Warning: Spoilers for Titans #17Wonder Girl - is now in command of the Titans, and her first victory on the team's behalf solidifies that they're much better off with her in charge.

metahuman upgrade due to the Justice League's misstep in reclaiming their stolen powers. Now, a D-list villain has cornered the Titans, and he believes he's defeated Donna by trapping her in her own fear - until she reveals that she's actually using her fear to her advantage.

Clock King thinks to himself, "An unexpected and surprisingly ingenious tactic. Not something I'd expect from Nightwing's leadership." With this ission, DC confirms that Donna Troy is already leading the Titans more effectively than Nightwing.

Donna Troy Outsmarts the Titans' New Villain In Her First Battle as Team Leader

Wonder Girl Uses Strategies Even Nightwing Couldn't Come Up With

forces the Titans to relive their darkest moments. All may seem to be lost, but Donna Troy finds a way to trick Clock King by luring him into a trap. Her worst fear is letting the Titans down as their leader, and the memory of Nightwing announcing her promotion happens to include them all. With the Titans united in that memory, they're able to break free of Clock King's control and fight back together.

Having been trained by Batman, one of the Nightwing's contingency plans are on par with his mentor's, and he's led the Titans out of many difficult situations in the past. Still, even he is defenseless against Clock King's manipulation, whereas Donna Troy can't be kept down for long. Her quick-thinking in a stressful situation elevates her to a level beyond Nightwing, and cements her as the right choice to inherit Nightwing's former role in the Titans.

Donna Troy's History With the Titans Proves She Deserves to Lead Them

Wonder Girl Has Been Part of the Titans Since the Very Beginning

Although Donna Troy doesn't have the mainstream popularity of Nightwing, she's no less integral to the Titans. She serves as a founding member of the Teen Titans' original roster in 1965's Teen Titans #1 by Bob Haney and Nick Cardy, alongside Dick Grayson's Robin, Kid Flash, and Aqualad. They're later ed by Roy Harper, then known as Speedy, who completes this classic lineup of young heroes. Wonder Girl is therefore a crucial part of the Titans, having been present since the team's conception. Moreover, her experience on the team has led to her acting as leader before her official promotion.

Donna Troy, as Wonder Girl, was first introduced in 1965's The Brave and the Bold #60 by Bob Haney and Bruno Premiani.

Whenever Dick Grayson steps down from his leadership position in the Titans, from the time they were teenagers, Donna Troy has always been the hero he selects to stand-in for him. As recently as Titans #2 by Tom Taylor and Nicola Scott, Wonder Girl steps up in Nightwing's absence to command a mission in Borneo. Nightwing trusts Donna more than any other Titan, and that's resulted in her taking charge enough times to thrive in the role. Donna's skills and loyalty to the team make her an obvious pick to guide the Titans now that they're in dire need of fresh leadership.

Nightwing Is No Longer the Titans' Best Leader (And His Recent Failures Prove It)

The Titans' Inability to Replace the Justice League Is Nightwing's Fault

Nightwing has been the arrival of the Dark-Winged Queen, and both of these incidents can be attributed to Nightwing's leadership. For instance, if Nightwing had ordered the Titans to protect Beast Boy from Doctor Hate, he never would have had his mind wiped. Likewise, if he'd noticed Raven's unusual behavior, Trigon's return could have been prevented altogether.

The return of Trigon, as well as Raven's terrifying transformation into the Dark-Winged Queen, can be found in Titans #15 by Tom Taylor and Lucas Meyer - available now from DC Comics.

However, these missteps by Nightwing pale in comparison to his greatest folly as leader: failing to stop Amanda Waller's rise to power. The Titans had every chance to confront Waller both before and after stripping the Justice League of their superpowers. The hero community has bounced back from this tragic time, though the fact remains that the Titans' oversight - and thus, Nightwing's oversight - endangered the entire DC Universe. As such, Nightwing stepping down is best for the Titans.

Donna Troy Has Nightwing's Approval as the Titans' New Leader

Nightwing Chose Donna Troy as His Successor For a Reason

Most might feel betrayed by being usurped as leader following years of dedication to the role, but Nightwing takes his replacement in stride. This acceptance is largely due to the fact that he himself chose Donna Troy to be the new leader. After she helps the Titans beat Clock King, Dick assures her, "Any fears you have about leading the team are unfounded." Despite her worries that she won't live up to his legacy as the Titans' leader, Nightwing knows that she's capable of not just being as good of a leader as him; he knows that she can sur him.

Donna's swift victory against Clock King has shown that she's exactly what the Titans need to reach greater heights as a team.

Under Nightwing's leadership, the Titans have failed to unlock their full potential since replacing the Justice League. They've lost battle after battle, and missed chances to take out smaller threats before they grew to insurmountable levels of power. Now, Donna's swift victory against Clock King has shown that she's exactly what the Titans need to reach greater heights as a team. With her at the helm, they can finally start over instead of retreading familiar territory. Nightwing's time as the Titans' leader has come to an end, and it's time for Wonder Girl to take the team in a bold new direction.

Titans #17 is available now from DC Comics.