El Diablo (New 52)

*"As for you, Deadshot the Assassin may be beyond redemption... but I will find a way to redeem Floyd Lawton, the man."*

## **Summary**

In the New 52 universe of DC Comics, El Diablo, the alias of Chato Santana, is a character with a tragic and redemptive arc. Originally portrayed as a gang member with a violent past, Santana becomes imbued with the powers of a spirit of vengeance after a fateful encounter, transforming him into El Diablo. This transformation grants him pyrokinetic abilities, which he struggles to control and understand. His journey is one marked by a quest for atonement, as he grapples with the sins of his past and the responsibilities of his newfound powers.

El Diablo's primary ability is his pyrokinesis, the power to generate and control fire. This power is both a blessing and a curse, providing him with formidable combat capabilities but also a constant reminder of his past misdeeds, which led to his empowerment. Santana's control over fire extends to creating constructs, projecting fireballs, and engulfing his enemies in flames. Additionally, his transformation into El Diablo has provided him with a degree of enhanced durability. Despite these powers, Santana's character is defined more by his internal struggle and the moral choices he faces rather than just his supernatural abilities.

In terms of relationships, Santana's background as a gang member haunts him, affecting his interactions with both allies and enemies. His joining of the Suicide Squad places him alongside other antiheroes and villains, where he often serves as a voice of conscience, despite his own complex moral code. His interactions with other Squad members, such as Deadshot and Harley Quinn, are underpinned by a mutual understanding of redemption and the price of past actions. El Diablo's role in the team is often as much about seeking personal redemption as it is about completing their assigned missions.

Throughout the New 52 story arcs, El Diablo's involvement with the Suicide Squad sees him partaking in dangerous missions, which often force him to confront his own nature and the possibility of salvation or damnation. These missions, ranging from covert operations to battles against powerful foes, test his resolve and commitment to doing good despite his dark past. El Diablo's journey is emblematic of the theme of redemption in the face of overwhelming odds, adding a layer of depth and humanity to the character, and distinguishing him within the larger narrative of the DC Universe.

## **Base**

### **Output:**

#### Physical Strength

* Kills some Techno-Organic zombies with a trash bin.
* Knocks a Basilisk agent on his ass with a punch.

#### Pyrokinesis

* Sets a house of gangbangers ablaze, killing everyone inside, including the women and children.
* Fries some Techno-Organic zombies with a blast.
* Sets a fire and seemingly immolates a prisoner at Belle Reve during a riot.
* Burns some inmates at Belle Reve during a riot into skeletons.
* Blasts back Resurrection Man.

### **Defense:**

#### Blunt

* Tanks getting hit by a Techno-Organic zombie.
* Takes but is knocked down by a whack to the face with a metal pipe from a Belle Reve inmate.
* Tanks being launched back by a punch from Resurrection Man into a tree.
* Survives being launched back into a stone pillar by Regulus hard enough to shatter it.

#### Piercing

* Takes seemingly no damage from being shot at, the bullets appearing to disintegrate on contact.

#### Explosive

* Survives but is knocked out by a bomb in a shack that was noted as "couldn't have been meant to kill us".
* Tanks being caught in a blast from Resurrection Man that blows up the bus they're on.

#### Energy

* Tanks being hit with electricity from Resurrection Man.

#### Endurance

* Withstands being tortured by some psychos, having his chest cut up and the wounds covered in salt.

### **Speed:**

#### Combat

* Dodges a fire blast from Resurrection Man.

### **Misc:**

#### Pyrokinesis

* Can seemingly control his fire to make sure he doesn't blast Harley while frying some zombies surrounding them.
* After a cultist scientist swallows some poison, Diablo burns them from her system with a kiss.
* Ignites Waller's cigarette with a look.
* Blocks the blast of a suicide bomber exploding herself on a plane to protect the rest of the squad.
* Melts a bullet from Deadshot as it flies towards him.