DC’s Titans Season 3 Episode 8 finally brings Tim Drake back into the story, and sees Jason have a change of heart.
Season 3 Episode 8 of DC’s Titans finally brings Tim Drake, who fans saw briefly in the first and seventh episodes, back into the mix. This time he wants to be Robin, and he is going to stop at nothing to accomplish that dream. Also in this episode, Jason Todd starts to have second thoughts about his collaboration with Scarecrow, and he wants to come back — back home — hence the title of this episode.
Warning, this recap and review of Titans Season 3 Episode 8 will contain spoilers. So if you have not yet watched this episode on HBO Max and would like to remain in the dark, please come back at a later time. If you missed our Titans Season 3 Episode 7 recap, check it out.
Warning: Spoilers Ahead for Titans Season 3 Episode 8.
The beginning of this episode picks up exactly where the previous one left off — with Gar at Molly’s house. He explains that he and Jason have some mutual friends, and that he is trying to look out for him. Some people want Jason dead but he wants to help him, and he is sure that Molly does too. Gar does a great job of convincing her he has Jason’s best interest in mind as she ends up connecting the two of them late on in the episode.
Tim Drake
Tim Drake, who comic book fans know is one of the Robins, shows up at Wayne Manor to talk to Dick, who is on his way to pickup Barbara so they can attend a Gala. He is watching a news report on the new Titans signal, which he jokes he wishes was bigger than the Bat signal (not in front of Tim of course). Tim claims to have figured out that he is Nightwing and that Bruce Wayne is Batman. He figured this out because the Graysons are the only ones who know a certain movie, that Robin and Nightwing have used in the past.
He also assumed that Jason Todd was the new Robin, the one who was killed by the Joker, but says he saw him the night his dad was shot so he knows he can’t be. Dick has Barbara follow images and video of Jason from that night, and ends up figuring out where he is at that very moment. Of course Dick rushes off to find him on his motorcycle, and ends up being hit by a truck. Right before he passes out he sees Jason standing over him. He could have killed him, instead, he calls 911 to save him.
Starfire, Blackfire, & Conner
Meanwhile viewers get confirmation that yes indeed, Conner and Blackfire have a thing for each other as they are seen — enjoying each other’s company in Conner’s bed. There is something strange going on though — a pink mist or energy is forming on the floor as it is going on, hinting at Blackfire’s powers coming back.
Starfire interrupts them but she is in another trance, the ones she thought Blackfire was sending out to her before. Lucky for them, Starfire doesn’t seem to remember what she saw. In order to figure out these messages, she goes back into the isolation chamber. It is no surprise that she ends up getting in a car and driving to a certain spot, but they can’t figure out why. In her visions she sees a woman yell to a carriage about her baby, and inside that carriage was a baby Starfire.
Jason Todd Splits From Scarecrow
There were definite hints in the last episode that Jason was ready to part ways with Scarecrow, and if knocking him out wasn’t going to put him over the top, we aren’t sure what would. While he does come back to him at the start of this episode, it is only to try to get more of the drug from him. When Jason realizes that Scarecrow is completely out of it, and the Scarecrow pokes at him by mentioning Hank, Jason loses it.
He attacks Scarecrow and knocks him out before he storms off. Jason ends up doing something really weird, and honestly a bit over the top for the show. He goes to an adult warehouse, where he can pay people to… act things out while he watches. Instead of opting to take his mind off everything with something dirty, he asks them to play Hank and Dawn. He apologizes to the man who is calling Hank — for killing him. The man leaves the room saying this is too weird for him, but “Dawn” stays.
She talks to Jason telling him that she herself has done some horrible things while high, and the best place to go to for forgiveness is home. This is when Jason reaches out to Molly to connect him with Dick — and asks him to meet, alone, in the tunnels under Gotham.
Scarecrow Goes Off The Deep End
After being ditched by Jason, who he oddly considers a friend of his, Scarecrow goes completely bonkers. He visits his mother, who is of course a psychiatrist, and it becomes painfully obvious that she is part of the reason he is the way he is. She has completely shunned him, says she deserves better, and tells him all the love is gone.
While he pours his heart out to her in one of the most emotional moments of the season, she stares back at him cold faced, and is even bold enough to bring up Batman to him. When he realizes she has triggered the silent alarm so that Gotham PD will come and get him, he snaps — quite literally — her neck and leaves her to be found by them.
The thing is, Scarecrow has a plan to poison the water of Gotham with his fear drug. All he needs to do is a find a way to tap into the water supply from the old fill station. A city inspector comes inadvertently helps him figure out just how to do that when he gives an idea of what could break through the solid steel — the power of the sun.
What To Do About Jason?
After speaking with that lovely young woman about home, Jason decides to reach out to Dick and try to work things out. When they meet in the tunnel Jason agrees to give up Scarecrow if it means that he can come home, live in the mansion, and be with his friends. He even goes so far as to thank Dick when he agrees, who adds in that of course they will take him back, they are family.
However, back at Wayne Manor the rest of the Titans do not seem to feel the same way. Gar and Blackfire wish to give him a second chance, while Starfire and Conner do not want to forgive a murderer. This is something the agree to disagree on, and say they will deal with it later. Now it is time to meet up with Jason and take him and Scarecrow in.
When they get to the station, which is where Jason told them to meet, things are off to a really bad start. Tim was tracking Jason to prove that he has what it takes to be Robin, but got shot by Scarecrow in the process. Inside the station Starfire blasts toward Scarecrow, who has set everything up perfectly. She hits some canisters that cause quite the explosion, and also sends a massive dose of the fear drug directly into Gotham’s water system. Of course this is the worst timing because a pipe in Barbara’s ceiling has just burst — and now she is going to be exposed to the chemicals.
Titans Season 3 Episode 8 Review
Although the scene in that adult theater was a bit weird and felt completely out of place, Curran Walters shows that he has the acting chops to be around for a very long time. It is impossible not to feel for him as Jason, especially as he proves he feels extremely bad about what he has done, and even like it was never really him doing it.
Curran isn’t the only one who shines in this episode though. Vincent Kartheiser is able to tap into something emotional and raw in the scene where he is facing his mother in Titans Season 3 Episode 8 — and it is heartbreaking. At one point he is literally on his knees looking up to her, which is a great shot that shows the dynamic of their relationship.
It is nice to see Tim Drake coming into the story more, but it feels like viewers cannot be worried for him because we know he is going to be the next Robin. While we should be concerned that he might not pull through, everyone is just waiting to see him suit up.
Seeing that Conner and Blackfire do indeed have a thing going was a nice touch, and I am glad that they did not waste too much time getting to that moment. However, the fact that they are worried what Starfire thinks is a little annoying, and doesn’t really fit in with the story.
Titans Season 3 Episode 8 is one of the best yet, and sits only behind episode 5 for the season. There is a lot the unfolds in this one and while it doesn’t have a lot of action, there is a ton of character and plot development that was needed to move the story forward. It is going to be really exciting to see where this goes.
About Titans Season 3 Episode 8
While Crane makes plans to poison Gotham’s water system with his fear toxin, Jason begins to realize he might have made a mistake. Dick is paid visits from a young Tim Drake.
About Titans Season 3
Titans follows young heroes from across the DC Universe as they come of age and find where they belong. In season three, circumstances draw our heroes to Gotham City, where they will reunite with old friends and face new threats.
Titans Season 3 drops new episodes on HBO Max every Thursday morning!
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. She is also a Freelance Writer. Tessa has been in the Entertainment writing business for ten years and is a member of several Critics Associations including the Critics Choice Association and the Greater Western New York Film Critics Association.