Titans - "Jericho" - Episode 19 Review
OK Titans fans the flashback review has begun! Here it is, the true story of what happened to Deathstroke's son Jericho.
Some history first. Jericho was created in the 1980's by the legendary Marv Wolfman and George Perez as a sensitive and compassionate individual that helped Dick Grayson against his father, Deathstroke, in saving the Titans. Originally named Joseph, he adopted the Jericho name after joining the Titans full time. He, like most comic book characters, has been a good guy and a villain. In almost all incarnations he was mute and fully used sign language to communicate.
Jericho walks down a dark and dangerous alley. He sees drugs and smoke and police brutality and he cries out in a sharp and piercing, but weak, scream for it to Stop! He continues on and sees three men with pig masks on rotissering a human leg and drinking booze. Holy smokes where is this kid? In Professor Pyg land? Turns out it's all a dream, and it's five years ago in Jericho's bedroom. He gets dressed and tells his mother he's going out to meet up with friends. After grilling him a bit we learn they're new acquaintances from the record store. Momma reminds him to be careful. Jericho's friends are the Titans and they're sitting on the beach at night drinking and tossing the football. Oh and deceiving a young innocent boy. Dick uses Jericho's interest in music to get close to him. Dawn translates Jericho's sign language and also acts as the group's conscience by telling Dick she hates lying to the kid the way they are. Dick justifies it by reminding her it's worth it because it's Slade Wilson's son.
Later on around the campfire we learn why Hank has retired from dancing ever again while Dick questions the mute Jericho about his family. Dick shares he was raised by a borderline psychopath, nice Dick, real nice. Jericho proceeds to tell the secret origin of Deathstroke. His tow eyed Army hero dad was experimented on and was one of the only ones who survived. In a nice little action scene we see him escape his Russian captors with bad ass shooting and determination. Still in flashback mode, a now one-eyed Slade comes back home to his wife and son. He talks to his son in the backyard and his son talks back! Woah. The boy is pissed his Dad missed his birthday or some bratty thing like that and pouts after mowing the lawn. To make up for it Daddy Deathstroke gives him his sacred arm band to make up for it. He tells him it'll keep him safe and I chuckled a bit inside. Dick wonders if pops is and Jericho signs he doesn't know, he hasn't seen him in a while. Giving us more backstory, Jericho explains that his Dad and an old buddy named Wintergreen went into business together after retiring from the military. One day Dad came home and a bunch of masked bad people had taken his family hostage. After dispatching them quickly Slade sees that his son's throat has been cut! Bam! Nice little effect here, the cut and blood looked very real. They all agree thats one messed up family history and toast their beers to all having messed up family histories.
At the Tower the Titans go over Wintergreens history and decide to go after him. Dawn wants to cut ties to Jericho after they do. They arrive, without their costumes, at Wintergreens but find that he's left just ahead of them. Donna wants to use Jericho some more but Dick, Dawn, and Hank aren't so into it anymore. Donna brings up Aqualad's death and doesn't want to delay getting Deathstroke anymore. Dick declares they should find another way. In a totally not suspicious car and location, Deathstroke and Wintergreen look at photos of the Titans taken of them as they stormed Wintergreens home. Wintergreen tells Slade that he needs to finish his job and that his kid is hanging with some Titans and Slade tells him to chill. Donna goes to see her Amazonian friend Jillian and learns that she, not Garth, was the target of Deathstroke's bullet. Ok that clears that up. Jillian tells her she's staying put and that she and her Amazon squad will be the one's handling Mr. Wilson.
Jericho shops in the record store and observes a very rude customer berating an employee. He steps in front of the jerky guy and USES HIS SUPERPOWER TO POSSESS HIM! In a really funny scene Jericho controls the jerface into buying a record for him and apologizing to the employee. Then after he releases him the man leaves the record store dazed and confused. Dick was hiding off camera and saw the whole thing. He approaches and asked him what he just did. Cut to Titans Tower and Dick is bringing Jericho into the inner sanctum. The Titans are there and Dick has Jericho give a body possessing demo by taking control of Hank and making him dance. He tells them the rules of body hopping and shows off Hanks impressive abs. He tells them he told his father once and we see how Jericho saved a truck owner from having a very bad day. His Dad warns him from using his power as bad people will come and make him use it for evil. Dawn is pissed and wants to speak with Dick privately. Uh oh boyfriend, you in trouble now. Dawn thought Dick was going to cut ties but Dick wants to make him a Titan and help him to use his power for good. He wins out but Dawn wants to tell the kid everything if they do. He agrees so they show him the training center. And their costumes! Jericho silently freaks out and Dick levels with him. He tells him his plan, all about Deathstroke and how he killed one of their friends. Jericho doesn't freak out but wants to know more about his Dad.
Jericho packs a bag at his mother's place. He signs that he's leaving because she's lied to him and his new Titan buddies told him the truth. He tells her he doesn't love his Dad anymore, grabs his records, and leaves. Hey yeah that reminds me, where is Rose in all this? Mrs. Deathstroke meets her husband in a public place and tells him he's lost his son and that his cover is way blown. Is it just me or is it weird seeing Slade Wilson, Deathstroke, in such a familial way? It's almost like watching a bizarro world sitcom. There's the Mom, Dad, and Kid and gosh darn it they're just trying to make it in this mixed up, crazy world of ours. Mama Deathstroke tells Daddy to fix this mess he's created and gives him back the armband he gave to Jericho. Sometime later Jericho listens to music in the record store and is approached by Wintergreen. He tells him that his Dad wants to see him as well as the fact that the Titans of old Greek Mythology got their butts kicked by Zeus. Ha! So true. Maybe some foreshadowing?
Dick and Dawn discuss the pros and cons of Jericho having a meeting with his Dad. Dick suggests using him again to get to Deathstroke and reminds his girlfriend that she was the one who told him to "be Batman". I always thought that line would come back to haunt her and it has in that Dick is now thinking with more deception and determination than ever before. Dawn claims she was wrong to invoke that in him. It's changed him. Maybe the beginning of the end for them. Unbeknownst to her, Donna sits in her room surfing the internet for lasso cleaner. She's interrupted by a text from Jillian stating that she's leaving for Thymiscira immediately. She tells her to get to her gallery for an explanation. We see that the message is a ruse as Deathstroke has killed Jillian and is using her minutes to text Donna. Now how did he type all that with those gloves on? Dick finds Jericho and tells him he thinks he should see his Dad and that he'll stay out of it.
Donna makes her way to the gallery and sees her fallen sisters. Deathstroke appears from the shadows and it's on! There's some great comic book action here with some nice golden lasso work utilized. The two beat on each other with Donna getting some great licks in but eventually Slade goes to work on the young Amazon and beats her down and brutally slices and sticks her with his dagger. He draws his gun and puts it to her head. He tells her to stay away from his son. She manages to get her emergency beacon activated which Dick sees from HQ. Jericho meets his father in an old church. Dick in his old Robin costume and Hawk and Dove find Donna bleeding at the gallery. Dick takes off to go find Deathstroke. Jericho and his father have a nice heart to heart in the church with Deathstroke showing off his sweet body armor to his kid. Daddy promises no more secrets between them. So he's going to just tell Jericho when he kills somebody? Seems kind of counterproductive but whatever. I kid. Slade tries to give back the arm band, fails, and then can tell Robin has shown up by being able to hear his heartbeat, and his breath. Nice super soldier formula you got there Mr. Wilson. Robin comes out of the shadows and disappoints Jericho. He then proceeds to be stuck in the middle between the tow Supers. Some very nice gunfighter vibes happening with both men actually having completely valid points. They start to fight and, oh yeah it's some sweet comic book action as Robin and Deathstroke go toe to toe in the pews and aisles. Robin uses a smoke bomb but Slade has a gun staff for that. He deals with Robins sneak attack and moves in for the kill. Jericho sees this and leaps in front of the killing stroke. Robing passes out.
The Titans have packed up and are leaving Dick behind in the Tower. There are sheets on the furniture which everyone knows is the universal sign that things are closing down. The Boy Wonder watches his friends leave, unable to stop them.
Great little flashback episode here. Excellent acting all around and some really funny and awesomingly dangerous moments inside. Deathstroke is such a badass and is being played fantastically by Esai. Now lets get back to the regular timeline and see what happens!
