A trailer for Titans season 3 heavily hints at Jason Todd’s death but suggests it will differ from the classic comic, A Death In The Family. Titans returns August 12 on HBO Max, the show’s new home after the discontinuation of DC Universe. The core cast will return for the upcoming season and will continue Dick’s journey as Nightwing with the new Titans as they face off against new threats such as Blackfire, Scarecrow, and Red Hood. In fact, the latest trailer indicated the series will revolve around Jason Todd, his death, and his eventual return.
For those unfamiliar with Jason’s comic book death, it occurs while searching for his biological mother whom he discovers is living somewhere in the Middle East or Africa. There, Jason joins Batman who is currently tracking Joker’s attempts to sell a nuclear weapon to terrorists. Together, Batman and Jason foil Joker’s plan and find Jason’s mother, though she isn’t the person Jason hoped for. Jason’s mother actually gives him to Joker to save herself. Joker subsequently beats Jason to within an inch of his life with a crowbar and blows him up before Batman can arrive to save him.
Clearly, Titans season 3 will take liberties with its adaptation to craft a compelling story uniquely tailored to the characters the series has developed over the last two seasons. In fact, over its last two seasons, Titans has adeptly laid the groundwork for this story by showcasing Jason and Dick’s relationship with each other as well as with Bruce. Changes to the story are to be expected considering the story’s original protagonist, Batman, is being replaced with Dick Grayson and the Titans.
The biggest difference between Jason’s presumed death in Titans and the comics is the location. The trailer implies the murder takes place in Gotham, not a foreign country, which keeps the story close to home. Additionally, the carnival setting is more akin to The Killing Joke, which has already taken place in Titans canon. This isn’t the only allusion to TKJ in the trailer, as it seems Dick may play chess with Scarecrow. Moreover, it’s likely Jason’s mother won’t factor into his death in this adaptation. Instead, the focus is shifted entirely to Jason’s strained relationship with Bruce and Bruce’s shortcomings as a parental figure.
One element of Jason’s death that will remain the same is the killer's use of a crowbar in his maniacal beating of Jason. And, with no explosion referenced in the Titans season 3 trailer, it seems likely that a savage beating will be the sole cause of death. This is a relatively minor change in comparison to the apparent difference in Batman’s response to Jason’s death. In the comics, Jason’s death makes Batman increasingly aggressive against his criminal prey which eventually forces Superman to intervene. However, in Titans, it seems Jason’s death results in Bruce stepping away from the cowl because he’s overcome with guilt.
Lastly, Jason’s Death In The Family arc will transition quickly into Under The Red Hood, which is another change from the comics, where the arcs are separated by nearly two decades. The quick transition means Jason will not be dead for long before he returns to Gotham. This will be an interesting alteration because it doesn’t provide much time for Iain Glen’s Bruce and the Titans to process Jason’s death before they’re forced to deal with his savage return. Though Jason Todd’s death will be different in Titans season 3, it’ll be fascinating to watch Dick and the team confront the loss and fill Batman’s shoes.