I shouldn't have dragged you into this. Any of you. But you're in, and you need to know. I need to tell you. When I was born, they looked into my future. On this day, the anniversary of my birth, something is supposed to happen. Something very bad. That's why I-I didn't want to celebrate.
- ―Raven
"Birthmark" is the third episode of season four and the overall 42nd episode of the Teen Titans series.
Plot[]
Doctor Light is back and tearing up an oil rig off the coast line. The Titans arrive to stop him; they could see what he was doing from their living room. Once again, Doctor Light proves he can hold his own against the Titans until Raven sneaks up behind him and scares the daylights out of him, just like she did in "Nevermore". Doctor Light hastily surrenders. Cyborg declares a time to have donuts in celebration of their victory. Raven refuses and goes back to the tower saying she just wants to get back before tomorrow comes, leaving the other Titans to wonder, what's so special about tomorrow? The shot then moves underground to a dark cave. The ground shakes and a very familiar black, gloved, armored arm breaks through the dirt. Slade rises from the ash saying only four words:
"The day has begun."
The Titans throws a surprise birthday party for Raven
Back at the tower, Raven sits in her room watching the clock, waiting for midnight for an unexplained reason. Then, she hears a loud noise outside her room. She walks into the hall to investigate. She finds her way into the living room where she finds Beast Boy, Starfire, Cyborg, and Robin have thrown her a surprise party. When Raven asks how they knew it was her birthday, Beast Boy replies that after Raven made the comment about wanting to be home before tomorrow came, he wanted to learn what was so special about tomorrow. He did a little hacking in the Titans computer and found it was her birthday. But before the party can continue, Raven destroys the decorations in a rage and storms out wishing there to be no party at all. Before she makes it back to her room, Robin confronts her in the hall wishing to know what's wrong. Robin says that they are connected by the fact Raven has been in his mind (in Haunted) and that she should let him in hers to know what's wrong. Raven simply replies that if Robin knew anything about the day of her birth, he'd know there's nothing to celebrate beforee she walks away from Robin.
Back in her room, Raven watches the clock again only wanting the day to end. She begins to meditate to calm herself. Suddenly, her room erupts in flame. A voice echoes through the room -- a dark, deep, sinister voice we heard from the giant red demon from the episode Nevermore. The voice says that she, Raven, will fulfill her destiny, she has no other choice. It says "the portal must be opened!" A mark then writes itself in flame on the wall. Upon seeing the flaming mark, Raven screams and the flames die. The room is back to normal. Robin emerges in to find out why she screamed, but before any type of explanation can be given, the alarm goes off.
Slade returns from the dead
The Titans go to a factory somewhere in town to the report of an intruder. When they get there, they find themselves face to face with their old enemy: Slade. Once the Titans snap out of their horror and amazement, they begin the usual pre-fight threats, including the first reference to Terra since her "death", with Beast Boy saying to Slade that Terra already took him down, way down. Robin declares he is still ready to take him down which Slade replies he did not come back for him. Then, the mark that was burning in Raven's room earlier appears on Slade's head. Without warning, Slade somehow launches a jet of fire from his hands directly at Raven.
Raven after she stopped time itself around her
Raven manages to dodge the blast and a shocking battle ensues. Slade has new found powers over fire and is using them to massively overpower the Titans. The Titans pull out their finest moves but absolutely nothing can stop him. After he has disposed of the other Titans, Slade moves in on Raven. But instead of attacking, Slade says he has a message for her. He then grabs Raven's arm and Raven feels a painful reaction. After she falls down, Raven looks at her arm, the symbol similar to Slade's appears. Slade then starts to destroy the entire place thus putting the other Titans in danger. Most notably Robin, who is going to be crushed by a giant gear. Raven freaks out and shouts "STOP!" The gem on her cloak glows green and suddenly, everything and everyone but her stops moving. Raven has somehow stopped time. But not even time manipulation can stop Slade as he begins moving again. Raven, completely freaked out now, begins to run. In order to keep Robin from being crushed from the gear if time starts moving again, she frees him from her time spell and he moves too. But before she can free the others, Slade closes in and she is forced to flee with Robin.
Once outside, Robin begins with the questions regarding Slade's sudden return and how Raven froze time. But, again, before she can answer, Slade drops in and starts attacking again. Robin tells Raven to run while he handles Slade. Robin stands no chance against Slade because of the latter's newfound powers. When he kicks Slade right in the head, Slade simply cracks his bones back in place; a strange ability for someone who is supposedly alive. Raven returns to help Robin and takes him into a cathedral to hide. While there, Raven starts to explain a little. She reveals that when she was born, they (presumably the priests of Azarath though it is not explained who) looked into her future and saw that on this day, something very bad is supposed to happen. That was why she did not want to celebrate. Robin then asks about the symbol on Slade's forehead and its meaning but Slade, yet again, interrupts once more. He immediately takes out Robin. Raven finds herself facing Slade alone.
Raven begins running again but Slade follows her saying he won't stop until he delivers the message. The chase takes to the skies as Raven flies through the city in any attempt to escape but she can not shake him. Slade catches up and traps her atop a skyscraper. He tears off her cloak to reveal more symbols on her back. Raven stands and fights him knowing there's nowhere to run. But she could not do it, Slade easily overpowers her. He declares the message will be delivered and Raven's destiny will be fulfilled. The symbol on Slade's head now appears on Raven's as well. Her clothes begin to tear away to reveal more symbols all over her body. Her hair begins to grow long. The sun begins rising and setting very fast as the days pass before their eyes. Suddenly, it stops and Slade lets go. Raven stares at the city. The sky is blood red, the city is in ruins, the tower sits, destroyed, in an ocean of lava, the four eyed crows from Nevermore sit everywhere, and Robin, Cyborg, Starfire, and Beast Boy stand on the street turned completely to stone, being held by little ghost-like demons, also turned to stone.
Slade reveals to Raven that this is her destiny, the world that she is doomed to create. Then, the giant red demon from Nevermore emerges in the city tall and laughing evilly. Raven tries to shut her eyes, saying it was a vision and refusing it to be real. But Slade refutes, telling her this is her future and it all began with her birth. Slade says that nothing can stop it and he will make sure that future will come to pass. Raven screams out in horror, then the vision ends, with time returning back to normal. Raven was soon after unconscious and the marks on her body disappear. Slade lets go and Raven, who was still unconscious, falls off the top of the building. Slade sardonically tells Raven that they'll be in touch. Before Raven can hit the ground, Robin swings in, saves her, then takes her home.
Back in her room, Raven cuts off her long hair to her signature hairstyle. Staring at her reflection from the mirror, Raven looks down at her hands. A knock comes at her door. She answers it to find arrows on the ground leading her to the living room where the Titans have set up a second party. The Titans tell her they still like her even after what's happened. This time, Raven agrees to the party but they were going to need ice-cream. While Cyborg, Stafire, and Beast Boy celebrate, Robin discusses with Raven about her destiny. He tells Raven that they will find Slade and they will learn why he was after her. He also reassures Raven that she's safe for the time being, commenting that she's here with friends. As Robin walks off, Raven looks down to see two symbols appears on her hands. She disagrees, ominously saying that this is only the "beginning".
Elsewere in the subterranean cavern where Slade was brought back to life, Slade stands kneels in a ring of fire informing his unseen master that the message has been sent. With that, Slade states that Raven knows what she must do and the prophecy will be fulfilled. The insignia appears on the wall as Slade's master darkly replies, "And the world of mortals shall soon be ended."
Characters[]
Main Characters[]
Supporting Characters[]
Villains[]
- Trigon
- Slade
- Doctor Light
- Gizmo (mentioned)
- Mad Mod (mentioned)
- Killer Moth (mentioned)
Others[]
- Terra (mentioned)
Trivia[]
- When Robin shouted "Titans, go!", Beast Boy turned into a Velociraptor. However, his Velociraptor form does not look the size of a small animal and almost looks like his Utahraptor form.
- In the future premonition where Robin, Starfire, Beast Boy, and Cyborg are turned to stone, Robin is not wearing his mask. You can see his eyes.
- This would be the first time Slade would truly become "Deathstroke". due to having firepower and then later using a fiery pipe for a sword like in the comics. Especially foreshadowing in The End where he reveals to be a skeleton.
Continuity[]
- This episode marks the first time in the series that Raven is shown with long hair. The second time is the episode "The End - Part 3", when Raven adopts the 'White Raven' form.
- This episode marks the return of Slade, who supposedly died in "Aftershock - Part 2".
- This episode also features the first time Terra is mentioned by name since "Aftershock - Part 2".
- This episode is also marks the third time in the series where a Titan's clothes were torn. The first time being Robin's in "Haunted", the second time being Beast Boy's in "The Beast Within".
- This episode marks the second time where Raven’s cloak was taken off of her against her will. The first was in Episode 257-494, where Beast Boy took her cloak and used it in an attempt to get a couple of droid to let the Titans pass.
- As Raven leaves from her first birthday surprise, Robin chases her and reminds her of the time she went inside his mind in "Haunted".
- This episode may very well mark the first time Robin has used lethal force against a villain. Immediately after Robin tells Raven to run, he delivers a series of powerful kicks directed right at Slade’s head. The cracking and crunching sounds that are heard as Slade recovers from the attack give a very heavy indication that Robin fully intended to kill Slade by breaking his neck with his kicks. Additionally, Cyborg may also have been using lethal force against Slade, when he swung an entire canister full force at Slade that would have very well killed a normal person.
Goofs[]
- There is an error on Robin's outfit in this episode. When Robin caught Raven, his sleeves are not there.
- Cyborg said the cake had eight layers, but only seven were seen.
- Raven's mouth does not move when she screams "No!".
Gallery[]
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Transcript[]
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