Terra is episode 16 of the Teen Titans series and the third episode of season 2.
[1]Synopsis
A young girl is running through a mesa close to Jump City. She is being chased by a giant scorpion, who is bent on killing her. The girl runs into a dead end and the scorpion corners her, but the Teen Titans appear on one of the hills and prepares to help out the girl. Before they can do so, however a long column of rock suddenly falls down and incapacitates the scorpion.
The girl smiles and then a pillar of rock emerges and raises her up to the hill where the Teen Titans are watching the scene. Robin approaches her and introduces himself, and the girl responds in kind, stating her name is Terra. Terra already knows of the Titans and is able to name all of the Titans correctly. When she calls out Beast Boy's name, he gets all nervous and starts transforming himself rapidly. Terra laughs, commenting that Beast Boy is hilarious. Beast Boy reverts back to human form and blushes. He asks Terra what she is doing here, and Terra replies that the earth is her home; she travels all the time and always meets new people. Starfire, being kind, invites her to stay with them, and with encouragements from Cyborg and Beast Boy, she follows them back to the tower. What they all fail to realize is that Slade is watching the scene from a cave nearby, murmuring that he was the one that saw Terra first. Slade then disappears back into the cave again.
When they arrive in the Titans Tower, Terra is amazed and cannot believe that the Titans actually live here. When the Titans present her with food she eats all of it, and then tries a special dish of Starfire's, which is the Glorrk. The other Titans tell her not to eat it but she believes it tastes nice, also mentioning that it tastes like a mixture of sushi and ice cream. Terra proceeds to have a bath and wash her clothes before sleeping in the couch in the Main ops room. Robin suggests that Terra join the team, but she needs to train with the Titans first so that they know what she can do.
Beast Boy visits her at night, asking if she needs a blanket, but finds that she is not on the couch. Beast Boy finds her outside, throwing skipping stones into the water with
her powers. They play a game of skipping stones and joke around with each other. Terra says that she needs to leave, but Beast Boy convinces her to stay for one more day. Terra suddenly uses her powers and the rock Beast Boy was sitting on shoots into the water. Terra reveals to him that she cannot totally control her powers and asks him to swear never to tell anyone about her secret. Beast Boy swears he will not tell anybody.
The next day, Cyborg has just cleared the Titans' training obstacle course. Robin invites Terra to have a go at the course. With her earth-based powers, she rides on a rock and easily avoids the all the obstacles, destroying them in the process by hurling rocks at them. She clears the course faster than Cyborg, and is congratulated by all of the the Titans except Raven, who merely comments that they will be needing a new obstacle course. Full of happiness in completing the course, Terra hugs Beast Boy, who collapses, lovestruck.
The Titans are alerted of the presence of Slade, who has returned. The Titans and Terra rush to a mine, where Slade's minions are attacking the mine workers. They plan to steal some diamond, but are interrupted when the Titans arrive. Together they manage to defeat all of Slade's minions, but Terra accidentally drops a boulder on Beast Boy, crushing him underneath it. Terra, realizing her crime, tries to run away but encounters Slade, who lures her into a trap.
Meanwhile, Beast Boy had actually managed to escape by transforming into a gorilla and breaking the boulder he lay under. He realizes that Terra had run away and rushes to find her. Terra is now confronted by Slade, who collapses the nearby cave walls, leaving no path to escape to. Terra fights Slade, but her lack of control over her powers causes her to do minimal damage to Slade. Slade smashes Terra into a wall and reveals that he has been watching her for a long time. Slade says that the real reason why she keeps travelling from time to time is because she causes many natural disasters with her powers by accident. Earthquakes, avalanches and mudslides were all her doing, and, fearing the locals will turn against her, she runs away. Slade comments that everywhere she goes she wishes to do good with her powers, but everywhere she fails. Slade asks her to be his apprentice. He claims that he can teach her to control her powers better than anything the Titans can do to help her. Slade taunts her that Beast Boy can never help her, which enrages her enough to create a tornado, one that she cannot control. The tornado causes the mines to start collapsing, which forces the Titans to evacuate. Slade leaves, reminding her that he will be waiting for her. Terra remains trapped inside the tornado she created, but Beast Boy eventually arrives and calms her down, stopping the tornado as well. He promises that he will never tell anyone that the tornado was her doing.
Back at the Tower, Terra declares that she is leaving, but Robin, who has figured out that Terra can't always control her powers, offers her a place on the team and gives her a Titans Communicator. Robin also points out that she will need training in order for her to control her powers better. Terra drops the communicator and angrily shouts at Beast Boy for betraying his promise and telling everyone, even though in reality Robin had figured it out by himself. Terra runs away from the Titans, leaving Beast Boy sad and lonely. Robin apologizes to Beast Boy about not knowing it was a secret. Beast Boy sadly responds that he had no chance to say goodbye to Terra.
Slade, who is now watching Terra running away, announces that no matter where she goes, she will eventually end up with him.
Trivia
- When Terra says that she cannot believe that the Titans actually live in such a wonderful place, Beast Boy responds by saying "Su casa es mi casa", which means "Your home is my home" in Spanish.
- At one point in the episode, when Slade is talking to Terra, Terra's eyes leave her face for a second or two.
Quotes
- Slade: (To Terra) I can help you, child!
Terra: You can?
Slade: Right now you are... rough around the edges. You need more than obstacle courses to overcome your problem. You need a teacher, a mentor! Come with me, Terra, and I will teach you how to shine! - Beast Boy: So, what brings such a cool, little chick to our big, groovy city, huh?
Terra: I go wherever the wind takes me, you know. I get to see new places, meet new people, stop a few bad guys here and there! - Terra: Don't lose control... Don't lose control...
Slade: Now, Terra, how can you lose something you never had?