Teen Titans #35

Roundhouse confronts the team.

SPOILERS AHEAD

I've given this some thought and I don't see Billy being in the wrong like others do. Could he gone about the confrontation a little differently? Sure, but I get why he felt like he had to go to such extremes. Barely anyone takes him seriously and they still follow Damian's bad choices. He's in a bad place emotionally and trying to do what he feels is the right thing. It sounds like he would have let them all go if Damian had just kept quiet.

Having Roundhouse not be a traitor for the Other actually works better. It's not the same traitor angle TT writers having been redoing for years and having him work with the Other doesn't make sense with Kid Flash recruiting him. Billy raised good points that the TT were ignoring. I really don't understand or like the way some readers have suggested that what happened to Claire was Billy's fault. I don't like victim blaming, so the suggestion that taking a shortcut made what happened his fault isn't logical. He had no idea that doing so would result in her death.

I get that many don't like Damian being responsible but for me it works far better than having someone more experienced make such a mistake. It was an accident but I would have liked him to reacted less like a sociopath when he learned the truth. Damian has been particularly despicable during this run and keeps coming up with excuses for his actions. He seemed to realize he messed up with Jason but then he repeats his mistake in Event Leviathan. Deathstroke dying, the discovery of the prisoners and Djinn rejecting him should have given him a wake up call. Instead he has Djinn mindrape the prisoners and thinks they did the right thing.

Billy points out everything Damian did wrong and Damian still shows no regret. Even knowing he unintentionally harmed his teammate and killed an innocent. He never apologizes for this and defends his actions--including the mindrape--as if morals don't matter because he thinks it works. Damian is so unbelievably arrogant that he's the only TT member (excluding Djinn who is in Billy's control) that doesn't know how to defuse the situation.

He makes it worse because he assumes Billy needs his forgiveness. Damian just discovered his actions ruined someone's life and pushed them to the breaking point...then says he can forgive Billy.

Why is Damian such an idiot this year?

As expected Billy doesn't react well and orders Djinn back in her ring. He instantly regrets what he did and lets Crush hurt him because he thinks he deserves it. Unlike Damian he actually seems to care about his actions hurting others. Crush leaves only to discover her dad is controlling her.

But I'm less interested in that plot.

Right now Billy is the only one that (misguided as it was) is trying to do the right thing and realizes they shouldn't be crossing these lines. He's the only one pointing out why Damian has gone too far. Damian comes off incredibly deluded and I really want Bruce to step in. Damian shouldn't be leading anyone.



Questions Raised?: If Billy isn't working with the Other then how was the Other getting it's information?

Why does Kid Flash's lower red half of his costume seem to get higher every issue?

Why was blowing up a building the only way to stop Scarecrow? Damian didn't blow the villain up too so what happened? Wasn't there another way to destroy the gas? Wouldn't Bruce or even Damian himself link what happened that night to Billy?