TITANS s01e03 - “Origins” Analysis
Available in: DC Universe (United States) and Netflix
Episode Length: 54:57
Story:
★ Immediately from when the last episode ended, we see Rachel taken to the crazy family’s car, with Kory observing everything from a hidden point. ★ If you were wondering what Kory was up to while the other got reunited, do not worry! We get a flashback of the last two days, revealing Kory on Rachel’s house, investigating more to learn about her motivations. ★ Back to the present, we follow Rachel as she gets rescued by Kory, after the later fries the family Dad. ★ Dawn is in the hospital after the fight on the rooftop last episode. ★ Flashback to fifteen years ago when Dick had just lost his parents: he learns that Bruce Wayne, richest man in Gothan, has volunteered to be his foster parent and that his parents’ death might not have been an accident at all. He escapes from the Manor in his first stay. ★ On the present day, Dick leaves Hank watching over Dawn in the hospital, and moves to follow clues delivered to him by a coworker: Rachel was last seen leaving a gas station with an unknown woman. ★ Kory and Rachel decide to look for a place called St. Paul, based on a photo with a baby Rachel and her mom, surrounded by nuns. Before they get there, they stop by a roadside dinner, Kory teaches a lesson to some stupid men and earns Rachel’s respect. ★ While Dick is driving on a highway, we get another flashback: right after he ran away from Wayne Manor, talking to the social services’ worker, who convinces him to go back, so he does. It doesn’t last for long, as he “borrows” one of Bruce’s cars (and gets chased by police cars). When he arrives at the gas station, he downloads the security camera feed and discovers the girls headed to St. Paul Convent. ★ In the St. Paul Convent, Kory discovers she’s been there before and finds a direction to where to go next. ★ Back to the crazy family (minus Dad), we finally learn more about them: they work under Dr. Adamson, who can terminate them as he wishes but decides to give them a second chance, as well as a second Dad. ★ Persuing more hints, Kory and Rachel find themselves on a Roller Skating Rink, only to find yet another hint. Rachel meets Gar, the shapeshifting tiger from the first episode; Dick finally catches up to them, and the three of them go back to the Convent. ★ Flashback time again, with Bruce deciding to help Dick channel his anger instead of seeking revenge. ★ Dick and Rachel have a deep conversation in the church of the Convent; Kory takes Dick’s car to find another clue of herself, only to get even more confused, finding writings in an alien language. ★ The sisters lock Rachel in a room, and she uses her powers to break out, running to the forest and getting separated from Dick and Kory.
SCORE: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
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Character:
★ For the little info we have on Kory’s character, we already know Rachel is a key point to unlocking her purpose, so she goes after the girl in hopes of finding answers to her questions. ★ From the flashback of Dick’s childhood after becoming an orphan, we learn more about his emotions and feelings as he struggles to adapt to his new predicament: he longs for his parents and does not accept Bruce’s help at first, feeling completely out of place in the Wayne Manor. ★ Rachel and Kory’s relationship grow as a partnership because Rachel is the key to Kory’s purposes, and Kory is keeping Rachel safe, so far. ★ In another flashback of Dick’s past, we see him coping on his way, which includes taking one of the cars on Wayne Manor for a ride. ★ We learn more about the weird family when they report back to their boss, Dr. Adamson, a man who wants to clear the world of perversion and oppression, and for that, he needs Rachel to allow her Father to come and unleash his power. ★ The teamwork between Dick, Kory, and Rachel starts to take form, as they come to agreements on the best course of action to take, to help everyone out.
SCORE: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
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Music:
★ The score goes from intense to campy within the first five minutes of the episode, promising a lot of different actions on it. The background music is more prominent, present in a lot of small moments to further make a point. We have a music continuity from a flashback scene to the actual moment, tying up well with the visual intentions.
The Brady Bunch - It’s a Sunshine Day;
Boney M. - Sunny;
Greta Van Fleet - Highway Tune;
KC and The Sunshine Band - Keep It Comin’ Love.
SCORE: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
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Visual:
★ More daytime scenarios, in the beginning, providing a nice change to the usual all-night scenes on DC works. Unfortunately, no place is free from the mist, snow, and cloudy skies. It is always a delight to see Kory’s colors lighting up the scenario, usually full of blue and grays. Many scenes with details in objects and writings, so there’s a lot to pay attention to.
SCORE: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
TOTAL SCORE: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★