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As the inaugural class of Teen Titans Academy finally begins to gel, one of the school’s most enigmatic recruits reveals their benefactor.
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for “Stitch, In Time” from the Teen Titans Academy 2021 Yearbook #1, by Tim Sheridan, Bernard Chang, Marcelo Maiolo and Rob Leigh, on sale now.
At the start of the Infinite Frontier era, the classic Teen Titans decided to mentor the next generation of young superheroes en masse, opening the doors to a private facility aptly dubbed Teen Titans Academy. Featuring a mix of new and familiar faces, the inaugural class of aspiring heroes quickly navigated the usual teen drama blended with globe-trotting action and intense superhero training. One of the star pupils noticeably rising through the ranks of the class is Stitch, with the class’ yearbook revealing which legacy DC hero is quietly serving as their private benefactor.
Stitch is a non-gender conforming sentient entity compromised of magical rags bound together, not unlike the supernatural hero Ragman though without the human tether at the center. In addition to learning how to be a hero from their peers, Stitch has the added burden of learning what it is to be human, admittedly separate from their peers but forming their own identity as they make friends and try to figure out what their dreams would be if actual dreams were a physical possibility for the magical being. And as Stitch ponders on their place in the world and Teen Titans Academy, they receive a nighttime visit from Doctor Fate.
Fate reveals that Stitch is his apprentice, and he sent them to the school to learn what it means to be a hero, regarding his protege warmly and compliments them on their recent ambition to be elected as class president. Stitch is a bit more sarcastic to their mentor figure, implying that it was Fate’s idea that they attend Teen Titans Academy in the first place and begrudgingly admitting that it turned out to be a good idea. And as Fate attempts to offer his congratulations, he is rebuffed by Stitch before leaving just as quickly as he appeared on the premises, with Stitch awkwardly settling back into their old nocturnal routines, still not quite sure how to approach something as seemingly arbitrary as human sleep.
Given his appearance, this incarnation of Doctor Fate more closely resembles Kent Nelson wearing the helm of Nabu rather than the relatively young Khalid Nassour. It is unclear if Fate has had a direct hand in the creation of Stitch or simply has taken the magical, sentient being under his guidance, with the paranormal protector enrolling Stitch in the academy to give them time among their teenage superhero peers. There is certainly a noted familiarity between the two, bordering on angst-ridden contempt from Stitch but, ultimately, the two appear to know each other well and work well together, even if Stitch insists on continuing to do things their way without Fate’s potential interference or intrusion.
Teen Titans Academy has steadily been revealing the backgrounds of its eclectic inaugural class, with Stitch stepping into the spotlight as they run for class president. While the full extent of Stitch’s connection to Doctor Fate is currently unknown, it is clear that the magical being is here on the good doctor’s behalf, as special way to lean what it is to be human and a superhero in their own right. And with the school bracing itself for a major baptism by fire in the months to come, Stitch will hopefully have learned enough from her mentor and school to survive the experience.
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