So its time for one of my favorite stories ever in the DC Universe. The Terror of Trigon is a five part story in the Baxter Run of The New Teen Titans. This story has been building up since the beginning of the New Teen Titans when a mysterious empath named Raven decided she would seek out assistance from heroes to assist her in fighting the evil that is her father.
In the creation of the Titans, writer Marv Wolfman was creating a lot of different relationships, amongst the women there was the fiery emotion of Starfire, the middle ground of Wonder Girl, and the unable to feel Raven. While creating Raven, there was a sense not only of needing an emotional balance, but a balance in a magical character that did not do magic and had an interesting origin. Well Raven’s story is akin to something one would expect of a mix of Rosemary’s Baby, The Omen, and Carrie all wrapped up into one.
So lets recap… Arella is a young frightened girl seeking acceptance in a world not very accepting and she gets into a satanic cult and is offered as Satan’s bride. Arella sees the evil deity appear to her and he is blond and perfect in every way. After they make love, the false visage is dropped and Trigon is revealed as an antlered, four-eyed, red skinned being of pure evil.
Arella is pregnant and despairing over carrying the devil’s child. Arella decides to take her own life but before she can a being wearing a hooded robe and transports Arella to the other-dimensional world of Azarath. This world is an idyllic place where the Azarthians, a race of pacifists have been preparing for the coming of Trigon and if the child is born with no controls, then surely it will be the end of the world.
The Azarthian’s leader is Azar, a wise mystic who teaches Arella in the ways of the pacifistic people as she grows closer and closer to birth. On the onset of labor, the peaceful Azarath rocks with lightning and thunder, once Raven is born, there are black skies and a chill in the air. Azar takes the child from Arella for the good of all and teaches Raven the mystic arts that will save her.
Raven learns to read other’s emotions while always having to deny her own emotions, for emotions are a weakness that allow Trigon to gain a foothold in her soul. She was taught to separate her body and spirit and her soul-self, a bird like creature of ebon energy was born. Raven was also taught how to open dimensional portals to transport herself from place to place.
Azar passed away and gave her rings to Raven for protection and with Azar’s passing, Trigon’s influence and attempts to break into Azarath to capture his daughter increased. Raven felt that sooner or later she would need to fight her father, but she was not strong enough on her own, she would need allies.
At first Raven appeared to the Justice League of America and was turned away when Zatanna sensed her inherited evil. Sensing the adults just “didn’t understand”, Raven went and found the New Teen Titans, starting with Robin, Wonder Girl, and Beast Boy now calling himself Changeling. Kid Flash was reluctant to join the group when he was approached by Raven, however Raven felt strangely about Wally and somewhat realizing it and somewhat not, she seduced him to join the Titans. Raven then found the recently changed and angry Victor Stone who became Cyborg just in time as the last titan Starfire entered Earth orbit, desperate to flee from the Gordanians who were attempting to recapture her.
The Titans at first did not trust Raven and this came to a head when the Titans realized that they were manipulated into joining together as a team by Raven. However, when Trigon sent his first minion after Raven, the Titans realized that despite the method, the evil Raven wished to have the Titans fight was all too real.
As time went on Raven became an integral part of the team again and trusted teammate, even though Wally’s feelings became very conflicted, especially as Frances Kane came into his life as a new potential love interest. With his powers leaving him Wally left the Titans, Robin became Nightwing, and Terra plotted the downfall of the Titans from within.. while all this was happening Raven was changing, battling Trigon every day was taking its toll.
Raven left the Titans shortly after the Judas Contract storyline in order to avoid being compromised by her emotions and to keep Trigon at bay. The battle did not go well and Raven.. was forced to go back to get aid from her friends again.
As the Titans are practicing their war games with capturing Jericho, the newest Titan, Raven appears to the team and is already shaken and attempts to tell her friends that she needs them, but Jericho makes a mistake and attempts to use his powers to take over Raven. Raven teleports away out of fear of what may happen and leaves a very scared Jericho in her wake. He is furiously signing at his teammates about Raven and the Titans have to face the fact that they have not done a great deal to help Raven with her problems.
Raven is in her quarters, lit by dim candlelight only, the Titans debate what to do about her. Jericho goes to chat with Raven and we get one of the best monologues in comics.
“Hello Joseph. Yes, you may enter. I was expecting you. I…I think you are the only one who understands. It…It is so good to speak to you, I feel…. warm when you are near, But you know why I cannot have the others see me like this. I could not bear to see their faces if I did. ” – Raven
Jericho/Joseph signs that they want to help her.
“Thank you Joseph. Thank you so much. But I fear no one can help me. Not now. I have known all along what I must do. And though the thought of it frightens my very soul.. I have no choice. The cold hand of destiny beckons me forth.
“Please. Please.. do not touch me. Please do.. not make me cry. M.. May I have my cape? Now go. Allow me to meditate and you sweet Joseph… Please tell the others to wait… Joseph….please do not hate me.” – Raven
Raven then joins the Titans to announce that she is leaving the Titans. The Titans protest and wish to help her, but she refuses and insists that the best thing to do right now is for her to move on, which she will do in the morning. Which gives the Titans a night to fix things.
Out in the Vegan System, the war is over and now the Royal Family of Tamaran are sending their armadas to welcome their daughter Starfire back home.
Cyborg has been looking at old file pics from the security cameras of Raven’s face, he reveals his findings to Changeling. Raven started out looking like a rather ordinary looking girl, then her face began to change. Her cheeks got sunken in, her hairline was receeding, her eyebrows grew distinctively larger and darker, she truly is her father’s daughter as her face is no longer the Earthly visage of Arella, but more and more the demonic Trigon’s influence is bubbling to the surface.
Jericho decides that as Raven wages her astral battle he will enter her body to assist her. The horror overwhelms him as he sees a path of writhing damned bodies leading the path and is blocked by a wretched woman who is now Arella, Raven’s mother. In this spirit world however, Jericho’s physical disguise does not hold up and Trigon destroys the image and dedicates himself to torturing Jericho and never allowing him to die. Joseph’s anguish brings Raven who gives herself over to Trigon in order to save Jericho.
Back at the Tower, the Titans are roused by the scream of Raven and the outside air has grown dense with black clouds and acid yellow lightning. Jericho is on Raven’s bed and he brings the Titans up to speed. Then echoing laughter coming from nowhere and everywhere.. Raven is now Trigon’s…
Next Up: Lilith Returns! The End of Azarath! The Titans Battle For Their Souls!!!
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