Deathstroke

Lore & Background

Slade Wilson was 16 years old when he enlisted in the United States Army, having lied about his age. After serving in the Vietnam War, he was assigned to Camp Washington, where he had been promoted to the rank of major. In the early 1960s, he met Captain Adeline Kane, who offered to privately train him in guerrilla warfare. In less than a year, Slade mastered every fighting form presented to him. Six months later, Slade and Adeline were married and she became pregnant with their first child. While serving in Vietnam, Slade met SAS member William Wintergreen and was given an experimental drug that enhanced his physical and mental abilities, granting him enhanced physical powers, an accelerated healing factor, and heightened senses. After his time in Vietnam, he remained a major. Soon after the experiment, Slade becomes a mercenary without the knowledge of his family. The criminal Jackal takes Slade's younger son Joseph hostage to force Slade to divulge the name of a client. Slade refuses, claiming that doing so would violate his personal code of honor. Despite Slade's efforts, Joseph's throat is slit by his kidnappers, leaving him mute. After taking Joseph to the hospital, Adeline is enraged at Slade's endangerment of Joseph and shoots him, intentionally aiming to wound, but only manages to destroy his right eye.

In Their Own Story

Slade has a long history as an enemy of the Teen Titans, beginning when his older son Grant receives superhuman enhancements from H.I.V.E., becomes Ravager, and accepts a contract to kill or capture the Teen Titans. However, Grant's enhancements prove fatal and kill him, with Slade agreeing to complete the contract. His first mission involves stealing the element Promethium from S.T.A.R. Labs and selling it as a weapon. He then kidnaps the Titans and places them in the path of a Promethium bomb to test his device. The Titans escape and pursue Deathstroke, but he severely wounds Changeling in his escape. During The Judas Contract storyline, the Titans entrust Terra with all of their secret identities. Once Slade has this information, he uses it to systematically subdue each of the Titans, exploiting them at their weakest moments. Dick Grayson avoids being captured and meets with Adeline and Joseph Wilson. Grayson takes the new identity of Nightwing and confronts Deathstroke and H.I.V.E. alongside Joseph Wilson, who has assumed the name Jericho. During the confrontation, Jericho frees the Titans by possessing Slade's body. While trying to kill the Titans, Terra causes the H.I.V.E. building to collapse, killing herself.

Reader's Guide

Real Name: Slade Joseph Wilson. Origin Story: Slade was a highly decorated soldier who volunteered for an experimental super-soldier serum that allowed him to utilize up to 90% of his brain's capacity, granting enhanced physical powers, an accelerated healing factor, and heightened senses. He emerged as Deathstroke, the world's premier mercenary. Key Relationships: His most significant dynamic is with the Teen Titans, whom he has fought since his son Grant's death. He has also clashed with Batman, Green Arrow, and the Justice League. His other two children, Joseph and Rose, would go on to join the Titans to oppose him. Major Arcs: Deathstroke is central to The Judas Contract storyline, where he conspires with Terra to infiltrate the Titans. In Titans Hunt, he assists the Titans against the Wildebeest Society, whose leader was his son Jericho. Slade is forced to kill Jericho to save the other Titans. Personality Evolution: Across continuities, Slade ranges from a cold, calculating killer to a complex anti-hero with a hidden code. While always dangerous, some versions reveal a deep, albeit twisted, obsession with legacy and mentorship, particularly regarding the Robin he once trained or hunted.

Did You Know?

• Deathstroke first appeared in The New Teen Titans #2 in December 1980, created by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez.
• The character was originally called Deathstroke the Terminator, predating James Cameron's film The Terminator by four years.
• Deathstroke's missing right eye was destroyed when his wife Adeline shot him after their son Joseph's throat was slit by kidnappers.
• The popular Marvel character Deadpool (Wade Wilson) was created by Rob Liefeld, with his name, powers, and costume originally patterned on Deathstroke.
• Deathstroke killed over 100,000 people when he dropped Chemo on Blüdhaven under the orders of Alexander Luthor Jr. during Infinite Crisis.