Titans “Red Hood” Review

Season 3 Episode 2 – Please be aware that these reviews do contain spoilers so continue at your own risk.

What I Liked?

1. The episode begins with probably my most favorite Red Hood scene from the animated movie “Under the Red Hood”. A criminal meeting in an old rusted warehouse in a heavy-raining Gotham City, the criminal bosses are talking about the Bat murdering the Joker when a bag falls onto the table from nowhere, a mysterious voice shouts “open the bag”, the criminals don’t and a henchman starts opening fire but is met with a bullet to the head, another henchman gets taking away when a mysterious figure drops down and orders the criminal enterprises to pay him 40% of what they get for him protecting them, one of the criminal bosses opens the bag and pulls out a severed head. This is when another boss gets angry and goes to pull out a gun but is also met with a swift bullet to the head. What an entrance for Red Hood. This was insane!

2. Something I didn’t believe is confirmed when Barbara tells Dick that Bruce’s private jet was seen taking off and then disappearing mid-flight. Bruce literally killed the Joker, it’s everywhere in Gotham City. They actually went this route with the story, I’m amazed.

3. A woman detonates a bomb in a building just to get to speak to Nightwing, she’s an innocent civilian who Red Hood has made commit this crime to save her daughter, she has a number which is carved into her arm, Barbara rings the number when the woman starts acting crazy and eventually snaps her own neck, this scene was absolutely brutal. I also liked this scene because it had mentions of the Joker’s origins and what he was wearing, a red hood.

4. Barbara informs Dick that Bruce set up a project in GCPD which is allowing them to work with Dr. Jonathan Crane to create profiles on criminals for the GCPD, this doesn’t sit right with Dick but eventually, he goes and asks Scarecrow for the profile on this new “player” in town. He essentially tells Dick that this new player (Red Hood) is playing a game of chess and is using moves made famous in the 1800s. He also mentions that the bombing is only Red Hood’s opening move.

5. My next point which I liked because hopefully, it means more things is going to come to light with Gar, he figures out that the chess move that Red Hood is using isn’t a move where you guess the next step he’s going to take but the move is actually a defensive move, as the Titans foil a plan which the Red Hood had set up for the GCPD.

6. This next move is one of Red Hood’s moves in which he actually outsmarts the entire Titans team as he lays a trap not only for the Titans but he also manages to steal 25 million dollars from the bank when the Titans enter as they believe the people in the red hoods are parents trying to save their kids when in reality, their criminals who create an explosion and them managing to disappear.

What I Disliked?

There was only one dislike for episode 2. That was Hank basically retiring from being “Hawk” and ending up working as a bike policeman in Washington D.C. when Dawn is continuing to be Dove and the two are separated, yet still love each other enough to move back to Washington together.

Favorite Moment

My favorite moment has to be when Nightwing and Red Hood come face-to-face and then get into a fight which is pretty even until Nightwing absolutely smashes his baton across the mask of Red Hood breaking a chunk of it off revealing that Jason is alive and well. Red Hood tells Dick that Bruce always told him that Dick was better with toys, Red Hood then starts blasting Nightwing in the back with bullets but luckily his suit deflects them and Red Hood escapes.

Standout Character

I have to give it to Red Hood, what an absolutely crazy, intense, incredible, and badass way to be introduced into the series.

The Verdict

What a debut episode for Red Hood, this episode had so many epic moments and great fight scenes. The opening scene was adapted well into live-action and was done incredibly well by Curran Walters. The Red Hood and Nightwing fight was a great tease of what is to come.

Rating: 9.8/10

Photo: Titans Season 3 Episode 2 “Red Hood”.