If you asked a comic book reader to name some top DC villains, most would likely go with Joker, Lex Luthor or even Darkseid. DC has many colorful and vicious villains but there is one that often goes unnoticed and has proven capable of giving the entire Justice League of America a run for their money
Deathstroke the Terminator is not someone you'd want to have as your enemy. He may be best known as a villain of the Teen Titans but that is no reason to sell him short. Being an assassin and mercenary is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what sets him apart from others.
At a young age, Slade Wilson volunteered in a medical experiment meant to create super-soldiers. His body didn't react well to the experiment at first but the results were gaining enhances senses and reflexes far beyond those of an ordinary man. Other results from the experimentation included higher brain capacity, his stamina and coordination have been enhanced and he is able to think and perceive things nine times faster than the average man. Deathstroke also is said to have the strength of ten men.
Setting himself up in the costumed persona of Deathstroke, he became the greatest mercenary in the world as well as perhaps the most brilliant tactician due to his enhanced senses and brain.
Deathstroke has fought against many of the costumed heroes in the DC Universe. He may be a mercenary willing to kill for money but he does have a level of ethics as well. There has even been times he's fought alongside some of the heroes.
It was in in 2004's IDENTITY CRISIS #3 where Deathstroke fought against the entire Justice League. Paid to be Doctor Light's bodyguard, the League believed Light guilty of the murder of someone close to them. He immediately took out Elongated Man, set off charges to act as decorys, was able to predict where the Flash would attack him and stabbed him with his sword, poked Zatanna in the liver to cause her to vomit so she couldn't use her backwards magic spells, dodged Hawkman's attack and cut off his flying harness, blocked Green Arrow's...arrow and cut the ends off the rest of the arrows in his quiver, put a bag over Black Canary's head so she couldn't use her sonic scream (and handcuffed her as well), predicted where Atom was and took him out with a laser pointer and broke all four of Green Lantern's fingers before he could use his power ring on him.
It took Green Arrow shoving an arrow in his empty eye socket and the rest of the team to attempt to subdue him. If this battle doesn't prove what a great adversary and fighter Deathstroke is, I don't know what else would.
With the relaunch of the DC Universe in the New 52, it's possible Deathstroke's abilities have been increased to an even higher level. He's taken to wearing a type of armored suite as well that may have augmented his strength even more (seems just about everyone in the New 52 is wearing some sort of armor instead of spandex).
In DEASTHSTROKE #5, his opponent picks up an actual submarine...and throws it on him!
Deathstroke obviously managed to survive.
Now imagine Deathstroke in a fighting game. It turns out it was just exclusively announced over at GameSpot that Deathstroke will be a playable character in Injustice: Gods Among Us.
Check out the gameplay video:
Deathstroke is not a character to turn your back on. He is a great character and is a worthy opponent for even the best heroes in the DC Universe.
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