Red X's True Identity In DC Comics Explained

DC Comics finally revealed the identity of one of its most mysterious Teen Titans villains in Teen Titans Academy #12, unmasking the student known as Red X as Brick Pettirosso. However, readers expecting the shocking reveal to put an end to the character's long-running mystery were in for another surprise. Almost immediately after Brick reveals himself, a second Red X appears, exposes the mastermind behind the entire scheme, and leaves Nightwing with an entirely new reason to worry.

The revelation answers one question while preserving another mystery that has followed Red X since his introduction in the original Teen Titans animated series. Although Dick Grayson originally created the disguise for an undercover mission, the identity of the impostor who eventually stole it was never revealed. DC's comics introduced their own take on the mystery through Future State: Teen Titans and Teen Titans Academy, but even after Brick's unmasking and subsequent murder, the true identity of the second Red X remains unknown.

The Original Red X Was A Teen Titans Animated Series Mystery

The identity of the successor was left unresolved in the series' original run.

Long before Red X appeared in DC's mainstream comic-book continuity, the masked character became one of the most intriguing mysteries in Cartoon Network's Teen Titans animated series. Originally, the identity was created by Dick Grayson, who used the disguise to infiltrate Slade's operation without compromising his identity as Robin. Once his undercover mission was exposed, Dick abandoned the costume, seemingly putting an end to the short-lived identity.

That changed when another individual appeared wearing the same Red X costume, immediately establishing himself as a dangerous rival for Robin. The second Red X possessed comparable fighting skills and acrobatic abilities, along with an impressive collection of gadgets and technology. His utility belt allowed him to teleport, turn invisible, and seemingly produce weapons whenever he needed them, making him a particularly difficult opponent for the Titans to apprehend. Despite several encounters with Robin, however, the animated series never revealed who was hiding behind the mask.

Jason Todd remains one of the most popular theories about the second Red X's identity. As Dick Grayson's successor as Robin, Todd would have had a similar background, training, and familiarity with the Boy Wonder. However, this has never been confirmed by DC. In fact, the publisher revisited the mystery in an April 2024 article on its official website, discussing several popular theories, including the possibility that Red X was a clone of Dick Grayson. Ultimately, the animated series never provided a definitive answer, leaving one of its most memorable mysteries intact.

The New Red X Is Unmasked in DC's Teen Titans Academy Comic

A mysterious former student was shown fighting alongside the Titans in DC's dark future.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Red X eventually made the jump from animation to DC's mainstream comic-book continuity through the publisher's Future State event in 2021. Among the many possible futures explored during the event was a particularly bleak version of the Teen Titans' history, in which Titans Tower had become a monument to the young heroes who died defending the world. Nightwing, Starfire, Beast Boy, Cyborg, and Raven were among the surviving members attempting to understand what happened and prevent the tragedy from becoming permanent.

In Future State: Teen Titans #1, the surviving heroes turn to Red X, a mysterious former Titans Academy student, for help. Although his motives are initially questionable, he eventually joins the team in its fight against the catastrophic threat unleashed by one of the Academy's students. The story continues in the second issue, with Red X fighting alongside Nightwing, Raven, and the remaining heroes against the Four Riders of the Apocalypse. Rather than being an enemy of Raven, Red X is part of the group trying to save their world.The character's appearance was particularly interesting because DC was simultaneously exploring his origins in the ongoing Teen Titans Academy series. The comic followed the school's new generation of young heroes while gradually introducing another individual using the Red X identity. Readers were left wondering which student was behind the mask, with the story planting clues throughout its run. Eventually, the mystery reached its conclusion in Teen Titans Academy #12, although the answer was far more complicated than anyone expected.

Brick Pettirosso Is The Red X (And Is Soon Killed By The Second Red X)

Teen Titans Academy #12 by Tim Sheridan, Tom Derenick, Alex Sinclair, and Rob Leigh

• 

The Academy's final confrontation reaches its breaking point when Red X turns against the Titans, insisting that Nightwing and his fellow heroes are exploiting their students. After attempting to convince the young heroes that their teachers are manipulating them, Red X finally removes his mask, revealing himself as Brick Pettirosso, one of the Academy's students. Brick's electromagnetic pulse abilities had provided an important clue to his identity, making the reveal especially satisfying for readers who had been paying attention to the series.

However, Brick's identity comes with an even more disturbing explanation. He genuinely believes Nightwing is his biological father and claims that being abandoned by him motivated his actions. Brick's surname, Pettirosso, is an Italian word for robin, another indication of the connection he believed he shared with Dick Grayson. Unfortunately, the story quickly establishes that Brick's understanding of his own history is built on a lie, and his supposed father has no idea who he actually is.

The real tragedy is that Brick was manipulated into becoming Red X long before he ever entered Titans Academy. The older Red X had taken him in and convinced him that Nightwing was his father, while teaching him to see the Titans as hypocritical adults who used young heroes as disposable weapons. Brick consequently believed that betraying the Academy was justified, even though the entire operation was designed to serve someone else's revenge.

The Second Red X Returns, As The Mastermind Of The Entire Scheme

The idea that Nightwing had a long-lost son is quickly put to rest when the Titans explain that they conducted blood tests on every student before admitting them to the Academy. The results confirm that Brick has no biological connection to Dick Grayson, leaving the heroes wondering how he could have been manipulated so thoroughly. The answer arrives almost immediately when the second Red X appears through his teleportation technology, ready to reveal the truth behind his elaborate plan.

The mysterious villain explains that he took Brick in and deliberately fabricated the story about Nightwing being his father. He also convinced the young boy that the Titans were using their students as pawns in a never-ending war against crime, giving Brick a personal reason to despise the organization. After years of manipulation, Brick was sent to infiltrate Titans Academy and undermine it from within. His supposed mission to protect the students was never anything more than a convenient way to carry out Red X's revenge against Nightwing.

Unfortunately, Brick discovers the truth too late. With his usefulness to the older villain at an end, the second Red X murders him directly in front of Nightwing, turning the young student's unmasking into an even more tragic revelation. Before disappearing through teleportation, the villain promises Nightwing that their conflict isn't over and that the two will eventually have another confrontation. Red X also claims that Dick ruined his life during his time as Robin, providing a glimpse of the personal hatred driving his elaborate scheme.

The Mystery Of The Second Red X Remains Unsolved

Nearly five years have passed since the events of Teen Titans Academy #12, but Nightwing's promised rematch with Red X has yet to materialize. The issue was released on February 22, 2022, and the older villain has not received a follow-up storyline that reveals his real identity or explains the full extent of his grudge against Dick Grayson. For all the answers provided by Brick's unmasking, the central mystery surrounding the older Red X remains unresolved.

The series also leaves another interesting question unanswered. Brick is identified as the fourth person to use the Red X identity, meaning there was another wearer whose identity was never established. Consequently, the comic-book mystery is even more complicated than the original animated series, with multiple characters having worn the same mask and only some of their stories receiving any explanation. Neither the identity of the third Red X nor the real name of the older mastermind is revealed in the issue.

Following Teen Titans Academy #12, DC began building toward its Dark Crisis event, which shifted the publisher's attention toward the Justice League's apparent demise and the Titans' growing responsibilities. After the event, the Titans stepped up to replace the Justice League as the DC Universe's leading superhero team, with Nightwing taking on a major leadership role. However, the Justice League eventually returned through DC's All In initiative and Justice League Unlimited #1 in November 2024. Despite all these developments, the Red X storyline has remained without the promised resolution.

The character's continued absence leaves readers with two separate mysteries to consider. The original Teen Titans animated series never identified the individual who stole Dick Grayson's Red X identity, while DC's comics have yet to explain the full history of the multiple characters who adopted the disguise. Brick Pettirosso's death provided one answer, but the villain responsible for manipulating him is still out there, and Nightwing has yet to get the rematch he was promised.