Titans S01E05 "Together" Review

Just as "Titans" hits the midway point of its premiere season, the episode title "Together" seems more relevant than ever. Not only have this iconic foursome finally met up, they have decided to work together as a team against the foes that are coming after them. Dick quickly assumes the position of team leader despite his reluctance to outright state that they are in fact a team. He has each of the supers show what they can do, from the fire-power that only works at night, the shapeshifting that requires nudity lest you ruin your clothes, and the power of unbridled darkness.

From these rough beginnings the writers are establishing a place from which to grow. It's not until the episode's conclusion that Dick reveals that he is Robin and what he is capable of in a fight. It's endearing how excited Gar gets, instantly recognizing him and afterwards asking if they will ever get to meet Batman, serving as a relatable perspective to the audience that is just as excited and curious.

The Nuclear Family attacks for one final time and goes down when Robin rises to the occasion to take them out. Unfortunately for the newly formed Titans there is no significant opportunity to extract information from or leverage back The Nuclear Family since the explosive implants in their heads are set off by their handler, Dr. Adamson whom Dick personally confronts. In a shocking turn of events their battle is interrupted by the arrival of the new Robin who takes out the other men and introduces himself to Dick.

There's many highlights of this episode, including the strengthening of not only the team's bond but the respective pairings of Rachel and Gar, and Dick and Kory. Gar and Rachel's relationship doesn't necessarily point towards a romantic pairing just yet but the possibility isn't gone either. What's especially important for them is their ability to help one another not only as super beings but as young adolescents trying to make sense of the nature of the world and their place in it. Dick and Kory's connection takes a far steamier turn and the unresolved conclusion following their consummation leaves things wide open for both their emotional and physical bond to be further explored in the future.

The action is better than ever, though it seems as if the stunt crew is just getting started since the Titans themselves have yet to figure out a cohesive way to work together, or in some cases to even manage their own abilities at their highest capabilities. The pacing is also great in regards to introducing new characters. There's enough to keep things exciting, particularly for the fans of the comics who will have a number of characters they're eager to see brought into the fold, but not so significantly as to derail from the main focus of the series, which is the lead four characters. The new Robin's surprise appearance is a perfect cliffhanger, and has us more enticed than ever to tune in next week!

"Titans" airs on Fridays on DC Universe.