In
my absence on Titan Patrol we’ve heard from a few
readers whose messages ranged from “Hey screwball!
Get your act together! Titans has new episodes!” to
“Wake up chump! Put down the Xbox controller and start
reviewing some episodes already!”
Since both of
those messages were written to yours truly BY yours truly,
they don’t really count. However, a longtime reader
by the name of Kendall took some time to drop off some kind
words and plead with me to return to the series ASAP. Here
are his excerpted thoughts:
“Where
have you been? Last week, it looks like you've missed the
latest new episode of Teen Titans, since you haven't reviewed
it yet. And what a great episode it was, too. The Prophecy,
the latest chapter in the Raven story arc aired last Saturday
night.
The reason I'm sending you this is because I like reading
your reviews of these TT episodes, even if I don't always
agree with them. This show doesn't get a lot of attenition
by the media (even though its CN's # 1 rated show) so it's
always great to read something by someone who truly appreciates
it.
And BTW, you've also neglected to put Can I Keep Him? up
on your TT page of reviews. As a result, there's now no
easy access to it.
I hope you haven't given up on TT because it is really
getting good.
Sincerely,
Kendall”
Thanks
Kendall, as you have probably already noted my review of
"TROQ" is
up on the site as we speak. I’ll leave the site maintenance
to Derek. (Taken care of, sheepishly.)
So without
much further ado: "The Prophecy." Despite have
lagged on getting these reviews written up, my love for
all things Titans has hardly changed. This episode, unlike
any recent episode of late, blew me away.
We’ve
known for some time now that Raven’s story arc was
heading in the direction of the Trigon arc from “The
New Teen Titans” fame; however, knowing the nature
of the show, its audience and its appeal to the younger
set, it seemed all but assured that Trigon would be reworked
in some fashion or another to better suit this show's format.
With
the delays in scheduling, although a part of the shows history
since day one, the cynic within began to wonder if the touted
Trigon arc would ever reach conclusion. Perhaps the show's
producers had somehow become entangled in a deathtrap of
legal-ese and red tape so cumbersome that the Titans' tumble
with Trigon may actually end up getting the same treatment
"Starcrossed"
received over in Justice League.
"The
Prophecy" proves, in a number of ways, that the intent
is to dive into this material as much as possible, changing
very little in the nature of the characters themselves in
the process.
Picking
up shortly after leaving off in "Birthmark",
"The Prophecy" begins with Robin seeking the answers
to Slade’s new powers, the symbol now adorning his
foe’s forehead, and his plans fixating on Raven. Reviewing
tape of their last encounter, the team seems to be stuck
in a dead end, while Raven can’t seem to keep Slade
from interfering with her meditations.
Slade
has essentially become a messenger, delivering ominous news
of Raven’s future destiny. A mysterious voice haunts
her along with Slade, telling of her fate in destroying
Earth, all the while insisting that “the portal must
be opened.”
Fans
of the Marv Wolfman / George Lopez run in Titans
already know what lies in store for Raven. They’ve
known since first laying eyes on the visage of Trigon the
Terrible way back in the Season One episode "Nevermore."
This is, as the mysterious voice insists, her destiny.
The
big question for Fanboys is, how much will said destiny
be altered in the process? Fans of the comic know that Raven
is the child of Trigon (don’t ask), and that said
family connection does not bode well for our beloved Titan.
However, no one ever thought that Raven would ever amount
to much more than a “goth archetype” in the
show, as disgruntled fans eagerly pointed out when the show
first aired.
The Titans are
summoned into action against Slade, once again, and Robin
gets his chance to query Slade face-to-face, and all questions
lead to the “S” mark on Slade’s forehead.
Slade explains that it is “the mark of Scath, and
it is about to become very popular.” After cornering
Raven, Slade issues yet another warning: “It’s
time your friends learned the truth. You tell them, or I
will.” Of course, I’m paraphrasing, but you
get the gist.
This
is, of all the major conflicts from The New Teen Titans
comics, one of the most resounding conflicts the team had
to face. Raven united the team to specifically deal with
Trigon the Terrible, and had to face her fears of placing
friends in danger with her mere existence. Somehow the creators
behind the animated series have found a way to incorporate
this struggle within the confines of the medium, and it
works all too well.
As Raven
continues to find markings like Slade’s showing up
all over her body, the plot thickens further and further
as Raven teleports to the ruins of her home, Azarath, to
seek answers. It is here where the whole arc comes together.
Fans of the Teen Titans rejoice: Trigon is still named Trigon,
and yes, he is Raven’s paterfamilias. To top it all
off, this news is confirmed by none other than Raven’s
mother.
Shocker?
Color me stunned. This episode, hands down, trumps anything
this series has put out to date. If things continue in this
direction, we could be on the cusp of the greatest animated
Teen Titans arc ever. Stay tuned, folks; the fun
is only getting started.
Next:
We take a pause in the Trigon fun for
another filler-esque episode entitled Stranded. My VCR botched
out on me while I was away this weekend, so I will get to
this when it repeats Saturday.
