Ep 9. Hank and Dawn

In Titans season 1 episode 9, entitled "Hank and Dawn," the focus shifts to two of the show's characters, Hank Hall (Hawk) and Dawn Granger (Dove). The episode tells the backstory of Hank and Dawn and how they came to be superheroes.

The episode begins with a flashback to 2005, when Hank is a star football player in high school and Dawn is a new student. They quickly become friends and soon after, Hank reveals his tumultuous family life to her. However, their friendship is cut short when fights break out between Hank's abusive father and his mother.

Years later, Hank and Dawn are reunited when they are both trying to stop a drug trafficking ring. They quickly discover that they both have similar motivations for becoming superheroes; they want to use their powers to help others and protect the innocent.

As they continue to work together and become romantically involved, they are also dealing with their own emotional baggage. Hank is plagued by the memories of his abusive childhood and struggles with maintaining his anger. Meanwhile, Dawn is dealing with the trauma of losing her family in a tragic accident.

Throughout the episode, we see Hawk and Dove fighting crime and taking down villains together, but also supporting each other emotionally. The episode includes several touching scenes between the couple, that give viewers a deeper insight into their relationship.

However, the past comes back to haunt Hank when a former teammate of his from high school shows up and dredges up old memories. Hank is forced to confront his past and reconcile with his father, leading to a heartbreaking conclusion that test the couple's relationship.

Overall, "Hank and Dawn" is an emotional and action-packed episode that serves as a character study for two of the show's most interesting characters. It explores their motivations for becoming superheroes and the emotional baggage they bring to their roles. Viewers are given a deeper insight into the complicated and often fraught relationship between Hank and Dawn, along with some major revelations that keep the show hurtling towards its season finale.

For fans of the Titans series, "Hank and Dawn" is a must-watch episode that gives viewers a deeper understanding of these complex and intriguing characters.