Black Mask (DC Extended Universe)

## Villain Description

### Goals

Put his hands onto the diamond and steal the Bertinelli fortune at all costs, even if he has to cut Cassandra Cain in half (failed)
Remain a powerful mob boss (succeeded for a while, then ultimately backfired).

### Hobbies

Killing and torturing others with Victor Zsasz as a hobby
Getting richer and richer
Watching over Dinah Lance (formerly)

### Powers

Brutal strength
Weapon use
Masochistic immunity to pain

### Skills

Tyranny
Charisma
Deception
Master Manipulator
Torturing skills
Leadership and command

### Type of Villain

Brutal Crime Lord

**Roman Sionis** also known as **The Black Mask**, is the main antagonist of the 2020 DC Extended Universe movie *Birds of Prey*. He is one of Gotham's most powerful kings of crime, who intends to acquire control over the city and expand his wealth by stealing the Bertinelli fortune, including the diamond which Cassandra Cain stole and ate. He is also the ally and boss of the ruthless assassin Victor Zsasz.

He is portrayed by Ewan McGregor.

## History

He at first crosses paths with Harley Quinn in a nightclub which he owns. He asks Harley how things are going and if the Joker is going to be coming. Harley replied that The Joker is doing some other business and that she will be leaving very soon. Roman tells Harley to send her boyfriend regards. However, after he knew that Harley and The Joker broke up, he started sending Zsasz repeatedly to hunt Harley down so he could gain popularity and be known as Harley's killer. He turned the entire city against Harley, and as she returned to have her drink in his club, he witnesses his "sex slave" Dinah Lance (known as The Black Canary) defending Harley from two thugs. He then gives her a new job as his personal driver and enforcer. He is then seen with Zsasz torturing a mob boss who did not let him take control of his turfs and zones, and he hanged him with his wife and daughter. Zsasz was ordered to kill them for being useless. After that, he finds out that a girl named Cassandra Cain has stolen and eaten up his diamond, as the enraged mob boss sends Dinah after them, and Zsasz accompanies her to make sure she gives Cass and her allies no mercy. Eventually, Harley comes to make a deal with Roman and Victor Zsasz, which would be about the diamond and the Bertinelli fortune. Harley offers him help, and after almost torturing her with Zsasz, Roman agrees. However, to make things more interesting, he turns the entire criminal populace of the city against her so that they can also find it for him, of course, after they kill her. He then sends Zsasz to assure that things are going as expected. Zsasz however finds out that Dinah and Harley teamed up against Roman, and out of jealousy for her being Roman's "little birdy", Zsasz threatens that he will slice her throat if she doesn't cut Cass' stomach open and apologize to Sionis. Zsasz however is killed by the combined efforts of The Birds of Prey (including Harley, Cass, Dinah Lance, Deputy Renee Montoya and Helena Bertinelli). After Roman started suspecting that Zsasz was killed during his shift as he didn't come back with the fortune, he put on his skull like black colored mask, and he becomes a supervillain called The Black Mask. He then speaks to his goons and orders all of them to defeat The Birds of Prey, most importantly Harley and Cass. He then orders one of his goons to drive him to the docks, and there, he eventually meets Harley Quinn. He claims that he is protecting Harley from The Joker, but Harley doesn't surrender to his, nor Joker's manipulations, as she compares them and replies that they both use fear tactics to control others, but that she is going to end this reign of terror. She apologizes to Cassandra, and The Black Mask then threatens to slice Cass' throat as an act of revenge. However, Cass escapes from his arms and he looses his balance, just before he falls into the deep water and drowns.

## Personality

Roman is a very strict, nasty and ruthless crime lord who would brutally kill and/or even torture whoever stands in his way to glory. He doesn't care how many lives he drains, but he ultimately wants to take the Bertinelli fortune for himself, and cut Cass' stomach open despite her little age so he could put his hands on the diamond. He manipulates others to assist his goals, and the only one who he treats as an equal is Zsasz, because they both share a sadistic, narcissistic and killjoy love for torture and murder.

He claims that he does care for the other gangsters, but it's only a ploy to become popular and remain all powerful.

## Trivia

* His death was very graphic and infact some say that it's the most graphic villain's defeat in the DCEU.