Not to be outdone by Deathstroke, Floyd Lawton, better known as Deadshot, is one of the most lethal contract killers in the DC Universe. The character has tangled with many superheroes in the, either on his own or as a key member of the Suicide Squad. Although he was initially a minor Batman villain, he's since achieved cinematic stardom and was by Will Smith in the DC Extended Universe.
However, the character underwent several revisions when he was included in the popular DC fighting game Injustice 2, making him a bit more sympathetic but no less deadly. Now, we're taking a look back at this prolific assassin and what happened to him in the dark alternate world of that DC fighting game.
WHO IS DEADSHOT?
Deadshot actually predates Deathstroke by 30 years, since he was created in 1950's Batman #59 by David Vern Reed, Lew Sayre Schwartz and Batman co-creator Bob Kane. Originally just a crack marksman with any weapon, Deadshot was dramatically updated by Steve Englehart and Marshall Rogers in the '70s, where he evolved into his current form, who prefers a pair of wrist-mounted guns. Although he initially appeared as a more dapper character attempting to replace the Caped Crusader before being outed as a villain, Deadshot adopted his distinctive mask with a targeting system in his '70s debut.
Agreeing to join the Suicide Squad for a presidential pardon, Deadshot becomes a key member and forms a begrudging respect with team leader Rick Flagg. Lawton learns that he has a young daughter living in Star City and decides to do right be her, continuing to take dangerous with the Suicide Squad to one day be reunited with her and raise her right as the effective father he never had himself.
Deadshot in Injustice 2
After a brief cameo in the background of the Stryker's Island stage in the original game Injustice: Gods Among Us, Deadshot is revealed to have been captured by Gorilla Grodd sometime between the events of the sequel. To ensure Deadshot's obedience, Grodd implants explosive nanobots in Lawton's head to become the only unwilling member of the Society. First seen assisting Scarecrow in Slaughter Swamp, Deadshot later fights against the Flash in Metropolis before being defeated alongside Bane in a brawl against Cyborg and Catwoman. After Brainiac's true intentions are revealed, Deadshot stands against the extraterrestrial invader.
Deadshot's ending to the game revealed that Bruce Wayne personally financed the surgery to completely remove the explosive nanobots from Lawton's head. As he recovered, Lawton was reunited with his young daughter Zoe who he hadn't seen since her ninth birthday. With the threat of Brainiac now passed, Grodd dead and the nanobots removed from his cranium, Deadshot vowed to pick up where he left off with Zoe and become a loving father once again, protecting her and his estranged ex-wife Susie Lawton as the world rebuilt itself from Brainiac and Grodd's recent plot.
Deadshot's Fighting Moves
Most of Deadshot's special moves in Injustice 2 revolve around the use of his signature wrist-mounted guns. Lawton can either fire rounds directly at his opponent or ricochet them around the stage to lethal effect in a trick shot. In addition to using regular bullets, Deadshot can temporarily arm himself with incendiary, explosive or poison rounds to change up the lethal effects on his target.
Deadshot's devastating super move has him clobber his opponent with a large sniper rifle before tossing it high in the air before attacking them savagely with a combat knife and his wrist-mounted guns. The assassin pauses his assault to catch his rifle and shoot his opponent right in the head. The mobile version of the game has exclusive combos of Deadshot use his extensive training to pummel his opponent while another has him unleash his full firepower against his opponent at once.