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Raptor AKA Richard is a freelance assassin and villain in the DC universe.  He is a supervillain enemy (and sometimes mentor/ally) of Nightwing.

History[]

Origins[]

Richard was born into a family of Romani-French immigrants in the city of Paris, France.  His family served in a circus and Richard had the displeasure of having contracted leprosy from a young age.  Ultimately Richard did recover but with the side effect of many of his nerves and pain receptors being killed.

In his youth, Richard fell in-love with an acrobat named Mary Lloyd.  Mary stole the drugs and medicines which Richard needed for his condition and she showed him more kindness than anyone else in his life ever did.  Richard went on to swear to always protect Mary no-matter what.

Ultimately, Mary didn't return his feelings but instead fell in-love for another acrobat in America, a man named John Grayson.  Richard didn't like John but agreed to keep his distance from the pair and their child, Richard "Dick" Grayson.  After John and Mary were murdered byTony Zucco in Gotham City, Richard wished to adopt Dick as part of his vow to Mary only to find that he was already adopted byBruce Wayne.

Mary and Richard both harboured a deep hatred for the wealthy due to their shared experiences and to avenge Mary's death, Richard decided to free her son from the clutches of the billionaires they hated.

Raptor[]

Richard used his skills to take up the alias of Raptor, a freelance thief and assassin who came to regularly be hired by the Parliament of Owls.  Secretly however, Raptor was planning to murder members of the parliament as he saw them as being inherently corrupted by their wealth.

After Dick Grayson became Nightwing, Raptor tracked him down and fought him before attempting to persuade him to be his protegee and partner.  Nightwing reluctently agreed until he discovered Raptor's true nature and the two became enemies.

Powers and Abilities[]