The heroic Gwens from the multiverse came together after the madcap pop star Finale attempted to change history so that she was included at all points. Although many Gwens were able to unite in an effort to change the history course, they weren’t all working together for the same end. Nightbird was the first to be exposed for her crimes. She may be the greatest of all the heroes, now that she has the chance to finally become the hero she was never.
While the multiversal heroes Spider–Gwen were busy strategizing and VC’s Ariana Maher was working on her plan to destroy them all, their sinister counterpart worked away at hers. It’s not as simple as you might think. While in battle, Spider-Gwen’s synbiote grabs Nightbird and misunderstands her as its true host. She is instantly overwhelmed by the symbiote, which burns away all the toxic substances that made her a villain. The multiverse is in dire need of the new hero.
The Gwen Stacy who would become Nightbird was first seen in the pages of 2021’s Heroes Reborn #5 (by Jason Aaron and R.M. Guera). Gwen, who lost her father George Stacy in the war against evil, was trained by Kyle Richmond (aka Nighthawk) and assumed the role of Nightbird. Gwen also worked as Ravencroft Asylum’s psychiatrist. These Batman pastiches eventually culminated in the mad Green Goblin subjecting Gwen to a Harley Quinn-esque fate by exposing her to his Goblin Gas.
Since then, the evil Nightbird has worked with Finale and Dr Cephalopod in an effort to stop the efforts of the Gwens. Nightbird is now able to see well after the Goblin gas has been removed from her body by the symbiote. Although it is difficult for Nightbird to see the effects of her criminal past on society, this ultimately restores Gwen’s natural nature. She has to deal with the horror she caused and the damage she was a foot soldier in Finale’s destruction. She’s fortunate to be in the best position for this.
Whether it helps Nightbird in her emotional turmoil or not, leading the other players to defeat Finale is likely to go a long ways towards Nightbird’s redemption. Nightbird is the only one who has seen the extent of the damage Finale can do. However, all the Gwens know for sure what Finale is capable of. Nightbird is the only Gwen who fully understands Finale’s plans. Nightbird has the best chance the Gwens have of restoring the timeline if the other villains aren’t distracted too long.
If that’s the case and Nightbird makes it through the final chapter, Nightbird may be on her way to joining Nighthawk as Marvel’s most surprising hero. She’ll likely be able, with any luck at all, to follow his lead without having to make the same questionable alliances as he did. Nightbird may have broken at most a few of her shady alliances. This could be an indication that she is on the right track.
