Titans have fleshed several of its main cast and new additions, except for Garfield Logan a.k.a. Beast Boy (Ryan Potter.) For most of his time on the series thus far, Gar has been relegated to a background player despite being one of the original principal stars. That status quo was shaken up in this week’s season two episode 9, “Atonement.” Prior to the ninth episode of the new season, Gar hasn’t had the same opportunity as his fellow co-stars to be as explored as a character.
With the exception of the Doom Patrol episode in season one, Beast Boy has either been victimized or supported the other heroes. The series had a dramatic shot at going deeper with his character after he was horrified to learn he had eaten a villainous scientist while he was a tiger. But eventually, that story faded away and hasn’t been addressed ever since then.
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In “Atonement,” the show gives a lot of the spotlight to Gar as Potter gets to present the talent he brings to the DC Universe show. With the team splitting up from the Titans Tower and into duos, Gar gets the task to mentor Conner (Joshua Orpin) following his recovery. But prior to Conner waking up, the episode follows Gar as he adjusts to being on his own in the tower. Acting-wise, Potter gives an entertaining performance that showcases that even without another actor to engage with, the Big Hero 6 star can carry scenes on his own. For a series that has a lot of moments when it follows a single character, Potter has so far been the strongest at it.
One of the famous character traits of Beast Boy in the DC lore is his positivity which Potter brings to screen. It is episodes such as “Atonement” that makes it clear how Titans have been underutilizing Potter’s character. With some of the darker storylines that season two is telling, Gar’s role in episode 9 was refreshing and entertaining. It shouldn’t be forgotten how much Potter can bring to this role especially given how the actor landed the role of the iconic DC hero. His famous Robin audition tape as the DCEU’s Robin (Tim Drake) to Ben Affleck’s Batman became a key moment in Potter’s career.
Not only did the young actor demonstrate his impressive action capabilities, but it became imperative for how he got cast on Titans. DC Comics writer and Titans executive producer Geoff Johns confirmed that Potter’s audition tapes as Tim Drake were heavily part of him booking the role. With performances like the one Potter gave in “Atonement” and the action background he has, Titans need to start embracing one of its greatest characters more. Given Beast Boy’s important role as one of the original members in the comics, Gar is a secret weapon for the series with lots of potential in need of embracing.
While “Atonement” also proved Potter’s ability to lead scenes on his own, the actor did just as well with a co-star for the episode. As Conner is still adjusting and learning how to live, Gar becomes a guide for the Superman/Lex Luthor clone. Despite the major misstep Conner makes, Potter’s performance is another big reminder of the charisma he brings to the DC series. Gar is one of the few teen members the show has with the majority of the cast consisting of the adult Titans. That makes Gar standout and someone that can play a different role from the others. With only a handful amount of episodes left of the current season, there will hopefully be more for Gar to do now and in future seasons.
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