Characters In Titans Season 2 With More Meaning Than You Realize
In the second season of Titans on DC Universe, Trigon is gone and the team has to contend with a whole new set of challenges, many of them much more down-to-Earth than an all-powerful demon. Enter Doctor Light, Shimmer, Deathstroke, and even hints that things might get a little bit more cosmic if and when Kori's (Anna Diop) family comes calling.
But it isn't just bad guys that are making the landscape of Titans look and feel a lot different. There are heroes from the past like Aqualad and Jericho, heroes from the first season whose stories are taking on more meaning, and secondary characters who could just be nods to the source material... but could also mean a lot more to the plot somewhere down the road.
DC Comics has a long, rich history, and we're getting to see a lot more corners of it through Titans than any of the DCEU films have shown us so far. Here are some characters in Titans season 2 with more meaning than you realize.
Deathstroke is one of DC's most formidable warriors
The entrance of Slade Wilson, a.k.a. Deathstroke the Terminator (Esai Morales), is a huge deal. The Deathstroke of the comics is about as unbeatable as you get. He's one of the few DC Comics characters to prove he can wipe the floor with Batman, and sometimes he can do a lot more. On a couple of occasions, Slade has taken on entire Justice League rosters single-handed, perhaps most famously in 2004's Identity Crisis #4, in which Doctor Light hires Slade to protect him against a retro League line-up and he comes close to taking them all out, almost stealing Green Lantern's ring.
The Slade Wilson of Titans is, so far, a much more passionate version of the character than we usually see. The Deathstroke of the comics is often cold and calculating, being cruel or kind based solely on what will best get his next op done. He's also one of the more morally ambiguous characters in the DCU. While he's often painted as a villain, he's also worked alongside heroes like the Justice League, most recently in the mini-series Justice League: No Justice.
The season 2 finale seems to show us Slade Wilson's death at his daughter's hands, but we're not willing to count him out yet. Like his daughter, Deathstroke's abilities include a powerful healing factor. It seems likely it would take a lot more than a couple of swords through his torso to take him out for good.
In the comics, Jericho is a hero and a villain
Jericho's (Chella Man) actions in the second season of Titans are unquestionably heroic. He's seduced by the Titans in order to get info on his father Deathstroke, though the Titans eventually come clean and he forgives them. He sacrifices his body to save Dick Grayson (Brenton Thwaites) from his father, though at the last second he's able to save himself by using his powers to psychically send his consciousness into his father. But if Titans stays true to the comics, a future season could show us Jericho's darker side.
In the comics, Jericho has had an even bumpier relationship with his father than what we've seen in Titans. Like the show, Slade Wilson eventually kills Jericho in the comics, though the situation is different. In 1992's New Titans #83, Slade kills Jericho after the hero is possessed by demonic souls from the same dimension that was the home of Trigon, and Slade sees no other way to stop him. Jericho eventually returns, and in the current volume of Deathstroke, years of resentment between Jericho and his father have changed him, to the point where he aligns himself with the Legion of Doom during DC's Year of the Villain event.
Adeline can do more than hide from Deathstroke
We haven't seen much yet of Adeline (Mako Nguyen) on Titans. So far she's seemed to be a protective mother — eventually one in mourning. The Adeline Wilson of the comics, however, has taken a much more active role in the lives of her children and that of Slade. In fact, in 2016's Deathstroke #3 as part of DC Comics' Rebirth event, we learn Adeline is the reason Slade only has one eye.
Jericho and Rose are both children of Slade, but they have different mothers — Rose's mother Lillian lives in Cambodia. After Deathstroke fulfills a contract in the fictional nation of Qurac, the country's government sends an agent to America to kill him, but Slade's in Cambodia at the time, and he comes home to find Jericho's throat slit. Adeline is furious not only because of what's happened to Jericho, but because Slade wasn't there to protect him. As Slade's kneeling over Jericho, Adeline comes up behind him and shoots him in the back of the head. Slade loses his right eye as a result.
Adeline is never as vengeful or violent as her comic book counterpart in season 2 of Titans, though she eventually takes a slightly more active role. When Dick returns to her home looking for Deathstroke in the season's penultimate episode, the assassin has already left. In spite of Dick being partly responsible for Jericho being stuck inside Slade's body, Adeline doesn't need any convincing to give Dick all the information she can, even surprising him with the revelation that Slade and his daughter Rose have been working together.
Rose is more dangerous than you know
In both the comics and in the show, Rose Wilson takes after her father more than Jericho. She shares her father's abilities and, at times in the comics, his occupation. Like Slade, she's been both one of the Titans' most ruthless villains, while at other times working on the side of the angels. Unlike her father, Rose has had periods when her abilities transcended the physical. Initially during DC's New 52 reboot, Rose enjoyed a degree of psychic ability, but those these seem to be have been retconned out with 2016's Rebirth event.
More recently, Rose caused some trouble not only for herself but her father when she reconnected with her Hmong roots. She experienced blackouts, after which she would wake up usually covered in someone else's blood and wearing a red wig. She soon learned she'd been possessed by a Hmong spirit calling itself Willow that was using Rose's body to carve a gory trail through a powerful Chinese drug cartel.
By the end of Titans' second season we've learned Deathstroke planted Rose in Titans Tower as his mole, though she ultimately turns on him. She kills him in the series finale and allows her half-brother Jericho to psychically jump into her at the moment of Slade's death. It remains to be seen exactly how Jericho and Rose are going to work as two minds in the same body.
Wintergreen is Deathstroke's answer to Alfred
Deathstroke's handler Wintergreen (Demore Barnes) is one of the Titans characters who has changed the most between page and screen. In the comics, Wintergreen is usually depicted as an older English man acting partly as mentor to Slade. While he makes no illusions about what Slade does for a living — after all, he's usually the one setting up the jobs — the Wintergreen of the comics doesn't come off as being quite as depraved or manipulative as the younger version on the show.
In many ways, you could call the Wintergreen of the comics Deathstroke's version of Alfred, and that comparison was focused on in a recent Deathstroke storyline. In the 2018 story "Deathstroke vs. Batman," Slade and Batman come into conflict after reports that Slade — not Bruce — is the true biological father of Damian Wayne, the current Robin (the reports ultimately prove false). While Deathstroke and the Dark Knight go to war, behind the scenes Alfred and Wintergreen try to broker a peace, and we eventually learn that the two know each other from back in the day, when both used guns for their work and neither of them answered doorbells for wealthy employers.
Bruce Wayne is not what he seems
Bruce Wayne (Iain Glen) may seem like a strange addition here. After all, between the comics, the cartoons, and the many live-action movies, who isn't familiar with Bruce Wayne? But what's interesting about Bruce Wayne is Titans season 2 has less to do with the Dark Knight himself, and more to do with who or what may be impersonating him.
Bruce Wayne rarely shows up purely as himself in the second season of Titans. Usually when we're seeing him, he appears to represent a part of Dick Grayson's psyche either teasing him, pushing him towards an important discovery, or both. In "E.L._.O." for example, it's this phantom Wayne who pushes Dick toward the revelation that Jericho is still alive inside Deathstroke.
However, in that same episode Rachel, Donna, Kori, and Dawn are all summoned to a diner in Elko, Nevada, where someone who appears to be Bruce Wayne meets them and urges them to reform the Titans. In the season finale when Kori mentions this meeting to the real Bruce Wayne, he has no idea what she's talking about. Kori's explanation is that Rachel's powers somehow unconsciously manifested the false Bruce Wayne, but we don't know if that's truly the case.
Whether or not Rachel is responsible for the Bruce Wayne in the diner, the fact that it happened raises the question of whether or not the Wayne that Dick has been experiencing really is just a part of his inner dialogue or if Rachel (or another outside influence) has been messing with his mind.
Jason Todd is destined for a dark path
There have been a bunch of different characters who have used the name Robin in DC Comics, and few have been as volatile as Jason Todd. Always more headstrong and less cooperative than his predecessor Dick Grayson, Todd famously dies at the hands of the Joker in Batman's classic "Death in the Family" storyline, an ending which was partly determined by reader call-in votes.
Todd eventually returns to the land of the living as the Red Hood, who at first is at odds with Batman but eventually settles into a very black-sheep-ish spot in the Bat Family. He'll help out his old allies from time to time, but it's clear there isn't a lot of trust between him and the rest of the Bat Family. In fact, in the recent Event Leviathan mini-series, Jason Todd is Batman's first pick for the identity of the mystery villain, though it's eventually proven it wasn't him.
Putting aside the question of whether or not we'll see the darker parts of Jason Todd's drama unfold in Titans, for now it's unsure if he'll even appear in future seasons. Towards the end of season 2, Jason leaves Titans tower with Rose, eventually angrily leaving Rose when she confesses she initially was working as her father's mole. In the season 2 finale, we don't see Todd at all until the Titans gather at an airport to give Donna Troy's body to the Themyscirans. Dick turns and sees Jason in the distance on a motorcycle, appearing to be there to both pay tribute to his former fallen teammate and to give Dick a silent farewell. Todd drives away soon after, and we don't know yet if he'll return to the fold in season 3.
Aqualad is aquatic royalty
With the exceptions of flashbacks and a brief scene in which the Titans examine security footage of his death, Garth, a.k.a. Aqualad's (Drew Van Acker) only major appearance in Titans is in the episode named after him. "Aqualad" ends with the titular hero's death at the hands of Deathstroke, though we eventually learn that Jillian (Ann Magnuson) was Slade's true target and Aqualad simply got in the way of the bullet meant for her.
What's arguably most interesting about Aqualad's appearance on Titans is what doesn't happen in the wake of his death. In the comics, Aqualad is (no surprise) sidekick to Aquaman, and is just as important to the older aquatic hero as the Robins are to Batman. What's most surprising about the aftermath of his death isn't what the Titans did to try to avenge him, but that Aquaman didn't come bursting out of the sea with an Atlantean army at his back once he learned what happened.
It could be that in the Titans narrative, Aqualad and Aquaman don't have the close ties they enjoy in the comics (though, considering the names, that would be weird). Or maybe Atlantis' King will be a much more important factor somewhere down the road in Titans.
Doctor Light has a particularly disturbing history
Doctor Light (Walter Mosley) has been one of the Titans' most consistent foes over the years in the comics, often at the head of the villainous team known as the Fearsome Five. Personality-wise, the Doctor Light of the comics is quite different from who we meet on Titans. Mosley's Doctor Light comes off largely as a sadistic, chest-pounding meathead who always acts before he thinks, while the Light of the comics is much more cerebral.
The Doctor Light of the source material also carries one of the most disturbing legacies in all of superhero comics, due largely to the 2004 mini-series Identity Crisis. This story begins with Sue Dibny — wife to Ralph Dibny, the Elongated Man (played by Hartley Sawyer on CW's The Flash) — being burned to death, and we soon learn Doctor Light is the prime suspect for a horrible reason. Years earlier, while the Justice League was away, Doctor Light snuck onto their satellite and sexually assaulted Sue. The League of the time discovers the villain and — fearing he will terrorize Sue in the future — magically alters his mind so that he doesn't remember the event, and they do the same to Batman because he doesn't agree with the mind-wipe. This, coupled with Light's powers, make Doctor Light the League's first suspect in Sue's murder, though it ultimately proves to be someone else (we won't spoil it if you haven't read it).
Jacob Finlay was the first Doctor Light
In the flashback episode "Aqualad," we get a brief scene in which Doctor Light tortures a scientist named Jacob Finlay (Dan Beirne). We don't hear a lot of specifics, but the back-and-forth between the two characters implies Finlay and Light were once colleagues and Finlay has garnered has earned fame and fortune, partially by stealing Doctor Light's ideas.
Ironically, the situation has been flipped from the comics. In 1989's Secret Origins #37, we find out it's Arthur Light who's standing on a colleague's shoulders. It turns out that Jacob Finlay was the first Doctor Light and unlike Arthur Light, Finlay is a hero who uses his powers for good. Arthur Light takes Finlay's suit and the powers it bestows after Finlay's death, but in Secret Origins #37 we find out his ghost is haunting Arthur Light.
We don't know yet if Finlay will have any further impact on Titans, but it's possible. We never see Doctor Light kill him in "Aqualad," though it's clear that option is on the table.
Shimmer is part of a Fearsome legacy
"Rose," the second episode of Titans' second season, introduces Shimmer (Hanneke Talbot), a villain with the ability to change one element into another. Donna Troy (Conor Leslie) and Kori make short work of her, though as she's being arrested Shimmer makes it clear she means to get back at the Titans for what they've done.
In spite of Shimmer's promise, we don't see her again in Titans' second season, but it's a good bet that she'll show up somewhere down the line. In the comics, Shimmer is a regular member of the anti-Titans team the Fearsome Five alongside Doctor Light. She also has a very large, super strong brother codenamed Mammoth with few brain cells and a short temper.
Whenever we do see Shimmer's return, her powers could have a very unique advantage over the Titans, even though she doesn't give Kori and Donna much of a fight in "Rose." Because she can turn one element into another, Shimmer could potentially create Kryptonite — something that could mean very bad news for Conner (Joshua Orpin).
Superboy has a long, complex history
The arrival of Conner Kent, a.k.a. Superboy, in Titans is a big deal. We first get only a brief glimpse at him as he's breaking free from Cadmus Labs during a post-credits scene in Titans' first season finale. We finally get an episode completely devoted to Conner's escape from Cadmus and his journey to discover what and who he is in season 2's sixth episode, "Conner."
Conner has the potential to bring the rest of the DC Universe into the lives of the Titans, and probably in ways they won't like. Superboy is created from a DNA mixture of Superman and Lex Luthor, as part of a project that Luthor has been working on for a while. That implies it's only a matter of time before the guy who is arguably DC's chief villain shows up on Titans. And as much as fans might love it, the Titans themselves will likely not feel the same.
Conner might also attract the attention of the more seasoned superheroes of DC, and could put the very existence of the Titans at risk. As we see in "Atonement" when Conner attacks San Francisco police officers arresting a man, Conner can't quite tell the good guys from the bad guys yet. When headlines start emerging about Conner rampaging through San Francisco, people like Bruce Wayne and Superman are going to be looking at the Titans... and they're not going to be happy.
Krypto's origins are still a mystery
Krypto, who escapes from Cadmus Labs with Conner, is one of the most mysterious characters on Titans, insofar as we don't actually know what he is yet. With its many reboots and retcons, the DC Universe has featured a number of different versions of Krypto over the years. In some versions, Krypto is the El family dog back on Krypton and, like Superman, is one of the planet's few survivors. In other versions he's an Earth dog who gains super powers. In still some other cases, no one ever bothers to get too specific about the his origins.
Considering where we first encounter Krypto, it's natural to assume this version of Krypto is an Earth dog given superpowers — presumably as a side project of Rakshasa, the initiative that creates Superboy. But maybe not. It's possible Krypto is a bona fide native of Krypton that Lex Luthor was able to capture and bring to Cadmus to aid in his experiments. Until Lex or Superman show up and react to the loyal beast, we may never know for sure.
Mercy Graves is the Harley Quinn of Superman
Mercy Graves (Natalie Gumede) first appears in "Conner" on Lex Luthor's orders. She heads Cadmus' paramilitary teams, and is clearly a combat expert. It's Graves who manages to snap a Kryptonite collar on Krypto, and who shoots Conner with a Kryptonite bullet, nearly killing him.
While Graves has appeared in DC's comics, like Harley Quinn she didn't originate in the funnybooks. Mercy Graves first appeared in Superman: The Animated Series as Lex Luthor's personal chauffeur and bodyguard. Over the years her appearances in various media have made minor tweaks to her role in LexCorp. In some versions, it's implied Lex and Mercy are lovers, and in some Mercy gets more hands-on in Luthor's businesses while he's in prison.
One of the more intriguing possibilities that has arisen in the comics is that Mercy might be a native of Themyscria, the island home of Wonder Woman and Donna Troy. Some comics have shown her to be much more powerful than a standard human, and there have been hints that she possesses the kind of mystic knowledge common among the Amazons.
Stu and Lily
Toward the end of the second season's penultimate episode, "Faux Hawk," Dick winds up at a shop called "Stu's Handmade Shoes." We can tell right away Dick knows the shop proprietor Stu (Currie Graham), and the latter isn't very happy with Dick. After some strange references to fruitcakes, we finally realize what's going on. Stu is the creator of Dick's old Robin suit — a suit Dick burned in Titans' first season. After apologizing to Stu and asking for his help, Stu finally lightens up and leads Dick into the back where he and Lily (Rashaana Cumberbatch) have Dick's new suit waiting.
Along with proving to be some of the most instantly likable characters to be introduced in Titans' second season, Stu and Lily tell us a couple of important things about the series' version of Bruce Wayne.
First, they reveal that Bruce can anticipate Dick's actions. Stu tells Dick that Wayne's already contacted them about the new suit he needs, even though Dick hasn't been in contact with Bruce since the season premiere. Second, the short scene tells us the Bruce Wayne of Titans is much more trusting than other versions we've met. Stu freely refers to "Master Wayne" in the back of the shop, where he and Lily are joined by at least a half dozen other workers. Clearly, the Batman of Titans is not nearly as protective of his secret identity as others. Alfred is one thing, but this Batman has an entire workforce.
Blackfire could be the big bad of Titans season 3
Early in season 2, Kori's friend and brief fling Faddei (Robbie Jones) shows up n Earth, tasked with bringing her back home to claim her throne. She's eventually convinced to go along with him until she receives a psychic call for help from Rachel (Teagan Croft). Rather than return with Faddei, she traps him in her spaceship. In season 2's ninth episode, "Atonement," Faddei escapes the ship, but sadly doesn't survive the episode. We learn that in Kori's absence, her sister Blackfire (Damaris Lewis) has usurped the throne and that Kori and Faddei are both on her hit list for assassination.
The pair are on their way back to Kori's ship when Faddei's body is taken over by Blackfire. We see a holographic image of Blackfire taunting Kori, who is forced to kill Faddei in order to get rid of her.
Blackfire's entrance into Titans is potentially game-changing. As the only member of the team from another planet (remember — while you can argue he has Kryptonian ancestry, Conner is a clone and hasn't been to Krypton or anywhere else outside Earth), Kori's presence in Titans has always hinted at the possibility that things could get more cosmic. With Blackfire's appearance, Kori's hopes to dethrone her, and Blackfire's need to get rid of Kori, alien invasions and/or interstellar voyages could be coming in future seasons of Titans. The possibility seems that much more likely by the end of season 2. The season finale, "Nightwing," ends with Blackfire taking over the body of a human woman and seeming very intent on finding her wayward sister. It could be that Blackfire will be the body-snatching Big Bad of Titans season 3.