Time to follow up on last episode's cliffhanger! Please enjoy.
Episode Two: Every Dog Has His Day
The episode begins at Jump City's hospital. Its resident surgeon, Doctor Rovin, is called down to the lobby on the loudspeakers. It's urgent. Doctor Rovin rushes to the lobby, but is still surprised by what he sees... Kid Flash holding Robin's body in his arms. He tells Rovin that Robin's been shot and that he needs surgery immediately.
Cut to later. Maggie Sawyer is organizing the SCU around the hospital, keeping out nosy reporters and civilians who want to know what happened. Within the hospital, the Titans have gathered outside of the room where Robin is getting surgery. They're all anxious and a worried silence has fallen over the group. Though they don't say it, the Titans are clearly distressed and not just by Robin getting shot. Beast Boy is notably sitting as far away from Starfire as he could, not yet over how she almost killed him in the mines. Raven is trying to meditate, but is unable to clear her mind and just gets more frustrated. Cyborg puts a hand on her shoulder when he sees this and the two exchange a silent communication. Kid Flash has his mask off and is fidgeting uneasily in his seat, glancing at the clock every few seconds. Donna is pacing back and forth, while Starfire watches her and hugs her own knees. Tara is holding her now shattered goggles, staring at them in silence. It's a tense scene, with each minute spent waiting is another minute that Robin could be closer to death. Donna ends the silence, thinking that this is her fault. She was their leader and she led them right into a trap, one that got a friend and teammate seriously hurt. What happened in the mines was a disaster and Robin had trusted Donna when he gave his leadership duties to her, so Donna feels like she is responsible for what happened to Robin and that she let him down. But Wally disagrees. He thinks that they're all responsible, since everyone underestimated the danger and their decision to split up allowed Scarecrow to isolate them. Wally even points out that Robin went back into the mines by himself to go after Scarecrow, a reckless decision that got him shot. They should have all known better, but they're teenagers. Young, reckless, stupid... Starfire changes the subject by asking her friends if they think Robin will be okay. They don't answer, because they don't know. Starfire hugs her knees tighter, trying not to cry.
Outside the hospital, a woman manages to force her way through the gathered crowd and to the barrier put up by the SCU. The woman is Kate Kane and she gets Maggie Sawyer's attention, asking to be let inside. She gets out her ID and shows it to Captain Sawyer, proving that she is a member of Wayne Enterprises. Captain Sawyer explains that only staff and patients are being allowed in the hospital after being cleared right now, but Kate begs since she has to get in so she could see how Robin is doing. And upon seeing the genuine concern and worry on Kate's face, Captain Sawyer reluctantly lets Kate in since she can tell that she cares for Robin. Kate thanks Sawyer as she heads past the barrier and into the hospital. She finds the Titans in the waiting room and she asks them if they know how the surgery is doing. Their silent faces answer the question for Kate and she takes a seat near them, mentioning that she did call Batman as soon as she got the news. Which means he'll be coming to Jump City.
Cut to Gotham City. Barbara Gordon is in her home, watching the news with her dad. The news is the coverage on what happened to Robin and Barbara is nearly in tears. She expresses her worry for Dick and her father tries to comfort Babs, hugging his daughter. Elsewhere in Gotham City, the same news coverage is playing on a computer screen. It's the Batcave and Bruce is suiting up, intending to take the Batwing since it will be the fastest way to cross the country. Alfred is with Bruce, expressing his own hopes that Dick will recover though he's still incredibly worried. He watches as Bruce leaves and glances at a glass case in the Batcave... with a Robin costume in it. He once again hopes that Dick will recover, since he doesn't want there to be two costumes in cases here.
Back in Jump City, Robin is in the middle of surgery. He's been given morphine and we see his life flashing before his eyes. Images of his parents, the circus, funerals, and Slade. He sees his shooting replayed over and over again, keeps hearing the same words that Slade said to him: "And I'm a man of my word." But then he sees other images, ones of the Batfamily and the Titans. Focusing on these images and the happy memories he associates with them instead of the painful memories that he associates with Slade, Robin clings onto life and refuses to die. Not yet. Not when he still had a life worth living.
A while later, Doctor Rovin enters the waiting room where the other Titans and Kate are. They ask how Robin is doing and Rovin reassures them that the surgery was a success... Robin is alive. The Titans are relieved and Kate even hugs a surprised Rovin, who mentions that Robin should stay in the hospital overnight but the next day he can be moved into the medical bay at Titans Tower to rest until he's fully healed. He says that the Titans can leave now and come back in the morning, but they refuse. They're going to stay, since they're not leaving without Robin. Even Tara, who barely knows Robin, wants to stay because of how much the Titans had already done for her. The Titans ask if they can see Robin and Rovin tells them that he shouldn't be disturbed, but he allows them to look briefly into his room. Robin is lying in a hospital bed with equipment monitoring him, still wearing the mask though the bloody parts of his costume were taken off. He's thankfully sleeping peacefully.
Night falls and we see that the Titans got spare blankets from the hospital. They're sleeping in shifts, taking turns staying awake so that Robin is protected. Even then, the Titans have trouble sleeping. Raven has her eyes closed, but is meditating rather than sleeping. Tara goes over to Raven, asking in a whisper if she's awake. Raven opens her eyes and asks Tara what's on her mind. Tara explains that she's just been thinking a lot about how much the Titans care about their own and how they're here for Robin. Tara admits that it's new to her... and she likes it. She thinks that Robin is lucky to have such good friends and Raven tells Tara that they can be her friends as well. Tara acknowledges that she thinks she could get used to this, having friends like the Titans that she can depend on. Tara then asks Raven about her meditation and if she could try, especially since she can't sleep. Raven agrees and begins to show Tara how to meditate.
Robin wakes up in his hospital bed and sits up, looking around the dark room. He tells someone to come out, because he knows who's there. Batman emerges from the shadows, taking off his mask to show the face of Bruce Wayne. Robin smiles when he sees Bruce, apologizing for Bruce having to come back to Jump City so soon after his last visit. Bruce says that he doesn't mind, he's just glad to see that Robin is okay. Robin takes off his mask and explains what happened to Bruce, how Slade used Scarecrow to torment his friends before shooting him. Dick admits that he was terrified and Bruce tries to say that fear of death is nothing to be ashamed of, but Dick interrupts him. It wasn't nearly dying that scared Dick. It was what Scarecrow did to his friends. The people he cares about is Dick's greatest strength, but it's also his greatest weakness. However, he doesn't know if he's strong enough to protect them. Or at least Robin might not be strong enough to protect them. He looks at his mask and Bruce asks Dick what he's thinking. Dick admits that he isn't sure, but he thanks Bruce for coming. It means a lot, though he's still sorry for making Bruce worry. Bruce points out that he's always worried, since that's what parents do. Dick smiles and the two embrace.
The next morning, the other Titans are in Robin's hospital room. They're all glad to see that he's doing better and hugs are exchanged. Robin thanks Doctor Rovin and Kate Kane tries to offer a generous check from Wayne Enterprises for Rovin's services, but Rovin turns it down. He says that he was more than happy to be of service to the Titans because of the good that they do. And if they ever need any more favors, they can always contact him again. Robin tells Rovin that he's a good man, then says that he's ready to go home.
Cut to Titans Tower. Robin is laying down on the couch, still needing plenty of rest before he's ready to be in the field again. Starfire is in the kitchen, trying to make something for Robin. Beast Boy isn't helping her this time. Donna asks Robin how he's feeling and Robin admits that he's feeling pretty stupid. He can tell that Donna is blaming herself for what happened and he tries to reassure her that it's not her fault, that it's his. That's when Wally announces that he's leaving the team, much to everyone's surprise. Wally explains that he's not just quitting the Titans, but he's also retiring Kid Flash. He's realized that teenagers like them have no business being superheroes and that they're just going to get themselves killed. They're all too young and that if they continue down this path, it'll lead to their deaths. Wally returns his Titans communicator, since he doesn't think that he'll need it anymore. The other Titans try to object, but he's already made his decision and he tells the Titans that they should do the same. Robin's shooting was a reminder that this isn't a game and that kids shouldn't wear masks. He wishes the others luck and says his goodbyes. Robin acknowledges that this is Wally's decision to make and he wishes Wally luck as well. He hopes that whatever Wally chooses in the future, that he finds happiness. Wally shakes Robin's hand and tells him that he hopes to see Robin again. He gives Donna a hug and admits that this was fun while it lasted, then he leaves. The remaining Titans are in silence, wondering if Wally was perhaps right. But Robin tells them that while they made mistakes, it's not just because they're teenagers. It's because they're people. And people are flawed. They aren't perfect, not even the older heroes in the League or the Doom Patrol. Robin reminds the Titans that they can still choose to help people and inspire others. That they can set an example and that they need each other. As Titans they make a difference in so many lives, including their own. Wally is free to quit if he chooses to, but Robin won't. Because he has a responsibility to this team. This raises morale greatly and Starfire returns from the kitchen with something she's cooked up for Robin. He thanks her, takes a bite... and cringes. It's unfortunately not very good, since Beast Boy is usually there to help her out. But Robin still appreciates the attempt.
Tara, who has been silent since they returned to the Tower, finally speaks up. What Robin said resonated with her... and she's decided that she does want to be a Titan, if they're willing to have her. In her time with the Titans she's seen how much they care about each other. How much they want to help and inspire people, to make a difference. Spending time with them made her want to be better, to be a hero. And she's seen that they're more like her than she thought, which made her feel less out of place among them. She shares a look with Raven before admitting what she was afraid to tell them before, that she has trouble controlling her powers. But now she's convinced that the Titans can help her with her problem, since she's seen how they help each other. She knows that she has a long way to go and she's realized that joining the Titans, who have already done so much for her, would be the best way to move forward. She's been alone for so long and has been given the opportunity to be with people who make her feel welcome, an opportunity that she doesn't want to turn down. The Titans exchange silent looks and don't even need to discuss it. Robin gets off the couch, picks up Wally's discarded communicator, and offers it to Tara with a smile. She takes it and Robin welcomes her to the Titans. Overjoyed, she hugs Robin and thanks him for giving her the chance to become a part of this. She promises that the Titans won't regret it.
Elsewhere in Jump City, a woman is being mugged in an alley. She cries out for help and the mugger pulls out a gun... which is knocked out of his hand by a Bird-A-Rang. The mugger turns and sees a colorfully dressed vigilante: Flamebird. The mugger tries to retrieve his gun, but is quickly knocked out by Flamebird with a series of kicks and punches. The woman who Flamebird saved thanks her and is told by Flamebird to call the police so that they can pick up her would-be mugger. Then Flamebird goes up a fire escape and onto a roof. Now alone, she takes off her mask and we see the smiling face of Bette Kane who comments to herself on how awesome that was. She thinks she can get a hang of this superhero business and puts back on the mask before continuing her patrol.
Also elsewhere, Jonathan Crane is being loaded into a transport for a prison transfer. He creeps out the guards with him, who think there's something about Crane that just ain't right. While on route, the transport suddenly stops and the guards with Crane wonder what the hold up is. One of the guards opens the back doors to see what's going on... and is suddenly pulled out of the transport and onto the roof by an unknown individual. The guard cries out and is silenced as he's thrown onto the roof so hard that the people in the transport see the ceiling dent. The remaining guards rush out the transport to confront the attacker... and Crane listens to their screams with glee. After a few moments of silence, the back doors of the transport are thrown open and we see Slade. He's come to free Crane and he compliments Crane on a job well done. Crane is a bit confused, since he wasn't able to kill any of the Titans. But Slade tells Crane that he didn't have to kill them, his Fear Toxin did enough. It exposed the vulnerabilities of the Titans and emotionally devastated them. They're not dead, but they're definitely damaged. Filled with fear and doubt, in time they may destroy themselves. Crane loves the sound of that and Slade promises that their work isn't done yet. He may have other uses for Scarecrow…
Back at Titans Tower, Dick is in his room and on video chat with Barbara Gordon. Babs expresses her relief that Dick is okay and Dick apologizes for having her worried, though Babs tells him that he has nothing to apologize for. Dick mentions that Wally chose to leave the Titans and is even retiring the costume. This surprises Babs, though Dick admits that he does understand where Wally is coming from. Especially after what happened with Jason. Dick knows that being a hero means that he could die young. He knows the risks and he accepts them as part of the job. It's a dangerous life, but Dick thinks that it's worth it. Babs asks Dick what he's going to do now and Dick looks down at the mask he is holding in his hands. He tells Babs that he's just going to be Dick Grayson for a while. He doesn't think that he's ready to put on a mask again and he wants to see if being Dick Grayson could do some good as well. Babs tells Dick that he can always call her if he needs to talk and Dick appreciates that, thanking her before ending the video chat because he hears something. A helicopter.
A Wayne Enterprises helicopter is landing on the Tower's roof and the Titans are there to see who it is. Kate Kane turns out to be the pilot and she explains to the Titans that she talked with Bruce Wayne. And they agreed that because of recent events, it would be wise if the Titans had a professional that they could talk to. She reveals who she brought with her: Simon LaGrieve, a psychiatrist from the Institute for Metahuman Studies. As superheroes became more common, the government became concerned about the mental health of said superheroes so they began training psychiatrists who would specialize in them. LaGrieve has been assigned to the Titans and he makes it clear that he just wants to help them, that they don't have to be afraid to talk to him and that their mental health is important. They're not required to see him, but it is encouraged and it's not something that they have to be ashamed about either. They may be superheroes, but they're also still people. Kate reassures the Titans that LaGrieve can be trusted, that he wouldn't be here if there was any doubts about his abilities or his ethics. He's here because the Titans need to take care of themselves as well and Kate encourages them to give LaGrieve a chance. The Titans agree to give LaGrieve a chance and Donna thanks Kate for watching over them, since they appreciate everything Wayne Enterprises has done for them. Kate says it's the least they can do before leaving in her helicopter, LaGrieve saying that he can find his way to the room where Kate said he could go. He promises the Titans that his door is always open to them and that he hopes his presence in the Tower will be beneficial to them. Handshakes are exchanged as introductions are made.
Cut to the room where LaGrieve has set up office. A shades-wearing Dick is meeting with the psychiatrist first. Dick admits that this isn't new for him, Batman had him see a psychiatrist after the death of his parents and before he ever put on the Robin costume. Dick thinks that those sessions were why he decided to become Robin. Not to get revenge, of course. But to get justice. However, Dick doesn't think he is Robin anymore. Because Robin had a very specific role. He was a counterpoint to Batman. Since while Batman was fear, fear needs hope. Darkness needs light. That's what Robin was. The hope and light to Batman's fear and darkness. After all, Batman is meant to scare criminals. Not children. But Dick isn't with Batman now. And being Robin isn't enough. Dick thinks he has to become someone strong enough to protect the people he cares about, someone who won't fail them like he did as Robin. Though Dick isn't sure who that someone is. It isn't Robin, but it also isn't Batman. Then LaGrieve suggests: Why not somewhere in the middle? Find a way to be both darkness and light, be both fear and hope. Dick is silent as he considers this.
Elsewhere in the Tower, Cyborg is underneath the T-Car working on it. Raven is with him, helping out by handing tools when he asks for them. Raven asks if Cyborg wants to talk about what happened yesterday, about the things that Scarecrow made him see. Cyborg tries to say that there is nothing to talk about, but Raven can tell that he is lying. Cyborg admits that he saw the people he cares about dead. Not Raven or any of the Titans, but the people who don't risk their lives like Cyborg and the Titans do. Cyborg mentions that Sarah told him that she still wants to be friends with him despite the danger she was put in when Slade kidnapped her, but Cyborg is still conflicted. He's worried that his desire to have a life outside of the Tower and outside of being a Titan might be selfish if it's people like Sarah who might pay the price. But Raven reminds him that Cyborg shouldn't be ashamed about these desires, because it's one of the things that makes him human. Which brings up Cyborg's other worry, that if he loses Sarah or someone like her he would choose to lose his humanity and emotions as a way to take away the pain. Raven can relate to this, since she knows better than anyone else how dangerous emotions can be. However, she ultimately would never choose to get rid of her emotions. Because they're a part of her and from her half that takes after her mother. This causes Cyborg to bring up the other people he saw in his hallucination, his ex-girlfriend and estranged father. Despite everything, he still cares about them despite his break-up with Marcy and his anger toward Silas. Even if they're not on the best terms, if something ever happened to either of them... Cyborg would be devastated. This causes Cyborg to fall silent. Raven asks if he's alright and Cyborg answers by getting out from underneath the T-Car. He thanks Raven for this talk and gets into the T-Car, since there is something he needs to do. He drives off and Raven smiles, knowing exactly what Cyborg intends to do.
Beast Boy, meanwhile, is trying to find someone to hang out with. Both Dick and Donna are busy, the former still talking with LaGrieve and the latter talking with her sister on video chat. Beast Boy does almost knock on Starfire's door to see if she's busy or not, but stops himself before he does. He's not ready to talk to her. Not yet. He then finds Raven, who is now with Tara and helping her with some meditation techniques like she did last night. Beast Boy asks the girls if they've seen Cyborg and Raven tells him that Cyborg left in the T-Car to take care of some personal business. Raven asks Beast Boy if he would like to join her and Tara in meditation, but Beast Boy turns down the offer by joking that there is no way he would be able to stay quiet for that long. He apologizes for bothering them, deciding to leave the Tower and go into town.
In Jump City, Cyborg has arrived at S.T.A.R. Labs. He is greeted by Fixit, who Cyborg is now a bit uncomfortable around after what Scarecrow's Fear Toxin made him see. Fixit notices the difference in Cyborg's behavior and asks if everything is alright, but Cyborg says that he's just here to see his father. Fixit understands and leads Cyborg to where Silas Stone is working. Silas is surprised to see Cyborg and asks what's the technical problem, since that's the only reason that he can think of for Cyborg being here. But instead, Cyborg walks over to his father... and hugs him. Silas is even more surprised now and hugs his son back, admitting that he missed Cyborg. When the hug ends, Cyborg explains that he was worried that if something would happen to Silas he would die thinking that his own son hated him. Silas tries to tell Cyborg that he had a right to be mad, apologizing for his neglect and the accident. Silas still holds himself responsible for what happened to his wife and son, since the experiment was his dream. He had only the best intentions, but his dream ended up becoming a nightmare that took from him the woman he loved and his son's love. He really does want to make things right and Cyborg apologizes for holding a grudge for so long. Thanks to his time with the Titans, he has realized that he's fortunate to still have his father and that others have it much worse. Yeah, Silas wasn't a perfect father. But Cyborg admits that he at least wasn't an evil demon. This surprises Silas a bit and Cyborg chuckles, telling his dad that they have a lot to catch up on…
Meanwhile, a hoodie-wearing Beast Boy is watching a group of teenagers hang out. He considers going over to them so he can try to make new friends, but then he sees his reflection in a store window. Reminding him that he doesn't see himself as normal. Instead, he sees himself as a freak. He sighs and starts to walk away, passing an alley. However, a noise in the alley gets his attention. Beast Boy looks down the alley and sees... a stray dog looking through a dumpster for something to eat. The dog soon notices Beast Boy looking at him, but doesn't seem scared. The two stare at each other until Beast Boy tries calling the dog to him. Much to his surprise, the dog listens. Beast Boy lets the stray dog smell him and the animal likes Beast Boy's scent, licking his hand while the dog's tail starts to wag. This cheers Beast Boy up and he pets the dog, smiling. He asks the dog if he doesn't have a home and the dog answers with a sad look. This gets Beast Boy thinking...
Beast Boy later returns to the Tower and calls for everyone. Cyborg has gotten back by then and Dick has finished his session with LaGrieve, so all the Titans gather in the living room to see who Beast Boy has brought to the Tower. They're all surprised to see the canine with Beast Boy, but Starfire is immediately won over by the cute animal and starts petting him. Donna asks Beast Boy for an explanation and he tells her that he came across the stray dog while in town. He figured that they could give him a home like they gave Tara a home. After all, the Tower is a place for people to help each other. And he thinks that adopting a stray would definitely help them, especially after the events of the other day messed them all up. If they could handle super villains, then they can handle a dog. Donna admits that pets can decrease stress and boost moods, so the Titans could benefit from having an animal around the Tower. And Beast Boy is right. The Tower is a place for people that need each other. She puts it to a vote and all the Titans agree to take in the stray. Starfire gets an idea and she goes to her room, returning with a blanket that she ties around the dog's neck like a cape. The dog likes it, barking happily while his tail wags happily. Starfire asks what they should name their new friend and Beast Boy gets an idea: Wonder Dog. The Titans agree and welcome Wonder Dog to his new home.
It's almost night. As the sun starts to set, a figure is seen on the Jump City boardwalk looking toward the island with Titans Tower. Said figure is wearing a red hoodie and his dark hair has a notable white streak in it. He turns away from the Tower and starts to head back into the city...
In the Tower, Raven is showing Tara to her bedroom. Tara is impressed by her living arrangements, since this is the first time in years when she's really had a bedroom that's hers. She tells Raven that she honestly can't thank Raven and the other Titans enough. Raven lets Tara know that her bedroom is just down the hall, so if Tara needs anything she can just let Raven know. However, Raven does warn Tara to knock. Beast Boy and Cyborg learned the hard way what could happen if they just let themselves in her room. Tara is silent and Raven asks if everything is okay. Tara says that everything is amazing and the two hug. They say good night to each other and Raven closes the door behind her, leaving Tara alone in her room. Tara lays down on her bed, pulling something out of her pocket. It's the butterfly-shaped hair clip. She stares at it for a few seconds before putting it in her hair, telling seemingly nobody that she doesn't want to talk right now. But a closer look at the hair clip reveals something attached to it... a two-way listening device. Cut to Slade, who is unmasked as he sits in front of some screens in a H.I.V.E. base. Slade tells Tara that's fine, but reminds her that he's always here if she ever wants to talk...
So yeah, this outline has almost nothing in common with the episode of the same name from the original animated series. Why? Because to be totally honest, the original episode... wasn't very good. At all. It didn't really give me anything to work with in terms of developing the characters, world, or narrative. It was just comedic filler and not very good comedic filler. But I kept the title, having it refer to Wonder Dog instead of the green alien dog. It may seem unusual to introduce Wonder Dog from the Super Friends cartoon, but I felt like the Titans could use a pet after the events of the previous episode. This outline was all about giving the characters a chance to recover from those events, since it all affected them in different ways. There's no action in this episode because I felt like the characters needed a breather and I wanted the focus to be on the aftermath of the season two premiere. Plus it meant I didn't have to write as much as I did for the last episode.
I do want to go more into detail why I decided to have Robin shot by Slade. I was actually inspired by a comic that I hate, specifically the recent Nightwing storyline where he gets shot in the head by KGBeast and becomes Ric Grayson. I hate the Ric Grayson storyline and I am thankful that it's finally over, but it did give me the idea to have Robin shot as a way to shake things up and put him on the path to self-discovery. An even worse comic that inspired me is the awful, awful "Heroes in Crisis." It is my least favorite comic of all time, especially due to its poor portrayal of mental health issues which offended me on a personal level. Mental health is something very important to me, since I suffer from depression. How mental health is portrayed in media is something that I take very seriously and it's not something handled well in superhero media. Because of "Heroes in Crisis" I decided to address the issue of mental health in New Titans, which is why I introduced a psychiatrist for the Titans. Because mental health is important and I wanted to show the characters benefiting from having a professional to talk to, someone who can help them. After all, New Titans isn't just about the costumes. It's about the people wearing the costumes. The character Simon LaGrieve is actually a supporting character from the 80s Suicide Squad run. The other new supporting character, Doctor Rovin, is from the Geoff Johns run of Teen Titans. His first appearance was when Bart Allen had to be rushed to the hospital after being shot by Deathstroke, circumstances similar to his introduction in New Titans.
As for Kid Flash, I had Wally leave the team as another way to shake up the status quo for the Titans. It also parallels with the comics, which had both Wally quitting the Titans and Dick retiring his Robin identity prior to the Judas Contract storyline. This isn't the last you've seen of Wally, of course. He will return eventually. But it is ironic that in the episode where the Titans lose a member by having Wally leave also has the Titans gain a member by having Tara join. Wally's decision to leave is also a result of his Fear Toxin hallucination, building off the idea that his greatest fear is death.
Dick's conversation with LaGrieve about Robin being a counterpoint to Batman was influenced by the comic "Superman: American Alien." I highly recommend it, great Superman story. But the conversation is also a bit of commentary on how Robin was originally introduced to the comics in order to lighten them. Robin was intended to be the light to Batman's darkness. And it's why I'm having him retire the Robin identity now. Because he's no longer with Batman and doesn't need to fill that role anymore. This is all leading somewhere, of course. For the most part, this episode helped to set up character development and storylines for later this season.
Anyway, hope you enjoyed this episode. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think.