The universe of HBO Max's Titans is very dark. In fact, fans often cite DC properties as much darker than that of those produced by Marvel Studios. That's not always true, but the reputation has stuck. Still, that doesn't mean those heroes that live in the grit and grime of Gotham don't have a lot in common with those saving the day in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The Titans, much like the Avengers, form out of necessity. They come from all over the planet, and in some cases, other planets, and band together because they're stronger together than they are apart. Unlike the Avengers, they don't all have a history of being someone else's sidekick, or a vigilante, or have magical powers, before they meet up, but they still can find their counterparts in the MCU.
Updated on December 3rd, 2022: As both the MCU and the world of the Titans grows, fans have been introduced to new characters or seen more development in some of their fan favorites. That allows for more lines to be drawn connecting Titans to Marvel heroes, especially in newer properties. Tim Drake, for example, isn’t the experienced hero of an Avenger, but he definitely has the enthusiasm of a member of the new generation who has watched the heroes in action.
Wonder Girl: Nakia
Though Donna Troy and Nakia are from two very different cultures, they both train among elite warriors from a young age to become heroes. While Donna trains among the Amazons, Nakia trains among the Dora Milaje. Donna spends her formative years as the sidekick to a superhero before finding her own path while Nakia works as a spy before finding hers.
Both women are tougher than they appear at first glance, strong-willed, and are more than ready to start over when life presents them with a new path. The two characters would likely understand one another very well if they ever managed to cross comic book franchise paths.
Tim Drake: Ms. Marvel
When it comes to new generations of heroes in Titans and the MCU, it’s inevitable that there will be a bit of hero worship. The younger generation, after all, has come of age watching other heroes save the day on a regular basis. That is a big part of what Tim and Kamala have in common.
Kamala might inherit her abilities while Tim doesn’t, but both have to do quite a bit of training and hone their heroic instincts to learn to fight against others with powers. They also both know a lot about the heroes they’re interested in. Tim jumps at the chance to help the Titans just as Kamala would jump at the chance to help Captain Marvel.
Jinx: Rocket
Their methods might be different, but both Jinx and Rocket love to cause a little chaos. They speak their minds and have a lot of fun while everyone else is stressing about the situations at hand.
Jinx just happens to prefer magic, while Rocket prefers an assortment of weapons. They use their respective interests to get creative, like Rocket turning anything into an explosive, or Jinx shapeshifting to buy her team some time. They operate in moral gray areas, but they’re willing to be the hero in the middle of plans they make for themselves as well.
Starfire: Captain Marvel
Starfire is not initially a member of the Titans, much like the MCU version of Captain Marvel isn't initially an Avenger. The two have more in common than joining established team dynamics though.
Both women are more powerful than the people they encounter give them credit for; they are constantly underestimated and proving themselves. They also actually have similar power sets that act by converting energy and allowing them to literally blast their opponents away. There's also the fact that out of both of their teams, they're the ones who have had issues with their memories, not realizing who they are until they've come close to doing horrible things.
Raven: Scarlet Witch
Rachel Roth and Wanda Maximoff are both on the younger end of the spectrum for their respective teams. They come to their teams with a lot of trauma and not a lot of experience, which can make them both volatile people without meaning to be.
While Rachel's abilities come from a demonic father, Wanda's come from magic within her. They both, however, struggle to understand and control what they can do. Scarlet Witch, for example spends just as much time in the MCU losing control of her powers as she does making a difference. Both young women have to go on their own journeys outside of their team to learn about themselves and their power sets.
Hawk: Star-Lord
Hawk and Star-Lord have both suffered a lot of loss in their lives. For Hawk, it's his partner in crime, and his brother. For Star-Lord, it's his mom. They both embrace adventure and live larger than life as they grieve. Star-Lord is aided in that by being kidnapped by the Ravagers and getting to live amongst the stars, but Hawk gets to join the Titans.
They are both incredibly skilled, but that can be lost in just how cocky they come off when meeting new people. Their confidence hides their insecurities, which tend to come out at the most inopportune time, like the middle of a battle. Both Hank and Peter also wear a lot of their emotions on their sleeves, neither able to hide how they feel about Dawn and Gamora, respectively.
Dove: Wasp
Dawn enters the superhero world when she's grieving the loss of her mother, much like Hope, though Hope is born into a family of heroes. Both women even follow in the footsteps of someone else, taking up their mantles of Dove and Wasp.
Dawn isn't quite as tough-as-nails as Hope is. There's a softer side to Dawn as she offers a sympathetic ear to the other members of the Titans and often acts as the voice of reason. Hope is still often the voice of reason for Scott Lang, but the MCU hasn't given her a chance to be around a larger team much just yet.
Beast Boy: Spider-Man
Setting aside the fact that Beast Boy and Spider-Man are both teenagers, they also both bring a similar energy to their time as heroes. There's an excitement to them, and an eagerness to help, that some of their more jaded teammates don't share.
They're also both incredibly intelligent. Peter Parker develops a formula for his own web fluid and is able to figure out how to use all of the technology Tony Stark leaves at his disposal. Likewise, Gar Logan doesn't take much studying to learn the ins and outs of both Titans Tower and the Batcave, mastering the technology with ease.
Superboy: Vision
There's no one like Superboy or Vision in their respective worlds. That uniqueness certainly bonds them together, but so does their creation. Vision is born of two of the smartest minds in the MCU: Bruce Banner and Tony Stark. They have the help of the technology created by Dr. Helen Cho. Superboy is the product of the DNA of two enemies: Lex Luthor and Superman. He's also created by a team of scientists.
Both characters struggle to find their place in the world, but they learn at an astonishing rate. They also become more human thanks to their relationships with those around them. Vision's relationship with Wanda, explored more in WandaVision, in particular allows the audience to see him as more than an organic machine. Superboy has his friendship with Beast Boy and his budding romance with Blackfire to do the same.
Blackfire: Loki
No one trusts Blackfire completely, not even her sister. She's not even technically a member of the Titans, though she has been helping them out when her goal was really to drag her sister home and make sure she got to keep the throne for herself.
That might sound familiar to MCU fans. It's not unlike Loki's own story in which he plotted to steal the throne from his brother. Like Blackfire, however, Loki's journey means that he understands Thor a little better than he did when he felt ostracized from his family. Blackfire's path appears to be following his pretty closely.
Barbara Gordon: Pepper Potts
Though Barbara Gordon is best known as the vigilante Batgirl in DC Comics, in the Titans series, those days are behind her and she's Commissioner Gordon of the Gotham Police Department. A police commissioner might not have a lot in common with Pepper Potts at first glance, but the two women have very similar approaches to problem solving.
That is to say that there is no problem either of them can't handle. Barbara excels at her job, putting evidence together and doling out instructions. It's not that different from Pepper taking over Tony Stark's company - or for that matter, running his life before she does. They both command respect from those around them, not out of fear, but out of genuine admiration. Barbara and Pepper also keep getting drawn into the world of superheroes, no matter how hard they try to leave it behind. The latter might finally be done with the heroes of the MCU after Avengers: Endgame, but there's always another way for Pepper Potts to return.
Red Hood: Winter Soldier
When Jason Todd is taken in by Bruce Wayne, he's a mischievous kid looking for a little excitement. When Bucky Barnes becomes a soldier, it's with the swagger of someone who thinks he's going on an adventure. Both young men have their bubbles burst in a big way. Jason is repeatedly backed into a corner until he's manipulated by a villain into becoming one. Bucky becomes part of Hydra's experiment in super soldiers, his mind not his own.
Both young men just want to do the right thing, but end up in situations in which they're unable to. They also often both have antagonistic relationships with their teammates - Jason with most of the Titans and the Bat-family, and Bucky with Sam Wilson and Sharon Carter. They both have to find a way to get past the darkness in their lives to become the heroes they're actually meant to be.
Nightwing: Iron Man
Dick Grayson might not be the genius that Tony Stark is, but the two heroes do have a lot in common. For starters, in their everyday lives, both try to flirt their way out of uncomfortable situations, which doesn't always work for either of them. They both also have a big legacy to live up to.
For Tony, it's his father as a SHIELD agent and scientist. For Dick, it's Batman's long history in Gotham, even if he protests wanting to be like Bruce Wayne. They both try to be better than the men who raised them, and that is harder than they initially believe it will be. Both Tony and Dick also lead their respective teams. Tony shares that responsibility with the original Avengers just as Dick shares that responsibility with Kory and Donna initially.