Who Is Red X? The Teen Titans Identity Explained

by

Among all the adversaries in the anime-style DC superhero series on Cartoon Network titled “Teen Titans,” perhaps the most mysterious is Red X – the villain with a skull mask and a large red X etched on his face, hands, and torso. Like Robin (voiced by Scott Menville), Red X hides his eyes behind reflective lenses, leaving no clues as to whether there’s an actual person hidden beneath the secret identity. Although it is eventually revealed that Robin is the one behind the mask, the series later introduces another Red X character in the “Teen Titans” storyline, and this time, it’s not Dick Grayson.

Among numerous villains that could fill a whole Brotherhood of Evil, Red X stands out as one of the most intriguing characters. He not only acts as a contrast to Robin but also stirs unwelcome memories of when Batman’s sidekick broke everyone’s trust by taking on solo missions. Although we don’t know who exactly is hiding under the Red X mask, numerous theories circulate online, speculating from a clone of the Boy Wonder to the vigilante guarding Gotham with a Red Hood.

Red X was a villain working with Slade

The tale of Red X unfolds with noble motives in mind. Despite the Teen Titans encountering numerous antagonists, the one who appears determined to bring down the group of young superheroes and seize control of Jump City is a villain known as Slade Wilson (portrayed by Ron Perlman). From his debut, where he dispatches a group from H.I.V.E. to capture Titans Tower in “Final Exam,” Slade displays an unusual fascination with Robin. Through intimidation of the other Titans, Slade eventually coerces Robin into becoming his apprentice, an act that Robin deeply resents from then on. Driven by a desire to stop Slade at all costs, Robin creates the Red X persona as a strategy to get near the villain, understand his nature, and use it against him.

Conscious of Slade’s relentless nature, Robin chooses to operate independently instead of exposing the other Titans to potential danger. Unbeknownst to their teammates when they encounter Red X following Robin’s claim about pursuing a Slade lead (“Masks”), it is in fact their leader. Dressed in a black-and-white cape and suit, Robin attempts to form an alliance with Slade by offering a stolen microchip as a means of entry. However, the deception fails when Slade unveils his awareness of Robin’s true identity, just before deploying a squad of his robot soldiers.

As a devoted fan, I must admit that the other Titans weren’t as sharp as the enigmatic villain in the orange-and-black attire. Their shock and annoyance towards Robin became evident when he finally took off the mask, revealing himself. The whole endeavor turned out to be a colossal waste of time when we discovered that “Slade” was nothing more than a mechanical construct. This incident not only strained relationships among the Titans but also created a deep chasm between Robin and his friends, whom he had deceived and manipulated in his relentless pursuit of the criminal mastermind.

A second Red X appeared with no known identity

Following a misadventure leading to villainy that jeopardizes his friends, Robin decides to retire from wearing the Red X suit. However, due to its unique power source, the exotic and unstable compound Zynothium, he can’t simply give it away to charity. Instead, Robin elects to keep the advanced costume securely locked in a Titans Tower safe, effectively putting it out of circulation — until the second Red X burglarizes it in “X.” Upon acquiring it, the unidentified thief aims to recharge its energy reserves by procuring more Zynothium to power the rapidly depleting suit.

Initially, Robin assumes that the new Red X shares Slade’s wicked nature. However, he eventually discovers that this isn’t a purely evil individual, but just an ordinary thief and thrill-seeker who’s got a cool gadget to aid their criminal activities. Despite enjoying needling Robin, they momentarily join forces against Professor Chang (James Hong). But once the battle with Professor Chang is over, Red X resumes his old ways of causing trouble.

Although Red X appears a few times more within the “Teen Titans” storyline, his true identity remains unknown throughout the series, which is something its producer, Glen Murakami, seems content with. In an interview with Titans Tower (now defunct), Murakami hinted, “We debated endlessly about who that character was. But I never felt it mattered much.” The producer explains that they intentionally kept Red X’s identity hidden and found more value in using him as a counterpart to Robin, rather than focusing on his true identity. “I don’t believe it’s crucial to know who lies beneath the mask,” Murakami added.

Theories about Red X 2’s identity

Regardless of who hides beneath Red X’s mask remaining a mystery in the series, fans have formed robust theories about the character’s identity. The show provides several hints to help decipher this enigma. For instance, Raven suggests that the individual must be intelligent enough to locate the suit and foolish enough to misuse it, referring to them as “smart and stupid.” Beast Boy (Greg Cipes) delves deeper by constructing a thought-provoking theory chart, which includes candidates such as Red X being an “evil twin,” “long-lost brother,” or even a “bionic monkey with Robin’s DNA,” a member of a clone army, or an “interdimensional imp” from another universe, specifically referencing the character Larry AKA Nosyarg Kcid (Robin’s name spelled backward) in the Season 2 episode titled “Fractured.” (Played by Dee Bradley Baker.)

Although it appears improbable considering their size discrepancy, some enthusiasts argue that Beast Boy might be onto something with his hypotheses about alternate realities or timelines. They point out the similar behaviors and combat techniques between Red X and Robin, leading other fans to speculate that if Red X isn’t a Robin variant, he could potentially be a clone of the original Robin character.

It appears that the most widely accepted theory among fans is the Jason Todd hypothesis. In the DC Comics universe, Jason Todd, a character once despised by many, has become a fan favorite and succeeded Dick Grayson as Robin. Since Jason Todd also assumes the role of Red Hood within the comic book canon, some speculate that the writers may have planned to incorporate Red Hood into the “Teen Titans” series at some point, possibly introducing him as the second character to wear the Red X identity.

Teen Titans Academy introduces another take on the question of, Who is Red X?

In 2021, the DC Comics series titled “Teen Titans Academy,” penned by Tim Sheridan and Rafa Sandoval, introduced several fresh interpretations of Red X. Although the Cartoon Network’s “Teen Titans” doesn’t share a consistent universe with the comic, there is a possibility that these stories might intersect in certain aspects. It’s worth mentioning that “Teen Titans Academy” presents another Red X character whose background is as troubled as Robin’s.

In Teen Titans Academy #12 (penned by Sheridan and Tom Derenick), it is disclosed much later that Dick Grayson had grown up and assumed the identity of Nightwing. In this comic book series, a student at the Titans Academy, electrified by an EMP device, believes Dick to be his biological father. He then symbolically adopts the surname Brick Pettirosso, which translates to “little bird” in Italian. As a child, Brick was saved from a violent household and raised to become a custom-made weapon against the Titans by the second Red X, the individual who had stolen Robin’s original suit. When Red X sent Brick to spy on the Titans Academy, he assumed the role of Red X but ultimately failed in his mission. Afterward, his foster father betrayed him and ended his life for his deceit.

Although the true identity behind the ruthless ‘Red X’ remains hidden, the idea that he would stoop so low as to adopt and manipulate a child solely to target the Titans is quite captivating. Much like the enigmatic Red X from the “Teen Titans” show, each depiction of Red X serves more as a symbol than a character. As Murakami stated to the Titans Tower, “Sometimes, it’s more impactful to focus on the role rather than the person wearing the costume.

Read More

2025-01-27 00:30