Warning: Spoilers for Titans #17Nightwing left the position of Titans‘leader, and his replacement has already proven himself better suited to the role than ever before. Donna Troy – aka Wonder Girl – is now in charge of the Titans, and her first win on behalf of the team solidifies that they are much better off with her at the helm.
Donna Troy is the center of attention in Titans #17 by John Layman, Pete Woods and Wes Abbott. The Titans were captured by Clock King, who received a metahuman upgrade due to the Justice League’s misstep in regaining their stolen powers. Now, a D-list villain has cornered the Titans and believes he has defeated Donna by trapping her in her own fear – until she reveals that she is actually using her fear to her advantage.
Clock King thinks to himself, “An unexpected and surprisingly ingenious tactic. Not something I would expect from Nightwing’s leadership.” With this admission, DC confirms that Donna Troy already leads the Titans more effectively than Nightwing.
Donna Troy overcomes the Titans’ new villain in her first battle as team leader
Wonder Girl uses strategies that not even Nightwing could invent
Clock King’s new powers allow him to see the memories of others and trap them in their minds, and he is even able to manipulate these memories to create new ones. With this ability, he forces the Titans to relive their darkest moments. All may seem lost, but Donna Troy finds a way to trick Clock King by luring him into a trap. His worst fear is disappointing the Titans as leaders, and the memory of Nightwing announcing his promotion includes them all. With the Titans united in this memory, they are able to break free from the Clock King’s control and fight together.
Having been trained by Batman, one of the smartest detectives in DC history, Dick Grayson has acquired his own detective skills that inform his intelligence as the longtime leader of the Titans. Nightwing’s contingency plans are on par with his mentor’s, and he has led the Titans through many difficult situations in the past. Yet, Even he is defenseless against Clock King’s manipulation, while Donna Troy cannot be controlled for long. Her quick thinking in a stressful situation elevates her to a level beyond Nightwing and cements her as the clear choice to inherit Nightwing’s former role on Titans.
Donna Troy’s History with the Titans Proves She Deserves to Lead Them
Wonder Girl has been part of the Titans since the beginning
Although Donna Troy doesn’t have Nightwing’s popularity, she is no less integral to the Titans. She serves as a founding member of the original Teen Titans roster in 1965. Teen Titans #1 by Bob Haney and Nick Cardy, alongside Dick Grayson’s Robin, Kid Flash, and Aqualad. They are later joined by Roy Harper, then known as Speedy, who completes this classic lineup of young heroes. Wonder Girl is, therefore, a crucial part of the Titans, having been present since the team’s conception. Additionally, her experience on the team led her to serve as a leader before her official promotion.
Whenever Dick Grayson leaves his leadership position on the Titans since he was a teenager, Donna Troy was always the hero he chose to replace him. As recently as Titans #2 by Tom Taylor and Nicola Scott, Wonder Girl appears in Nightwing’s absence to command a mission in Borneo. Nightwing trusts Donna more than any other Titan, and this has resulted in her taking charge long enough to thrive in the role. Donna’s skills and loyalty to the team make her an obvious choice to guide the Titans now that they are in dire need of new leadership.
Nightwing is no longer the Titans’ best leader (and his recent failures prove it)
The Titans’ inability to replace the Justice League is Nightwing’s fault
Nightwing has been the leader of the Titans since founding the team as Robin, but it can’t be denied that he’s dropped the ball in recent memory. The Titans have been at the center of major catastrophes in the DC Universe since the World of Beasts event until the arrival of the Dark-Winged Queen, and Both incidents can be attributed to Asa Noturna’s leadership.. For example, if Nightwing had ordered the Titans to protect Beast Boy from Doctor Hate, he would never have had his mind wiped. Likewise, if he had noticed Raven’s unusual behavior, Trigon’s return could have been avoided entirely.
Trigon’s return, as well as Raven’s terrifying transformation into the Queen of Dark Wings, can be found in Titans #15 by Tom Taylor and Lucas Meyer – available now from DC Comics.
However, These mistakes by Nightwing pale in comparison to his greatest folly as a leader: failing to stop Amanda Waller’s rise to power. The Titans had every chance to confront Waller before and after Beast Boy’s transformative plague ravaged Earth, but Nightwing kept the team’s focus elsewhere. This negligence allowed Waller’s plans to leak through the cracks, which culminated in the Justice League being stripped of his superpowers. The hero community has recovered from this tragic moment, though the fact remains that the Titans’ oversight – and therefore Nightwing’s oversight – put the entire DC Universe in danger. As such, Nightwing’s resignation is best for the Titans.
Donna Troy has Nightwing’s approval as the new leader of the Titans
Nightwing chose Donna Troy as his successor for a reason
Most might feel betrayed at being usurped as leader after years of dedication to the role, but Nightwing takes his replacement in stride. This acceptance is largely due to the fact that he himself chose Donna Troy to be the new leader. After she helps the Titans defeat Clock King, Dick assures her, “Any fears you have about leading the team are unfounded.” Despite his concerns about not living up to his legacy as leader of the Titans, Nightwing knows he is capable of not only being as good a leader as he is; he knows she can surpass him.
Donna’s quick victory against Clock King showed that she is exactly what the Titans need to reach greater heights as a team.
Under Nightwing’s leadership, the Titans have failed to unlock their full potential since replacing the Justice League. They lost battle after battle and missed chances to eliminate lesser threats before reaching insurmountable levels of power. Now, Donna’s quick victory against Clock King has shown that she is exactly what the Titans need to reach greater heights as a team. With her in charge, they can finally start over instead of retreading familiar territory. Nightwingit’s time to Titans‘Leader has come to an end, and it’s time to Wonder Girl to take the team in a bold new direction.
Titans #17 is now available from DC Comics.