You’re reading The Complete Infinite Crisis, a Comprehensive and Encyclopedic look through the universe-changing superhero event published by DC from 2005 to 2006. Shelfdust are proud to provide a complete overview of the story, and everything that happens in it. We’ve had to get some experts in though – there’s so much going on that needs to be explained!

We’ve found out about Nightwing thanks to Grace Kaluba – but what about that woman with him, Starfire? There seems to be a bit of a spark between Dick and Kory, right? Is that just me, Stephanie Williams, or is something going on between them?

Steph! In the first issue of Infinite Crisis Nightwing and Starfire almost kiss, but then… he pushes her away. Are they a couple with some… history, maybe?

Williams: Nightwing and Starfire have a complicated history but that’s more so on Dick being like Bruce. When they first meet back in the New Teen Titans run. Nightwing, who is still Robin, immediately becomes Starfire’s crush when they meet. He saves her and she rewards him with a kiss. From jump their relationship is off on shaky ground because as much as he feels an attraction to her he doesn’t take it any further for awhile.

In fact, about 10 or so issues into that run, after Nightwing did a terrible job of making it clear to Starfire that he only thought of her s a good friend and teammate and nothing morning. Starfire in return is heartbroken. Later in that same issue, after Starfire’s new love interest is not all he says he is and is in working against the Titans, he gets killed. Starfire is distraught and Dick makes an ass of himself by going full Bruce Wayne and gets smacked six ways to Sunday for his trouble. Their relationship is sort of like the classic romance trope of “I love this person but duty calls”.

So did they ever get together?

Williams: They finally get together during that Teen Titans run but end up breaking up because Starfire has to get married to someone else named Karras, a son of a high ranking citizen of  her home planet. Even thought Kory is still married, she and Dick resume their relationship for a time. Her husband dies and then there is this whole fake Starfire thing that happens thanks to the villain Mirage.

Dick falls for it, even though he graduated from the detective school of Bruce Wayne.To make up for confusing Starfire with the fake one, he proposes marriage, and she says yes. They never wed through because their wedding is crashed by ex teammate Raven, who was corrupted by her demon father. Their relationship pretty much remains this messy well after The New Teen Titans.

Are they OTP? Or was their relationship always going to be doomed?

Williams: Their relationship has always been doomed because Kory was foolish enough to fall for a Bat family member, but I don’t blame her… because look at that wagon he is pulling along in those tights.

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Thank you! We’ve already covered Nightwing’s, er, wagon, so I think that covers off our Nightwing portion of our guide! Let’s move onto something nice and simple next time – Donna Troy! I’m sure this’ll be nice and easy…

 

Stephanie Williams is a writer and twitter tornado who has written for publications including SyFyFanGrrls, the AV Club, and NPR. She’s also the writer of the webcomics But What If Though and Parenthood Activate. You can find her on Twitter here!