Betrothed

Betrothed
Episode Number	029
Broadcast Number	029
Season	03
Original Airdate	September 11, 2004
Production Code	257-483
Guest Characters	Blackfire, Galfore and Glgrdsklechhh
Written by	Amy Wolfram
Directed by	Alex Soto
Chronology
Previous	"X"
Next	"Crash"

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"Betrothed" is the twenty-ninth episode of the Teen Titans series and the third episode of Season 3.

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

The Titans notice Starfire packing her things, and asks 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, she says she is going to get married, and invites her friends along to attend her wedding, and to see her home planet.

On the way there, Robin learns that Starfire had never even met her groom before, and tries to talk her out of the wedding, but at that moment the Titan ship gets attacked by a squad of unknown space fighters. Through some evasive maneuvering the Titans outwit them and manage to destroy them.

File:Betrothed a.jpg

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 have recently conquered the planet, 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 - their old enemy Blackfire, who has 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, Glgrdsklechhh, a disgusting 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 not piloted by alien crews but by robots, 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.

File:Betrothed.JPG

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. Even though the Jewel of Charta gives Blackfire an advantage, she cannot stand up against her sister's wrath; Starfire crushes the Jewel and then blasts Blackfire into submission.

File:Betrothed d.jpg

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. 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 (she's thinking about marrying Robin) as she and Galfore share a hug goodbye. 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

• Starfire
• Galfore
• Robin

Supporting Characters

• Cyborg
• Beast Boy
• Raven

Villains

• Blackfire
• Glgrdsklechhh

Other

• Silkie

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?".
• 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.

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.
• 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.

Goofs

• When the four Titans become shocked with Starfire as Princess and with "!!?!?" above their heads, we can see Cyborg's left ear is human.
• The episode contains many continuity errors:
  • After Starfire destroys the Jewel of Charta, she attacks her sister. If you look very closely at Blackfire, you can see 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.

Gallery

Click here to view the gallery.

See also

Betrothed (Transcript)