Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leagueis ending its tumultuous run with Season 4. Episode 7 is out now and features the final playable Task Force X recruit, Deathstroke, who joins Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, King Shark, Joker, Mrs. Freeze, and Lawless. The game’s final content update and seasonal episode will be Episode 8, releasing in January 2025, and there are already rumors about what Rocksteady may be moving onto afterward. Deathstroke’s arrival inSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leagueis a long-awaited full circle moment and the fruition of seeds sowed inBatman: Arkham Origins, but it hopefully won’t be the last time he’s brought back in the Arkhamverse.
Deathstroke’s roles asa Black Mask assassin inBatman: Arkham Originsand a militia leader understudy for Arkham Knight inBatman: Arkham Knightwere perfectly justifiable given that he’s a mercenary for hire and not a villain with a long-winded scheme in the Arkhamverse. That said, Deathstroke is more than deserving of a main villain role where he can finally be as imposing and cool as he’s always been unsuccessfully portrayed to be.
The Arkhamverse’s Deathstroke Has Only Ever Been a Side Antagonist Who Batman Bullies Around
TheArkhamverse’s Deathstrokehas somehow maintained his popularity and mystique despite never truly being a worthy adversary to Batman in the two times they encountered one another. Indeed, Deathstroke’s boss fight inBatman: Arkham Originstends to be a fan-favorite, and yet it largely mimics the Ra’s al Ghul boss fight inBatman: Arkham Cityand is even more short-lived.
The fight’s closing cinematic demonstrates that Batman is capable of outsmarting Deathstroke, and as Batman confiscates the Remote Claw from Slade’s body lying unconscious on the floor of the Boiler Deck he seems like hardly anyone to feel threatened by. Slade is also apprehended and locked up in Blackgate Prison—obviously so he can be cornered and slid a Task Force X recruitment document—and that’s a fate even Lester Buchinsky’s Electrocutioner managed to flee from, though Electrocutioner doesn’t last much longer in the Arkhamverse anyhow.
Deathstroke then goes dark untilBatman: Arkham Knight, where he lies in wait to take over for Arkham Knight’s militia once players progress far enough into the story anddiscover the Arkham Knight is Jason Todd. Sadly, after mopping up every militia side quest, Deathstroke’s ‘boss fight’ is a mere militia tank battle in the Batmobile.
Deathstroke springs forth from the destroyed tank only to be caught out of the air, promptly subdued, and escorted to the GCPD holding cell.
If anyone deserves a third rematch with the Caped Crusader it’s the alleged World’s Greatest Assassin. As a main villain or at least a more significant antagonist who isn’t simply rolled over, it would be great to have Deathstroke actually appear dangerous and intimidating in a futureArkhamgame.
While Deathstroke would have supposedly been the better choice forSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice League’s first post-launch playable characterrather than an Elseworld Joker everyone instantly compared to his Arkhamverse counterpart, it makes sense why Rocksteady withheld him until now. If anything is going to lure players back it’s Slade Wilson, the only DLC character who is actually from the Arkhamverse and whom players are already fond of, and it wouldn’t be surprising if some players had still been eagerly anticipating his launch despite not following or playing post-launch episodic content otherwise.
Even withSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leagueconsidered a flop, it is neat to entertain the idea of a sequel led by Deathstroke, perhaps as a prequel entry set after the events ofBatman: Arkham Originswhen ARGUS originally recruited him at Blackgate.
Here, stars could align betweenlore inBatman: Arkham Origins,Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate, andBatman: Arkham Shadowwith a Task Force X composed of Deathstroke, Deadshot, Bronze Tiger, and at least one other criminal inmate. Unfortunately, the likelihood of anotherSuicide Squadgame, let alone another DC ensemble game, is now devastatingly low.
