DC Comics has many very well-known characters, those who have branched beyond the comics into the greater pop culture. The Teen Titans are extremely popular, and have been for decades, with the New Teen Titans era of the group being the most popular. This led the Titans into a series of diminishing returns, despite their influential place in DC history, as everyone tries to replicate that earlier era. Currently, the Titans have their own book, and it’s seen the return of one of DC’s most popular villains — Deathstroke. The Titans and Deathstroke have feuded for ages, with many questioning Deathstroke’s return for yet another round. The Titans/Deathstroke feud hasn’t been without casualties and the most well-known is Terra. Terra died in “The Judas Contract”, but has returned several times. However, this latest time is going shock readers.
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The story of Terra’s life is one of the most tragic in DC history. Every time the character returns is a big deal, as her loss was one of the key parts of the Titans/Deathstroke feud. Titans #22 reveals Terra’s place in the current events in the lives of her former friends, showing an act that no one ever thought they’d see. Terra’s legacy is an interesting one, and this newest plot may change the way fans look at her forever.
Terra Is Beyond Complicated
Terra is Tara Markov. The Markovs are the royal family of Markovia, and Terra’s older brother Brion is the Outsider known as Geo-Force. Both of the Markovs have powers that are based on Earth; Terra is geokinetic, and her brother has shown to have similar powers, as well as super strength, invulnerability, and energy powers. Terra was an illegitimate child of the King of Markovia and became a mercenary. It was around this point that she met Deathstroke, who began to groom her, and made her into a spy inside the Teen Titans. Terra was able to fool everyone, with Beast Boy even falling in love with her, and helped Deathstroke in his attack on the team in “The Judas Contract”. Terra was a damaged young woman, partly from her mercenary lifestyle and partly because of Deathstroke’s manipulations, and she lost control of her powers while trying to kill the Titans. However, she only killed herself, and the Titans were given a tragedy that would never stop following them.
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“The Judas Contract” has gone down as one of the most important DC stories of all time. Nearly every DC fan knows who Terra was, and the story has reached into the world of animation, with it being a part of the ’00s Teen Titans cartoon and getting an animated movie adaptation. In the comics, DC has actually brought back Terra back to life several times. The first time was in the mid to late ’80s, when they used an alternate reality version of her on the team. DC continuity shenanigans have seen her return in multiple forms over the years. The shift to the New 52 brought her back, and she’s been around ever since. Terra is the manipulator behind Deathstroke’s latest scheme, having rescued him from Amanda Waller, where he’s been since Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths, gave him a new dose of super serum, and set him loose to assemble a team to destroy the Titans. It’s rare to have a story where she’s the mastermind and abusing Deathstroke, but it’s definitely nice to see. Terra’s return is going to shake the Titans, including one who has already made a fateful decision.
Terra’s Return Is Going Devastate Beast Boy, but He’s Already Made a Fateful Choice
Terra’s return is going to affect one Titan more than the others — Beast Boy. He’s gotten over his crush on Terra, but her death has always weighed heavily on him. Beast Boy hates Deathstroke for that action, and things have only gotten worse in the interim. During Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths, Deathstroke shot Beast Boy in the face. He lost an eye, which eventually grew back, and he has more hatred for Deathstroke than ever. In fact, Beast Boy has already decided that this is going to be the last time he deals with Deathstroke’s nonsense. Beast Boy is tired of Deathstroke and has decided to kill him.
Terra has always been a soft spot for Beast Boy, so he’s going to go berserk once he finds out she’s still alive with revenge on her mind. Terra’s return is basically a bomb on its way to hit the Titans. The team has been on edge since the end of their tenure as the world’s foremost superhero team. Terra coming back might be the thing that knocks them off the edge and into oblivion.
Titans #22 is on sale now.
