‘Titans’ Season 2, Episode 2 ‘Rose’ Review: Resurgence

The dust settles three months after the Titans defeat Trigon. Some chose to retire to a simpler life. Others continue to fight crime, albeit on a smaller scale. However, being out of the action almost always leads to boredom. As if answering their queries, enemies from the past resurface to wreak havoc once more.

On Friday’s episode of Titans, Dick Grayson (Brenton Thwaites) continues training Rachel Roth/Raven (Teagan Croft), Gar Logan/Beastboy (Ryan Potter), and Jason Todd/Robin (Curran Walters). Meanwhile, Hank Hall/Hawk (Alan Ritchson) and Dawn Granger/Dove (Minka Kelly) retire to a ranch in Wyoming. As Koriand’r/Starfire (Anna Diop) and Donna Troy/Wonder Girl (Conor Leslie) pursue a dangerous metahuman, a mysterious lady catches the team’s attention.

Preparing for The Unknown

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Restarting the team is something that Dick is bound to do. Much like Bruce Wayne (Iain Glenn), Dick is inclined to care for people who went through experiences similar to his. It is fulfilling to see how the show portrays his character. Dick’s personality here does not stray away from his comic book origins. Also, the episode hints at his transition to Nightwing, and we are yet to see a new suit.

At the tower, one can tell how the new trio’s dynamic mirrors that of siblings. Here, Jason acts as the eldest. His conversation with Dick projects much maturity as he accepts the responsibility. It is also great to note that Jason does not take the Robin title without the smugness he usually exhibits. On the other hand, Gar and Rachel’s closeness continues to blossom. A portion of the episode shows them confiding in each other, much like brother and sister.

The New Normal

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A lot can happen in three months. For instance, we have Hank and Dawn’s quiet, private life in Wyoming. There, the couple lives peacefully in a ranch. Also, Hank continues his recovery, satisfied with his progress. At that moment, the lovebirds finally achieve the life they deserve. Still, one cannot help but miss the exhilarating feeling of crime-fighting. With that, Dawn heads out almost nightly to take down small scale criminals. Upon her arrival, the couple argues as Hank finally wakes up without her beside him. Before Hank and Dawn can fight further, their friend, Ellis (Spencer Mcpherson) enters their home and explodes in a blaze of light.

Kory and Donna, on the other hand, continue their work as crime-fighters. Their gig is not as fancy as it was, but it works. For months, the duo tracked a rogue metahuman named Shimmer (Hanneke Talbot). Despite how unlikely their partnership seemed, it worked quite well. Their combined effort to take Shimmer down proves their effectivity. However, this current arrangement may be short-lived as some Tamaranean (Robbie Jones) abducts Kory. Before Donna could begin looking for Kory, Dawn calls her to inform her about their situation.

A Bird with a Broken Wing

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Rose Wilson (Chelsea Zhang) is undoubtedly one who makes a grand entrance. Rose’s introduction implies that she is running away from someone dangerous, presumably her father, Slade Wilson/Deathstroke (Esai Morales). Dick steps up to take care and offer her a place in the team, although initially, she refuses. One can tell that her story here is similar to the comics, where at some point, Dick becomes her mentor.

Rose’s personality fits with the team’s current roster. Jason is likely to go toe-to-toe against her during training, and would probably develop a romantic relationship with her. Their characters have many similarities that easily make them compatible. Towards Raven and Gar, Rose could be indifferent at first. Rachel thinks that taking her in is a good idea, so a possible friendship between them may blossom.

Light Creeps

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The second season seems to be setting the Titans up against the Fearsome Five, a team of villains from the comics plus the Wilsons. In this episode, we have one of the Fearsome Five’s members, Shimmer. Also, it began with Dr. Light’s (Michael Mosley) freedom from a detention facility. One can assume that Deathstroke orchestrated the entire ordeal. The sequence did include sounds from an intense fight between the corrections officers and an assailant who uses guns and a blade. After that, Dr. Light attacks the Titans from the sidelines, opting to use his powers without revealing himself.

‘Titans’ Season 2, Episode 2 ‘Rose’ Final Verdict

Titans‘ second episode sets the mood for the entire second season. Here, the introduction of crucial adversaries happens smoothly, much like Deathstroke’s return. Also, building up the excitement for the team’s showdown with Slade is something the show exploits quite well. Despite him not appearing in this chapter, his presence is as strong as Kory’s blow that rendered Shimmer unconscious. The enemies’ return inevitably brings the Titans, both old and new, together to figure out who the new threat is as well as rescue Kory from her misled loyal subjects.

Titans continues Friday, September 20th with ‘Ghosts’ at the DC Streaming Service.