As a major selling point for this latest season, it’s not a surprise that Titans has wasted no time in introducing Jason Todd’s iconic comic book persona, Red Hood. However, the decision comes at the cost of separating themselves from the source material, creating their own canon and reason for his drastic transformation. The result has worried fans that the HBO Max series is rushing the character’s evolution, but several major factors actually make the quick arrival of Red Hood rather satisfying both narratively and thematically.

After the events of last season, it was clear that Jason’s rift with the Titans team had severely affected him on an emotional level. But this season took extra steps to ensure that Curran Walter’s interpretation of Red Hood arrived sooner rather than later without falling into old habits. Unlike Dick Grayson’s turn as Nightwing, the show learned from their past mistakes by delivering the goods right away. Although a departure from the comics, involving Scarecrow ensured that they could subvert expectations and logically justify the Red Hood’s unforgivable actions. Moreover, the clever expansion of his complicated relationship with Bruce Wayne (Iain Glen) allowed them to up the emotional stakes.

RELATED: Curran Walters on Bringing Red Hood to 'Titans' Season 3 and Which Episode He's Most Excited for Fans to See

Learning from Nightwing's Arc

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At the beginning of the series, it was overwhelmingly clear that Dick Grayson (Brenton Thwaites) was destined to become Nightwing after his stint as Robin. However, after shedding the Robin name several episodes into the series, it takes him another season and a half contemplating his superhero future before he wears the iconic blue and black suit. And in a practical sense, Grayson goes through the same arc twice over. Of course, the long journey made the moment he did suit up still special, but it was long overdue when the second season finale actually arrived.

With Red Hood, the series doesn’t pass up the opportunity to put Jason under the mask in record time. After getting killed by the Joker in the opening of the season premiere, he appears as his new persona in the first minutes of the second installment. Moreover, his identity is revealed to Dick and the Titans in the same episode, showing audiences they understand stretching that mystery would be a wasted effort. At first, it isn’t clear how exactly the series intends to logically explain the quick succession of events, but patience is rewarded this time around. Heavily departing from the source material, Titans ensures that Jason Todd’s resurrection arrival feels natural by introducing several compelling thematic elements to his journey.

Jason isn't Alone

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Image via Warner Bros. TV

Although many had speculated Dr. Jonathan Crane aka Scarecrow would be an important antagonist this season, the truth paints an even more sinister picture than fans had imagined. When it’s revealed that the GCPD has been utilizing Crane’s knowledge of the underworld to solve crimes, Dick Grayson himself arrives at his Arkham Asylum cell to get answers on the Red Hood. The classic Batman villain was careful not to reveal that he knew more than he let on, but his ego began to show as he reveled in Red Hood’s heinous actions. Jason seemed to always be one step ahead of the Titans, displaying an extreme level of preparation and intelligence that he’s never shown before. And once episode five rolls around, the series opens the lid on how exactly Jason returned to life, assuring audiences that Scarecrow is the true mastermind behind the operation.

At first, it’s revealed that ever since the traumatic events of the second season, Jason has been getting some seriously upsetting nightmares. According to Bruce, his entire behavior has changed as of late, showcasing a paralyzing fear of death in and out of the Robin suit. After recommending a therapist who previously worked with Dr. Crane to help his son out, viewers get to see Jason in a new light that paints a more complete picture of the pain he’s been going through his entire life. His self-doubt only heightens when Bruce insists that he give up the Robin mantle, which he misinterprets as a sign that he’s not good enough for the job. In his vulnerable state, he visits Scarecrow at Arkham Asylum to obtain an anti-fear formula that provides the opposite effect of his typical toxin. As Jason notes in one of his therapy sessions, he simply wants to stop hurting all the time, and feeling nothing is his next step in doing so. In exchange, the villain gets an in-depth look at Batman’s operation, a wealth of information that will serve him well in the future.

When Jason is able to create the correct concoction of chemicals to combat fear, Scarecrow insists that he confront the Clown Prince of Crime to put the anti-fear drug to the test. We all know how it goes, and Dr. Crane clearly understood what would likely happen at the hands of the Joker. It’s at this moment when Scarecrow establishes himself as Jason’s only chance at a painless life, resurrecting him with the Lazarus pit and creating an even more powerful drug to keep him under his command. With that powerful combination, he creates a heartless soldier that will do his bidding in his quest to plunge Gotham in an ocean of fear, while positioning the Red Hood as the only one who can pull them out of it.

His Relationship with Bruce is Key

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Image via WarnerMedia

The intricacies of Bruce Wayne’s relationship with Jason has been a cloud of mystery since the first season, but it’s finally expanded upon in a meaningful way. The opening episode depicts Bruce as a man who rapidly moves on after Jason’s death, going as far as looking for other recruits. When he decides to kill the Joker at the end, it’s the first time the veteran vigilante lets his emotions get control of him after the death of his sidekick. The fifth episode gets to elaborate on how he felt about Jason, revealing whether or not he actually viewed him as a son rather than a chess piece in his endless war. To the surprise of many, not only was the aging superhero attempting to strengthen his relationship with Jason, but it was the fact that he genuinely cared about him that led to the birth of Red Hood.

During the fifth episode, Glen gets to show the endearing side of Bruce that was absent in the season premiere. When Jason is having nightmares that literally paralyze him in fear, he offers support and decides he should see his psychiatrist before putting on the cape again. He even calls Jason his son at one point, and judging by his reaction it was the first time that it happened. But as Jason finally warms up to the therapist, Bruce, after confronting his past trauma, decides that it would be best if the Robin suit stayed locked up for good. As any father would do, he takes his child to the place where his parents died to break the news to him. Although Bruce’s change of heart is clearly out of love, it doesn’t stop Jason from assuming that it is out of disappointment.

In the heart-wrenching scene, Jason pleads to not give up on him, asking why Dick Grayson gets to mess up and still have it all. The moment reaches its emotional climax when he asks “what’s so bad about me?,” a question the Titans were very eager to answer last season. Walters excels in portraying a stubborn crime-fighter who has never felt like he was enough. In his misguided mind, everything he loves is tumbling down, and the man responsible is who put him there in the first place. The series understands that in addition to putting Scarecrow in the mix, Jason had to have enough emotional baggage to motivate his more devious decisions before he even meets the villain or takes the anti-fear drug. All of these complex emotions only heighten when Jason goes through his resurrection and subsequent drug abuse.

When Titans decides it won’t waste time in giving fans what they want- it’s done with the necessary adjustments to the beloved source material. Learning from their past mistakes, the superhero series doesn’t turn back and goes all-in with Red Hood. In doing so, they cherry-pick from the comics, deviating just enough to warrant the quick turnaround in events that follow his rebirth. The result is an emotionally resonating deconstruction of Jason and his relationship with those closest to him. Introducing Scarecrow creates the dark reflection of the mentorship he had with Bruce, only much more abusive and manipulative this time around. As long as the audience understands this is a loose adaptation of the Red Hood storyline, the compelling elements of the series get to shine bright.

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