it honestly baffled me when i learnt that there are people who think Things Change is ambiguous and believe there's a question mark over whether terra truly lost her memory or not
like, i really don't mean to sound abrasive or condescending here, but whilst the show didn't spoon-feed the answer to us, i feel like with a bit of critical thinking we can outright confirm that that was terra and she hadn't lost her memory. not her memory of beast boy, at the very very least
like please think about it. her words at the end of the ep was her giving up the pretense. her saying "things change, the girl you want me to be is just a memory" is her outright acknowledging that THINGS HAVE CHANGED and SHE IS NOT THAT GIRL ANYMORE, and in order to acknowledge that you first have to concede that there was something to be changed in the first place and a girl she used to be in the first place.
if you genuinely were being harassed (sorry bb it's true) by someone you had zero recollection of, why would you say something like that. ok MAYBE just to get the guy off your back, like fine if i finally play along then he'll go away. but i feel like with all the other context clues the episode gave us, it was pretty clear that that wasn't the case here. by the end of the ep, she realised that the only way to make him leave her alone was to hear it FROM HER. FROM TERRA. so she let the mask slip to show him this is what HIS TERRA wants, and it worked. there was a shared understanding between them in that moment, in that hallway. it worked, and he left.
i always thought it was pretty damn clear that, even if her memory is a bit foggy, she remembers him and simply doesn't want to revisit that part of her life. like even slade made this abundantly clear to the audience through beast boy
i just think ppl who believe this episode is vague and open-ended are looking for other answers because they don't like the ones the episode actually gave us đŹđŹ
Honestly, I think you have a point. I know that my problem, personally, on an individual level, is absolutely that I 100% knew this was slated to be the Last Episode Ever (I was, and still am, the kind of fan who follows All the News Outlets for All the Information Possible, and though people fought for Season Six for literally DECADES after Things Change ended, at the time it was planned to be the very end).
Plus, the tone was so dismal, and it focused on TERRA of all people, and I didn't like its message, so I never rewatched it. And I do mean NEVER. I've seen The Prophecy upwards of 200 times, printed out a transcript so I could read it whenever I couldn't watch it, printed out screenshots to look at when I wanted to draw Azarath... all that. And I literally, not once, never, never ever re-watched Things Changed.
I was, I believe, 12 years old when I watched it live as it aired, and also I'm Probably Autistic so that becomes a problem when you have to "read between the lines" for things like this sometimes. I can be very media literate when it delves into detail and shows emotional response and gives you insight into Why the characters are Doing That. Worldbuilding, politics, all that stuff, I can deep-dive with INFORMATION. But take away that clear understanding of their motivation, and I'm left floundering like "Why did she say that? I don't know, man. That's Unclear." My brain doesn't like to fill in the blanks. I'm bad at assuming.
But I'm sure I'm an outlier in having Not Ever Once Rewatched It. lD;;; Like, surely there are adult people claiming to "not get it" who've rewatched it at LEAST once since then?
But I also think it was OOC of the writers (like, the people behind the show) to be so vague and "gesture in the general direction" of that conclusion? Usually they stated things VERY blatantly. Flat-out putting it in dialogue so someone literally SAYS it, that kind of thing. I don't blame people for not getting it back when the audience was 10 year olds. :P (But that doesn't excuse the people who are no longer ten years old...)
I have no desire to rewatch it because I really, REALLY don't like the way it shifted the tone to something very somber, sad, and defeated. I like angst, I love it in fact, but I like my angst with a happy ending. That episode just........ wasn't.
And I have never forgiven the showrunners for making that our very last piece of that show. Maybe it's still childish and maybe I'm more bitter about that than I need to be, but I'm happier if I just pretend it ended with a great big victory over a worldwide villain organization and Beast Boy got to grow up and take charge (and stick it to Mento!), and all the Titans had a network around the world to help young heroes.
It's why it is one of only THREE things I ignore in canon when I write my stories. Because I simply don't like that ending.
P.S.: It was deeefinitely still vague about that white creature thing though. XD What the fuck even was that. It certainly wasn't from the comics!
I don't blame you for never watching it again. I hate it also, yes because it was a crappy final episode but mainly because of Beast Boy.
What a massive slap in the face to his character growth to have him go through a whole arc of gaining self respect and self worth and confidence, just to go back to fawning over the girl who tried to murder him and is now actively telling him to get lost. They made him look like a fucking pathetic creeeep and I HATE it, I totally reject it.
In my head, if I had to accept that he followed her, it would be to warn her. She's still in Jump City and he KNOWS Slade is alive. How the hell did the writers miss that little tidbit; in what world would he not have mentioned this to her and been actively encouraging her to leave?
It's horrible to think the writers had just given up by this episode, but my god, it really is a mess. Let's just collectively pretend it doesn't exist. đ It added nothing to anyone's character and in fact made their development go backwards, and it was completely unnecessary. Like it achieved nothing except to tell us that Terra is now alive (probably from when Raven reverted everyone in the world back from stone), and she wants to forget the hero life and be a normal person. Ok, cool. Why did we need to know that?
Whilst the TONE of it is sad and dismal, I personally wouldn't call it that overall, but that's because I'm so happy we have solid evidence of BB finally letting go. Like boy, probably should've done that when you were sent down a chasm, but nevermind. đ
Anyway yes, I have so much criticism for the ep itself, but I think the "mystery" of whether that truly was Terra or she truly lost her memory isn't a mystery at all.
I also never personally felt a need to know about the monster. I fully believe it was just being used as a device to: 1) represent something that's constantly changing and you can't stop, like life, as is the message of the episode 2) show us that even after the defeat of the BOE, there will always be a new villain around the corner and the team will continue as they were even after the curtain closes on the show
âI love your handsâŠâ Raven purred, tracing slender fingers over his broad knuckles with absent fascination. For a moment, her hand rested atop his, lingering there as she admired the striking difference in size.
âTheyâre so much bigger than mine.â
Gar swallowed hard, pressing back into the wall sheâd effectively cornered him against.
âUh-huh.â he managed eventually.
Sheâd been at this for a while nowâever since sheâd abandoned Jinx to hunt down Wally by the punch bowl. Gar wasnât entirely sure if those two were âonâ or âoffâ this week, but their mysterious disappearance made him lean toward âon.â
One thing he was certain of was the ex-villainâs uncanny talent for stealing his girlfriend and returning her completely inebriated.
Tonight was no exception.
âUgh.â Raven frowned. Gar caught a glimmer of mischief in her eye. âThis dress is so uncomfortable.â
Sighing, she glanced down at herself before looking back up at him through lowered lashes. Then, with complete confidence, she grabbed his hand and guided it to the curve of her waist, tilting her head slightly.
âDo you think itâs too tight?â
He wondered how this little black dress could possibly be tighter than the leotard she wore almost every day. Then again, the heart-shaped bodice outlined the soft swell of her breast in a way her uniform never did. His eyes swept over her form before he realized he had taken the bait.
âYou look perfect.â Gar admitted, voice taut. His fingers instinctively flexed against her hip.
Raven smirked, clearly pleased with herself. Delicate fingers trailed up his arm, lingering on his bicep. Her nails traced lazy, slow circles over the muscle there, prickling goosebumps across his skin.
New Yearâs Eve rippled around them in a swirl of celebration. Titans East hosted the annual event, and their Tower had been transformed for the occasion. Dim lighting cloaked the room, swallowing conversations under the murmur of music and laughter. It wouldâve been easy to get lost in it, to sink further into this little bubble she was creating.
But this was a Titans party.
The walls had ears.
Just then, he felt her press closer.
âI just remembered the last time we were here,â she whispered, warm breath feathering his ear. âwhen you had me in the showerâŠâ
His eyes fell shut as he drew in a long, steady breath.
Well, that just wasnât fair.
It wasnât entirely her fault. She always got like this. Usually his girlfriend was statuesque, carrying the kind of composure that only came from absolute control. Any lick of alcohol made every inside thought come spilling out. Right now, what he really wanted was to test out this particular truth-serum in a much more private setting.
Sadly, it wasnât even midnight yet.
Garâs brow shot up as he gently pushed her back. âRae?â
âYees?â she drawled.
âIn case you forgot,â he began, a small, amused smile tugging at the edge of his mouth. âwe are in public.â
Raven rolled her eyes dramatically. She huffed. âWhatever, no one can hear me.â Violet eyes flickered down to her drink as she idly twirled the straw.
âNot the point.â he answered dryly. She didnât seem at all intimidated by his narrowing gaze. Holding his stare she very deliberately flattened the straw against her tongue and sucked.
God.
âHow many of those have you had?â Gar asked, wiping a hand over his mouth as he eyed the Solo cup.
âMmâŠâ his girlfriend hummed around the plastic. âThis is numberrr three?âŠfourâŠ.â Her brow furrowed as she reconsidered, then shrugged.
âIâm calling it fourââ
âYeah, Iâll take that.â Swiftly he snatched the drink from her grasp, pulling it to a safe distance before she could protest.
âYouâre bossy.â she pouted, her bottom lip jutting out. The complaint may have had more teeth had her voice not gone all soft and breathy. The corner of her mouth turned up and she leaned in again.
Gar just stared at her. A slow incredulous grin spread across his face. Shaking his head, he drew a long swig from the confiscated cup.
âYouâre drunk.â
âI am not âdrunkâ,â Raven corrected, crossing her arms across her chest. âIâm just⊠having fun. Isnât that what youâre always encouraging me to do anyway?â
He squinted in suspicion. âI guessâŠâ
When her expression turned smug, he knew she felt sheâd won.
Suddenly, her lashes drooped dangerously. Once again, she touched his arm, this time letting her hand crawl to the back of his neck, easily drawing herself against him. His arm circled her waist on instinct.
âMm,â she murmured, breathing him in. âYou smell really goodâŠâ
As her fingers toyed with the scruff at his nape, his own buzz told him to go along with it. After all, the way she was looking at him tonight would have made the teenage version of himself lose his fucking mind.
But he couldnât help remembering a smaller Raven tooâshy, reserved, and so out of her element in a place like this.
For a moment, he allowed himself to drown in it. Pressed his nose into the heat of her neck and inhaled deeply. A firm hand snaked up her back. Then with a quiet sigh, he eased her shoulder back.
âWhat do you think youâre doing?â His brow dipped.
âMe?â Doe eyes widened as she pressed a hand to her chest.
âYeah. You.â
Her shoulders rose in a guiltless little shrug. âIâm talking to my boyfriend.â she said, quirking her lips sideways. âIs that allowed?â
âYou know what youâre doing.â The accusation was quiet but resolute.
âDo I?â
âRaven.â
His voice came out gently stern before softening into something desperate. âYouâre killing meâŠâ
His gaze lowered, smoldering with everything he hadnât said. Raven watched him with equal intensity, a flush covering her cheeks.
âSeriously,â green searched amethyst, âwhatâs your game?â
A pause hung in the air between them as Raven considered her next move. She pursed her lips, and suddenly Gar felt like a mouse in a trap.
âFine. Youâre right.â At last she conceded, lifting her hands in surrender. âGee, Iâm not sure what my problem is tonight.â she sighed, a familiar sparkle returning to her eye.
He took a steadying sip of courage.
Raven tapped her chin as if thinking deeply, âWell⊠this party sucks.â
Her bottom lip caught between her teeth. âMaybe Iâm drunk,â she mused thoughtfully, âor bored.â
Her shoulders straightened as she took one deliberate step forward and snatched her cup from his hand. She tilted her chin, violets sweeping up through dark lashes.
âOr maybeâŠâ her voice dripped into a low, rolling purr. âI just really want you to fuck me.â
Across the crowd, someone cheered over beer pong. The party continued swirling around them as if she hadnât just dropped a nuclear bomb.
Somewhere in the back of his mind, teenage Beast Boy was doing victory laps.
It took Garfield several seconds to remember how to breathe. He thumped his fist against his sternum twice clearing his throat hard.
Quite satisfied by his reaction, Raven smirked, innocently pushing the straw back to her lips.
Gar dropped his head, shaking out a rugged exhale, then slowly lifted his gaze back to his tormentor. His eyes narrowed, but a dangerous little smile ticked up at the corner of his mouth.
âOkay, Missy,â his tone sank low and rough. He moved fast, grabbing her wrist, and plucking the cup from her grasp to set it down on the nearest surface. A delighted little laugh bubbled out of her as Gar yanked her toward him.
Still smiling, he murmured through gritted teeth against her temple, âIâve had just about enough of you.â
Before she could get out a reply his free arm hooked around her waist and he started dragging her toward the exit.
âLetâs go.â
He wove through the crowd in long strides. Raven stumbled along beside him in a fit of suddenly shy giggles, her wrist still trapped in his grip.
Thrilled laughter faded into the thump of party music, their little pocket universe dissolving as it had never existed at all.
Anyone who says Robin doesn't have super powers is a liar. This mans power is a GODLY FUCKING AMOUNT OF PLOT ARMOR.
On a serious note tho, it's extremely annoying how much he got away with just for other character (especially Raven and Starfire) to be nerfed. Sometimes I felt like the series itself was glazing him. 03TT already struggles a lot with power inconsistency and this doesn't help.
Also no. He would not beat the team without his plot armor.
I think it's so important to showcase that he is INSANELY SKILLED, like to the point it's a superpower in itself. He earned that recognition.
BUT, we've seen in canon that Raven is capable of knocking her whole team unconscious by just lifting her hand. What's Robin doing then? We've seen in canon that Gar's beast can take on the entire team, with the only option being to tranquilize it.
Robin's skill is LEGENDARY. But you're right, the show demonstrates power levels in a very plot-convenience light, and Rob gets away with a lot of bullshittery đ„Č
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