Caution - Spoilers ahead for the Titans season 2 finale
Better late than never - Titans finally has a proper superhero team as the DC Universe series heads into its third season. Titans has been afforded a mixed fan reaction in its two seasons thus far, but one enduring criticism of the show has been a reluctance to properly bring the Titans together as a superhero team. Titans season 1 explored the origins and coming together of Dick Grayson, Starfire, Raven and Beast Boy, but the quartet mostly operated alone or in small groups. There was precious little in the way of true Titans action that hinted at the superhero team-up that most viewers were expecting.
Titans season 2 made some noticeable but limited improvements in this area. On one hand, the DC series finally began referring to the Titans by name, and Dick started the season attempting to put together a new version of the Titans featuring his current pals. Despite such a promising start, season 2 saw the Titans plagued by discord and infighting, and although they worked together more frequently than in season 1, it was never too long before the group were ripped apart. Flashbacks to Dick’s original Titans team offered the best taste of the superhero action fans had been calling for since the beginning, but the present day iteration remained divided.
That problem finally looks set to be vanquished as Titans heads into season 3. The Titans season 2 finale saw a reunited group take down Deathstroke and put an end to Mercy Graves’ twisted experiments, but they suffered a casualty after Donna Troi sacrificed herself to save Dawn from falling fairground wreckage. In any previous episode, such a traumatic event would’ve forced the Titans apart again, leading to more side stories, detours and temper tantrums. With a few inspirational words from Bruce Wayne, however, Titans new and old band together to commemorate Donna, rather than letting the tragedy break their newfound solidarity. The Titans’ new sense of togetherness is cemented when Gar notices an incident taking place in the city; Dawn gets up and asks the others what they’re waiting for, prompting the Titans team to move out and save the day.
This closing scene gives viewers hope that Titans season 3 will finally be the superhero team-up series that was originally promised. The setup exposition of season 1 and constant grudge-bearing of season 2 look to be a thing of the past, replaced by a unit that actually fights crime for a living. The final sting of Blackfire coming to Earth also hints towards a potential storyline where the Titans will be forced to save one of their own, as Kory is targeted by her own people. This simplified arc feels far more enticing than seeing Dick blamed by the other Titans for something that was very clearly not his fault, and struggling against the forces of Tamaran will surely serve to bring the new-look Titans even closer together.
While the closing moments of Titans season 2 do provide reason for fans to be optimistic about the future, it could be argued that the DC series should never have taken so long to reach this point. It’s widely known that Titans axed its original season 1 finale and performed a soft reboot for season 2, and this might explain why Titans’ second season feels like it should’ve been its first. After changing direction partway through, Titans has essentially aired two different debut seasons, meaning the eponymous team was assembled far later than it should’ve been. Such delays have tested fans’ patience towards Titans, but if season 3 can fulfill its promise of being a genuine superhero team-up story, faith in the series may just be restored.
More: Titans: The Team Is DC Universe’s Worst Kept Secret
Titans is confirmed for season 3 on DC Universe. More news as it arrives.
