Bruce Wayne (episode)

For the titular character, see Bruce Wayne (character).

"Bruce Wayne" is the seventh episode of the second season of Titans, and the eighteenth episode overall. It premiered on October 18, 2019.

Synopsis

Tensions are running high at Titans Tower after their most recent encounter with Deathstroke. Kory attempts to learn more about Conner Kent, and Rose tries to help Jason cope with his near-death experience, while the old Titans keep getting mysterious reminders of a past they'd rather forget. As Dick sets out alone to track down Deathstroke, a familiar voice begins to haunt him – taunting him and attempting to guide him back to being the leader the Titans need. With all the strange ongoing happenings and Dick’s continuing to keep the team in the dark, both Jason and the Titans reach a potential breaking point.

Cast

Starring

Special appearance by

Esai Morales as Slade Wilson

Special guest star

Iain Glen as Bruce Wayne

Guest-starring

Co-starring

Natalie Liconti as MC
Olunike Adeliyi as Mati Matisse
Pastel Supernova as Burlesque Dancer 1
Rosie Mae as Burlesque Dancer 2
Maya Von Kello as Burlesque Dancer 3
Sima Fisher as Seductress
Jennifer Krukowski as Hotel Room Dancer
Devoshia Cooper as Hotel Room Dancer 2
Oren Williamson as Employee 1
Briana Templeton as Employee 2
Goldie Rocket as Woman in Club

Plot

Jason imagines falling to his death, and looks out the window of his room at the Tower.

Dick looks at the cubicle where his old costume used to hang. Bruce comes in and points out that Dick burned his costume, and talks about how Dick lets people go. His mentor wonders out loud if Dick was going to let Jason die, or if he was going to trade his life for Jason's. Bruce tells Dick that Deathstroke wants everyone except Dick, and says that he sent Jason to Dick to make him right. Instead, Dick humiliated and lied to Jason, and let Jason walk into the middle of Dick's blood feud with Deathstroke.

Dawn comes in and "Bruce" disappears. Dick says that he's fine, and Dawn tells him that there are complications in Conner's condition and Dick should take a look. Conner lies on a bed in the infirmary, and Kory is standing over him as Dick and Dawn arrive. Dawn says that there's a toxin in Conner's body from the bullets he was shot with, but she and Kory both figure that Conner is safer there due to his "special abilities". She suggests that Dick call Bruce, and "Bruce" appears and continues mocking Dick. Dick says that he'll call Bruce and leaves to check on Jason.

Jason is in the dojo sparring with a bag. Dick comes in and asks if he's all right, and Jason insists that he's all right. He tells Dick that he doesn't want to take it easy because he feels good, and "Bruce" continues mocking Dick. Dick apologizes and Jason finally tells him say that it's his fault for going out alone. The other man says that he doesn't think, tells Jason to rest up, and leaves.

Dick joins Dawn, Hank, and Donna in the kitchen, and Hank asks why Dick abandoned them to go after Deathstroke on his own. Dick admits that he screwed up and Hank asks if there's something Dick isn't telling them. When Dick insists that he'll take care of it, his hallucination of "Bruce" says that he's done well so far.

Kory tends to Conner, and he wakes up and grabs her wrist, muttering in kryptonian. When she talks back to him in the same language, Conner abruptly releases her. Dawn comes in and Kory tells her that Conner was speaking Kryptonian, and that it's a dead language. Kory notes that Conner's skin is impenetrable, and Conner mutters out Eve's name.

Meanwhile, Eve watches as Mercy's people lock up Krypto in a cage. Mercy tells Eve that Conner is almost dead and should be dead by now from the Kryptonite. Eve is shocked that Mercy left Conner to die, and tells her to take a team to bring Conner back. Mercy refuses and says that Luthor wants Eve off the premises within the hour. Eve hands over her security pass, and Mercy suggests that it might be the best if Conner is dead and his Luthor DNA with him.

Later, Eve "accidentally" bumps into two scientists and steals one of their security passes.

Dick goes to a bar and the bartender, Benny, greets him. He asks Benny for information on Slade. Benny directs him to a gun range, and this figment of Dick's imagination masquerading as "Bruce" keeps taunting Dick, until Dick tells him to shut up. Dick doesn't believe Benny, who says that Slade retired five years ago. Benny denies knowing anything about Slade's handler, Wintergreen, and Dick slams Benny's head down on the bar. The bartender finally says that Wintergreen was dating the sister of Mati Matisse and killed her, and directs Dick to where she's at. Dick thanks Benny and leaves.

Hank comes out of the shower and finds a bourbon bottle on his shelf.

Jason is in his room reliving his fall when there's a knock at his door. It's Rose, who asks if she can come in. Jason refuses and Rose tells him that Deathstroke did a number on him. She thought that Jason would be tougher, and tells him that he's the only one actually doing anything while the others argue with each other. Rose says that it wasn't Jason's fault that he fell, and says that his teammates tried to kill her. She figures everyone needs a psychiatrist, and Jason is the only one worth talking to even though he's out of his mind. Jason wonders if she said something nice, and Rose tells him not to make it weird. She figures Jason wants to see where their relationship is going, and admits that she does as well.

Eve breaks into the containment room, frees Krypto, and tells the dog to help her find Conner. She can't remove the Kryptonite collar, and has Krypto use his reflected heat vision to free himself. The guards come in, and Eve grabs Krypto and the dog flies them out through the observation window.

Dick goes to Mati's burlesque club and finds Mati. He suggests that they could be friends and suggests that they have a common enemy. Mati tells Dick that Wintergreen killed her sister Christi. The hallucination of "Bruce" appears to Dick on the stage and dances. Dick says that he'll be gone once he gets what he wants, and Mati tells him that Wintergreen is at the Davis Hotel in the penthouse.

Donna finds a bottle of the orange soda that Garth brought her when he was still alive.

Rose puts on one of Jason's records and dances. Jason continues staring out the window and reliving his fall, and Rose tells him to snap out of it. She invites him to dance and Jason finally accepts. They kiss but then Jason pulls away. Rose tells him not to get stupid about it and it might happen again, and she finds an album with Jericho's name on it. She shows it to Jason and asks what he's doing with her brother's record. Jason tells her that he borrowed it from Dick, but Rose wonders if they're playing her and says that Deathstroke killed Jericho. Furious at Dick, Rose complains that Dick never told her that he knew Jericho and storms out.

The next day, Dick and "Bruce" go to the hotel and "Bruce" wonders what Dick is going to do when he finds Wintergreen. He says that Dick was a featured role in the past, and Dick goes inside and breaks into the penthouse. Dick tells the women there to get out, and finds Wintergreen taking a bath. Wintergreen is unimpressed, and Dick takes out Benny's gun and fires a shot into the bathtub. The middleman says that he won't talk and Dick should kill him if he's going to do it. As he gets dressed, Wintergreen says that he wouldn't cross the line by using a man's family against him. "Bruce" warns that they're playing Dick, and Dick pistol-whips Wintergreen unconscious. Wintergreen's phone rings, and when Dick answers it, Slade gives him an address and says that Dick will remember it when he sees it.

At the Tower, Hank and Dawn are in the kitchen cooking. Dawn finds a photo of Ellis on the spice rack, and asks Hank if he took it from her dresser. Hank says that he didn't, and figures that someone is screwing with them. Donna comes in and Dawn shows her the photo. They compare notes and they figure someone is playing pranks.

Jason stares out the window of his room.

As Kory checks Conner's gunshot wound, she says that there's not much more she can do for him. She hates feeling helpless, and tells the unconscious Conner not to die.

Eve and Krypto arrive at the Tower and she calls in on the intercom. She asks if Conner is there, and Kory lets her in. They take her to Conner and Eve tells Kory that the Kryptonite poisoning has gotten too far. Kory tells her that she's the closest thing to a god that Conner has. Eve says that they would need to fly Conner to the sun to heal him, and Kory calls Rachel in. Eve and Krypto wait outside, and Rachel uses her darkness to contain Kory as she pumps her stellar blasts into Conner. Conner wakes up and smiles at Kory.

Later, Eve tells Conner that he'll be okay. He apologizes for being a hero, and Eve assures him that he has nothing to be sorry for. Eve says that the world is a better place for Conner being in it, and breaks into tears when he calls her "Mom". She tells Conner that she'll be fine once she gets away from LexCorp, and tells Conner to rest before leaving.

Dick drives to the address Slade gave him and goes inside the church there. "Bruce" tells him that Slade is feeding on Dick's guilt, and is luring Dick away from where he needs to be. The hallucination of his former mentor says that Dick doesn't care and he knows why Dick doesn't keep sneaking off: he has blood on his hands that only Dick and Slade know about. "Bruce" tells Dick that he's always been afraid of being alone, and that if the others learn Dick's secret then they'll leave him. Dick says that it's done and in the past, and "Bruce" tells him that it has to come out. He tells Dick that he knows how to get rid of him: tell the truth. Dick says that it's too hard, and "Bruce" strokes his cheek and looks at him.

Walking to the altar, Dick finds photos of all the Titans laid out on the surface. "Bruce" tells Dick to go home because the monster is in the Tower. Dick shoves the photos and candles off the altar and runs out, and drives his motorcycle to the Tower.

Rachel enters her room and finds crosses drawn on the surfaces. The mirror shatters as Rachel looks at it.

Jason stares out the window, and Rachel comes in and asks how fucked up he is. Her eyes turn red when Jason says that he doesn't know what she's talking about, and Jason says that he's sick of them and leaves. Rachel goes after him and tells the others that Jason drew the crosses. Jason insists that he didn't, and Hank accuses Jason of putting the bottle in his room. He says that they're insane and think everything is his fault.

Dick arrives and tells them that Deathstroke is here. "Bruce" tells Dick that someone is missing, and Dick realizes that Jason has left. He finds Jason on the roof, and Jason says that he keeps falling and it won't stop. Jason tells Dick that Bruce wasn't the first person to help him, and nobody's been up to the task. He figures that he has a poison in him that spreads to hurt others, and Dick tells him to step away from the ledge. Jason refuses and Dick sits down on the ledge nearby and says that he'll sit there with Jason then.

Jason says that he screwed up everything and it's happened before. Dick tells him that nothing is following him, but Jason figures he can remove the "poison" by killing himself. As he steps off, Dick tells him to wait and glances over at "Bruce". "Bruce" disappears and Dick tells Jason that it's his fault. He admits that he caused all of it when he did something unforgivable five years ago: he killed Deathstroke's son.

Gallery

Promotional stills

Notes

Some of this episode's easter eggs include:^[1]
- Dick’s visions of Bruce Wayne fall into an interesting category. They aren’t a reference to any particular storyline, but his complicated bat-insecurities are a defining character trait that Dick has struggled to shed since he first left the Batcave. He’s always felt he can’t measure up to Bruce’s example, and he's worried about the looming shadow of his former guardian.
- It was easy for Mercy to write Conner off because she was ready to work on the next clone. This possibility of a 14th clone may be an allusion to "Experiment 14" in the comics; otherwise known to comic book readers as Match. He first appeared in 1996’s Superboy #35
- Match was a clone of Superboy created by a morally corrupt organization known as the Agenda. Over time, Match’s cells began to deteriorate and his mind became damaged. Eventually he had the appearance and brain capacity of a Bizarro.
- Wintergreen first appeared in Trigon, the Season 2 premiere as Slade’s mysterious handler.
- In the comics, his full name is Willian Randolph Wintergreen, and he first appeared alongside Slade in 1980’s New Teen Titans #2.
- The dance that Iain Glen’s Bruce Wayne did in this episode was the Batusi? The Batusi was introduced to the world when Adam West performed it in “Hi Diddle Riddle,” the first episode of the 1966 Batman television series.
- Rose Wilson trying to relieve her boredom by sneaking into Jason Todd’s bedroom for an intimate encounter isn’t exclusive to this episode. In 2006’s Teen Titans #35, Rose tried to surprise Robin (Tim Drake) in his room. Tim rejected Rose’s drunken advances but not before the team caught them in their precarious positions.
- Rose's comic book counterpart also had a crush on Dick Grayson.
- Dick Grayson using a gun this episode, is not exclusive to the TV series,he also made the same mistake in the comics.
- Although the Bat family has a strict “no guns” rule, Dick let it slide during a disastrous gang fight in 1994’s New Titans #114.

References

↑ All the Easter Eggs in TITANS Episode 2-07: “Bruce Wayne” - DC Universe

Season 2
"Trigon" • "Rose" • "Ghosts" • "Aqualad" • "Deathstroke" • "Conner" • "Bruce Wayne" • "Jericho" • "Atonement" • "Fallen" • "E.L._.O." • "Faux Hawk" • "Nightwing"

[1] All the Easter Eggs in TITANS Episode 2-07: “Bruce Wayne” - DC Universe

[1]