Injustice: Gods Among Us, written by Tom Taylor, serves as a prequel to the popular fighting video game published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. The series has a number of heart-wrenching deaths, but perhaps the strangest is that of Dick Grayson, aka Nightwing -- who also gets resurrected as a new character later on.
Injustice begins five years before the video game and tells the story of Superman's takeover of the world, following the tragic loss of his wife, Lois Lane -- as well as their unborn child -- at the hands of the Joker. Superman kills the Joker and begins a crusade to end all war on Earth by initiating a totalitarian rule. This is opposed by a resistance team led by Batman.
Nightwing's death is foreshadowed in Injustice Year One #10, during a training session Dick has with the current Robin, Damian Wayne. Damian is frustrated after being bested by Dick and in retaliation, hurls his baton at Nightwing's head. Superman appears out of nowhere and intercepts the baton, which angers Damian further, while Dick explains to the Man of Steel that this is something Damian does all the time and he knew it was coming.
In issue #14, Superman stops Two-Face on live television, before announcing to the world that he plans to take the prisoners of Arkham Asylum away to a place where they won't be able to escape. Sensing what is to come, Batman takes Nightwing with him to Arkham to stop Superman and his allies, despite protests from Damian.
Batman and Nightwing are joined by Green Arrow as he is admitting Harley Quinn, and the three stand against Superman, Wonder Woman, Cyborg and Damian, who has now joined Superman.
As the two teams square off, Harley Quinn releases the prisoners of the asylum and the factions unite in battle against the rioting villains. During the brutal fight, Damian goes overboard in his beating of the Riddler and as he pounds the criminal over and over again with his bloodied baton, Nightwing reminds him that Robin doesn't beat people once they're down.
This infuriates Damian and he hurls his baton at Dick. However, this time Grayson is occupied by the fight and is struck in the head by the weapon. In one of the most shocking deaths of the series, Dick goes down, fatally breaking his neck on a rock.
In a series chock-full of death and destruction, this is arguably the stupidest death. There is no dignity in Nightwing's death, as opposed to most of the others that occur in Injustice. He doesn't die standing up to Superman or fighting for something he believes in. He dies somewhere between the whim of an angry brat and a freak accident -- and many fans of the series feel that he deserved more.
Nightwing eventually returns to Injustice in year three of the series -- as a literal ghost of his former self -- when Boston Brand passes his power to Dick, making him the new Deadman. This is a very bizarre twist even for this story, especially considering the fact that Nightwing never previously had any affiliation with magical forces.
Dick is later seen one last time in the final year of the original series, year five, when he saves Damian's life and leaves him the Nightwing costume in hopes of helping the youngest Wayne become a better hero.