Apprentice - Part 2 is the 13th and final episode of the Teen Titans series and season 1. This episode is the continuation of Apprentice - Part 1.
Synopsis[]
In this episode, Slade forces Robin to be his apprentice to save the rest of the Teen Titans from Nanoscopic Probes that Slade has planted in their blood. The Titans look all over Jump City but they find no sign of Robin. They are soon alerted of the robbery of a high-tech thermal blaster, so they abandon the search and rush to prevent the theft. The Titans, with Cyborg as the de facto leader, receive a massive shock when they find out that the culprit is none other than Robin. Robin escapes with the weapon, but all of them, refusing to believe that it was Robin that they encountered, once again encounters him during his next mission to steal another weapon for Slade from Wayne Enterprises.
Robin, equipped with the stolen thermal blaster, fights off and defeats all of the Titans except for Starfire, who threatens to blast him. Slade orders Robin to use the thermal blaster to shoot Starfire, and, unable to go against his mentor, charges his weapon. Starfire believed there was still the good Robin somewhere in there, and stops charging. Starfire tells Robin that, if he is truly evil, he can shoot her. Robin listens to Starfire and puts his blaster down. The enraged Slade sets off the probes which begin to kill the Titans, leaving Robin helpless to save them. Robin pleads with Slade to not kill his friends. Slade replies that he must attack the Titans to stop the probes - for now. Robin reluctantly fires the blaster at Starfire saying "I'm Sorry". Slade keeps his promise and turns off his probe machine with his controller. Robin once again escapes before the Titans can recover from their injuries.
When Robin returns to Slade's base. He becomes angry again and tries and defeat his mentor, only to be taken down effortlessly. Slade continues to goad Robin, telling him that they are so much alike. Meanwhile, the remaining Titans have recovered and Cyborg has discovered the presence of the Nanoscopic Probes in their blood systems. Starfire deduces that Robin is only working for Slade to prevent him from using the Probes to kill them. With this in mind, the Titans rush to Slade's base to rescue Robin.
Finally, Robin is able to punch Slade. Slade congratulates him for his achievements as an apprentice but is interrupted when the Titans charge into his base. The Titans tell Robin that they are willing to take the risk of the probes killing them, so that he can bring down Slade. Slade, who becomes enraged, activates the probes, condemning them to death unless Robin attacks his former teammates. At first he didnt take any action, as he was about to attack he saw, Starfire crying because of the pain. Then out of the blue Robin defies his master's orders and jumps onto the probe machine, allowing himself to be injected with the probes as well. Robin, referencing the fact that Slade is a person that hates to lose, makes a desperate deal with the villain: if he continues to kill the Titans, his apprentice will also die. Slade, furious but with no choice, finally destroys the controller, stopping the probes. Robin rises from the floor, but Slade makes a surprise attack on him. Robin catches his mentor off guard, which surprises Slade. The other Titans get up and using their combined forces, defeat Slade, breaking his mask in the process. Slade triggers the self-destruct sequence, which causes the building to collapse, then runs away and disappears in the darkness. Cyborg quickly grabs the probe machine and together they manage to evade the debris and get to safety.
The Titans return to Titans Tower and Cyborg, after thoroughly analyzing the probe machine, manages to removes all the Nanoscopic Probes from everybody's blood streams. The Titans celebrate their victory with breakfast for dinner. During this time, Starfire apologizes to Robin about not believing that Robin was good anymore, but Robin says it was his fault all along for going along with Slade's plans. He also admits that he and Slade are quite similar, but the big difference between them is that Robin has friends around him.
Trivia/Goofs[]
The Wayne Enterprises logo on top of the building.
- Two references to Batman appear in this episode:
- Slade tells Robin that Robin might come to see Slade as a father, but Robin says he already has a father. Right after, bats are seen flying across the scene.
- The top of a building on which Robin and the rest of the Teen Titans fight has the fluorescently lit Wayne sign, and beneath that is the word 'enterprises', suggesting that building is a part of Wayne Enterprises.
- Half of Slade's face is seen in the shadows in this episode. In the comics, Slade has hair that is white and a beard, but in this episode, Slade is shown to have brown hair and no beard.
- Raven is the one that suggests having a party at the end of the episode.
- Visual error: after Slade reconfigures the thermal blaster, he places it on Robin's right wrist. In later scenes, however, it is on Robin's left.
Quotes[]
Beast Boy: There are only two logical explanations. One, Robin's been replaced by an evil robot double! (shows a comic book cover to Raven and Cyborg with a robot dressed like Robin attacking the city) Two, he's become another victim of zombie mind control! (shows a comic book page to Raven and Cyborg showing Robin as a zombie with more zombies in the background)
Raven: As logical as that sounds...if anything was controlling his mind, I would've sensed it.
Raven: (sums up the events of the previous episode) The chronoton-detonator wasn't a dud, it was a decoy, to lure us away from Robin. And we fell for it...
Cyborg: (Angrily) I should have known that thing was a fake!
(Robin kicks Slade in the face, cracking his mask)
Slade: (Looks up at Robin) You're going to wish you hadn't done that.
Robin: I only wish I'd done it sooner.
Starfire: Stop! (Flies in front of Robin with a starbolt in her hand) Do. Not. Move.
Slade: I thought I told you to use that blaster. Attack! Now!
(Robin holds out blaster with it charged and ready to fire. They stand off, neither flinching, but Starfire softens and drops her hand)
Starfire: Robin, you are my best friend. I can not live in a world where we must fight. If you are truly evil go ahead, do what you must.
Robin: (Softens and drops blaster) Starfire, no... I
Slade: Robin! I gave you an order, if you won't attack, my probes will.
Slade: If the Titans are so distracting, maybe I should just get rid of them...
Robin: Don't, I'll do whatever you say.
Slade: Good boy. And, from now on, I'd like you to call me 'master'.
(Starbolt hits Slade out of nowhere, and he flies across the room)
Starfire: (Eyes glowing) Leave... Him... Alone!
Slade: Robin, attack!
Robin: Get out of here! Go! You don't know what those beams did to...
Beast Boy: Dude -
Raven: We know -
Cyborg: And we don't care.
Starfire: We are your friends, Robin. We are not leaving without you.
Slade: I monitored your vital signs during the mission. Elevated heart rate, adrenaline, endorphines. You won't admit it, but, at some level, you enjoyed stealing for me. It was a thrill, wasn't it? You're going to keep stealing, Robin, and you're going to keep getting that thrill, and, sooner or later, you will see things my way.
Beast Boy: Who wants tofu waffles?
Cyborg: Man, nobody wants tofu waffles.
Beast Boy: I do, pass me the soy milk!
Cyborg: I'm telling you, you're not going to get anywhere near the soy milk. (both start to fight)
Beast Boy: Man, pass me the soy milk!
Cyborg: Is there any meat in the tofu?
Beast Boy: No, there's no meat in the tofu, it's tofu!
Cyborg: Then nobody likes it.