Titans review: Season 3 Episode 5, “Lazarus”

Details of Jason Todd’s chilling transformation from Robin to Red Hood come to the surface in the newest episode of Titans. In “Lazarus,” a series of complicated events leads to the death of a hero and the rebirth of someone new.

From the very beginning, Jason Todd has always been a kid trapped between two worlds. The chip on his shoulder comes from a lifetime of abandonment and disappointment, so when the opportunity to become Robin presents itself his whole world opens up.

For a kid from the streets, it’s a lifeline.

For Jason Todd, it’s a blessing and a curse.

Is Bruce Wayne to blame for Jason Todd’s Red Hood transformation on Titans?

Iain Glen does a great job of playing a stoic titan of industry version of Bruce Wayne that’s very reminiscent of Adam West’s take on the character from the 1960s. However, Titans’ version of Bruce Wayne is emotionally stunted in a way that isn’t often seen in other portrayals. There is no room for argument and his word is law.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t work well for someone like Jason, who bucks the system even if it’s Batman’s system.

Bad dreams lead Bruce to sideline Robin until he talks with Dr. Leslie Thompkins, a dear friend of the family who understands their work more than most. Though Bruce is trying to do what’s best for Jason, taking Robin away was probably the worst thing he could have done. Jason begs him, with tears in his eyes, not to give up on him. Bruce promises that he won’t, but he’s standing by the decision.

When Dr. Leslie plays a word association game with Jason, she says “father” and he says “Bruce.” While he might not want to admit the obvious, Jason never had a close relationship with his parents and Bruce has filled that role. So when Bruce takes Robin away from him, it’s a cut that runs deep. Too deep, it seems, because that’s what ultimately leads Jason to overcompensate and go after the Joker himself.

It must be said that Bruce didn’t send Jason into the arms of the Joker. It was Jason’s decision, but it was a decision made in response to Bruce’s declaration.

After Bruce Wayne “betrays” Jason, Jason turns to Jonathan Crane for advice to get rid of his fear, agreeing to spill the beans on the whole Bat family and free Crane from Arkham. Crane is a puppet master pulling the strings as Jason struggles to regain his sense of self. And when he loses his life, Crane is there to bring him back, now with a bigger chip on his shoulder than ever before.

Curran Walters excels as Jason Todd on Titans

Over the past two seasons Titans has given fans a closer look at the characters and their motivation for doing the things they do, but season 3 has been a deep dive unlike anything the show has seen before. Curran Walters digs into Jason’s damaged psyche and pulls out the performance of a lifetime. His eyes reflect Jason’s pain and confusion, and his anger at the world. Seeing him sink deeper and deeper is like watching two trains on a collision course, and all you can do is sit back and watch the explosion.

In Titans lore, Dick and Jason were groomed by Batman to become his partners, and there’s definitely a creep factor in watching it all happen. We saw it in the last episode when young Dick was left in the woods to fend for his life. With Jason, Bruce gives him something to hold onto, a new identity and an outlet for his pain. Taking away Robin removed part of Jason’s identity and it led to his downfall.

By the end of the episode, though, there is zero question that Crane makes Bruce’s grooming look tame by comparison. He’s playing Jason like a fiddle and he has no remorse for it. Crane needs Jason in order to do whatever it is that he’s after, and the former psychiatrist knows exactly what buttons to push to get Jason to do whatever he wants, even when it means hurting the people he loves.

“Lazarus” is one of the strongest episodes of the entire series, thanks in large part to Walters’ riveting performance and Vincent Kartheiser’s sinister joyfulness.

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