'Titans' season 2 trailer hints at a 'Battle For the Cowl' set up with a focus on resolving Dick Grayson's identity crisis
Brenton Thwaites' Dick Grayson/Robin has been the central lead of 'Titans' since the very beginning. Based on hints in the trailer for season 2, this is going to continue and we are finally going to see Dick hanging up his tights for a new identity, though not necessarily the one fans may have expected.
In the comics, Dick leaves Batman because he wants to find his own identity outside of the Dark Knight's shadow. This causes him to move to Bludhaven and take on the identity of Nightwing.
Fans have been hoping to see Dick become Nightwing for a very long time. It is the identity he is most closely associated with and after all the show does have another Robin, Jason Todd, played by Curran Walters.
The trailer has scenes that show Dick reconciling with Iain Glen's Bruce Wayne who is interestingly never shown in costume. "Would you do it again?" Dick asks his adoptive father in the trailer. "Go to all that time and trouble for someone who just wants to leave?"
"I would do everything exactly the same," Bruce replies, reassuring Dick that he is still a part of the family. The fact that Glen never actually wears the Batman's outfit in the trailer may just be a coincidence but there is a fair chance there may be a reason behind the choice.
This version of Bruce Wayne is clearly much older than most of his previous incarnations and he may be trying to find a successor to continue his legacy.
Dick may have been adopted but he is Bruce's first son and therefore the obvious choice to become the new Bat. One might even say the Dark Knight's cowl is Dick's inheritance, one he has proven himself worthy of time and again.
In the comics, Dick has taken over as Batman on multiple occasions when Bruce was unable to fulfill his duties. It looks like 'Titans' may adapt one of those storylines in some way, especially considering there is a scene showing Dawn Granger (Minka Kelly) telling Dick, "Now is the time. Be Batman."
The trailer also teases a major conflict between Jason and Dick with the younger Robin telling his older foster brother that Dick is in his way. If Bruce is planning on retiring from the role of Batman, both Robins will likely be in the running for the title and we may even see the conflict between them escalate into an all-out Battle for the Cowl.
'Batman: Battle for the Cowl' is a 2009 comic book storyline written and penciled by Tony Daniel. The central story details the chaos in Gotham City caused by Batman's perceived absence and abandonment by the public.
His disappearance is actually caused by the character's apparent death at the hands of Darkseid in 'Final Crisis', which causes his sons to fight between themselves over who should become the new Batman. Jason was the primary antagonist of the storyline and Dick was the one who came out on top in the end so it makes sense that elements of this particular storyline may be adapted for the season.
Irrespective of whether he becomes Batman or Nightwing, Dick will definitely have some important decisions to make in this season. Though he burned his old Robin outfit, we know he will be returning to the identity in the new season but there's no way the show will leave him in that identity for much longer.
After all that he's been through so far, Dick truly deserves a chance to become his own person, whether it is by accepting his mentor's legacy or by making his own. Let's just hope he gets that chance before Esai Morales' Deathstroke kills them all.
'Titans' season 2 will begin airing on DC Universe September 6.
