Darkblade

Captain Darkblade

**Captain Darkblade** is one of the main characters of the *Tails from the Federation* franchise. Originally introduced as the semi-recurring antagonist in *Space Pirate Captain MacTaggart*, he is also the protagonist in the spin-off *Bloody Cutlass*.

## Character description

### Physical appearance

Darkblade is a German Shepherd. He has messy brown hair, somewhat fringed at the top. He also has a robotic arm, which he usually hides. This particular arm is made with an ancient energy, which bonded with his body, increasing his durability and making him unable to die. As well, beneath his eyepatch is a colour-changing cybernetic eye, made with the same energy.

He does have longer growth around his muzzle, akin to the facial hair of a real-life pirate.

### Persona

Darkblade is seemingly menacing, but if anything, he's more like a Captain Jack Sparrow-type (even more so than Jaws herself!), mixed with Captain Jack Harkness.

Most notably, he's a hopeless romantic - for a while he went through great lengths to sweep Captain Jaws MacTaggart off her feet. One problem - she's already *married* - but he doesn't care, so long as he gets his way!

Jaws is not the only person this dirty dog eyes after; many times, he sleeps with any fine lad or lass he happens to see. In fact, he's a proud omnisexual freak - it doesn't matter what gender or species, but he draws the line if one is underage.

### Powers and abilities

Due to his "revival", he has increased durability, and a regenerative healing factor. Despite looking scruffy, he hasn't really aged a bit!

His robotic arm has been upgraded, and is equipped with an energy cannon oh the palm of his "hand".

He also is a skilled marksman/gunslinger, thanks to his former mentor and romantic partner Leon Wilson.

## Background

The Shep prefers not to speak of his past to others.

Darkblade was born **Melvyn Leigh Shepherd** in a tourist city called Fort Dixon on planet Portobello.

has had humble beginnings...somewhat - his father was a retired commander from a Scottish colony who settled down to start a family. He worked alongside Grey, then a commanding officer of the Stellar Federation. Darkblade would, naturally, want to grow up to be just like the great lion.

The young Shep would spend much of his life living in different colonies, mostly American. While growing up, he met a young White Shepherd named Natalie Coal, whom he came up that very nickname for. It was also at this point in which he started calling himself "Darkblade". At the beginning of adulthood, he notices Natalie's powers manifesting, and he had an idea - he calmed her down by having sex with her. It would end up being the first time for both of them. It would be the beginning of a turning point in his life.

Young Darkblade had his life changed in two events: his mother died unexpectedly, and it led him to run away from home. This led to the second event - a certain major war had occurred, and he was about to meet his fate, until Grey ended up rescuing him. (By this point, Grey had already been banished from the Federation and turned to piracy.) He also learns that his father was slain at the hands of the Federation, thus gaining a strong distaste towards them.

Darkblade would be taken under Grey's wing, and he would train alongside another eventual captain, a black cat named Alister Hawkins. He would also gain a reputation of being a sexual deviant, due to him working with one-time mentor and on-and-off romantic partner Leon Wilson.

Once Grey disappeared, the pirate sphere was in shock, and it extended to Darkblade. (Of course, the factions didn't get the memo, as they were too busy fighting their Fourth Galactic War.)

He then rose through the ranks to become Captain of the Herfang Pirates, taking the board of an old ship that he dubbed the *Bloody Cutlass*.

### Raiding the *Typhoon*

When he first began his raid of the Stellar Typhoon, he fell head-over-paws for one Jaws MacTaggart. The next time the pair met, with Finbar tagging along, the Shep found out that she was married. Heartbroken, he cut off Fin's arm.

His crew would be diminished in the wake of a mutiny staged by Paul Cadenza, whom he passed off as a lowly cartographer, but, in actuality, comes from a long line of spacefarers.

Darkblade was offered by Joanna Mandarin to capture Kyoko Mori to force MacTaggart to surrender. He reluctantly accepts, seeing as that he's forced to work with the Stellar Federation, which he detests.

### Redemption and reformation

Jaws personally sends Darkblade to a prison in the Winter Hexagon, where he's reunited with Hawkins. From there, he's formed a new crew, and has set out on his own adventures. Unfortunately for him, parts of his past have been coming back, for better or worse.

His old "flame" Natalie returned to his life, fully committed to her space pirate ways. Around that time, Primadonna had already started getting back at him. Once Natalie's ship had been destroyed, Darkblade officially welcomed her and her crew to the *Cutlass* family.

During one of their raids, the Cutlass was being attacked. Whilst everyone else abandoned ship, Darkblade had been captured by Mirabelle Stark, who had taken over as the leader of Herfang. Later on, he realised that Grey is still around, waiting to strike back.

## Trivia

* Darkblade is commonly thought to have been inspired by Star-Lord from *Guardians of the Galaxy*, in terms of adopting the nickname of "Alsatian Warrior" which was his father's nickname (though virtually no-one but himself refers to him as such). However, creator Craig Black maintains that any resemblance is entirely a coincidence.
* His ship, the *Bloody Cutlass*, is piloted by "bridge bunnies" (though whether that term is taken literally remains to be seen).
	+ Since forming his new crew, Vellopea Baron, a vanilla-coloured bunny, justifies the literal context.
* He always likes to think he's a "good guy" (claiming that he's just done some bad shit), but many others don't see it that way.
* He cites the pirate metal band Alestorm as the main inspiration for him to become a pirate in the first place.
	+ Despite that, he's got a soft spot for R&B/pop music from the 1990s and early 2000s, as well as country music.
* Darkblade's sidearm of choice is a nickel plated Colt Single Action Army .45 revolver, which he carries in a cowboy style holster/pistol belt.

## Creators' notes

* Producer Jordann Edwards thought of John Barrowman (Captain Jack Harkness from *Doctor Who* and *Torchwood*) to provide the voice, when an animated series is greenlit.
	+ Its also been suggested that Hugh Laurie (best known for playing Dr. Gregory House from *House M.D.*) would make a perfect voice role.
* Artist Jake Elmer contributed the idea of Darkblade having a handlebar mustache, thinking it would give him the "villainous pirate" image. Edwards adapted it to his own design.
	+ Jake Elmer might've contributed a little bit of Wild West culture to Darkblade's personality.
* This character is a favourite among certain people, especially Edwards and fellow artist Elizabeth Mogan, so much so that they developed a story around him when Craig Black couldn't think of one.
* Jake Elmer thinks he could try out for the role of Darkblade, if the animated series gets off the ground.

## Gallery

Darkblade posing in the mirror with his six shooter