The anticipation surrounding the third season of DC's Titans appears to have sky-rocketed after the show's presentation during last August's DC FanDome event. It was revealed then that the team will head to Gotham for a mission, and they will meet a plethora of new characters from Batman's vast history along the way.
Characters such as Barbara Gordon and Scarecrow have been confirmed to play a role in Titans Season 3, but it's still unknown how they will fit into the overall narrative of the show. On top of that, Jason Todd is also set to transform into Red Hood, adding more hype to the eventual HBO Max premiere of the show later this year.
Now, a new casting addition has emerged for Titans, offering more clues about the show's complicated storyline.
REPORT
Variety shared in a report that Savannah Welch has been cast in the role of Barbara Gordon for the upcoming third season of Titans. The outlet also revealed that Gordon will serve as Gotham City Police Commissioner, and she has a “combative relationship” with Bruce Wayne.
It was included in the report that Welch's Barbara Gordon “used to be Batgirl,” but she was shot and paralyzed by the Joker, which ultimately led to her being wheelchair-bound. Variety also unveiled that Gordon's life gets more complicated when Dick Grayson returns to Gotham for an unknown mission.
The official Twitter account of Titans confirmed the casting of Welch in a tweet.
Welch is best known for her roles in History Channel's Six, Boyhood, and Tree of Life.
WHAT THIS MEANS
Given that production has already wrapped for Titans Season 3, it's impressive that Welch's casting didn't leak while filming. Still, it's great to know that a great actress like Welch will portray the iconic Barbara Gordon character. The report included notable tidbits about Gordon's role in Titans, and it looks like viewers will see a lot of Welch in the upcoming season.
Interestingly, the reveal about Gordon being a former Batgirl along with the inclusion of Joker in her backstory presents a strong connection to Jason Todd's transformation into Red Hood. The Clown Prince of Crime was already featured in the show during Season 1, but it was only during an alternate reality/dream scenario. Given the continued reference to the villain, it is likely that the character will appear in some form to pay homage to the comic-book origins of Red Hood.
Gordon's former superhero life could also mean that she is well aware of the secret identities of the Bat-family, making her current job as GCPD commissioner a walk in the park. This means that she has access to advanced technology and it makes narrative sense that the Titans, most notably Dick, will reach out to her for aid.
Meanwhile, the “combative relationship” status of Barbara with Bruce is similar to Dick's previous dynamic with the billionaire. Given that Dick already resolved his issue with the Dark Knight during Season 2, it will be interesting to find out if he will help Barbara to sort out her differences with their former mentor this time around or whether another conflict will arise that could once again derail their friendship with Bruce.
All in all, it's safe to say that Barbara's inclusion in Titans will create exciting story possibilities that will shake the team to its very core.
