Continuing our DC vs. Marvel series, this time we will find out what happens when two super soldiers turned assassins get a hit on one another. From DC Comics, Deathstroke and from Marvel comics, Winter Soldier
Origins
Deathstroke
“I’ll go alone. Taking only death with me. I am Deathstroke. The Terminator.”
Slade Wilson was a legendary US soldier who rose through the ranks of the army after his participation in the Vietnam War. Training under his commanding officer, Captain Adeline Kane, the two began a romantic relationship and had a son together. When the army asked Slade to be the test subject for a secret experiment, he agreed believing it to be a drug that would make him capable of resisting the enemy’s truth serum. As it turned out, the experiment was really an attempt to create super soldiers as this gave him increased strength, speed, reflexes, stamina, senses, regenerative healing, slowed aging and a super charged adrenaline.
Slade Wilson was genetically modified to be the perfect soldier. After the experiment was abandoned, Slade was discharged. To make ends meet he became a game-hunter and eventually a mercenary going by the name Deathstroke earning the nickname The Terminator. Later, he married Captain Adeline Kane, who was once his commanding officer and trainer, with whom he had a son, Joseph who was apparently kidnapped and killed after Deathstroke refused as assassination assignment. Adeline Kane found out about the whole situation and shot him in the eye for his inability to protect his son subsequently also blaming him for the death of their child. That is how the legend of Deathstroke the Terminator came to be.
Winter Soldier
“If you knew who I really was… what I’ve done… I’m a monster.”
Bucky Barnes was once a fellow soldier fighting alongside Steve Rogers aka Captain America and eventually became his sidekick. Near the end of 1945, Bucky failed to defuse a bomb on board a plane and apparently killed. He was actually hurled into the freezing waters of the North Atlantic before being found by a Russian submarine. Brought on board with a missing arm, his body was transported to Moscow. After being revived by the Russian scientists, they discovered that Bucky had amnesia aside from his tactical knowledge and multilingual tongue. An advanced cybernetic arm was attached to his body and an inferior version of super-soldier serum was administered to his body, marking the beginning of the Winter Soldier Project.
After several brainwashing attempts and extensive Russian army training, he carried out several assassinations throughout the latter half of the 20th century in Columbia, Afghanistan, the Gulf, and virtually every conflict all while working in the shadows, thus shaping the political future of the world. After his memory started to come back, he began to disobey direct orders and even attack fellow officers. Hence, he was placed in suspended animation and only released to carry out missions. Bucky Barnes went from being Captain America’s sidekick to a Russian super-soldier assassin.
Let the battle begin!
On any given day, both can easily beat each other depending on the versions we are talking about. Since both these characters have gone through multiple reboots, we will go with their most canon stories and feats from the comic books.
Round 1: Strength
Deathstroke, due to the super soldier experiment, is stronger than any human being including those with peak human physicality. He was able to kick down a reinforced steel door effortlessly, rip off the door of an aircraft in flight, sent Bronze Tiger flying into a tree with his punch and even multiple men, who were trying to pin him down, into the air by stretching his arms. While enraged, he was able to easily lift and toss a grand piano which can weigh as much as 1,400 lbs. He was also able to kick a dumpster and crush a man between the walls. The weight of an empty dumpster can be up to 6,500 pounds.
Bucky, being a super soldier, has peak human physique. The cybernetic arm provides an additional boost to his strength. He was able to lift a man over his head and toss him with a single arm, tear metal chains and rip through the bottom of a flying car. Officially, he can lift up to 5000 lbs.
Winner: Deathstroke
Round 2: Speed
Deathstroke can move run at speeds of 115 mph and was agile enough to elude Superman. The freaking Superman.
Winter Soldier can run up to the speeds of 72 mph. He is agile enough to block bullets with his metal arm and has evaded gunfire on multiple occasions. He has dodged attacks from Kree firearms and even Atlantean gunfire while underwater.
Winner: Deathstroke
Round 3: Durability
Deathstroke was unharmed from being at the center of an apartment leveling explosion, unfazed by long falls, endured survived an exploding nuclear submarine. He has withstood blows from blows from Wonder Woman and Superman. Winter Soldier was able to withstand electrocutions, close range gunshots with only minor injuries to his ribs, blasts from Eel, RPG attack, a fall from a plane after crashing through some tree branches and survived beating from heavy hitters like Doom and Worthy Sin.
Winner: Deathstroke
Round 4: Intelligence
Before being enhanced, Slade Wilson had an IQ of 140. After being enhanced, Deathstroke’s mind was able to process information 9 times more than an ordinary man and work at optimal levels even under stress and fatigue. A pre-enhanced Bucky Barnes is fluent in English, Russian, German, Japanese, Chinese, and French. After being induced with a variant of super-soldier serum, his intelligence would also have been increased. As of Marvel’s official listing, Bucky has an intelligence score of 2 out of 7.
Winner: Deathstroke
Round 5: Fighting Prowess
Deathstroke was able to beat Bronze Tiger, one of the best martial artists in the world, in two moves in a hand to hand combat. He once downed 38 men in less than 2 minutes and fought off an army of 300 on his own. He was able to cut a fly in half midflight with a thrown paper clip. He has defeated Batman in one on one combat on a few occasions.
Winter Soldier was able to take out a bar full of people on his own. He has beaten the likes of Black Widow and Crossbones. He has even held his own against Steve Rogers aka Captain America.
Winner: Deathstroke
Round 6: Military Experience
Deathstroke illegally drafted in the army at the age of 16. He is a war veteran having served time in Vietnam War, fought wars in Korea and was recognized as an expert in Guerilla warfare. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel at a relatively young age. He has also been a part of Suicide Squad.
Bucky Barnes also enlisted in the army at the age of 16. As a teenager, Bucky Barnes was the best sniper in his division. As Winter Soldier, he was able to snipe twelve targets in quick succession without any of the enemy noticing. He has trained under the same people that trained Steve Rogers. He has also trained with SAS and fought in World War 2. As part of the Winter Soldier Project, he was trained in various Russian army tactics. He was also the trainer of Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow. He has also fought in almost all the wars starting from World War 2 either with direct participation or in covert operations.
Winner: Winter Soldier.
Round 7: Weapons and Arsenal
Deathstroke uses a Promethium Sword; Promethium is DC comics’ strongest metal which can slice through Superman’s skin. He also uses a staff capable of firing energy shots. He wears an Nth metal armor and the Ikon Suit which is virtually impenetrable against anything around the size of a human fist and was able to resist punches from Superman. Deathstroke has special contingency plan especially designed to hurt Superman; a Super Bomb. His other weapons include dual machine guns and sniper rifles.
Winter Soldier’s most prominent weapon is his cybernetic metal arm which is capable of electrocuting people, emitting EMPs and operating remotely. Winter Soldier’s guns have palm print sensors which cause the weapon to explode in case anyone else tries to use his weapon. Winter Soldier has used Kazurr Sniper Rifle with vibranium rounds, which is capable of sniping a target from a moon away. He has Gamma Bullets in his arsenal, which is capable of taking out super beings like Thor. He has been shown to regularly employ sleeping gas and holograms to take out his targets. Since, the arsenal depends on the execution and both of them have over the top weapons, let’s make this round a draw.
Round 8: Better Foes
Deathstroke is the primary villain of Teen Titans which includes the likes of Nightwing, Robin, Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy, Cyborg, Superboy, and Kid Flash. Winter Soldier doesn’t have a mortal enemy per say but the closest thing he has for that is Red Skull.
Winner: Deathstroke
Round 9: Weakness
Deathstroke has visually impaired in one of his eyes. Although he has adapted to fighting with a limited vision it definitely stops him from reaching his maximum potential. Winter Soldier’s metal arm can be damaged which can leave him severely handicapped in a fight. He was also susceptible to trigger words and psychological suggestions.
Winner: Deathstroke
The Verdict
Deathstroke wins by a landslide decision
Bucky Barnes maybe a super soldier assassin war veteran but he still looms under the shadow of Captain America. On the other hand, Deathstroke is basically a Captain America who doesn’t hold back and relishes the violence while thinking of every possible way to end his opponent.
“The world needs me. I get things done.” ~ Deathstroke
