Everyone was curious as to who was hiding behind the enigmatic Red X mask. You would not believe it, but we have finally figured out who he was! The character itself is a part of the Teen Titans Universe, where a team of young superheroes is entrusted with battling villains and defending the globe.
Robin, Batman’s Robin, is the leader of the Teen Titans, who embark on various adventures. Comic novels, television series, and other forms of media have all recorded the exploits of these brave teenagers. When Red X first appeared, fans went crazy trying to figure out who the mask-wearing villain was. This is everything we know about Red X. Enjoy!
Robin and Red X – the Teen Titans animated series saga!
Here is a detailed overview of Red X for those who are unfamiliar. Red X was first featured in Teen Titans: Animated Series and eventually adopted into the canon of comic books. Wearing his recognisable white cap with a big red X in the middle, the character made his debut in the ninth episode of the first season. Red X immediately proved popular with audiences since he was so easily recognisable and true to his name. This is how everything transpired.
One of the most dangerous assassins in the entire DC Universe, Slade, better known as Deathstroke, was being sought after by Robin, the leader of the adolescent Titans. Robin came up with a scheme of his own to discover about Slade’s ambitions: he would have to befriend Slade while posing as someone else because, clearly, showing up as Robin and asking him about his plans would probably result in a bloody confrontation between the two. Robin made the decision to assume the identity of Red X in an effort to get close to Slade.
Robin specifically requested Xenothium as a power source in his request to Professor Chang for the supplies required to construct the Red X suit. He created the outfit and gave Red X the persona of an evil master thief with special abilities. Eventually, he discovered that Slade desired some microchips, so Robin, posing as a super-powered expert thief, stole some of the computer chips Slade was after and gave them along with an offer to collaborate.
This entire time, he never told his friends and fellow Titans about his plan, keeping them all in the dark. He did so to protect and safeguard both his plan and himself in the event Slade ever found out his true identity. Thus, in the tv series, his friends believed that they were now dealing with a new villain called Red X.
Red X knew all their weaknesses, which concerned and bothered them, since he was the first to get to the microchips. However, since Robin himself was Red X, this did not come as a surprise to viewers. He would always be late when he had to come and help his teammates, because he was busy being Red X and trying to gain Slade’s trust.
His entire plan ended up backfiring horribly. His strategy failed the moment when Slade revealed that he knew who Red X was all along. While Robin was able to get the chips back, Slade was able to evade him once more, eluding capture and interrogation. However, this was not all. Remember how he had hidden his new identity from his fellow Titans? That came back to bite him since all his friends lost trust and faith in him, leaving him back at ground zero.
After his failure, Robin kept the suit in a vault in Titans Tower, never to be used again, because the Xenothium power core could not be thrown away or dumped in an environmental-friendly manner. The Teen Titans never expected to battle anyone in the same suit again… but boy! Were they wrong!
In the third season, Red X makes a comeback. The costume, however, was eventually stolen from Titans Tower and fell into the hands of an unidentified criminal who planned to use it for his own financial advantage. The Teen Titans thus came face to face with Red X once again.
They fought Red X as they tried to take him down for orchestrating a bunch of robberies, and this time, Robin was also there and lost to Red X, leading to all of his friends realising that it was not him under the mask this time around. The Titans, especially Beast Boy, came up with a tonne of thoughts on who was behind the mask this time. This included numerous hypotheses that implicated people like Jason Todd, villainous Robins, a future Nightwing, and DNA-spliced cyber monkeys.
Red X on the other hand, had a plan – he wanted his power, and thus he grabbed a scanner that could find the chemical, because the Xenothium supply in the suit’s power belt was almost depleted. Robin wanted to know the possible whereabouts of Red X to be able to track him down and forced Professor Chang to divulge the most likely place Red X could find additional Xenothium.
The place where Xenothium was kept was a heavily guarded tech firm in the southern part of the city and he realised that that was where Red X would go. The Teen Titans pursued Red X as he entered the building, but Professor Chang’s goons were right behind them. Chang planned to steal the Xenothium for himself in order to power a massive disintegrator cannon of his own design. He kidnapped the other Titans and held them captive to make sure Robin wouldn’t intervene.
Robin and Red X came face to face as their rivalry came to a boiling point. Red X made fun of Robin’s one mistake that contributed to his creation, as Robin questioned him about his self-serving attitudes. Unimpressed and eager to atone, Robin went for Chang himself but nearly became his own victim in the process.
Red X then assisted Robin in releasing his friends, taking down Chang, and saving himself from a certain death at the very last second. Although he had to leave his power belt in Robin’s hands, he managed to escape as the Titans planned to do the same to him by detonating a tube of Xenothium at their feet. This also took his character arc from villain to anti-hero, because he joined forces with Robin to save the Titans and Robin as well.
He is seen once again in the fifth season in a brief cameo appearance. Red X was regarded as a new recruit within the Brotherhood of Evil as he was seen with them. It is indeed a mystery as to why he was there and what he was doing, since he had helped save the Teen Titans while the Brotherhood of Evil’s sole goal was to destroy the Teen Titans. His motivations were never revealed or mentioned.
He then appeared towards the end of the fifth season. Here, after having his power belt restored, he took part in a race that Ding Dong Daddy organised for Robin’s most valuable possession, which he had stolen and intended to sell for the greatest price. Red X was forced off the road by a bomb that Ding Dong Daddy dropped, but Robin intervened just in time to save him.
Red X then attacked the other racing villains and completely crippled their vehicles as he realised that Robin was in a desperate situation. He refrained from injuring his final victim, a bus piloted by Raven and Starfire, telling the two girls to “Tell Robin we’re even… for now,” and then he vanished, having helped Robin win the race and recover his possession.
Lastly, Red X made a brief cameo during the final showdown with the Brotherhood before switching sides to support the Titans in order to further his own goals. He then vanished afterward, indicating he had left both teams. It is unknown where he is right now or what he is doing.
Red X’s origins in the comic books
He debuted in the comic teen Titans Future State. Teen Titans introduces a pretty unique idea in which we propose that in the distant past, a Teen Titans Academy was founded, where the more traditional Titans – Nightwing, Starfire and Cyborg – trained characters from the new Teen Titans like Roundhouse, Crush and others. However, these legendary Titans were tasked with guarding and guiding the pupils who would grow up to be heroes, but they were met with pupils whom they were unable to instruct.
The result of the betrayal is that the majority of the kids at Teen Titans Academy have died, Teen Titans Academy has collapsed, there has been a strange treachery and then Red X makes his debut in the DC Universe. It will be in Teen Titans Future State that the character will make an appearance. His identity is unknown during his first appearance and he remains this way for the rest of the series.
The writer of this series, Tim Sheridan, shared his thoughts about this iconic Teen Titans character, saying that the best thing Teen Titans ever accomplished was introducing us to Red X, a character whose identity was a mystery for an episode until it was revealed to be Dick Grayson. He believes they then decided to add another Red X to the puzzle because they thought, “We’ve got something cool here.” It was therefore quite exciting for Sheridan as a fan of that series and someone who came from the animation world to have the chance to introduce a character into the main timeline, whose life originated in animation. It was a great honour for him, and he hoped he could honour him in some way.
Red X does his best in this comic and he is on the right side this time. The Four Horsemen of Apocalypse, who were each taking one of their former teammates as a vessel, had shattered the future that the Titans were experiencing. The most dreadful and infamous of them all was undoubtedly Wally West, or more precisely, Famine inside of Wally’s body, who went on a merciless killing spree against other speedsters. In the face of such great threats, Nightwing had taken the enigmatic Red X back under his wing, and together they had brought the Dial H for Hero, a nuclear option, into the fray. Red Arrow, however, was murdered by the possessed Wally West, when she tried to take revenge for the death of Kid Flash as soon as the Titan’s final conflict with Wally West started.
Red X pulled out the modified H-Dial while the rest of the team was concentrated on giving Raven the time that she needed to utilise her powers, trading Nightwing his mask for it in Red X’s mask in a delightfully solemn exchange. Red X dashed onto the battlefield without a mask to face the horrors that awaited him, but he was still hiding his identity. Red X called forth the spirits of all the slain Titans who had been called to the battle by the power of the H-Dial, merging them into one frightening mass through Raven’s sorcery.
The group was more than sufficient to defeat the united Horsemen when they came together one last time. The short-lived reunion was a magnificent moment, but it was marred by Red X’s unceremonious death just seconds later, the hero’s face still hidden by the darkness. Nothing was revealed, building up the tension for the upcoming series – Teen Titans Academy.
However, it is important to note that as far as his comic appearances are concerned, Infinite Frontier and Teen Titans Academy are entirely focused on the mystery of who is behind the mask, as opposed to Future State, which was more interested in incorporating Red X into the DC canon. He played a central role in defeating the four horsemen of apocalypse before he was brought in as an integral plot element in Teen Titans Academy.
The mystery surrounding his identity
Red X has been quite the mysterious persona ever since Robin discarded the costume and unnamed people took on the mantle. Here is what we know about who is behind the iconic skull mask with an X across it. Apparently, since Robin wore the suit, there have been three more people who have taken up the mantle, and this is how it went.
One of the main pulls of DC’s most recent Teen Titans series, Teen Titans Academy, was the character Red X’s entrance to comics continuity from the animated Teen Titans show. The mystery surrounding this character’s identity was a big part of them, much like in the show. The comic promised a revelation, because the television version of the original Red X never had their identity revealed. The mystery has now been solved in the most recent issue of the series. However, issues with Red X’s new comic book legacy raise the question of whether or not it was satisfying.
The ultimate conflict with the antagonist in Teen Titans Academy #12 took place in the remains of Titans Tower. The Gotham trio known as the Bat-Pack and the teaching staff were already aware of who was hiding behind the mask. As the chaos subsided and Red X was caught, Nightwing demanded that he divulge his true identity and he disclosed that he was Brick, another Titans Academy student.
The issues that had preceded this one had had the necessary evidence. Recently, it was established that Red X was, in fact, a student at the Academy. He also recently lost control and demonstrated his metahuman talents to everyone. The character tried to keep them hidden as much as he could, but occasionally he slipped and had to deploy his electrical-based EMP abilities. He effectively revealed his identity long before he took off the mask due to this and the fact that he was always absent from any confrontations with Red X at the school.
Therefore, observant readers who have been immersed in this mystery presumably already knew who Red X was. It is up to them to decide if they are pleased that Brick has been identified as the Titans’ foe. When the second Red X appeared after Brick’s disclosure, people began to wonder if it was fulfilling or not. As it turned out, when Robin constructed the persona ten years ago, the young student was being misled by the guy who donned the mask immediately after Dick Grayson. This Red X killed Brick in cold blood, because he viewed his own apprentice Red X as a failure and gave readers a completely new identity to decipher.
If you really think about it, it makes a lot of sense to return Red X’s mystery to that of the first animated series. After Dick Grayson all those years ago, who actually wore the mask? But it appears that going forward, this might become the standard. The first Red X was Grayson, this one was the second, and Brick was the fourth. That implies that there is a third individual, whose identity has remained unknown. Who’s to say they won’t return as soon as this second Red X is unveiled and carry out the same deed, murdering them and replacing them with a new mystery. The way the story is now put up makes sense, but fans are all plunged into the dark once again.
Red X’s identity being revealed should have felt like a major puzzle being solved. Now, though, it seems to have raised more queries than it has resolved. It doesn’t feel gratifying to solve a riddle by creating a brand-new one that is practically exactly the same as the old one.
Even while the threat of a third, as-yet-unidentified Red X still hangs over the series, perhaps the newly revealed Red X will take the lead from the first Teen Titans television series. It never disclosed who had made it, in the first place, and that is what the mysterious and enigmatic red X should be like, in our opinion. The mystery of his identity adds to his character and presence. Some things are better left unsaid after all.
Perhaps this is a good time to set aside the mystery and concentrate exclusively on the tension that arose between Dick Grayson, the original Red X, and the person who assumed his most twisted guise.
There are, however, some fan theories circling around this and some fans are really invested so well, this is what we know… Many fans seem to believe that Red X is Jason Todd, because there have apparently been many subtle references that point in that direction. Red X liked to refer to Robin as “kid,” but Jason had a reputation for calling individuals by their nicknames and provoking them in this way.
Red X may also be a little taller than Robin, although even that is in keeping with Jason. Jason was the largest of the former Robins when he returned, standing around 6 feet tall and weighing 220 pounds of muscle, bigger by a few inches than Dick Grayson. This is just another theory. What do you think? Who is behind that iconic mask?
What makes him so powerful?
The reason he is considered to be extremely powerful is that Red X can match Robin’s physical prowess as a skilled martial artist and acrobat. Their fighting styles are actually fairly similar. It is only their motivations that are vastly different. Robin took his role as Red X even more seriously than usual, and he continued to put Slade’s capture first. The new X, on the other hand, is a thief who only steals to benefit financially and is “just looking out for number one.”
This Red X is shown to be far less serious, enjoying his conflict with the Titans and caring more about getting into trouble with them than obtaining the object of his visit. Red X appeared to be attracted to Starfire because he made an attempt to flirt with her in episode X. Despite the fact that she rejects him, this indicates that Red X and Robin have comparable preferences for females.
As far as his specific powers are concerned, the belt on Red X’s costume is where he gets them from. The substance Xenothium powers the belt. A teleportation gadget and an invisibility or cloaking device are also attached to the suit. His gloves’ palms are also capable of forming x-shaped manifestations that may have been developed using nanotechnology. These manifestations may serve as shuriken, wrist-mounted blades, constriction or adhesion restraints, timed explosives, quick openings, or any other imaginable purpose. He built his own motorcycle, demonstrating his skill as a mechanic.
In fact, he has demonstrated immense fighting and combat prowess and capability, both in the show and in the comics, as he assisted Robin and the Teen Titans, and even fought them on occasion. Red X, who views Robin to be a personal opponent, but also appears to be respecting him enough to help him in times of need, is more of an anti-hero than a villain. In his first appearance, he assists Robin in defeating Professor Chang and frees the other Titans.
Later, in “Revved Up,” he competes for Robin’s personal possession, but after Robin saves his life, he returns the favour by eliminating the other competitors before disappearing. Since then, he developed into one of the show’s most well-liked characters, which led him to getting featured heavily in the comic book continuity.
Red X is a lesser-known anti-hero but definitely deserves some of the fame that other Teen Titan villains enjoy. His character is interesting and enigmatic, and the mystery of who is behind the mask always manages to get viewers or readers hooked, depending upon the scenario. The search for who wears the costume and holds the mantle is something fans have become heavily invested in and we can’t wait for the entire truth to be revealed. Do you have a theory of who is behind the mask? Tell us in the comments section below!