Last Minute Changes, or, Why I Think Nightwing Was Supposed To Die

I have been saying for a long time that Dick Grayson, the first Robin, and the current Nightwing was going to die in Infinite Crisis. The reasons were several:

1. His series seemed to stall just before Infinite Crisis, as though they didn't want to introduce any sweeping new story arcs.
2. Typically, someone of serious significance dies in these crossovers (Flash in Crisis on Infinite Earths, for instance)
3. Preview images for his comic revealed Nightwing holding a weapon that looked a lot like the ones that Jason Todd, the second Robin, who is now the Red Hood wields.
4. They seemed to be systematically destroying his relationships with, well, everyone.
   
5. There was so much emphasis on him in the early part of the series.

For those of you who don't know, he didn't die. But I still think that was the intention. In the comments on my previous entry, one of my friends notes that Batman seemed out of character with the gun pointing at Alex's head. Well, I think so too, and I think it is because he was supposed to be thinking about avenging the death of his adopted son, Dick Grayson. In the attached picture, Nightwing is not looking well. There is a picture on the same page of Robin's reaction (also pictured above). Robin cried when Superboy died in issue number six, but isn't in the habit of crying every time someone he likes gets knocked out by a villain. Both of these characters are having an emotional over-reaction to Nightwing merely being knocked out.

Also, and this is not intended as a slight on Bruce Jones, current Nightwing writer at all, but the current Jason Todd/Dick Grayson Two Nightwings story feels a little... slapped together. The Nightwing Judd Winick is writing over in Outsiders certainly doesn't feel like Dick Grayson. I think Nightwing was supposed to be Jason todd, Post-Infinite Crisis.

Another bit of evidence: A quiz from Wizard, wherein each question was supposed to have only one correct answer. I have included a portion below:

1)Which one of these heroines will give birth in '06?
A)Wonder Woman - No.
B) Power Girl - No.
C) Catwoman - Yes.
D) Oracle - No.

2)Which one of these heroes will be stripped of their powers?
A)Superman - Yes.
B)Wonder Woman - No.
C)Supergirl - No.
D) Hal Jordan/Green Lantern - No.

3)Who wll become Mayor of a crime-riddled city??
A)Wally West/Flash - No.
B)Dick Grayson/Nightwing - No.
C)Bruce Wayne/Batman - No.
D)Oliver Queen/Green Arrow - Yes.

4)Who will have Amnesia and become unable to tell friend from for??
A)Martian Manhunter - No.
B)Aquaman - Yes.
C)The Atom - No.
D)Elongated Man - No.

5)Who will take on the mantle as the most powerful hero in the DCU??
A)Booster Gold - No.
B)Animal Man - No.
C)Kyle Rayner/Green Lantern - Yes.
D)Earth-2 Superman - No.

6)Which hero will become a criminal in the eyes of the world?? (this one I do not know yet, but I am thinking it might well end up being Shazam, as revealed in the upcoming issues of 52 and of the maxiseries starting in August, the Trials of Shazam)
A)Hal Jordan/Green Lantern -
B)Superman -
C)The Flash -
D)Shazam -

7)Which one of these heroes is the only one who'll be around after 'Infinite Crisis'?
A)Wally West/Flash - No. Disappeared into the Speed Force.
B)Conner Kent/Superboy - No. Killed by Superboy-Prime in the pages of Infinite Crisis.
C)Guy Gardner/Green Lantern - Yes, and one of the leaders of the Green Lantern Corps.
D)Dick Grayson/Nightwing - Yes, and struggling for his identity with another Nightwing.

Wait a minute... do you see what I see? All the other questions DO have only only one "Yes" answer. But that last one... there's two? Now, I suppose it could have been Guy Gardner who was supposed to fall, but given the other evidence, I think that it is much more likely that we have a case of Dick Grayson being spared at the last minute. Now, I am glad of that, albeit unsure of the reasons why. I just wanted to throw it out there. The original Robin, who went on to become Nightwing may have been on the chopping block. If so, I want to thank whoever changed their mind. Dick Grayson is integral to the DC Universe. The one person that everyone both likes and respects, even though he is assoicated with Batman. (although, I do fervently hope that stops being a negative thing, soon. )

Thanks. Thanks for holding on to one of the good ones.