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Alright Titans, we saw the origins of the angriest Dick Grayson, got some much needed backstory on Rachel’s mysterious upbringing, found our way to Kory Anders’s mysterious storage unit with all of the pushpins and colored string you could want, and got our first glimpse at Beast Boy. This exciting exposition concluded with Raven breaking out of the convent she was drugged and trapped in. Now on that she’s on the run, will Kory and Dick be able to find her? And how will Gar fit into all of this? Let’s find out.

Spoilers ahead

Flashback: 2 Years Ago in the Congo

In the plains of a war encampment looking settlement a helicopter flies over. Medical type folks are rushing handle sick patients. Gar, without his signature green hair, is among those effected and he is abandoned by all of the hazmat suits who are making a prompt exit. However, one of professionals makes their way back and checks Gar’s vital and seems to be a little bit too excited, especially after he spots some snake-like skin on Gar’s arm. The man brings up a vial of green liquid and injects straight into Gar’s neck. He yells as he face flushes a deep green.

On the Run

Back in the present, Rachel is running only to be intercepted by Gar in the form of a green lion. Rachel is predictably worried until Gar ducks behind some trees and reveals his true self. Rachel has questions and Gar’s response is “Don’t worry. I don’t bite.” They run off with Gar in the lead.

Back at the convent, Kory and Dick look at the giant whole in the building and confront the “kind nun” who drugged and emprisoned here. The nun is worried about the doomsday plot and is summarily escorted to the back of the ambulance. Kory and Dick beginning arguing about Dick’s inability to stay near Rachel, and Dick doesn’t really have a good response. Kory continues her roast of Dick, but the two resolve to find her.

Gar and Rachel take shelter in an abandoned house in the woods to take a breather and warm themselves by the fire. Rachel is worried about her increasing power and how she’s becoming a danger to the folks around. Gar is completely nonplussed by the entire affair and retorts “You saw what I did back there.” The two share a look, and have a playful conversation. A loud sound from outside startle the duo and they go to investigate.

Two hunters are seen in the woods attempting to finish off a deer they shot, when Rachel comes to intervene. The two hunters are deadset on getting their haul, but before they can do much else, Gar scares the living hell out of the two in his green tiger form and they run for the hills. Rachel tends to deer as Gar actually puts his clothes back on. Gar discusses his haemophobia and the fact that he’s never bitten any one before. Rachel mourns the lost of deer life. Gar continues to assure Rachel that she is a good person, and while she rebuffs, he is steadfast. As the two walk away, the deer mysteriously stirs back to life, but they don’t know that.

II. Rest Stop

Gar shows Rachel the building where he lives and takes her to a secret underground bunker a.k.a. Nirvana. Nirvana is predictably every teenager’s dream full of arcade games, unique posters, and free soda. Rachel calls Gar out on his geekdom and he embraces the title without any resistance.

Rachel spots a picture of Gar’s family, and the two bond over parental loss. Gar asks about Kory and Dick, and Rachel in turn asks about who else is living in Nirvana. Right on cue, the first of the Doom Patrol arises and we here (and get a small glimpse) of Robotman. Gar shoves Rachel into the closest as Robotman confronts Beast Boy about what he was doing during the day. Gar gives a half-assed answer, alluding to a “Chief” and gets a little defensive. Robotman chides at Gar’s like of disguise skills before leaving. Gar then gets a little too overconfident and asks if she wants to join him in a game, but Robotman intervenes the moment Rachel steps out of the closest.

We jump to Robotman making quips dragging the two of them up a grand hallway. Rachel has questions about who exactly lives here, and Gar describes the the group he has taken in with as “conventionally challenged” When Rachel has questions about Robotman, he takes a deep sigh as he seems all too familiar with this question. Gar gives Robotman’s backstory and then explains how Chief is the greatest doctor in the world who saved all of them. Rachel’s next question is “All of you?” and Robotman stops Gar from providing more exposition. Rachel begins wondering around the facility to classic guitar riffs and stumbles onto bandaged man with sunglasses cooking breakfast and rocking out. Dude looks like he’s having a good time and Rachel, clearly hungry enters the kitchen. Larry, a.k.a. Negative Man, asks Rachel how she likes her steak and if she’s vegan before resuming his cookery, while Robotman is quickly loosing control of the situation. Larry and Gar vote to keep Rachel around much to Robotman’s chagrin.

III. In Hot Pursuit

Flash sideways, Kory and Dick are sitting in the car and Dick tells Kory that she has to stay in the car because she’s a little too conspicuous. Kory’s rebuts that she’s been doing just fine, before Dick brings out the badge and Kory’s wanted status, especially due to their proximity near the police station. Dick enters the building and Kory grows restless.

Dick talks to the local police who give him lead on a hunter in the woods who saw a green tiger and a girl with purple hair. The cop gives a little wink-wink nudge-nudge as he repeats the green tiger part of the story and casually throws out that the hunter was drunk. Dick, well versed in all things superheroic, knows he should probably follow up with the hunter himself and asks for a name.

IV. Meet the Rest of the Residents

Back in Nirvana, Gar ascends a spiral staircase as a haunting melody plays on a piano. Gar calls out for a Rita for dinner and says he wants to introduce Rachel to her. The piano stops and Gar takes some old dishes away from the door, saying he’ll bring dinner later.

We then teleport inside Rita’s room, full of classic movie posters and a strange mass of flesh lying on the bed.

Larry has prepared quite the feast and my goodness does he has some showmanship. The feast begins and Robotman becomes fascinated with Rachel’s chicken and waffles and the sensation of taste. We get a brief glimpse a woman slowly descend down the stairs, before Robotman bemoaning his inability to dance or swim thanks to being a brain in a robot. Rachel tries to cheer him up by trying to rock the robot and he becomes a little endeared to her. And right on cue, Rita makes her grand entrance with long white gloves and a stunning red dress.

Rita takes her place at the table and begins filling her plate to the absolute brim. Rita talks about her mysterious condition requiring a high caloric intake before pouring an entire saucer’s pan of gravy on top of her food as she goes to town. Rita complements the chef, and Larry jokes if anyone is willing to kiss the cook. Shortly there after Rita’s “condition” begins to take hold and she tries to hide herself. Rachel reaches out and evokes her empath powers to get a glimpse of Rita’s old life: famous actress committed to a padded cell after an accident on set, but not much is given. Rachel assures Rita that she’s not afraid, and Rita seems comforted by this fact. And after that cue: Chief. Chief asks about Rachel before quickly progressing the plot by informing everyone that he has a new patient and everyone gets up and gets going.

V. The Man of Medical Marvels

Rita puts on some gloves as Robotman asks for the patient’s history. Chief orders everyone to their positions as Rachel views everything atop a balcony. Gar brings some medical equipment and Larry unveils the patient afflicted by an explosion of liquid nitrogen. The doctors on site said their was nothing to the done, but Chief is apparently not a man who can be easily deterred. Chief injects a strange purple to the IV in an attempt to stabilize her body temparture, although all it seems to do is make the entire room cold instead. Everyone pitches in to keep her warm, while Rachel goes in to try and keep her calm. It seems to work and Chief seems happy with the new addition to his motley crew.

Chief then has a stern talking to Gar who has failed to keep the one rule of the house: keep this place safe. Chief, despite being exceedingly sketchy, does seem to have good intentions in keeping his patients safe and while he’s mad at Gar, he quickly returns to a serene state and asks about Rachel’s power. Chief claims he can help Rachel and Gar asks if Chief heard about the explosion at the convent.

VI. Detective Dick Grayson on the Case

In a different section of the woods, we see Dick and Kory pull up to the hunter’s house. The hunter wants nothing to do with another line of questions, but Dick stops him from closing the door and tries persuading him to comply. The hunter doesn’t take too kindly to that and pulls out a shotgun, and Dick quickly escalates and then deescalates the situation by pinning the hunter to the floor. Dick then starts taking out his anger on the hunter and Kory (who again, currently has the highest body count of anyone on the who) has to intervene. Dick looks frustrated for all of one second before becoming mortified as the hunter’s son makes his way to the living room. Dick is full of all of the regrets. The hunter assures Kory that he would never hurt a kid and provides an address to an abandoned house in the woods. Kory offers some money to the hunter, who takes the recompense before cursing her out.

VII. Post-Op Briefing

Back at the Doom Patrol’s house, Chief and Rachel are discussing the successful treatment of the new patient Chief explains how he was startled by Rachel’s presence and then explains his extremist medical viewpoint and experimental methodology. Chief provides some more backstory on each of the Doom Patrol members and we get a little sense of Stockholm Syndrome and a little sense of genuine thanks for what Chief has done for them.

Rachel questions the housing arrangement, but Chief is steadfast in how his research is in pursuit of the greater and how he can help Rachel. Rachel is skeptical, but Chief gestures to his successes: A smiling Rita and a somber Robotman.

VIII. Post-Beat-Em-Up Briefing

Back in the road trip, Kory feints a little bit of surprise at Dick’s brutality. Kory calls out on Dick’s unhealthy coping mechanisms, and while Dick is reluctant to talk, Kory succinctly summarizes the entire situation in three words.

“You got problems.”

Dick doesn’t have a clever comeback for that one, and instead offers a vague explanation of his tragic backstory. Kory and Dick continue in their debate over their adoptive parenting of Rachel and the two slowly seem to be forming a begrudging respect for one another.

IX. Converging Plotlines

Brief jump to Robotman looking longingly at photographs of his old life as a race car driver.

Jump to Chief strapping Rachel down as Gar sits nearby. Chief claims what’s going to happen next is a relatively procedure and convinces Gar to bring him the case. Gar has questions about the procedure, but Chief is in full mad doctor mode, revealing vials.

Rachel doesn’t want anything to do with this after seeing the syringe and pleads to Gar to get her out of there. Chief orders Gar away, and Gar hesitates before deciding that Rachel gets to have agency (thank god). Gar flashes his tiger eyes since Chief isn’t backing down, but before he can embrace his Beast Boy nature, Chief tranqs him and triggers Rachel’s dark side.

We then intercut between Kory and Dick entering the house and all sorts of dark magic fuckery happening with Rachel. Lights are flashing. Dark tendrils are flailing. Dick and Kory find themselves facing Robotman, Rita, and Larry. Rachel is playing with Chief like a ragdoll. Dick goes off to find Rachel and Kory is left in a 1v3, but her eyes got that green glow going on.

Dick gets to the basement to see aforementioned dark magic fuckery and tries to shut shit down involving Rachel yelling into a magical portal. Dick finally figures out how to be a good guardian and manages to talk Rachel done after embracing the fact that he actually needs to take care of this scared child. Portal magically closes and we cut to the black.

Back upstairs, the Doom Patrol watch Dick, Kory, and Rachel leave. As Gar looks longingly, the rest of the Doom Patrol encourages him to have a life and join in the roadtrip. The three are bound to the estate and the caretaking of Chief, and see that Gar has his eyes set on something outside the confines of the strange medical building. Gar says his farewells and then hops into the car. Dick and Kory seem strangely okay with all of this, and the four drive off into the night to continue the Titans story arc while the rest of the Doom Patrol have to wait until 2019.

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The post Titans Recap, Episode 4: Doom Patrol appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.