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"To Belle And Back": Despite their bravery, everyone who leads the life that Tim Drake and his family have chosen to live faces death every day. One day that will surely come for each of them, their luck will run out, and death will take them, an

Quote1 You know them better than I... but if I might suggest? There are more important things in the world than secrets. Quote2
Alfred Pennyworth

Teen Titans (Volume 4) #18 is an issue of the series Teen Titans (Volume 4) with a cover date of May, 2013. It was published on March 27, 2013.

Synopsis for "To Belle And Back"

Despite their bravery, everyone who leads the life that Tim Drake and his family have chosen to live faces death every day. One day that will surely come for each of them, their luck will run out, and death will take them, and all that will be left to do is say goodbye.

Mourning the loss of his adoptive brother Damian, Tim sits in the Batmobile crying. They had both served as costumed junior partners to the Batman, but it was Damian, Batman's real son, who had died. In his grief, he imagines that Damian is there, daring him to stop acting like the death actually meant something to him. Angrily, Tim shouts that Damian should not have been Robin. He should not have been in harm's way. He had started the Teen Titans in the first place so that kids like them would be protected. The adults are so caught up in saving the world that it has been left to the kids to protect each other. Damian embraces Tim in his arms and encourages him to do everything he can to protect other kids from the fate he met.

Alfred Pennyworth finds Tim by himself in the cave, crying. Tim responds to his calls, saying he just needed a minute alone to say goodbye to Damian. Alfred admits that he understands, but warns that it is better to lean on others for support during times of pain. Alfred encourages Tim to tell the Teen Titans about his loss, so that they can help him handle it, but Tim admits that he has not even told them his real name yet. Hugging Tim to him, he explains that there are more important things in the world than secrets.

One week later, Superboy arrives for the first time at the Teen Titans' barge in Pier 22 of New York City, unaware of the no-costume policy that protects their identities and lets them relax, for once. He has come to ask for a place on their team, having just been through some rough stuff himself. Despite his prior attempts to kill them, Tim agrees to let Superboy stay - regardless of what the others might think.

Tim calls them all down into his war room in their work clothes, and explains that since they started, at least four super-powered teens are dead or missing - which is unacceptable. He intends to make it their mission - their crusade - to commit themselves to protecting other teens like them. The boat starts moving before any of them can fully agree to plan, as Tim explains that he anticipated they would agree, and has already got a mission to save a girl named Tabitha Munse from government conscription. From their video link, they can see that the girl is fighting with a man that no one recognizes - nobody except Solstice, who keeps the fact that she has met this man before to herself. For the moment, the team has just 72 minutes to become experts on Belle Reve prison, and get Tabitha out of there.

Meanwhile, at the United Nations Building, A doctor is seeking information on Kiran Singh, but the receptionist won't help him. However, the man's brother has already snuck in, stealing Kiran's file, because he believes that she may hold the key to curing him of his strange condition - by way of eating her.

At Belle Reve, Amanda Waller seeks Kurt Lance, who has apparently gone missing since she sent him to watch the Titans. She is startled when an alarm sounds, indicating that someone is trying to break in to the prison. To respond, she sends her Suicide Squad, comprised of Belle Reve inmates. The squad finds itself quite unprepared for the super-powered teens, and Waller determines that they are either very brave, or very reckless. She is surprised to find Red Robin already in the room with her, and he points out that he has known about Kurt Lance following them for weeks.

Waller admits that she was planning to bring the Teen Titans in for questioning, with regard to their numerous adventures. She assumes they must have come to kick her door in, and throw her off her guard. Red Robin responds that he is there for just one reason: to cut a deal that will benefit them both.

The battle in the yard comes to a stop when Waller calls for it to cease. She announces that she has agreed to Red Robin's terms, but she warns him that he will regret it soon. Soon, the other Titans realize that Tabitha Munse never existed, but Red Robin will not discuss it with them.

Meanwhile, Times Square gets a visit from Trigon.

Appearing in "To Belle And Back"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Villains:

Other Characters:

  • Tabitha Munse (First appearance)
  • Kurt Lance (On a TV or computer screen)

Locations:

Items:


Vehicles:




Trivia

  • Miguel's surname is misspelled in this issue as "Barragon".
  • Superboy and King Shark meet for the first time in this issue. The two used to be long term enemies during Superboy (Kon-El)'s first solo volume. King Shark and Superboy both operated out of Hawaii at the time and during this issue Superboy attacks King Shark asking him to say "Aloha".


See Also

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Links and References

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