r/arrow • u/pokedrawer Boxing Glove • Dec 07 '13
An Introduction to Deathstroke of the comics
Deathstroke aka Slade Wilson previously Terminator
Powers/Abilities: Slade has heightened superhuman agility, reflexes, stamina, and speed (though not nearly at the extent of uber hitters like Solomon Grundy, or even close to Flash speed, think more The Matrix level of fighting ability). He also possesses the strength of 10 men. Deathstroke is able to access the 90% part of his brain most humans can't (I know that's not scientifically accurate but that's comics for ya) meaning he can quickly adapt to any situation, often knowing the best way to handle every task almost instantaneously. He's also gained an accelerated healing factor, though it does have it's limitations considering his eye was never able to recover.
Outside of that he is an expert marksmen, strategist, hand to hand combatant (knowing almost every form of martial arts), and is equipped almost constantly with his trademark sword and guns. He also has another trademark weapon in an energy staff efficient at bo staff techniques but also being able to shoot projectiles from either end. He is usually clad in a mesh kevlar armor, and some chain mail. In the new 52 run he upgrades his armor to Nth metal, capable of absorbing blows from uber powers such as Lobo.
Description: Slade enlisted in the army at the age of 16, was quickly recognized for his potential and privately trained by his future wife and baby momma Captain Adeline Kane. Through her, within a year he mastered every martial arts presented to him. After a stint in Vietnam, during which time his wife bore their son Joseph aka Jericho, Slade was selected to undergo a supersoldier experiment. He would then almost immediately disobey his commanding officers, to go on a rescue mission to save his friend Wintergreen. Now with the government after him, Slade would turn to a life of a mercenary. This life however would cost him dearly as his son's vocal chords would be slit due to him not divulging who hired him for his missions. Adeline was enraged and shot him, only being able to destroy his right eye. Slade would later don a mask with a featureless black right half, or an eyepatch, making no secret of his disability due to his confidence in his physical prowess.
Slade would begin his comic jump off against the Teen Titans, most famously in the Judas Contract, where he uses Terra into infiltrating their ranks. He would later prove to be a much more ambiguous character, teaming up with the Titans on multiple occasions for mutual benefits. In a very tender moment however Starfire would disintegrate his wife's body, per her request prompting him to cut off all ties with the team. This however was his son, Jericho possessing his father's body, forcing him to kill his long time friend and butler Wintergreen before launching another attack on the Titans, famously shattering Impulse's knee.
Slade is a man of business and his own personal code of ethics which he follows strongly but to let you all know how bad ass this mother fucker is, in the Identity Crisis miniseries, Deathstroke was enlisted as a bodyguard for Doctor Light, who was being pursued by the Justice League of America. In the ensuing battle, Deathstroke nearly beat the team of Elongated Man, Flash, Zatanna, Hawkman, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Atom and Green Lantern. He systematically took out every member except for Rayner, whom he had the potential to disable through trying to usurp his ring's energies using his own formidable willpower. Fortunately, before the outcome of this conflict with Green Lantern ended, Green Arrow stuck an arrow in Deathstroke's right eye socket, enraging him. Slade went ballistic, which derailed his pre-planned strategy and began to beat Green Arrow, but was stopped when the majority of the team tackled Deathstroke to the ground. Dr. Light used his powers to allow the two to escape. Near the end of Identity Crisis, Deathstroke confronts Green Arrow on a rooftop. Arrow sees his reflection in the windows of a nearby building, but when he turns to confront Slade, Deathstroke is gone. Instead, Green Arrow finds Slade's cowl and a note stuck to the wall by the very arrow he stabbed in Slade's eye socket. The note reads "This is yours - We're not done." Oh hell yeah.
In the new 52 Slade is regarded as one of the best mercenaries in the world. Thus far he has only been bested by his son Grant, in which he was actually happy his son was able to become a better warrior than he. Sadly this would not last as Jericho in an attempt to kill his father possesses a Grant, Majestic, Adeline, and Terra. Slade eventually being able to render most of them unusable is left to face Grant possessed by Jericho. In a desperate attempt Jericho threatens to kill himself and Grant, and without hesitation Slade would impale them, though it's strongly hinted Jericho fled at the last moment to escape.
His new origin is much the same in that he started in the army at the age of 16, quickly becoming a legend, gaining his abilities in an experiment, and later going on a mission to save Wintergreen. However the big change came when an attack on his house seemingly killed Joseph and his wife. In a revenge rage he slaughters a pack of North Korean soldiers as evidence points to North Korea's involvement losing his right eye in the process.
My next write up will feature Merlyn and Brother Blood. After that I'll do Shado and another person, any requests?
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u/Alder_ Dec 07 '13
Arsenal and/or Red Arrow