S02.E02: Rose

[MarkHB]

Quote

While Dick trains the next generation of Titans, Donna and Kory track down a rogue metahuman. But an old threat drives the Titans – old and new – back together.

[Jenniferbug]

2 Roy Harper mentions?! Too bad Colton Haynes can't be Roy on this show too. Loved Donna and Kory steaming up. They have a fun friendship. Not sure what's going to happen with Kory being abducted though- I hope it doesn't take her long to end up at Titan Tower with the others. 

I liked getting a glimpse of life and training at the tower. The youngsters all have a good dynamic together. Gar and Jasom training was fun to watch, and I like that they mostly seem to be friends. I'm still enjoying Jason. I assume Dick was totally lying about Jason being a leader and the others looking up to him. And I did feel for Jason when he asked about going back to Bruce. Considering he was bounced around from home to home in his youth, I can see him feeling a bit abandoned by his latest guardian. No real spoilers below, comic spoiler and then my speculation. 

Spoiler

I'm going to miss his role on the team when he is inevitably beaten to death. Pretty sure they're setting that up to happen this season (paralleled by Aqualad in the past?). My other longshot theory is that he may be the one to betray the team if he feels that they shut him out and he's not good enough for them. He seems like the type to have a massive chip on his shoulder that way.

Not feeling Rose so far. I get what Dick was trying to do, but I don't see why he would be at all willing to help her once he knows she's the daughter of Deathstroke. I felt like her ending up with the Titans was calculated and she's right where she wants to be. But I can't help feeling like her betraying them for her dad is too obvious, so maybe it's a red herring.

Hawk and Dove. Not sure what to say about them. Why did I not remember that Hawk was some recovering addict? I like them and am glad they're making their way to the team pretty quickly (I hope). 

Doctor Light was pretty cool looking. Still wondering when we're getting a glimpse of Superboy. 2 episodes and not even a quick scene with him. 

[Sakura12]

This one felt more like a season 2 premiere. Still not sure why they thought it was a good idea for the change. If this show was dropped all at once I could understand it a little more. 

I loved Kory and Donna working together. But what exactly does Donna do for a living where she can have a surveillance van and have a photo gallery. I hope we get more background into which story they are going with for this version of Donna Troy (she has quite a few). They had the fire, but they also have her saying she's only half human. Is she the clone of Wonder Woman in this version or a human girl that the Amazon's gave their powers too making her part Amazon? 

Kory better come back soon. I don't want her sidelined even more. She ended up being my favorite character despite the poor outfit choice she was in for most of last season. But I suppose they set up as she really likes the 70's. 

A Roy Harper name drop, it is too bad Colton Haynes can't be playing him. Now all we need to see is Aqualad, who I assume died in the past. Dick was so playing Jason telling he's the leader and the others look up to him. I wonder how long it will take Dick to become Nightwing. 

Are they making Jericho part of the Titans that died as well? I'm surprised they had the Titans find out about Rose so quickly.

Edited September 14, 2019 by Sakura12

[Keywestclubkid]

The writing, acting, and pace all soooo much better this episode. 

[BaggythePanther]

For me, this was the second episode in a row where it felt like the episode ended just as things started to get going.

The episode had some good character moments. But the things that I found the most interesting- the Kory/Donna tag team fight, Dr. Light’s attacks, the reveal of Rose’s identity- that all happened in the last 20 minutes or so.

[MarkHB]

I was anticipating that they might be doing the Judas Contract with Rose instead of Terra, but now that they've ID'd Rose I can't believe the TItans (including two Robins who each trained with the World's Greatest Detective) will be that stupid.  We'll see.

Kory and Donna hanging out as crimefighting gal pals was fun, as was Donna's taco order.

[Sakura12]

I'd watch an episode of Donna and Kory fighting crime in Chicago. Mostly because that's where I live and we don't get super heroes shows set up here. Although I guess they haven't reached summer yet, because a Chicago summer would have Kory begging for it to go back to below 50 degrees. I also hope Donna tries to find Kory first before going to Titan's tower. 

[Primal Slayer]

I enjoyed it though I wish that Donna/Kory subplot had more substance to it. Shimmer wasn't really anything note worthy and then the cops just reacted normally to a girl with a lasso turning her in lol. The Roy Harper easter egg was nice.

I'm interested to see what they do with the Kory plot since they had already cast people last season and I assume filmed stuff so how much will they keep, how much will they change? But I still feel like they need to do more to Alienize Kory and her people. Especially with a world of metas, her eyes lighting up when she uses her powers doesn't do much. Give her brother and everyone from Tamaran, red luscious hair and some more fish out the water moments.

Love Rose, kind of hoping they turn her into their version of Terra as far as deceiving the Titans.

 

7 hours ago, MarkHB said:

I was anticipating that they might be doing the Judas Contract with Rose instead of Terra, but now that they've ID'd Rose I can't believe the TItans (including two Robins who each trained with the World's Greatest Detective) will be that stupid.  We'll see.

I think that would be a good twist, something that is so in front of your face that you end up not seeing it coming because you expected it to but it never did until BAM! There it is.

[phoenics]

This was a better episode.

I think this show has way too many characters and it cannot balance them all, except the show still magically finds a way to center Dick and Rachel, while Gar and Kory get scraps of attention, even if their stories feel really interesting and fresh.  I'm not really interested in Rachel and her dark powers right now - after how easily she defeated Trigon I'm fine with that glaring ridiculousness as long as I don't have to suffer through her being centered AGAIN.  Maybe if they give Gar and Kory as much focus this season then after that I'd be interested in seeing Rachel and her powers story they seem to be setting up.  But no, not right now - we just have a whole season of her being crammed down our throats, along with Dick.

Whoever said that the producers really just wanted to do a Nightwing show but couldn't get the rights for a full show or maybe couldn't get that show approved unless it was Titans was probably right.  

Kory/Donna was easily one of the best parts of the episode, but it was also a nothingburger.  Shimmer was no match for them - she threw one thing at them and then blam - knocked out.  Weak.

Kory looks AMAZING.  I loved her outfit.  Mostly black but still with her purple accented jacket.  Fire.

Dr. Light is clearly after the old Titans - Donna should be next, but she's been warned now so hopefully not.  I wonder how long it will take the team to figure out that Slade sicc'd Dr. Light on them?  And is Rose there on purpose as a plant from her dad or ?  

I think the older Titans being brought into the story because of their connection to Dr. Light and Slade is organic - I wonder if Slade is gonna pull a "The Flash Season 2" storyline with Slade setting villains of the week after the old (and new) Titans to off them before he finally engages.

I wonder if the other Tamaranean is here to collect Kory because she's meant to rule or come back and she doesn't want to?  Or to face trial for not killing Rachel?  The show apparently

cast her evil sister, so that's something... hope that hasn't been dropped

.

Still no Superboy sighting.  *sigh*

Yay Roy Harper!!

Sounds like AquaLad might have bitten the dust back when they tangled with Slade as Old Titans.  

[Jenniferbug]

I didn't feel that Rachel got more screen time or focus than Gar or Kory this episode. I can't argue that Dick did, but he also appears to be the lynchpin of the show and especially this season, as he is the bridge between old Titans and new Titans, so it doesn't bother me. 

[Danny Franks]

On ‎9‎/‎13‎/‎2019 at 10:43 PM, Jenniferbug said:

2 Roy Harper mentions?! Too bad Colton Haynes can't be Roy on this show too. 

Well that's a shame. Not Colton Haynes, but Roy Harper at all. I have loathed every iteration of his character I've ever read, and am not inclined to give yet another one even the slightest chance.

They're already adding too many characters to this show, without fully exploring the ones they've already got. Throwing Roy Harper, a pale imitation of the already barely tolerable Green Arrow, into the mix as well? I don't think I could take that.

[Jenniferbug]

@Danny Franks, I'd be surprised if we get Roy this season but could see him popping up next season. I don't know much of anything about the character outside of Arrow, where I mostly liked him. If he does pop up this season, it would make sense for it to be in a flashback to the original Titans. We would probably have heard something about casting by now, right? 

[phoenics]

21 hours ago, Jenniferbug said:

I didn't feel that Rachel got more screen time or focus than Gar or Kory this episode. I can't argue that Dick did, but he also appears to be the lynchpin of the show and especially this season, as he is the bridge between old Titans and new Titans, so it doesn't bother me. 

I guess my feeling is that since she got so much more time and focus in S1, to the detriment of the show, she should be back burnered in S2 so they can focus more on Gar and Kory.  

But she isn't being back burnered.  She's still getting focus.  Aside from two one on one scenes with Dick, she had one with Gar and Jason and then one completely by herself (which hints at a whole new storyline for her).  That's still a significant amount of focus on her while Gar and Kory are still getting short shrift in comparison.  Only Kory seems to have fared a bit better - but Gar is still being ignored, imo.  I'm surprised that no one has discussed that he turned into a snake...  his powers are evolving.  Right now there are no seeds in the storyline that seem to center him at all.  I'm getting the sense that the writers see him like they see Cisco on The Flash and don't deem him worthy of a proper backstory and interior life.  I'm worried Jason will get more focus than Gar, and on a show called Titans that's not okay.

With Dick it makes sense because he's the lead and they're building him up to be NightWing. But after the Trigon story finished, there is no reason to keep so much focus on Rachel.  Not anymore.

I will say that Teagan (who plays Rachel) was much better in this episode.

I also found out that Kory was supposed to get much more focus last season - she had a real episode focused on her (not just her finding her ship) where we saw Tamaran, we saw her mother and we got more into what she did, including how she got from Germany to Ohio, etc.  But they cut ALL OF THAT and instead focused on Dick and Rachel.  I really hope the producers didn't take the backlash about Starfire's casting, hair and outfits and react by cutting her out of the show.  Because that would basically be them punishing Anna Diop because the fans acted horribly.  But that's what it looks like happened.

I just want them to set this all right - but if they insist on centering Rachel then it's clear they won't.

[meeeechiganman]

So they couldn't get Manu Bennett for Deathstroke, checked his IMDB, hes not doing anything, dudes call him up. anyone else its a fail.

[Sakura12]

It does seem like it's the Dick and Rachel show. I do hope they let some of the other characters shine this season. Gar and Kory are the ones we know the least about. I'd say Donna too but she was introduced later and from the trailer we are going to get flashbacks with the original Titans. I wish they let Donna and Kory be together a little longer, because we could've gotten some background with them getting to know each other more. From what little we did get I assume Donna told Kory about the Amazons and Kory talked a little bit about her planet. 

I'm willing to give Esai Morales a chance as an older Deathstroke. He looks way more intimidating than their casting choice for Batman. This is a different universe than the Arrowverse so they are not going to be using the same actors. 

[Ottis]

I’m not sure there is a more annoying couple than Hank and Dawn. Every conversation is her praising Hank for “looking really good” at something, and him responding with a fake aw shucks it ain’t me. Then they fight. Ugh.

I like Dick/Robin as a psycho who can’t help himself. Gar seems kind of useless. A tiger who took down what, one guy? They need to find a way to make him more versatile.