Nite-wing
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Appearing in the DC Comics series Nightwing, Nite-wing is the alter ego of Tad Ryerstad. Tad posesses a great deal of rage and is prone to loud outbursts, as well as frequently referring to himself in the third person. The similarities between his name and Nightwing's has gotten him in trouble in the past, and has nearly led to him being murdered on two different occasions.
Table of contents |
History
Oct 2000
Following his capture at the hands of Nightwing and subsequent arrest for the murder of Cisco Blaine, he is revealed to have been left on a Bludhaven bus on Christmas Eve. Having not grown up with any parents, he never truly gains a legal name. Instead, he goes by the first name Tad – originally Tadpole, the nickname he was given whilst in the orphanage. He later adopts the last name of Ryerstad, which is the name of a local beer brand.
Jan 2001
Episode 51 of Nightwing, "Tad's Story" reveals the detailed history of Tad, but chooses to contradict the previous claim of Tad being abandoned. Instead, the story shows both of his parents alive; his father Randy is abusive alchoholic and his mother perpetually using the phone and smoking. Due to his lack of parental involvement, Tad begins to read comic books as a means of escapist fantasy.
Soon, he begins to resent his father, who earns money through the sale of stolen goods. Beleiving firmly in the world of comic books, Tad performs an act he believes to be heroic: the framing of his father. Tad contacts his father's crack-dealer of an employer and accuses his father of being a snitch. As a result, his father is murdered and his mother sent to jail.
After being sent to live with foster parents, he runs away and begins to live on his own. Due to his lack of a job, he's usually a vagrant, and can afford to feed himself only through stealing from criminals.
Modus Operandi
While Nite-wing means well, his anger issues tend to get the better of him, and usually ends up severly beating (or killing) an innocent person who only seemed to be a criminal. His weapon of choice is a wooden pole approximately 3 feet in length, and a number of billiard balls duct-taped to his back.