Recap / Titans S 1 E 9 Hank And Dawn

The origin story of Hank Hall and Dawn Granger's relationship and the loss in each of their pasts that brings them together as vigilante superheroes Hawk and Dove.

Tropes

• A Day in the Limelight: For Hank and Dawn, with all the other characters being completely absent, save Raven in a very minor capacity.
• Asshole Victim: It's strongly implied Hank killed his old football coach Vincent. Considering the guy was a pedophile who molested his child player and from what Dawn revealed had done this to numerous other kids, it's hard to say the guy didn’t have it coming.
• Astral Projection: Throughout the episode Rachel sends a psychic warning to Hank and Dawn, but only Dawn notices it at the end of the episode. It's enough to make her wake up from her coma.
• Big Brother Instinct: When the coach tries to lure his little brother into the weight room, Hank offers to take his place. After growing up Donny realises what happened and tries to protect his brother from killing himself on the football field.
• Cross-Referenced Titles: With "Hawk And Dove".
• Forced to Watch: Inverted. When Hank tries to usher Dawn out so she wouldn't have to see things escalate with his abuser, she refuses and stays to watch.
• Helmets Are Hardly Heroic: After walking into a clothesline, Hank rips off the helmet needed to protect his head from further injury because it restricts his vision.
• Informed Ability: In the flashbacks, Dawn is supposed to have trained in jiu-jitsu for seven years but she's beaten by Vincent. Although the fact is she probably doesn't have much experience fighting outside of a controlled scenario.
• Laser-Guided Karma/Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: Vincent gives Hank a great football scholarship in return for... favors. In the long run, this gets him beaten (possibly to death) by Hank, who decides to chase after pedophiles who get off Scott free.
• Life Will Kill You: Donny isn't killed in some fight with crooks. Dawn's mother doesn't die at the hands of her abusive husband. Instead, they're both at the wrong spot at the wrong time when an out-of-control van smashes into a newsstand and Hank and Dawn are only spared by being just a few feet away
  Councilor: Life isn't always fair.
  Dawn: I know. But why can't we make it fair?
• Mood Whiplash: From the amateurishly comic video Hank and Don make of their vigilante activities, to them both beating up a paedophile.
• Origins Episode: How the Hawk and Dove team came to be, as well as how Dawn and Hank started their relationship is explored in this episode through a flashback/dream.
• Pædo Hunt: Hank and Don are motivated to become Hawk and Dove by the thought of hunting down pedophiles; in Hank's case a Revenge by Proxy because he is unable to face up to his abuse until Dawn encourages him.
• Scenery Censor: The darkness of Hank's apartment conceals most of Hank and Dawn's bodies as they strip naked.
• Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Basically Don's reaction when he told the headmistress to just expel him and Hank.
• Surprisingly Realistic Outcome: Just because you've been training for several years in martial arts in a controlled environment does not mean you're instantly better in a fight with a much larger opponent. Especially when you've never actually been in a fight before.
• Tranquil Fury: The headmistress when Don calls her out on her favoritism and tell her to just "fucking" expel them both. Apparently disappointed that a good hard-working black student would throw away his future, all to defend his white brother.
• Unskilled, but Strong: How Vincent manages to beat the much more skilled, but less experienced Dawn.
• Villains Want Mercy: Vincent pleads for his life as Hank beats him to a pulp.
• Whole Episode Flashback: The episode revolves around Hank remembering losing his brother and meeting Dawn.
• Would Hit a Girl: Hank's old football coach beats up Dawn when she demands him to confess to what he did to Hank. He tries to shoot her until Hank shows up.