Warning: contains spoilers for Titans #3!As a beloved Titans hero sides against the team with a classic enemy, DC reveals the reason – in one of the grossest moments the team have ever encountered. As the new Church of Eternity flexes its power, there’s a lot more going on than the team ever suspected – and it all centers around their reborn villain Brother Eternity.
In Tom Taylor, Nicola Scott, Annette Kwok, and Wes Abbott’s Titans #3, the Titans attempted to rescue Tempest (aka Garth, the former Aqualad) from the Church of Blood. However, despite being attacked by some former members who aren’t happy with the new ‘Church of Eternity’ rebrand, it turns out Garth is a true believer who has placed his faith in Brother Eternity. It seems that Brother Eternity is sincere in his quest to reshape the Church of Blood into something that can help people… at least, until the last page, when alien tendrils spill out of his mouth and into Garth’s.
It appears the Titans were right to be suspicious, and that rather than having undergone a religious conversion, Garth is somehow being controlled by an alien parasite – one with the grossest power Titans has ever shown its readers.
Aqualad Has Turned on the Titans (But It’s Not His Fault)
Recently, Brother Eternity took control of the Church of Blood, moving the organization away from its history of evil and into the mainstream. To do that, he recruited Tempest, who has fought against the cult many times over as a Teen Titan. This move left the Titans suspicious, since the cult’s leader – usually named Brother Blood – has been one of their most tenacious villains. However, with the Titans replacing the Justice League as Earth’s first line of defense, and the mystery of why Flash’s dead body appeared in their headquarters days before his actual murder, the team have been stretched thin.
Brother Eternity Is a New Kind of Threat
Now, it becomes clear what they’ve missed – Brother Eternity is indeed hiding a huge secret, exposed this issue in the form of dripping, alien fronds which are apparently controlling Garth. It’s likely that some kind of alien being has been living inside Brother Eternity, and may now be spreading to Tempest. Thankfully, the attack on the Church of Blood allowed the Titans to steal a mysterious meteorite, finally pointing them in the right direction.
The issue ends with Brother Eternity declaring “we’re going to visit your friends,” suggesting the Titans are about to get a visit from this mysterious alien threat, with Garth and his immense powers in tow. The newly reborn villain is the Titans’ first real challenge since they replaced the Justice League following the events of Dark Crisis, and so far he’s running rings around them, up to and including stealing away their friend to help him gather followers. Now, Nightwing, Starfire, Flash, Wonder Girl, Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Raven have a chance to fight back – if the Titans can work out what exactly they’re fighting against.
Titans #3 is available now from DC Comics.
