Line #10 Wrestling/SgtSlaughter


1	[[quoteright:288:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sgt-slaughter_6410.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:288:"...you're goin' nowhere space-case, you're here ´cause you´re '''AN INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH FOUL UP!!!''' My job is to whip you into shape, and I mean '''[[WhipOfDominance WHIP!!!]]"''' ]]
3
4	->''"That man has the constitution of a vending machine!"''
5	-->-- '''Cobra Commander'''
6
7	Robert Rudolph Remus (born August 27, 1948), better known by his ring name '''Sgt. Slaughter''', is an American former Wrestling/{{WWE}} personality and semi-retired professional wrestler. From mid TheSeventies to early TheNineties, Slaughter had success in the Wrestling/NationalWrestlingAlliance, Wrestling/AmericanWrestlingAssociation, and World Wrestling Federation.
8
9	Contrary to popular belief, his character was one of the very few that was not a creation of [[Wrestling/AmericanWrestlingAssociation Verne Gagne]] or Wrestling/VinceMcMahon. When he arrived to WWF in 1980, they needed a great {{heel}} to give a good push. Quickly becoming the first contender, he created his famous ''"Cobra Clutch Challenge"'' offering a prize of $ 5,000 to anyone who could break it. It was not until his second return to the brand in 1983 that he really took off after soundly defeating the then top heel Wrestling/TheIronSheik. However, Wrestling/HulkHogan was already the World Heavyweight Champion... so when he left to look for greener pastures, The Large Sarge turned into one of the top {{face}}s in business history until his third return in 1990.
10
11	In 1986, an alternate version of the Sgt. Slaughter character was incorporated into the [[Franchise/GIJoe GI Joe: A Real American Hero]] toy line as well as its animated series and comic books.
12
13	Among his in-ring achievements, he is a former x3 [[https://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/centralstates/nwa/cs-h.html NWA Central States Heavyweight Champion]], a former [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/midatlantic/nwa/ma-nwa-t.html NWA (Mid-Atlantic version) World Tag Team Champion]] (w/Don Kernodle), a former 2x [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wcw/wcw-us-h.html NWA (Mid-Atlantic) United States Heavyweight Champion]], a former [[https://www.wrestling-titles.com/canada/on/nwa/on-can-h.html NWA Canadian (Toronto) Heavyweight Champion]], a former [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/awa/awa-ams-h.html AWA America's Heavyweight Champion]] (One of its only two recipients) and former [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wwe/wwe-h.html WWF World Heavyweight Champion]]. He was inducted into the Wrestling/WWEHallOfFame in 2004 and the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2019.
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15	-----
16	!! "TEN-HUUUUUT!!! Read my tropes... you MAGGOTS!!!":
17	* TheAce: Called by none other than "Mr. Excellence in execution" in person...
18	--> '''Wrestling/BretHart''': "One of the ''biggest'' names in (wrestling) history."
19	** We are talking about the wrestling career of a man Wrestling/RicFlair levels here. A performer who has literally spilled blood and guts for every brand he worked for. [[TheatricsOfPain Sold]] like a god, [[TheAce in-roped enough]] to open his own school and a world-wide known gimmick for the ages.
20	** As a matter of fact, you can count on the fingers of one hand the wrestlers that have beaten the Large Sarge clean. That's because he can, and rest assured he will be, as [[KnightTemplar face]] or [[BloodKnight heel]] as he needs.
21	* AceCustom:
22	** He actually had two {{Thememobil\|e}}es on G.I. Joe, the ''"Triple T Tank"'' and the ''"Slaughter's Warthog"''.
23	** WWF also provided a limousine with a camouflage paint job when putting in special appearances.
24	* {{Acrofatic}}: For a man of his frame, it was quite a show to watch him perform ''Sunset flips'', ''Turnbuckle evations'' and ''Missile top-rope big boots''.
25	* AlliterativeName: Both his stage real names.
26	* AllAmericanFace: He first debuted in WWF using his old DrillSergeantNasty gimmick, but as a (kayfabe) leatherneck he was in a good position to stand up for the [[MyCountryRightOrWrong US of A]] against Iron Sheik and turn face.
27	* AlwaysSecondBest: The second most fondly remembered face in WWF/E history. [[MeaningfulName Number one]] was more famed for having [[Wrestling/HulkHogan "24 inch pythons for arms, brother!"]].
28	* ArchEnemy:
29	** As a heel in NWA Mid-Atlantic: Practically EVERYONE on the stable, but most noticiably Wrestling/RickySteamboat and Jay Youngblood.
30	** As a face in WWE: Wrestling/TheIronSheik and Wrestling/NikolaiVolkoff.
31	** As a face in the AWA: The Sheik's Army and Larry Zbyszko.
32	** As a heel in WWE: Wrestling/PatPatterson and Wrestling/AndreTheGiant on his first tenure, then Hogan and The Wrestling/UltimateWarrior.
33	* ArtisticLicenseMilitary: He was the leader of the Triangle of Terror, despite being the lowest-ranked member.
34	* BigBad: He was the Top Heel in NWA Mid-Atlantic from 1981 to 1983. As the man revealed on his ''"A&E Biography"'' episode, that is the trait of his character he enjoys the most.
35	* BigDamnHeroes: Besides every instance he did so in G.I. Joe, a RealLife example occurred when a crazed fan stabbed [[Wrestling/RoddyPiper "Rowdy" Roddy Piper]]. It was Slaughter who swiftly made the save and took his partner to the hospital.
36	* BloodKnight: Practically his job description in a nut as a heel. It wasn't a rare occurence to watch him wearing a [[BloodSplatteredWarrior full-time red mask]].
37	* BoisterousBruiser: What he was known for.
38	* BurningTheFlag: The unthinkable was definitely just that during Slaughter's face runs, as anyone who even so much as verbally insulted the American flag [[{{Eagleland}} was in for a major beating]]. That said, this was considered - briefly - by the WWF's writing team during Slaughter's heel run, as an effort to build tremendous heel heat for his Iraqi sympathizer persona, during his stint as the WWF World Heavyweight Champion while America was engaged in the Persian Gulf War with Iraq. Fortunately, he [[OnlySaneMan nixed the idea]] deciding that doing so in an arena, even during a house show, would have very negative (to put it mildly) consequences for both him and WWF; it was bad enough that (off-camera) Slaughter[[note]]In a time he and his family had been target of very frightening death threats.[[/note]] was said to have "defaced the American flag." After some convincing by him and a few others, the writing team decided that [[ClosestThingWeGot burning a Hogan's T-shirt attached to a flagpole]] would draw the desired heat and make its point: America was weak and everything they stand for [[note]]...namely [[AllAmericanFace "The Real American"]].[[/note]]would have no chance against his "Triangle of Terror" at ''Wrestling/WrestleMania VII''.
39	* CatchPhrase: A true fountain of them.
40	** '''"...AND THAT'S AN ORDER!"'''. Worked as this and as bottom line for his bold promos on most of the promotions he worked for.
41	** An [[AvertedTrope aversion]] of this was the one he used on AWA, as a way to promote his animated and toy persona: "From head to toe.. YO JOE!"
42	** On his toy ads and the cartoon:
43	*** "Cobra can run... [[YouCanRunButYouCantHide BUT THEY CAN'T HIDE!]]"
44	*** "AWE-SOME!"
45	* CelebrityToons: Not only was he made into a Franchise/GIJoe character[[note]]Bonus point for being the very first character from [[RealLife our universe]].[[/note]], he voiced all his cartoon appearances.
46	** He recived a full PowerMakeover in the cartoon, action figures and comics, including an insanely muscular body and a head full of hair.
47	** Moreover, he was the toy franchise's face[[note]]No, [[{{Face}} not of that kind...]] [[TheFace the other one.]][[/note]] from mid-'86 to early '91.
48	* TheChewToy: From early to mid-[[TurnOfTheMillennium oughties]] , every time you saw him wearing his fatigues and walking down the aisle, he was heading to a [[SquashMatch 6 minutes-or-less beat-up]] in order to put over some new talent (Your heel of the week, more often than not).
49	** Averted when he's helping out another brand's legend like himself.
50	* CombatPragmatist: He didn't commit the mistake made by many others before him of trying to over-power or cheat on André, he just went right up to deliver a beating for the ages onto {{The Big Guy}}. Sarge lost, true... but he was one of the first wrestlers (heel or face) to give "The 8th Wonder of the World" a run for his money.
51	* CoolShades: ...and when they [[TheGlassesComeOff come off]], his opponent will have [[BoisterousBruiser only two ways outta]] the match, [[MythologyGag ON HIS FEET LIKE A MAN, OR IN A DITTY BAG...]] [[OverlyLongGag AN ITTY, BITTY, DITTY BAG!!!]]
52	* CorruptCorporateExecutive: As "Comissioner Slaughter". Signed nowadays as a WWE executive in their real life ''Ambassador Program'', where he's... well, [[HonestCorporateExecutive the other kind of executive]].
53	* DeathFromAbove: "The Slaughter Cannon", a ''Top-rope clothesline''.
54	* DefeatingTheUndefeatable: This was his driving force to challenge and eventually beat [[Wrestling/UltimateWarrior The Ultimate Warrior]], earning him the World Heavyweight Championship in the process [[note]]Well... with a little help of [[Wrestling/RandySavage "Macho Man" Randy Savage]], but still[[/note]].
55	* DoNotCallMePaul: He used to get tick off about several things, but the one that really got his goat was when fans started to call him [[Series/TheAndyGriffithShow "Gomer Pyle"]].
56	* DrillSergeantNasty:
57	** His original heel gimmick.
58	** Applies to his ''G.I. Joe'' counterpart as well, as he was brought on board for the express purpose of keeping the Joes in fighting shape, although his cartoon version also stood up for his charges when required.
59	* {{Eagleland}}: The incarnation of this trope turned into a [[TheGimmick/ProfessionalWrestling gimmick]], either as [[MilitarySuperhero face (Flavor 1)]] or [[MilesGloriosus heel (Flavor 2)]].
60	* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: Once he made up his mind to become a wrestler, he got his very fist [[TheGimmick/ProfessionalWrestling gimmick]] from his wife (beautician by trade) who bleached his hair and he debuted in december of 1973 as [[AgentPeacock "Beautiful" Bobby Remus]] (Yet another Wrestling/SuperstarBillyGraham {{Expy}}), a flamboyant and tidy character wearing tie-dye clothing.
61	* EarnYourHappyEnding: The "Iraqui sympathiser" angle costed him dearly on his personal life. He stranged from his wife and daughters with all the turmoil it came with, they simply couldn't take it any longer. As years passed on, he could rekindle his relationship with them and now lives happily and stills taking care of his extended family.
62	* EvenEvilHasStandards: He wanted to beat the daylights out of the New Age Outlaws when they threw a dumpster that had Wrestling/TerryFunk and Wrestling/MickFoley inside off the stage. Keep in mind, he's one of VKM's top henchmen and they were shocked on what happened.
63	** While Sgt. Slaughter played an Iraqi sympathizer (during the UsefulNotes/TheGulfWar no less...), along came the "Burning flag" incident. Reportedly, he only agreed to go along with the gimmick because the character was written in a way that he supported Iraq only because they were stronger than America, who had turned "soft."
64	* FinishingMove:
65	** ''The Cobra Clutch''.
66	** During his Iraqi heel run, he also used ''The Camel Clutch''.
67	** and...a move often referred to as "Atomic Noogie", a modified ''Tongan Death Grip''.
68	* GeneralRipper: Slaughter couldn't accept that the Cold War ended peacefully and thought it was an evil trick by the USSR. He was infuriated that the United States fans would accept Nikolai Volkoff's face turn. He ended up turning heel over it.
69	* HeelRealization: Defeated by Hogan, the Large Sarge [[TheQuisling realized how much of a traitor he was]] and after a deep and hard soul search he started to claim '''[[IFightForTheStrongestSide "I want my country back!"]]'''.
70	* IDidWhatIHadToDo: The whole premise for the "Iraqui sympathiser" idea was that Wrestling/VinceMcMahon sold him that they could sell-out the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum while setting the bases for what it would be ''[[Wrestling/{{Wrestlemania}} Wrestlemania VII]]''. [[GoneHorriblyWrong The timing couldn't be worse]]. Three days after his character [[{{Kayfabe}} defected and pleadged allegiance to Saddam Hussein]], America went into war against Iraq. [[NightmareFuel The security and PR hell]] this unleashed on the promotion left them with no better option to take the event to a smaller, but better protected venue, the adjacent Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena.
71	* IHaveManyNames: The Super Destroyer (Mark II), "Beautiful" Bob Remus, The Executioner, Matt Burns, Bob Slaughter and of course Sgt. Slaughter
72	* ImprobableWeaponUser:
73	** When he started up as one of the most red-hot heels of his day, fans were told by the announcers that he was going into the ring wearing non-official combat boots for the match.
74	** His ridig crop/swagger stick. Useful not just to whip, but to strangle too.
75	** Who else if not The Sarge could beat up {{Foreign Wrestling Hee\|l}}ls with their own ''flagpoles''?
76	* InternationalShowdownByProxy: He fought Kaientai over claims Japan had a better education system
77	* {{Irony}}:
78	** By his own confession, he attempted to get drafted but a lazy right eye prevented him to serve his country[[note]]He frequently mixes and matches U.S.M.C. and Army parafernalia, the chevrons on his gear/hat are the Army ones.[[/note]]. Nevertheless, much of his fans are ''actually'' not just within the Marine Corps, but in each and every branch of U.S.A. armed forces. The man is possibly be the best recruitment tool this side of Creator/JohnWayne!
79	** In his [=PPV=] debut, against Col. [=DeBeers=] at ''AWA [=SuperClash=] III'', the guys who ran in to attack him were the Iron Sheik and Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissie, who would later be his allies as the repackaged Col. Mustafa and General Adnan, respectively, as part of the Iraqi sympathizer gimmick.
80	** The fact that his TagTeam was called "The '''Cobra''' Corps" and his FinishingMove '''Cobra''' Clutch, being himself a member of Franchise/GIJoe, whose opposing force goes by the name [[RuleOfThree Cobra]].
81	* LanternJawOfJustice: ...and for some reason, [[NoSell it was a crass mistake to punch him right in there!!!]]
82	* LargeHam: Though he is very soft spoken when he isn't Sarging.
83	** He made some great [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCdbqXoK_zc promos]]... even as [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyeCTfSxnCw "Commissioner Slaughter"]].
84	** ...and lets not forget ''[[WesternAnimation/GIJoeTheMovie G.I. Joe: The Movie]]'', prime example of [[CharacterDevelopment character development]] for a professional wrestler [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jqxYHB-Ijg in another media]] a full year before ''[[Film/TheyLive They Live]]''!
85	* LastOfHisKind: While he never actually served in the military, he's the very last wrestler from the "Golden Era" maintaining his own kayfabe outside of the ring,
86	* LegacyCharacter: In AWA as Super Destroyer Mark II, taking the mantle from a [[Wrestling/HulkHogan future arch-enemy]].
87	* MadeOfIron: A wrestler since the early [[TheSeventies 70's]] to (occasionally) this day, most of the time being the receiving end of many of the worse beatings in world-wide prime-time TV.
88	* ManVersusMachine: To lay it down in mere words will never make it any well deserved justice... this is something you need to [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNxCI0_kWCM witness by yourself ]].[[note]]...at 18:40 mark for your pleasure!!![[/note]].
89	* MeaningfulName: His second [[Franchise/GIJoe ''G.I. Joe'' action figure]] came as driver of the Triple-T tank. The vehicle's name stands for "[[TagTeam Tag Team Terminator]]."
90	* MentorArchetype: One day Slaughter was watching a videotape sent by a young wrestler and made quite a discovery. As he recalls:
91	-->"He was a wrestler already, but stuck in a no man's land. I saw his tape and took it to Wrestling/VinceMcMahon and said, 'I think this is someone you should look at.' He said to me, 'I believe in you, sign him up for a shot.' He had real short red hair. Tall guy, almost 6'9" and from Rochester, N.Y. I brought him in for a tryout and said, 'Welcome, find a locker, go to catering, we'll tape your match. It won't air but we'll see how you do against an opponent.' "
92	** The wrestler he's talking about [[Wrestling/TheUndertaker was later known as...]]
93	** ...and it doesn't stop there, people like Wrestling/{{Yokozuna}}, [[Wrestling/BillyGunn The Smoking Gunns]] and Wrestling/SeanWaltman own their fame and careers to him.
94	* MilitaryRankNames: Reflects a military background quite nicely.
95	* TheNicknamer: In a more family-friendly way, but one that would made SelfDemonstrating/RLeeErmey proud of, he used to call his opponents and fans alike in TermsOfEndangerment like "Greaseball," "Slime," "Sleeze", "Puke" and more famously "Maggot."
96	** Hell, just ask [[Wrestling/PaulOrndorff "Mr. Wonderful"]] how well that went for him!
97	* NoIndoorVoice: ...with a badass background to brag about.
98	* OldSoldier: He was even billed from Parris Island, SC.
99	* OneManArmy: A KnightTemplar borderline case, as the face!!!
100	* ThePowerOfRock: Odd enough, in 1985 and as means of self-promotion, Slaughter and some friends recorded an LP, produced through an independent record label called [[Main/MeaningfulName Cobra Records]]. The release of the album ''Sgt. Slaughter & Camouflage ROCKS AMERICA'' led Sarge to New York City to meet with a RCA producer who wanted to insert him into the existing lineup of [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autograph_(American_band) Autograph]] (of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8CcTYsMHYU "Turn Up The Radio"]] fame.). Despite assurances from the producer, Sarge declined.
101	** Just listen to [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCAw3xs7U7w "Cobra Clutch"]]. Man, the tune alone deserved its own saturday morning cartoon!
102	* PowerStable:
103	** In wrestling
104	*** (in the AWA): (as The Super Destroyer Mk. II) [[Wrestling/BobbyHeenan The Heenan Family]]
105	*** (in WWF):
106	*** ''[[Wrestling/SurvivorSeries Survivor Series '90]]'': "The Mercenaries" with Wrestling/BorisZhukov and The Orient Express (Akio Sato and Pat Tanaka). Managed by Wrestling/MrFuji and General Adnan (Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissie).
107	*** ''Survivor Series '91'': with Wrestling/HacksawJimDuggan, Wrestling/TitoSantana and [[Wrestling/VonErichFamily The Texas Tornado]].
108	*** Wrestling/TheCorporation
109	** In G.I. Joe
110	*** ''The Renegades''
111	*** ''Slaughter's Marauders''
112	* RedemptionQuest: Following Wrestling/SummerSlam '91, in which Slaughter and his team ([[Wrestling/TheIronSheik Col. Mustafa]] and General Adnan) lost to Wrestling/HulkHogan and the Wrestling/UltimateWarrior, a storyline started having Slaughter [[TheAtoner reflecting on what his heel gimmick cost him and what it would take to regain trust of Americans]]. The path started in a series of vignettes where he recited the Pledge of Allegiance with fans and school students. His face status was re-established in full when he helped save one-time adversary Hacksaw Jim Duggan from a 2-on-1 attack by Mustafa and Adnan. [[note]]Of course, it wasn't enough to stop fans from voting Slaughter the Most Hated Wrestler of the Year in the ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' magazine's 1991 year-end awards.[[/note]]
113	* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Split from the AWA in mid-1990 during the disastrous Team Challenge Series, where he was the leader of Slaughter's Snipers, to go to WWE. Col. [=DeBeers=] took over his team, and it was renamed [=DeBeers=]' [=Diamondcutters=].
114	* SemperFi: Sometimes is hard to tell the difference between the character and the man so one just can't deny this is his thing.
115	* SergeantRock: '''"...really, WHOSE TROPES DO YOU THINK YOU'VE BEEN READING ALL OF THIS TIME, YOU SLEEZE?"'''
116	* SignatureMove: Besides all of those already mentioned, The Large Sarge had a move set so unique, that would make you believe he was really on a different level of competition.
117	** For one there was [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin The Gutbuster]], a ''backbreaker'' inverted variant.
118	** Then The Gourdbuster, another inverted variant, this one of a ''suplex'', slamming the opponent face-first.
119	** And the ''Sword Stab'' a ''chop'' applied with the fingertips to the opponent's windpipe.
120	* TagTeam:
121	** "The Cobra Corps", which had a few different versions:
122	*** In NWA Mid-Atlantic, it was the name for the PowerTrio of himself and "The Privates" (Don Kernodle and Pvt. Nelson [James Harrell aka Boris Zhukov]).
123	*** In WWE in the mid-1980s, it was first with Wrestling/JunkyardDog and later with Pvt. Terry Daniels.
124	*** In the AWA, with Greg "Franchise/{{Rambo}}" Gagne.
125	** "The Triangle of Terror", with Col. Mustafa (The Iron Sheik) and Gen. Adnan.
126	* WarIsGlorious: Back in the day some main eventers were allowed to have their own [[GimmickMatches "specialty" matches]]. Wrestling/AndreTheGiant had his ''Battle Royal'', Wrestling/HulkHogan his ''Handicap matches'', well The Large Sarge mastered ''[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin "Alley fight", "Boot-camp match" or "Brass Knuckles Title Match"]]''.
127	* WhipOfDominance: He frequently carries a riding crop (when not a swagger stick) with him as a prop to denote his [[TheGimmick gimmick]] as an authoritative and strict DrillSergeantNasty and he'd often talk about his "whipping people into shape" training method involved quite literal whipping. It was also the accessory that most versions of his GI Joe action figure came with.
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Context Wrestling / SgtSlaughter