The students of Teen Titans Academy come up against a major villain but one hero proves he’s more powerful than one of Flash’s fiercest foes.
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Teen Titans Academy #7, on sale now from DC Comics.
With such a varied roster, the Teen Titans have taken on all kinds of villains. Now that they’ve opened up into a full-on academy for superpowered youths, the number of foes they take on has grown too. As the next generation of heroes marches toward its bright destiny, the villains of the past start to get left behind. That’s the case for one powerful Flash rogue, who just learned he’s no longer among Earth’s most powerful beings.
Teen Titans Academy #6 revealed that Academy member Gorilla Gregg was working with his uncle, Gorilla Grodd, to take over the world. Although this came as a shock to his friends and classmates, the truth is more complex in Teen Titans Academy #7 by, Tim Sheridan, Rafa Sandoval, Jordi Tarragona, Alex Sinclair and Rob Leigh. When Summer and others caught up to Gregg, they learned his villainous turn was a ruse to put an end to his uncle’s scheme. Grodd’s telepathic abilities won’t allow him to see into his nephew’s mind, but he soon deduces that Gregg doesn’t share his twisted vision of peace and unity.
Grodd’s plan involves placing a mast on the Empire State Building, which would allow him to extend his telepathic reach across New York. Although Gregg hoped to alert the Titans to this threat, his uncle was able to bring the heroes under his control before they could stop him. Throughout the story, Gregg was only able to shield the mind of one person from his uncle’s influence — Summer. However, after she sought help from Titans Tower, she became a pawn too.
That leaves Gregg to fight his uncle alone. His lack of confidence in his own abilities, as well as his conflicting feelings about his uncle, make it a difficult battle. Even more so considering his friends and mentors are placed in the line of fire — and they are firing back.
However, an earlier conversation between the two gorillas changes things. Grodd said his nephew’s powers could one day surpass his own, with the right tutelage. As Gregg was too busy worrying about Grodd’s powers, he doubted the raw strength of his own, as well as his uncle’s intentions. That entire time he wanted to stay close to his uncle so he could stop his plans. Now he realizes Grodd kept him close because his growing powers make him a threat. Gregg shows himself capable of disrupting Grodd’s influence with a psychic blow, legitimizing the villain’s fears.
After that revelation, Gregg hatches a plan that will put a stop to his uncle’s dreams of world domination. Allowing the Flash villain to believe he’s the better of the two prevents Grodd from noticing the power-boosting mast has been destroyed, thus stopping him from taking control of New York.
Not only does Gregg prove his powers can surpass his uncle’s, but he also establishes his heroic philosophy to be better too. Although Grodd threatened to take control of all the Titans once again, he surrenders when his nephew shows him the only possible outcome, killing Gregg, would prove everyone right about his villainous ways. Because Grodd envisions himself as a savior of gorilla kind, being shown for what he truly is breaks him in a way The Flash never could.
With Grodd behind bars, Gregg proves in a letter to his uncle that he is the future gorilla kind needs. In it, he demonstrates he understands why his villainous uncle did what he did, and even thanks him for some of it. However, he believes there’s a better way to build a brighter tomorrow. Considering he was the only one to keep in contact with Grodd despite everything, Gorilla Gregg is already a better and more empathetic leader than his uncle could ever hope to be.
About The Author
For all the latest Comics News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
