TheTeen Titanshave many beloved heroes in their ranks, but there’s one hero who stands out as the team’s most valuable asset. Some might assume thatStarfire is the strongest Titan, and though she’s certainly formidable in her own right,Ravenis without question the greatest source of power in the roster. She isn’t just an asset in terms of what she contributes in battle, either; Raven’s abilities can help her teammates just as much as they can harm opponents.
Many of the Teen Titans got their start in DC lore assidekicks of more prominent superheroes. For instance, Dick Grayson founded the team as Robin long before he became Nightwing, and Wally West joined as theKid Flash to Barry Allen’s Flash. Raven, however, stands out as a hero in her own right. The daughter of Trigon has incredible magic at her disposal that proves she’s the best Titan around, andnone of her teammates -not even Starfire - can hold a candle to Raven for 8 reasons.
8Raven’s Empathy Lets Her Connect to Her Titans Teammates
The Flash#245 by Alan Burnett, Carlo Barberi, Walden Wong, Richard Horie, Tanya Horie, and Steve Wands
Raven has the ability to read minds and feel the emotions of others thanks to her advanced empathy, and this skill lets her forge a deeper bond with her Titans teammates by assuaging their pain. For example, when theFlash is grappling with the loss of his powers, Raven calms his mind by reading his emotions and talking him through them. Essentially, Raven can be considered the Titans' therapist.
Because of her demonic ancestry, Raven grew up suppressing her emotions so that her true power would not be unleashed, but the kinder applications of her empathetic abilities show that there are benefits to her emotions being exposed.By experiencing what her fellow Titans feel firsthand, Raven is able to help her friends with their struggles when they can’t bear them alone.
7Raven Can Influence Others' Emotions, Or Even Share Her Own
The New Teen Titans#31 by Marv Wolfman, Paul Levitz, Eduardo Barreto, Romeo Tanghal, Adrienne Roy, and Agustin Más
Raven’s empathy is more than just a tool to connect with her Titan allies. Over the years, she’s found ways to weaponize it.Raven is capable of more than sharing others' emotions, as she’s also capable of manipulating their emotions.She once used this power against Kid Flash to trick him into falling for her so he would join theTeen Titans' revamped roster. If Raven can make a person love her, then there’s no limit to what emotions she can inflict upon targets.
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In addition to manipulating emotions within a victim’s mind, Raven can impart her own emotions upon someone so that they can experience what she feels rather than vice versa, such as when she’s forced villains like Brother Blood to suffer her rage.Raven’s empath powerscan take a dark turn when the situation calls for it, solidifying her as the Titans' most fearsome fighter.
Superman / Batman#61 by Michael Green, Mike Johnson, Francis Manapul, Brian Buccellato, and Rob Leigh
Raven’s powers trump the other Titans', and she also has a competitive edge over the Justice League’s heroes.She has shown that she can beat Superman, imprisoning him without a chance of escape. Possessed or not, the magical nature of Raven’s powers gives her an inherent advantage over Superman, sinceKryptonians have a weakness against magic.
Overpowering Superman is a feat that may not seem like a benefit for a Titan, since all superheroes are meant to be fighting for the same righteous cause, but there are times when they don’t see eye-to-eye. Donna Troy, the Titans' leader, has expressed her concerns about theJustice League’s problemsand planted seeds for dissent between the teams. Therefore, Raven’s power to incapacitate heroes like Superman could be invaluable to the Titans.
5Raven Becomes the Titans' Healer by Absorbing Pain Into Herself
The New Teen Titans#15 by Marv Wolfman, Eduardo Barreto, Romeo Tanghal, Adrienne Roy, and Bob Lappan
Raven’s empathy lets her heal emotional wounds, but her magic can take that a step further and allow her to heal physical ailments as well.This power is on full display when she visits a village and cures them of their sickness. The caveat to this externalhealing factoris that Raven takes their illness upon herself, absorbing their collective pain and experiencing it to a greater extent than any one individual.
This superpower has evolved over time so that Raven doesn’t always need to experience one’s pain in order to remedy it. As a result, she can act as the Titans' designated healer without dealing damage to herself in the process. Raven’s ability to cure sickness and mend injuries - such as when she healed Nightwing inTitans#15by Tom Taylor and Lucas Meyer - is a great skill to have, and it’s one that heroes like the Titans sorely need.
4Raven Has Defeated Trigon Numerous Times in DC History
Raven: Daughter of Darkness#6 by Marv Wolfman, Pop Mhan, Lovern Kindzierski, and Saida Temofonte
Raven’s most contentious relationship is with her demon father, Trigon, who’s terrorized her since her earliest days. As a result, many of Raven’s biggest conflicts end up revolving aroundTrigon making a shocking returnto face her. Raven’s first battle with Trigon was the most difficult, as she struggled with succumbing to his control, but she’s found various inventive ways to beat him over the years that indicate she’s surpassed one ofDC’s strongest villains.
Raven’s most recent defeat of Trigon takes place in the “Dark-Winged Queen” arc of Tom Taylor and Lucas Meyer’sTitans, which will release in trade paperback on February 25th, 2025 from DC Comics.
Trigon tends to be thought of as more powerful than Raven due to his cosmic power that rivals even thegods of the DC Universe, yet she’s managed to hold her own against him in spite of that gap in magic.Raven has circumvented his might on multiple occasions by rejecting his manipulation and outsmarting him.The Titans thus owe most, if not all, of their victories over Trigon to her.
3Raven Can Seal Others in the Phantom Zone With Her Powers
Titans#7 by Tom Taylor, Travis Moore, Tamra Bonvillain, and Wes Abbott
The Phantom Zone is most commonly associated with Superman, but Raven has unveiled her own surprising connection to it. Discovered byJor-El of Krypton, the Zone is an alternate dimension that imprisons the worst Kryptonian criminals, and Superman only uses it as a last resort via hisPhantom Zone projector. However,Raven has demonstrated that she can trap others in the Phantom Zone herself without the aid of technology.
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When Ravenseals Brother Blood in the Phantom Zone, her Titans teammates are stunned by this power. Transporting someone into a prison dimension is no small feat, after all, and it shows that she isn’t always merciful. Raven’s willingness to punish foes when Nightwing and the others are hesitant makes her invaluable to the team, as there are times when mercy isn’t an option.
2Raven’s Soul Self Unlocks the Full Extent of Her Magic
DC Comics Presents#26 by Marv Wolfman, George Pérez, Dick Giordano, Adrienne Roy, and Ben Oda
Raven may be supremely powerful, but she can only tap into her full potential by unleashing what is known as her Soul Self. She first reveals this ability in her very first appearance in DC lore, in which she attacks a blob creature from another dimension that’s rampaging through the city. When none of the other heroes seem to have any effect on the alien, Raven decides to unleash her Soul Self upon it.
This astral projection of Raven’s essence enables her to manipulate darkness, and it also unlocks the ability to teleport others from one location to another.Raven’s magic reaches a new level of power once her Soul Self is on the battlefield, elevating her to astounding heights that the other Titans can’t compare to.
1Raven Can Combine the Titans' Powers Into Her Own “Infinity Gauntlet”
Titans#15 by Tom Taylor, Lucas Meyer, Adriano Lucas, and Wes Abbott
One of Raven’s greatest accomplishments is also her most recent, taking place during the grand finale of the"Dark-Winged Queen" saga. After engaging in a battle against her evil counterpart, Raven merges with her and prepares to battle Trigon. In order to vanquish the demon once and for all, she decides she needs more power, andtransforms the Titans into soul gemsthat she attaches to a crown.While wearing this astral crown, Raven can harness the powers of every Titan at will.
To see what Raven is currently up to in DC continuity, check outRenaissance of Ravenby Sina Grace, Carola Borelli, Katherine Lobo, and Nico Bascuñán, available for free on DC Universe Infinite!
With her magic, Raven can upgrade not only her own powers, but use those of her teammates as well. With every Titan’sunique array of superpowersin her arsenal, including Starfire’s, she puts most other DC heroes to shame with her nearly limitless potential. This and other impressive feats scattered throughout her history officially cementRavenas the bestTeen Titan.
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!.
