"So, which team am I on?"
—Terra
Terra makes a sudden return to Jump City, this time with new control over her powers. The team welcomes her back enthusiastically, especially Beast Boy, but Raven is skeptical and suspicious.
Tropes:
- Ambiguous Situation: Did Terra already know that breaking the console would cause the drill lasers to intensify, which would provide her an opportunity to save the tower with her powers? Or was it genuinely a surprise to her?
- Armor-Piercing Question: Raven gives one to Terra while the two are arguing, and the look on Terra’s face shows that it does get to her.Terra: Why can't you just trust me?
Raven: 'Cause you don't deserve it! I have to meditate every day to keep my powers under control. And I'm supposed to believe that you can just suddenly control yours? - Brutal Honesty: As Raven points out, having control over dangerous powers doesn't make one less dangerous. She knows that all too well given that if she loses a bit of control she can make stuff explode.
- Call-Back:
- Starfire gives a big Bear Hug to Terra upon her return, and when she asks if Terra remembers her, the latter responds with, "Of course, Starfire. I still have bruises from the last time you hugged me."
- When Terra returns, she has to prove she can handle hero work by controlling her powers in front of the Titans.
- Raven and Terra end up bonding over being similar about having to control dangerous powers.
- Elevator Action Sequence: While infiltrating Slade's quarters, Robin is separated by an ambush and has to fight Slade in a rapidly rising elevator, leaving Terra and Raven to stop the worms. Said elevator eventually crashes into a cavern roof, with Robin and Slade jumping off before the impact.
- Evil Is Petty: Slade seems to be this given he's just using giant mechanical worms to sink Titans Tower underground subverted in that he specifically chose a plan where Terra would be useful to the Titans in order to gain their trust.
- Fingore: Bear!Beast Boy, after trying to maintain a grip on one of the robots before getting his nails forcefully trimmed by the friction.Beast Boy: Guess I won't have to cut my nails for a few years...
- Fire-Forged Friends: Raven and Terra become this after they use their powers in sync to undo Slade's plan.
- Foreshadowing:
- Terra introduces herself by retrieving the Titans' volleyball and asking the page quote above, setting up the reveal that she's on Slade's team.
- The last time we saw Slade and Terra, Slade had offered to help her control her powers as long as she worked under him, and Terra had run off from Titans Tower because she mistakenly believed Beast Boy had betrayed her trust. Cut to this episode, and Terra suddenly returns with complete control over her powers, saying only that she's "been practicing." Raven is understandably dubious, but gradually decides to trust her, along with the others.
- Likewise, Slade has returned to destroy Titans Tower, and pointedly doesn't even seem to recognize Terra when she fights against him. This is heavy foreshadowing that they're actually working together, and the whole situation was set up so Terra would earn the Titan's trust.
- Let's Split Up, Gang!: Cyborg, Starfire and Beast Boy after the worms, while Robin, Raven and Terra goes after Slade.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Averted when Terra tries to smash the machine with her rocks; Raven stops her, and convinces her to put the rocks down. What ends up smashing the computer are the worms that come to attack them.
- Nonchalant Dodge: Early on, Raven simply floats aside to dodge a flung volleyball.
- Not Me This Time:Terra: See? I've got everything under control! (cue earthquake, followed by an awkward pause and 5 suspicious looks) Wasn't me.
- Power of Trust: Following Raven's speech above about power and trust, Terra asks how she can be trusted. Raven's response?Raven: You can start by trusting me.
- Recycled Soundtrack: This episode infamously reused music from the Justice League episode, "In Blackest Night".
- Sand Worm: Three mechanical ones are unleashed by Slade in an attempt to send Titans Tower underground.
- The Sixth Ranger: Terra becomes one.
- Stepping Stones in the Sky: Robin managed to reach higher ground by hopping on stone platforms summoned by Terra execute Feed It a Bomb on the first worm-robot.
- Trash the Set: Subverted; Titans Tower is saved from the giant worms.
- Unreliable Expositor: Raven claims that the Titans are uncomfortable with taking Terra in because she can't control her powers. In fact, they were more than willing to, with a provision of "more training," but Terra ran when she thought that Beast Boy had betrayed her.
- What a Drag: Cyborg attempts to grab one of Slade's worm-bots via extendable arm only to be yanked off his feet and dragged a while.
- Wham Shot:
- Raven when Terra passes her gets a vision with a Nightmare Face. It terrifies her, but she doesn't know what it means.
- At the end when Terra gains her own room and communicator, effectively making her a Titan. Part of her hair falls across the right side of her eye as she says, "I don't believe it. They actually trust me."
- Xanatos Gambit: If Slade's plan succeeds, he lands a devastating blow to the Titans by destroying their base of operations. If Slade's plan fails, Terra becomes closer with each of the members due to her success at stopping the drill from destroying their home and earns their trust.
