Warning: spoilers ahead for Titans season 4, episode 6.
Strangely, Titans leaves one of its best heroes at home for season 4's big battle against Mother Mayhem, seemingly forgetting they can actually fight. Titans season 4, part 1 concludes with Nightwing leading his superhero team into battle against the Church of Blood, their twofold goal to rescue the captured Superboy and prevent Mother Mayhem conducting a blood moon ritual on the also-captured Sebastian Sanger. Every member of the Titans joins the fight - Nightwing, Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy, Tim Drake and Jinx - but one member weirdly gets left on the bus.
Titans season 4 shows the team saying goodbye to Krypto before the battle begins, patting the super-dog and reassuring him that Conner will be saved. Previously, however, Krypto has proven a surprisingly useful ally in battle. Titans season 2 saw Krypto use heat vision on one gun-wielding soldier, while taking another down with a body slam. In Titans season 3, Krypto's sonic bark incapacitated the super-criminal Gizmo, and the canine wonder has demonstrated super-speed and a mean mule kick elsewhere. Given the range of tricks in Krypto's Titans arsenal, keeping him leashed during season 4's Mother Mayhem battle is barking mad.
Why The Titans Leave Krypto Out Of Season 4's Fight
Titans season 4 neglects to explain precisely why Krypto is excluded from the cult-smashing festivities. The behind-the-scenes reasoning could be cutting back making a dog perform martial arts through CGI, or keeping an already busy battle less cluttered. From an in-universe perspective, Nightwing and the Titans perhaps feel uncomfortable putting a dog in harm's way too often. Most animal charities would frown upon pet owners dragging animals in battle against murderous witches. On the other hand, Nightwing sees fit to include Raven without her powers and Tim Drake armed with a stick. Not taking the dog with laser vision seems deliberately bone-headed.
Ignoring Krypto looks even sillier when considering the final mission of Titans season 4, episode 6 is to save Superboy. Surely, the genetically-enhanced dog would insist on accompanying the Titans to get his beloved owner back, rather than agreeing to stay behind in his bed like a good boy. Krypto has shown unerring loyalty toward Conner since they debuted together in Titans, and that bond surely extends to saving each other from Trigon-worshiping occultists.
Titans Season 4 Can Still Deliver Justice For Krypto
Silly though refusing to take advantage of Krypto's fighting abilities may be, Titans season 4 can rectify the mistake. The Titans vs. Church of Blood battle ends in the latter's favor, with Sebastian Sanger, now fully transformed into Brother Blood, defeating the assembled Titans with a single blast. The only confirmed exception is Beast Boy, who saves himself by entering the mysterious Red cosmic force dimension.
Sooner or later, Krypto will wonder why no one is filling up his food bowl, and may come looking for Superboy and his other missing pals. Krypto's animal nature could then allow him to commune with Beast Boy via the Red, leading to Gar and his furry friend potentially succeeding where the rest of the Titans failed spectacularly. Maybe then Titans season 4 will remember Krypto is a valuable asset to the team, and not just a cute animal to keep the heroes company on their RV trips.