The latest installment of Titans season 3 paves the way for a brand new team leader, further suggesting Dick Grayson will become Batman.
Titans season 3 could be readying Donna Troy to take over leadership duties from Dick Grayson. Across the show’s 3 seasons thus far, Titans has featured different eras and incarnations of the titular superhero group, from the original lineup of Robin, Hawk, Dove, Wonder Girl and Aqualad to the current roster of Nightwing, Superboy, Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy, and whoever happens to be following them around at the time. As the sole common thread throughout the years, Dick Grayson has consistently acted as the undisputed leader of Titans Tower, despite making a few very unpopular decisions along the way.
Though Dick’s Nightwing is the only OG Titan left standing in season 3, he’s about to be joined by another from that first generation – Wonder Girl. Donna died in rather unspectacular fashion during Titans season 2’s finale, before eventually cheating the Reaper in season 3’s “Souls,” courtesy of Hawk and Tim Drake. With the stench of death still in her hair, Donna makes a bee line for Gotham City to lend a hand against Scarecrow and Red Hood in “Troubled Water.” Her journey takes an unexpected detour when Lydia decides to test Wonder Girl’s resurrected muscles, but more than just giving Donna a pre-match warm-up, the sparring session foreshadows a brand new leader for the Titans.
After Donna passes Lydia’s trial, the Amazon elder cryptically tells her, “you were born not just to protect people Donna… but to lead them.” Lydia might’ve meant leading in a figurative sense – advising Donna return to the Titans and mentor their younger superheroes into a new generation of world-saving vigilantes. On the other hand, Lydia’s emphasis on “lead” might foreshadow Donna becoming America’s next top Titan. Lydia could be assuring Donna that she’s capable of more than just following Dick Grayson’s Nightwing. Her entire adult life, Donna has dipped in and out of the Wonder Girl persona, only answering the call whenever Grayson came a-knocking. The untapped potential of Wonder Woman’s protégé clearly isn’t being fulfilled as a part-time-Titan, and it’s high time someone said it.
It goes without saying that Donna won’t be rocking up at Wayne Manor and demanding Nightwing shut up and take a seat. Not only are Dick and Donna good friends, but she respects him far too much to barge in and forcibly take control of the Titans. Fortunately for Donna, Dick Grayson may be heading toward a promotion of his own. Titans season 3 has repeatedly teased Nightwing making the jump to Batman. Bruce Wayne abruptly retired, telling his original sidekick to “be a better Batman” before skipping town. Barbara Gordon has compared Dick’s new attitude to Bruce’s on several occasions, and the hospitalized Nightwing saw a hallucination of the Batman logo in an eye chart opposite his bed. All clues are pointing to Dick Grayson following his DC comic counterpart and taking the Dark Knight’s mantle in Bruce Wayne’s stead.
If Gotham City does get a new Batman in Titans, Donna would be the natural choice to replace Dick Grayson as the Titans’ new leader. She’s a member of the original team, keeping that thread to the past, and Wonder Woman’s values offer a more solid moral foundation than the harsh teachings of Batman. Unlike Robin/Nightwing, Donna has never fully committed to the superhero gig either, meaning she has plenty still to give the world as Wonder Girl. The dynamic of Titans season 4 would be fascinating with Dick operating as Batman, Tim Drake as his Robin, and Donna leading Starfire, Beast Boy, Raven and Superboy as the Titans.
About The Author
