Teen Titans/Divide and Conquer

Divide and Conquer
Season 1, Episode 3
Airdate	August 2, 2003
Production Number	385-901
Written by	David Slack
Directed by	Ciro Nieli
← 1x02 Sisters	1x04 → Forces of Nature
Teen Titans — Season One

Divide and Conquer is the third episode of the first season of Teen Titans.

Starring: Scott Menville (Robin), Hynden Walch (Starfire), Greg Cipes (Beast Boy), Tara Strong (Raven), Khary Payton (Cyborg), Ron Perlman (Slade),

Guest Stars': Dee Bradley Baker (Cinderblock/Plasmus)

Plot Summary

The Titans respond to a disturbance at the local prison and encounter Cinderblock, a concrete monster, trying to break in. After their individual attacks fail to subdue him, Robin suggests to Cyborg that they try an attack called the "Sonic Boom". Due to a lack of coordination, however, the attack fails and wipes out the rest of the team. Without any further resistance, Cinderblock locates a fluid tank containing a sleeping prisoner and escapes with it.

After dealing with escaping prisoners, the recovered Titans regroup. Robin and Cyborg argue, each blaming the other for Cinderblock's victory. Starfire plays peacemaker, Beast Boy tries to defuse the tension by cracking a joke, and Raven makes an appeal to reason. The two are inconsolable, however, and Cyborg announces that he is quitting the team and storms off.

Meanwhile, Cinderblock returns to his boss, a masked man named Slade. On Slade's orders, Cinderblock opens the capsule. The prisoner awakens and immediately transforms into Plasmus, a vaguely humanoid figure of brown sludge. Slade announces the beginning of phase two of his plan.

Back at Titans Tower, their headquarters, the four remaining Titans try to deal with the loss of their friend. Beast Boy tries to contact Cyborg through the phone in his arm, to no avail. Raven feigns disinterest, but her distress cracks a nearby console. Starfire's disgusting "pudding of sadness" fails to cheer anyone up. The team's despond is interrupted by another trouble call.

Plasmus is growing larger by consuming chemicals at a factory, and the Titans attack. When they are unable to damage this unusual foe, Robin ties him up with his grappling hook, and Starfire and Raven bend metal pylons over his prone body. However, Plasmus oozes out from under these improvised restraints, and splits into five different creatures which assault the Titans together. Realising his team is outnumbered, Robin orders them to split up. Slade, watching the action on a monitor, orders Cinderblock to begin phase three of his plan.

Each team member is defeated by a monster, and Robin is about to fall into a vat of chemicals, when Cyborg grabs him at the last second. He has reconsidered and wants to be a member of the team again. With their teammates at Plasmus' mercy, Robin and Cyborg successfully pull off the "Sonic Boom" - Robin throws an explosive disc, which Cyborg detonates with his sonic cannon. The combined explosions blow away all of Plasmus' sludge, leaving only his human form, sound asleep.

Outside the plant, a truck loads the newly-encapsuled prisoner. Starfire rejoices that the two friends have made up. Beast Boy reminds them that Cinderblock is still on the loose, but Cyborg replies that he had already taken down the cementhead. One thing still troubles Robin - formulating this complex three-stage plan is clearly beyond Cinderblock's capacity. Someone must have been pulling his strings. Back at his base, Slade swears that the Titans will pay for ruining his plan.

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• Slade: Slade's motivations for hating the Titans are revealed when they ruin his plan.

Characters

• Robin and Cyborg don't always get along, both being strong, leader-type personalities.

Trivia

The Show

• Credits: All of the scenes that appear in the opening credits are taken from this episode.
• Numbers: Plasmus's prisoner number, 385901, is the same as the production number for the episode.
• First Appearance: Plasmus and Cinderblock make their first appearance on the series as Slade's lackeys. Also making his first (and only major) appearance is Wintergreen, Slade's butler.

Behind the Scenes

• The character called "Deathstroke the Terminator" in the comics is called "Slade" in the series because references to death can disqualify a show from the TV-Y7 rating.
• Dee Bradley Baker played minor roles in "Static Shock" and "Justice League Unlimited".
• Ron Perlman played Clayface in "Batman: the Animated Series", Jax-ur in "Superman: the Animated Series", Koenig in "Static Shock", Killer Croc in "The Batman", and Orion in "Justice League Unlimited".
• Continuity: Although this episode aired third, it was the first produced and was meant to air as the first episode of the series. It is generally considered as the first episode in continuity.
• Cameo: The human form of Plasmus is based off of story editor David Slack.

Quotes

• Starfire (to Raven): Try. The displeasing taste will ease your troubled mind.
  Raven: My mind is never troubled. People come. People go. It's pointless to worry about Cyborg.
  [Her hair wigs out, and the displays behind her shatter.]
  Raven: ...What?

• Robin: Star! Let him have it!
  (She blasts a hole clear through Plasmus)
  Starfire: (gasps) Did I let him have too much?
  (The hole fills in)
  Beast Boy: I'm thinking not enough.

• Starfire: You made up! Glorious! I wish to initiate a group hug!
  Raven: Pass.

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