"Betrothed" is the third episode of season three and the overall 29th episode of the Teen Titans series.
Synopsis
Starfire is called back to her home world of Tamaran to be the reluctant bride of a arranged marriage, but to her surprise, Starfire finds out that Blackfire has returned and has now become the new tyrannical, power-mad Grand Ruler of Tamaran. Will Starfire leave the Titans for good? Will a certain Titan reveal his true romantic feelings before it's too late? Or is there more to this wedding than meets the eye?
Plot
One day at Titans Tower, the Titans notice Starfire packing her all her things and ask her where she is going. She explains she is returning to her home planet, Tamaran, and is never returning, much to the shock of her friends (especially Robin). When asked why, their shock only increases when she tells them she is going to get married.
On the way there in the T-Ship, Robin still can't believe Starfire is getting married while she confides in the other that she's been feeling rather homesick as of late and looks forward to introducing her friends to everything Tamaran has to offer. She also explains that this wedding has been arranged by the grand ruler of Tamaran, which means she has never even met her groom before. Robin is outraged at these preposterous circumstances until the T-Ship comes under heavy fire by a squad of unknown space fighters. The Titans separate and through some evasive maneuvering, the Titans outwit them and manage to destroy them, but not without sustaining significant damage.

Robin takes it like a man!
Arriving at the royal palace, the Titans are introduced to Galfore, Starfire's former guardian, who explains that their attackers belonged to the Drenthax, who are presently threatening Tamaran and its way of life with a conquering army, and welcomes Starfire back as the princess she is (she had neglected to mention this piece of trivia to the others). After receiving a taste of Tamaranean customs, they meet the Grand Ruler of Tamaran, who turns out to be Blackfire (from Sisters) who had escaped from prison and taken over the throne. She arranged the wedding as part of a truce between Tamaran and Drenthax IV, with the groom being the ruler of the Drenthax. Starfire then meets her groom. Just when it looks like she will be marrying a bewitching Tarzan-like tamaranean, he merely turns out to be one of the palace servants who unveils Starfire's true groom - Glgrdsklechhh, a disgusting green slimy blob-like creature; if she marries him, she will become the Sklerch's consort.
Upset that Starfire is getting married to him and suspecting that Blackfire may be up to no good, Robin orders the Titans to check out things more closely while he goes off to try and persuade Starfire to flee the wedding, Starfire refuses for the welfare of her people. However, as Robin suspected, the whole affair turns out to be a hoax: Cyborg and Beast Boy find out that the Drenthax fleet is an army of remote-piloted ships instead of actual soldiers, and Raven finds out the true reason behind the matter: In exchange for her sister's hand, Glgrdsklechhh has agreed to give Blackfire the Jewel of Charta, an artifact which would increase her powers and make her virtually invincible. The Titans are discovered and imprisoned, but upon sharing their intelligence, they decide not to quietly stand aside and break out to warn their good friend.

Starfire challenges Blackfire for the Tamaranean throne.
In the meantime, Galfore has come to notice that Starfire's heart is not on the wedding at all, despite she is aware of its importance. Standing before the altar, just as she is asked by Blackfire whether she will take Glgrdsklechhh as her husband, Robin calls out to Starfire and she witnesses Robin fighting the palace guards and refuses; right afterwards, the Titans burst in and reveal Blackfire's plan. Enraged, Starfire challenges her sister for the crown. When Robin sees Starfire in trouble, he tries to help, but Glafore stops him. He explains that this challenge is between Star and Blackfire, and if anybody interferes, the challenge is void in Blackfire’s favor. All the Titans can do is enjoy the show and cheer on their beloved champion. Even though the Jewel of Charta gives Blackfire an advantage, she cannot stand up against her sister's wrath; Starfire secretly swipes the jewel during the fight and crushes it in the palm of her hand, reducing it to powerless rubble. With Blackfire returned to Starfire's power level, she blasts Blackfire into submission.

Starfire saying goodbye to her adopted father and caretaker, Galfore.
As the new ruler of Tamaran, Starfire calls off the wedding and banishes Blackfire from Tamaran for her crimes. But as the crowd cheers her as the new Grand Ruler, she publicly admits that she is unfit to assume the throne either, as her heart is now set on Earth and her friends who always gave her tender, love and care, and she passes the crown on to Galfore, instating him as the new Grand Ruler. As they take their goodbyes, Starfire expresses to Galfore that she might find her true husband on Earth as she and Galfore share a goodbye hug. Starfire and Robin then walk side-by-side back to the T-Ship together, to which Galfore smiles lovingly... and knowingly because he knew Starfire would happy and safe on Earth with her new friends and that she and Robin will be happy together.
Characters
Main characters
Villains
- Blackfire (last appearance)
- Glgrdsklechhh (only appearance)
Other
Trivia
- Silkie makes a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo at the very beginning of this episode. Pay special attention as Starfire is packing up her shoes and passes the Titans in the hallway. Despite this, Silkie was still kept by Beast Boy and it would not be officially introduced until the episode "Can I Keep Him?" later in the season.
- It is revealed that Starfire is ticklish, very ticklish.
- When the Titans are eating dinner, a meal that looks like a Gordanian is being eaten.
- When Starfire suggests she might find her true husband on Earth, it is clear she is referring to Robin. This is an allusion to when Richard Grayson and Starfire almost married in the comics, but it was stopped at literally the last second when a possessed Raven killed the priest officiating the wedding.
- Similarly, the idea of Starfire marrying is also a reference to how Starfire was married twice before she came to Earth, both to Tamaranian men who died against the Gordanians.
- This episode premiered on the 3rd anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
Continuity
- This is the only time in the series Starfire's true name - Koriand'r - from the DC comics is used.
- This is the third episode focusing on Robin and Starfire's romantic feelings for each other.
- At the end of the episode, it is strongly hinted that Galfore seems to be aware of Robin and Starfire's feelings for each other.
- This is also the last episode to feature Blackfire, as it marks her final appearance in the series.
- Although she does briefly appear in Teen Titans Go! comic issue 46 "Wildfire".
- Among the aliens imprisoned in the Tamaranean holding cells are: a humanoid crab-like alien (resembling the Centauri police last seen in "Sisters"), a red alien and a green alien (last seen in "Transformation").
Cultural references
- As Robin covers his ears over loud gorka pipe music, his appearance resembles the man in the painting "The Scream" by Edvard Munch.
- Robin mirrors a scene from the 1967 film, The Graduate, when he shouts Starfire's name from behind a window to interfere with the wedding.
- Starfire is saying something about a "portkins", the design and name are based off of Porkins from Star Wars.
- In another Star Wars reference when the T-Ship separates into individual ships, Raven and Starfire pilot vehicles that resemble B-wing fighters.
- The scene where Robin appeals to Starfire to leave with him the night before the wedding on the balcony is similar to a scene in Aladdin where Aladdin makes a similar offer to Princess Jasmine who agrees to go with him on the flying carpet, which leads directly into their love song.
- Beast Boy gets a head smack from Raven as similar to NCIS Leroy Jethro Gibbs.
Goofs
- When the four Titans become shocked with Starfire as Princess and with "!!?!?" above their heads, Cyborg is seen with a left human ear.
- After Starfire destroys the Jewel of Charta, she attacks her sister. At a closer look at Blackfire, she is still wearing the Jewel.
- Although Starfire had to learn English by kissing Robin in the episode "Go!", the Tamaraneans all speak English.
- While Starfire and Galfore are having their conversation, her clothing keeps changing from her wedding gown to her heroic costume and to her wedding gown again.
- During one scene when Starfire was using starbolts when she was battling Blackfire, she is animated with a navel.
- During the banquet, the Titans (except Starfire) could not lift their cups, yet after toasting, Robin could push his cup aside without effort.
- As Robin watches Starfire eat at the banquet hall, his gloves were missing.
- As Robin gets dragged by two guards to the Titans' holding cell, his cape briefly turns yellow.
- Right before Glgrdsklechhh is introduced, in the sight gag of Robin gesturing "no", Starfire's eyebrows are missing.
- Despite this obviously being one of the show's visual gags, Robin ventures outside the T-ship and into Space to confront Starfire. Technically speaking, Robin would not have survived fifteen seconds in outer space without a protective suit.
- However, out of a turn of irony, in Troq, it is revealed that Tamaranians can survive just fine in the vacuum of space.
Gallery
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Transcript
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