Titans season 2: Could an original team member still be alive?

Some of the Titans members we were excited about have already been declared dead. But is it possible that one of them secretly survived? Spoilers ahead.

Titans season two promised to introduce viewers to a slew of fan-favorite comic book characters. And then we learned that most of them were already dead! Among the new cast, fans were especially excited to see Aqualad out in full force, along with Jericho’s first on-screen appearance.

Characters Come and Go

Drew Van Acker’s role as the cocky Garth lasted a grand total of one episode, before he stepped in front of a bullet and unceremoniously died in Donna Troy’s arms. Next came Jericho. Chella Man’s casting set the cat among the pigeons – he was a unique and much-needed addition, being an outspoken activist and only the second transgender and genderqueer actor to be cast as a superhero. Plus, Man is also of Asian origin and is the first Deaf actor featured in the current crop of comic book television adaptations. All in all, he was the kind of representative choice that fans were looking for in a new young hero. And then the bubble burst.

From the season two premiere, viewers were informed that Jericho was dead – killed by his own father, Deathstroke, five years prior to the events of the show. Jericho’s death has been hanging like a guillotine above the heads of the Titans, especially Dick Grayson, who revealed in episode seven ‘Bruce Wayne’ that he had killed Jericho. This was why Deathstroke was after the team.

Now that Jericho has finally been given his spotlight episode, we understand the circumstances that led to Jericho’s untimely murder and exactly how Dick was involved in the event. Dick didn’t directly kill Jericho (because, of course not); Jericho was stabbed when he attempted to save Dick from being killed by Deathstroke. The trouble is, Dick wasn’t supposed to be there to begin with, which makes Dick’s guilt in the present understandable. Deathstroke was trying to get his son back from the Titans, which somewhat explains his need to avenge Jericho and make Dick suffer. But, is all this conflict for naught?

Could Jericho Still Be Alive?

The last we saw of Jericho, he was being impaled by Deathstroke’s sword. After that, Dick lost consciousness and viewers were transported to an abandoned Titans Tower. Could Deathstroke have intervened and got his son medical care? Could HIVE’s experimentation have had an additional side-effect on Jericho? Alongside giving him meta-powers, perhaps Jericho also has the ability to heal, much like his sister, Rose Wilson.

Rose is the only one who has directly stated that her brother Jericho was killed by her father. Rose didn’t feature at all in Jericho’s flashbacks, and the Titans didn’t know of her existence despite their closeness to the boy. So, it wouldn’t be beyond the realm of imagination that Rose has been lied to, or that she assumed her missing brother is dead.

This could be down to inconsistent writing, but when Rose first mentioned that Deathstroke had killed Jericho, Brenton Thwaites’ Dick Grayson didn’t react at all. It’s only over the past few episodes that Jericho’s death has picked up steam and created havoc among the Titans. It’s possible, then, that Dick himself knows something about Jericho’s death. Meaning, that the boy didn’t really die. Jericho’s death may be a rouse to keep him permanently hidden from Deathstroke. Otherwise, he may be a hidden ace-in-the-hole for Dick. Alternatively, Dick and the Titans may not have had any hand in Jericho’s survival at all.

A Judas Among Us

When it comes to Deathstroke storylines, the most infamous one is ‘The Judas Contract’. In the comic book, Deathstroke groomed a young meta-human named Terra to infiltrate the Titans and lead them into a trap. That storyline has been adapted in different formats and it was expected that Titans would reimagine the arc in some form or the other. So far, there has been no overt sign that this storyline is taking place. But what if we look a little closer?

In episode seven, several of the Titans were ‘pranked’ by an unknown person inside Titans Towers. Dawn found a picture of a dead friend, Hank found a bottle of alcohol, Rachel’s room was covered in crosses, while Donna discovered a bottle of juice only Garth had access to. Plus, Rose came across one of Jericho’s records among Jason’s collection. The entire team believed Jason Todd was messing with them because he’s just evil, but Jason was actually suffering from the aftermath of nearly dying at Deathstroke’s hands. So, who was in the Tower?

Deathstroke sneaking in to play such games with the Titans is a little out of character. Also, he’s hard to miss, especially in his armor. One person who could possibly enter the Tower without physically leaving his body is Jericho.

If this seems a stretch, then let’s cast our minds back to the only Titan who was unscathed by the events – Gar Logan. He opened the door to let Dr. Eve Watson into the Tower and then re-appeared saying he was trying to get some sleep. How was he in such a deep sleep that he missed all this madness around him? Why wasn’t he by Jason’s side, especially since the two of them had built a rapport and Gar felt guilty for Jason’s kidnapping? All signs point to Jericho being alive, taking over Gar’s body and tricking the Titans.

If Slade has had Jericho in his thrall for five years, he has probably indoctrinated the boy against the Titans and is using him to destroy the team from the inside. It’s a cunning plan, though Slade was effectively retired till Jason announced the return of the Titans. Perhaps he never meant for Jericho to rejoin the world. They could have been enjoying their lives up in their cabin.

Suffice to say, Chella Man’s Jericho is such an energetic breath of fresh air, that it’s hard to imagine the character being gone for good. Jericho has been a huge part of the Titans’ comic book journey, and seeing him dispatched so quickly seems a wasted opportunity. Will the show prove us right or wrong?

Do you think Jericho is still alive? Is he a good guy or a villain? Let us know your theories about the characters.