My Review of Titans 2x08: "Jericho"

Written by Kate McCarthy
Directed by Toa Fraser

Deathstroke (to Jericho): "Watch closely son, this is what happens to Titans."

Unfortunately for Deathstroke himself, this is what also happened to his son. Deathstroke was going to suffer the consequences of killing Garth, even as this episode revealed that Jillian was the real target and what crueler way than to be the one responsible for his own son's death?

I knew the show was never going to actually have Dick murder an innocent man but of course his actions in seeking out Jericho would be what led to the latter's death nonetheless. Even when Dawn's wise words got Dick to admit to Jericho everything about their friendship and who Slade really was like, Jericho still chose the Titans.

I thought Chella Man, who is relatively inexperienced as an actor did a solid job with the character this week as we got flashbacks to Jericho's life before his powers and throat getting slashed along with the discovery of his abilities to control bodies and the bond he thought he was forming with the Titans. Like Aqualad, it's almost a shame he's dead in the present day but given how large the cast is this season, I guess it's just one of those things we'll have to deal with.

The episode tried a little to humanise Slade a bit. He genuinely did care for his former wife and son but not enough to directly make amends and he had no problem savagely beating Donna before nearly killing Dick at the church. Still though, his actions along with Jericho's death did see the Titans disband in the past and it's looking like the same will happen in the present too.

Flashback wise, this was as good an episode as Aqualad was a few weeks ago and it certainly expanded a little on the Titans disbanding than what we've had earlier in the season. Saying that with only five episodes left, it's time to park the flashbacks and get to the main action. Deathstroke is still very much an ongoing problem in the present and so are Cadmus and there's not much time for any more trips into the past.

- What exactly is Jillian's work? We've had two appearances from her (Slade did get her in the end) and no clue as to what she was actually doing.
- Wintergreen giving Jericho a mythology lesson by dissing the Titans has got to come back and get him big time before the season ends.
- Another episode where the majority of the characters (Rachel, Kory, Jason, Gar, Rose, Conner, etc) sat out. I'm not complaining as sometimes it helps the show but I do think we need to leave the flashbacks to one side now.
- Chronology: Mostly 2014 given the flashbacks with Jericho in this one.

Jericho filled in some good blanks with stuff we already knew, had a decent twist with Garth not actually being the target and a rather cool and creepy display of Joey's abilities (Hank's dancing, rude customer being taken down a peg etc) but there are plots we need to get back to now for the remaining episodes of the season.

Rating: 8 out of 10