He’s lean, he’s green, and he’s a fighting machine! Well, most of the time. Of course, we’re talking about Beast Boy, our favorite green shapeshifter. He was probably the biggest source of comic relief in the Teen Titans animated series, and he’s always a fun character to watch.
What I admire the most about Beast Boy is his ability to keep smiling even through the hard times. This kid has not had an easy life, and he’s seen his fair share of pain and sorrows, but he keeps smiling through it all and brushes it off with a joke. Now, this isn’t always healthy, and sometimes Beast Boy does actually need to talk about his problems, but he tries not to dwell on them too much. It’s pretty impressive that he can go through everything with his optimistic attitude.
I also think a lot of people tend to underestimate Beast Boy, at least in the animated series. Not just villains, but other Titans too. Most of the time, Beast Boy doesn’t really seem to be bothered by this, but I think he also uses it to his advantage sometimes. He’s constantly surprising people with his skills and resourcefulness. In fact, the only reason the titans won against the Brotherhood of Evil in the last season was because Beast Boy banded the remaining Titans together to take them down. Don’t underestimate this kid.
But how much do we know about Beast Boy? He has led a pretty interesting life, and has quite a few random quirks and skills. So here are 20 interesting facts about Beast Boy you likely didn’t know! Think we missed a few? Make sure to comment below!
20 He Wasn’t Born This Way
Probably one of the most recognizable features of Beast Boy is his green skin. This color isn’t for show, and it’s all natural for Beast Boy. Yep, he’s green from his head to his toes; even his eyes are green. Because of this, he has a few nicknames surrounding his color, such as Grass Stain. But it doesn’t seem to bother him that much; I think he loves it and owns it.
But did you know he wasn’t always green?
Despite what some may think, Beast Boy wasn’t born green, nor was he born with the ability to shapeshift into animals. In fact, for the first few years of his life, he was just a normal human kid living with his parents in Africa. But then things changed, and he was never the same.
19 He’s Not About That Meat Life
It makes sense that once Beast Boy got his powers, he’d probably be turned off from eating meat. It would be weird to eat something you could change into. (Though we don’t know if Beast Boy was a vegetarian before he got his powers, so it could be something he even decided as a kid.) Beast Boy is a proud vegetarian, but he does love eating tofu, much to Cyborg’s annoyance. Though I don’t think he really cares if other people eat it.
There have been a couple of times in the show when Beast Boy did eat meat, but he wasn’t exactly himself when he was doing that. I also think Beast Boy might avoid meat to keep himself from becoming more like some of the carnivorous animals he turns into. Or maybe he just doesn’t like the taste of meat. Whatever the reason, you do you, Beast Boy.
18 Forever Young
It’s not exactly new that Beast Boy is a young superhero. His higher voice that breaks often combined with his immaturity are pretty good indicators that this kid is, well, a kid.
But did you know that Beast Boy is the youngest of the original Teen Titans?
While we don’t know ages for sure, it’s been established that Cyborg and Robin are at least 16, since they can both drive. Starfire is some crazy Tamaranean age that roughly translates to 15-16, and we think Raven is around that age as well. So that leaves Beast Boy. Many fans have surmised that Beast Boy is probably about fourteen. This would make him the youngest of the group, though not by a ton. I wonder if the others tease him about that?
17 That’s My Name, Don’t Wear It Out!
Beast Boy is a pretty cool name. It flows off the tongue nicely and you have to love the alliteration going on. He even has a few nicknames based off this one, like BB and just B (Cyborg’s the one who calls him that.) But Beast Boy isn’t the guy’s actual name.
In the Teen Titans animated series, we don’t hear anyone call our favorite green shapeshifter anything other than Beast Boy. At least until season 6 when they meet Doom Patrol. It’s then revealed that Beast Boy’s real name is Garfield Logan. What’s interesting is no one in the Titans ends up calling him that. Maybe he just likes being Beast Boy. But the Young Justice version of Beast Boy is actually fine if people call him Garfield. Eh, whatever works for you guys.
16 He Doesn’t Stay Down For Long
Throughout the series and the comics, we see Beast Boy take quite a pounding. Since he prefers close quarter combat, it leaves Beast Boy more opportunities to get hurt. And yet we don’t really see him stay down for too long. Well, there’s a reason for that: Beast Boy has a pretty powerful healing factor.
It’s true, one of the side effects of his powers is that he heals pretty quickly. There are even some versions of comics where he can regrow lost limbs. So, while he may not look like it, this green superhero can actually take a hit. He may get hurt, but he’s never down for long, and soon he’ll be up and ready to fight the next battle. (Though he does die in the comic prequel to the game Injustice: Gods Among Us.) Stay strong, Beast Boy, but try not to get too hurt.
15 He Can Turn Into ALL The Animals
To describe Beast Boy as just a shapeshifter isn’t entirely accurate since he can’t transform into anything or anyone. But he can transform into any animal. And I mean any animal, not just animals on Earth, or animals that are currently alive.
As long as Beast Boy has seen the animal, or at least images of the animal, he can transform into it.
He’s shapeshifted into animals on Tamaran, he’s often transformed into a T-Rex and other dinosaurs, and he’s even changed into some demonic animals, though that was under the influence of Trigon. In the comics, he did once transform into creatures that didn’t exist, but that was apparently due to his subconscious rage. It’s a pretty sweet ability to have, and Beast Boy seems to love his powers.
14 The First Beast Boy Looks Pretty Different
Beast Boy has been around as a character for a long time. He’s been in several comics, TV series, movies, and even some video games. But just how long as Beast Boy been around? Well, his first appearance happened in the sixties, so he’s been around for over 50 years.
It’s true, Beast Boy’s first appearance was in Doom Patrol #99, which came out in 1965.
This group of superheroes actually save Garfield from his corrupt court-appointed guardian who tries to eliminate him after Garfield’s parents are destroyed. The Doom Patrol essentially become Garfield’s adopted family, and this is where Beast Boy is born. Depending on the universe, Doom Patrol is either wiped out, or Beast Boy has a falling out with them, and he soon joins the Teen Titans after.
13 A Boy Of Many Identities
We know that in the Teen Titans animated series, Beast Boy just went by that name, even though we found out his name is Garfield Logan. (Though he did try to get Raven to call him Beast Man at one point. She wasn’t impressed.) But did you know that in the comics our shapeshifter has gone through a few different names?
His most notable different name is Changeling, which Garfield often uses as his alter ego, and it was his superhero name when he was first introduced in the Teen Titans in the comics. (I actually really like Changeling; it’s impressive, but not too cheesy.) He’s also gone by Animal Man in the Titans Tomorrow storyline. And in the 1966 mini-series Kingdom Come, he went by Menagerie. Not to mention all the nicknames he has: BB, Grass Stain, Gar, etc.
12 Who Would’ve Thought He’d Have This Skill?
Beast Boy has quite a few talents: he’s a pretty good cook, he’s crazy agile, he’s the master of video games, and he’s got a pretty creative mind, especially when it comes to pranks and jokes. But there’s one talent that you probably missed.
Beast Boy is actually good at origami.
Well, at least in the Teen Titans animated series. This was shown in the episode “OverDrive.” At one point in this episode, Beast Boy makes a paper hat and a turtle, showing his origami skills. (I’m impressed. I still can’t remember how to make a paper airplane.) You have to wonder if this skill came about because Beast Boy needed something to do with his hands during those quiet moments. I could see him picking up origami to stop him from fidgeting so much.
11 Where Did You Come From?
Most superheroes often have a couple of different origin stories, especially when entire universes are getting rebooted. And Beast Boy is no exception. In fact, his origin story has varied quite a bit.
The most popular origin story is his original one, where he contracted a virus that was deadly to any animal except the Green Monkey. His parents, who were scientists, concocted a type of cure from the blood of the green monkey. It worked but Garfield’s skin turned green, and he gained the ability to shapeshift into animals.
In the Young Justice series, he gained his powers because Miss Martian gave him a blood transfusion he needed after being injured in an explosion. Her Martian blood then changed his body. And in Teen Titans Go! he was bitten by a green monkey, which gave him his powers.
10 He’s Just A Little Guy
When he changes into animals, Beast Boy can be as large or as small as he would like, depending on the animal. But what about his human form? Well, he’s kind of. . . small. Hey, I know he’s practically a kid, but in Teen Titans, he was pretty short.
Just how short was he?
Well, he was actually only 5 feet tall, which is fairly short for a guy his age. With this height, Beast Boy is actually the shortest of all the Teen Titans, including all the honorary Titans. Well, except for Mas y Menos and those kids that Raven pseudo adopted. I wonder how he feels about that. He doesn’t seem to have a huge problem with his height, or at least he doesn’t really mention it. Maybe the fact he can turn into a 20-foot T-Rex makes it all better.
9 These Two Are Definitely A Thing
Probably one of the most frustrating elements of the Teen Titans animated series was the question of whether Beast Boy and Raven were a thing. There were tons of hints that they had romantic feelings for each other, but nothing was ever explored. (And then the series got canceled. No, we’re still not over that.)
But BBRae fans can rejoice because Beast Boy and Raven do get together in the comics! It does take a while for them, and I think Raven actually rejects Beast Boy’s advances a couple of times. But after a pretty harrowing attack involving Superboy-Prime and his Legion of Doom, the two start to talk about their feelings and fears (specifically Raven’s fears of herself and what her love of Gar would do) and they become a couple.
8 He’s Fought Around
Like quite a few of the other Titans, Beast Boy has been a part of a few different groups besides the Teen Titans. In fact, in the animated series, it was shown that Beast Boy used to be a part of the Doom Patrol before he ran away and became a Teen Titan.
He’s also been a part of a group of hyper-intelligent gorillas that were attacking Namibe in the Flashpoint universe, but he does betray them. He’s also teamed up with Batman to rescue the Doom Patrol, and he’s been a part of the Young Justice group in the Young Justice series, and at one point he was part of a group called the Ravagers. In general, Beast Boy is a pretty good team player, so you usually see him with some sort of group.
7 Beast Boy, You Need A New Catchphrase
Probably the most memorable thing about Beast Boy in the Teen Titans animated series (besides his green skin) was probably the fact that he said “dude” a lot. It was practically his catchphrase. Which is kind of funny since he doesn’t really strike me as a typical California surfer that would say “Dude” all the time.
But do you know just how much Beast Boy said this word?
Well, he said “dude” a total of 114 times throughout the six seasons of Teen Titans. Wow. Just Wow. I know he said “dude” a lot but not that much. Beast Boy, maybe it’s time to find a new catchphrase. I wonder where he even picked it up? He’s had this tendency since he met the Titans, but I highly doubt he got it from the Doom Patrol. I guess it’s a mystery we’ll never solve.
6 Something’s Not Consistent Here
It’s been established that in the Teen Titans animated series, Beast Boy is 5’0”, making him the shortest Teen Titan, besides Mas y Menos. But did you know that throughout the series, his height has changed a bit? The differences aren’t too drastic, but they’re there.
Most notably is, we see the changes when we look at his height compared to Raven.
Sometimes Beast Boy will only come up to her chin, and other times, he comes up to her nose. And even sometimes he looks to be almost her height. It’s likely an animation error, but fans speculate it could also be due to Beast Boy’s shape-shifting. The constant changing in size for him could affect his height a bit in human form. Hmm, not the craziest theory.
5 He’s Got More Combat Skills Than You Think
Since Beast Boy is often such a goofball, it’s a little difficult to take him seriously sometimes. So, in battle, you’d think he’d be the weakest at fighting. And in the Teen Titans animated series, he does get his behind kicked a lot, but he actually gives it as good as he gets it. Beast Boy is actually pretty good at hand to hand combat. He’s not as good as Robin or Batman, but he’s definitely up there.
There’s also the fact that Beast Boy can be a good leader when he wants to be. He showed this in the last few episodes of Teen Titans, taking up the leadership mantle when many of the Titans, including Robin, were captured. Thanks to his leadership, the remaining Titans were able to take down the Brotherhood of Evil. Not bad for the little shapeshifter.
4 He Might Be Hairier Than You Think
Have you noticed that Beast Boy’s human form still looks pretty animalistic? Between the green skin, the pointed teeth, and long, pointed ears, Beast Boy doesn’t really look very human sometimes. It gets even stranger if we take a look at this popular theory: Beast Boy’s human form is actually covered in fur.
This came about in the Teen Titans episode “Forces of Nature.”
Cyborg plays a prank on Beast Boy and dyes his shampoo. It results in Beast Boy’s entire body being dyed, which implies that he shampoos his entire body. This would imply that Beast Boy is actually covered in fur. Nothing has actually been confirmed, and if he was covered in fur, it would probably be pretty thin. I think it would be an interesting addition to his appearance, though.
3 Foreign Language Is Not His Forte, Apparently
In the Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo, it was established that Beast Boy couldn’t speak a word of Japanese (which is kind of weird considering he’s a pretty big otaku fanboy. And most otakus pick up at least a little Japanese) This is shown as he’s trying to navigate Japan, and somehow gets a bunch of fangirls. But apparently, Beast Boy knows some Spanish.
Well, “knows” is stretching it. More like he took a high-school Spanish class, according to the comic The New Teen Titans. So, he probably recognizes a few phrases and words. Granted, we don’t know how much he actually got from that class. He’d probably still get confused around Mas y Menos. Maybe he could pick up a word here and there.
2 Wait, Beast Boy’s A TV Star?
We know that Beast Boy has many talents, especially when it comes to the superhero business. But did you know that for a while Beast Boy had pursued another career besides being a superhero?
In fact, for a little while, Garfield was an actor.
Before he joined the Titans West, Garfield used his shapeshifting abilities to play an alien character on the science fiction TV series Space Trek: 2020. He does leave his acting career to join the Titans, but he soon goes back to it and moves to Los Angeles. After being framed for several eliminations, and discovering the real culprit, Garfield decides to go back into superhero work. But that’s seriously so crazy that he was a TV star for a while. I could see him being a good actor, and his powers would definitely come in handy.
1 That’s A Lot Of Animals
In the Teen Titans animated series, we see Beast Boy change into quite a few different animals. It’s impressive how he changes into a specific animal to suit the situation, and that does require more strategy than you’d think. But did you know that he changed into over 100 different animals throughout the entire series?
Seriously, and this isn’t even counting the times when Beast Boy changed into the same animal twice (he had a preference for the T-Rex). Some of the animals he transformed into include: hawk, bear, spider, shark, camel, octopus, microorganism, kitten, blue whale, and even an animal native to Tamaran. There was also the time when he was sick and he would randomly change into animals every time he sneezed. Beast Boy really does have some pretty cool powers.
