[7.6/10] This is practically the definition of a piece-moving episode. You don’t have the grand beginning of part 1, and you don’t have the (presumably) final showdown in part 3. Instead, you’re basically shifting all the characters in position from one to the other, with more in the way of backstory and motivation than action. I don’t mind that though! It’s nice to see the Titans resolve to help Raven, learn more about what Slade’s been up to and why, and establish the new status quo with Trigon in charge of the Earth.
That last part may be the most striking for me. I expected this episode would mainly involve the Titans fighting an unleashed Trigon as he gradually takes over the planet. I didn’t think the show would have the guts to make Trigon’s conquering nigh-nstaneous, with our heroes simply having to reckon with the wreckage. It’s a sharp choice, giving the episode time to focus on what matters to the characters rather than tossing in more fight sequences.
To the point, while it’s nice to see Robin and Slade paired up again, I zoned out when they were fighting the dozenth crop of fire wraiths in the pits of hell. We know they’re going to reach their destination, so the combat feels like empty calories.
That said, I actually enjoyed the team’s skirmishes with Trigon himself. For one, the sheer iconography of our heroes hopping around a giant lava pit while the Lord of Darkness sits in the wreckage of the Titans’ Tower like a throne grabs you. More to the point, I love how Trigon treats our heroes as a mere nuisance, pests beneath his notice, helping to emphasize how above them in power and stature he feels. It elevates Trigon, literally and figuratively, as a foe for the good guys.
But the actual fight with them is pretty creative! For one thing, Beast Boy turning into a hummingbird, flying into Trigon’s ear, and then transforming into a blue whale is especially funny given fan theories about how Ant-Man might defeat Thanos in Endgame. For another, I’m a sucker for watching the good guys fight shadow versions of themselves. (Years of video game playing, I suspect.) The dark reflections of Cyborg, Starfire, and Beast Boy have creepy designs, and the doppelganger battles have the spark that comes from the gimmick.
It’s not just a gimmick though. Trigon seems to make his grim gladiators out of the remaining heroes’ “bad sides” and touches on psychological sore spots. Cyborg’s counterpart tweaks him about not having a mother. (Pretty harsh!) Starfire’s teases her about Robin’s safety. Beast Boy’s needles him about being dumped by Terra. This isn’t just the usual superpowered fisticuffs, but something with a psychological edge, which I appreciate.
To the same end, while the delivery of it is a little clunky, I like Robin having to team-up with Slade in the hopes of rescuing Raven. These cataclysmic events tend to make for strange bedfellows, so Robin having to partner with someone he despises, with the remaining three Titans having to go it alone, creates unique scenarios. The show’s already gone to the well of taunting/angry banter between Slade and Robin a lot, but it’s a solid hobby horse, and the pair traversing the D.C. equivalent of the River Styx (which I guess also exists given Wonder Woman’s Greek myth-inspired adventures) creates plenty of opportunity for it. We also get some clear details on what happened to Slade after the end of season 2. The implication is that he did die at Terra’s hand, and was even sent to Hell, but Trigon revived him with the promise of restoring his fleshly body if he acted as Trigon’s herald. The imagery is cool, with a skeletal Slade plotting against the devil himself, with a tenuous alliance between him and Robin to boot.
I don’t know quite what to make of an all-white, childlike Raven, who seems similar to one of the versions Beast Boy and Cyborg met when plumbing the depths of her subconscious. But it’s a compelling hook for the finale.
Overall, more of this is setup and backstory than actual narrative development, but that’s appropriate for an intermediate episode in a trilogy, and the material we do get is good.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2021-08-17T21:43:53Z
[7.6/10] This is practically the definition of a piece-moving episode. You don’t have the grand beginning of part 1, and you don’t have the (presumably) final showdown in part 3. Instead, you’re basically shifting all the characters in position from one to the other, with more in the way of backstory and motivation than action. I don’t mind that though! It’s nice to see the Titans resolve to help Raven, learn more about what Slade’s been up to and why, and establish the new status quo with Trigon in charge of the Earth.
That last part may be the most striking for me. I expected this episode would mainly involve the Titans fighting an unleashed Trigon as he gradually takes over the planet. I didn’t think the show would have the guts to make Trigon’s conquering nigh-nstaneous, with our heroes simply having to reckon with the wreckage. It’s a sharp choice, giving the episode time to focus on what matters to the characters rather than tossing in more fight sequences.
To the point, while it’s nice to see Robin and Slade paired up again, I zoned out when they were fighting the dozenth crop of fire wraiths in the pits of hell. We know they’re going to reach their destination, so the combat feels like empty calories.
That said, I actually enjoyed the team’s skirmishes with Trigon himself. For one, the sheer iconography of our heroes hopping around a giant lava pit while the Lord of Darkness sits in the wreckage of the Titans’ Tower like a throne grabs you. More to the point, I love how Trigon treats our heroes as a mere nuisance, pests beneath his notice, helping to emphasize how above them in power and stature he feels. It elevates Trigon, literally and figuratively, as a foe for the good guys.
But the actual fight with them is pretty creative! For one thing, Beast Boy turning into a hummingbird, flying into Trigon’s ear, and then transforming into a blue whale is especially funny given fan theories about how Ant-Man might defeat Thanos in Endgame. For another, I’m a sucker for watching the good guys fight shadow versions of themselves. (Years of video game playing, I suspect.) The dark reflections of Cyborg, Starfire, and Beast Boy have creepy designs, and the doppelganger battles have the spark that comes from the gimmick.
It’s not just a gimmick though. Trigon seems to make his grim gladiators out of the remaining heroes’ “bad sides” and touches on psychological sore spots. Cyborg’s counterpart tweaks him about not having a mother. (Pretty harsh!) Starfire’s teases her about Robin’s safety. Beast Boy’s needles him about being dumped by Terra. This isn’t just the usual superpowered fisticuffs, but something with a psychological edge, which I appreciate.
To the same end, while the delivery of it is a little clunky, I like Robin having to team-up with Slade in the hopes of rescuing Raven. These cataclysmic events tend to make for strange bedfellows, so Robin having to partner with someone he despises, with the remaining three Titans having to go it alone, creates unique scenarios. The show’s already gone to the well of taunting/angry banter between Slade and Robin a lot, but it’s a solid hobby horse, and the pair traversing the D.C. equivalent of the River Styx (which I guess also exists given Wonder Woman’s Greek myth-inspired adventures) creates plenty of opportunity for it.
We also get some clear details on what happened to Slade after the end of season 2. The implication is that he did die at Terra’s hand, and was even sent to Hell, but Trigon revived him with the promise of restoring his fleshly body if he acted as Trigon’s herald. The imagery is cool, with a skeletal Slade plotting against the devil himself, with a tenuous alliance between him and Robin to boot.
I don’t know quite what to make of an all-white, childlike Raven, who seems similar to one of the versions Beast Boy and Cyborg met when plumbing the depths of her subconscious. But it’s a compelling hook for the finale.
Overall, more of this is setup and backstory than actual narrative development, but that’s appropriate for an intermediate episode in a trilogy, and the material we do get is good.