All the Major DC Heroes Infected in Titans: Beast World

Beast World has ravaged the DC Universe and continues to wreak havoc months into the massive crossover. Beginning in Titans: Beast World #1, the event was initiated when Beast Boy took on the form of classic Justice League villain Starro the Conqueror to dispel the threat of a Necrostar that was headed to Earth. While the young Titan’s efforts were certainly valiant, they led to him being corrupted, thanks largely to the secret influence of Dr. Hate, Amanda Waller’s newest operative.

Now operating as Garro, the corrupted Beast Boy hovered over Earth and released spores that showered the planet like the being he emulated. Upon ingesting these green, star-shaped spores, humans and metahumans alike are transformed into animalistic versions of themselves, with the majority of the infected degenerating into an uncontrollable rage-like state. This has pushed the world into a state of panic and chaos, as numerous heroes and villains have been transformed into feral creatures while still maintaining their superhuman abilities. Here is a list of the major heroes who have been infected so far.

9 Aquaman Family

Infected in Titans: Beast World Tour – Atlantis #1 (by various creative teams)

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Not even the king of Atlantis proved immune to Garro’s spores, and he was the first underwater hero infected while defending the seas. After he is chained in an Atlantian prison, his wife and queen Mera is also overtaken by a spore when she attempts to defend Jackson Hyde. Finally, a backup story in Titans: Beast World – Atlantis depicts Amanda Waller purposely infecting Dolphin while she is held prisoner.

Beast World has established that the creatures humans transform into are a reflection of who they are inside. This makes it interesting that Aquaman transforms into what appears to be some kind of snake/fish hybrid, while his wife Mera changes into something that is much more shark-like. This likely reflects Mera having a more volatile personality than her husband. Dolphin, meanwhile, appears to have simply transformed into her namesake.

8 Batman

Infected in Titans: Beast World #2 (by Tom Taylor and Ivan Reis)

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Batman himself is surprisingly one of the first heroes infected, as he immediately leaps into the fray beside Nightwing when Garro’s spores are first released. After being wounded in battle, he is ultimately infected when a spore flies into his mouth after departing from a snake-woman, instantly transforming the Caped Crusader into a raving wolf-man.

While it would have been more expected for Batman to transform into a bat, his changing into a wolf actually makes a bit more sense. After all, the Caped Crusader does not actually fly, and wolves (particularly werewolves) are associated with fear and the night. Even transformed, Batman still makes the protection of Gotham his highest priority, and he makes his way to Gotham from Bludhaven in an attempt to keep the citizens of his city safe from a number of changed villains. He is eventually corraled by Nightwing, who puts him in a steel cage to keep him from hurting innocents.

7 Black Adam

Infected in Titans: Beast World #1 (by Tom Taylor and Ivan Reis)

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Khandaq was the very first place Garro’s spores were seen to touch down on Earth in Titans: Beast World #1, so it makes sense that Black Adam was the very first hero seen to be infected. The spore that overtakes the powerful antihero transforms him (almost appropriately) into the equally ferocious form of a lion.

Black Adam’s vicious lion form has been at the center of the crossover, with him engaging several heroes who attempt to slow down his rampage. While the spores seen elsewhere in the crossover have frequently left their hosts in favor of taking over more powerful targets, Adam interestingly remains infected regardless of the heroes he faces. It has also been revealed that the spores have access to their targets’ thoughts and memories. These factors taken into account indicate that Adam essentially believes that he is more powerful than the other heroes, which isn’t surprising considering his personality.

6 Harley Quinn

Infected in Titans: Beast World Tour – Gotham City #1 (by various creative teams)

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The story “Wild Harleys I Have Known” (by Grace Ellis and Daniel Hillyard) appears in Titans: Beast World Tour – Gotham #1 and features the single most hilarious transformation seen in the crossover. The antihero Harley Quinn is transformed into a large, super-strong – bunny. While Harley’s new form is very amusing, it also comes across as horrifying, at least to a criminal whom she manages to terrorize throughout the story. The end of the story also reveals that she is one of a select few heroes able to somewhat control themselves while transformed, as she remains loyal to her partner, Poison Ivy.

While Harley Quinn’s animal form is amusing, it is also very much in line with her personality. Harley has proven to be as deadly as she is beautiful, with her super strong, brutish form perhaps being a reflection of the strength and resolve she showed in getting out of her abusive relationship with the Joker. It should come as no surprise that her interesting mind can see her as both a cute, fluffy animal and a terrifying force of nature at the same time.

5 Flash Family

Infected in Titans: Beast World Tour – Central City (by various creative teams)

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The Flash Family makes what is thus far the most heroic sacrifice of the crossover in Titans: Beast World Tour – Central City. Led by Barry Allen’s Flash, the speedsters allow themselves to be overtaken by Garro’s spores, which are then manipulated by Animal Girl, transforming them all into bee hybrids. The young hero is then able to communicate with them, leading them to all work cohesively toward saving the residents of Central City.

In addition to Barry Allen, the infected speedsters include Impulse, Wallace West, Avery Ho, and relative newcomer Circuit Breaker, with their costumes still identifiable despite their change. Furthermore, the transformation of the Flash Family actually makes a fair amount of sense considering that they are accustomed to working together as a comprehensive unit. Another factor that makes their sacrifice so impressive is the fact that it is established early in the issue that speedsters can vibrate Garro’s spores out of their bodies. This issue also highlights the potential of one of their youngest allies, Maxine Baker (aka Animal Girl), who is able to use her powers to manipulate the transformation and help keep the hybrids under control.

4 Huntress

Infected in Titans: Beast World Tour – Gotham #1

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The Gotham City vigilante known as the Huntress is also infected when Garro’s spores descend upon Batman’s city, as seen in the story “Claw and Order” (by Sam Maggs and PJ Holden) that appears in Titans: Beast World Tour – Gotham. Cassandra Cain’s Batgirl steps in to keep her under control, and although the story is mostly given the weight it deserves, it comes to a somewhat humorous conclusion.

Huntress’ is transformed into a jungle cat upon being exposed to Garro’s spores, appearing to be a large panther. This immediately speaks to her outlier status within the Bat-Family, not quite fitting in with Batman’s transformation into a wolf, and becoming an entirely different species of animal. However, this also establishes that although she is one of the least accepted members of the Gotham vigilantes (or at least the Dark Knight himself), she is still highly formidable. The ending of the story also offers insight into how she sees herself, albeit in a humorous form, as it suggests that she may want to enjoy the simple pleasures of life instead of acting as a vigilante

3 Power Girl

Infected in Titans: Beast World #3 (by Tom Taylor and Lucas Meyer)

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Power Girl is infected in Titans: Beast World #3, proving that not even the members of the Superman Family are immune to the effects of Garro’s spores. However, the venerable hero manages to get out a call for help once she realizes she’s been infected. She also appears in a unique form, as a fiery bird as opposed to the normal beast/human hybrids that have thus far been seen in the crossover.

Power Girl has long suffered an identity crisis, and her unique form is indicative of this. She struggles with her place in the Superman Family, realizing that she is merely a multiversal version of Supergirl while wanting to be so much more. This transformation heightens that feeling and brings it to the forefront, indicating that she still hasn’t fully resolved her issues. While other heroes have maintained a semblance of themselves despite their transformation, Power Girl immediately attacks other members of the Superman Family on sight, perhaps suggesting feelings of antagonism arising from her sense of not belonging.

2 Red Hood

Infected in Titans: Beast World Tour – Gotham #1

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Titans: Beast World Tour – Gotham #1 reveals the one vigilante patrolling Batman’s city who seems to not mind being an animal: Red Hood. The story “Scavengers,” (by Gretchen Felker-Martin and Ivan Shavrin) features what is arguably the most disturbing transformation seen in the crossover, as the antiheroic Jason Todd appears to accept becoming a wolf-man, thinking back about his life and death alongside the Dark Knight and the Joker as he devours the animalistic criminals that now run rampant throughout the city.

Oddly enough, Jason’s transformation is a twisted mirror reflection of his mentor, who experiences a similar change into a wolf. Although neither one of them has come in contact with the other, the fact that their animal forms are so similar suggests that they have more in common than either one of them wants to admit. Equally interesting is the different ways that they handle their changes: Batman fights his feral urges while Red Hood embraces them, speaking to what is essentially at the core of their disagreements.

1 Robin (Damian Wayne)

Infected in Nightwing #109

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“Beast World Prologue” (by Tom Taylor and Sami Basri) appears in Nightwing #109 and reveals that another hero was forcibly given a Garro spore. With Batman absent from Gotham City (due to his transformation earlier in the crossover), Damian investigates a monster fighting ring and is given the spore when he is captured. The young Robin then has what is arguably the most surprising transformation in the event, as the vicious Boy Wonder is transformed into what appears to be a meek house cat.

However, the following issue of Nightwing proves that this version of Damian is anything but meek, serving as the secret weapon of the new villain, Apex Ava. Given the name Mr. Mittens, the son of Batman may not be the wolf his father is, but he is no less vicious. At the villain’s command, Damian nearly commits murder, with him only being stopped by the intervention of his adoptive brother Nightwing and best friend Jon Kent. Interestingly, the spore does not leave Damian’s body immediately upon being exposed to the young Superman, confirming that even though the young vigilante possesses no powers he still sees himself as more formidable than the son of Kal-El.

Titans: Beast World

The Titans battle Necrostar as all of DC’s heroes are transformed into beasts.