The Titans’ final season continues their different take on the story of Brother Blood. In the comics, the original version was a vastly powerful and really creepy foe for the entire team. This one isn’t either of those, at least not yet, but it’s a good story with a lot of echoes of what happened to Raven (not that they’re calling her that yet and we’re running out of show, guys!). I think at least some of what we’re seeing is what Rachel wished had happened to her when her strange heritage began manifesting. The supernatural turn continues with “Super Super-Mart.” Which I guess is this world’s version of Walmart, more or less.

The episode opens with a flashback to 1996. A woman goes through something that probably far too many women have had to deal with in the real world. Granted, her method for dealing with it is a little unusual (and probably appealing to some of the ones that have had to deal with this). Later, in a bar, she meets a man with a unique approach and a card that’s clearly a nod to the Titans cartoon. He does get the classic “I looked a way from the mysterious person for just a moment and they’re gone” trope.

After the theme, we go back to the Titans RV (that thing needs a name, but I don’t have a good suggestion. Titans’ Bus doesn’t have the same ring as Titans’ Tower. Hero Winnebago?). The team is trying to figure out the weird things that have happened to, and around, Sebastian, who they “liberated” from Metropolis PD. This team does seem to get a lot warrants out on them, but considering Superboy did it as super-speed, they might not know who it was. Dick and Kory agree Rachel has the best connection with him, and Rachel does seem to be trying to comfort him. Kory also notices a few things that are linked to something from her childhood. Considering that was on another planet, this is a bit peculiar. Dick finally says they need to get moving, since a moving target is harder to hit. That sounds like some of that Batman training kicking in.

The team plans what’s next, and Gar tries to read up on magic a bit, helped some by Rachel. Jinx is her snarky self as she gets to know more of the team, and manages to make Superboy uncomfortable. Rachel goes out to a little campfire they have going, and tries once again to make conversation with Sebastian. The man really doesn’t know what’s going on and is utterly lost, and Joseph Morgan does a good job portraying that. Rachel manages to get some details about what’s been going on, and then begins to recognize some of the things he’s saying. It’s not good news for anyone, and the rest of the team isn’t thrilled to hear an old and powerful enemy might be back in the game.

The shows flashes back to ’97 and we get more detail on the cult that’s behind most of the problems this season. Although in this one scene, they do a good job of making it look like not all that bad a place. Going back to the beginning isn’t a bad thing to do when you’re stuck in an investigation, and Dick is far and away a good enough detective to know this. They head back to the asylum where the climactic battle with Trigon’s cult was. Along the way, the newer members learn more about some of the team’s background, and Jinx keeps poking at Superboy. You’re doing a good job when you manage to make someone who is invulnerable uncomfortable. Just after Jason asks a fairly typical teen question, they get to where the Asylum was, and are really surprised at the changes that have happened.

Guided by a sign I’m not sure I would have followed, the team sneaks around and starts prowling into assorted weird secret passages, because that always goes well. Then Dick shows he’s never actually watched a horror movie as, for no apparent reason, he splits the team into two groups. Does that ever work out? Really? The team is clearly not being as sneaky as they had hoped, as we see a big group getting ready to give them a warm welcome. In another flashback, the cult does a sort of darker version of a trust fall, and then the two women who have been friends show just how well friendship does in this competitive atmosphere. This is followed by a really weird special ceremony.

One group finds some stuff that goes with a few old pictures they found a while back, and try to figure out what’s going on. They also run across some really creepy picture books that bode ill for their future. And most of the world’s future, for that matter. With some help from another flashback, the team slowly comes to a very disturbing realization about their original victory here. Elsewhere, Jinx keeps needling Superboy, and possibly actually helping him a tiny bit as she does.

After yet another flashback about the history of the cult and how things led up to the current situation, the team starts reviewing some of the evidence they managed to find. They watch some not-so-fun home movies and figure out some more of the connections between Rachel and Sebastian. It’s an episode for shedding new light on old scenarios.

Many of the flashbacks throughout the episode have been short and sort of friendly after a fashion. The next one is longer and shows that the cult wasn’t as in control of all of their members as much as they would like to think. There’s a definite shift in power and some of the bad guys really don’t like the new dynamic. Or at least, they don’t like it for a somewhat brief time. In the present, the team goes over more of the videos they found. Sebastian shows once again that he is a good guy, realizing what a lot of this is leading to and being willing to do just about anything to stop it. Considering what’s coming, for those familiar with this story arc, it really makes Sebastian a pitiable character.

The next flashback shows a different view of one of the Titans’ battles, and some more pieces start falling into place as to how we got to where we are now. The team reunites and finds themselves faced by a new threat from the horror genre. Kory’s still-new powers don’t prove as effective as anyone hoped, and Jinx gets in another good line or two at Kory’s expense. Jinx offers some advice for the team as they start fighting their new sparring partners. They do ok with the cannon fodder, but then get a nasty surprise when another old foe returns and proves to be a lot more formidable. What usually works in this situation turns out to barely inconvenient their enemy, but at least it buys them a few moments. Superboy’s overconfidence takes a serious hit when everyone is surprised at one of the turns in the fight. After that, we get a classic rematch between two arch-foes, more or less.

The team begins a slow retreat, getting spread out as they go. Jinx gets a really great scene as she deals with a foe, and then confronts a part of life most people take for granted that she can’t quite manage. At the end of her own conflict, Jinx gets a souvenir and a ride. At STAR Labs, Tim and Bernard flirt, echoing developments from a few years ago in the comics, and we get some name dropping about impressive people that have tested the new safe room they’re making use of. Superboy slips away from the others and has a weird reaction to his earlier fight, and then doesn’t tell anyone for some odd reason, although that might have been out of his control.

The episode wraps up with Sebastian being tucked away to hopefully outlast the countdown the team has been fighting against. Rachel decides to join him in seclusion, continuing her efforts to try and help him through his current trials. As most of the team leaves Rachel and Sebastian in their stronghold, we get a big hint that one of the Titans is compromised, and it’s some ominous foreshadowing for next episode.

What I Liked: Rachel’s concern for Sebastian is touching, and she’s really trying to help him, not just get information for their current fight. I’m enjoying this version of Jinx, who isn’t like her comic book or cartoon counterparts. The big fight was pretty well done.

What I Didn’t: They made some really bad choices here. Seriously, when there’s a supernatural threat that only two of the team at best can do much against, why would you split up? Several of the characters are really overconfident about some important things throughout the episode, and they’ve already shown several times this season that things aren’t working normally.

This was a decent episode with a few surprises. I’ll give it a 3 out of 5.

This show had so much potential and only occasionally lived up to it.