Richard

As a child, Richard was a circus performer whose circus operated on the outskirts of Paris. The circus was ostracized from the city for being a health hazard after Richard, too poor to afford medicine, contracted Leprosy. Callouses covered his body and he stopped being able to feel pain as he was pushed away from his own people, left without anyone. However, one day, Richard met a young Mary Lloyd, she too was a traveling circus performer, and the two of them became thieves against the rich and powerful in Paris.

Richard fell in love with Mary, but the two of them grew apart. Mary eventually married a fellow Haly's Circus performer named John Grayson and had a son, but Richard never grew out of his love for her. Following the circus wherever it went, Richard would keep a watchful eye out for Mary, always remaining in the shadows.

On the night of the Grayson murders, Richard saw Tony Zucco threaten C.C. Haly. However, instead of warning someone, his attention was caught by the arrival of Bruce Wayne. Richard shadowed him, hoping to steal his money in order to buy a nice birthday present for Mary. Just as he was about to pick Bruce's pocket, he saw Mary and John fall to their deaths from the trapeze.

Richard blamed himself for not protecting Mary, and his regret towards his actions would later influence his masked persona. When Mary's son, Dick, was taken in by Bruce Wayne, Richard turned his blame towards the rich and powerful that he and Mary had stolen from as kids, seeing them as the problem with society.