Nocturna (DC)
Nocturna is a female comic supervillain who features in DC Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Pre-Crisis
Natasha Knight was a female human who was orphaned on the streets where she managed to evade the police and child welfare authorities. This was until one day when she was 12 years old when she was begging and met Charles Knight. The millionaire decided to take the young woman into his townhouse where he never adopted her but became a father figure to her. Years later, she had matured into a young woman when her guardian failed to return home. It was then that the police arrived to inform her that Charles Knight had been killed by a rival gang. Natasha Knight then came to learn that Charles Knight's life had been funded through criminal ventures with her becoming accustomed to the riches provided by such a life. Though initially shocked, she decided to similarly engage in criminal acts to fund her lavish lifestyle as she did not wish to become poor again. On the day of his funeral, she came to meet her adoptive father's biological son Anton Knight who knew of her from his fathers letters. Smitten with her, he offered to help fund her by committing robberies and following his fathers life of crime. (Batman v1 #363)
Post-Crisis
Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. Natalie Metternich
Natasha Knight was a street orphan who was rescued by a well-known gangster called Charles Knight when she was 12 years old. She grew up with him, with all the privileges and luxuries of his ill gotten money. However, Natasha did not know about his illegal activities until she was of age, when he died during a crime and the police told her the truth. In his funeral, Natasha met Anton Knight, Charles biological son and he proposed to start an alliance to continue their father's lifestyle, but at first she refused. (Batman v1 #363) A few years later, Natasha developed a passion for astronomy and the night sky. She became an astronomer and found a job at the Gotham City Observatory, which was under Wayne Enterprises' management. While working there one night, she became victim to a radioactive laser, which drained her skin of all pigment and also rendered her sensitive to light. (Detective Comics v1 #529) With her new skin condition, Natasha accepted Anton's proposition and they started a large scale criminal spree using his skills. It was around this time that Natasha adopted the alias of Nocturna. When she and Anton planned to steal from members of Wayne Enterprises during a party at Wayne Manor, Natasha met Bruce Wayne and she noticed his fascination for her. When Anton showed up, the crime went smoothly, but soon they were found by Batman, who managed to capture Anton. Nocturna managed to escape from Batman's grasp. (Batman v1 #363) She later tried to release her adoptive brother from prison but ended up captured by the Dark Knight. (Detective Comics v1 #530)
Post-Flashpoint
Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. Natalia Mitternacht
Natalie Mitternacht came to be an inmate at Arkham Asylum. (Detective Comics v2 #9)
She came to be among the villains recruited by the Crime Syndicate of America to join the Secret Society of Super Villains. (Forever Evil v1 #1)
When Nocturna aimed to steal a chalice from an exhibition on Lady Báthory, she was met with opposition from Batwoman more directly. In the ensuing fight, Nocturna was hit with a batarang in her eye, but managed to escape with the chalice with the help of her lover, Anton Knight. (Batwoman v2 #32) Some time later, recovered, Natalia was at a dinner when the assassin 'Killshot' attempted to shoot her, accidentally killing Barry Daniels instead, and subsequently infiltrated by Batwoman and Anton Knight, the latter in the guise of 'Night-Thief'. (Batwoman v2 #33)
Controlling Kate into breaking up with Maggie and dating her instead, Natalia took on a dominating tone in the relationship, reveling in the "dirty little secret" and insisting on them going out for a surprise date night. As they walked out, Natalia planted a kiss on Kate's cheek and whispered that Kate belongs to her. Just then, a loose dog rushed up, Kate recognizing him as belonging to her therapist, Doctor Huss. He caught up to his dog and remarked that it had been a month since he last saw her, with him obviously troubled by the relationship that Kate seems to have struck up with Natalia. Though the therapist reminded Kate that she could call him any time, Natalia reasserted her control by kissing Kate on the lips. (Batwoman v2 #36)
Overview
Personality and attributes
In appearance, she was a human woman with a pale white skin and long black hair who was noted for her beauty. To her foes, she had them refer to her by the name of Nocturna. (Batman v1 #363)
She found nights to be wondrous as she them as a cloak that adorned mystery with elegance. (Batman v1 #363)
Natasha had said that she preferred rare beauty. (Batman v1 #363)
She had said that she tended to sleep during the day. (Batman v1 #363)
Nocturna claimed that she was accustomed to the finer things in life. This she claimed was the reason she aided in committing burglars as she felt elegance was an addiction after her money had run out. (Batman v1 #363)
Natasha Knight was orphaned from a young age but came to be taken in by a millionaire named Charles Knight. Though she later came to learn that he was a criminal whose wealth and nature had similarly been imparted to her. She later came to meet his biological son Anton Knight who became madly in love with Nocturna and helped commit crimes in order to provide for her. (Batman v1 #363)
Powers and abilities
According to one account, a laser experimented resulted in her body being exposed to a dose of radiation that resulted in the gradual loss of pigmentation from her skin. (Batman v1 #363)
Notes
- Nocturna was created by Doug Moench and Gene Colan where she made her first appearance in Batman v1 #363 (September, 1983).
Alternate Versions
- In Suicide Squad v7 #2 (2021), an alternate version of Nocturna appeared who came from an unknown reality within the Multiverse.
In other media
Television
- In Batman: The Animated Series, the Natalia Knight Nocturna was set to appear in the animated television series set in the DC Animated Universe but the episode was cancelled by Fox who objected to the story. This version would have shown the character as a vampire and would have involved Batman being turned into one and craving human blood. Producer Alan Burnett later recounted the events by saying "We also wanted to do a Nocturna story – Bruce had drawn a hot model of her - but she’s a vampire, which would’ve involved bloodletting, which was a huge no-no for kids TV."
- In Batman: Caped Crusader, Nocturna appeared in the setting of the animated television series where she was voiced by actress McKenna Grace. This version was the sister of Anton Knight where they discovered that she suffered from certain affliction granting her superhuman abilities and could only gain sustenance by draining life from others. After watching a pair of friends sneak off into the woods, Natalia followed after them, listening in on their conversation about the newly arrived carnival. She dares one of the boys, Dickie, into going over to the carnival and petting one of the goats. She lures him over the fence by ridiculing his fear and pulls him into one of the trailers, dragging him off into the dark where she almost completely drains his life, leaving him unable to move or speak. The following evening, after the carnivals opening, Natalia masquerades as a participant in her brother's “experiment” in which she uses her super strength to lift a barbell to create the appearance that her brother's machine had given her powers. As she is walking away from the show, the other boy from the previous night, Jason, runs into her and asks her where Dickie had gone. In need of more energy due to her prior trick with the barbell, Natalia lies to Jason, telling him that she saw Dickie earlier sneak off into one of the trailers. She leads him to the same trailer that she had taken Dickie and pulls him into the room where she had left him. Natalia grabs Jason by his neck and pulls him up against the wall before draining away his life force before being pulled away by her brother who tries to reprimand her for going after another person and risking both of them getting caught. She promises that he would be the last one in Gotham and he allows her to drain away more of Jason’s life.
Appearances
- Batman: (1983)
- Robin:
- Batwoman:
External Links
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