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SLADE


Voiced By: Ron Perlman
First Appearance: "Final Exam"
Position: Robin's Archnemesis
 


Biography (Official): Veteran actor Ron Perlman plays Slade, the mysterious archenemy of the Teen Titans who dispatches others from his secret compound to do his dirty work for him. Perlman is best known for his role in the TV series Beauty & the Beast, for which he received a Golden Globe Award in 1987. Besides appearing in such feature films as The Island of Dr. Moreau and the upcoming Hellboy, Perlman played the shape-shifting villain Clayface in Batman: The Animated Series.

Biography: As the enigmatic archenemy of the Titans, Slade sends his underlings and robots to do his bidding and perform his various unsavory tasks. Not much is known about him other than that he is a very dangerous, highly resourceful individual. He has known connections to the Hive Academy, Cinderblock, Plasmus, Red X, Thunder, and Lightning (among many others). Cunning and intelligent, Slade is probably the greatest menace that the Teen Titans have ever faced. He understands the importance of careful planning and delicacy in achieving his goals, a character trait that is highlighted by the fact that he is rarely ever directly involved in any of his underhanded dealings.

Slade watches the Titans very closely, and could have easily dispatched them at any time. Instead, he slowly manipulated and challenged the Titans in a scheme that ended with Robin in Slade's hands ready to do his every bidding. By tricking Robin into finding his hideout, Slade managed to control Robin by threatening to kill the rest of the Titans if Robin didn't follow Slade's every order to the letter. Slade noted the similarities between Robin and himself, and deemed Robin to be his apprentice. Luckily, the Titans managed to foil Slade's plot and save Robin. However, Slade managed to escape relatively un-singed and the Titans have no idea as to what his next plans are.

In his last fight with the Titans, Slade was thrown into a pit of boiling lava. It is unknown if he survived, but knowing his training, it's very likely that Slade survived.

Rising from his hardened lava encasement, Slade returned--and this time it was for Raven. Now bearing the mark of Scathe ("Trigon"), has powers granted by the master himself. Delivering messages to Raven about events to come and reminding her of her destiny is all that Slade has to perform until he gets what he truly desires back.

When the time came for Raven's prophecy to be fulfilled, Trigon turned on Slade and went back on their bargain: when Terra defeated Slade, before dieing, Trigon made a deal with Slade; this deal made Slade Trigon's "puppet" and granted Slade new powers. When the deal was over, Slade would return to the mortal world with his own flesh and blood.

Once Trigon backed out on the deal, Slade struck a bargain with Robin. He'd take Robin to Raven so she could defeat Trigon, while Slade went to get his body back. After blowing the door off of Trigon's "soul chamber", Slade's body was restored. He and the Titans parted ways, but there's no doubt in the Titans minds that they will meet again.

Slade showed up after Terra's return to inform Beast Boy that despite what he may be thinking, he had nothing to do with Terra's return. Beast Boy went ballistic on Slade and destroyed him. Once again, however, what Beast Boy destroyed was merely a robot and not the real Slade. Slade's true fate remains, suitably, a mystery ...


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