Normally, I would write about several of my favorite things about an episode of Titans, but this week there is only one moment I can’t stop thinking about.
Sure, there were other great things that happened during the episode, like Donna full out swinging a motorcycle at someone and Kory locking that alien dude in her ship (hope that guy has Netflix, because he’s in for a long wait). And I could probably rant for an hour about Hawk and Dove’s inability to decide which of them wants to be a vigilante this week and which one doesn’t.
But one scene shone above all the others. I’m not going to lie – I rewound the part where Dick knocks Jason to the ground. Okay, I rewound and rewatched it several times.
I feel for Jason a lot in this episode. He knows that Bruce has pawned him off on Dick and is feeling unwanted and misplaced. And in his new home, he is also out of sorts. He’s kind of like that older cousin who is too cool to sit at the kids table, but not mature enough to sit with the grownups. Jason has far more skill and training than the other newbie Titans, but does not have the maturity and experience to hang with the originals.
And all that pent up angst was aimed at Dick this week. First, we get that fist that should be the replacement for the Arthur meme. I mean, do you see a difference between this…
Dick is dealing with his own drama with all the angst from the past turning up this week. He does not have time for a temper tantrum. And Dick even warns Jason. Literally everybody’s body language is like “bad idea, dude.”
The fist tightens. He goes for it anyway. And Dick lays him flat in less than a second. It is epic. Dick’s internal dialogue must have been “bitch, you thought…”
I mean, I loved Dick Grayson before, but damn, this was awesome. Totally older sibling feels here. But now Jason wants to go prove himself to Dick worthy and he puts himself in danger.
There is a great moment where he channels the new training Dick has given him and is able to defeat Dr. Light. See – he does listen! Even when he whines about training.
But then Slade shows up and has now taken Jason away. I hope that he gets rescued soon and we get to see more of this emotional arc and growth for Jason. Let’s cross our fingers that this doesn’t end like it does in the comic, with Slade taking the Joker’s place.
Hopefully we will find out in the next episode, which airs Friday on DC Universe.