Trust is the third episode of season 5.
Plot
Wildebeest is being chased through the hills near the Grand Canyon by Madame Rouge. She chases him to the top of a mesa where there’s no escape, then uses his communicator to contact Robin…but it’s knocked out of his grasp and destroyed at the bottom.
In Paris, Brain and Mallah play chess and discuss Wildebeest’s capture. They are disappointed at the loss of his communicator but Brain is confident they will triumph, and Rouge’s next target is Hotspot.
In Morocco, a thief steals an urn as Hotspot gives chase and Rouge looks on. Brain warns her that she should get the communicator and not worry about capturing Hotspot himself. After he captures the thief, Rouge confronts him and attacks. Her shapeshifting abilities prove the equal of Hotspot’s flame and heat powers and he flees into the back alleyways. She corners him again but his heat powers make her unable to touch him.
Hotspot runs again and runs into…Robin. The Titans leader calls him into another alleyway and warns Hotspot of the Brotherhood of Evil. Robin goes to look for Rouge, but it turns out “he” is a shapeshifted Rouge, who plans to earn Hotspot’s trust and get the communicator.
Starfire and Robin track down Wildebeest and Robin descends the cliff face to find the shattered communicator. Robin sends Starfire to get the Titans while he goes to find Wildebeest. Meanwhile, “Robin” advises Hotspot to beam down and then causes a distraction to get Hotspot on the run again. “Robin” leads Hotspot to an oil field and once again tries to get him to power down. Disgusted with “Robin” giving him orders, Hotspot goes off on his own and Rouge goes after him as herself. Rouge keeps switching back and forth to “Robin” and staging attacks on “himself”
Rouge knocks Hotspot off of a building, injuring him, and then returns as “Robin” and tries to convince Hotspot to give him the communicator. Hotspot offers to call the Titans himself but “Robin” points out Rouge must be tracking his heat signature and he has to power down. When he finally does so, Rouge reveals her true form and knocks out Hotspot.
Hot Spot powering down
Robin is trying to contact Hotspot and locates him in Morocco, then heads that way. Rouge prepares to depart with the communicator, but Hotspot revives and grabs it from her and shatters it. She attacks Hotspot again, embedding him in her own body, but he reignites and burns himself free. He runs back into the oil field as Robin arrives and finds the broken communicator. He then spots their battle and finds Hotspot, who is confused by the multiple Robins, and then Rouge shows up as Robin. Robin and “Robin” fight it out in hand-to-hand. They get separated and Hotspot intervenes to pursue Rouge. She runs off but then doubles back to take him down. Hotspot sends a giant fireball at her, knocking a building on her and drawing Robin’s attention.
When Robin arrives, a weakened Hotspot has depowered again and Robin takes him back to the Titan Jet. After Robin updates the other Titans, he vows to stop the Brotherhood and gives Hotspot his communicator to replace the broken one. After Robin leaves, “Hotspot” reveals he is actually a shapeshifted Rouge, and she has accomplished her goal.
Quotes
- Madame Rouge: You like to fight criminals, no?
Hotspot: It's just part of the job.
Madame Rouge: Perhaps you are wanting to fight me, too?
Hotspot: I'm sure a nice lady like you wouldn't want to fight me.
Madame Rouge: I would not be so sure. - Madame Rouge: I hope you don’t have a problem getting beaten by a lady.
Robin: You’re no lady!