Swordsman duels · Superhuman
Vicious vs Deathstroke
A syndicate executive who betrays everyone meets a mercenary who has outlived every betrayal.
Tale of the tape
| Cowboy Bebop | Universe | DC |
|---|---|---|
| Street level | Tier | Superhuman |
| A katana, a crow on his shoulder and absolute ruthlessness | Strength | Enhanced reflexes and tactical genius |
| Trusts nobody, which means nobody comes to help him | Weakness | Cold calculation can be baited |
| 0–2 | Record on Versus | 3–2 |
The Arena
Vicious accepted a contract in a strange city to eliminate the world’s most expensive mercenary, a man in orange and black armour who had worked for every criminal organisation and betrayed most of them. The irony appealed to him. He met Deathstroke on a skyscraper rooftop in Gotham, rain hammering down, lightning splitting the sky.
Slade Wilson looked at the silver-haired swordsman with a crow on his shoulder and laughed. “Someone sent you to kill me with a sword? That’s almost sweet.” Vicious drew his katana. “Someone sent you to kill me too. I simply arrived first.” Slade drew his own sword. “Then let’s see who’s worth more.”
The crow flew up into the storm. Both men moved at once.
Round One
Vicious struck first, ruthless and fast, his katana aimed straight at Slade’s throat. Slade parried with ease and countered with a cut that sliced Vicious’s coat open. Vicious spun away, surprised. The mercenary in armour moved faster than any human he had ever fought.
Slade was enhanced: reflexes, strength and a brain that processed combat faster than any normal man. Vicious was a superb swordsman, but every attack he made, Slade seemed to see coming a moment before it began. They clashed across the rooftop, sparks flying from their blades in the rain.
Vicious realised he could not win a straight fight. So he stopped fighting straight.
The Turn
Vicious whistled, and the crow dived out of the storm straight at Slade’s face, claws slashing at his one good eye. Slade flinched, and in that moment Vicious drove his katana under the edge of the armour and into Slade’s side. Blood ran down the orange plating.
Slade grunted, grabbed the crow out of the air and tossed it aside, and kept fighting. His healing factor was already closing the wound. Vicious stared. He had killed men with that strike before. This one barely slowed.
“Nice trick,” Slade said. “I’ve seen better.” He switched his sword to his left hand and drew a pistol with his right.
The Finish
Vicious tried everything. He feinted, he baited, he tried to lure Slade onto a slick part of the roof. Slade had seen every trick in a thousand fights against the Teen Titans and the Justice League. He shot the katana out of Vicious’s hand, then drove a knee into his ribs and threw him against an air-conditioning unit.
Vicious lay there in the rain, ribs cracked, staring up at the mercenary. Slade stood over him, pistol aimed, and considered the contract. Then he lowered the gun. “Who paid you to kill me?” Vicious smiled coldly. “The same person who paid you to kill me, I imagine.” Slade laughed bitterly. “Of course.”
He holstered the pistol. “Go home, kid. Find out who set us both up, and kill him instead.” He stepped off the edge of the roof and disappeared into the storm on a grappling line. Vicious lay on the rooftop, laughing quietly, already planning his revenge on the man who had sent them both.
The verdict
Deathstroke wins
Vicious is a ruthless swordsman who even wounds Slade with a dirty trick, but Deathstroke’s enhanced reflexes, healing factor and decades of combat against superheroes put him in another class.
- EnhancementSlade’s reflexes and strength exceed any human’s.
- Healing factorHe recovers from the wound that would have killed most opponents.
- ExperienceHe has fought and outlasted the Justice League.
How the rematch could go differently: With weeks to set up a betrayal inside Slade’s own client network, Vicious might win the way he always does: without a fair fight.
Who do you think wins?
Who would win in a fight between Vicious and Deathstroke?
Deathstroke wins. Vicious is a ruthless swordsman who even wounds Slade with a dirty trick, but Deathstroke’s enhanced reflexes, healing factor and decades of combat against superheroes put him in another class.