Titans’ Raven Reveals Her Shockingly Deep Bond with Nightwing – That Proves Dick Is the Team’s Best Leader

WARNING! Potential Spoilers for Titans #9!

Nightwing and Raven share a long and tested history, and Tom Taylor’s Titans run has illuminated the depth of their bond while showcasing what makes Dick Grayson such an exceptional leader. However, this revelation has also brought to light a significant vulnerability in Nightwing, one that, if left unaddressed, could ultimately lead to the hero’s downfall.

Tom Taylor and Lucas Meyer’s Titans #9 continues Evil Raven’s impersonation of the true Raven, who remains trapped in her own gem. It is within Raven’s gem prison that the nefarious doppelganger visits her and proceeds to boast about successfully deceiving her teammates, convincing them that she is the genuine Raven.

During this confrontation between the two Ravens, the imposter reveals that she has been monitoring the Titans’ thoughts and that Nightwing is the only one so far to suspect her true identity. This casual remark thus underscores how well Dick knows Raven, highlighting their profound bond.

Evil Raven Inadvertently Proves that Dick Grayson Is the Titans’ Best Leader

Nightwing being the only one to suspect that the doppelganger might not actually be Raven demonstrates that Dick knows Raven better than anyone else on the team, which is surprising given that Starfire, Raven’s best friend, and Beast Boy, Raven’s boyfriend, are also on the team. One would expect Starfire or Beast Boy to be the most likely to notice any discrepancies with Raven. However, it is only Dick who has begun to question the authenticity of the situation, underscoring his profound bond with Raven and showcasing one reason why he is such an exceptional leader.

Nightwing’s ability to perceive that something is amiss with Raven highlights his profound understanding of his teammate, a testament to his leadership prowess. A leader should possess comprehensive knowledge about their teammates, encompassing not only factual information but also their behaviors, mannerisms, and more. Dick’s ability to discern that the doppelganger may not be who she claims to be, while no one else has entertained such suspicions, underscores the leadership skill and necessity of forming close bonds with his teammates. Unfortunately, this skill doesn’t pay off for Nightwing since Evil Raven mindwipes him every time he begins to suspect something is off.

Tom Taylor’s Titans Just Revealed Nightwing Has a Major Weakness

Evil Raven’s ability to effortlessly and repeatedly mindwipe Nightwing underscores Dick’s significant vulnerability in terms of his mental resilience. His inability to resist the doppelganger’s psychic assaults puts both himself and the Titans in constant peril regarding the schemes of Dark Raven and her father Trigon. Moreover, if Raven can breach his mind, it opens the door for other villains with psychic abilities to potentially do the same, endangering his mental security and autonomy. Nightwing’s newfound fear of jumping and leaping off buildings is likely a consequence of a mental breach, further emphasizing the necessity to rectify this vulnerability.

Titans #9 is available now from DC Comics!