Summary

• Deathstroke's meeting with William Wintergreen forged a lifelong friendship and gave him the closest ally he's ever had.
• Deathstroke gained his enhanced strength and healing factor through an experimental government procedure, making him one of the strongest and most lethal men alive.
• Deathstroke's manipulative skills and willingness to sink to any depth are showcased in the infamous "Judas Contract" storyline, where he used Terra to infiltrate and dismantle the Titans.

Few killers in the DC Universe are as feared as Deathstroke the Terminator. Ever since he debuted in the pages of New Teen Titans, Slade Wilson has become one of the most notorious assassins in the entire comic book medium. With an enhanced healing factor, a cache of deadly weapons, and one of the most brilliant tactical minds, Deathstroke has more than earned his iconic reputation.

Over the years, Slade has been featured in several storylines that have rounded him out as a character. In the four decades he’s been around, the assassin has had several major events that have come to truly define him. Read on to see 15 of the most important moments in Deathstroke’s life.

15 Meeting Wintergreen

Deathstroke might not be one for buddies, but William Wintergreen is someone that has almost always been by Slade Wilson’s side. The two’s first meeting was detailed in Tales of the Teen Titans Annual #3 by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez. Wintergreen saved a young Slade from a suicide mission, forging a lifelong friendship and giving Deathstroke the closest ally he’s ever had.

14 Gaining His Powers

Thanks to his powers, Deathstroke has become a truly terrifying force. Deathstroke the Terminator #1 by Marv Wolfman and Steve Erwin revealed the experiment that gave Slade his enhanced strength and healing factor. An experimental government procedure to make soldiers resilient to truth serums leads Slade to volunteer his body for research. The medicines Slade is plied with turn the already formidable soldier into one of the strongest and most lethal men alive.

13 Grant Wilson Dying

Deathstroke’s lifelong feud with the Titans began with his debut appearance. New Teen Titans #2 by Wolfman and Pérez sees Slade’s son Grant attempt to take out the Titans on H.I.V.E’s orders. However, the procedure Grant went through to augment his natural abilities kills him, causing Deathstroke to take up his son’s contract with H.I.V.E. This issue would be the first of many battles Deathstroke would have with the new generation of heroes.

12 Fighting Wolverine

Before he fought many of the DC Universe’s icons, Deathstroke squared off with Marvel’s Wolverine. The Uncanny X-Men and The New Teen Titans by Chris Claremont and Walt Simonson sees Slade briefly fight the famous mutant. In a shocking twist, Deathstroke manages to easily trounce Logan at least until Cyclops comes in to assist with an optic blast. Fighting Wolverine without breaking a sweat showed just how powerful Deathstroke really was.

11 "The Judas Contract"

Perhaps the most infamous Deathstroke story is the lauded “Judas Contract” storyline by Wolfman and Pérez. Slade’s grand plan to end the Titans comes to fruition when it’s revealed that Deathstroke had been using Terra to infiltrate and ultimately dismantle the superhero team. No other story has shown off Slade’s manipulative skills or the depths he was willing to sink to more than this iconic story.

10 Beating Batman in a Fight

Batman is a great fighter, but fans saw firsthand that Deathstroke may have an edge over the Dark Knight. In Deathstroke the Terminator #7 by Wolfman and Erwin, Deathstroke and Batman finally face off. But as Slade so succinctly summed it up, Batman is only trained to fight while Deathstroke is trained to kill. Slade effortlessly beats Batman in a fistfight, elevating Deathstroke as a serious threat.

9 Killing Jericho

It was bad enough when Deathstroke lost one child. However, in New Titans #83 by Marv Wolfman and Tom Grummett, Slade’s other son, Jericho becomes possessed by the Souls of Azarath. Jericho knows it’s too late for him and begs his father to end his life, a request Slade mournfully fulfills. It’s not often one feels for Slade, but it’s hard not to sympathize with Deathstroke being given such a terrible duty.

8 Meeting Rose Wilson

Losing two children was hard on Deathstroke. By the time he met his daughter, Rose Wilson, Slade refused to even be near her. In Deathstroke #48 by Marv Wolfman, Sergio Cariello, and Octavio Cariello, Slade discovers Rose is his daughter and insists that she stay away from him. Slade’s relationship with Rose is probably the most complicated of all his children, but it’s not difficult to see why knowing the guilt he carries.

7 Defeating the Entire Justice League

Identity Crisis by Brad Metzler and Rags Morales is ed for a lot of things. But one scene some fans look back on fondly is the scene where Deathstroke single-handedly defeats the Justice League. The team has come to take in Doctor Light, but he’s already hired Slade to protect him. Without breaking a sweat, Deathstroke dispatches the Flash, Black Canary, Zatanna, and Green Lantern, one of the most stunning exhibitions in Deathstroke’s entire career.

6 Impersonating Batman and Manipulating Arsenal

Deathstroke loves manipulating people for his own ends. Outsiders #21 by Judd Winnick and Carlos D'Anda reveals that Slade had been posing as Batman to feed information to Arsenal to manipulate him into eliminating competition for Slade in the underworld. He even nearly killed Roy Harper, only sparing him because he felt the archer had been through enough. While not as famous as the “Judas Contract”, this moment also showcases how well Slade can play people.