Titans season 3 preview: You really can’t go home again

DC’s Titans is back for its third season on HBO Max, and it’s starting things off with a bang.  A big one. The stakes are higher than ever before, and in Titans season 3 all bets are off as new villains rise and memories of lost loved ones wreak havoc with the team’s emotions.

The gritty drama about one of DC Comics’ most beloved superhero teams is about to get even darker (yes, it’s possible), and season 3 will introduce some new faces while reintroducing a few others.

Donna Troy’s memory looms over all at the start of season 3. Her death left the team reeling at the end of season 2 and they’re still feeling the impact. Unfortunately, another death in the family sends everyone into a downward spiral.

The death of a hero gives rise to a villain in Titans season 3

Dick Grayson (Brenton Thwaites) must return to Gotham City to support Bruce after Jason Todd’s (Curran Walters) tragic death at the hands of the Joker. With Robin dead, Bruce is checking out, literally and figuratively, leaving Gotham in Dick’s hands. Now Nightwing, Dick calls the Titans from their home in San Francisco to join him at Wayne Manor, their new base of operations.

Jason’s death hangs heavy over the team, but they don’t have much time to mourn as a new villain — Red Hood — suddenly appears. He seems to know the team intimately.

Joining the team in season 3 is Commissioner Barbara Gordon (Savannah Welch). While she’s happy to see Dick again, Barbara has her own demons to battle after her final encounter with the Joker left her in a wheelchair. She’s no fan of superheroes, but she’s even more upset that Bruce left Gotham City when it needed him the most. Though she trusts Dick after all of their years working together, she’s not the same person she used to be and she has to rely on other tactics to get the job done.

One such tactic is utilizing Scarecrow (Vincent Kartheiser) as a consultant to help profile criminals. He might be a dangerous villain, but he’s also brilliant and she needs all the help she can get as the city continues to grow darker every day.

Titans season 3 is as dark and moody as ever

The new season of Titans continues the dark tone that the previous seasons have embraced. Especially with the weight of Donna and Jason’s deaths, the season hits hard from the very first episode and there’s no sign that it will be letting up any time soon.

Thankfully, fans can always count on Gar’s Beast Boy (Ryan Potter) and Conner Kent’s Superboy (Joshua Orpin) for some moments of levity. Anna Diop’s Starfire is going through some issues dealing with her grief, and Hawk (Alan Ritchson) and Dove (Minka Kelly) are struggling to find common ground. In season 3, the team feels more solidified than ever before, and they’ll need to work together if they’re going to handle everything that Gotham City throws their way.

When does Titans season 3 premiere?

HBO Max will debut the first three episodes of the season on August 12. It’s great that they’re coming together because there’s a lot to process and having multiple episodes will help fans sink their teeth into the season. When watched together, the first three episodes are like a movie; watching them back to back to back helps build the suspense.

Unlike the previous two seasons, Titans season 3 grabs you from the very first moments and doesn’t let go. That unrelenting force lasts through the end of the first three episodes provided to press and likely carries through the rest of the season.

New episodes of Titans season 3 will be available weekly after the August 12 premiere.

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