DC Comics has no dearth of power packed characters. Who wouldn’t be afraid of the might of Superman or even Darkseid for that matter. And the wit of Batman needs no introduction. But what if we told you that there is one character in the comic book universe who has got Bruce Wayne’s wit and talent for strategy, while he has also got Superman’s (okay, not that much) brawns. There is one, though – Deathstroke. The mighty assassin is one of DC Comics’ most dreaded. But the Arrowverse could not do the character justice.
Deathstroke has not gotten a real chance to shine on the screen
For all his renown and ferocity in the comics, Slade Wilson AKA Deathstroke has not been able to make a name for himself in live action. Though one of the favorite character of comic book faithful, the assassin has not had many opportunities to make his mark felt on moviegoers.
The character made his first appearance all the way back in 80s, as a nemesis to the Teen Titans. His popularity and mass appeal meant that a character who was supposed to start out as a one-off villain would go on to haunt the Justice League for 4 decades. It was really a shame that a villain like him had not been brought on screen
Not for long though.
Manu Bennett’s Deathstroke in Arrow is the definitive version for many
A large section of fans might have been introduced to Deathstroke at the end of Justice League, where Joe Manganiello essayed the role. As luck would have it, fans would still not get a proper shot to witness the character in action. But there is one series that gave him a shot as (one of the many) antagonists.
Manu Bennett’s portrayal of Deathstroke is the definitive version of the character for a large section of people even today. The New Zealand star had a great time playing Slade Wilson. After giving him a run as the major antagonist for Season two, the series explored the nuances of Wilson’s personality in Season six, portraying him as an anti-hero.
That is not to say that CW did him justice.
Manu Bennett was not satisfied with Deathstroke in Arrow
The man behind the mask, Manu Bennett would go on to lament the studio’s handling of the character after the end of season two, when his character was (seemingly) sidelined for good. He told The Music,
“I think Deathstroke had a lot of possibilities with Arrow but, I think they took it in the wrong direction. I think they should have honoured the Marv Wolfman character who was literally unstoppable. I read the DC comic books and thought Deathstroke was so bad arse because they make it that nobody can stop him. He’s not even super-powered, he is just a mercenary.” (The Music)
Paying homage to the character, he said,
“It took the Justice League to defeat him; it took an army to take him on. In Arrow, it took a while for Oliver [Queen/Arrow] to prove his point, but [season three] was just a beating of Slade, adding insult to injury.”
And he wasn’t wrong. CW might have read his interview, prompting them to bring the character back as an anti-hero. But nothing can change the fact that they couldn’t make the most of the character.
