Review: ‘Titans’ Season 2 Episode 9 – “Atonement”

"Atonement"

Writer: Jeffrey David Thomas

Director: Boris Mojsovski

Starring: Brenton Thwaites, Anna Diop, Teagan Croft, Ryan Potter, Drew Van Acker, Minka Kelly, Alan Ritchson, Curran Walters, Conor Leslie, Iain Glen, Esai Morales, and Joshua Orpin

Review by Adam Ray

This episode brings revelations. We learned two episodes ago exactly what was weighing down Dick’s conscience. This week, the team reacts hard to finally receiving the news. A lot of the episode’s atmosphere feels drawn out and thoughtful, and I feel that the action is balanced near perfectly. There are many crossing stories in this show, and that’s what makes it such a rich viewing experience.

With Dick on the sidelines and Rachel only having one scene, we do get something to look forward to. Our focus is with the younger, fresher faced members of the super team. As a man who’s spent a bit too long of a time unemployed, I can really feel the madness Gar feels. He does a great job befriending Superboy, and we see just how much the new Kryptonian has to learn.

The Tamaranean Royalty arc also progresses to interesting places this week. The home grown stories of Hank and Dawn provide another welcome change of pace, allowing their complex characters to grow. Who knew they could sing?

Conclusion

The final ultimatum is a scary one, and it prompts Dick to isolate himself, both internally and externally. He’s seeking atonement. At each point in this episode, and this series since it began, I’ve been delighted. The characters are written and performed so clearly and the loud superhero antics are tempered with real world struggles. The team is divided and I cannot call what will happen next.

Images Courtesy of WBTV