TITANS: Breaking Down All The Biggest Moments And Easter Eggs In The First Trailer
Following the release of the first trailer for Titans, we're breaking down all the biggest moments and references to the comic books for a better idea of what exactly we should expect from the series...
As promised, the first trailer for Titans was released earlier today and it's certainly...something. While many fans love the R-Rated approach to the characters, others believe it looks like a fan-made YouTube series and it's clear that it won't be everyone's cup of tea. However, this sneak peek has left us with a lot to mull over and we're now delving deep into the trailer's biggest moments and Easter Eggs.
There's a lot to discuss here and while it's clearly adhering to the source material in some ways, there are some significant departures too. The shocking level of violence here is also obviously noteworthy.
In this breakdown, you'll find a look not only at key scenes but what this Titans trailer tell us about the series and what we should expect when the likes of Robin, Starfire, and Raven come together (there are even some hints about the show's big bad). So, to take a look, hit the "View List" button below.
Dick Grayson: Cop
Well, now that Bruce Wayne is no longer footing his bills, Dick Grayson needed to do something and it appears as if he's chosen to be a cop! This lines up with what we've heard and points to Titans featuring some procedural elements (unless, of course, Dick gives up on following the rules as soon as the rest of these heroes come into his life). Them having someone on the inside will help, though.
Regardless, this is definitely a departure from the source material and it will be interesting seeing how Robin balances his activities as a vigilante with serving the public as a police detective. Perhaps we'll get a Daredevil type scenario where he makes those who got away with crimes pay for their actions!
The Flying Graysons
Dick Grayson's parents receive the spotlight in this trailer on a couple of occasions as we get to see the fateful moment they were killed. While the rope holding them breaks, chances are it's no accident and that Bruce Wayne will have been in the audience (anything else would be a major departure from the comic books). It seems a tad redundant to revisit Robin's origin story but seeing as Raven seemingly experiences it as a vision of some sort, there could actually be a story reason for it being revisited.
Raven
The Raven we meet in Titans is clearly struggling to come to terms with her powers, a concept fans of her comic book adventures will be all too familiar with. In those, she's frequently fought to control her baser, antagonistic instincts she inherited from her demonic father, Trigon, and it's highly likely he'll be the show's big bad. Whether or not Raven will remain the focus of the series throughout the course of the first season but that definitely appears to be the case based on what we see in this trailer.
So, Robin Kills Now
This really isn't great. In the trailer, Robin can be seen seemingly cutting someone's throat and breaking a guy's neck by standing on it. While it is, of course, possible that he's just using particularly brutal methods to take these goons down and is just badly injuring them, this still seems like a pretty major change to the Dick Grayson character and not something his comic book counterpart would do.
I've already seen theories pop up that Dick is actually Jason Todd but that wouldn't make sense even if he is acting exactly like the Red Hood. Perhaps this is just a phase he's going through and meeting the rest of the team will change that. Then again, there's evidence that won't be the case later on in the trailer so that may be wishful thinking for those of you hoping to see a less murderous Robin.
"F*** Batman!"
Further making it clear that Titans will be an R-Rated affair, Robin drops an F-Bomb when one of the criminals he's attacking asks where Batman is. While the two heroes have fallen out in the comics, this seems like a pretty extreme reaction and it seems as if Dick legitimately hates the Dark Knight now.
We'll probably learn more about what led to this split at some point in the series but the only explanation for Dick feeling this way is if Titans' version of Batman is basically the monstrous All-Star version from Frank Miller's work! It certainly appears as if the show could be set in that sort of world.
Beast Boy
He may basically just have green skin but Beast Boy's appearance definitely seems to have been faithfully adapted. Whether or not he'll become slightly more monstrous is hard to say but it doesn't look that way based on the transformation which takes place here. Beyond that, we learn absolutely nothing about the character but fans will obviously be hoping that he's an important part of the team.
Starfire
There have been a lot of complaints about Starfire's appearance but bear in mind that we recently learned she's dressed the way she is because she attends an 80s themed party before finding herself on the run from some mysterious bad guys. While it is a little odd that the hero is shown wearing that get up in both this trailer and promo banners, it could be that DC Universe simply wants to keep her true appearance under wraps and you can't deny that her powers look seriously cool in action!
A Killer Combo: Hawk & Dove
We've known for a while that Hawk and Dove will play a role in the series but it looks like they're pretty keen on doling out brutal methods of justice too. Dove can be seen slicing through some poor guy's kneecap at some point and assuming they join the Teen Titans, it definitely looks like this version of the team won't shy away from leaving the criminals they encounter in critical condition or near death.
I may be wrong but it also looks like an unmasked Hawk is taken out later on in the trailer by some guy wielding a baseball bad but it's hard to say for sure. Either way, these two have undergone a pretty radical makeover and that may not sit particularly well with fans of their comic book counterparts.
Monsters
At the end of the trailer, Dick and Raven talk about monsters being real and Robin says he's seen a few of them in his time. Whether or not that's a reference to Batman or something else is hard to say but it's clear the series will be going down a rather fantastical route based on what we see of Raven losing control. That means a demonic villain is actually far more likely than someone like Deathstroke and while that's definitely an interesting route to go down, we'll have to wait and see how it plays out.
Does The Show Have Potential?
Honestly, it's hard to say based on this trailer. Many fans have rejected the dark and violent DC Universe Zack Snyder created with Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice so taking characters like these and making them even darker and more violent is bound to alienate some.
That aside, though, if there's a strong level of storytelling and impressive action, that could be enough to save a show which currently looks like it was made by some fans on YouTube. This is just a first sneak peek regardless, so it's going to be very interesting seeing how future sneak peeks improve on this.