Warning! Spoilers for Batgirl #50 by Cecil Castellucci, Emanuela Lupacchino, and Aneke below!
Although Dick Grayson’s memory has been restored, Barbara Gordon tells him their previous friendship and partnership as Batgirl and Nightwing isn’t there yet. The fallout of the Joker War illustrates that Batman’s allies still have plenty pieces to put back together.
Dick and Barbara have a lot of history. As the earliest recruits to join Batman in his crusade against crime, they spent years taking on Gotham’s villains side by side. The first Robin and Batgirl formed bonds few others could understand, at times, even being romantically entangled. Which is why it was crushing for Barbara when Dick lost his memory after KGBeast shot him in the head. With no recollection of his time as Robin, Nightwing, or being raised by Bruce Wayne, Dick assumed the identity of “Ric” and started fresh in Blüdhaven. Ric became a taxi driver and started a relationship with Bea Bennett, a bartender who was there for him as he started this new life. That all came crashing down as the Joker once again manipulated Ric’s memories, turning him against the Bat-Family. In part thanks to Bea’s intervention, Dick was fully restored and assisted in ending Joker’s latest chaotic scheme.
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The Bat-Family will never be the same after the Joker War, and Batgirl makes that clear by rejecting Nightwing’s suggestions that things can return to the way they were now that he’s restored. In Batgirl #50, Batman, Nightwing, Robin, and Batgirl gather in the Batcave and Barbara criticizes Bruce for failing to invest in helping the community apart from his efforts as Batman. Nightwing tries to pull Batgirl aside so they have a moment to talk and clear the air between them, but Barbara says she doesn’t even know who he is anymore and that he has to earn a place in her life again. Batgirl may not blame him for attacking her while under the Joker’s influence, but not all is forgiven. She also reminds Dick that he has Bea now and stresses they should keep whatever relationship they have strictly professional before speeding out of the cave on her motorcycle.
While a magic crystal assisted Dick in returning to his true self, there isn’t one to help restore his standing with Barbara. Understandably, Gordon has her own life to attend to, having recently buried her brother James and possibly ending her time as Batgirl. Her work helping to fix Gotham with politician Luciana Alejo is just as important to her as her time in a cape and cowl. In addition, she’s romantically linked to Jason Bard, a former Gotham City Police Commissioner she’s got her own history with. With all this, it’s not surprising Dick Grayson’s sudden reappearance is met with some resistance.
Despite them not jumping back into each other’s arms as lovers, it’s doubtful Dick and Babs will remain estranged forever. They’ve navigated the blurred lines of their relationships in the past and always been there for each other when it’s needed most. Barabara was one of the people who fought hardest for Grayson as he struggled with his memory, and it’s doubtful she did that just to abandon him now that he’s returned to the fold. Nightwing fought against the odds to restore his sense of self, and he must do the same to restore his friendship with Batgirl.
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