Titans stars Brenton Thwaites as Dick Grayson/Robin, Anna Diop as Starfire, Teagan Croft as Raven, Ryan Potter as Beast Boy, Alan Ritchson as Hawk and Minka Kelly as Dove.
Titans is available to watch now on DC Universe in North America. The series will arrive on Netflix in international markets soon.
Synopsis
Rachel’s birth mother is alive. In a desperate attempt to rescue her, the group breaks into the Asylum where she is kept.
Review
Titans first season is all about growing up. In the span of seven episodes we’ve seen the team go from a desperate group of individuals to a barely functioning team. Definitely not a fully functioning team though.
With “Asylum” we find the group communicating well about the problems ahead. Allowing Rachel to meet with Dr. Adamson shows Kory and Dick are beginning to trust in this girl. Despite the prophecy that she will bring about the end of days they allow her the chance to work at their level so to speak.
Whilst Rachel ultimately makes the childish choice to go after her mum behind Kory and Dick’s backs by the end of the episode she has clearly learnt from her mistakes. Rescuing her mother and choosing to remain in the facility to rescue the remaining Titans shows Rachel thinking beyond her own bubble.
For Dick the episode shows a more literal growing up. As the asylum burns to the ground we see his Robin costume also go up in flames. The scene follows a drawn out battle as the gang escapes the facility. The scene calls back to the pilot with Dick dishing out some trademark Titan’s violence. The difference here? He pauses to take in the chaos around him. Looking down at his own reflection and struggling to understand the person he has become.
Seeing the Robin costume burning because a physical manifestation of the character moving on from his own persona. From here on out we’re on the road to Nightwing.
For Kory it’s obvious her influence on the rest of the team. Though her own personal development remains slow (until next week super friends!) her impact on the show is invaluable. Gar also lags behind in the character development but in this episode we get to see him at his darkest. Killing off one of the asylum goons is clearly going to affect him for some time but ultimately will help propel him towards his proper characterisation.
On a personal note it was great to see Continuum’s Rachel Nichols guest starring as Rachel’s birth mother. More of her please in the future.
Ultimately the asylum experience served to break the characters down and push them closer together. Whilst the trailer for the next episode shows Dick going his own way for a short while it seems to be for the greater good of the story.
Titans feels as though it is beginning to shift towards its end game. Whils the ultimate villain of the season remains a mystery it at least feels as though we are heading in the right direction. I’m beginning to feel the season may be building towards a huge cliffhanger.
Don’t be surprised if the final episode ends with the reveal of villain yet to be faced but a team fully formed and ready for action.
Verdict
“Asylum” is another cracking episode of Titans. This is an episode which includes a lot of growing up for the four leads. Whilst is recalls some of the heavy action of earlier episodes it shows true growth in both character and story.
8/10
Next week on Titans…
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