WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for My Adventures With Superman episode 5.
Summary
- My Adventures With Superman introduces a younger and different take on Deathstroke, who is portrayed as a tech-based character with a unique fighting style.
- Deathstroke, working for Task Force X, wears armor that resembles Iron Man's, equipped with advanced technology and weapons that include retractable masks and "lightsaber" swords that can actually hurt Superman.
- The show's tech-based costumes for villains like Deathstroke, Livewire, Parasite, and others have received criticism for making the villains all too similar.
DC has its own Iron Man in My Adventures With Superman’s Deathstroke, who almost took down the Man of Steel by himself. My Adventures With Superman’s Slade Wilson (Chris Parnell) was introduced at the end of episode 1 as a very different version of the DC villain. Referred to as “Agent Wilson,” My Adventures With Superman’s Deathstroke is younger than how the character is usually portrayed and has a completely different fighting style compared to other Slade adaptations. Generally, My Adventures With Superman's new DC costumes have been quite unique compared to the comics.
Deathstroke is not a Superman villain. That said, Slade Wilson has faced multiple Justice League heroes, including Superman, several times in both comics and other adaptations. Whether Deathstroke works better as a Titans villain or a general DC antagonist is open for debate, but Agent Wilson’s introduction in My Adventures With Superman made sense. Deathstroke is working for My Adventures With Superman’s Task Force X, led by Amanda Waller (Debra Wilson) and the General (Joel de la Fuente).
My Adventures With Superman’s Slade Wilson Has Tech-Based Armor
My Adventures With Superman episode 5 finally saw Slade Wilson in full Deathstroke armor. Task Force X assigned Agent Wilson the mission to recover every piece of tech stolen by Intergang, which brought all of the show’s storylines together into one important reveal. Waller and the General were behind these new weapons, and robots created specifically to deal with someone like Superman. As a result, My Adventures With Superman’s Deathstroke armor was entirely tech-based, essentially making him into an Iron Man-type of character. From a retractable mask to boot’s jats, My Adventures With Superman’s Slade Wilson fights very differently from other versions.
Deathstroke was also controlling a pair of giant robots, which help explain why a regular human could take on Superman. Slade’s armor helped level the playfield, making Deathstroke both strong and fast enough to keep up with Superman. In addition, Deathstroke's swords were given a tech upgrade in My Adventures With Superman, making them into “lightsabers” that could actually hurt Kal-El. Not only could Deathstroke keep up with Superman during a fight, but Slade could have defeated the Man of Steel. Deathstroke had a clear shot to take down Superman but received orders not to after the Man of Steel fled to save a group of civilians.
My Adventures With Superman's Deathstroke Design Continues Its Villain Problem
My Adventures With Superman’s Deathstroke design is a unique take on a character that has already been adapted for live-action movies, live-action shows, and animated series multiple times. From that perspective, having a tech-based Slade Wilson that can take on Superman is an interesting choice that makes for a new and exciting dynamic between these two characters. However, My Adventures With Superman’s villains have a broader problem when it comes to tech-based costumes. So far, most of My Adventures With Superman's villains have been tech-based, including characters that do not use any sort of armor or tech in the comics.
Livewire, Parasite, Silver Banshee, Heatwave, and Deathstroke all have tech-based powers and costumes in My Adventures With Superman. While it makes sense for a villain like Livewire to use a special armor that gives her electric powers, characters like Silver Banshee and Parasite were never tied to technology. That said, My Adventures With Superman’s villains have been connected to Task Force X and Intergang, the show’s main storylines, through their tech-based powers. This is a tricky story choice, as it brings the show’s plotlines together into one main story at the cost of making each My Adventures With Superman villain less unique.
New episodes of My Adventures With Superman releases Thursdays on Adult Swim and Fridays on Max.
