It’s another Flashback episode as we take a look at the first disbanding of the Titans. Let us take a look at Episode 8, Season 2 of DCUs Titans.
Episode Recap ( Spoilers )
We flashback to 2014, where the team has been befriending Jericho in order to gain intel on Deathstroke. After Discovering that he has the power take control over others, Jericho( against the advice of Dawn ) is formally introduced the team.
Dick comes clean and reveals that : they’ve been using him for information and that his father is an assassin who killed their friend. After receiving a fake sos from her amazon mentors, deathstroke almost kills Donna and then meets up with his son in order to come clean.
Dick arrives at they private meeting, after promising to Jericho not to interfere, and fights Deathstroke. While Deathstroke goes for a killing blow, Jericho gets in the way and is killed by his father’s own hand. The Titans Disband after Jericho’s death.
The Episode Overall
Once again, Chella Mans Jerichov took center stage and really sold the characters journey. While his power was somewhat altered, its use was very fun and would’ve been a great ability to play with. The chance that he still might be alive is a lie we’ll all have to believe in so that we can see him again.
Moving on to his father, Deathstroke’s utter denial of his own destructive nature worked really well here. It’s his fault his sons dead, but him blaming his Titans fits well into his own focus on himself rather than his family. And Esai Morales’s performance also really helps to sell this caring, yet selfish relationship.
Of the two fight scenes, Donnas and Dicks, Wonder Girl continues to be not only underutilized but underpowered. While you could label the shadows and lack of light as an aesthetic choice ; the framing of the fight doesn’t benefit from this and is flat and uninteresting. While it’s understandable that she was caught off guard, Donna should’ve put up a better fight .
The ending fight, and subsequent death of Jericho have better emotional and physical build up. Jericho, while being torn, was always going to take a stance against his father. With Dick being there and blaming himself for the kids death really helps to set off the characters journey from episode one.
While they keep framing Dawn as this Motherly confidant, she came off as preachy and ineffective. Once again, the smaller cast works well here, and almost makes me wish they had done a first season of just the core five heroes, and having the Deathstroke fight be the season finale. With season two being the time jump and the introduction of Raven, Starfire and Beast Boy.
What’s to come
With all of the major character introductions / flashbacks done , we can hopefully move back to the main focus of the season. With the next episode being labeled ” redemption “, there’s a chance Dick can finally get over his funk.
So what’s your opinion on the episode ? Let us know in the comments down below !
