HBO Max's Titans season 3 will see Jason Todd officially transform into Red Hood, but the grudge that'll fuel his murderous rampage was set up episodes earlier in Titans season 2. Played by Curran Walters, the tragic vigilante first debuted as the second incarnation of Robin, replacing Dick Grayson (Brenton Thwaites). At the behest of Bruce Wayne (Iain Glen), Jason subsequently joined Titans 2.0 for a brief time, in order to have his "rough edges sanded down." Unfortunately, Jason's tenure had the opposite effect. By the time the credits rolled on the Titans season 2 finale, Jason had officially turned his back on the titular team.
Despite that, it was announced that Curran Walters would return for Titans season 3. Furthermore, it was confirmed that the show would bring to life Jason Todd's most famous comic book storylines. As seen in the Titans season 3 trailers, Robin 2.0 would seemingly meet a brutal end at the hands of a crowbar-wielding Joker. In truth, however, he'll return to adopt his fan-favorite Red Hood persona. In the wake of that transformation, Jason Todd will lead a crusade to claim Gotham City as his own. As part of those efforts, he will also target his former teammates with murderous abandon. Though it prematurely unveiled one of Titans season 3's potential twists, it served to sufficiently excite fans for the new episodes. Plus, the early reveals did little to spoil the upcoming storyline — since the emotional reasons behind Jason Todd's turn were actually already seeded throughout Titans seasons 1 and 2.
Since the very first episode of Titans, the team's heroes have been characterized as dealing with some deep-seated pain, trauma, or inner darkness. From Dick and Hawk (Alan Ritchson) to Donna Troy (Conor Leslie) and beyond, the reason they even suited up was in order to channel the symptoms of their issues. Jason Todd was no different. In fact, he had amassed a steady stream of pain across his entire 19 years of life. And though he had learned to hide it — first beneath arrogant bravado and then a literal mask — it was plain to see. Jason Todd was driven by a desire to belong and to not be abandoned, with his occasional dickishness designed to test how strongly those he secretly cared about would stick by him. Unfortunately, the heroes of Titans 2.0 were unable to see beyond themselves to realize what was going on — to such a degree that bordered on being nonsensical and turned Rachel Roth (Teagan Croft) et al into hypocrites.
That came to a head in Titans season 2, episode 7, "Bruce Wayne." As Deathstroke (Esai Morales) vengefully tormented them, he had items tied to painful memories placed in their respective rooms. Immediately, the characters of Titans 2.0 accused Jason of doing it and the moment made absolutely no sense. For starters, there was no way Jason could've known even half of the details needed to execute these pranks. Secondly, he'd never been anything but direct and honest in his jerkish tendencies. Even when Jason protested his innocence, there was no benefit of the doubt, only condemnation. Given how the Titans openly supported each other — forgiving similar arrogance and some truly dark actions — it was understandably painful that Jason was never afforded the same compassion. Even when the truth came out, there was not so much as an apology, even though the accusations almost drove Jason Todd to suicide.
On top of everything else, Jason was also dealing with some severe PTSD from torture and a near-death experience. Had any of the other Titans merely checked on him, they could've realized he wasn't even remotely capable of pranking them. Instead, as the imaginary Bruce Wayne said, they "hurt him, ostracized him, humiliated and lied to him." Between that lack of care and his one thread to humanity — Rose (Chelsea Zhang) — betraying him, it already made sense why he'd create new barriers and go scorched earth. As such, while Jason Todd/Red Hood's reaction in Titans season 3 will be insanely extreme and exacerbated by his death and more, the Titans nonetheless, yet again, helped to create their own demons.
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