Titans fans began speculating in late June, following the release of a behind-the-scenes photo, that the second season of the DC Universe drama will introduce a version of the team's iconic headquarters, Titans Tower. The newly released trailer for Season 2 seems to support that, with shots of the character in a new setting, with a training facility, Japanese garden and monitor room, all bathed in blue light. However, the footage may also reveal this base of operation isn't in Chicago or Ohio, where much of Season 1's action was set, but instead in San Francisco.
Debuting in 1980 in DC Comics Presents #26, in which the New Teen Titans were introduced, the original Titans Tower was built by Cyborg's father, Dr. Silas Stone, on an island in New York City's East River. The T-shaped structure contained apartments for the Titans, a meeting room, a gymnasium, computer labs, an infirmary, hangars for aircraft and even a submarine, with tunnel access to the river.
The first Titans Tower was ultimately destroyed in 1991's New Titans #76. A second one, a tower only in name, was introduced in 1998 in JLA/Titans #1. Built by Cyborg, it was an elaborate 3D hologram atop the ruins of the original Titans Tower, intended to fool any enemies who might attack the heroes; their actual headquarters was underground. The third, and current, Titans Tower is the comics is located off San Francisco Bay. Similarly, the 2003 Teen Titans animated series featured a Titans Tower on an island off the coast of California, possibly near San Francisco, while Teen Titans Go! places the T-shaped building in fictional Jump City.
So, why do we think the headquarters, whether Titans Tower or something else, is set in San Francisco on Titans? About 26 seconds into the footage, there's a shot of Teagan Croft's Raven, Brenton Thwaites' Dick Grayson, Ryan Potter's Garfield Logan and Curran Walters' Jason Todd in some kind of command center or monitor room. One of the large monitors in front of Jason, displaying city schematics, is labeled "San Francisco." Now, it's possible they're in distant Chicago or Columbus, Ohio, investigating what appears to be a series of murders, from a distance. However, that doesn't make a lot of sense, unless there are identical crimes being committed wherever they are. But if that were the case, why would they need a satellite image of San Francisco?
If we subscribe to the theory that Season 2 will flash back to the past, to the original team of Titans, featuring Robin, Wonder Girl, Hawk and Dove, and Aqualad, the existence of a San Francisco headquarters certainly makes sense. Otherwise, where is Aqualad going to use his powers? Lake Michigan? The Scioto River? Please don't say the sewers.
Now streaming on DC Universe, Titans stars Brenton Thwaites as Dick Grayson, Anna Diop as Kory Anders, Teagan Croft as Rachel Roth and Ryan Potter as Garfield Logan, with Rachel Nichols as Angela, Seamus Dever as Trigon, Minka Kelly as Dawn Granger, Alan Ritchson as Hank Hall and Curran Walters as Jason Todd. Season 2 arrives Sept. 6.
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