Oracle

Origin

Barbara was the daughter of Roger and Thelma Gordon, a young girl obsessed with becoming a super-hero, spending hours designing costumes with her best friend Marcy. At age 13 her mother and aunt were killed in a car accident because of her father’s drinking. He then become a heavy drinker and started taking his aggression out on Barbara. He eventually died from too much alcohol and self-abuse.

James Gordon, Barbara's Uncle adopted her letting her living with him, his wife Barbara, and his son. At first Jim and Barbara did not get along, but with time they grew close. However when Batman discovered a letter that Barbara had been keeping in a safe, it reveals that Barbara knew that Jim had been dating her mother before she married Roger and that there is a chance that Jim is her biological father.

She also says that she does not want to confront him with this because it might not be true. Barbara becomes completely obsessed with Batman learning everything she could about him eventually discovering her father secret partnership with the Dark Knight.

Barbara was a gifted child and she quickly became a skilled martial artist and graduated High School at the age of 16. She continued to excel both physically and academically , studying Jujitsu under sensei "Dragoncat" and graduating from Gotham State University before she was a legal adult.

Barbara's dream was to join the police academy but Jim disapproved of this saying she needed a less dangerous life. She applied to the FBI but was dismissed because her body was not physically built for the job.

Silver Age

Classic Batgirl Costume

Barbara's crime fighting career as Batgirl began when she was on her way to the Million Dollar Masquerade Ball dressed as a female Batman. Barbara accidentally stumbles on an attempt to kidnap Batman by Killer Moth. Unfortunately her efforts were in vain as Killer Moth escaped as Batman and Robin freed Batgirl from Killer Moths bindings. Despite the rocky start her crime fighting carrier continued, teaming up with Batman on many occasions. Later adventures would place her beside Superman, Power Girl and the Justice League.

Eventually Barbara would reveal her secret identity to her father when he had already discovered his daughter’s alter ego on his own.

Barbara would give up her career as Batgirl to pursue politics moving to Washington DC.
Batgirl would be brought back in Superman comics when she was set up as a blind date for Clark Kent. They developed a great friendship.

On occasion Barbara would team up with Robin ( Dick Grayson) as the "Dynamic Duo". Though he had a crush on her but she was currently dating a Senator. Eventually they would both discover each other’s alter-ego and continue fighting crime together and eventually develop a flirtatious relationship.

Modern Age

As the years went on, Barbara found no meaning in being a crime fighter, feeling insignificant in a world for super-powered heroes. Capturing the Commorant would be her last act as Batgirl, but her career as a crime fighter wasn't out of the picture.

Oracle

The Killing Joke

Barbara as Oracle

As the Joker's thugs kidnapped Commissioner Gordon, he shot Barbara, the bullet going from her waist and piercing through to her spine, ending her costumed career forever. Her paralysis caused her to go into depression that she could no longer help people in need.

Eventually she realized that with her wide variety of skills including photographic memory, computer knowledge, hacker skills, and a vast amount of connections throughout the world, she could help fight crime in a different way.

Barbara then adopts the code name Oracle and continued to help law enforcement and the superhero community by feeding them information on criminal activity. She has also been trained by a man named Richard Dragon, he trained her to use martial arts from her wheelchair. Barbara would later receive an invitation to join the Justice League Of America. She worked as an information and communications resource. She worked with the league a for a good amount of time before she went inactive.

Birds of Prey

Birds of Prey

Barbara is the founder of the unofficially named Birds of Prey, a team of female heroines she employs as agents. Her member was Power Girl. However when one of their cases went wrong and caused several deaths, Power Girl quit working for Oracle, but helps her out occasionally.

Having made many useful connections during her time as a crime fighter (and later as a information broker) Oracle was able to get back on her feet.

She would eventually team up with Black Canary. Having similar backgrounds, Barbara and Dinah become best friends and the nucleus of the organization.

The Huntress joins the team as a full-time agent, as do Lady Blackhawk and Vixen. Babs and even Helena herself were reluctant to allow Huntress on to the team. Barbara didn't agree with Helena's methods and believed she fought only for revenge. After she discovered Helena had a personal vendetta with the Birds of Prey Barbara wanted her off the team.

It took all of Black Canary's coursing to convince Babara that Huntress was a valuable member. Still feeling slightly uncomfortable with Helena. Barbara did eventually let her back on the team. Their friendship has been perpetually rocky. Although the personnel on Barbara's team grows and changes, Huntress and Lady Blackhawk remain core agents.

During No Man’s Land story arc, Batgirl was able to save the life of Jim Gordon. Barbara realizes that she is a highly skilled martial artist and that Batman needs as many allies as he can get. She gave her blessing to Cassandra to become the new Batgirl and mentored her while Cassandra began her new career.

When Batman took her computers and satellites during the War Games story arc, it resulted in her headquarters and home destroyed. She became angry at Batman and left Gotham City to move to Metropolis. During her time in Metropolis, Dick and her fell in love with each other again. Barbara ends their relationship when she felt Dick became too over-protective.

Eventually though, after the destruction of Blüdhaven, Dick Proposed to Barbara and she accepted. However Infinite Crisis interrupts their moment and Oracle helps the superheroes out as a communication link between all the heroes.

When Batman asks Dick to join him and Tim on his quest to recreate Batman, Dick is torn because of his engagement to Barbara. Barbara returns the engagement ring because she feels that Dick needs to do some soul searching, and understands that she and Dick aren't ready for marriage. Before he departs, Dick leaves Barbara a note, the ring, with a picture of them as Robin and Batgirl, promising to come back to her. The two remain close friends with instances of lingering romantic tension.

Barbara and Dick's relationship also led to tension between Babs and Helena when it was discovered that Huntress had slept with Dick. This only added to Barbara's dislike of Helena.

Batman & Family

One Year Later

Oracle continues to work as a crime fighter in Metropolis and the couples engagement was broken off for unknown reasons. At first Oracle did not know about Cassandra’s retirement and status with the League Of Assassins, however she does find out and mentioning Cassandra becomes a sensitive topic for Oracle. It was later revealed that Barbara helped Dick recover after the crisis.

Dick tries to talk to Barbara about the proposal but she keeps pushing it off. Batman would call Barbara to check up on Dick and ask her if he should go with him out of the country to train for a year. She says yes. She talks to Dick about it, and the next morning she leaves him a letter telling him to go on, and that she will be there when he gets back.

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