"The End - Part 2" is the twelfth episode of season four and the overall 51st episode of the Teen Titans series.
Synopsis[]
Trigon has taken full control over the Earth, Raven has been destroyed and all hope seems completely lost. However, the Teen Titans are still active as Robin, Starfire, Cyborg and Beast Boy have survived and must do whatever it takes to save the world and stop Trigon's reign of terror and annihilation throughout the universe. However, they soon receive help from none other than Slade, who reveals to them that Raven might still be alive, Robin and Slade travel to rescue Raven while the rest of Titans distract Trigon, but end up having to face something they never expected: Themselves!
Plot[]
Part 2 starts with a brief recap of "The End - Part 1". Raven has become the portal by which her demonic father Trigon enters the realm and puts an end to Earth. He unleashes a mighty wave of destruction across the planet turning oceans to lava and the sky to a blood-red, buildings and edifices are destroyed, and everyone is turned to stone.
Somewhere in the ruined streets of Jump City, a small barrier created by Raven gives out, and Robin is shown lying underneath. He comes to and stares speechlessly at the ravaged landscape. He sees the innocent people frozen by Trigon's wrath and frets over how he could have done something more to stop this. He spots a big, red-eyed raven alighted on a nearby stone slab, wondering if it is his lost friend. The bird takes off, and Robin follows, calling after it. The raven flies higher and lands on top of a big skyscraper. Robin climbs it and finds Beast Boy, Starfire, and Cyborg at the top, alive and well but disheartened. They deduce that Raven used her powers to ensure that they survived the apocalypse. Cyborg wonders what the use of that was since they were the only ones who lived and there is nothing left. Robin does not give up hope and declares that they will keep fighting in honor of their friend Raven. They join hands in promise, and as they do so there is a sudden burst of telekinetic energy among them. They figure that Raven must have left them with some of her powers and it is at its strongest when they are joined together.
Trigon has made Titans Tower his throne. He sits silently biding his power and growing bigger. Without warning, the Titans attack, but they fail to make him even flinch. Starfire explains from her experience that Raven's powers are controlled by emotion. The Titans realize they must get angry, and they join hands preparing to hit Trigon with everything they have. They all shout out Raven's incantation and a massive beam of telekinetic dark energy blasts Trigon full on. He seems hurt by the beam, before smiling and says that not even a "farewell blessing" from his daughter could not harm him. He mutters "Begone" and blasts them with his eye beams back to the ruined site of the old library.
They all get up painfully, now even more demoralized than before. Robin looks down the hole that leads to the inner bowels of the library and ponders over how it does not feel as though Raven is truly gone. A voice says "That's because she isn't" and Slade emerges from the darkness. The Titans attack him on sight, but he makes no move to retaliate. He says he has not come to fight, but to help, and that he knows a way Raven can be saved. The Titans emphatically (and reluctantly) refuse his offer out of disbelief and tells him that whatever he has to offer them, they would not buy it. Slade tells them that they can think of him as they will, but assures them that what Trigon did to the Earth, Slade would never wish. Cyborg states, "It's a little late for I'm sorry". Slade tells Cyborg not to mistake his offer for regret. He is only helping them because it suits him. Starfire angrily throws Slade into the wall saying that he wont dishonor Raven with his treachery. Starfire then says that Raven was destroyed when she became the portal. Slade says that the part of Raven's existence as an inter-dimensional portal is complete, but another part lives on elsewhere. Robin asked Slade what's in it for him, to which he says that his reasons are his own and asked them do they want Raven back or not. The Titans ask him where, but he offers to show only one of them the way on account of Trigon being all-seeing and will, therefore, need to be distracted while Raven is searched for. The Titans reluctantly refuse to go along with Slade's plan and told him that they tried fighting Trigon and where it got them. Slade says that he does not expect them to win or live, only endure. Robin volunteers to accompany Slade no matter how slim the chances of finding Raven may be and that they really do not have a choice. Slade gives the other three Titans a Ring of Azar, a ring that extends a certain degree of protection from Trigon's power on the wearer, as he learned it from experience. As Robin says goodbye the others promise to hit Trigon with everything they have, Starfire starts sharing a heartfelt embrace with him. Slade remarks on the sentimentality of their goodbyes and goes to the hole leading to the underground. Robin vows to bring Raven back and departs with Slade into the darkness.
They walk along the path until they come to a huge door with a Mark of Skath on it. As they pass through, Slade warns Robin that if they are successful, Robin may not like what he finds. Robin says he'll take his chances. They proceed to pilot a boat down a river of lava.
Meanwhile, the Titans get Trigon's attention by having Beast Boy fly into his ear as a hummingbird and then turn into a blue whale. As the Titans stand before him, he breathes a blast of fire on them, but the Ring of Azar that Starfire is wearing proves useful. Trigon is daunted by this and notes Slade's betrayal, but he still refuses to expend the energy to annihilate the Titans. Using his powers he makes evil clones out of each of the Titans and pits them against each other, each against his or her own clone.
As they go down the river, Robin asks Slade why he sold out the world to Trigon. Slade tells Robin that this was inevitable, whether or not he was present. However, Robin still points out that Slade played a role in it, and like everything else he has ever done, it has made people suffer. Slade simply answers that it is what he does best. They are then ambushed by an army of Trigon's fire-borne minions. By fighting together, the two adversaries swiftly repulse the onslaught. One of the last of the fiery assailants knocks Slade's mask off, and Robin is taken aback when he sees Slade's face is just a bare skull with a single red eye.
Slade states this was not the way he had wished Robin to find out. Robin asks Slade what he is, to which Slade answers he is "incomplete", and adds that his condition is temporary. He retrieves his mask and suggests they continue on. However, Robin refuses to go further until Slade tells him exactly what is going on. Slade then reveals that Terra's betrayal should have been the end of him, but he soon realized that Trigon had been watching, and saved his life. Trigon then made a deal with Slade; he will grant him enhanced powers, as well as restore his humanity if he brings Raven to him. Slade admits he enjoyed the fringe benefits, finishes his story with Trigon's reneging on the deal and says that he is only helping the Titans to get his flesh and blood back, revealing what his earlier comment "I only offer my assistance because it suits me" meant. This makes Robin realize that, in saving his friend Raven, he is also saving his enemy Slade, to which Slade replies "A deal's a deal."
Above ground, the other Titans are engaged in a grueling battle with their evil selves. Nega Beast Boy matches Beast Boy form to form, but Beast Boy holds his own quite well. Nega Cyborg has knowledge of Cyborg's weak points and uses them to full advantage. Starfire is evenly matched with her alternate form. The clones also display knowledge of each Titan's inner feelings and use this to taunt them. Nega Cyborg taunts Cyborg with the death of his mother, Nega Starfire says that when she wins Robin will be hers, and Nega Beast Boy reminds Beast Boy of Terra's duplicity.
At this point in the journey, Robin and Slade come to a fork in the road. Slade points Robin down one path and says they must part company as he goes down another. Robin expresses his surprise that Slade kept his word, however, he assures Slade that the next time they meet they would remain enemies. Slade states he does not expect anything different. Robin's path takes him to an immense cavern with a ruined temple in the center. As Robin searches the ruins he spots someone running away. He chases after the person who is wearing a white cloak. He pulls away from the cloak and discovers a young girl who looks exactly like Raven, but she is no more than nine years old. As the child looks up at Robin, she meekly asks, "Who are you?"
Characters[]
Main characters[]
Supporting Characters[]
Villains[]
Others[]
Trivia[]
- In this episode, Raven is what’s known as “The McGuffin” in storytelling terminology, which is an object that maintains a story’s drive, but does not pose much relevance to the story itself.
- Although Raven's character is largely significant to the episode, Raven herself does not physically appear very much at all; only appearing during the cold open at the beginning of the episode, and in her child form at the very end of the episode.
- Robin had his chance to kill Slade in this episode, but doing so would have eliminated any chance of saving Raven.
- Beast Boy is very sensitive about Terra's deception. When Nega Beast Boy mentioned her, you see him crying.
- This episode premiered on Cartoon Network two months after "Troq".
- Robin's "what are you" voice clip is reused in Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo.
Continuity[]
- This is the only time Robin and Slade have fought side by side. Surprisingly, they make a powerful duo, fighting in almost perfect unison with each other.
- This was also the second time Robin had to work with Slade, albeit reluctantly, the first being "Apprentice" episode series, to save his friends, but Raven specifically this time.
- This episode marks the second time Starfire used Raven's powers, the first time was during the events of "Switched".
- Slade truly did die during "Aftershock - Part 2", but sometime after the events of the season finale, he was resurrected and became a servant of Trigon.
- The episode features the first visual appearance of Terra since "Aftershock - Part 2", albeit in Slade's flashback.
- The events from "Aftershock - Part 2" are portrayed slightly differently in Slade's flashback in contrast to the actual episode. The flashback shows Terra punching Slade off the cliff to his apparent demise while in the episode, Terra used her power to destroy the ground under herself and Slade instead.
- Slade being revealed to be a resurrected skeleton held together by Trigon's magic explains a lot ever since his return. In fact, ever since Birthmark, there have been several hints indicating that he is not quite himself (physically speaking). Not only does it explain his every conceivable definition of invulnerability, but whenever he sustains a critical blow, he lumbers and moves in a jagged manner accompanied by the sound of many bones cracking. In this case, while Trigon's magic makes his bones under his suit indestructible, he must take a moment to allow them to reset properly after a major attack.
- Starfire recalls of using Raven's powers once before since "Switched" when she and Raven swapped bodies.
- Nega Starfire reminds Starfire of her elder sister, Blackfire, as they are both evil and vindictively merciless.
- In the episode "Haunted", it was revealed Robin's hallucinations came from a chemical within Slade's mask and was remotely activated by someone from outside the tower. When Slade begins to recount his story to Robin, it could possibly reveal that Slade was indeed still alive and active during Season 3, and the red glow on his mask's eye could reference that he was working for Trigon.
- This is the first and only time Slade calls Cyborg by his name.
Cultural references[]
- Nega Cyborg's quote of "You don't have a mommy," to Cyborg is in reference to the New Teen Titans comic books, where Victor Stone's mother died in the same accident that destroyed most of his body, forcing him to become Cyborg.
- The scenes of Slade telling Robin about how he started working with Trigon and when the front of his mask comes off are references to Skeletor's origins from the 2002 He-Man series, "Masters of the Universe vs. The Snakemen".
- The scenes of Slade and Robin backflipping followed by a combination kick is a reference to Neon Genesis Evangelion, specifically the scenes of Eva Unit 01 and 02 fighting off Israfel.
Goofs[]
- Only the front part of Slade's mask comes off in this episode, indicating it is just a mask. However, in the episode "Apprentice - Part 2", Slade's mask cracks from the front, all the way to the back, causing part of it to break off. This indicates that it is more of a helmet than a mask.
Gallery[]
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Transcript[]
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