Red X
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| Red X | |
 Red X |
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| Publication information | |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Episode "Masks" |
| Created by | Thomas Pugsley Greg Klein |
| In story information | |
| Alter ego | Unknown, formerly Robin |
| Team affiliations | Teen Titans, Slade |
| Notable aliases | X |
| Abilities | Increased strength and agility, Xenothium-powered gadgets |
Red X is a fictional character, an anti-hero in the animated television series Teen Titans, voiced by Scott Menville. He (or rather the identity of Red X) first appears in the episode Masks. He has become one of the most popular minor characters to appear on the show.
Contents |
[edit] Appearances
Red X was originally an alias devised by Robin in order to get closer to Slade by disguising as a thief. Robin created a new suit with new gadgets and designed it so that he would be able to hide his identity from both Slade and his fellow Titans. He used a hologram projecting his Robin costume to deceive the Titans and steal various items of value for Slade. After Starfire accidentally knocked down the hologram projector and caused it to activate itself,(in robins office) Red X's identity was revealed.
Meanwhile, as Red X was about to hand Slade the items, Slade revealed that he already knew that it was Robin, and he was about to fall into Slade's trap when the rest of the Titans dropped in. As Slade was running away, Robin tried to pursue him, and was forced to reveal his identity to the Titans in the process.
In the episode "X", a new Red X appears. Robin discovers the suit has been stolen, and becomes set on finding the criminal and apprehending him personally. The new Red X barely subdues the Titans and is shown using more of the outfit's equipments rather than just the ones Robin originally used to defeat his fellow Titans in a previous episode. The Titans later found out through Robin that Red X was attempting to steal some Xenothium, but Robin is tricked by Professor Chang to occupy Red X long enough for him to capture the rest of the Titans and steal the Xenothium for his cannon while leaving both X and Robin unconscious. Robin ends up capturing Red X and decides to go after Chang. However, during the ensuing battle, Robin nearly takes a fatal tumble off a high railing -- only to have Red X swoop in and save his life. The two end up working together to beat Chang's henchmen.
As Robin succeeds in defeating Chang, Red X tries to steal a vial of Xenothium, only to realize that Robin has stolen his belt (the item that holds the Xenothium) forcing Red X to retreat, leaving Robin to wonder whether or not his bouts as the alter-ego make Red X evil, or if the new X's efforts in stopping Chang make him good.
In "Homecoming: Part 2", Red X seems to have reclaimed his belt that Robin stole from him in "X", and hid in a small vault within the Tower. It’s most likely he has a full supply of Xenothium as well.
In the episode "Revved Up", Red X, with a motorcycle in the same vein as Robin's, returns to win a race held by Ding Dong Daddy in order to win something of value belonging to Robin, but only to sell it if he doesn't see any use of keeping it. The two are neck-and-neck most of the time, with each racer trying to run each other out of the race, but Robin saves Red X when his cycle is destroyed. In return, Red X attacks the other racers (Mad Mod, Gizmo, Fang & Kitten, Dr. Light, Johnny Rancid, The Amazing Mumbo, the Puppet King, and Control Freak) to help Robin win the race. He then lands on a school bus with Starfire and Raven in it and tells them the following: "Tell Robin we're even - for now," before taking off.
[edit] Red X's Personality
Red X's personality is the one major difference between him and Robin. While Robin was Red X he was even more serious than normal and kept his goal of capturing Slade as his top priority. The new guy however is a thief who doesn't want to take over the city or threaten it, but is just looking out for number one, i.e he steals for the money. When the new Red X first appeared and engaged in battle with the Titans there were many signs to showcase that there was a new person under the mask. This Red X is revealed to be far less serious, finding his battle with the Titan's amusing and being more concerned with messing with them then getting what he'd come to steal. His cold, humorous nature is shown when, after using a weapon to turn Raven and Cyborg's attacks on each other, he states,
"Looks like you two got your wires crossed."
Also Red X takes time out of his fight with the Titans to flirt when after capturing Starfire he says,
"You know cutie, the only crime here is that you and I haven't gone out on a...,"
at which point she zaps him with her Starbeams, though it seems obvious what he was going to say. All of these factors can be contributed to making Red X in a sense the 'Fire' to Robin's 'Ice' possibly what the boy wonder would be like if he were a bit more...loose. Also Red X seems to find Robin's hero act irritating as it conflicts with his own 'look out for number one attitude'. The biggest showing of this irritation comes when, during his fight with Robin in the vault in the episode "X", X attacks saying,
"Kid, you take life way too seriously."
[edit] Red X's Identity
Red X's identity is unknown, although the series implies that he might have known that Robin was previously Red X and knew how to break into Titans Tower undetected, as well as all of the suit's tricks and weapons before engaging the Titans.
No conclusive proof has ever been provided prior to X's appearance on the episode "X". Titan's Tower, incidentally, may have been vulnerable as of the last few events of the second season.
[edit] Robin references
In the episode "X", in a scene where Beast Boy shows his ideas on a whiteboard, among the characters there were an adult Nightwing and Jason Todd.
During the fight with Red X, Robin was the only Titan to effectively singlehandedly fight against Red X, even dodging a punch from the back without turning around, showing a level of familiarity with X's fighting style that Robin has not shown before.
As Red X was falling down from a cliff during his escape, his position was facing up towards the sky, a position the animated versions of the "Bat Family" often employ when using the grappling hook as they are falling down, just as Robin has assumed in previous episodes.[citation needed]
In addition to sounding very much like Robin, when Red X helped Robin during the fight with Professor Chang's men, Robin said "I thought you didn't like to play the hero." to which Red X replies "Doesn't mean I don't know how."
As a result of this, some fans believe that Red X's identity may belong to a possible animated version of Jason Todd (adding to this, around the same time in the comics, Jason Todd had been resurrected as a villain/anti-hero for Batman, including using the persona "Red Hood," formerly used by the joker, which slightly resembles X and has a similar fighting style and name [Red X, Red Hood]).
[edit] Xenothium
The item that powers most of the Red X's equipment; a fictional chemical or element which is supposedly very powerful, but equally unstable. (Red X himself refers to the substance as 'rocks', and it is further referred to as an ore by the second villain of the piece, Professor Chang.)
[edit] Skills and abilities
All the abilities of Robin, including stealth and martial arts.
[edit] Equipment
Red X carries a variety of special-purpose X-shaped projectiles (bordering on being plot devices), as well as a belt that allows him to cloak (or even teleport) himself. The fact that a rare ore is needed to power the suit implies a high level of energy expenditure.
The X-projectiles have the ability of attaining any property Red X requires. So far, they have been used as:
- shuriken
- slashing melee weapons
- elastic bands
- restraints (by either movement restriction or adhesion)
- electrocuting or electro-disrupting devices
- instant doorways
