Batgirl

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**Barbara Gordon** is a vigilante operating as a member of Team Batman under the alias of **Batgirl**, and the daughter of Gotham City's Police commissioner James Gordon. She is an extremely intelligent detective and martial artist who maintains a civilian identity as a librarian. One night after witnessing Gotham City's vigilante Batman stop a group of thugs, she was inspired by the Dark Knight to begin her path in fighting crime. Barbara initially designed her own costume and began taking karate and ninjutsu classes. After she attempted to test her new found skills she was overpowered and saved by Batman, who told her to stop trying to be a hero. Despite Batman's warning Barbara refused to give up, dedicating herself night after night to make the city a better place. In time, Batman ended up accepting her as a partner and properly brought her into his operation, where she would start working alongside Batman himself and his protege Dick Grayson. Following the events where the Joker paralyzed her from the waist down with a gunshot, she stopped being Batgirl for a time, instead redirecting her talents elsewhere, but after years of rehabilitation she is eventually able to walk again and returns to her position as Batgirl.

## Biography

### Early Life

**Barbara Gordon** is the daughter of police commissioner James Gordon and Barbara Eileen, the latter who left their family when her daughter was a young teenager. A few years later, the Batman debuted, which even as a young girl made Barbara want nothing more than to be a hero. Her best friend Marcy and she would spend hours designing super-hero costumes and heroic identities for themselves. When Barbara was thirteen years old she attended a Halloween party dressed up as a counterpart of Batman. At the same party, a group of criminals led by Drury Walker who would later become the Killer Moth held the attendants hostage, and demanded a ransom in exchange for their release. While the police were unable to penetrate the area without alarming the kidnappers, the Batman managed to infiltrate the building and get the jump on Walker and his men, knocking out the criminal and saving the hostages. This event inspired Barbara to begin a path that would lead her to becoming not only an apprentice of Batman but a hero.

### Preparations for Heroics

The following morning, Barbara insisted that James enroll her in martial arts classes, claiming that it was to better help her defend herself. While reluctant at first, he recognized that the daughter of Gotham City's police captain could definitely benefit from some knowledge of self-defense. Barbara excelled in her training and earned her black belt within a short span of time. As dedicated as she was towards her physical development, Barbara equally committed herself towards her academic achievements. Gifted with a photographic memory, she easily rose through the ranks of Gotham Heights High School, and graduated early at the age of sixteen.During same period, Barbara earned herself a scholarship to Gotham State University. She was noted to be one of the University's youngest students, graduating with honors before she was even a legal adult.

Barbara continued with her self-defense training, this time learning the art of Jujitsu. To supplement her income, she accepted a position as a research assistant at the Gotham Public Library. Her true dream however, was to one day work in the field of law enforcement. She asked her father about joining the police academy, but James did not encourage the idea, claiming that she did not even meet the requirements. She also attempted to enroll at the local FBI office as a field agent, but they dismissed her, citing many of the same reasons. Into her early years as an adult, she often visited her father at the station under the excuse of needing it as part of a college project. Her real motivation though, was taking a closer look on what the officers thought and knew about Batman, the mysterious vigilante who was similar to her in many aspects.

### Origins of the Batgirl

She is escorted by officer Dwight Morgan, who is slightly attracted by the young lady. In the middle of one of the visits, a criminal who had just been arrested managed to start chaos in the Station, with the help of his fellow criminals who had arranged for the ambush at the GCPD. The crooks threat James Junior's life, saying he would only need one of the commissioner's kids as a hostage. He picked Barbara over the boy he called an aberration, forcing her to run with her brother while Morgan fought the assassin.

The criminal, however, defeated the officer and would certainly kill him if Barbara did not stop him. She uses her martial arts skills to defeat the criminal, and soon after the rest of his allies are taken down by the Batman. Before leaving the scene, Batman praised the young Barbara Gordon for her skills and a job well done. It was on that night the Barbara set her plan in motion, with her modified costume, equipment, and weapons, Barbara built the identity known as **Batgirl** and set out to be like the Batman.

### Joining the Batman

Since then, she started to work alongside with Batman and Robin. At first, Batman chided Batgirl harshly for her foolish antics, and warned her against pursuing such a reckless lifestyle. Hearing such criticism from a man she idolized for so long was a shock for Barbara, but it did not deter her from her chosen path. Despite his disapproval, he sent her Batarangs via Dick Grayson, who subtly revealed to her that he was the original Robin. Barbara was able to solve the case, and by of the story, Batman swore her in an oath and also revealed his identity.

As the years went on, however, Barbara found her role as Batgirl less and less fulfilling, and she eventually more or less retired. A retirement that would be forcibly made permanent when the Joker arrived at her house, he would then shoot Barbara resulting in the paralyzation of her legs. He had done this for multiple reasons, one of which was in retaliation for Batman capturing and imprisoning Harley Quinn and Joker wanting to hurt someone close to the Batman. In addition, Joker kidnapped James Gordon and dragged him to a unknown destination, but not before leaving Barbara to bleed out. Thankfully she was found in time and given medical treatment to save her life, however she would have a massively damaged spine. Batman would end up successfully rescuing Jim Gordon, but Barbara Gordon's career as a crime fighter was over. She spent a month in a deep depression.

### Birth of Oracle

Recognizing she could no longer be the kind of superhero she had been, she instead devoted all her time to developing one of the world's most complex and powerful computer systems and set to work accumulating information, renaming herself "**Oracle**". Upon her complete transformation into the Oracle, she founded a network of heroes called Birds of Prey, consisting of female heroes whom Barbara employs and sends out as agents in her fight on crime as well as considering them extended members of the Batman Family. Black Canary whose real name is Dinah Lance, became the main operative of her network, as the two have formed an incredibly strong friendship once they finally meet in person.

### Batgirl Returns

Within four years after being shot by the Joker, Barbara with years of physical therapy and a number of surgeries paid for by Bruce Wayne, regained the use of her legs. Her new found mobility may springboard her back into action, but the effects of the Joker's terrible act against her resulted in it mentally more difficult to get over than she ever imagined. Though Barbara could walk again, she thought that for all she knew it could be temporary, which means she has to be careful. Also, in addition to working solo, she has been helping out Black Canary manage the Birds of Prey, in spite of not initially wanting to join the team.

## Abilities

* **Genius Level Intellect**: Barbara is shown to have a naturally high intelligence.
* **Computer Hacking**: As Oracle, Barbara is an expert computer hacker. With her computer hacking skills, she is able to breach the highest security systems. Her skills are rivaled by none.
* **Computer Operation**: Barbara is extremely proficient with computers. She is by far the most computer literate of the Bat-Family, and one of the most efficient user of computers world-wide.
* **Investigation**: Trained by Batman himself, Barbara is on a team of the world's greatest detectives.
* **Martial Arts**: Barbara is a trained martial artist. She was trained by Kung Fu master Richard Dragon who helped Barbara hone her martial prowess during a time when he too was using a wheelchair.
	+ **Boxing**
	+ **Dragon Style Kung Fu**
	+ **Judo**
	+ **Stick Fighting**

## Paraphernalia

### Equipment

* **Utility Belt**: As Batgirl, her equipment included Batarangs, smoke bombs, a grappling hook, and several other gadgets.
	+ **Batrope**
	+ **Batarangs**
* **Cowl Lenses**: As Batgirl, Barbara could press a button on her cowl which put various lenses over her eyes. She had a clear lens, a telescopic-vision lens, a microscopic-vision lens, a thermal lens, and a multi-light tracer lens. The multi-light tracer device had eventually replaced her Batcycle's function.

### Transportation

* **Batcycle**: As Batgirl, Barbara Gordon rides a specially modified motorcycle, with a built-in crime-detection lab.