Titans season four is stacked with dangerous foes, and one of them happens to be the wealthy criminal mastermind Lex Luthor himself. Titus Welliver, from the series Bosch, will be playing Superman’s iconic nemesis, and the privilege isn’t lost on him. Welliver’s been a fan of DC Comics and Titans well before he got the role, and people are expecting a performance that lives up to his appreciation of the source material.
The Titans season four trailer gives us a glimpse at the villainy to come. It starts with Rachel Roth/Raven (Teagan Croft) and Dick Grayson/Nightwing (Brenton Thwaites) investigating a mysterious room. Raven travels into an alternate realm for a more thorough look, and she’s attacked by a strange figure. Afterward, it shows the team in Metropolis like you’ve never seen it before. It’s dark, moody, and supernatural with people being hung from a beam and a ritualistic ceremony. A woman approaches Lex Luthor and tells him that the Temple of Azarath is his and that soon, the gods will know his name. He assures her that the gods already know his name.
Raven’s home just happens to be Azarath. As many Teen Titans fans know, the animated Raven uttered the incantation, “Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos,” when she used her mystical abilities. The idea that Lex is now in control of such a place is frightening and bad news for the Titans, to say the least. It fits his M.O., though; Lex has gone to great lengths to gain more power in his effort to best Superman. Now we can add involving himself with the occult to the list.
This season will revolve around Raven because of the Church of Blood’s canonical reverence to her interdimensional demon father, Trigon, and Brother Blood (Joseph Morgan) will have a connection with the young woman. The trailer also shows Mother Maiden (Franka Potente) walking down the aisle of a ceremony as cult members chant, what looks like Deathstroke in a fight scene with Nightwing, and the magical troublemaker, Jinx (Lisa Ambalavanar). She’s a sorceress who uses bad luck in her favor, and she’s already getting into it with fan-favorite Kory Anders/Starfire (Anna Diop) who shuts her down after she flips off Dick Grayson. She’ll be joining the Titans, but whether or not they’ll be able to fully trust her has yet to be determined.
In Titans season three, the team saved Gotham City from the Scarecrow, and in season four they’re back on the road. An exclusive Titans preview clip from New York Comic-Con showed Tim Drake (Jay Lycurgo), the next young man in line to take the role of Robin, testing out his retractable bo staff as Conner Kent/Superboy (Joshua Orpin) takes his picture. Suddenly, Tim’s phone dies, and the electrical system in the van goes haywire. Conner hunches over in pain as Luthor’s voice is heard over the sound system, and he has a message for Conner. He wants to see him in person and requests they meet at Lexcorp Tower that night. Conner tells his friend that they have to go back to Metropolis.
Welliver’s Lex has his own signature look. Although he is bald— a staple for the character—he has a full beard, which increases his fearsomeness. There’s something more laid back about this version as if he’s keeping his cards close to his chest. One thing is for sure—he’s plotting something major for the Boy of Steel. Superboy tells Nightwing that he’s not afraid of Lex because Superman isn’t afraid of Lex, and Nightwing cautions against being so bold. There’s a reason why he’s one of DC’s greatest villains, and that shouldn’t be forgotten.
Although Lex has been referenced in the past, this is the first time he’s appeared in the series. Superboy is cloned from Lex Luthor and Superman’s DNA, and it was the villain who put together the Cadmus Laboratories program to do it. Superboy broke out of his containment pod and tried to learn about the world. Luthor’s lingering memories plagued him and he had to fight off Cadmus soldiers to escape before finally joining the Titans. Nothing went well, however, as he was brainwashed into fighting the Titans and Nightwing was sent into his mind by Raven to save him. Superboy found the light again, but it proved that he had a dark side.
Titans season four, part one, premieres Nov. 3 on HBO Max.