Slade Wilson

**Slade Joseph Wilson** (スレイド・ジョゼフ・ウィルソン, *Sureido Josefu Wiruson*), also well-known as **Deathstroke** (デスストローク, *Desusutorōku*), is a fictional character and antagonist of the *DC* series. He is an elite mercenary, one of the world's deadliest assassins for hire, the leader of MECH, and most dangerous enemy of the Teen Titans. Of former military status, subject of a failed medical experiment, he has since taken up work as a mercenary, armed with multiple weapons, and considered expert with blades, firearms and explosives. Distinguishing characteristics include an impaired right eye, graying hair, and orange accented black body armor. His augmentations, coupled with his mastery of hand-to-hand combat make him a formidable opponent.

Slade was an accomplished member of the special forces. This distinction earned him admittance into a covert program where he was subjected to extensive mental and physical augmentation. The procedures left him with increased mental function, as well as enhanced speed, strength, and stamina.

Following his military service, Slade worked for various private military contractors before striking out on his own – and allegedly becoming one of the highest paid contract killers in the world, specializing in high profile assassinations. His unique weapons and abilities include regenerating health and super strength, a rifle-staff with a built-in grapple, a sword, explosives, firearms, and his own version of "Detective Vision", called "Tactical Vision".

"*I am the thing that keeps you up at night. The evil that haunts every dark corner of your mind. I will never rest and neither will you.*"

—Deathstroke to Nightwing.

## Appearance & Biography

*Voice Actor*: Ron Perlman (English), Hidenari Ugaki (Japanese), Not Known (Arabic), Not Known (Brazilian), Not Known (Chinese), Not Known (Dutch), Not Known (Finnish), Pierre Dourlens (French), Jan Spitzer (German), Not Known (Italian), Not Known (Hebrew), Not Known (Hungarian), Gang Gu-han (Korean), Not Known (Norwegian), Not Known (Poland), Not Known (Polish), Not Known (Portuguese), Not Known (Romanian), Not Known (Russian), Not Known (Serbian), Not Known (Spanish), Steve Kratz (Swedish), Not Known (Thai), Not Known (Brazilian Portuguese), Not Known (European Spanish), Not Known (European Portuguese), Not Known (Latin American Spanish), Not Known (Latin Spanish)

### Biography

Slade Wilson was an accomplished member of the special forces. This distinction earned him admittance into a covert program where he was subjected to extensive mental and physical augmentation. The procedures left him with increased mental function, as well as enhanced speed, strength, and stamina. Though much of the file is redacted, it appears that Slade was eventually discharged from the military, though the exact circumstances are not specified. He has since taken up work as a mercenary. His augmentations, coupled with his mastery of hand-to-hand combat make him a formidable opponent.

Following his military service, Slade worked for various private military contractors before striking out on his own – and allegedly becoming one of the highest paid contract killers in the world, specializing in high profile assassinations. FBI files link Slade Wilson to the assassination of various offshore dictators and business people. Less is known about his domestic activities. Additional skills include: Weapons expert. Demolitions expert. Close quarters combat. Ambush techniques. Deathstroke was armed with multiple weapons, and considered expert with edged weapons, firearms and explosives. Distinguishing characteristics include an impaired right eye, graying hair, and orange accented black body armor.

Deathstroke is a metahuman mercenary know to take on seemingly impossible jobs and the toughest targets as a personal challenge. In addition to enhanced strength, speed and reflexes, Deathstroke possesses heightened brain functions that make him a master strategist and tactical genius.

### Appearance

#### As Slade Wilson

Slade is a tall, slender man, with much shorter white hair, and a full facial hair (beard). His right eye was injured and blinded, and wears an eyepatch, while the remaining eye is blue.

#### As Deathstroke

As Deathstroke, his armored suit featured the classic orange/black colors, but armored. He wears an armored helmet mask and includes two long ribands jutting from the back, one black (right) and one orange (left), matching the colors of the front side of the mask.

Half of Slade's helmet was covered with a black area that obscures the right half of his face, including his missing eye, and the orange half revealed his left eye. Slade wore multiple packs on the top of his suit to store bullets, darts, and other things. He wears a utility belt with pouches, and sheaths for a sword and staff on his back.

By the time of future, Deathstroke has also changed his armor considerably, with much more orange in its color scheme. The suit has goldenrod shoulder pads and matching greaves and gauntlets. His mask now is made of cloth and includes two long ribands jutting from the back, one black and one orange, matching the colors of the front side of the mask.

* Hair Color: White (Formerly Black)
* Skin Color: Caucasian
* Eye Color: Blue
* Age: Not Known
* Birthday: Not Known
* Height: 6' 5" (1.96 m)
* Weight: 225 lbs. (102 kg)

### Attributes:

* Wounded right eye.
* Assembled a fortune from contract killings.
* Formerly in the military.
* Confirmed as an American Enhanced Super Soldier.

## Personality

Deathstroke is an extremely calm and composed individual, remaining an enigma to both enemies and allies alike throughout the series. As a result, not much is known of his true personality by anyone, although the comparison has been made on multiple occasions by multiple people that he and Robin share similar traits, such as an intense dislike of losing, fiercely dedicated, and borderline obsessive in accomplishing their goals.

Although many people don't know Slade's intentions to fight, it is made clear a couple times. Slade quotes that it is, "always the quiet ones", and "Betrayal. Destruction. Revenge." These all may reference his son Jericho, since he can't talk, and the incident leading up to him being unable to talk (and Slade losing his right eye) was because of Slade supposedly betraying his family, which led to the minor destruction of his home (but major destruction to him and his son), which led to Slade wanting to get revenge on unknown people to make it up for his son losing the ability to speak.

The epitome of an evil mastermind, Slade is clever and calculating, never coming into view unless he has the complete advantage, and flees the moment that advantage is compromised. A master manipulator, he prefers to bait others into traps rather than directly confront them himself, and uses his robotic minions to their fullest extent, as they're often seen fighting in his stead. Throughout the first two seasons, for reasons which are not entirely clear, he is shown tirelessly working on recruiting new apprentices, setting his sights on both Robin and Terra respectively. Using his intelligence and charisma, he exploits their weaknesses and fears, and is not above blackmailing them into submission, as he did with Robin.

Slade is scary and intimidating due to his evil and sadistic personality. He is so stubborn and determined on what's right in front of him which becomes his downfall. His stony disposition makes him seem all the more ruthless and unemotional. In a conversation with Nightwing, Slade admits to feeling no remorse for any of his crimes, saying "it's what I do best" when Robin tells him that everything that he's ever done has only made people suffer.

Occasionally, he will lose his temper. An example is when Trigon betrayed him, regardless his intense loyal service to the interdimensional demon, and had his fire-minions seize him which lead to him demanding the demons to obey him with outrage.

Despite his wicked personality, he admitted that he did not wish Trigon to destroy Earth.

Much like his predecessor Sportsmaster, Deathstroke is cool and efficient in the discharge of his duties. This emotionless mask does tend to slip when he is truly challenged, and a degree of impatience slips through. This is evident when he was engaging with Sportsmaster, while Tigress bantered with Cheshire. He also takes great delight in the thrill of battle, and takes a sadistic relish in taunting his opponents. Unlike Sportsmaster, Deathstroke is far more ambitious—he plans to "take a seat at the table" at the head of the Light.

Known by reputation as "The World's Greatest Assassin", Slade Wilson is a consummate professional, jaded by the work he does and attracted towards a contract basis, especially jobs that regard Batman - whom after beating him once, is dedicated to a rematch and finally defeating his rival. He feels a personal obligation to complete a job, but is too pragmatic and professional to let a job become a personal matter. He fully admits that he only does his work if he is positive he will receive compensation and because of this did not attack Batman while imprisoned in Blackgate as the Joker had no means of paying him. Despite his assassin lifestyle, Slade does have a sense of honor and follows a warriors code, no matter how warped it is, specifically he will grant his opponents a quick death in battle.

A heavy flaw he did possess was that Slade could be too arrogant and overconfident regarding his own abilities. Having killed all of the men he fought, he believed Batman would simply be an easy target. It was likely this hubris that was a factor of his defeat and he seemed to have learnt his lesson in Arkham Knight as he appears less arrogant but still rather boastful about his war stories which he told Batman repeatedly. It was likely that these many past victories which caused his arrogance. As a result of being defeated a second time by Batman, Slade appears to have hypocritically forgotten his own code of not becoming personally involved in a job and becomes obsessive of finally killing Batman, claiming he would not need payment and would "do it for free".

## Relationships

### Friends/Allies

* MECH
	+ Silas
	+ Ubu - Ally.
	+ Black Spider
	+ Hook
	+ Lady Shiva
	+ Professor Ojo
	+ Cassandra Savage

### Family

* Adeline Wilson (estranged Wife)
* Joe Wilson (son)
* Grant Wilson (son)
* Rose Wilson (daughter)

### Neutral

* League of Assassins
	+ Rā's al Ghūl - Former master turned enemy.
	+ Talia al Ghūl - Enemy.
* Black Mask
* Joker - Former Employer.
* Amanda Waller
* Professor Hugo Strange
* Scarecrow
* Arkham Knight
* H.I.V.E.
	+ Brother Blood
	+ Mother Mayhem
* Terra - Double-agent and apprentice later enemy.

### Rivals

* Assassins
	+ Deadshot
	+ Firefly
	+ Killer Croc
	+ Bane

### Enemies

* Justice League
	+ Superman
	+ Batman
	+ Green Arrow
* Teen Titans
	+ Robin/Nightwing - Worst adversary.
	+ Starfire - Enemy.
	+ Cyborg - Enemy.
	+ Beast Boy - Enemy.
	+ Blue Beetle - Enemy.
	+ Raven - Enemy.
	+ Robin
* Katana
* Bronze Tiger - Enemy.
* Trigon - Former master and enemy.

## Powers and Abilities

### Powers

* **Medically Enhanced Physiology**: Due to years of training before being terminated from the military and becoming a Mercenary/Assassin after that event. After experimentations, done by various employers & the CIA, Deathstroke's physiology was enhanced. Deathstroke has proved to be a worthy opponent to Batman physically because he is superior to Batman. He even defeated Anarky with only two moves.
	+ **Accelerated Healing**: Due to various military experimentations & augmentations, he has a highly effective regenerative healing factor which also keeps him in his prime despite his advanced age(60+). This healing factor is also responsible for his ageless immortality, by quickly regenerating already super healthy & slow-decaying cells. His healing factor is a great contributor to his ability & tricks in order to cheat death. The militia can be heard talking about him. Apparently, he took some decent beatings when training with them, but was just as fine the next day.
	+ **Enhanced Agility**: Deathsroke is capable of maneuvering with grace and speed. Mere moments after using a smoke bomb to escape, he easily hides himself for sneak attacks. He is also capable of jumping between vantage points without much noise or effort.
	+ **Enhanced Intellect**: Deathstroke has an incredible memory, being able to remember years worth of his military exploits and strategies. He is capable of making a situation work to his advantage, although an equally smart person such as Batman can turn the tables on him.
	+ **Enhanced Reflexes**: Due to his enhanced sight, Deathstroke is able to dodge attack with relative ease. However, if his guard is down, he can easily be taken down.
	+ **Enhanced Speed**: Another benefit of his enhanced physisology is that Deathsroke can run faster than a normal person. Although he is nowhere as fast as someone with a connection to the Speed Force.
	+ **Enhanced Stamina**: Thanks to the experiments done to him, Slade has more energy that a man in his 50s should. He is able to perform at top efficiency for prolonged periods of time before he tires.
	+ **Enhanced Strength**: Another benefit to his altered physiology is improved muscle tone. Due to this he is more than capable of grappling with a younger man in prime condition like Batman. In fact, Batman considered his fight with Deathstroke to be the hardest he ever had.
* **Peak Human Condition**: Slade is exceptionally strong and agile. He's demonstrating feats of physical strength to the point he can shatter rocks with punches and dent solid metal.
	+ **Honed Senses**: Slade has repeatedly demonstrated being able to sense danger before anyone else near him does. His keen powers of perception offer aid in otherwise detrimental situations. For example in "twist", he sensed the appearance of Katana on the helicopter before she even strikes.
* **Magic** (formerly): Deathstroke's bargain with Trigon in exchange for handling his mission, Deathstroke was imbued with various powers
	+ **Pyrokinesis**: When Deathstroke made his deal with Trigon, the demon granted Slade the power to shoot streams of fire from his hands. However, when Trigon went back on his deal and did not give Deathstroke his skin back, He sought to broke into Trigon's underworld and got his skin back himself. After breaking their deal, Deathstroke lost his powers to control fire. This flame was magic in nature and could not be extinguished with conventional means including ice/water or snuffing out.
	+ **Healing**: While technically for lack of a better word, Dead, Deathstroke could withstand considerable physical punishment.

### Abilities

* **Deception**: Deathstroke is a master of deception, he made a plan that even Batman discovered it at the end.
* **Gymnastics**: Deathstroke has shown himself capable of scaling buildings and running from rooftop to rooftop easily.
* **Stick Fighting**: Deathstroke has a bo staff, which he uses if he wishes to have a prolonged fight with his prey. He was shown to take out Black Mask's men with a few swipes.
* **Driving**: Deathstroke has the ability to drive multiple vehicles, and appears to be skilled at it. He flew a helicopter and drove the Batmobile.
* **Swordsmanship**: Deathstroke is an accomplished swordsman, able to rapidly attack his target. Deathstroke wields bladed weapons with great ferocity and technique. However, he has only been parried by Batman, whose arm-guards were thick enough to block the blade.
* **Indomitable will**/**Tolerance for pain**: Slade is shown to be very stubborn, and is nearly fearless. He bear the pain of losing his life, family and his eye and yet he threaten to expose Batman's secret identity.
* **Survival**:
* **Tactical Analysis**: Deathstroke managed to lure Batman to his location so that he could fight the Dark Knight himself.
* **Marksmanship**: Deathstroke has excellent accuracy with marksman capable of hitting Terra whilst leaping through the air, though he preferred fighting in close quarters.
	+ **Firearms**: Skilled of using sidearms.
* **Seamanship**:
* **Escapology**: Deathstroke is rarely caught in traps or binds, and if he is it usually only last for moments before he escapes.
* **Gadgetry**: The Remote Claw was a device of Deathstroke's which was used to suspend his targets upsidedown. It could also be used to make tightrope bridges for gaps. Batman confiscated this from him to make his Line Launcher.
* **Leadership**: Deathstroke is a proficient leader who was capable of leading an organization of mercenaries and assassins.
* **Agility**: Deathstroke is able to dodge incoming attacks with great acrobatic skill.
* **Hand-to-Hand Combat (Advanced)**: Slade Wilson was a match for Bruce Wayne in pure hand-to-hand combat, and proved to be a master in martial arts when he fought Batman on multiple occasions.
	+ **Martial Arts**: Deathstroke is a master of multiple combat techniques. Slade is likely one of the most experienced martial combatants in the world. He possesses combat skill on par with Batman himself. He can counter Batman's attacks, and even keep attacking to attack after Batman counters, and chains together attacks--also like Batman does. Even Nightwing has never been able to decisively defeat him in unarmed combat. Batman must fight at the height of his skill to overcome Deathstroke.
		- **Eskrima**: Slade is highly skilled in Eskrima-Kali techniques, which he also teaches to Oliver Queen.
* **Military Protocol**:
* **Stealth**: Deathsroke was able to infiltrate *The Final Offer* and attack Batman while the Dark Knight was in the middle of an interrogation.
* **Interrogation**:
* **Throwing**:
* **Weaponry**:
* **Criminal Mastermind**: Slade is a criminal genius and is always thinking two steps ahead.
* **Mechanically Adept**: Although unknown if he built his robotic army by himself, Slade has shown impressive gadgetry skills.

### Weaknesses

* **Wounded Right Eye**: Deathstroke is half-blind. If something were to cover the left eye hole on his mask, Slade would be left blinded.

### Equipment

* **Radio**:
* **Promethium Body Armor**:
* **Remote Claw** (Formerly): Deathstroke has a remote-controlled detachable line shooter which he will use on Batman. Batman takes it for his own after the battle.
* **Flash Grenades**: Deathstroke uses small flashbangs to disorient his enemies.
* **Grapple Gun**
* **Neural Pellet**: Deathstroke can attach pellets to his enemies that, when remotely detonate, temporarily incapacitate them.
* **Proximity Bomb**: Wilson has a collection of non-lethal mines he can place and detonate.

### Weapons

* **Retractable Naginata:**:
* **Promethium Swords**:
* **Taser bolas**:
* **Ballistic Staff**: If Deathstroke drops his sword, he will draw his staff and attack with that instead. The staff has a built in launcher that can shoot projectiles or actual rounds.
* **Explosive pellets**:
* **Father Box**:
* **Pistols**: Deathstroke does not commonly use a pistol. He only used it to kill his last henchmen.

## History

### Past

U.S. Army officer Slade Wilson was once Commander of Top-Secret Special Operations of the United States military. Part of "special tactics", he volunteered for a covert program where he was subjected to extensivly dangerous mental and physical hormone augmentation experiments designed to create super soldiers.

The procedures left him with increased functions, as well as his enhanced strength, speed, agility, healing factor, stamina, and brain capacity were increased. After witnessing how ruthless Slade mentally became from the effects of the experiments that was claimed to be a failure later on, he was eventually discharged and terminated from the armed military forces.

#### Training as an Assassin

Losing his life and family following the end of his army career, He went rogue and became member of the League of Assassins, who was Rā's al Ghūl's right-hand man and future successor, until his actions deemed him unworthy in Ra's' eyes. Though much of the file was redacted, it appeared that Slade was eventually discharged from the military, though the exact circumstances were not specified.

Feeling denied and betrayed again, Slade became driven by revenge to work as a top class mercenary and assassin for hire, and sold his services to the highest bidder as one of, if not the best, mercenaries in the world. And as such, he went adopting the codename, "Deathstroke", and becoming a founding part and leader of MECH.

#### Early in the Assassination Career

By the time he was contracted to had taken up work of take out Batman, Deathstroke had managed to commit at least 30 instances of murder as a mercenary, including 26 of the first degree, and 14 that were related to the assassinations of public figures. His augmentations, also coupled with his mastery of hand-to-hand combat made him a formidable opponent.

At an unspecified time, Wilson was under fire in a Hindu Kush valley, where his lung had been deflated. He would later remark that fixing it and surviving the barrage of bullets was the only riddle that he would ever have to figure out. In all his years fighting, Slade considered the most beautiful thing he's seen to be a napalm bomb going off at night.

## Synopsis

### *Batman*

#### The Hunt in Gotham

Apparently, he had to attack an entire wave of people at the Museum taking down agents with one of his boa staffs and was delivered an envelope by one of Black Mask's men supplied him with the envelope containing the hit. Eventually, he was contracted with an assassination job on Batman for $50,000,000. After he dispatched several cops (presumably on Black Mask's payroll as a test), he then lured Batman to a parking garage with an explosive briefcase made by Queen Industries and some of Black Mask's men. He then lay in wait nearby, anticipating the likelihood that Batman would escape the explosion, and proceeded to fight him.

Although they fought evenly, Deathstroke was slowly getting the upper hand, although his sword ended up shot apart by a sniper round from Deadshot, who had also been contracted with the hit. Batman eventually managed to escape. Deathstroke in the aftermath then confronted his employer with the knowledge that he hired at least one other assassin besides him for the job, although Black Mask mentioned that he "had his chance," and that the night was "still young" before brutally executing one of his men that was severely wounded from the blast by smashing him with rubble.

On Christmas Eve, Batman learns that eight assassins are in Gotham City to claim the $50 million bounty put on Batman's head by Joker, under the guise of Black Mask. Among the assassins was Slade Wilson, aka Deathstroke, who Batman learned to be of former military and subject of a failed medical experiment.

"*It appears the game is over before it even begins.*"
"*I'm not playing games, Slade.*"

—Deathstroke and Batman.
Batman tracks down the Penguin aboard his ship, the *Final Offer*, and interrogated him regarding Black Mask's whereabouts. Before the Penguin spilled everything out, a grapple claw grips Batman's ankle and drags him out of the room. Deathstroke appears while he circles Batman with a sword drawn. Batman, however, takes Deathstroke's sword with a fast disarming move and uses it to free himself before gliding down to the gladiator pit below. With Deathstroke following, the two prepared themselves for hand-to-hand combat.

"*Your methods and tactics are impressive, but inferior. They will not save you.*"

—Deathstroke to Batman.
In the ensuing melee, Deathstroke uses weaponry and martial arts to fight against Batman's "inferior" combat methods and tactics. Countering his attacks, Batman was able to unmask Deathstroke and break his rifle-staff, forcing the mercenary to draw his sword. Slade then asked Batman "What are you?" before being knocked out by the masked vigilante. After the battle with Deathstroke, Batman makes his way to solve the Lacey Towers murder Penguin spoke about, while Deathstroke himself was taken into GCPD custody.

Throughout the night, Batman had been following Black Mask's trail until he discovered that a criminal named "Joker" had been impersonating him, and was the mastermind behind hiring the assassins. The truth would be shown by the time Joker was locked up at Blackgate Prison, where Deathstroke was also locked up in. By the time Batman arrived to Blackgate to stop another riot, Deathstroke was the one of the few, if not the only prisoner still locked in his cell. While doing push-ups, Deathstroke spoke briefly with Batman, revealing Joker wouldn't let him out for good reason, as he didn't like his time wasted. He also assured Batman to not worry about being pursued anymore - not unless someone else puts up $50 million bucks. Batman then left Deathstroke in his cell.

Later, a still-imprisoned Deathstroke continued doing push-ups when his right-hand man Silas payed for his release. Silas had informed Deathstroke that MECH had discovered and an en-rich city suitable for them needs, Deathstroke acknowledged the work he did during his absence and revealed that he anticipated to depart there at once.

## See also

* Secret Society of Super-Villains
* MECH

## External links

* Deathstroke *Wikipedia*
* Deathstroke *DC Database*
* Deathstroke *Beware-the-batman Wiki*
* Deathstroke *YJ Wiki*
* Deathstroke *DCAMU Wiki*
* Deathstroke *Arkham City Wiki*
* Deathstroke *Batman Wiki*
* Deathstroke *Teen Titans Wiki*

## Notes & Trivia

* Deathstroke first appeared in Batman: The New Teen Titans #2 (December, 1980).
* Deathstroke's armour, sword and staff are made from the near-invulnerable metal known as promethium.