Introduction:

If you don’t know that I am a DC fan yet, then you are new to my articles. My favorite part of the DC universe is the next generation team stuff like Teen Titans and Young Justice. Thus, it should be no surprise that I am talking about Cartoon Network’s Teen Titans. The show came out in 2003 which was around the time that I started getting old enough to comprehend things that were going on in the cartoons that I was watching. Even though the show is almost ten years old now, damn I feel old, I do believe that it has aged well. I have gone back to watch certain episodes in the series again and the mix of action and humor is still very entertaining.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summary:

You have been through quite a bit. You were born different and whether or not it is your circumstances or your outer appearance, the world hasn’t really drawn you a hand that is fitting for a child. However, you have taken your talents and refined them. Even though things are rough, it is time that you do some good for this world and show everyone that you aren’t just some freak. Sounds like the back story to most superheroes. That is kind of how out group got together. Teen Titans follows the story of five young heroes that have teamed up in order to fight crime. They are led by the Dick Grayson Robin and the show throws out quite a few interesting pieces of the DC universe. We get to see the team fight lesser villains that are befitting of our teenage team on many occasions. However, the true action takes place when the higher level bad guys come out to play. Villains that normally take on the Justice League are thrown into the mix and the fact that the Titans are often outclassed is not shied away from. Probably the best thing about this series was the growth that we see from our characters. These are the Teen Titans so they have not yet fully matured as heroes or people. The emotional journeys that our heroes follow are deep and something that people may not expect going in. Of course we have goofy things going on because it is a cartoon that was directed towards a younger audience, but there are issues in here that truly make you think. Can one change their fate? How can you tell if one is truly evil? Must we sacrifice everything for the sake of our duty to the public? What would you sacrifice in your quest for power. These are real issues that are brought up throughout the series are just complex enough to make people of all ages think about some very unclear answers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Characters:

We get to see a lot of different heroes and villains throughout the course of the series. However, I will only be going over the key members in order to keep this review at a readable length. Dick Grayson, the first Robin and the ward of Batman, is the leader of the team. Robin is very serious about the hero gig and that is why he shows much less emotion that a good portion of the team. Even though he can be too by the book at times, Robin cares about his friends and works very hard even though he has no actual powers. Robin uses acrobatics and various weapons to fight. Starfire is an alien girl who is still adjusting to life on Earth. Don’t let the happy aura and half shirt fool you because she is a fierce warrior. Starfire can fly, has super strength, and she can shoot energy blasts from her hands and eyes. Cyborg is the inventor of the group. Much like the name suggests, Cyborg is half machine and uses enhanced strength and weapons tech to fight for the team. Even though he is extremely smart, Cyborg is a fun guy that loves games and sports. Raven is a sorceress from another dimension. Raven shows almost no emotion throughout the series because such feelings could force her powers to go crazy. It is because of this that she appears gloomy even though she hides her true feelings. Raven can cast many spells that can act like telekinesis and flight. Beat Boy is the class clown of the group. Probably the most inexperienced fighter, Beast Boy is always trying to prove himself to others. Because Beast Boy can transform into different animals he is a vegan. The idea that a person that can be any animal would see eating meat as cannibalism is a logical mindset. Terra is a member of the team that shows up later. The girl is used to living outside so she is very rough around the edges and a little too self conscience about the oddest things. However, her ability to control rocks, or earth bend for you Avatar fans, make her an extremely strong ally to the team. Slade is the main enemy of the Teen Titans the series leaves much about his identity and abilities unknown because he is a character that operates around mystery. Slade is a little too good at getting into Robin’s head and it often appears that he is one step ahead of the team. Throughout the series we meet other recurring characters such as the Titans East and the Brotherhood of Evil which become big time players in the arcs that happen later in the series. Overall, the cast is very good and it is easy to get attached to the relationships that develop in the series.

 

 

 

 

 

Impression:

This show was my childhood. Teen Titans was the first DC series that I actually appreciated growing up and that is how my love of the universe developed. The characters are great and the story is captivating. I was very happy with the types of heroes and villains that we got because the various powers were all very interesting. We got five seasons of the show which left me a little disappointed that some of the side characters lacked development, but when you have a show that revolves around a team there isn’t much room for other things. My favorite part about the series is probably the growth of Robin. Watching a young boy that had Batman as an example of how to handle yourself deal with a bunch of teenage partners is very interesting. Overall the series threw out so many great elements of the DC universe that any fan must make this show a priority when it comes to things to watch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Final Say:

Teen Titans is a fantastic series. The fact that it is less intense than a lot of the comics out there makes it a great starting point for people who want to get into the DC universe. It is something that I can suggest to people of most ages and it appeals to a wide variety of people. Even people who are not fans of comics have come to enjoy Teen Titans. However, if you get invested enough in the series, it will disappoint you at the end. Not the series itself, but the way in which its cancellation was handled. There are five full seasons of Teen Titans that were followed by a movie. However, the last episode of the series provided a great deal of mew questions as well as the beginning of a new arc that never saw continuation. Next, no answers and no new episodes. It was horrible and I hate it when successful shows get canned. Oh well, what exists is definitely worth your time.