Board Thread:Episodic and Issue Discussion/@comment-47881-20121008012726/@comment-1038387-20121011150656

In order for him to become Vox, he has to have the Gabriel's Horn (if they've gone the same road). Pre-Crisis, it was a gift from the angels, post-Crisis, he made it himself.

Mal makes perfect sense. Not a young Michael Holt or Victor Stone. Mal was non-costumed support staff in the comics, caretaker of Titans' lair. He grew exceedingly impatient at not being able to do much in missions. That's shown in the series - he wants to do things, go after Aqualad himself, and his girlfriend doesn't have time for him. That's classic Mal, a perfect character for the show. Michael and Victor did not have that history. Mal wasn't chosen because he's black (face it, that's all Terrific and Cyborg have in common with him), it's because he's an interesting character, and making him mission control isn't that far from his original job.

And as for becoming a hero, Mal became one... when a villain attacked the base and knocked out his teammates, he got his moment to shine. He took one of Robin's armored exoskeletons and a Guardian uniform from Speedy, and became the second Guardian. Only later did he become Hornblower (with the horn). Since Greg has already said he will grow in the series, and with the premise for "Cornered", several people here (myself included) think he'll become Guardian in that episode (or shortly thereafter).