Why you should be watching Titans season 3 on HBO Max

It’s been two years since the Titans graced our screens, and the third season feels like it might just be the best we’ve seen from the series so far. Here’s why you need to be watching Titans season 3 on HBO Max.

The beloved DC title Titans has been on hiatus for nearly two years, and the recent transition from DC Universe to HBO Max has proven to be a worthwhile pause. Dropping the first three episodes of 13 in total, we have officially been given a glimpse at the current team roster, a familiar foe, and plenty of Titan-worthy action to partake in.

Considering the series is back in new and improved ways, it seems like a perfect opportunity to discuss everything we’re loving about the epic debut of Titans third season.

Nightwing understands the assignment in Titans season 3

It’s been a lengthy process to get Dick Grayson into the role of Nightwing, but the time has finally come.

In previous seasons, we quickly became aware of Dick’s reasonable resentment towards Batman for the hero’s detachment with partners. The journey eventually led to his transition into the role of Nightwing, but the third season discovers the perfect balance of his leadership capabilities, self-confidence, and a better understanding of his sense of responsibility.

Sure, his decisions aren’t entirely without fault, but we’re actually seeing the progression from Nightwing that we’ve been waiting to uncover in live-action form. In the opener, the hero steps up where Batman is needed, and utilizes his newly united team, kicking off the beginning of what we hope will be a Nightwing-heavy season. After the loss of two team members, and now the return of a rogue Jason Todd, Nightwing will be quite busy keeping Gotham safe, but for the first time he seems up to the challenge.

We also get to see Brenton Thwaites fully enjoy kicking ass, so this more centered Nightwing feels like a nice reprieve for a character rooted in tragedy.

Titans season 3 kicks off with promising pace and assortment of characters

One thing that can be tricky in superhero television adaptations can be pacing and character usage. In Titans, we have so many exciting heroes and villains to feature, but the first three episodes make an effort to maintain focus.

In the first three chapters of Titans, we learn that the current lineup consists of Nightwing, Starfire, Beast Boy, Superboy, and Krypto. By the third episode, we’ve seen Hawk and Dove, at the cost of temporarily sidelining Raven and the role of the currently deceased Donna Troy. By taking them out of the equation, for the time being, we get to see a few new faces including Barbara Gordon, Tim Drake, and Scarecrow, effectively fleshing out the Gotham backdrop of season three.

By the time Donna and Raven reemerge, it’ll create a brand new dynamic for the core characters. Hawk’s death, Jason’s death, Jason’s return as Red Hood, the relocation to Gotham, it’s all brand new territory for the Titans both new and former to explore.

The one and only badass, Barbara Gordon, is a Titans season 3 favorite

When we learned that Barbara Gordon would be included, there were a lot of questions about how her character would be involved. The former Batgirl doesn’t have the most prominent affiliation with the team in most incarnations of the title, but in Titans, she’s an ex-superhero now known as Commissioner Gordon.

It’s said that sometime after Mister Freeze murdered her father, Gordon stepped up as the new commissioner, taking on a lot of responsibility outside of the Batgirl or Oracle roles we’ve seen before. We immediately learn that the relationship between Barbara and Bruce remains strained at best because she refuses to tolerate his negligence, making her the most vocal character of the series.

In the three episodes we’ve seen, Barbara repeatedly serves up a verbal beatdown on Bruce, calling out his symbiotic relationship with The Joker. She confronts this series specified notion that Bruce’s intentions are askew, and in part, contributes to the demise of The Joker once and for all.

As we continue, we’re going to see Barbara provide some pushback against the Titans’ failures in Gotham, so the Bat-family will be a prominent storyline as Red Hood ups the ante.

The first three episodes of Titans season 3 are available now on HBO Max, or make sure to check out the first two seasons if you’re looking for a solid binge watch!