Who Are the 7 Greatest Villains of DC’s Teen Titans?
On their own, these young heroes were mere sidekicks. But together, they formed the Teen Titans. Throughout DC Comics history, the Teen Titans have impacted comic book storytelling. They’ve also become long-lasting fan favorites.
Alongside the Justice League, the Teen Titans have faced many iconic DC super-villains. They’ve helped save the Multiverse from the Anti-Monitor and outsmarted Lex Luthor. But this spunky team has their own rogues gallery that haunts them time and time again.
Ever since they saved their mentors from The Antithesis, a psychic vampire, and his accomplice Mister Twister, the Teen Titans have continued to square up against some formidable foes. Meet the greatest villains of DC’s Teen Titans.
Deathstroke
Of all the enemies the Teen Titans have faced, their most insidious super-villain is Deathstroke. This mercenary is so much more than just a hired gun. After volunteering for medical experimentation in the U.S. Army, Slade Wilson developed superhuman physical capabilities as well as enhanced brain function. In essence, he became the perfect killer: Deathstroke the Terminator.
Against the Teen Titans, Deathstroke introduced years of turmoil. He groomed a young girl named Terra and sent her to the team as a spy, resulting in a shocking blow to the Titans’ morale. Next, he assembled his own team of young heroes, called the Titans East, to torment the Teen Titans. Later, he was also a founding member of Lex Luthor’s Secret Society of Super-Villains, notable for their bombing of Nightwing’s home, Blüdhaven.
It Runs in the Family
In addition to Slade, the Wilson family has produced numerous antagonists. His son, Grant Wilson, and his half-brother Wade, both operated as Ravager. The criminal organization H.I.V.E. offered Grant a chance to become even stronger than his father, but the results also left him mentally and physically unstable.
Grant’s death further ignited Slade’s hatred for the Titans. His daughter, Rose Wilson, also adopted the Ravager title, hoping to win her father’s approval. Even Slade’s ex-wife, Adeline Kane, became a super-villain after a blood transfusion from Slade. Only their younger son, Joseph, found success as an astral-projecting hero named Jericho.
Cheshire
After the infamous Lady Shiva, the deadliest assassin of DC Comics would likely be Cheshire. Born Jade Nguyen, Cheshire is an elusive figure who toes the line between irredeemable super-villain and victim of tragic circumstance. Cheshire is not only a top-tier martial artist, in some origins from the League of Assassins, but she is also a skilled wielder of poison. Her long nails are often equipped with some sort of debilitating toxin. Once she even brought down a whole fleet of airplanes by subtly clawing the pilots before their flights.
Perhaps Cheshire’s most well-known Teen Titans connection is with Roy Harper. In the past, the two were romantically linked and their feelings for each other have always haunted them. They even had a daughter together, Lian. When Lian was killed by the volatile Prometheus, Cheshire cast off any remaining feelings she had for Roy.
Trigon
All villains are evil in some way, but few can claim to be the embodiment of evil itself. Trigon is an interdimensional demon. Some histories claim that he formed from the rejected evils of a pacifist society called Azarath. In other versions, Trigon is the product of a grave celestial mistake.
No matter how he came to be, Trigon’s objective is always the same: He spreads his evil throughout the Omniverse by fathering children. His hope is that these children will grow to expand his despicable empire. Most of these children do not find success but one daughter, Raven, manages to grow into a hero. As one of the most powerful Teen Titan enemies, Trigon always finds a way to ensnare Raven in his plots to conquer Earth.
Brother Blood
Blood is thicker than water, and that’s certainly true for this maniacal cult leader. Well, actually, there have been multiple “Brother Bloods.” Back in the 13th century, a high priest became ruler of a Baltic country called Zandia. In gaining his title, he also set forth a curse in which a son must kill their father to assume horrific powers of resurrection.
Centuries later, the Teen Titans encountered a Brother Blood who controlled his own Church of Blood. This cult was a tool to turn public favor against the heroes, nearly succeeding through a plan to capture Raven. Another Church figure, Mother Mayhem, also served as a dangerous disciple of Brother Blood.
Continuing the Family Business
Though this Brother Blood was defeated, another rose from the Bloodpit to take his place: Sebastian Blood. Like his predecessor, Sebastian Blood seeks more power through Trigon. He even forged a connection to the Red, a universal life-force connected to all living beings.
Blackfire
Like we learned from Brother Blood, family creates some dangerous feuds — and few know this better than siblings. But when the siblings in question are inheritors of a planetary throne, that rivalry bursts into epic proportions. Starfire is a classic member of the Teen Titans who escaped her home planet of Tamaran. Back on Tamaran, her sister Blackfire had enslaved Starfire in a shaky peace treaty with invaders. But their problems started long before that.
As children, Komand’r and Koriand’r might have grown into close allies, like true sisters. However, a childhood illness robbed Komand’r of her innate Tamaranean superpowers. As a result, she was no longer fit to inherit the throne. Instead, that honor went to Kori. Komand’r would never truly forgive her sister for this turn of events, becoming an insidious threat to Starfire’s safety and a treacherous enemy for the Titans.
The Brotherhood of Evil
As far as super-villain coalitions go, the Teen Titans have faced their fair share. From the Terror Titans to the Demon’s Fist, a number of evil squads have presented a problem for the Titans. But one of the deadliest, and perhaps closest to home, is the Brotherhood of Evil.
Each member of the Teen Titans has their own baggage. For Beast Boy, that involves former membership with the Doom Patrol. And with that association comes the unwanted attention of the Brotherhood of Evil, once helmed by the semi-immortal computerized mastermind The Brain.
At various points, this team has included Madame Rouge, Monsieur Mallah, Phobia, and many others. One of their most nefarious schemes was to clone prominent super heroes and supply them to warlords across the globe. Their continued presence would haunt Beast Boy and remind him of his difficult time with the Doom Patrol.
Red X
At this point, a troubled past is kind of a prerequisite for the Teen Titans. So let’s bring our attention to none other than Dick Grayson, AKA Nightwing once he outgrows the Robin persona.
As members of the original team grew up, like Dick and Donna and Wally, they created a place for new heroes to train: the Titans Academy. A mysterious figure from Nightwing’s past, Red X, saw this as an opportunity to bring down the Teen Titans once and for all. He sent in his own younger Red X to infiltrate the team. Though the boy manages to destroy the academy, he fails to harm the team — prompting the actual Red X to murder his pawn right in front of Nightwing. Talk about mind games.
Just like the Justice League, the Teen Titans have garnered the attention of some horribly dangerous villains. However, across their animated incarnations, books, and live-action TV show, the Teen Titans remain a force to be reckoned with.
Of all the Teen Titans’ powerful adversaries, who do you think is the best at villainy? Share your thoughts with other DC fans at side.show/geekgroup, and don’t forget to Let Your Geek Sideshow!