Warning: Spoilers for Titans #17Beast Boyand his fellowTitansallies have endured plenty of treacherous situations together, and some affect them in a deeper way than others. Beast Boy’s worst nightmare has just been exposed, and it shows that this Titan is forever changed by a recent disastrous event in DC lore.
InTitans#17 by John Layman, Pete Woods, and Wes Abbott,Clock King unleashes his newfound temporal powersagainst the Titans. By messing with their minds, the villain manages to trap them within their darkest memories, pulling from recent DC history in order to find the traumas that scar them most. Beast Boy’s vision is a particularly haunting one, as he’s forced to relive hisnightmare-fuel transformation into Garro.
Beast Boy’s deepest trauma is confirmed to be his involvement in DC’sBeast Worldcrossover event, and the flashback to his Garro form shows just how much this moment still affects him one year later.
Beast Boy Reveals His Darkest Moment in DC Lore in the Most Heartbreaking Way Possible
DC’sBeast WorldTragedy Continues to Impact This Titans Hero
Beast Boy’s flashback brings him back to the massiveBeast Worldcrisis that shook the DC Universe to its core. InTitans: Beast World#1by Tom Taylor and Ivan Reis, the Necrostar arrives to destroy the Earth. Beast Boy’s shapeshifting powers allow him to take the form of Starro - referred to as Garro - in order to battle the Necrostar as the one being that can vanquish it. However, Doctor Hate interferes with the plan by erasing his mind. No longer Garfield Logan,Garro unleashes a beast plague upon the Earth, transforming heroes and civilians alike into animalistic forms.
To experience the full story of Beast Boy’s transformation into Garro, check outTitans: Beast Worldby Tom Taylor, Ivan Reis, and Lucas Meyer, available now digitally and in collected formats from DC Comics.
The world falls into chaos as a result of Beast Boy’s transformation, so it’s no wonder that he continues to be traumatized by it. From causing countless innocent people to undergobeastly transformationsto being temporarily killed by Amanda Waller, this era is by far the most horrific in Beast Boy’s entire history as a character. After the event’s conclusion,DC’s heroes continue to be wary of Beast Boy, with theJustice League expressing its lack of respectfor him due to his actions. Still, as devastating asBeast Worldwas for the Earth, Beast Boy’s nightmare shows that the outcome could have been worse.
The Darkest Possible Outcome for the DC Universe Is Unveiled
Clock King’s power doesn’t simply force the Titans to relive their traumas; he can also alter their memories and rewrite the events that unfolded in the past. In Beast Boy’s case, when Clock King toys with his mind, he sees a version of theBeast Worldevent where the plague infected even more heroes.Superman is among these transformed superheroes, and since hisKryptonian biology grants him the powers of a god, the Earth would have been doomed if he’d lost control of himself as a monster. Garfield is already guilty about what he’s inflicted, so facing a worse scenario can’t be helpful.
Titans Just Put the Smartest (& Darkest) Twist on Beast Boy’s Powers Since His Debut
The Titans’ longtime member Beast Boy meets the fearsome animal hunter Apex Ava, who has a sinister twist to Gar’s transformation powers.
Nearly a year has passed sinceBeast Worldcommenced, andBeast Boy clearly carries his guilt about the event with him to this day. Try as he might to move forward, his part in the tragedy still lingers in his thoughts and shows no sign of lessening - in fact, it’s likely worsened now that he’s seen another fate he almost caused. Beast Boy’s former role as the Titans' comic relief has been replaced with a melancholy attitude as his shame makes himDC’s most tragic hero. Garfield might never be the way he was prior to this crisis, but that doesn’t mean he’s facing his pain alone.
Beast Boy May Not Forgive Himself, But His Titans Teammates Already Have
The Titans Accept Beast Boy with Open Arms, Despite His Damage to the DC Universe
Despite Beast Boy blaming himself for the consequences of theBeast Worldevent,the Titans remain by his side, keeping him from succumbing to his emotions.Garfield tries to quit the Titansonce the world returns to normal, but his teammates remind him over and over that he isn’t at fault. Even when the world blames Beast Boy for his actions in causing the beast plague’s outbreak across the DC Universe, the Titans stand by their friend rather than joining the masses. This unwavering loyalty is what helps them defeat Clock King, and it’s what reminds Beast Boy that he’s still a hero.
All the Titans have their own inner demons, so they understand Beast Boy’s feelings better than anyone else could.
All the Titans have their own inner demons, so they understand Beast Boy’s feelings better than anyone else could. Clock King’s powers unleash their nightmares as well, as Arsenal relivesGreen Arrow destroying their family bondand Starfire battles her evil Tamaranean sister. Donna Troy’s own trauma, her fear offailing the Titans as their new leader, mirrors Beast Boy’s self-deprecation. Their missteps and traumas don’t make them less heroic, and the same applies to Garfield. Together, theTitansovercome their traumas as a team, and nothing can sever their bond - with each other, and withBeast Boy.
