30 Best Teen Titans Episodes Ranked

In a pop culture landscape brimming with superhero stories, one 2003 cartoon still manages to stand out. "Teen Titans" follows young superheroes Robin, Raven, Beast Boy, Starfire, and Cyborg as they get up to all manner of shenanigans in and around Jump City. Some of their adventures are hilarious. Some are entirely serious. Some are a little bit of both. But every single one is as memorable as the T-shaped tower they call home.

With its unique anime influences, talented cast, and skillful writing, "Teen Titans" remains a classic of the genre. Although the far goofier "Teen Titans Go!" keeps the Titans in the public's consciousness, there's nothing quite like the 2003 series' blend of comedy and pathos. Luckily, it's an incredibly rewatchable show, especially for fans who haven't returned to it since it went off the air in 2006. Looking to revisit Jump City? Allow us to be your guide. These are the 30 best "Teen Titans" episodes, ranked.

"Bunny Raven, or, How to Make a Titananimal Disappear" is one of the trippier episodes of "Teen Titans." While tangling with magician and bank robber Mumbo, Raven gets transformed into an absolutely adorable white bunny. As if that wasn't cute enough, she's still wearing her Raven outfit. To make things even more bizarre, Mumbo tosses the other Titans inside his hat, where he's stashed Raven inside of an even smaller hat. "Alice in Wonderland"-style adventures ensue as a giant Mumbo menaces the Titans inside the Hat Dimension, transforming Cyborg into a tutu-wearing cy-bear, Robin into a monkey, and Starfire into a flea-ridden tiger. Beast Boy, in an inversion of his powers, is only able to transform into inanimate objects like lamps and phone booths. 

Mumbo's wacky torment leads to plenty of fantastic one-liners: Starfire exclaiming, "I do not like being a cat in this hat!" is especially memorable. The finale delivers as well, when Raven turns the tables on Mumbo with her own grand illusion. Tom Kenny's performance as the sinister magician is a particularly vivid highlight.

Continuing the story from "Homecoming: Part 1" is "Homecoming: Part 2," which puts Beast Boy in the difficult position of having to leave the Titans and rejoin the Doom Patrol in pursuit of the Brain. One by one, an emotional Beast Boy and Mento leave their compatriots behind. Things take a turn for the worse on their mission, however, and eventually, the two of them are left with no communicator to contact anyone. Beast Boy finally earns Mento's respect when he thinks on his feet and demands they work smarter, not harder. This does the trick: The Titans arrive in the nick of time with Negative Man, Robot Man, and Elasti-Girl among their ranks. An epic scene where the Doom Patrol and the Titans go on the offensive together ensues. 

This juxtaposition of the two teams is one of the highlights of the episode, which ends with a large-scale meeting of supervillains all ominously plotting to aid the Brain in his attack on young superheroes everywhere. It's worth pausing to take a closer look at the villainous ranks, which includes the obnoxious Kitten and Fang of "Date With Destiny," as well as a host of other foes from the series.

"Switched" finds the girls getting Freaky Friday-ed by the Puppet King. The action begins when the Titans receive a box of super cute puppets, crafted to look like themselves. They turn out to be a Trojan horse for the Puppet King, who traps the spirits of Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Robin into their corresponding marionettes, putting their bodies under his control. When he sends the zombified three after Raven and Starfire, Raven helps them get away, but switches their bodies in the process.

Starfire is ill-equipped to handle Raven's powers, which require complete emotional calm. Likewise, Raven struggles to adapt to Starfire's abilities, which are driven by positive emotions like joy and confidence. To save their friends, the girls must work together, and, most importantly, see things from the other's perspective. The experience leaves them with a better understanding of each other, and marks the true beginning of their friendship. It's a perfect example of the kind of storytelling that makes "Teen Titans" a pleasure to watch.

In "Winner Take All," the Master of Games pops the Titan boys into an alternate dimension for a friendly Tournament of Heroes. Here, they're invited to compete against a handful of other do-gooders (and some minor villains), including Hot Spot, Aqualad, Gizmo, Wildebeest, and Speedy.

When Cyborg can't get through to Titans Tower, he begins to suspect there's something sinister at work, but he can't get Robin on board to investigate with him. It soon becomes apparent that the Master of Games is taking superpowers from the defeated fighters, whom he traps in his magical jewel. The heroes must work together to take him down — but after they do so, the girls appear in the Master's realm. He welcomes them to the Tournament of Heroines. Though we dearly wish we could have seen how this second bout goes, the first tournament is fun enough to tide us over.

After a Chinatown encounter with a skilled fighter highlights a deficit in his skillset, Robin decides to do some hardcore training. According to legend, a martial artist known as the True Master lives in a remote location in Asia, only training the world's most worthy fighters. Robin decides to seek him out alone, much to Starfire's displeasure.

Robin's personal journey makes "The Quest" one of the show's most character-defining episodes, but it's the hilarious shenanigans carried out by the other Titans that make this episode sing. In Robin's absence, his friends go "Robining" — as in, they dress up in his clothes, play with his things, and otherwise pretend to be him. As Beast Boy persuasively argues, Robin is just plain cool. Who wouldn't want to indulge in a bit of make believe, given the opportunity? Watching Raven admit the mask makes her feel cool is worth the price of admission alone.

After a confrontation with toxic fanboy Control Freak, the Titans are in the mood for a scary movie. That night, they're woken up by a monster that abruptly disappears. Then, Raven discovers her powers are on the fritz. As the Titans explore the tower, the monster nabs them one by one. A defiant Raven continues to insist she's not afraid as the horrors around her amplify. Finally, she's forced to accept that she is frightened. This is what allows her to regain her powers and defeat the monsters, which were only ever her own subconscious creations. 

This episode's beautifully drawn monsters and moody color palette make it one of the show's more artful entries. The animation is also filled with references to classic horror films, which are a whole lot of fun to spot. It's also fun to see the inside of Raven's room, which is a '00s goth's paradise.

"Lightspeed" is a Jinx-centric episode that sees the bonafide bad girl confront her own inner turmoil. While leading the H.I.V.E. Five on a museum heist, the pink–haired troublemaker sets her sights on a mystic amulet. As the group attempts to make off with the treasures, they get relieved of their loot by a super-fast superhero they don't recognize. Worried about their reputation, Jinx obsesses over finding the unknown assailant's identity. Eventually, Kid Flash introduces himself to Jinx, and promptly encourages her to change her ways.

Though she initially exploits his kindness, Jinx is soon backed into a corner. She's not respected by her team, or anyone on the villainous side of things — Kid Flash is the only person who seems to recognize her intelligence and skill. Jinx's character growth and willingness to turn her back on her previous aspirations, save Kid Flash, and embark on a new life path make this a must-watch episode.

After Raven's powers go violently out of control, Beast Boy and Cyborg stop by her room to check on her. She isn't home, so the boys start snooping around ... and almost immediately get pulled into a dark dimension inside of a mirror. There, they encounter fuzzy physics, different landscapes, a bonafide labyrinth, and demonic corvids with creepy children's voices, who warn them to turn back. Soon, they encounter the strangest thing of all: A cheery Raven clad in pink, which she claims is her favorite color. She's soon joined by a sullen Raven dressed in gray who seems to have no confidence. 

Raven herself eventually appears, explaining that they're encountering the different sides of her personality. Things go sideways when her demonic dad Trigon materializes, forcing every Raven to join together and defeat him. By the end of the episode, Cyborg and Beast Boy know their friend a whole lot better — and so do we.

"How Long is Forever?" begins with a cheery Starfire ready to celebrate Blorthog, the Tamaranean holiday of friendship. But her friends won't stop arguing over petty irritations. Just as she's fretting over how this discord could fester, the Titans are called to a museum, where they face off against a time-traveler named Warp. The Titans almost immediately find themselves outmatched by the foe. Engaged in close combat, Starfire jumps into a wormhole Warp opens and damages his suit. She finds herself stranded in a cold, desolate near-future, where Titans Tower is in ruins. 

Here, the Titans are no longer Titans, nor are they friends. A weary Cyborg's last power cell has long burned out, leaving him chained to the decrepit Tower. Raven lives in a bare room, muttering to herself. Beast Boy makes pennies as a one-man freak show. Robin has become Nightwing, a hero as cool as he is utterly solitary. His appearance, the focus on the Titans' friendship, and the complicated time travel dynamics at hand are just a few of the things that make this a stand-out episode and one of the very best Starfire stories ever told.

The title of "The Prophecy" refers to the terrible prediction made on the day Raven was born. One day, the monks of Azarath intoned, she would bring about the destruction of the world. This is something she has failed to share with the other Titans. While Raven frets about this fate, the Titans battle Slade, who sports a mysterious symbol on his forehead. Soon, it's on Raven's as well. Searching for answers, the Titans visit an abandoned library, where Raven's symbol unlocks a hidden door leading to an underground lair. As fiery signs cover her body, Raven flees to Azarath. 

"The Prophecy" contains some major reveals regarding Raven's story, including an appearance from her mother. This forces Raven to address some of her most foundational issues, and appreciate the importance of her friendships with the Titans with new fervor. It's one of the most thrilling installments of what might be the show's darkest and most gripping storyline.

To protect young superheroes the world over, the Titans split up to give them their own Titan communicators. Unfortunately, the Brain and the Brotherhood of Evil are a few steps ahead of them: They're monitoring these efforts using a stolen Titan communicator of their own. Thus, the Brain picks the heroes off one by one. What ensues is an epic battle that tears the team apart as they desperately try to save their friends and allies. 

"Calling All Titans" is one of the bleaker episodes of the series. The Brain breaks down the good guys' defenses by stripping them of what makes them strongest: their teamwork and friendships. This episode is also a satisfying roll call of the show's best heroes and villains, many of whom are pit against each other in some pretty epic match-ups.

"Aftershock: Part 2" continues the reign of terror Terra begins in "Aftershock: Part 1." Despite her claims that she feels no regret over destroying the Titans, she's plagued by memories of their time together. Then the still-living Titans catch up with her, and her confidence cracks in two. Terra retreats to Slade's hideout, where her master subjects her to a vicious physical attack. Worse still, she realizes that the suit Slade made her has fused to her skin and nervous system. It can't be removed, which means she's permanently bound to the villain. There's truly no turning back for Terra ... or is there?

This is one of the show's weightiest episodes. Terra's ultimate sacrifice — which comes after she begs Beast Boy to kill her — is one of the most emotional moments of the entire show. Here, at the end of her arc, she's just a scared kid dealt a bad hand in life. But then she rises to the challenge and becomes a true hero. The plaque the Titans honor her with says it all: She's a Teen Titan and a true friend.

"The End: Part 2" begins in the wake of the infernal prophecy's fulfillment: Raven is gone, Trigon is here, and the Earth has become a post-apocalyptic nightmare with a blood red sky, oceans of lava, and all of humanity transformed into stone. The remaining Titans are able to harness part of Raven's power, but they can't do much more than distract Trigon. As the defeated friends lament Raven's loss, Slade appears, and tells them there's still a way to save their friend and, perhaps, the world. Only one of them can make the journey, however, and so Robin joins Slade for a jaunt into the underworld. As they trek, Beast Boy, Cyborg, and Starfire go on the offensive against Trigon. 

Robin and Slade's team-up is one of the coolest things in the entire show. It's incredibly satisfying to watch them fight together and bicker over good and evil. Meanwhile, the other three Titans are forced to fight their own evil counterparts, which taunt them using their deepest insecurities. It sheds light on the characters in fascinating ways, and brings Trigon's evil brutally home.

Raven is all too aware of her demonic heritage and the darkness surrounding her birthday. This explains her revulsion when the Titans throw her a surprise party, complete with a traditional Tamaranean crown of meat. Raven destroys the party decorations before she retires to her room to meditate and watch the clock tick. But her meditation is disrupted by her father, who tells her that her destiny must be fulfilled and the portal must be opened. 

Before she can absorb any of this, the team is alerted to Slade's return. He has a strange mark on his forehead, and is apparently unscathed by his fiery death in Season 2. He's also able to stop time. By the end of the episode, Slade gives Raven a red birthmark to match the one he bears and a horrifying vision of the future she is destined to create. It's an electric way to kick off Season 4's arc, and one of the darkest episodes of the entire series.

"Titans Together" follows "Calling All Titans," which leaves most of the world's young superheroes in terrible peril. Having evaded the Brotherhood of Evil, Beast Boy puts together a ragtag team comprised of Pantha, Más, Herald, and the unassuming Jericho (whom comic fans will recognize as Slade's son). Together, they manage to break into the Brotherhood's lair. A large-scale fight ensues, full of awesome team-ups and plenty of exciting nods to DC Comics canon. 

The cherry on top is seeing the temporary Titans thrive under Beast Boy's leadership. The often-goofy character shows his true potential here as a stalwart hero, loyal friend, and talented strategist. The episode ends with all of the honorary Titans coming together just as Doctor Light picks the worst possible time to rob a local bank. Seeing him face down pretty much every young superhero on the planet is as comical as it is exciting.