Deathstroke Officially Returns, As DC Explains How He’s Alive and Where He’s Been
WARNING: Contains Potential Spoilers for TITANS #22 (2025)!Slade Wilson fans have been celebrating Deathstroke’s long-awaited return to mainstream continuity in the Titans narrative. However, despite the positive reception, readers have been left with lingering questions about what happened to Slade between the events of Dark Crisis and his reappearance in Titans, especially since it was heavily implied that he died. Now, DC is finally providing answers.
Before his return in Titans #17 (2024), Deathstroke’s last appearance in mainstream continuity was during Dark Crisis, which ended with a strong implication that Slade had been killed. However, many fans correctly speculated that this wouldn’t be the true end for the mercenary and that he would eventually return to DC’s stories.
While issue #17 and the following installments confirmed that Slade had survived, they offered no explanation for where he had been since Dark Crisis or how he managed to survive. Now, Titans #22 by John Layman and Daniel Bayliss finally provides answers: Tara “Terra” Markov is the reason Slade is still alive.
SPOILER: Tara “Terra” Markov Saved Deathstroke After His Apparent Death
Cover B Tony S. Daniel Variant for Titans #22 (2025)
The preview for Titans #22 establishes that the unfolding scene takes place “months ago” and shows Deathstroke stripped of his iconic gear, floating in what appears to be a stasis capsule. He is hooked up to various tubing and wiring, suggesting he is on some high-tech life support. His narration confirms that he is stuck in a “near-dead” state, still conscious and aware of his surroundings and pain. Then comes the shocker: Tara appears and presses the emergency stop on the capsule, revealing that she is the one who has been keeping Slade alive all this time.
However, it quickly becomes clear that Tara did not save Slade out of the goodness of her heart, as the two greet each other with open animosity. Despite this tension, Tara admits that she is responsible for his survival and explains that she has been slowly weaning him off his painkillers and sedatives while introducing a new serum into his system, one designed to accelerate his healing and restore his powers, which were purged by The Darkness in Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #7. These few pages offer satisfying answers to several lingering questions fans have had about Deathstroke’s return.
Terra’s motivation for saving Deathstroke stemmed from her belief that he could help her escape Amanda Waller’s control.
Having Terra Save Deathstroke Was a BOLD Creative Decision
Cover C Daniel Bayliss Variant for Titans #22 (2025)
Considering the complicated history between Tara and Slade, it was a bold move by Layman to position her as the one to save the mercenary. As most Deathstroke fans know, Slade and Tara share a controversial past. In the 1984 The Judas Contract storyline, Deathstroke manipulates and exploits Terra, who was a teenager at the time, into infiltrating the Titans on his behalf. The comic strongly implies an inappropriate relationship between them, which makes this aspect of the story highly controversial. As a result, having Deathstroke and Terra reunite in Titans will likely get the side-eye from some fans.
TITANS #22 is available April 16, 2025, from DC Comics!
