Tara's narration: "The Titans were only ever another stupid gig. So why the #$%& am I still here? Maybe-- maybe because..."
Tara summons up the earth to keep fighting machine Cyborg. Tara: "The gig's not up!"
I'm very seated for Tara's journey #TitansSpoilers
Batgirl: "Titans... Go!"
I've always found "go" snappier than "together", but I DID watch the cartoon first. #TitansSpoilers
Vic explains how the Alpha Energy in the aftermath of DC KO split him into human and machine, and the machine half couldn't handle it.
The machine half decided his best course of action was to kidnap his friends and keep them contained and happy, even if it was against their will. He'd only gotten Nightwing, Starfire, and Terra so far, but he'll have his sights set on more. Vic explicitly describes it as a Technis reboot.
Ooooooh #TitansSpoilers
Dick: "Vic, please don't tell me this is some kind of Technis relapse." Vic: "Not yet. No, as you can see, both halves of me have been separated and made whole. I'm human, and I'm a machine." Kory: "But how?" Vic: "Darkseid is how." An editorial caption notes that Vic once went rogue after nearly losing his humanity in JLA/Titans: The Technis Imperative.
Last issue riffed on a lot of old storylines, but I really appreciate this one reference going "hey, here's a specific old story you should go read". Because you SHOULD read The Technis Imperative #TitansSpoilers
Eddie summons infernal chains to hold Kory down, and she breaks them in a burst of rage
Eddie. Bud. DO NOT put Kory in chains. You have only yourself to blame for what follows. #TitansSpoilers
Steph: "What're you doing, Dick?! Call your Titans off!" Dick: "They just witnessed four of their friends die, Steph!" Steph: "You got our messages. You know there's more going on here! This isn't Titans Tower. Those weren't your friends. That isn't--"
Steph: "Wait. Did they all drink the coffee this morning?" Dick: "What?" Steph: "Did the other Titans drink the coffee?" Dick: "No! I-- I destroyed the machine. It was weird!" Steph: "Good. Smartest weird thing you've done all year." Dick: "Hey--" Steph: "Shouldn't be long then. Just need to wait for the effects to wear--"
I've also been looking forward to this lineup for Dick and Steph interaction, they don't interact as much as they should. #TitansSpoilers
Terra's narration: "My name is Tara Markov, illegitimate heir to the ol' Markovian throne. Though I prefer bein' known as Terra. I grew up in the streets of this hunk o' rock called the USA. I survived dollar to dollar to dollar and never misspent a penny. And the Titans...? The Titans were only ever another stupid gif. One that got me killed."
I am gnawing at the bars of my enclosure for Tara and Brion interaction, it's been so long and he was the one person she ever truly seemed to care about #TitansSpoilers
Jon Kent, Stephanie Brown, Yara Flor, and Eddie Bloomberg arrive to rescue the Titans from their nightmare loop
Eddie! #TitansSpoilers
Dick goes to Kory and tries to broach the topic of how they seem to be stuck in a loop
Kory argues that even if their days are stagnant, they're still doing good in the world and living happily. She asks him what's bothering him, and he says he feels like something is missing.
Dick and Kory kiss, and she pulls him away to another room as the coffee machine issues more warnings
Don't play with my heart, Brombal. Oh I'm LIVING. #TitansSpoilers
A nine panel grid cycling through story beats that keep getting repeated in Titans runs: Brother Blood, Vic's existential crises, Terra's betrayal, Raven going evil. And eventually, Nightwing decides to stop drinking the coffee.
I'm actually very tickled by Brombal opening his run by playing on the cyclical nature of Titans stories. #TitansSpoilers
Another loop of the montage, Roy and Gar are in their New 52 looks, Roy with the trucker hat and Gar being red instead of green
Oh no, they ARE in danger! Roy and Gar have reverted to their worst looks! D: #TitansSpoilers
Nightwing hears a staticky transmission coming through the coffee machine, warning him to stop drinking the coffee
Hmmm, that's ominous #TitansSpoilers
Part of a montage, Nightwing, Raven, and Beast Boy talk with Terra. Gar's hair is short again, and his costume is purple, black, and white.
Oh, we're montaging. Hello to Gar's new look! I've always thought purple and white was an underrated combo for him, and thank god he's cut his hair. #TitansSpoilers
The Fearsome Five attack Titans Tower, and Nightwing calls out the formations
They beat the Fearsome Five and get pizza for dinner. Nightwing's narration: "With friends like these... what more could you want?"
New creative team, new leadership dynamic, but they click as well as ever #TitansSpoilers
Raven arranges an astral projection meeting for the Titans so they can hug. Gar: "But it's not all of us. Vic's not here." Kory: "Does that mean that Cyborg lost-- whatever fight that competition was? Is he... gone?" Donna: "Let's not jump to conclusions. I'm guessing none of this has been easy on any of us. And we're still standing. Let's have faith... that Cyborg is, too... somewhere."
Them 🥹 #TitansSpoilers
Nightwing offers Terra the choice to start with a clean slate. She could be the hero who saved Gemworld from Jinx when no one else could. She's hesitant, but Nightwing and Raven tell her that the Titans have all agreed to give her a chance.
Terra is a thorny subject. But I like that Gemworld could be a chance for her to start fresh. I almost feel like it'd be better for that to lead into her on an Amethyst book instead of Titans, but we'll see what happens. #TitansSpoilers
Raven: "I have no love for Terra. She wants me to hate her, wants all of us to hate her, to justify her acts of violence, her acts of betrayal. To obscure the deep-seated guilt of those betrayals and distract from the rage she feels from the emotional abuse and manipulation of others. But I believe there is hope. When Donna took over the Titans, she pushed for a more compassionate approach to how we dealt with our enemies. With villains. It was the mercy we showed Shimmer that allowed her to sway her brother Mammoth. The same mercy we showed Vanadia. Both were ultimately key to defeating Deathstroke and his Crime Syndicate. I myself have wrestled with my own dark side. And I didn't find peace until accepting both aspects of myself, light and dark. Terra's time with Slade Wilson poisoned her. Created and nurtured her darkest impulses. But Terra was a Titan too. We should bear that in mind. We have had influence as well."
Raven, continued: "And maybe this time the Titans can be her cure." Cut to the present, where Nightwing and Raven refuse to fight Terra, and she mocks the idea of them giving her some kind of redemption speech, until Raven reaches out.
I think it's right for Raven to be the one making this case. The fact that she's been mildly jealous over Gar's lingering attachment actually makes it stronger. #TitansSpoilers
Terra takes out Jinx
Terra reveals that she's not going to help the Titans, just take over Gemworld herself
I think there is a path to a new leaf for Terra. But it's not gonna start that easily. #TitansSpoilers
Terra: "No! You just want to use me. Just like everyone uses me. Admit it. I'm just a weapon to you." Raven: "Perhaps. But you could be more. This planet is facing a dire threat, and you could be its savior. I can also see your heart. You are angry, and you have good reason. But you want me to think of you more than a weapon? Give me a reason to, Tara Markov. Prove yourself."
It took a while, but this run has finally hit its stride, so it's kind of a shame it's ending after DCKO #TitansSpoilers
Cyborg reveals that the form he chose for the final round combines all the Titans' powers and weapons
Oh YES. Even alone, TitansTogether. I love this so much 😭 #TitansSpoilers
Lian: "No way. I'm staying here. I can help." Roy: "You are not. You're just a kid." Lian: "What are you gonna do, ground me? You need to accept that I'm my own person, Dad. I'm not you, not Mom. Did you ask Green Arrow for permission when you first started out with the Titans?"
Now THIS is right. Lian doesn't just go along with either of her parents. She acts on her moral compass, to HELP people. She wants to do GOOD. That's why her characterization in C&C is so bizarre. Having her blatantly follow her mom's lead doesn't make her her own person. #TitansSpoilers
Roy: "Dammit, Lian, you should not be here! On Earth, either. It's too dangerous right now for you to be playing superhero. Especially without telling me." Lian: "I'm not 'playing' anything. I'm saving lives." Roy: "You're taking risks without thinking. Like your mother. I'm still steamed about that stunt you pulled. You thought helping her rob the Watchtower was a good idea? We'll discuss this later. Right now, we're getting you on an evacuation shuttle."
Yes. Please do sit down and have a long talk about the consequences of helping two selfish murderers become brokers deciding who gets to have godlike power based on money because she wanted to impress her "cool aunt". #TitansSpoilers
Vic sees various versions of himself from across time and the multiverse as he is prompted to choose a form for the next round
This mechanic is a really good way to make the best two out of three fights interesting, AND it has the benefit of fanservice without overtaking story. Cartoon Cyborg was an easy include, but I'm impressed at Smallville Cyborg down at the bottom there. #TitansSpoilers
Vic's narration as he fights Swamp Thing: "In the superhero line of work, you don't always fight villains. Sometimes you have to fight your friends. Maybe they're kind controlled, manipulated somehow in some evildoer's villainous scheme. Maybe it's simply a stupid misunderstanding. My point is sometimes superheroes fight superheroes. It happens. And so you pull your punches. Maybe a little, maybe a lot. But there's always an awareness of who you're fighting-- that ultimately you're on the same side and fighting for the same thing. But not when the stakes are this high. Not when the winner can literally reshape reality in their image."
Viiiiiiiic 🥺 #TitansSpoilers
Vic: "All right, Vic. You got this. 'Cuz what's the alternative? Hand the world over to Darkseid? You're a Titan. And you've got all your friends counting on you. Not to mention the entirety of Planet Earth. You're fighting for them. You can do this, Cyborg. Or die trying."
Vic 🥺 #TitansSpoilers
The Green Lantern Corps heard Kory's distress call, and Jessica brought Aya, Vexar'u, and Narf to help.
Jessica is Kory's friend and Vexar'u is Tamaranean, but Aya being here is a special treat for me specifically 💚 #TitansSpoilers
Raven expresses worry about the others, and Dick reminds her that they just talked to Donna and Roy a few hours ago. The comic cuts to Donna and Roy panicking that they've lost communication with Kory.
Dick assures Raven that Kory is the best person to escort the refugee convoy, and she's probably having a great time in space. The comic cuts to Kory being the only defense the convoy has against Granny Goodness and the Female Furies.
Raven assures Dick that she's not worried about Gar, since he and Beast Girl took their refugees to a planet with no animal life. The comic cuts to Gar and Beast Girl desperately fighting off large, terrifying animal life.
Gillian Cuts: The Comic #TitansSpoilers
Beast Boy is sent to assist Lightning in handling an "evacuation truther" protest, led by people who still believe Amanda Waller that metahumans can't be trusted ever.
Oy vey. This would absolutely happen. 😓 #TitansSpoilers
Vic's personal video message to the Titans: "We all know what happened. And the stakes we're up against. Darkseid won. And he's coming back. I know how much is being asked of you. To spearhead an operation that's literally humanity's only hope. Our only option. Evacuating the entire planet before a New Apokolips rises from Earth's ashes. I just wish I could be there. I don't fully understand my role in this, other than I'm participating in some sort of... competition. And if I win, it might give me the strength to stop Darkseid. ... might. I'm can't say it's a responsibility I'm ready for. I don't even know if I'll survive. And you know the worst part of this, Titans? With all the necessary preparations, I'm not getting a chance to say goodbye. Not in person, at least. You are my friends. My best friends. My family. I love each and every one of you. I just hope we have the chance to see each other again."
Vic 😭 #TitansSpoilers
