that is what Bruce is written as failing to do, time and time again. That is almost unilaterally where every single one of his conflicts with his children come from.

When he puts his own fear of rejection over Dick’s fear of abandonment, and refuses to reach out to Dick, beg him to come home, ask him to stay.

When he puts his own moral choices over Jason’s need to be understood, to have a father who can coexist with him and his choices when that very same father has at many times reconciled working with heroes with vastly different moral codes and even body counts of their own.

When he puts his own discomfort with emotional conversations and expressions of affection over Tim’s need for concrete gestures and reassurances that his parent needs and wants him in his life.

And so on.

These things are all actionable. They are all based on choices Bruce can make, and at many times just chooses not to. They all demand one thing and one thing only, the one thing that is expected of parents who take on the responsibility of a child that they and they alone are responsible for the wellbeing of:

Put. Them. First.

And falling short of that, when there’s every opportunity to do the work…is Bruce’s failure. It just is. Its not on his kids. He is the parent. Always and forever, with each and every one of them. That is what he signed up for. THEY did not. Kids don’t have the same power and choices about where they end up as the parents do when deciding that where they end up should be with them. And that can’t be disregarded. Bruce’s kids, as much as they love and appreciate him, are not ultimately the ones who arranged to be tied to Bruce for the rest of their lives, even if they all accepted that and wanted that in their own ways. He was the one with the actual power to make those choices, and to quote DC’s competition:

With great power comes great responsibility.

Bruce’s kids will always have less power than him purely in the context of their relationships with him, because the yearning for a parent’s approval exists on a wholly different level than anything a parent can need or get from their child - especially when they have multiple children but those multiple children each only have the one parent they’re all desperately hoping for the approval of. As well as when each of those multiple children arrive in Bruce’s life already burdened with issues born of abandonment and abuse and neglect that aren’t Bruce’s fault….but from the second Bruce stepped up and volunteered to be their parent, still very much became his responsibility all the same.

Bruce’s kids will always, always, always have more to lose, when there’s any conflict between them and their father.

And the thing that frustrates me so much about how Bruce is written in both canon AND fanfics….

Is how often the narratives cut corners and emphasize the blame and responsibility of his children and make them settle….for just ‘good enough’ from him. For ‘well at least he’s trying.’ For ‘he’s not perfect.’ 

He doesn’t need to be perfect.

But he needs to be the parent.

And personally, I will never be satisfied by narratives that feel like they make more attempt to coddle him and say its okay to just do the bare minimum, as long as he’s making an effort…than they do to make him step up and do the work, put his kids before his own issues.

He’s not the child. So stop treating him like one. Stop writing his kids being more mature than him. Stop saying his children are ‘equally at fault’ for him refusing to make them a priority and any issues of insecurity and abandonment and hurt they feel because of this. Stop expecting his oldest children to act as buffers for his younger children and do the parenting he refuses to do at times, and stop only treating them like his equal when it allows for them to victimize him in some way, with the story treating them like the aggressors and him the misunderstood recipient of their emotional harm and neglect.

Bruce Wayne has more social power and resources and skills and intelligence than just about any other human in the DC universe….his children included. Please can we just start holding him to the standards that kind of power should entail? Instead of looking to his children to always make up the difference for the times he refuses to be accountable, or a narrative refuses to hold him responsible for his own behavior and poor choices?

I WANT Good Dad Bruce Wayne.

I’m just tired of seeing ‘emotionally stunted surly teenager who makes his family’s lives far more difficult than they need to be and then awkwardly hugs them and grunts out an apology in the last paragraph to make up for it’….and being told: that’s Good Dad Bruce Wayne too.

No. Its not. I know what actual Good Dad Bruce looks like, and that ain’t it. Do better. Make him do better.

I miss my pets so here are the Batkids as different images of my pets

Dick :

Jason

Tim

Damian

Cass

Steph

Duke

Bonus:

Alfred pennyworth: