I was reading The DC Comics Encyclopedia (2004 edition) and Deathstroke is listed as a villain. I have only read issues # 13 & 14 of Deathstroke of the new 52, but he seemed like a nice guy to me. Has his status changed from a villain to a hero?
Deathstroke question
Deathstroke, I think, was one of the first big DC villains to have his own series. Whenever that happens, it complicates the issue of what a villain is. When you get to see the background, motivations, and choices of a villain from their perspective, it makes it hard to see them as a straight up bad guy.
Besides that, Deathstroke does have a sort of moral code that he adheres to, and he has a healthy respect for many of the heroes (to that point that he almost certainly knows the identity of Batman, but does not have the slightest interest in exposing it). But, at the end of the day, he is a ruthless killer whose main motivations are often in the form of money or pride. He is a villain, but a complex villain who can occasionally do good things.
He's an anti-hero / anti-villain. He's a guy after a pay check half the time with no evil motives, for the most part.
@serpent222 said:
Deathstroke, I think, was one of the first big DC villains to have his own series. Whenever that happens, it complicates the issue of what a villain is. When you get to see the background, motivations, and choices of a villain from their perspective, it makes it hard to see them as a straight up bad guy.
I don't know about that. A villain can have their own series and still be the villain. Just because a character swaps from antagonist to protagonist doesn't mean they switch alignments.
@JediXMan said:
He's an anti-hero / anti-villain. He's a guy after a pay check half the time with no evil motives, for the most part.
@serpent222 said:
Deathstroke, I think, was one of the first big DC villains to have his own series. Whenever that happens, it complicates the issue of what a villain is. When you get to see the background, motivations, and choices of a villain from their perspective, it makes it hard to see them as a straight up bad guy.
I don't know about that. A villain can have their own series and still be the villain. Just because a character swaps from antagonist to protagonist doesn't mean they switch alignments.
He by no means changed alignments. He is a villain without question. I'm merely pointing out that seeing it from the villain's perspective makes it harder to see them as a villain. And it could cause confusion about the alignment to some people, especially where the villain does have standards.
@JediXMan said:
He's an anti-hero / anti-villain. He's a guy after a pay check half the time with no evil motives, for the most part.
@serpent222 said:
Deathstroke, I think, was one of the first big DC villains to have his own series. Whenever that happens, it complicates the issue of what a villain is. When you get to see the background, motivations, and choices of a villain from their perspective, it makes it hard to see them as a straight up bad guy.
I don't know about that. A villain can have their own series and still be the villain. Just because a character swaps from antagonist to protagonist doesn't mean they switch alignments.
Agreed/This.
Vouile
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