Amanda Waller

Origin

Amanda Waller was a widow from Chicago after her son, Joe Jr., and her daughter, Damita were murdered. Her husband Joe went looking for revenge, only to get killed as well. She remained fiercely protective of her remaining three children. Sometime later she received a doctorate in psychology and political science, and then became a congressional aide. While a congressional aide she found out about the Suicide Squad, who was previously a group of former super-villains working in return for amnesty, and suggested to the White House to restart the Suicide Squad. Her proposition was approved and she was placed in charge of the project.

Creation

Amanda Waller first appeared in Legends #1, she was created by writers Len Wein and John Ostrander and artist John Byrne.

Character Evolution

Post-Crisis / New Earth

Amanda Waller formed The Agency, a small quasi-independent branch of Task Force X (Task Force X is the official name of the Suicide Squad). Valentina Vostok, recruited Harry Stein, an 18 year NYPD veteran. "The Wall", Amanda Waller's nickname coined by other government agencies, promoted Stein and demoted Vostok. Stein would later reorganize the The Agency into Checkmate. Waller's tenure as head of the third Suicide Squad was controversial and tenuous. She butted heads with her superiors in Washington D.C., the villains who were having their sentences commuted did not like her, and the heroes who ere her conscious were at odds with her. This prompted Nemesis to leave and Rick Flag Jr, the leader of the Squad would die on a mission. Her conflicts extended to Batman who was against the formation of the Squad, but would later reform the team.

Post-Flashpoint / Earth 0

Following the events of Flashpoint, a more athletic Amanda Waller is head of Suicide Squad. She is now also a former member of Team 7, where she worked alongside Steve Trevor. What covert missions they worked on together and who else were members have yet to be revealed.

Major Story Arcs

Post-Crisis / New Earth:

The Suicide Squad Are Revealed To The Public

The Squad would eventually be placed in an inter-agency conflict with the original Checkmate called the Janus Directive. She would be on a field mission with the Squad, against her will, to Apokolips. The Duchess, who was not amnesiac, wanted sacrifices when she went back to Apokolips. Doctor Light, one of Waller's nieces, Briscoe, a helicopter pilot, Flo, a medical assistant, and a badly wounded Count Vertigo were a few of the casualties. She would eventually serve time for pursuing and using the operatives of Deadshot, Poison Ivy, and Ravan, against a drug cartel based in New Orleans, known as LOA. The operatives were able to kill their leader. The Squad would later be revealed to the American public during her first run with team.

Waller Creates a Much Larger Suicide Squad Team

Waller would later be pardoned and restart the formation of the Squad as a freelance group on the behest of Sarge Steel. She would later quit this version and she organized the Shadow Fighters against Eclipso. She would confront Sarge Steel during the formation of the team. The first team was a small unit, formed with Bruce Gordon and his wife Mona. This team was brutally murdered while infiltrating Eclipso's stronghold. The second team was much larger and had greater success.

Waller Promoted To Checkmate as The White Queen

She eventually rejoins federal service, as the Southeaster regional director for the DEO. She is promoted to the Secretary of Metahuman Affairs by President Luthor.

Luthor's short tenure as President of the United States led her back to a short prison sentence. Luthor's successor, President Horne overturns the sentence term and Waller has orders to take control of Checkmate.

It had gone through massive changes since the death of Checkmate's murderous leader Maxwell Lord, and The OMAC Project debacle. She rises to the title of Black King and recruits Atom Smasher to lead a new Suicide Squad into Quandac against the Marvel Family. She uses the Suicide Squad to achieve her own agenda within Checkmate until she has them attack Checkmate.

Salvation Run

She is placed in charge of Operation: Salvation Run that is massive deportation of villains. Checkmate late finds about what Waller is doing and she is expelled. She still leads the Squad and has implanted nanotechnology into the villains that work for her in contrast to placing a bomb around the villains wrist.

Waller Is The Mockingbird

She secretly controls the Secret Six, as the new Mockingbird, and failed to forcibly control them by placing them under the Squad banner.

Powers & Abilities

Intellect

Amanda Waller has no superhuman abilities. She has demonstrated an extremely sharp mind, strong leaderships skills, and has been know to argue with formidable presences such as Batman or Darkseid. While not trained in hand to hand combat, she has demonstrated a mean right hook.

Physical Characteristics

Height: 5' 1"

Weight: 200 lbs

Eyes: Brown

Hair: Brown

Other Versions

Other Media

Television:

Smallville (TV series)

Amanda Waller appears in nine season of Smallville. She first appeared in the second part of the episode Absolute Justice and is the head of the Checkmate Agency. She hired Icicle as a member of the Suicide Squad and tried to stop the Kandorian army because they tried to take over the world. After the death of Faora Hu-Ul, General Zod burned down the Castle of Checkmate. The fate of Amanda is unknown but it's likely that she died. She was portrayed by Pam Greer.

DC Animated Universe

In Justice League Unlimited, Amanda Waller is the head of Cadmus, making her first appearance in "Ultimatum". She was behind many events in the show, including the creation of the Ultimen, death of Ace of the Royal Flush Gang (indirectly), and formation of the Team Task Force X. She is a recurring character throughout the show, seeking to rid the world of all its metahumans. She worked with General Wade Eiling, Professor Milo and Tala. She clashed with Batman on many occasions, and eventually formed a truce with him and the League, though she only earned the trust of Bruce. Amanda Waller is voiced by CCH Pounder.

Batman Beyond

In the future, Amanda Waller is as ruthless as ever and she is still working for the government at Cadmus Labs. Waller and her protege Dr. Reid have been experimenting on an unknown patient that now calls himself Hush. This new Hush escapes and Dr. Reid is compelled to tell the authorities. Waller threatens Reid that if she shares any information with the media then her personal involvement with this new Hush will be revealed. Waller is also responsible for the creation of Terry McGinnis in regards to Project: Batman Beyond.

Movie:

The Green Lantern

In the 2011 film The Green Lantern, Waller is portrayed by Angela Bassett.