Titans Season 3's Real Villain Is Lex Luthor - Theory Explained
Titans season 3 has been packed with twists and turns so far, but revealing Lex Luthor as a secret main villain would be the biggest yet - here's why it could happen. Heading into season 3, Red Hood was primed to inherit Deathstroke's mantle as Titans' next major villain, but it wasn't long before Jason Todd's puppet master revealed himself. Scarecrow had been pulling Red Hood's strings from the beginning, keeping his angry young charge drugged with anti-fear serum and manipulating Jason's mental maze of daddy issues to create a perfectly obedient (and perfectly deadly) henchman.
Though Scarecrow's machinations have hit a few road bumps of late, Dick Grayson's superhero team still can't stop for breath. With Crane on the run, Red Hood gone rogue, and strange goings on at Wayne Manor, there's plenty more mysteries for this superhero Scooby gang to solve. But it's hard to shake the nagging suspicion that an even bigger villain is looming around the corner. Titans season 3 has already referenced Joker, Ra's al Ghul, Mr. Freeze and Mad Hatter, but what if the hidden threat doesn't come from Batman's side of the tracks at all?
Though Lex Luthor has yet to officially appear in Titans, his influence has hung heavy, and evidence pointing toward an imminent arrival continues to mount . Here's why Lex Luthor could be the hidden villain of Titans season 3.
Scarecrow has clearly been Titans season 3's main villain in terms of presence and screen time, but by the closing credits of episode 8, Jonathan Crane's dastardly journey is already drawing to a close. Pouring anti-fear serum into Gotham's water supply was Scarecrow's final master plan, and "Home" sees him scratch that item from his bucket list of evil. Nevertheless, Crane finds himself in a weak position. The Titans shut down his HQ, Jason Todd is beginning to see the light (though his latest choice of therapists is a bit weird), and the authorities are gradually closing in. Will it really take Dick Grayson's gang the rest of season 3 to fix Gotham's water problem and bring Crane to justice?
Scarecrow has been firmly on the back foot since the drug lab bust, verging on desperation with his little cup of yogurt and ice cream getaway van. Unless the good doctor experiences a drastic change of fortunes, it's hard to imagine he'll be Titans' biggest threat when season 3's finale rolls around, especially now his primary objective has been achieved. As Scarecrow's position becomes increasingly precarious, the odds of a bigger villain emerging from the shadows are increasing by the episode.
Something weird is going on between Starfire and Blackfire - and we don't just mean glossing over the latter's string of brutal murders. Starfire is experiencing visions in Titans season 3, which audiences initially suspected were caused by Blackfire's capture - some kind of psychic distress call between sisters. Kori's blackouts have now started again, proving there's more to the mystery. Blackfire, meanwhile, gave off strange pink magic while discovering what was so "super" about Superboy, and though this could be a harmless side effect of their bedroom antics, the mist just so happened to coincide with one of Starfire's blank spells.
There's plenty about Blackfire that doesn't add up in Titans season 3. How did such a powerful alien get captured by scientists immediately after landing on Earth? And though Blackfire might've had a sympathetic reason for killing her parents, what about poor Faddei and the innocent mother whose body she stole? This is where Titans' Lex Luthor could come into play.
Given his interest in all things extra-terrestrial, Lex maybe noticed Blackfire's arrival and approached her with a proposition - a partnership between villains harboring a shared interest in bringing down the Titans. Lex could've staged Blackfire getting "captured," knowing Kori would be sympathetic and welcome her sister into the Titans fold.
Starfire's visions may be a warning of her evil sibling's true intentions. The first set led her to Blackfire, but she misinterpreted the message and did exactly what Lex wanted. The latest vision highlighted the word "crown" and revolved heavily around the sisters' dead parents, hinting that their murders didn't happen quite as Blackfire claimed. Future visions might reveal what really happened back on Tamaran.
Lex Luthor's reason for teaming with Blackfire is clear - he wants Superboy. As soon as Blackfire entered Wayne Manor, her gaze immediately turned toward Conner Kent, and it wasn't long before the pair were testing the limits of Bruce's furniture. It'd be lovely if Blackfire's feelings were genuine, but the romance feels suspiciously unlikely, especially for the inexperienced, naive Superboy. Has Lex instructed Blackfire to win Conner's heart and lead him straight back to his father (the bald one), ripping Superboy from the Titans completely?
Titans season 3 has already sown seeds of division after Superboy felt guilty for not preventing Hank's death. The mad irrationality of love could sway his loyalties completely, allowing the Tamaranian to separate Conner from his pals. Lex Luthor getting to his son through Blackfire would even explain the pink mist underneath their bed - some kind of love magic to ensure Conner falls head over heels.
After delivering Superboy to Lex Luthor, Blackfire then gets her wish - a free run at her sister, fulfilling the reason she came to Earth in the first place. The Tamaranian fly in the ointment would be if Blackfire begins to develop real affection for Conner, maybe even coming to believe the Titans family isn't so bad after all.
Titans season 2 did everything but introduce Lex Luthor. As well as Superboy and Krypto, the sophomore run debuted Project Cadmus and Luthor's right-hand woman, Mercy Graves, who made numerous references to her maniacal boss - all without Titans ever showing Lex the flesh. We met Lex Luthor's abusive father at the family farm in Smallville, and even glimpsed a photograph of the villain in his younger years. Many viewers suspected Luthor's arrival was imminent, and though it hasn't happened yet, the groundwork is still there waiting to be developed.
Even more suspicious, Bruce Wayne himself teased Lex Luthor was up to something earlier in season 3. During the Jason Todd flashbacks, Bruce was forced away from Gotham City, claiming Lex was causing trouble again. Bruce might've discovered Luthor's grand plan - his dealings with Blackfire, his intentions for Superboy, and his plot to destroy the Titans from inside - and that might even be the real reason behind his recent disappearance. Batman surely knew Jason Todd wasn't dead, meaning the "kill Joker and run away" incident could be an act. Is Bruce keeping tabs on Lex Luthor from afar?
Before Titans season 3 began filming, rumors of DC casting the show's Lex Luthor were rife, but an official announcement wasn't forthcoming. Given Blackfire's Superboy romance, Bruce Wayne's strange absence, and Scarecrow's growing weaknesses, those rumors might've been more accurate than many thought, and Titans has a Lex Luthor secret up its sleeve for season 3's finale.