Titans “Troubled Waters”

Look, I don’t care how good the Red Hood is, it sure does seem highly unlikely that Jonathan Crane, armed with no real weapons or anything, would somehow be a match for the entire Titans team.  He’s not really a physical threat, and this is the same bunch that put a stop to both Deathstroke and Trigon in much less coherent seasons.

But lo and behold, I actually used “lo and behold”.  Also, Crane does have one advantage:  he’s a slick video editor.

Yes, that is what it takes to discredit the Titans in this version of Gotham.  Put together a fancy video, blame Nightwing for the toxins in the city’s water supply, and promote Jason’s Red Hood as the new hero Gotham needs.  And because everyone on Titans has to carry the idiot ball once in a while–and remember, I am mostly enjoying this season compared to the previous two–that means that Dick has to stay off the streets as Crane’s toxins start making random citizens freak out.  Sure, the other Titans can then very reluctantly subdue people in the streets, but that just means the rest of the people in the crowd think the Titans are going bad and are attacking randos.

Allow me to point out that the people the Titans are fighting tend to be swinging weapons, drooling heavily, dressed in the most disheveled manner possible, and generally snarling more than talking.  We’re about two steps away from the Titans fighting a zombie apocalypse.  Though points to Conner for literally knocking one guy out by tapping him with a single finger.

Of course, with the whole city turned on all of the Titans, they all more or less decide to go back to Wayne Manor and brood.

Did I mention Crane put a bounty on Nightwing’s head?  Because he totally did that.  Now, I would think Dick could then just wander around town out of costume, but I apparently make too much sense for this universe.

Point is, the Titans decide to symbolically surrender to the police.  Barbara is on board, everyone will be on their best behavior, even Blackfire, and off they go…only Crane bribed some crooked cops to try and kill the Titans.  That sure doesn’t work.  That just makes the Titans mad.  Or at least it makes Conner mad.  The others just seem to be defending themselves.  That would have been an impressive fight scene, at least, with Conner showing off how he can use heat vision to stop hand grenades and the like.  But these are superheroes against normals.  Blackfire does get shot, but Kory gets her out of there.  Gar turns into tiger form and manages to escape even after getting hit with a tranquilizer dart.  Conner and Dick leave together, realize they can’t go back to Wayne Manor, and hide somewhere else.  I guess Krypto ran off like a good boy.

Oh, and Barbara got arrested for shooting one of the crooked cops.

That just allows Crane and Jason to move into Wayne Manor.  What a pair of dinks.

So, the Titans are scattered.  Blackfire appears to have accidentally stolen Kory’s powers when Kory tried to use her starbolts to heal her sister.  Dick and Conner are on their own.  Gar wakes up missing his clothes and a few hours of memory.  Things look bad.

Except…Rachel and Donna are on their way to Gotham.  Rachel just teleported to Gar.  Donna took a bridge.  So, maybe this will end poorly for Crane after all.  He does more or less deserve it at this point…