Javelin

"*I love your accent.*"
"*American women all love accents.*"
—Harley Quinn and Javelin[src]
**Gunter Braun**, also known as **Javelin**, was a former German Olympic athlete turned criminal who uses weaponized javelins when committing crimes. He was incarcerated and became a member of the first Task Force X strike team sent on the deadly mission to Corto Maltese. Before reaching the island, Braun became close to Harley Quinn and they reached the island, but Braun was killed by soldiers and gave Quinn his javelin, deeming her the only other person he's met fit to carry it.

## Biography

### Early life

#### Olympic athlete and criminal life

Once a German Olympic athlete, Gunter Braun turned to criminal activity as "Javelin", using weaponized javelins to trap people, blow up walls and objects, or simply impale people who try to stop him. He was caught and incarcerated in Belle Reve, where he became a member of Task Force X.

### Mission in Corto Maltese

#### Recruitment

In 2020, Gunter Braun accepted to join Task Force X on a mission to Corto Maltese to destroy the prison and laboratory known as Jotunheim, formerly used by the Nazi party, wiping out all traces of the dangerous Project Starfish in the process, in exchange for a 10-year prison sentence reduced. Javelin was then enlisted as part of the first strike team due to his abilities.

Once the day arrived, a nano-bomb was placed on Braun and his suit and javelin were returned, being sent to the outskirts of Belle Reve prison controlled by guards, waiting for the arrival of Savant. Once Colonel Flag arrived with Savant, Javelin and the team headed to the Sheba helicopter for take off while he spin his javelin skillfully. Finally, Javelin boarded sitting next to Harley Quinn.

On the way to Corto Maltese, Javelin asked what T.D.K.'s name meant, causing him to respond to himself, surprising Javelin who commented that his name was letters, so Captain Boomerang scoffed saying that all names are letters. As they chatted, Harley Quinn fell in love with Javelin's German accent, so they started to flirt with each other. Finally, Rick Flag gave signal of the arrival to the island, for which he ordered the team to get into position to jump into the sea.

#### Battle on the Corto Maltese Beach

*"You... are the only one... fit to carry my javelin. Carry it for..."*
―Javelin's last words to Harley Quinn[src]
Upon jumping, the team started to swim towards the beach of Corto Maltese, arriving easily. Javelin then got into position like his companions. However, the group was betrayed by Blackguard, causing the team to be compromised. Blackguard began to approach the Corto Maltese Armed Forces. Javelin was shocked by Blackguard's betrayal and the arrival of the Corto Maltese army, and Blackguard died soon after.

Blackguard's betrayal led to a bloody battle where the soldiers began to defeat the squad. In an attempt to help his team, Braun tried to throw his javelin at the soldiers. He was soon shot and mortally wounded before doing so, which caused him to fall to the ground where he began to die. The death of Javelin along with that of Mongal and Captain Boomerang was seen by Savant, which motivated him to try to desert the mission before being assassinated by Waller in the attempt.

Before he dies, Harley Quinn found him while she was running trying to survive on the battle, when she approached him, he gave Harley his armed javelin, telling her with his last breaths that she is the best fit to carry it. However, Braun died before he can tell her to wield it for him, leaving in doubt Quinn who struck Braun. In that, Harley was captured by the Corto Maltesian troops while she frustrated at unknowing Braun's final phrase notifying to the soldiers.

### Legacy

*"What is the javelin for?""I'm waiting for God to tell me."*
―Bloodsport and Harley Quinn[src]
The javelin was later confiscated by the Armed Forces and sent to Luna's palace. After a love affair with the Presidente Silvio Luna which ended with his death, Harley was captured in a torture room, however she used the javelin to break out of General Suarez's imprisonment, finding it on her way. After the destruction of Jotunheim and the liberation of Starro, Harley Quinn finally discovered why she was carrying the javelin, following her team to stop the starfish, after an intense battle accompanied by her new team, Harley was able to use the javelin stabbing Starro in the eye. This allowed Ratcatcher 2's rats entry and they immediately swim to eat away at the eye's veins and lens, killing Starro and saving the city of Valle Del Mar. After the mission was completed, Harley Quinn returned to America with the javelin.

## Personality

Braun was charismatic, affable, and overtly suave, openly flirting with Harley Quinn on their way to a mission that would almost certainly kill them, due to this she also took a great liking to him in return. He lived for the thrill to the point it didn't matter to him how dangerous the situation he's in becomes, or what he had to do to get through it. He was also shown to be honorable, warmly asking Harley to take his javelin, believing she earned it.

## Abilities

* **Peak human condition**: Javelin is a former Olympic athlete.
	+ **Peak human strength**: As a former Olympic athlete specializing in javelin-throwing, Javelin has phenomenal upper-body strength and is able to throw objects (mainly javelins) notably long distances.
* **Skilled combatant**: Javelin is skilled in hand-to-hand combat to an unknown degree.
* **Expert marksman**: As a former Olympic athlete specializing in javelin-throwing, Javelin is incredibly skilled in throwing javelins, and is able to uses them to impale his enemies from long distances.

## Equipment

* **Javelin suit**: Javelin wears a special suit to protect his identity while committing crimes, while still allowing him enough flexibility for him to effectively throw his javelins.
* **Weaponized javelins**: Javelin, per the name, uses weaponized javelins to kill people and assist him in his crimes.

## Relationships

	+ Rick Flag † - team leader
	+ Brian Durlin/Savant †
	+ Cory Pitzner/T.D.K.
	+ Digger Harkness/Captain Boomerang †
	+ Mongal †
	+ Weasel
* Harleen Quinzel/Harley Quinn - former teammate, love interest, and successor
	+ John Economos - jailer and mission coordinator
* A.R.G.U.S.
	+ Amanda Waller - manipulator
	+ Flo Crawley - mission coordinator
	+ Emilia Harcourt - mission coordinator
	+ Fitzgibbon - physician
	+ Briscoe - mission transport
* Starro † - target
* Corto Maltese Armed Forces - killers
* Richard Hertz/Blackguard † - ally turned enemy

## Behind the scenes

* In DC Comics, Javelin, whose real name has never been revealed, is a German Olympic athlete, who later decided to use his javelin-throwing abilities for evil. He then became a super-criminal and mercenary who has been an enemy to Green Lantern and a member of the Suicide Squad.
* Eddie Davenport was a stunt double for Flula Borg in the role of Javelin.
* Javelin in the DC Extended Universe is the second live-action incarnation of the character, following the Arrowverse incarnation portrayed by Yanik Ethier.
	+ The Arrowverse incarnation was named Malcolm Byrd, but was only called his codename "Javelin" in the credits of the *Arrow* episode he appeared in.
* Gunter Braun is an original name that was created by James Gunn for *The Suicide Squad*.

## References

1. ↑ Jump up to:1.0 1.1 Splat trading card
2. ↑ ‘Pitch Perfect 2’s Flula Borg Joins James Gunn’s ‘The Suicide Squad’
3. ↑ Jump up to:3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Gunn, James (writer and director) (August 6, 2021). *The Suicide Squad*.
4. ↑ The Suicide Squad - Roll Call