Episode 35: The Beast Within
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Raven: "Having that thing inside doesn't make you an animal. Knowing when to let it out is what makes you a man."
Beast Boy : "Maybe you should call me Beast Man from now on."
Raven: "We're having a moment here. Don't ruin it."
Originally aired: October 30, 2004
Written by David Slack
Directed by Alex Soto


While battling Adonis, Beast Boy is bathed in strange chemicals. Back at the tower, he starts to develop an abrasive new attitude. And when Beast Boy begins turning into an angry and aggresive Man-Beast against his will, can the Titans save themselves from their savage friend?


Greg Cipes as Adonis
Dee Bradley Baker as The Were-Beast


First appearance of Adonis
This is the third appearance of the chef TV show. It also appeared in NEVERMORE and FRACTURED.
The Ben's Bacon show is a reference to series director - Canadian Ben Jones. His face also appeared on the diner menu in BETRAYAL.
The scary movie TV channel shows a frightened cartoon version of series producer Glen Murakami - with a shadow of alien Soto from EVERY DOG HAS HIS DAY
The car commercial shows an "A" logo and car that look very similar to Adonis
Beast Boy's battle move - the curled up attack - is similar to Blanka's attack in Street Fighter II
The entire episode is an homage to Werewolf monster movies, and horror movies in general. There's some references - intentional or unintentional. The transformation scenes are similar to one of the most famous Werewolf movies, "American Werewolf in London." Beast Boy's kidnapping and protecting Raven - yet being the misunderstood monster - is a famous staple in such movies as "King Kong" and "Mighty Joe Young." And Raven floating in the Titans Tower infirmary is similar to a scene in "Ghostbusters."


Producer/Story Editor David Slack on THE BEAST WITHIN: " I watched American Werewolf in London for research for that one. That was a difficult story to break, since it had to be done so quickly. The original show nine was going to be BUNNY RAVEN. But then I got a call from Amy, who was story editing that one. She didn't want to do just another romp episode. It was being developed as another chase set-piece like MAD MOD. [...] So Amy said, "I don't want to just do that - can Mumbo sing?" I was completely sold when she pitched the idea of doing a musical number, but we needed more time. So we moved that script back while Amy worked with Andy Sturmer on the musical piece for that episode. So we knew we wanted to do a dark Beast Boy episode. Despite being a super-hero, Beast Boy is a pretty gentle guy. So it seemed like there was an interesting story about Beast Boy becoming a man a little bit. So the werewolf myth seemed to be a good fit for that type of story. "

Producer/Story Editor David Slack on the Beasy Boy/Raven 'moment': " Well, it was a story about a conflict between those two characters, so you have to resolve it. The shippers are free to do with that what they please. "


There was a storyline in the comic book where Beast Boy gave into the more sinister side of his shape shifting. Exposure to the Mento helmet unleashed a new side of Beast Boy – a darker side. Instead of taking the form of normal animals found in nature, Beast Boy began to shape shift into strange demonic creatures – and found himself liking it. This storyline ran from NEW TITANS #99-130 [1993-1995].

Also during that story, an evil version of Raven turned Beast Boy against his own teammates. He battled the team in NEW TITANS #115-116.

The Titans have had more members turn evil and battle the team than perhaps any other super-group. The turncoats include: The first Terra, The Trigon-Raven and resurrected-Raven, Jericho, Beast Boy (under Raven's thrall), the future Team Titans, former Titan Hawk (who became Monarch) and Rose (Ravager) Wilson.

For more information on the comic book versions of the characters - including many images - visit titanstower.com's meeting room page.

 

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