Creation
Raya Vestri was created by Nightwing writer Kyle Higgins.
Major Story Arcs
Nightwing
Soon after Dick Grayson returns to the role of Nightwing, Haly’s Circus makes its way into Gotham City. After some hesitation, Dick decides to visit his old circus, and when he gets there, he sees his old friend Raya, a fellow acrobat who rejoined the circus sometime after Dick left. Seeing Dick for the first time in years, Raya equally as happy to see her old friend, teasing him about his looks, while showing some clear affections towards him and trying to get him to go up on the trapeze for old time’s sake.
Following Dick’s battle with Saiko, Raya arrives at Grayson’s apartment just as he was about to leave for “patrol” for the second time that night. She asks him to escort her to Atlantic City because she has no method of transportation. She has some urgency in this, but she doesn’t mention why she needs to head to Atlantic City. Dick then borrows one of Bruce Wayne’s jets and she reveals that the reason she wants to go to Atlantic City is because Mr. Haly is dying and wants to talk with Dick. On the ride back, the two grow closer to each other and end up having intimate relations on the jet. Following the funeral of Mr. Haly she informs Dick that one of their old friends is presently living in Chicago arranging contracts on peoples lives. After Dick returns from this confrontation in Chicago, he visits Raya, informing that he is not afraid to face his past anymore and that he is going to involve himself more with Haly’s Circus, after this the two apparently bond in a romantic manner.
She is involved in the plot with Saiko against Dick Grayson.
Death of the Family
For more information see: Death of the Family
Raya has been broken out of Blackgate Penitentiary by the Joker, and taken to Kline Industries’ closed aerospace factory. There the Joker injects her with a Laughing gas formula and dresses her up to look like Nightwing. When Nightwing arrives Raya has succumb to the toxic and attacks Nightwing, while Joker watches. After the Joker leaves, Nightwing is able to inject Raya with an antidote that brings Raya back to her senses. But it’s too late and she dies in Nightwing’s arms. Her last words were “I’m sorry.” Before Nightwing chases after the Joker he notices something written on Raya’s stomach, it’s an invitation to Joker’s surprise party at Haly’s Circus.
Powers and Abilities
Raya is a normal human with no known superpowers. Raya is presumably in an above average physical condition when compared to the normal human, due to her occupation as an acrobat in Haly’s Circus, but is otherwise completely normal.