DC's Titans: 11 Biggest Questions From Episode 3

The mysteries of Raven and Starfire are deepening in the third episode of DC's Titans show. Although the episode bears the title "Origins," it doesn't really tell the origin story of any of the team. Rather, it settles for dropping more tantalizing clues, and finally bringing all the future members to the same city, Washington, DC.

In a pleasant twist, "Origins" avoids the typical superhero-versus-superhero battle that you typically get in the comics whenever two heroes cross paths. Robin and Starfire quickly decide to trust each other, believing that - in spite of the fact they both plainly have secrets - they're united in wanting the best for Raven. That's about as far as the Titans get in terms of actually becoming a team, though, even if they do all cross paths at last. DC is evidently enjoying teasing us with the fact they'll come together in the end.

So, let's take a look through some of the key questions left unanswered after the third episode of Titans. This time round, they're focused on Starfire and Raven, with only a few background questions about Dick Grayson.

This Page: The Mysteries of Raven and Starfire
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11. How Did Starfire Find Dick Grayson and Raven?

Perhaps the strangest question of all is the simplest one: just how did Starfire track down Dick Grayson and Raven? A flashback to two days ago showed her visiting Raven's family home, but from there the trail really should have gone cold. And yet, somehow, Starfire found her way to Hawk and Dove's apartment in time to see Raven being kidnapped. The frustrating thing is, it's almost certain the series will never give an answer to this question; it's just a plot hole.

10. Did Starfire Actually Kill One Of Those Cops?

Starfire in a car looking serious in Titans

Killing and maiming appears to be the first resort for all the heroes of Titans. This time round, it's Starfire's turn, only the first people she takes on are police officers who stumble upon her when she breaks into Raven's family home. It honestly looks as though she kills one of the police officers when he comes across her upstairs.

9. How Much Control Does Starfire Have Over Her Powers?

Starfire is clearly one of the most dangerous soon-to-be-Titans, largely because she has no idea what her powers are, or how they work. It looks as though she's been training with them between the episodes; the last time she used her powers she was shocked, this time she appears to be able to summon her Starbolts at will. Even then, she doesn't seem to be able to regulate just how powerful individual Starbolts are, given her attack on the "father" destroys part of the women's restroom as well. Frankly, an amnesiac metahuman is a menace, plain and simple, and Starfire can count herself lucky she didn't badly injure Raven.

8. Why Can't Raven Sense Starfire's Emotions?

There's one scene where Raven reaches out to touch Starfire, attempting to use her powers to sense Starfire's emotions. Surprisingly, she draws a blank - completely unable to get a "read" on Koriand'r. Given Raven's powers have yet to be explained in Titans, it's difficult to say why this is the case. There are two possible reasons. The first is that perhaps Starfire's amnesia means her mind isn't working properly, thus blocking Raven somehow. The second, and more intriguing, is that it's possible Starfire is some sort of yin to Raven's yang. After all, the two girls do describe their powers in very similar ways, but one as dark and the other as light. If that's the case, perhaps each is immune to the other.

7. Who Killed Dick Grayson's Parents?

The flashbacks confirmed that, as in the comics, Dick Grayson's parents were probably murdered. In the comics, they were killed by a Mafia boss named Tony Zucco, and it's likely the same will be true in Titans. Presumably later episodes will reveal whether or not Dick Grayson ever found his parents' killers, and if so whether or not he got his revenge. Indeed, that could be the real driving force behind his dark, brooding and violent persona in this series.

Page 2 of 2: When Will The Titans Finally Team Up?

6. What Do Dick's Bosses Think He's Doing Right Now?

This is pretty much becoming a recurring question: just what do the Detroit police think Dick Grayson is up to? He's literally only just joined them as a detective, and already he's jaunting off on travels across the country. It's clear his superiors don't know he ever had Raven with him, given Dick talks about the police still looking for her. So what excuse is he using for his road trip? You'd assume standard operating procedure is for Dick Grayson to work with the local law enforcement, but he doesn't even seem to be touching base with them - just showing his badge whenever he wants access to a crime scene.

5. Did Dick Use Brother Eye To Track Starfire and Raven?

One of the most exciting moments in this episode is a scene in which Dick seems to access Batman's tracking technology. It looks as though the Dark Knight has created a system that taps into every CCTV camera in the country; it's able to track Starfire's car within seconds. As Batman's former protege, and the man driving around in one of Bruce Wayne's cars, Dick has access to this formidable system.

The retinal scan to access it is clearly intended as a nod to the "Brother Eye" system Batman used in the comics. Brother Eye was the most sophisticated monitoring system ever, able to tap into every computer system in the world. It was even able to take control of some cybernetic heroes, overriding their own wills; it wound up abused by Maxwell Lord, turned against its creator. Is this just an Easter egg, or setup for a future plot?

4. Just What Is Raven's Secret?

The central mystery of Titans, of course, is Raven's secret origin. This episode reveals that, just as in the comics, the real threat is her father - Trigon, a demonic being. Given the abundance of Messianic / Satanic imagery in "Origins," it's possible this has been switched up a little, and that in Titans she's the daughter of the Devil himself. The Incarnational imagery is very strange, though, with discussion of whether or not a theological concept can take on a corporeal form. Most odd of all is that this line of dialogue comes from a nun; the doctrine of the Incarnation is central to Christianity, and breaks down the idea that there's a divide between the theological and the corporeal in the first place. That confusing line raises the possibility that Titans doesn't quite understand the Messianic imagery it's playing with, so we probably shouldn't make any conclusions based on the symbolism.

3. Just What Is The Prophecy?

Koriand'r comes to the shocking realization that Raven is the subject of a prophecy - the so-called "Destroyer of Worlds." It's a chilling moment, paralleled nicely by a glimpse of Raven's phenomenal power, but it raises the inevitable question: what is the full prophecy, and where does it come from? Clearly the nuns believe it enough to want to lock Raven away, and her mother thought Christian iconography would somehow dispel it. One thing's for sure, though; in Titans, no prophecy will have the power to override Raven's free will, and she will ultimately conquer her demons (whether they be her personal demons, or indeed her very father).

2. How Badly Injured Is Dove, And Are She and Hawk Finally Retired?

Dove in Titans weilding a weapon and looking badass.

It seems Dove isn't dead after all; she's just critically injured. Given that Minka Kelly is listed as a recurring character, it's safe to assume she'll awaken from her coma and suit up to come to Raven's rescue at some point. It's doubtful retirement will ever stick for Hawk and Dove. Ironically, Dove's survival has a dramatic impact on the tone of Titans. It seems this show doesn't mind killing characters off - so long as they're secondary characters, nameless villains, or simple gang members. If you're a card-carrying superhero, you're safe.

1. When Will The Titans Finally Become The Titans?

Finally, the greatest question of them all; when will the Titans become the Titans? Three episodes in, there's a single scene in which all team members are in the same place at the same time. But that appears to be little more than a tease, a promise that the show will get round to doing the Titans sooner or later. For now, they don't have costumes, they don't really know one another's powers (indeed, Raven and Starfire don't even know their own powers), and they most certainly aren't a team. Sooner or later, Titans will have to deliver on its promise and actually assemble its titular team.