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Template:Anti-Hero Infobox
| “ | Hey, kid. I'm glad you came back. | „ |
| ~ Slade to Oliver. |
| “ | The Mirakuru wore off a long time ago, kid. I mean, I remember everything that happened. I'm not trying to escape that, but it feels like some bad dream. Now, regardless of my sanity, why do you want to help me after everything I've done? | „ |
| ~ Slade to Oliver. |
| “ | Seems to be a recurring theme with you, kid. Well, it's not really that complicated. You suffer from survivor's guilt. You can't get over the death of your father. Kid, when it comes to you, everything has to do with your father. You and I are not dissimilar. We're both haunted by our pasts, and the only way to bury that ghost is by forgiving yourself. You blame yourself for your father's suicide and everything else that has gone wrong since. You need to forgive yourself for your sins. It's the hardest thing in this world. | „ |
| ~ Slade to Oliver about their past. |
Slade Wilson, otherwise known as Deathstroke, is a major character on The CW's live-action television series Arrow. He is a supporting protagonist/anti-hero in Season 1, the main antagonist of Season 2, the secondary antagonist in the flashback storyline of the second season of Arrow, a minor antagonist in Season 3, a mentioned character in Season 4 and a supporting protagonist in Season 5.
He was portrayed by actor Manu Bennett.
Personality
In the flashbacks, unlike the DC comics character counterpart he was based on, Slade appears less cold and distant, but retains his appearance of an anti-hero. Slade is a man of honor and good morals, who puts up a tough act, but underneath is a caring individual, as shown by his rescue of Oliver from Edward Fyers and Billy Wintergreen, even after stating that he'd leave the island if Oliver didn't return in time. Slade does not take well to traitors, which he shows by killing Billy Wintergreen, his friend and partner for many years until he betrayed Slade in exchange for his own life. Slade is very open about his opinions of people, frequently calling Oliver an idiot, and doesn't hide that he likes Shado, which she often smiles at. Slade only trusts and cares for people who have proven themselves trustworthy to him, as he trusts Oliver and Shado, but was less trusting of Sara Lance as they had barely known each other. Slade was also a realist but also open minded. Upon realizing Oliver was hopeless in helping him take down Edward Fyers, he decided to perform a coup de grace on Oliver to spare him any suffering from facing Fyers, but also to prevent his location from being given up. However, upon realizing being on the brink of death began to awaken the warrior inside Oliver, Slade changed his mind about killing Oliver and decided to train him.
Slade's personality takes a turn for the worse after his injection with Mirakuru, which combined with his grief over the loss of Shado makes him impulsive, reckless, aggressive, violent, and bent on revenge against Ivo. Once he discovers Oliver's shared role in Shado's death he becomes completely hell bent on revenge against him which would stay for years after, tarnishing the brotherly bond they once had and making them bitter enemies.
In the present day Slade's anger and hatred has increased more to the point of full vendetta against Oliver upon learning of his survival on the island. Slade is intelligent, calculating, and patient; he waited 5 years to get/plan his revenge against Oliver. He is also overconfident and boastful of his Mirakuru powers and has no fear of Oliver because of them. These traits are well deserved as bullets do no harm to him and even getting cut to the bone doesn't affect him as it all heals back, though explosives and poisons can still harm him but only for a brief time. He is rarely caught off guard. Slade also has little tolerance for disobedience, failure and disloyalty, as multiple times he threatened to kill Sebastian Blood for his failures, eventually having him killed for betraying him. Due to the Mirakuru, Slade's sense of honor has become twisted, and when it comes to Oliver, he is cruel, sadistic and ruthless. He displays little emotion when killing innocent people. He also has developed a complete disregard for human life as watched amused as his army tore Starling City apart, his only regret being that Shado couldn't be there. He also holds little regard for his own allies as he cared little for his own men being cured, however Slade seems to be close to Isabel as he seemed desperate to have her revived by the Mirakuru. However Slade was still willing to abandon her to Oliver during the attack and it's unknown if he is aware of Isabel's death at Nyssa's hands or how he feels about it. Slade also suffers from hallucinations of Shado which have lasted from the past to present. Even when cured from the Mirakuru the physiological effects have still remained as he still vows to kill Oliver even when confined and defeated. Even a whole year later this vendetta still stayed when Oliver and Thea were trapped on the island with him. Though he had become less hostile and wasn't even phased by being imprisoned again and even gave advise to keep Thea away from Malcolm, but reminds him that he will break if he loses more people, hinting that he has regained some respect for his former protégé and former friend.
Even when Thea had him at gunpoint, Slade did not beg for his life, either he is not afraid of death, or he will never give his enemies the satisfaction of seeing him beg for his life, Slade even tried to goad Thea into killing him.
Powers and Abilities
- Peak of human physical condition: Slade is shown to be in top physical condition for a man of his age. His reflexes allowed him to catch an arrow shot at him by Oliver (a feat only the highly skilled Billy Wintergreen, Malcolm Merlyn, Al-Owal, Oliver Queen, Helena Bertinelli and Roy Harper have demonstrated).
- Master marksman/Firearms: Slade is shown to be an excellent marksman as he took out many soldiers with his sniper rifle in the episode "The Odyssey", and was able to take out several soldiers with only two handguns in "The Huntress Returns".
- Master hand-to-hand combatant/Martial artist: Slade is shown to have very advanced unarmed and close-range fighting skills, and likewise able to effectively mentors Oliver in his ways. He was able to spar with Shado to stalemate her in combat, although it can be implied that Slade held back a little. He was also able to beat his partner in combat, even though Billy Wintergreen. His fighting style mostly incorporates Eskrima with Muay Thai while supplemented with other fighting forms in the mix. After augmented by the Mirakuru, Slade's combat skills have increased to the point where he was able to easily beat Oliver, John Diggle and Sara Lance at the same time. In "Unthinkable", after he was cured from his Mirakuru powers and abilities, Slade was not able to defeat Oliver, despite the fact that he is more experienced in combat than Oliver, presumably due to him relying on Mirakuru for so long more than his actual skills.
- Master swordsman: Slade has shown himself to be a master swordsman, cutting down multiple armed mercenaries in mere seconds. He has explicitly stated his weapon of choice are swords. He killed his former partner in a sword-fight, who was also a master swordsman. In the present day, do to his Mirakuru powers and abilities, Slade's swordsman skills have increased to the point when he was able to kill three of Sebastian's bodyguards in a matter of seconds. Beside his prowess at close range he was also shown to be able to kill a guard by drawing his sword and throw it in one single motion. He also killed another guard with a throwing knife.
- Master stick fighter: On the island, Slade is shown to be a master stick fighter, as he was seen sparring with Oliver in stick fighting, teaching him everything he knows about stick fighter.
- Expert leader/Tactician: Slade is a great tactician, he is able to create plans for combat, infiltration and destruction. He is extremely efficient, even at great disadvantage, or with few resources. Slade with the help of Oliver quickly formulated a plan to take over a airfield crowded with troops, and later managed to destroy much of Edward Fyers' compound alone, using only improvised explosives and distraction. Later Slade was seen doing various mathematical calculations, to program a missile launcher directly to the ship Ivo. He proved an expert in fighting techniques, developing specific plans to attack his targets, using the environment to his advantage and distractions. He was able to calculate the flight with a parachute to land on a freighter. After the island getaway, Slade went on to a personal vendetta against Oliver, he devised an extremely complex plan that could keep his enemies, like The Arrow overwhelmed, as well as infiltrate within the government of Starling City, taking Queen Consolidated from Oliver, and by the end create an army of Super Humans that can generate chaos and destruction throughout the city. Slade is also a capable leader, he was able to form an organization known as Church of Blood, and led it in secret.
- High tolerance for pain: Slade has a high tolerance for pain. In "The Odyssey", Oliver had to pull the bullet out of Slade's arm without any form of anesthetic, albeit he had to tie him up (on Slade's suggestion) because he might kill Oliver otherwise. He was also able to take down several of Edward Fyers' henchmen with an injured leg in "Sacrifice".
- Stealth: Slade was able to steal a file from the archives without being seen on the security cameras. In "The Man Under the Hood". He was able to stalk Oliver without getting noticed. Slade was able to enter Verdant, and then enter the Arrowcave, without being seen, noticed, or making any alarms go off.
Former Powers and Abilities
- Peak of superhuman physical condition: To save his life, Slade received the Mirakuru serum. The injection initially made him faint, with extreme pain and bloody tears. after his awakening, his whole body boosted to limits that far exceed those of a normal human. Among their physical capacity were increased stamina, strength, durability and reflexes, in addition to an accelerated healing factor. He was cured by Felicity in the season 2 finale.
- Enhanced strength: Thanks to the Mirakuru serum, Slade's muscular system allows for incredible strength. He was capable of effortlessly launching Ivo's men several meters away, breaking an assault rifle with his bare hands, and piercing the chest of a man with only his fist with extreme ease.
- Enhanced durability: The Mirakuru serum, increased the density of the muscle and bone structure of Slade, causing them to become more durable than a normal human's. When Sara hit Slade with a large tree branch, it hardly had any effect. In addition, in "Deathstroke", when Slade was punched by Roy, also injected with the Mirakuru, he was barely fazed.
- Enhanced stamina: Thanks to the Mirakuru serum, reduces the effects of fatigue allowing Slade to exert himself at peak capacity greater then any human Could.
- Enhanced speed: Slade can run at speeds out-performing any Olympic athlete. In "Three Ghosts", he was able to run the path of the submarine, to the location of Oliver and Shado in minutes while they took at least a few hours. In "Blind Spot", Slade also managed to kill three of Sebastian Blood's men behind him, dive in front of Blood and disappear again in a matter of seconds. In "Suicide Squad", when Oliver was out on patrol looking for Slade, Slade was already behind him on one of the rooftops, when Oliver turned around, he was already gone, possibly, Slade is so fast he will disappear in a second when someone looks away or is not looking at him.
- Enhanced agility: Thanks to the Mirakuru serum, Slade is more agile than any normal human could be.
- Enhanced senses: Slade was able to smell the TNT of a Japanese landmine strapped to Hendrick Von Arnim. It can also be assumed that he can see and hear, far better then any normal human could.
- Rapid cell regeneration: The Mirakuru serum injection has greatly enhanced Slade's ability to heal. By the time he awoke after the injection, the injuries on the right side of his face and the after effects of his injuries earlier were completely healed. There appears to be limits to this ability, however, as Slade's missing eye did not regenerate. In "The Promise", he is shown to be shot through the chest, and it does not affect his abilities. According to his words in "Deathstroke", Slade was carried under the water after somehow being defeated by Oliver and was badly torn apart by the rocks, but his body, excluding his eye, was eventually healed. In "Unthinkable", It was revealed that Slade was not defeated by Oliver; the reason why he ended up under-water was because he became immobilized by falling debris from the Amazo, which was sinking.
Equipment
- Customized Swords: On the island, Slade wields customized swords that he carries on his back.
- Sword: In the present day, Slade wields a sword, similar in appearance to a katana. In "Blind Spot", he used it to kill three of Sebastian's bodyguards in a matter of seconds.
- Sidearm: In both the present day and several times on the island, Slade carries a handgun.
- AK-47: On the island, Slade uses a stolen assault rifle to kill several soldiers.
- Sniper Rifle: On the island, when Slade stormed the runway with the help of Oliver, he used a sniper rifle to kill most of the soldiers.
- Combat Knife: In both the present day and on the island, Slade carries a combat knife in his boot.
- ASIS Uniform: During his time at ASIS and on the island, used a customized military uniform. It had the predominant color black, was composed by a bulletproof vest, along with the protective shoulders and forearms. The uniform also had a holster for pistol, a support for grenades, and two sheaths for swords back.
- Deathstroke Costume: In the present day, Slade wears a costume as his villain alter-ego Deathstroke, to hide his identity from his victims. It is a personal suit of body armor custom tailored to his needs. It is predominantly black, however adds blue protective plates, composite fiberglass, these overlap feet, shin, forearm, chest and shoulders. The costume also has orange details in all joints. The various equipment Pockets with wrapped legs, and arms, the costume also has a support for grenades and ammunition, along with a sheath for the sword back.
- Deathstroke Mask: Slade possesses a black and orange mask. The version kept on the island is a solid mask with a black/orange fabric balaklava. The version in the present day appears to be a metal helmet, with the black side acting as an eye-patch. With the back of a strip of bandanna. Slade wears this mask as his villain alter-ego Deathstroke, to hide his identity from his victims.
Gallery
Trivia
- In "The Odyssey", Slade mentions that Billy Wintergreen was the godfather of his son. Slade has had three children in the comic books, two boys and a girl. His oldest son, Grant, was known as Ravager, and his other son, Joseph, was the Teen Titan Jericho. His daughter, Rose, became the new Ravager after Grant's death. In the Arrow spin-off DC's Legends of Tomorrow episode "Star City 2046", Slade's son Grant has taken up the mantle of Deathstroke and led an uprising against Star City, gaining control of it and filling it with crime and fires and also removing Oliver Queen's arm and forcing him into hiding.
- Slade is the first antagonist to be the main antagonist of a season and its flashbacks, albeit later into the season he becomes the flashback antagonist. Also, he is the first person to be a flashback antagonist and actually live past the events of this encounter. The next one is Amanda Waller in the flashbacks of Season 3.
- In the DC comics, his full name is Slade Joseph Wilson.
- Slade Wilson was Oliver Queen's second mentor, after Yao Fei, and arguably his most effective as he taught Oliver most of his melee combat and athletic skills.
- Slade is the first antagonist to be credited as a main character.
- The bi-colored "Deathstroke mask" on the island closely mirrors the one worn by Deathstroke in the DC comic books. The metal helmet seen in present day resembles Deathstroke's portrayal in Batman: Arkham Origins as well as various cartoons.
- In the Flashpoint Universe, Slade Wilson was also a ship captain.
- Slade became the second main antagonist to kill a main character when he killed Moira. The first was Malcolm Merlyn killing his son Tommy, albeit that was indirect which would make Slade the first main antagonist to intentionally kill a main character. He's also the second main antagonist to have accidentally killed his own son as he accidentally killed his son Joe during a fight against the ASIS.
- For now, Slade Wilson is one of main antagonists of the Arrowverse to be still alive. The others are Malcolm Merlyn and Hunter Zolomon. Hunter is killed by Caitlin Snow, became Killer Frost, in the Flash Season 3 finale "Finish Line", this makes Slade Wilson the only main antagonist to be alive in Arrowverse due to Malcolm Merlyn's death in the Arrow Season 5 finale "Lian Yu."
- Slade is the only Main Antagonist who doesn't seem to have the ability of archery.
- He is also in the villains wiki
See also
- Deathstroke on the villains Wiki