Batman v Teen Titans: Dark Injustice

"Batman v Teen Titans: Dark Injustice" is the twenty-eighth episode in the third season of Teen Titans Go!, and the one-hundred-thirty-second overall episode of the series.

Summary[]

Because of the sheer unkindness of the pranks they pull on each other, Raven tries to convince the humiliating jokes on April Fools' Day to stop. However, the Titans continue the pranks, which severely damages their trust for each other, and of course their bodies, too.

Plot[]

Outside on his customary rocks, the first breath of April Fools' Day is in the air, the Pelican sits straight onto a tack. In the Titans Tower, Robin is also pumped up for the prank-filled day. Swiping his alarm off, he stealthily crosses the lobby, giggling all the way through. Arriving at the kitchen table, he eagerly states he won't be the fooled one this year and plants four whoopee cushions on the stools. Calling the other Titans for breakfast, he eggs them on to take a seat at the table, acting really suspicious. Raven figures something's up, so she passes. Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Starfire dash at the table, hungry for glistening, syrupy pancakes. Everything is going fine, up until they sit down. The sudden fart noise startles them, and Robin gloats that he got them good, and everyone thought they were tooting. The three of them just lie on the floor, dazed and ashamed. Raven sarcastically says "comedy gold", then tells the overreacting Titans to get up.

But something isn't right. Cyborg reaches down and realizes that he can't feel his butt. Starfire also reports the same fate, and Beast Boy frets when Cyborg's smacks have no effect. Apparently, the whoopee cushions were too powerful, and they all yell at Robin for paralyzing their butts. Robin starts bawling, saying it was a mere prank. It's then that the others start to chuckle, pulling out fake, rubber butts: it was just an April Fools' joke! Robin, still a little traumatized, admits that it was a pretty good joke. But Raven views it totally differently, as he was just humiliated in front of everyone. To demonstrate how it was just fun humiliation, Starfire coaxes Robin into kissing her with deep eyes. Robin is captivated but met in return with a gut punch and a body slam. Everyone laughs, even the broken Robin, but Raven points out that he was crushed. Starfire corrects her that he was simply humiliated in a fun way, and the others agree with a thumbs-up sign (Robin's arm snaps in the process).

However, Raven dismisses the behavior as just a way to be mean to your friends. Scolding them with a whoopee cushion, she affirms that she doesn't want any April Fools' pranks pulled on her. Beast Boy hears her loud and clear, then tries to shake on it with a shock shake device. She ignores him, as well as Cy's zapping gum, Robin's peanut/snake jar, and Starfire's water-squirting flower. She demands that she doesn't get any trouble at all. When she leaves the room, the others admit that the jokes are bad, 'cause it's not fun when someone gets hurt. They agree to stop. Only, when they shake hands with one another, each receives an electric shock. The pranks will go on!

In the hallways, Robin is setting a booby trap line of tape, hoping to make someone look dumb. The others burst into the hallway, as Robin hides the roll of tape, acting guilty. Cyborg and Starfire comfortingly say that his parents have returned, and they're in the room across. Overjoyed, Robin charges in, only to be snagged in a pile of tape. The others laugh at the struggling sidekick, and Robin congratulates them on a good joke. But he can't hold it in and starts crying all over the place about his dead parents. Raven comes over and says that that prank was just plain vicious. Robin tries to admit it was funny but continues sobbing. The fun has just begun, states Cyborg...

Beast Boy grabs a sandwich from the refrigerator, and Robin walks up. Pointing to the ceiling, he distracts Beast Boy, then clobbers him with his staff harshly. The April Fools' joke is complimented by Beast Boy, but he can't help but groan over his broken body.

A dollar tied to a string catches Starfire's attention, and she follows the bill into Cyborg's dimly lit room. Little does she know that he's hiding behind a cardboard box, trying to contain himself. When she gets near, he unleashes a ravenous wolf, which immediately goes after her. Biting and shaking her savagely, she admits the delightfulness of the prank to Cyborg, then continues screaming.

Next in line to be "fooled" is Cyborg; Beast Boy gives him a high five at the entrance, and at the same time slips a paper onto his back that says "Slap Me!" In the living room, Cyborg is caught off guard when Starfire slaps him out of nowhere, and Robin also follows up on the sign's command. Cyborg tries to fight back but is slapped mercilessly. Beast Boy reveals the joke, and Cyborg laughs at the whole thing. But they won't let up and continue slapping the poor fool.

Everyone's gathered at the table that night, warily staring at one another. Raven floats in and wonders what's happening, and Robin says they're all just enjoying the holiday. They begin to recollect on the day's pranks, only when they laugh, their bodies are full of pain and suffering. Raven is amazed at their willingness to maim each other, making them all super paranoid. Beast Boy denies it but reproaches Cyborg in watchfulness. He just slaps him away, saying he's got eyes on EVERYONE. Robin and Starfire are also in the upmost vigilance. Raven studies the crazed Titans and thinks they are all, well, crazy. Starfire eases the accusation, stating the wolf joke was funny but cringes in pain when laughing. But Raven has had enough- these jokes have gone on long enough, so April Fools' Day is OVER. But the Titans realize they haven't pranked Raven just yet, so they hatch a plan...

Cyborg turns on his buzzers and lights, signaling a crime alert. Robin reaffirms this out-of-the-blue act but in a terribly rehearsed voice. Apparently, a Booger Monster is attacking Jump City (Starfire unnecessarily points out that his power is boogers). Raven blows it off, thinking it's just a plot to lure her into a prank. Beast Boy begs her to come with an easy to spot acted-out voice, but she says they'll be fine without her. So, they all leave via grappling hook. A little later, Raven is relaxing, reading her book, when Cyborg tries to signal her with a communicator. Robin also asks for help, but Raven just smiles and continues to enjoy her book. But then a massive explosion convinces her to head to the window, where she can see a green mushroom cloud. She grimaces as boogers splatter on the glass and realizes that her fellow Titans they were telling the truth.

Teleporting instantly to the battlefield, she sees that the city has been reduced to rubble and is covered in dull green snot. The Titans lay in a pile of broken bricks a few meters away, defeated. The monster was too strong, and now Cyborg has fallen into a robot coma. Raven ruefully states that this was the result of the prank holiday; nothing good had come. Beast Boy finally agrees and shoves the bolted body down the pile uncaringly. He promises to only be real with her now... so, with that, he expresses his emotions, admits his love for her, and offers a diamond ring. Raven accepts the proposal. Cyborg awakens at the heartfelt expressions and embracing, now realizing that life is precious. He then pursues his dream in life to join the Justice League, upgrades his armor plating to a more silver design, and joins the Justice League. Robin is also done with the jokes, and takes on a new, more serious role as Nightwing, wielding two metallic pikes. Starfire admires his new hair and beautiful appearance and quickly falls in love. It seems as if this is the end. Teen Titans GO! and its era are seemingly about to end... the Titans are near disbanding. The two new couples are about to kiss when suddenly...

APRIL FOOLS!!! The Titans break down in laughter and the viewers of the 4th wall got pranked! Now Raven learns a lesson that she always loves pranks and she's crowned as the Queen of April Fools. Of course, they aren't going anywhere: it was all a joke for the holiday Pranks-giving.

Characters[]

Major[]

Minor[]

Justice League (mentioned)
Batman (cameo)
The Joker (cameo)
Pelican (cameo)

Trivia[]

This is the first episode with Batman's name in the title, but Batman himself only makes a cameo in the episode.
Robin's communicator at the beginning of the episode displays his serious face form in "Let's Get Serious".
This episode was advertised as "Batman vs. Teen Titans: Dark Injustice", but the actual title is "Batman v Teen Titans: Dark Injustice".
- This is the eighth episode to have the title be different from what it was advertised. ("Cat's Fancy, "Dignity of Teeth", "Croissant", "Spice Game", "Hey You, Don't Forget about Me in Your Memory", "The Return of Slade" and "Squash & Stretch".) The title this time is probably an April Fool's joke itself.
This episode was part of the week of premieres leading up to the series premiere of the 2016 reboot of The Powerpuff Girls after its 1998 classic series.
This is the first April Fool's Day episode of the series (which also means the title of this episode is an April Fool's prank).
- It also marks the first time that three holiday episodes premiered in a row, with "Beast Boy's St. Patrick's Day Luck, and It's Bad" and "The Teen Titans Go Easter Holiday Classic" coming beforehand.
This is Nightwing's first appearance in Season 3 after Staring at the Future and Sandwich Thief.
This is the first time someone mentions the show's title in an actual episode.
The airdate of this episode was supposedly on Friday, April 1st, but it was pulled down to Monday, March 28th.
The Titans break the fourth wall when they say it's the end of Teen Titans Go!, but it's only a prank.
- The fourth wall is also broken when Cyborg says "I can't feel my butt" to the screen.

Continuity[]

Cyborg mentions for the second time that he wants to join the Justice League. The first time was in Part One of "Two Parter".
- He also wears his Justice League suit from the said episode.
Beast Boy asks Raven to marry him for the second time. The first time was in "Matched".
Beast Boy and Raven openly admit their true feelings for each other. Even though it was said during the prank process, it is still obviously very true.
This is the second time that Robin's parents are mentioned, the first time being in "Let's Get Serious".
Raven blushes at a comment Beast Boy makes for the fifth time ("Waffles", "Man Person", "Cool School", "The Cruel Giggling Ghoul)".
Beast Boy doesn't use any animal transformations for the fifteenth time.

References[]

The title of this episode is a parody of the 2016 movie, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
- However, as this episode was aired for April Fools' Day, it's a huge joke... there's no action or fighting against Batman in this episode, just pranks.

Errors[]

For a minute when Beast Boy puts a piece of paper behind Cyborg, the tone changes darker again.
When Cyborg offers Raven the gum, a dark purple smudge appears on his mouth but it disappears when he is on screen again.