Long before Alan Ritchson became synonymous with Prime Video’s unyielding Reacher, he was already showcasing his abilities — emotionally and physically — as one of DC’s more complicated vigilantes. Titans, which premiered on DC Universe in 2018 (and is now available on HBO Max), adapted the Teen Titans mythology and added an edge. The series followed Dick Grayson (Brenton Thwaites) as he emerged from Batman’s death and created the next generation of heroes, including Starfire (Anna Diop), Raven (Teagan Croft), and Beast Boy (Ryan Potter).
Ritchson was introduced into the series as Hank Hall, better known as Hawk — a battered, brutish hand-to-hand fighting vigilante who, along with Dove (Minka Kelly), brought street-level brutality and raw emotion to a series frequently teetering between superhero visuals and down-to-earth drama. For viewers who know Ritchson as the taciturn, near-superhuman Jack Reacher, Titans is the final piece of the puzzle that shows how long he has been capable of being the leading man of a franchise.
What To Know About Alan Ritchson’s Exit From ‘Titans’
In Titans, Hawk does not serve as the team’s soaring moral guide. He was wrathful, self-destructive, and addicted to the thrill of being a vigilante. He shared a volatile relationship with Dove, full of love and pain, which added emotional weight to the series. While Titans spent much of its first three seasons developing the Bat Family’s storyline, Ritchson and Kelly grounded it in humanity. Their chemistry — alternately fiery and heartbreaking — made Hawk and Dove one of the show’s strongest pairings.
By the time Season 3 rolled around, the show had found its footing. Gotham loomed large, Jason Todd (Curran Walters) had transformed into Red Hood, and the Titans were splintered by guilt and grief. Hawk’s death early in the season was one of the most shocking moments of the series — an emotional gut punch that reminded fans how fragile even the toughest heroes could be. In “Souls,” Ritchson’s final episode, Hank reunited with his brother Don in the afterlife, closing his arc with surprising grace.
Ritchson later revealed that his exit wasn’t his choice. The actor told Entertainment Weekly he was “ready to move on,” but was surprised when the call came. The decision, tied to streamlining the show’s expanding cast, ultimately freed him for Reacher — and arguably, for the career leap he was always meant to make.
Alan Ritchson’s Hawk Foreshadowed Potential as Batman
Watching Ritchson’s Titans performance today, it’s clear how perfectly it foreshadowed his later success. Hawk shared Reacher’s moral code, intimidating presence, and world-weary charm — but also his fragility. Beneath the armor and bravado, Ritchson brought vulnerability to a character who was always one punch away from breaking.
It’s that combination — brute force and introspection — that’s now fueling fan campaigns to see him take on an even bigger cape: Batman. As James Gunn’s DC Universe reboots its core heroes, Ritchson’s name has become a popular suggestion online. And it makes sense. Titans proved he can navigate the physical intensity and emotional isolation that define Bruce Wayne, while Reacher showcased the stoicism and intellect fans expect from The Dark Knight.
Why ‘Titans’ is Worth Your Time
Even with its plain pacing and paths that shift/stagger despite it, Titans is still one of the more interesting and ambitious shows/DC properties on television. Its shift from the DC Universe to HBO Max invested the show with a sense of higher expectations, production gloss, writing that was more engaged, and an overall more confident sense of identity — undoubtedly true in season 3. Titans offered a mix of explosive action and comfort on the characters’ journeys, from Dick Grayson’s identity complications to Starfire’s family drama with layers of complexity to Raven’s almost ethereal (spiritual) journey.
And through it all, Ritchson was a standout. His turn as Hawk gave the show its bruised heart, and his departure left a void that was never quite filled. For anyone who discovered him through Reacher and wants to see where that magnetism began — or for those hoping to see him don the cowl in the DCU — Titans is essential viewing. It’s a reminder that long before he towered over his enemies on Prime Video, Ritchson was already doing the heavy lifting.
