Summary
WARNING: Contains Potential Spoilers for Titans #12!Despite first appearing in comics over 59 years ago and being a coreTitansmember,Wonder GirlDonna Troy has yet to be given a villain truly worthy of being her greatest enemy. However, the latest issue of Tom Taylor’sTitansrun may have introduced a foe who not only matches Donna in might and power but also has a tragically perfect origin story tied to the former Wonder Girl.
Vanadia’s tragic backstory, connection to Donna, and her ability to match the former Wonder Girl in might and power make her a truly worthy opponent.
Tom Taylor and Lucas Meyer’sTitans#12 picks up where issue #11 left off, with the Titans battling their newest villain—Vanadia. Vanadia is an android creation of Professor Thomas Oscar Morrow, controlled and manipulated by Amanda Waller. However, Vanadia wasn’t always an overpowered android.
The Titans’ Superfan Turned Android Was Worthy of Becoming Donna Troy’s Greatest Enemy
After Vanessa’s heart gave out during one of Morrow’s experiments, her consciousness was uploaded into an android body. Believing she was still on the path to becoming a hero like the Titans she idolized, Vanessa, now known as Vanadia, gained AMAZO-like powers that allowed her to mimic the Titans' abilities. Manipulated by Morrow and Waller into thinking that androids were impersonating the Titans,Vanadia was set loose on the real Titans. In the ensuing battle, she believed she was fighting impostors anddemonstrated power that matched and even overpowered Donna’s, proving herself to be a formidable opponent for the former Wonder Girl.
What makes Vanadia a perfect adversary for Donna is their connected past. InTitans#12, a flashback revealed that as a child,Vanessa particularly idolizedDonna Troy among all the Titans. Donna was Vanadia’s true inspiration to become a hero, ultimately leading her down the tragic path of being transformed by Waller into something inhuman. Vanadia’s tragic backstory, connection to Donna, and her ability to match the former Wonder Girl in might and power make her a truly worthy opponent. However, there’s one slight hiccup in making this villain a permanent fixture in Donna’s narratives.
Donna Troy Vows the Titans Will Try To Bring Vanadia Back, But Will She Return as a Friend or Foe?
The problem with Vanadia becoming Donna’s greatest enemy is that Tom Taylor has seemingly already killed her off,having Evil Ravendecapitate her. However, not all hope is lost for this tragic villain’s return. While fighting Vanadia, the Titans learn of her idolization of them and that she is only attacking them because she is being manipulated by Professor Morrow. This earns their sympathy and sorrow. When the team confronts Morrow, Donna vows that if there is a way to bring Vanadia back, they will. Whether theTitanswill succeed and whether Vanadia comes back as a friend or foe remains to be seen.
TITANS #12 (2024)
Teen Titansis a superhero animated TV series based on the DC Comics team of the same name. Airing from 2003 to 2006, the show follows five young heroes—Robin, Starfire, Cyborg, Raven, and Beast Boy—as they battle villains while navigating adolescence. The series was widely praised for its blend of action, humor, and character development, and it spawned a popular spin-off,Teen Titans Go!.
