Episode Guide: Season Four Episode

"Yeah, it is the end of the world. But so what? We're still here. Still fighting. Still friends. " - Robin
Originally aired: July 16, 2005
Written by David Slack Directed by Ben Jones
The stars are aligned. The sun is in eclipse. All of Slade's labors are about to reach fruition -- and the Titans are about to face their greatest challenge ever. But is there really any hope of preventing the end of the world? Ron Perlman as Slade Kevin Michael Richardson as Trigon The prophesy detailed in BIRTHMARK and THE PROPHESY is fulfilled in this episode; But Raven subverts that same prophesy to her advantage. Fans will remember that Robin and Raven share a special bond from their mind-meld in HAUNTED. At the San Diego ComiCon of 2005, the cast did a special table read of this episode [act one] followed by a screening of that first act. That event is reported on this page. One line of dialogue was cut before airing; When jumping through the molten rocks and lava, Slade quipped, "It's not the heat. It's the humidity." THE END [parts 1-3] was inspired by the comic book tale, "The Terror of Trigon" which originally ran in NEW TEEN TITANS [second series] #1-5 [1984]. It is also available in trade paperback. Raven had to fight Trigon's dark influence over her. This dark side grew as she exposed emotions. Eventually, Trigon came beckoning to Raven and she could no longer resist. Trigon's presence was unleashed! Many elements are borrowed from that original story in this episode. Trigon referes to himself as "Trigon the Terrible" - as he was known in the comic book series. Trigon uses his eye-beams; In the comics, those beams would reduce a human to ashes! The final battle with Trigon is even visually similar to the final battle in NEW TEEN TITANS [second series] #5 [1984]. In that same issue, Raven is instrumental in Trigon's defeat. Once he is vanquished, she is cleansed in white light and disappears. Raven's long hair in that sequence also ressembles her comic book counterpart. Raven mentions: "I was protected by the monks of Azarath. I was raised by my friends." It was the same in the comic book series; Raven was raised by the monks of Azarath until her 18th birthday. Sensing Trigon's evil, she fled to earth to gather the Titans. Eventually, the close group of friends would regard each other as a surrogate family. For anyone in favor of a Robin/Raven pairing, there is an interesting comic book tale that deals with their relationship. Once free of Trigon's evil, Raven was at last free to explore her emotions. At first, she thought she was in love with Dick Grayson; She even unwittingly used her powers to make Grayson believe he loved her as well. Raven later realized there are different kinds of love. It all happened in NEW TEEN TITANS [second series] #36-39 [1987-1988]. For more information on the comic book versions of the characters - including many images - visit titanstower.com's meeting room page. All in all, a devilishly good conclusion to the Raven/Trigon saga. It not only works as a cool saga for Raven - but also as a coda episode for the series. The theme of friendship-as-family has resonated since Teen Titans began. And that theme is strengthened here. But there's lots of other cool stuff to like. The usual mix of high action, comedy and heart - with the correct blend of each at the appropriate time. It's also nice that after 4 seasons, there's a sense of history with the show now. There really is a 'weight' to the scenes with Slade. And Raven. And Robin. There really is a sense that these characters have gone through some serious adventures together. The bond of friendship they talk about is more real than ever. The show once again handles some dark elements deftly. Raven's relationship with her demonic father is metaphorically treated as a 'bad daddy' - which is unfortunately something that certain children can relate to. And that's what Raven's saga has always essentially boiled down to: she CAN transcend the horrible things her father may be. There's also a nice underlining message about not giving up hope - and being in control of your own destiny. It's also perhaps the most EPIC the series has ever been. The Titans have truly saved the world! Take that, Justice League! My only complaint is the way in which Trigon is defeated. It's basically one of those "Hey I'm the hero and there's 7 minutes left in this epsiode. I'm gonna 'try harder' and wrap this up!" Raven's insta-aging herself smacked of the same sort of deus-ex-machina storytelling also seen in TITANS EAST. You can forgive it, because the emotional weight of the show is far more important than the plot mechanics. A strong and satisfying season finale to season four. Grade: A-
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