- "I joined the military to serve my country, not to be its puppet."
- ―Rick Flag[src]
Richard "Rick" Rogers Flag, Jr. was a U.S. Army colonel, special operations forces specialist, and the field leader of the A.R.G.U.S. affiliated strike team Task Force X. In 2016, he was recruited by Amanda Waller to lead Task Force X and a team of Navy SEALS in a high-risk operation to defeat the wicked siblings Enchantress and Incubus. The mission proved successful, and Flag remained as the Squad's field leader.
In 2020, Flag led a new incarnation the Squad on a mission to Corto Maltese to destroy a Nazi-era fortress known as Jotunheim, along with the dangerous Project Starfish. Upon reaching the island, Flag and the team had to face the soldiers of Corto Maltese, but most of the team died in battle. Flag fled into the jungle where he encountered a rebel group against Silvio Luna, which he joined. Flag joined the new Task Force X team to get to Jotunheim successfully. Flag intended to reveal the whole truth about the alien creature Starro, but was killed by Peacemaker, who was secretly working with Waller to protect the files.
Biography[]
Early Life[]
Military Career[]
- "You take the finest special forces officer this nation has ever produced: Colonel Rick Flag."
- ―Amanda Waller[src]
Richard "Rick" Rogers Flag, Jr. was born in Washington, D.C., being the son of Richard "Rick" Rogers Flag Sr., a decorated war veteran. In high school, Flag met a young woman named Marsha Lane. During a winter break from school, Flag worked as a messenger in Midway City, where he met and had a relationship with a girl named Emily Spiegel.[2]
After graduating, Flag, with a great sense of patriotism, entered the United States Military Academy and later graduated as a soldier. Flag entered the United States Armed Forces, where he managed to reach the rank of Colonel with multiple awards, and being named as the best officer that the country has ever produced.[3]
Meeting Robert DuBois[]
- "I know, you both served on special forces in Qurac that took down Avral Kaddam. Flag was the one who initially recommended you."
- ―Amanda Waller to Robert DuBois[src]
During a mission to the Qurac nation to defeat Avral Kaddam, Flag met and befriended Robert DuBois. According to DuBois, Flag proved that no one could "take a bone out of his mouth" as he had intense plans that were hard to ignore. Likewise, with DuBois' experience, Flag was impressed with his abilities.[4]
Task Force X[]
Love Affair with June Moone[]
- "I have the witch's heart. And Dr. Moone has his. Now he'll follow my orders as Holy Writ."
- ―Amanda Waller[src]
Flag finds Moone.
Flag was recruited by A.R.G.U.S. Director Amanda Waller to track down Dr. June Moone. Flag eventually made it to the building where she was being held with a special team, but when they arrived they discovered that the doctor was possessed by a being known as the Enchantress.
Flag kisses Moone.
Flag helped Moone by taking her to A.R.G.U.S. for monitoring. For a time, they began to fall in love progressively becoming lovers, which Waller took advantage of to manipulate the couple, forcing Flag to be the field leader of Task Force X, a team of criminals recruited by Waller to defend the nation.[3]
Approval at the Pentagon[]
- "June, be strong."
- ―Rick Flag to June Moone[src]
Flag supports Moone.
In an attempt to present the project to the United States Government, Waller went to the Pentagon accompanied by Flag, Moone, Dexter Tolliver, and Admiral Mackenzie Olsen. There, Moone presented the idea to President Edwards, explaining it as a project of metahuman criminals to protect the country. Waller requested a demonstration of power from Moone, which she reluctantly agreed to, although Flag comforted her moments before her presentation.
Flag takes Moone with him after the demonstration.
Moone allowed herself to be possessed by Enchantress, demonstrating her power potential by bringing back files from the vault in Iran. After this, Waller ordered Flag to take her with him, which he complied with. Edwards approved the project to be used in case of supernatural emergencies.[3]
Visiting Belle Reve[]
- "Welcome to Belle Reve, special security barracks. How you doing, man?"
" Why don't you kiss her ass? She's in charge." - ―Hunter Griggs and Rick Flag[src]
Flag arrives to Belle Reve with Waller and Moone.
Days later, Waller, Flag, and Moone traveled to Belle Reve Federal Penitentiary in Louisiana to meet and recruit some of the inmates who would join Task Force X. They were greeted by guard Hunter Griggs, who greeted Flag, although he told him that he kiss Waller's ass as she was in charge.
Flag headed to the prison sewers, where inmate Waylon Jones was being held, a metahuman with a skin peculiarity that makes him resemble a crocodile. Jones asked him if he wasn't afraid of him, but he asked why he was put in the sewers, to which Jones replied that he had wanted it that way. Flag and Waller then went to the pyrokinetic criminal Chato Santana, offering him a good life for accepting, which Santana flatly denied, believing that he had already caused too much damage.
Flag orders to free Lawton.
Later, the two arrived with the criminal Floyd Lawton, an expert marksman with perfect aim, tied to handcuffs and guarded by guards. Flag ordered him to be released, and then showed him a table full of firearms, in order to see how perfect his aim was. However, he pointed the gun at Griggs to prove that the gun had real bullets.
Flag listens to Lawton's requests.
Lawton finally fired into the air and began shooting at targets, demonstrating his marksmanship and surprising Waller, Flag and Griggs. After giving his demonstration, Lawton told them that the only thing he would do to accept their deal would be his release, custody and education of his daughter, although Flag told him that he was in no position to sue. Upon hearing this, Lawton replied that he was not talking to him, but to Waller.
Flag discussing with Waller.
Disgusted by Waller's idea of recruiting criminals, Flag had a serious argument with Waller about using them, telling her that she could have a better team with special forces soldiers. However, Waller warned him that she was doing this for a possible World War III, and that Moone would still be tied to Enchantress, once again manipulating him into obeying her.[3]
Return of Enchantress and Incubus[]
Enchantress' Escape[]
- "Amanda, she bolted."
"Say it again?"
"She bolted!" - ―Rick Flag and Amanda Waller[src]
Flag observes Enchantress transformed.
Later, Flag and Moone checked into a hotel. In their room, Enchantress summoned herself and transported Flag into a vision of Enchantress' death. Suddenly, Enchantress transported herself into Waller's room and released her brother Incubus into Midway City. Enchantress returned to the room, and Flag was shocked by this again. Moone, who had returned to normal, tearfully begged him to end Enchantress' life if necessary, even though it would kill her.
Flag and Moone under the metro station.
Incubus created unrest in the city, causing Waller to send Flag and Moone to the city's subway station, where Incubus was located. Flag gave Moone a detonator to activate as Enchantress. However, she escaped Flag's custody to reunite with her brother and plan an attack. Because of this, the government decided to activate Waller's Task Force X to attack Incubus and Enchantress.[3]
Deployment in Midway City[]
- "Here's the deal, you're going somewhere very bad to do something that'll get you killed, but until that happens... you're my problem."
- ―Rick Flag to Task Force X[src]
Flag orders to free Jones.
Flag was transported to Midway City Airport with his special forces team. There, the team's prisoner recruits arrived, including Harleen Quinzel, Lawton, Santana, Jones, Christopher Weiss, and George Harkness, who upon arriving punched a guard, causing Flag to restrain him to calm him down.
Flag shows Waller's videocall.
After this, Flag explained to the criminals the rules of the mission. If they disobeyed him, tried to escape or made him angry, a nano-bomb in their heads would detonate, ending their lives. Flag gave them some time to prepare their things for the fight, and then had a small discussion with Lawton, who tried to teach him how to give a good motivation.
Flag introduces Tatsu Yamashiro.
After the team prepared, Flag showed them a video of Waller to explain the details about the mission in Midway City and after the message, Flag accepted that they are now a Suicide Squad and together with the team he entered the plane and before leaving he introduced Yamashiro and communicated with her so that she would not kill his allies and they left for Midway City.
Flag threatens Lawton.
Upon arriving at Midway City, he and the squad witnessed the helicopter explode and began to walk through the streets to find HVT1 and Flag understood that HVT1 was actually Waller, but kept it a secret. As they walked, Flag watched as Weiss tried to escape and had no choice but to use the nano-bombs to kill Weiss by exploding his head and warned the rest that the same will happen to them if they betray him again and continued walking.[3]
Battle of Midway City[]
- "The hell are they?"
"You cut and run, I'll blow your head off." - ―Rick Flag to Deadshot[src]
Flag attacks the Eyes of the Adversary.
As they walked, Flag found remnants of destruction and threatened Lawton to kill him if he runs away and they were attacked by creatures working for Enchantress known as the Eyes of the Adversary and they faced the creatures. While facing them, Flag wanted to prove to Lawton that he can have their trust by showing his skills attacking the creatures and Flag was going to be killed but was saved by Harley Quinn and Edwards as they continued the confrontation.
Everyone continued to fight the creatures and Flag realized that they weren't actually creatures but a team that was sent to investigate and was turned into Eyes of the Adversary by Enchantress. Flag got angry at Lawton for attacking alone and was shocked that he managed to kill all the Eyes of the Adversary. Flag and the squad continued walking as he and Flag talked about team leadership.[3]
Retrieving HTV1[]
Flag and the Squad face the Eyes of the Adversary.
Entering the building, Flag and the squad inspected the place and were once again attacked by another horde of Eyes of the Adversary and got angry at Quinn for leaving without doing anything in an elevator. Flag and the others angrily found Quinn and threatened to kill her if she does such a thing again. Flag and the others fought the creatures again and was about to be killed by the Eyes of the Adversary but was saved by his team as they fought the creatures together. After finishing off all the Eyes of the Adversary, Flag and the squad continued walking to reach the place where the HVT1 was located.
Flag and the squad arrived and discovered that HVT1 was actually Amanda Waller and Flag revealed that he had information that it was her and they obtained Enchantress' heart to kill her and they kept walking to find Enchantress and take Waller to safety. As they walked, Flag and Lawton agreed that Waller is an evil woman. Upon reaching the roof, Flag and his allies were ambushed by the Joker and his gang. Flag tried to activate the button to explode Quinn's head but couldn't because it was disabled and he saw Quinn get on the helicopter and witnessed how Waller ordered the helicopter to be destroyed. After this, Flag and the others took Waller safely on their helicopter and continued with the mission.[3]
Drowning Sorrows[]
- "The only woman I've ever cared about is trapped inside that monster. If I don't stop the witch, it's over. Everything is over. Everything."
- ―Rick Flag to Floyd Lawton[src]
Flag talks with Lawton and the Squad.
Flag and the squad found Quinn alive and realized that the helicopter containing Waller went down and believed that she died and kept walking except for Lawton who stayed behind to investigate Waller's files. Flag saw Lawton angrily throw the files away and ordered Flag to tell the truth and with no other choice Flag revealed that Moone was possessed by Enchantress and the witch took Moone's body because of her and also said that his efforts would not be revealed, angering the squad, and everyone went to a bar to drown their sorrows including Yamashiro.
Flag reunites the Squad.
Flag entered the bar to reveal to the squad that they are now free since he defused the bombs, but the only one who's left was Harkness. Flag gave Lawton the letters that Zoe wrote to him every day and Lawton gratefully promised Flag that he will help him get Moone back and end all the chaos as Flag regrouped the squad including Harkness to take down Enchantress.[3]
Facing Enchantress and Incubus[]
Flag faces Incubus.
Before reaching Enchantress's lair, Flag gave Jones a detonator to support the soldiers in placing it to kill Enchantress. Flag, Lawton, Santana and Quinn began to have visions about Enchantress and Flag's was to have a normal life with Moone, but they were saved thanks to Santana and arrived at the lair to confront her, but first they had to face her brother Incubus. Flag and Lawton shot at the beast, but the attacks were useless and they learned that the detonator was already ready and watched with the squad as Santana faced Incubus and Flag on Diablo's orders, warned that they should activate the detonator and Diablo took Incubus nearby and both exploded, dying.
Flag and the Squad defeat Enchantress.
After seeing Diablo sacrifice himself, the squad observed Enchantress and Flag tried to attack her without success and Enchantres was still trying to convince them to join her and she would give them what they always wanted. Flag got angry because he believed that Quinn was going to join her, but they were surprised to see how Quinn used Yamashiro's sword to damage Enchantress and Flag along with the squad had time to attack her. Flag attacked her many times and warned Jones to throw the detonator at Enchantress, making her explode while Lawton gave the coup de grace, defeating Enchantress.
Flag and Lawton celebrate the victory.
Flag was happy how they managed to succeed and went to give Lawton a happy hug, thanking him for the shot, but Lawton mentioned that he doesn't like hugs. He approached Enchantress angrily because he wanted Moone back, but Enchantress replied that she no longer existed so Flag took the heart and broke it in two, angrily killing Enchantress. Flag began to cry, but Lawton warned him to see something important which was that Moone managed to survive and get out of the possession, making Flag happy, who went to give Moone a kiss and Flag thanked everyone and agreed that they would leave, but they were interrupted by Waller, who was still alive and Flag listened to the requests of his allies and agreed to help fulfill them.[3]
Keeping an eye on Floyd Lawton[]
A few days after the battle, Flag brought Lawton to see his daughter while he supervised the visit. When the Belle Reve guards arrived to take Lawton back to his cell, Flag bought time for Lawton to say goodbye to Zoe. Later, Flag continued to bring Lawton to visit his daughter more often.[3]
Mission in Corto Maltese[]
Battle on the Corto Maltese Beach[]
- "So, this is the famous Suicide Squad."
"Well, we consider that term degrading. The official term is "Task Force X," and love 'em or hate 'em, these are your brothers and sisters for the next few days." - ―Rick Flag and Savant[src]
Flag meets with Savant.
Years later, in 2020, Flag was again recruited by Amanda Waller in a Task Force X mission to infiltrate Jotunheim, Corto Maltese and eliminate everything related to the Project Starfish. For recruitment, Flag recommended Waller to recruit his old military friend, Robert DuBois. On flight day, Flag met Brian Durlin, one of the new recruits, which he did not know how to call him by his codename Savant or by his real name.
Flag accompanies his team to the helicopter.
Flag and Durlin arrived at the airport to meet with the other members such as Captain Boomerang, who returned to the team, Blackguard, Mongal, Javelin, T.D.K., and Weasel. When Savant noticed that the team was the Suicide Squad, Flag told him that the official name was Task Force X. When entering the plane, Flag was reunited with Harley Quinn, who also returned to the team. During the flight, Flag calmed the squad down when they met Weasel, revealing that he had killed 27 children.
Flag fights against the Corto Maltese Armed Forces.
When the squad reached the beaches of Corto Maltese and jump from the plane, Flag got upset when he realized that no one knew that Weasel could not swim, with Savant helping him to reach the coast and reporting him dead. Flag and the team soon settled on the beach, but were betrayed by Blackguard, who communicated with the Corto Maltese Armed Forces, starting to fight against them. After Quinn was in danger, Flag went to save her friend, and sent T.D.K. to face the soldiers, however half of the team ended up killed.[4]
Helping the Maltese Resistance[]
- "This is Sol Soria, she’s the leader of the freedom fighters, the resistance trying to take down the current government. They saved my life."
- ―Rick Flag to the Task Force X[src]
Flag is found by the Maltese Resistance.
Rick Flag managed to escape from the beach, but was badly injured while trying to reach Amanda Waller for help. While running, Flag thought Harley Quinn died. Unable to communicate, Flag ended up in the forest, but was found by Sol Soria and the Maltese Resistance, who wanted to overthrow President Silvio Luna, Flag then showed that he was on his side and was rescued.
Flag meets the second Task Force X strike team.
During his stay, Flag befriended the resistance and was cured of his heritages, and while talking to Soria during the morning, he was surprised by a second Task Force X strike team formed by Bloodsport, Peacemaker, Ratcatcher 2, Polka-Dot Man and King Shark, who believed that Flag was kidnapped. Surprised, Flag explained that Soria and the rebels saved him, something that made the squad feel sorry because they killed several rebels.
Flag asks Sol Soria for help.
Flag went out with Sol Soria and the team went from the tent and saw with sorrow the dead bodies of the rebels. Feeling sorry, Rick Flag apologized to Soria and accepted that the new team was misfit, but they would be the only hope to give Corto Maltese freedom from the corrupt government, convincing Soria to help them travel to Valle Del Mar and find Gaius Grieves.
Flag and the team stop to see Krill.
As they prepared, Rick Flag, Sol Soria, the Task Force X, and the Maltese Resistance began a journey to save Milton, who would lead them across Valle Del Mar to find Grieves. During the trip, Flag and the group noticed that Abner Krill had many colorful spots on his face, and the team learned Krill’s origins and how his mother experimented with him to get powers. At night, Flag and the others found Milton on his bus and saved him from the military.
Flag talks to Sol Soria about attacking the palace.
As the Task Force X installed the boxes with clothes in the vehicle, Rick Flag talked with Sol Soria about his plan when he arrived at Jotunheim, as it would attract the soldiers' attention, and so Silvio Luna’s palace would be free to be attacked, something that made Soria happy, since she saw Rick Flag as a great person.[4]
Kidnapping of Thinker[]
- "Here’s to being alive in three hours."
- ―Rick Flag[src]
Flag and DuBois have fun.
The squad and Milton traveled throughout Valle Del Mar as they tried to communicate with Amanda Waller and her team. During the trip, Flag heard the origin story of Cleo Cazo and Robert DuBois. Arriving at La Gatita Amable, the squad entered the club to capture Thinker, but he still did not appear, so they accepted the Peacemaker's idea about having fun before going into action, drinking and laughing.
Flag and Smith surrender to the Armed Forces.
When Thinker arrived, the squad managed to kidnap him, but the Corto Maltese Armed Forces arrived, as they knew there were intruders. Seeing Cazo and Abner Krill taking Thinker to the bus, Flag and Smith joined DuBois in surrendering to the soldiers so that they would not capture the others. The trio was taken to a convoy, where Flag discovered that Quinn was still alive.
Rick Flag, Peacemaker and Bloodsport escape the soldiers.
Robert DuBois managed to defeat a soldier and Flag and Smith joined him in murdering the rest of the military to get out of the convoy. The trio managed to survive the explosion of the convoy and reunited with the rest of the team. When everyone prepared to go to Jotunheim, Rick Flag decided first to save Harley Quinn.[4]
Saving Harley Quinn[]
- "You're gonna risk the entire mission for a mental defective dressed as a court jester?"
"We don't leave one of our own behind." - ―Peacemaker and Rick Flag[src]
Flag and the squad travel to save Harley Quinn.
A few hours later, the squadron went straight to Silvio Luna’s Palace to find Harley Quinn, with Peacemaker being upset that the mission was at risk, but Flag told him that no partner should be left behind. After preparing, the squad split through the palace to initiate a brilliant plan to save Harley Quinn, where Flag and DuBois would take charge of entering the palace.
Flag and Harley Quinn share a hug.
After communicating with the radio team to start the plan, Flag scolded Nanaue for interrupting the transmission, however, when they were about to start the rescue, Flag and DuBois were surprised by Quinn, who had escaped alone from the military, something that saddened Flag as he wanted to develop his incredible plan. Flag and Quinn shared a hug of happiness before being interrupted by DuBois.[4]
Destruction of Jotunheim[]
Flag talks with Gaius Grieves.
The squad went to a roof, where they ate empanadas, until Flag and Dubois began to explain the rules to Gaius Grieves, since if he betrayed them or lied, he was going to die, with Flag calming Quinn when he threatened Thinker about coughing without covering his mouth. Flag continued explaining how he and Cleo Cazo would go with Thinker to erase the Project Starfish files. After detailing the plan of how they would enter Jotunheim, Grieves believed that this was suicide, something that Flag agreed, since it was the team's brand.
Flag and the squad in the rain.
On the bus, the team successfully infiltrated the outskirts of the tower thanks to Grieves driving, and when they prepared to go down, Flag took the shotgun from Milton's hands, because he didn't know how to shoot. After preparing, the squad walked in the rain to cover itself and then began to kill the guards of the tower. The team successfully entered Jotunheim and Flag began delivering bombs to implant in the tower and finish the mission.
Flag enters to the basement.
Once inside, the team split up, with Bloodsport, King Shark, Harley Quinn, and Polka-Dot Man going to the upper levels to plant the bombs, while Flag and Ratcatcher take Thinker down to the basement. Once there, they bear witnessed to the gruesome experiments that Thinker had conducted on Starro and it's captives, which horrified them, especially Ratcatcher.
Flag discovers the truth about Project Starfish.
When Thinker told them that they were sent to Corto Maltese to cover up the U.S's involvement in Project Starfish, Flag refused to believe him at first, enraging Thinker as he then revealed the truth; thirty years ago, the American government had found Starro and saw the potential in weaponizing such a powerful beast, so they made a secret deal with the Corto Maltese government to be able to conduct their illegal experiments on their soil, while Thinker himself oversaw them.[4]
Showdown with Peacemaker[]
- "Peacemaker. What a joke."
- ―Rick Flag's last words to Peacemaker[src]
Flag is confronted by Peacemaker.
As he explained, Peacemaker suddenly showed up, finding Thinker untrustworthy. Disgusted and betrayed, Flag broke inside the controls and found a hard drive that contained the secrets to what the American government had done, planning to share it with the press, only to be cornered by Peacemaker, who attempted to stop Flag under orders from Amanda Waller.
Flag and Peacemaker face off.
Right then, the building rumbles, and the group realized the bombs have been set off too early. Believing that the information contained would cause an international dispute, Peacemaker tried to reason with him and begged Flag not to make him kill him. Before the confrontation could turn violent, however, the floor above caved in on Flag, Ratcatcher, Thinker, and Peacemaker, knocking all of them unconscious.
Flag is killed by Peacemaker.
Upon waking up, Flag, despite being wounded from the debris, saw the hard drive and attempted to take it, but Peacemaker stopped him, leading to a brutal fistfight. Despite Peacemaker initially having the upper hand, Flag managed to pin Peacemaker to the ground with a metal rod, choking the latter. Before Flag succeeded, Peacemaker grabbed a shard of tile broken off from the fight and uses it to stabbed Flag through the heart. With his last breath, Flag called Peacemaker out for his hypocritical name before collapsing to the ground, dying.[4]
Legacy[]
Remembered by his Friends[]
Soon after, Peacemaker realized that Ratcatcher 2 had unwittingly witnessed Flag's death. She then took the drive and fled upstairs, prompting Peacemaker to chase after her. Ratcatcher then informed Bloodsport and the other Task Force X Members about what had happened, forcing a confrontation with Bloodsport and Peacemaker, resulting in Peacemaker being mortally wounded.
This act of rebellion unwittingly inspired Task Force X to commit to another one, saving the citizens of Corto Maltese from Starro even at the cost of defying Amanda Waller. Ultimately, the Task Force was successful. Bloodsport managed to use the contents of the drive to bargain for their freedom. Although Bloodsport solemnly admitted to Ratcatcher that he sadly couldn't deliver exactly on Flag's final wishes, he did remark that he had made the best compromise he possibly could out of it.[5]
- "I killed Rick Flag for you people."
"No one never told you to kill Flag." - ―Peacemaker and Emilia Harcourt[src]
Christopher Smith's Suffering[]
Christopher Smith managed to survive his final confrontation with Bloodsport. When informed that he would have to embark on another mission for A.R.G.U.S., Peacemaker brought up Flag, complaining that he'd already killed him for them.[6] The following day, Peacemaker, influenced by the music he was listening to, started to cry, mourning his part in causing Flag's death and noting that Flag was right in saying that he was a joke.[7]
Personality[]
Trained in West Point, Rick Flag was very confident in his abilities. His tough military attitude, however, occasionally made him seem less intelligent. When in combat, he tended to be very serious and short-tempered, particularly when concerning other allies' mistakes. His short temper also extended to his Task Force X teammates; in his first outing with the team, Rick made no effort whatsoever to hide his utter contempt and hatred for the criminals and supervillains under his command, referring to them as "scumbags" to Amanda Waller, threatening to blow their heads off for pissing him off and at one point flying into a rage when Harley Quinn nonchalantly stole from an abandoned shop window. Despite this, Flag was not above requesting Deadshot's assistance in keeping the team in check. Moreover, Flag was quite loyal to Waller and A.R.G.U.S., despite the intimidating rumors around her. Indeed, Rick even noted one can get used to Waller's ruthless personality after a while.
Rick's softer side came from his love for June Moone, the unwilling host of the fearsome and malevolent Enchantress. Having been assigned to watch her, Rick promptly fell in love and they began dating. Hence, he followed Waller's orders "as Holy Writ", to protect his lover, whom Waller used as exploitable leverage over him. In addition, the events in Midway City seem to have allowed Rick to gain a better understanding of the Squad members, with him ultimately destroying his nano-bomb detonator and releasing them from the mission after Waller's capture, giving up Zoe Lawton's letters to Deadshot, happily hugging Deadshot upon their victory over Enchantress, and making sure Deadshot's first supervised visit to his daughter lasts a few moments longer.
Years after being reunited with June, Flag had become more upbeat and cheerful in his mannerisms. Rick even began to form bonds and started to care for some of the Task Force X members, such as Harley and Bloodsport for example. He also showed to have had a strong sense of morals, as he was willing to tell the world about the horrible unethical experiments that the U.S. government supervised on the people of Corto Maltese and Starro.
Abilities[]
- Peak human condition: Flag was in top physical condition, though not even near to Batman's level. Hence, it took an entire group of Eyes of the Adversary to overpower Flag, though he was still swiftly overpowered by the mighty Enchantress. Flag was also a skilled athlete, as he golfed with a three handicap. He was strong enough to trade blows with Peacemaker, even briefly overpowering the vigilante in spite of his wounds before being stabbed.
- Peak human durability: Flag is very tough, swiftly recovering after being sent flying back by a superhumanly strong blow from Incubus, though this was also due to Flag's bulletproof vest. He engaged in a duel with Peacemaker even after he painfully extricated a sharp piece of debris from his side.
- Expert marksman: Flag is a highly skilled marksman, one of the best Tier One shooters in the military.[2] He able to use any civilian and military-grade weaponry with great skill, landing precise shots on Enchantress' monstrous troops, and the Corto Maltese soldiers. For instance, he fired his shotgun at two soldiers working side by side, resulting in them both having their sides exploding from the shot. However, was surpassed in accuracy and precision by Deadshot, Bloodsport, and Peacemaker.
- Expert combatant: Flag is highly skilled in armed and unarmed combat (though not quite on par with Batman, Enchantress and Katana). He was able to take down several Eyes of the Adversary, and even momentarily able to hold his own against Enchantress herself (notably blocking her dagger slashes several times), though he was ultimately brought down by her. He also fought and ultimately overpowered Peacemaker, a very strong and experienced combatant, pinning him to the ground and choking him with a metal pipe.
- Knife proficiency: Flag is experienced with using a knife in combat. This is best demonstrated when he used his combat knife during his fight against the Enchantress.
- "I don't do luck. I do planning and precision."
- ―Rick Flag to Amanda Waller[src]
- Keen intellect: Flag is quite intelligent, having graduated from the prestigious West Point, where he honed his leadership, tactical, and career networking skills. Flag's tough military attitude, however, does occasionally make him seem less intelligent than he actually is.
- Expert leader: As a US Armed Forces colonel, Flag is an extremely skilled and experienced leader, with Amanda Waller even referring to him as "the finest special forces officer that [the USA] has ever produced". He was able to successfully lead the Suicide Squad in their first mission to extract Waller from Midway City, and then later lead them against Enchantress and Incubus. He did, however, initially have trouble motivating his Squad subordinates, due to them initially despising him, and the feeling being mutual, hence Flag requested Deadshot's assistance and he also had Edwards help in leading the SEALs. He also initially offered to contact the Tier One units and build Waller a team of "pipe hitters" who would do anything she could dream up; real soldiers, instead of the "scumbags."
- Expert tactician: Flag was the best tactician Amanda Waller had ever known.[2] He was an expert in special operations and counterinsurgency, able to come up with an effective strategy to bring down Incubus by attacking him from both fronts (with El Diablo chasing the gigantic opponent into a corner and Killer Croc helping Edwards plant a bomb right under him), and an equally effective one to destroy Enchantress' mystical superweapon. In Corto Maltese, he was smart enough to escape after Team A was massacred, and was quick to become allies with the resistance to formulate the plan to get to Jotunheim.
- Expert networker: As a colonel in the US Army, Flag has a network of professional and social contacts to further his ambitions. He tried to gain leverage on Amanda Waller by threatening to call his powerful friends (though this proved ineffective due to Waller holding June Moone over him), and he tried to gain Deadshot's loyalty by claiming that he has "plenty of [his] own strings to pull" in order to ensure that Deadshot gets paid for the mission, and gets a fresh start (as well as a chance to see his daughter Zoe again).
- Bilingualism: Apart from his native English, Flag has a good understanding of Japanese, given that Katana usually communicated with him in her native language.
- Indomitable will: Flag was a brave and dedicated soldier. Killer Croc was surprised when the Colonel was not scared when he recruited him. Flag kept his promise to June by stopping the Enchantress even if it meant sacrificing her and crushed the witch's heart, although June survived. He also stood his ground when he intended to expose the U.S. government's horrific experiments to the world, even when challenged by Peacemaker.
Weaknesses[]
- Loyalty to June Moone: Rick Flag's greatest weakness is his beloved girlfriend, June Moone, since Amanda Waller is able to use his girlfriend as psychological leverage against Flag, forcing him to comply with her orders concerning the Suicide Squad, much to Flag's dismay. The fact that his girlfriend was unwillingly hosting the malevolent Enchantress made it extremely hard for Flag to destroy the latter when he has the chance, with him only able to do so after recalling that June Moone had made him promise her to do so in such a situation.
Equipment[]
- Glock 17: Rick Flag is seen carrying a 9mm Glock 17 pistol, which he uses as his sidearm.
- Glock 45: Flag carried a new sidearm in Corto Maltese.
- IMI/Magnum Research Desert Eagle Mark XIX: Flag attempted to shoot Peacemaker with his own pistol, but he was disarmed.
- Heckler & Koch HK416A5: Rick Flag is seen carrying an HK416 rifle equipped with different attachments and accessories. His version of the HK416 is the DS20R full-sized barrel version, a standard among US Special Forces equipment.
- Mk 18 Mod 1: Flag carried a carbine to Corto Maltese.
- Benelli M2 Super 90 TTI: Flag commandeered a shotgun after he was liberated from a convoy.
- Winkler combat knife: Flag carried this combat knife on his vest for close quarters purposes, most notably using it during the final fight against Enchantress.
- C4 explosive: Rick Flag carried an explosive ordinance to destroy Enchantress's weapon. After Harley Quinn cut the heart out, Flag readied the explosive and gave it to Killer Croc to throw, which is then detonated when Deadshot fired at the explosive.
- Demolition charge: In the original mission to stop Incubus, Flag carried a demolition charge powerful enough to destroy Incubus. Originally set for two seconds to explode, when given to Enchantress, Enchantress dropped it in the subway and escaped, leaving the bomb intact with a second set to explode. In the battle against Enchantress, his subordinate Lt. "GQ" Edwards of the Navy SEALS detonated it and destroyed Incubus, with El Diablo and GQ being casualties of the explosion.
- Bulletproof vest: Flag wore a bulletproof vest when in the field to protect him from rifle bullets. It's seemingly durable enough to take a hit from Incubus.
Former equipment[]
- Nano-Bomb Detonator: Rick Flag, in order to ensure the compliance of most Suicide Squad members (apart from his bodyguard Katana), keeps the detonator of their implanted nano-bombs on him (with a separate button for each individual) - ready to blow off the heads of any of them if they step out of line or fail to comply, with him notably killing Slipknot in this way. Ultimately, however, when Amanda Waller is captured by Incubus, Flag destroys his detonator, releasing his subordinates (who, however, are still motivated to stay and fight the mystical duo nonetheless).
Relationships[]
Appearances[]
| List of appearances |
|---|
| In chronological order: |
Trivia[]
- In the comics,, Rick Flag is the name of three characters appearing in various DC Comic books. They are a father, son, and grandson, with Richard Flag Jr. being the son.
- His main weapon is a 5.56x45mm Heckler & Koch HK416 carbine outfitted with various accessories, while his sidearm is a 9mm Glock 17 pistol and a combat knife.
- Along with Deadshot and Katana, he is one of the relatively sane members of the Suicide Squad.
- In John Ostrander's original Suicide Squad comic run, Flag is seemingly killed by a nuclear explosion inside Jotunheim. Thus, Jotunheim's presence in The Suicide Squad sparked speculation among fans that Flag would sacrifice himself and die in the upcoming film, which was later confirmed upon the film's release.
Behind the Scenes[]
- Luke Evans, Bradley Cooper, Mark Wahlberg, Jake Gyllenhaal, Tom Cruise, Joel Edgerton, Karl Urban, and Jon Bernthal were considered for the role of Rick Flag.
- Tom Hardy (who previously played Bane in 2012's The Dark Knight Rises) was originally cast as Rick Flag but dropped out due to his prior commitment to filming The Revenant.
- Justin Howell and Kyle Mclean were stunt doubles for Joel Kinnaman in the role of Rick Flag.
References[]
- ↑ Rick Flag trading card
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Suicide Squad: The Official Movie Novelization
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 Suicide Squad
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 The Suicide Squad
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs named:0 - ↑ Peacemaker: 1.01: A Whole New Whirled
- ↑ Peacemaker: 1.02: Best Friends, For Never
External Links[]
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| Task Force X | |
| Founder | Amanda Waller |
|---|---|
| Members | Peacemaker | Vigilante | Emilia Harcourt | Leota Adebayo |
| Supporting members | Clemson Murn | John Economos | Flo Crawley | Briscoe | Fitzgibbon |
| Former members | Enchantress | June Moone | Slipknot | El Diablo | Deadshot | Katana | Killer Croc | Rick Flag | Captain Boomerang | Polka-Dot Man | T.D.K. | Javelin | Blackguard | Mongal | Savant | Harley Quinn | Bloodsport | King Shark | Ratcatcher 2 | Weasel |