PLOT:
It's a day of remembrance all across the country. A day to look back and remember your loved ones who had passed. To look back on the grief and the loss and
gauge one's own reaction in the aftermath of the loss. Throughout the superhero (and supervillain) community, coping mechanisms vary from case to case. Some (like Slade Wilson) continue to hold onto the grief, solidifying and carrying lifelong grudges. Others (like Red Star or Ravager) internalize their grief, turning self-destructive. But the Titans collectively have one time honored tradition - the Memorial Hall at Titans Tower in San
Francisco. Certainly as a whole, the Titans and Teen Titans teams have more than their fair share of deceased colleagues. But as they all convene at the Tower for Tribute Day, they find that the problem isn't in remembering those lost along the way, but the manner in which others view the deceased.
For instance perhaps no other Teen Titans member has more of a polarizing reputation than that of Terra. Seduced by Deathstroke into nearly taking out all of the Teen Titans before losing her own life in the subsequent battle. To some that makes her an unworthy candidate for memorial. But for others, like Gar Logan, she's special - someone he cared about a long time ago. Deciding to spend some time by himself he steps out to rocky shore. It's there that with a mixture of elation and pure awe he gazes upon the shock of a life time! Terra! Healthy and smiling and happy to see him!
His dream come true, Gar closes his eyes and embraces Terra, their lips touching in a kiss he though he'd perhaps never have a chance to have. But his dream would soon turn into a terrifying nightmare. For the Terra standing before him, healthy, young and vibrant is merely a mirage concocted by the strong telepathic powers of a nearby Black Lantern Lillith. But by the time Gar's friends arrive to save him, it's too late! He opens his eyes to find himself embracing the gangrene rotten corpse of his former love. Congealed bodily fluids dripping from her dried fleshy mouth. He recoils in horror but it may be too late! The corpse reaches out and
grasps towards his heart!
Far away, in Washington, another former Titan's legacy is being hotly contested. The sisters Granger, now known as the second (and third) generations of Hawk and Dove have returned home from Tribute Day and are arguing over the previous Hawk (Hank Hall). With a reputation as a bit of a
misogynist and an arrogant blow-hard, the fact that he spent the last days of his life as the villain Extant only further damns Hall's name in the eyes of his predecessor, Holly Granger. Yet her sister Dawn contests that those who knew Hank better knew that his brash attitude was nothing but a facade to keep people from getting to know his true personality.
Holly is unaware that she's soon to be introduced to Hank. And he's none too impressed by the woman the Lord of Chaos chose to fill his position as the Avatar of War.
Yet strangely enough, as he watches from the shadows, when his dead eyes look out at his former partner, the Avatar of Peace, Dove, he sees her cast in a glow of white light. His ring seems incapable of registering the emotion radiating from her. Leaving behind a trail of entwined corpses of hawks and doves, he baits them to the Georgetown University Library.
And of course, Holly's headstrong persona proves too great to resist such an obvious trap.
When Hank finally steps out of the shadows and makes himself known, the two sisters spring into action. But as personification of pacifism, Dove is limited in what actions she can take to defend her sister from the rampaging Black Lantern Hawk. She can only stand by and watch in horror as the undead Hank Hall shoves his fist through her sister's chest, snatching out Holly's heart!
But while Hawk's cries echo into the night, far away, back in San Francisco, one Titan is restlessly trying to sleep her way through the remainder of Tribute Day. As someone who has lost more than just members of her super-hero family, this is an especially difficult day for Donna Troy. Having returned from the otherside herself, she looks back at the tragic accident that took the life of her husband and young child and wishes that death's two-way street could work favorably outside of just the hero community. That night, lying there trying to quiet those thoughts in her head, a long
squeaking sound comes from behind her as a gray baby carriage ominously wheels towards her bedside. A tiny voice calls out in the shadows, "Mommy."
Yes, Tribute Day. Rest assured, that no matter how you remember those that have died... they remember you.
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