Raven (DC Comics)

Raven first appeared in The New Teen Titans #1 recruiting superheroes to fight her father Trigon. She initially approached the Justice League for help, but they refused her on the advice of Zatanna, who sensed her demonic parentage.[4][5] In desperation, she reformed the Teen Titans as the New Teen Titans to fight her father. The team consisted of Robin, Kid Flash, Wonder Girl, Starfire, Cyborg, and Beast Boy (then known as Changeling).[6] Raven and her new friends later came to think of one another as family.

Trigon soon took Raven to his home dimension. The Titans defeated Trigon and sealed him in an interdimensional prison with the help of Arella, who stayed at the interdimensional door as Trigon's Guardian.[7] Raven continued to fight her father's influence, and her face started changing. For a period of time, Raven lost control several times in stressful situations but managed to regain control before Trigon could assert himself.

Eventually, Trigon escaped his prison, destroyed Azarath, came to Earth, and took control of Raven. The Titans were manipulated into having the dark sides of their souls kill the evil Raven by Lilith, who was guided and possessed by Azar, thereby allowing the souls of Azarath and Raven herself contained inside her rings to possess her now-empty body and use her as a channel to kill Trigon. After this battle, Raven rose from the ashes, cleansed of Trigon's evil, and vanished.[8]

After Raven's disappearance, Arella went around the world in search of Raven. She tracked Raven down, but both of them were kidnapped by Brother Blood. The minions of Brother Blood used Raven to control Nightwing (formerly Robin) as part of Blood's plans. The Titans rescued them both and prevented Brother Blood from returning to power.[9]

As a result of the defeat of Trigon, Raven was free to experience emotions for the first time in her life. Raven found she could not only sense but control others' emotions.[10] She learned to handle this power only after unintentionally making The Flash believe that he loved her when she thought she was in love with him. Raven also fostered a relationship with technopath Eric Forrester, who used the life force of women he seduced to regain some of his lost humanity. Forrester knew that Raven's soul-self could help him to retain his humanity permanently. This attempt was cut short by the intervention of Joseph Wilson (Jericho), who helped Raven destroy Forrester once and for all and gain a romance between the two heros after.[11]

Evil Raven makes her appearance in the "Terror of Trigon" storyline, which began The New Teen Titans (vol. 2). Art by George Pérez.

Raven was later kidnapped by the Wildebeest Society during the "Titans Hunt" storyline.[12] The Wildbeest, led by the Trigon-possessed souls of Azarath, were going to use several Titans to bring about the return of Trigon. During a massive battle, Raven was possessed by the evil souls and once again became the evil doppelgänger of her father. Arella, along with Danny Chase, used the power of Azar's soul to cleanse Raven. In the aftermath, Raven's body was destroyed, and Arella and Danny sacrificed themselves and joined the cleansed souls of Azarath to become Phantasm.[13]

Raven appeared possessed by her evil conscience and attempted to implant Trigon's seed into new bodies. She interrupted Nightwing and Starfire's wedding and implanted a seed of Trigon into Starfire. Instead of corrupting her, she implanted the soul of the good Raven. This caused Starfire to leave Earth to escape from the evil Raven. The Titans could defeat Raven only because of the help they received from Phantasm.[14]

Raven later returned, still evil, to destroy the good version of herself implanted in Starfire. With the help of the Titans, evil Raven was reduced to ashes, and the good part of Raven was given a new, golden spirit body completely free of her father's demonic influence. In New Tamaran, Starfire and the golden spirit form of Raven revealed that implanting Raven's soul in Starfire was her plan to get rid of her demonic soul.[15]

In her bodiless spirit form, Raven returned to Earth to help extract Cyborg's soul and consciousness from the Technis planet's computer mind.[16] Later, she was instrumental in defeating Imperiex by aiding Wonder Woman and Tempest in re-powering Darkseid.[17] As a spirit, Raven wandered the Earth, looking for her place in the world.

While the spirit of Raven was looking for her place in the world, Brother Blood came to claim her. Her spirit was instilled into the body of a teenage girl by the Church of Blood. The Teen Titans (reformed again), discovered that the Church of Blood were worshipers of Raven's father, Trigon. They also found a prophecy about the marriage between Brother Blood and Raven that would result in Armageddon. The new team interrupted the wedding, and Raven forced the cult to escape. She then joined the new Teen Titans and enrolled at a high school as Rachel Roth, using her mother's original surname.[18]

After her rebirth and much confusion about her new place reborn in the world, Raven's teammate Garfield Logan (Beast Boy), began developing romantic feelings for her, and the two became romantically attached.

In 52, after the death of Superboy, the Titans began to fall apart. Robin joins Batman, and Wonder Girl left the team. Beast Boy struggled to maintain the team and was flippant towards Raven and their relationship. The new members who joined were only interested in seeking fame and honor rather than looking to fulfill justice. When Beast Boy decided to help Steel on a mission, most of the members left, leaving only Raven and Zatara. Later, Beast Boy, Raven, Offspring and Aquagirl aid Steel in launching an attack on LexCorp. Raven also participated in World War III. Eventually, Robin, Wonder Girl, and a few new members join the Titans, making the team whole again. Beast Boy and Raven were among the only members that remained in the team during this period.

Raven's new look in "One Year Later".

Raven quit the team after she and Beast Boy end their relationship.[19] Letting the others think she was leaving because of Garfield, Raven left because she uncovered a secret of one of the other Titans.

Raven took advantage of this power with a book of unclear significance.[20] Raven had a diskette containing Jericho's soul. She performed a cleansing ritual over his soul and transferred it into a new body[21] before returning to the team as a full member.[22]

Without warning, the Titans are captured by the villainous Titans East and transported to the original Titan Island in New York City, where Raven is placed in the "care" of Enigma and Duela Dent, who took to torturing her psychologically. Raven manages her escape. After beating the Titans East, she and Garfield talk about their feelings, but he refuses to dwell on the matter, leaving their relationship uncertain.[23]

Following the death of Bart Allen, Raven, along with the other adult Titans, decides to leave the team. Raven decides to pursue her chance at attending high school, having never had the opportunity before.

Raven stars in a five-issue miniseries written by Marv Wolfman, with art by Damion Scott. It occurs during the missing year, following Raven's attempts at living as an ordinary teenage girl and attending high school. Unfortunately, she gets inadvertently drawn into a mystical fight involving the Medusa Mask and has to battle for the lives of her classmates. In the Wizard #177 magazine, Wolfman briefly described the series, saying, "She needs to be on her own and in charge of herself for the first time in her life. This is more than just a 'tale of Raven'; it sets up her new life".

Raven discovers that Trigon had more than one child, her half-siblings, and that a trio of children devoted to her father are behind the attacks. She is affected along with many of the other Titans by these three beings. Raven's three half-brothers use her and Beast Boy as keys to open a portal to Trigon's realm. Raven uses her own power to influence greed in others to make her half-brothers steal what little power Trigon had left. The portal is closed and Trigon's sons, believing they have gained great power, leave.

Raven's half-brothers later return and provoke her demonic side, causing her to leave the Titans and join them. However, the team was able to track them down and convince Raven to join the side of good once more. She later provided a number of other artefacts, all capable of killing her, to the Titans as terms for her staying with the team.[24]

Battered and dazed, Raven arrived at Titans Tower, where she was rescued by the newest roster of Teen Titans. While she was recovering, Beast Boy stated that he was still in love with her and would remain so, despite whatever difficulties were involved.[25]

Raven decided to stay with the Teen Titans, now acting as a mentor to the younger members. When the Teen Titans attempted to return home, Raven was kidnapped and taken to another dimension by Wyld.[26] Wyld reveals that Raven was the one who created him. When Raven was traveling dimensions looking for her father, her soul self caused all of the animals she visited to merge into one being: the Wyld. The Titans enter the Wyld World to rescue Raven. Wyld is eventually destroyed by Static.

In the final issue of this incarnation of the Titans, Superboy-Prime and his Legion of Doom attack Titan's Tower. Raven stops Kid Flash just before he can kill Inertia. Then she reveals her soul-self to Headcase, terrifying and in so defeating him. After the Legion of Doom is defeated and Superboy-Prime is bound to the Source Wall, Beast Boy and Raven have a talk about her difficulty in reading Solstice's emotions after Beast Boy had accused Raven of leaving her behind and he refused to believe her when she stated it wasn't on purpose. They also talked of their encounter with Headcase. Eventually, Raven starts to open up about her true feelings. Beast Boy makes it clear he doesn't want to escape from any part of her. Touched, Raven decides that she needs to embrace the positive feelings inside her rather than just her negative ones. Beast Boy assures her this is part of being human, and points out, "I think you've worried enough about the bad...so why don't we focus on the good for a change?" With that, the two reconcile and share a heartfelt kiss.[27]

Raven in the New 52. Art by Kenneth Rocafort.

After the events of the 2011 "Flashpoint" series, the history of the DC Universe was altered, resulting in The New 52. Raven makes her New 52 debut in the first issue of the Phantom Stranger. There she is shown as a girl in a black and white striped sweater becoming distraught at a funeral over the overwhelming emotion emanating from the people there. The Phantom Stranger takes Raven to Stonehenge, the portal between Earth and the realm of Trigon. Being told by a "higher power" what must be done, the reluctant Stranger unwillingly hands her over to Trigon.

Raven made her first Teen Titans appearance in Teen Titans vol. 4 #16. Raven, sporting a new costume, is introduced by Trigon as his "Black Bird of Terror" to his minions. It is strongly suggested that Raven had been controlling Robin's emotions. During Trigon's invasion on Earth, she approached a near dead Beast Boy who had been assaulted by Deathstroke earlier in the remains of the Ravagers facility.[28] After being touched by Raven, Beast Boy awoke. When he asked if Harvest had sent her, she apologized stating that she brought him into the fray much sooner than she expected, stating, "Hush. We are birds of a feather now... You are mine to control", as Raven mind-controlled him and teleported them to New York where Trigon and the Teen Titans are in battle.[29]

Trigon reveals more of Raven's origins. He has had a son from each of the other worlds he's conquered, but Raven is his only daughter. Trigon let Raven's mother, Arella, live because he considered that she needed to be raised by humans to recreate the seven under-realms in her own image. Arella fled with her daughter to Azarath where the monks taught her how to control her dark side and avoid Trigon's influence on her. Years later, she escaped from Azarath to protect her mentors and planet from Trigon and fled to the Earth where Phantom Stranger captured her for Trigon.[30]

Raven spent time in the under-realms where time flows faster or was compressed. Trigon thought he only needed to liberate her and not control her to make Raven have her own image. Impressed, Trigon handed her the Throne of the Under-realms to rule the place as Queen.[30]

In New York, Trigon's three sons, Belial, Ruskoff, and Suge, assault the Teen Titans to take Raven back. Raven, Beast Boy, and the Titans defeat them, but Trigon appears again and takes control of the Titans save for Red Robin, Raven and Beast Boy. The manipulated Titans attack, and while Raven and Beast Boy distract them and Trigon, Tim cuts through Trigon's eyes with his inertrite wings. Pulling out the wings from his eyes, Trigon compliments Tim before suddenly disappearing. Soon after, a woman and a group of suited men come through a portal, informing them that they will take Psimon into custody and make the incident appear as if it had never happened. When questioned about the police officers Psimon has killed, the woman reveals it was a hallucination by Trigon, so it has never happened.

Raven and Beast Boy are re-accepted into the Teen Titans. Raven brings controversy to the team by revealing Tim's flirtatious relationships when under Trigon's control. Raven goes into her room, leaving the awkward situation behind. There, she summons her father, saying, "Father, I am one of them. Your plan worked perfectly", leaving questions on what side she is playing for.

Meanwhile, Tim calls Raven aside, telling that if something happens to him, the team will look up to her to lead them.

After the events of "Trinity War", the Earth's greatest heroes are gone and the Crime Syndicate of America has taken over the world. The Teen Titans challenge the Crime Syndicate, but are easily overpowered by Johnny Quick and Atomica and then flung into the time stream. While the Titans are constantly flung through time, Raven is sent a few thousand years back in time. There, she is challenged by Etrigan the Demon, who recognizes her as Trigon's daughter and tries to kill her. Raven is saved by Wonder Girl, who suggests that the way to stop Raven's powers, since she was born and raised in a world between worlds, is to manipulate the energy within the time stream. Raven succeeds in anchoring the Titans with her soul-self, teleporting them through time.

The Titans arrive 20 years into the future, where the son of Superman, Jon Lane Kent, has massacred most of Earth's superheroes, leaving only a few, including Beast Boy (Garfield Logan), now calling himself Beast Man, and Rose Wilson. Superboy Kon-El and Jon battle, and Kon triumphs. But Kon is sent elsewhere by an unknown power, and a severely injured Jon is swapped unknowingly as Superboy by Logan and Wilson. The Titans depart again to an alien planet in the 30th century, where Kid Flash is a rebel leader and war criminal, Bar Torr. While the Titans stay to witness the Trial of Kid Flash, Raven deduces Superboy is Jon, and helps send him back to the present time so that he can find a cure for his deteriorating body condition.

Leaving Kid Flash and Solstice in the future, the Titans return to their original time and are united with Bunker, Beast Boy, and Skitter. Raven finds out that their journey has severed Trigon's control over her. Followed by an attack by the villain Grimm, the Titans plan a final attack on Harvest's new colony. Raven is reluctant to join because of her past actions, but Bunker tells her that everybody deserves a second chance, and Raven changes her mind. In the colony, they are surprised to find that everyone is returned to normal, and even the victims of the Culling have been restored to life. Raven plays a crucial role by finding out Harvest's scheme to extract all the metagenes to create a massive DNA strand for his usage. This is destroyed by Raven's soul-self and Harvest is finally defeated.

Some time after leaving the Teen Titans, Raven set out to learn more about her human relatives in San Francisco. Raven attempted to conceal her powers before having a misadventure and then later abducted by Damian Wayne who recruited her to be part of the new Teen Titans team he was establishing to take down his grandfather Ra's al Ghul. It is then revealed that the Demon's Fist, a team initially led by Damian before he decided to follow Batman, were hunting each of the assembled Titans that Damian had abducted for their initiation into the League of Assassins. Raven turns out to be the target of the assassin named Plague, whose hands can rot, decay and take the life out of anything she touches.

Raven can also astral project a solid black energy form that takes the shape of a bird, called her soul-self. Her soul-self can travel long distances, become intangible, and is able to communicate telepathically. It can act as a shield, absorbing a limited amount of energy and solid matter, regurgitating them before reintegrating with Raven. Using her soul-self, she can convert her physical body into her soul-self and carry or teleport herself and others over a limited distance. Her soul-self can mentally subdue at least one person by enveloping them inside of itself. Raven's soul-self could initially stay outside her body for exactly five minutes; failure to reintegrate in time would cause mental torment for her, though she eventually overcame this limitation.[36]

Raven possesses a few weaknesses to her abilities: as an empath, she is unable to completely disconnect herself from other's emotions, being around too many people with heightened emotions can pose a risk to her.[35] Raven is also susceptible to overwhelming mystical forces.[37]

Teagan Croft as Rachel Roth as she appears in Titans.

• A teenage Raven appears in Teen Titans (2003), voiced by Tara Strong. This version is a member of the eponymous team who wears a purple, hooded cloak and black leotard and possesses grey skin, violet-blue eyes, and shoulder-length violet-blue hair. Additionally, she possesses dark mystical energy, which she often invokes via the chant "Azarath Metrion Zinthos" and allows her to perform several feats, such as telekinesis, teleportation, and safely phasing through solid objects and fire, among other abilities, which are all tied to her emotions. She initially starts the series as the most reserved and stoic member of the Titans, though she eventually softens up and comes to see them as family.
• Raven appears in the "New Teen Titans" segment of DC Nation Shorts, voiced again by Tara Strong.
• Raven, based on the Teen Titans (2003) incarnation, appears in Teen Titans Go! (2013), voiced again by Tara Strong. This version is a member of the Teen Titans who sports black hair with purple streaks, is more chatty and sociable, and displays her dark side when she is provoked or agitated. Additionally, she eventually goes on to enter a relationship with fellow Titan Beast Boy and possesses an alternate superhero identity called "Lady Legasus". The Teen Titans (2003) incarnation of the character also appears in the episode "The Academy" via archival footage.[43]
• The Teen Titans Go! (2013) incarnation of Raven appears in the OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes episode "Crossover Nexus", voiced again by Tara Strong.
• A teenage Rachel Roth / White Raven appears in Titans, portrayed by Teagan Croft.[44] Following her mother's murder, her powers manifest, leading to her receiving protection from Dick Grayson and helping found a new incarnation of the Titans.
• Raven was slated to appear as a supporting character in a planned Nightwing animated series before it was abandoned.[45]
• Raven appears in DC Super Hero Girls (2019), voiced again by Tara Strong.
• The Titans incarnation of Rachel Roth makes a cameo appearance in "Crisis on Infinite Earths" via archive footage from the episode "Titans".[46]

• The Teen Titans (2003) incarnation of Raven appears in Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo, voiced again by Tara Strong.[47]
• A young Raven appears in the DC Animated Movie Universe (DCAMU) film Justice League vs. Teen Titans, voiced by Taissa Farmiga.[48] This version is a member of the Teen Titans who forms a bond with new teammate Damian Wayne. After defeating her father Trigon, she traps him in a crystal shard and wears it on her forehead to stop him from escaping.
• Raven appears in the DCAMU film Teen Titans: The Judas Contract, voiced again by Taissa Farmiga.
• The Teen Titans Go! (2013) incarnation of Raven appears in Teen Titans Go! To the Movies, voiced again by Tara Strong.
• Raven makes a non-speaking appearance in DC Super Hero Girls: Legends of Atlantis.
• Raven appears in the DCAMU film Justice League Dark: Apokolips War, voiced again by Taissa Farmiga.[49] Following Darkseid's invasion of Earth and most of Earth's heroes' deaths, she went into self-imposed exile to protect Damian from Trigon. Two years later, the pair reunite to help Earth's remaining heroes mount an assault on Apokolips and confess their feelings for each other. After Damian is killed in battle, Raven loses control of her powers and inadvertently frees Trigon, who battles and eventually helps defeat Darkseid, though she is able to resurrect Damian. As the Flash undoes the current timeline, Raven and Damian share a kiss, hoping to see each other again in the new timeline.
• The Teen Titans Go! (2013) and Teen Titans (2003) incarnations of Raven appear in Teen Titans Go! vs. Teen Titans, both voiced again by Tara Strong. Additionally, several alternate reality incarnations of Raven make minor appearances throughout the film, such as her Tiny Titans, the New Teen Titans comic, and DCAMU counterparts.
• Raven makes a non-speaking appearance in Injustice.
• The Teen Titans Go! (2013) incarnation of Raven appears in Teen Titans Go! & DC Super Hero Girls: Mayhem in the Multiverse, voiced again by Tara Strong.

• Raven appears as a playable character in Teen Titans (2005).
• Raven appears as a playable character in Teen Titans (2006), voiced again by Tara Strong.
• Raven appears in DC Universe Online, voiced by Adriene Mishler. She is initially forced to serve Trigon as a brainwashed thrall until she is freed by the Teen Titans.
• Raven appears as a playable character in Injustice: Gods Among Us, voiced again by Tara Strong.[50] This version is an associate of the Justice League. Additionally, an alternate universe version of Raven serves Trigon and joined High Councilor Superman's Regime to hasten the former's return. In her non-canonical arcade mode ending, Raven expends great amounts of dark magic to defeat Superman, only to learn too late that she accidentally freed Trigon in the process.
• Raven appears as a downloadable playable character in Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham.[51]
• The Teen Titans Go! (2013) incarnation of Raven appears as a playable character in Lego Dimensions, voiced again by Tara Strong.[52]
• The Injustice incarnation of Raven makes a cameo appearance in a flashback depicted in Starfire's ending in Injustice 2 as a former member of the Teen Titans who left to serve Trigon.
• Raven appears as a playable character and boss in Lego DC Super-Villains, voiced again by Tara Strong.
• Raven, based on her Rebirth design, appears as a cosmetic costume in Fortnite, with a classic design and civilian appearance based on her as Rachel Roth also being available.

• Rachel Roth / Raven appears in Smallville Season 11: Harbinger. She is kidnapped by Brother Blood, who intends to use her as a sacrifice to summon the Sons of Trigon, before she is rescued by Zatanna and John Constantine. After the latter takes the Book of Magick and leaves Zatanna behind, Blood successfully completes the ritual by using himself as the sacrifice. The Sons of Trigon pursue Zatanna and Roth until Constantine has a change of heart and uses Blood's heart to defeat the trio. Following this, Zatanna places Roth in Jay Garrick's care, with Roth going on to join his Teen Titans and taking the name "Raven".
• Raven makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in the "DC Super Friends" short.
• The Injustice incarnation of Raven appears in the Injustice: Gods Among Us prequel comic. Amidst Trigon's fight with Mister Mxyzptlk, Raven attempts to convince the former to stop before he destroys reality until Doctor Fate banishes Trigon and Mxyzptlk to another dimension. Sometime later, Raven spends time in a pocket dimension to contemplate Trigon's apparent death and her place in human society due to her demonic heritage. In time, she eventually goes on to join Superman's Regime.
• Raven appears in the DC Super Hero Girls (2015) two-part episode "Nevermore", voiced again by Tara Strong.