***
"But..." Slade steps into the light. "...if you disobey even the smallest request, I will annihilate them, Robin. And I'll make you watch." Slade laughs. "So, do we have a deal?"
***
Long, tense silence from the Titan, after which the camera tilts up to the overhead gears and into the blackness past them. This resolves into a street in Jump City. It is now nighttime. The rest of the Titans are far down the block.
"Robin?" Starfire calls out the name of her friend.
Cyborg helps Beast Boy up from a manhole, Starfire has her communicator out and is speaking into it.
"Robin? Robin, please respond!" Starfire lowering her communicator down, looking at others. "Why does he not answer?"
"His locator's been deactivated." Cyborg states looking down on his hand. "We have no way to find him."
Beast Boy brushes himself off.
"Robin, please. You must answer. Robin!" Starfire raising her communicator again. "Please respond!" Starfire cried out as she fell to her knee.
***
Pool of light cast from above. A tiny red dot glows through the utility belt-an incoming-call signal from the communicator in its pouch. A hazy figure can be seen in the harsh glare.
"Robin, where are you?" Starfire demands.
Black glove being pulled on, a steel wrist guard being snapped into place, a belt being buckled under a chest that is yellow on the left side and black on the right; a neck piece fastened under Robin's chin. He takes his hands away after this last action to reveal a silver S emblazoned over his heart, defeated face. if the abandoned clothing did not show his renunciation clearly enough, this shot gets the point across beyond all doubt. Robin wears steel reinforcements just like those of Slade, who steps into the light behind him.
"I know it seems bad now. But trust me-" Slade moves away. "-you'll learn to like it." Slade said softly.
The former leader of the Titans, standing motionless in the white light from overhead. His expression has not changed one bit, nor does it do so as Slade passes in front of him. The new boss passes into the darkness, leaving him alone, the light is shut off to black out.
***