Deathstroke is in Robin’s head. After breaking free from Robin’s secret prison, Slade was able to mess with Robin’s head during a mission that almost got people killed. When Robin confronted the assassin about his motives, Slade told him that all he wants is for Robin to kill him.
(Spoilers Incoming)
Unlike last issue where we barely acknowledged that Kid Flash now knows about Robin’s secret prison, this issue begins with him finding out. He and Robin are arguing back and forth about whether what Robin is doing is right or wrong. According to Robin, he had to set up his own prison because regular prisons can’t cut it when it comes to holding super villains. At that moment, Red Arrow enters and begins defending Robin. Kid Flash repeatedly pleads to tell the rest of the team, but Robin and Red Arrow won’t budge. Kid Flash then snaps back to reality and realizes that he’s in Roundhouse’s room recounting what happened between the three Titans in his head. He tries to subtly explain what happened to Roundhouse, but the conversation goes over his head. Elsewhere in their base, Robin and Red Arrow are training, but all Robin can see is Deathstroke. As he gets the advantage over Emiko, he ends up behind her with his hands in the perfect position to break her neck. Thankfully, Red Arrow gets free and begins berating Damian for not being focused on anything other than Deathstroke.
Outside, Roundhouse finds Crush alone on the roof. Roundhouse mentions that he can’t find any of the other Titans anywhere, and Crush asks if he thinks Djinn and Robin are together somewhere. According to Roundhouse, they’re the “worst-kept team dating secret ever”. He then asks if Crush likes Robin, to which she tells him that she’s gay. She then tells him that she’s unsure of how Djinn would react to knowing how she feels, to which Roundhouse tells her to go for it anyway. Go for it is exactly what Crush does. She goes to Djinn’s room and tells her that she likes her, which goes clear over Djinn’s head. Crush clears up the confusion by kissing Djinn right there. While initially shocked, Djinn seems to embrace the kiss before Crush tells her to think about it and walks away. At the same time, Robin walks past and into Djinn’s room. He quickly asks her if she thinks killing another person is ever justifiable.
In the prison, Red Arrow walks past the threats of the villains held there straight to Deathstroke’s cell. She tells him that he needs to get out of Robin’s head, to which he tells her to hire him to do it. With her patience already worn, she draws an arrow and nearly drives it into his good eye. She restrains herself, then walks out. As she leaves, Kid Flash finds her in the armory. He tells her that he has decided that he doesn’t belong there anymore, and that he’s leaving the team. She stops him, telling him that the team needs him. As the two get closer and closer, the scene switches. Slade begins talking to someone unseen, then the shackles holding all of the inmates begin to fall off. At the same time, Damian wakes up from a nightmare. He dawns his Robin suit and heads for the prison to kill Slade. However, as he hits the button for the prison’s elevator, every single inmate breaks through the door.
And once again, Damian’s brilliant idea backfires. This issue had a lot more romance going on than expected, not that I mind. As far as I’m concerned, as long as romance doesn’t begin to hinder the storytelling, I’m fine with it. Robin seems to have finally decided that he is going to kill Slade, but I don’t know if he’ll have his chance. Now that the prison is emptying into the Titan’s base, it won’t be long before the rest of the team figures it all out. Once that happens, I see a divide forming between everyone and Robin. My real question is if Deathstroke is going to do what he does best and kill one of Damian’s Titans. I think that would be the only thing that makes Damian change how he’s been conducting himself and the team. Let’s see how Damian tries to get himself out of this one.