Red X is an anti-hero and a former "villain identity" employed by Robin.
Appearance
Red X's appearance is that of a person dressed in a completely black bodysuit that has a red-x placed right over his left pectoral muscle, an ash-gray utility belt with matching gloves that have red Xs on the palms and back of the hands, a pair of black boots with steel-soles and a black cape that has an ash-gray interior.
His mask consists of a white skull, which has no lower jaw, on a black full-face mask and a red x starting on his forehead and with a point of the x is ending beneath his right eye. The eyes are white reflective lens, which seem to act like Robin's mask as making facial changes to his actions, and are outlined in black.
Character history
Robin
Red X was originally a cover identity Robin had conceived for an attempt to get closer to Slade. Mystified by the enigma the shady villain presented, Robin approached Professor Chang for the necessary items - particularly Xenothium for a power source - to create the Red X suit, and posing as a superpowered master thief, Robin stole several computer chips Slade was after and offered them with a proposition to enter a partnership.
Robin as Red X.
However, Robin's haste in trying to get too close exposed his identity to Slade, and in fear that if he told his teammates about his plans, they wouldn't play their parts convincingly, he chose not to tell them. But the plan went awry; Slade revealed his knowledge of Robin's identity, and while Robin managed to retrieve the chips, Slade managed to elude him yet again. Robin was back at square one, with one additional step backwards: he had lost the trust of his friends.
Since the Xenothium power core could not be disposed of safely, Robin stored the suit inside a vault in Titans Tower, never to be used again.
The New Red X
Some time later, however, the suit came into the possession of an unknown culprit who intended to use it for his own financial gain. Because the Xenothium supply in the suit's power belt was nearly exhausted, Red X stole a scanner which could locate the substance. Not knowing where to look for him, Robin coerced Professor Chang into revealing the most likely location where Red X could get his hands on more Xenothium: a highly secured tech company at the city's south end. Red X managed to penetrate the facility, with the Teen Titans in pursuit—but Professor Chang's henchmen were following them; Chang intended to swipe the Xenothium for his own to power a gigantic disintegrator cannon of his own construction. In order to ensure no interference from Robin, he captured the other Titans and held them hostage.
Robin confronted Red X about his self-serving attitudes, while Red X kept taunting Robin about the one mistake which helped create him. Unimpressed and willing to make amends, Robin went after Chang himself, but almost ended up his victim as well. At the last moment, Red X saved Robin from certain death and aided him in freeing his teammates and bringing down Chang. With Chang defeated, the Titans and Red X were back to being enemies. Red X attempted to abscond with enough Xenothium to last him a while, until Robin showed Red X that he had his power belt, rendering the Xenothium useless. Red X then threw the Xenothium tube on the ground as a diversion to jump off the edge and quickly get away.
Later on, Red X was seen as a recruit among the ranks of the Brotherhood of Evil. With his power belt replaced, he participated in a race initiated by Ding Dong Daddy for Robin's most priced possession, in order to sell it to the highest bidder. A bomb dropped by Daddy blew him off the road, but he was saved by Robin at the last instant. Because of this, Red X attacked the other villains participating in the race, thoroughly disabling their vehicles. His last target was a bus driven by Raven and Starfire, from which he withheld; he told the two girls "Tell Robin we're even... For now", and disappeared.
Red X did not appear in the final confrontation with the Brotherhood afterward, implying he quit the organization. His current whereabouts and activities are unknown.
Personality
Red X and Robin teaming up against Professor Chang
Robin: I thought you didn't like playing the hero!
Red X: Doesn't mean I don't know how.- ―Red X and Robin
Red X's personality is the one major difference between him and Robin. While Robin was Red X, he was even more serious than normal and kept his goal of capturing Slade as his top priority. The new X, however, is a thief who is "just looking out for number one", stealing purely for the monetary gain. This Red X is revealed to be far less serious, finding his battle with the Titans amusing and being more concerned with messing with them than getting what he'd come to steal. Red X seems to have an attraction to Starfire, as he had tried flirting with her in the episode X. Although she rejects him, this factor proves that Red X and Robin both share similar tastes when it comes to girls.
On the other hand, despite being an anti-hero by nature, he is not without heroic qualities. He rarely preforms acts of true evil, and when the time comes for him to use his powers to prevent disaster, he tends to rise to the occasion. In his initial appearance he ends up helping Robin against Professor Chang and freeing the rest of the Titans, and later, in "Revved Up", he enters the race for Robin's personal secret, but after Robin saves his life, he repays the favor by taking out the other villains participating in the race and disappears right afterward. He has since become one of the most popular characters to have appeared on the series.
Powers and abilities
- I created Red X. Every system, every weapon.
- ―Robin
Physically, Red X is an accomplished acrobat and martial arts fighter on par with Robin. In fact, their combat techniques are quite similar, giving weight to the common suspicion that both once had the same tutor (which would be Batman).
Red X's belt
Red X's powers derive from his suit's belt. The belt relies on power from a (possibly artificial) element called Xenothium. The suit is also fitted with an invisibility or cloaking device, and a teleportation device. The palms of his gloves can also form x-shaped manifestations which can act as shuriken, wrist-mounted blades, restraints (by constriction or adhesion), timed explosives, instant openings, or any other conceivable function (see Gallery, below, for known effects).
Robin noted that he created Red X's main weapon systems as specific ways to beat each of his fellow Titans.
In the episode X at the end Robin reveals that he took his belt. Red X smashes the xenothioum in his hand and jumps into the clouds. At his next appearance he somehow had stolen it back.
Identity
- Face it, Red X could be anyone. Anyone smart enough to find the suit, and dumb enough to take it for a joyride.
- ―Raven
Beast Boy's theory on the identity of Red X.
Many fans of the series believe Red X's identity to be Jason Todd, who served as Robin after Dick Grayson, the current Robin in the series, left Batman. In the episode "X", a humorous reference to this possibility is made through a theory table set by Beast Boy about the identity of the new Red X, which includes Todd as a candidate. (Notably, in the comics, Jason Todd took the identity of an anti-hero named "Red Hood".)
The fan theory was further poked fun at in the New Teen Titans short: Red X Unmasked, in which, upon capturing X, Beast Boy and the Titans further speculate who it is under the mask. At first, it appears that Beast Boy may be correct, until the Titans continue unmasking the mysterious X. This ended with several cameos of various character featured on and off the show including Jason Todd, Speedy, Newfu, Alfred Pennyworth, Batman, Silkie, Larry, and Slade. By the end of the short, Beast Boy sticks to his theory by indignantly shouting at Red X, "I still think you're Jason Todd!" upon which X throws a gag on his mouth to shut him up. The true identity of X is still up to fan interpretation.
Relationships
Robin Red X seems to respect Robin, despite their difference in morality, and they're very much alike; perhaps one reason why Red X finds himself supporting Robin in the end. There is a possibility that Red X is Jason Todd; however, this theory has never been proven.
Starfire In one of their battles, Red X flirted with Starfire after pinning her to the wall with one of his gadgets. He called her "cutie" and made a remark that the "only crime" between them was that they hadn't gone on a date, but gets blasted with her starbolts through her eyes in response.
Appearances
- Masks
- X
- Homecoming - Part 2 (cameo)
- Revved Up
Gallery
