Follow TV Tropes

Following

Context Characters / StrikeforceMorituri

Go To

1!!'''WARNING:''' There may be [[Administrivia/SpoilersOff unmarked spoilers]] on these sheets for most of the Morituri series, and spoiler tagging on this page is ''not'' currently consistent. Certain characters are also {{walking spoiler}}s. Proceed with care.
2
3%%NOTE - the current aim is to tag all spoilers AFTER ISSUE #13 of the original series, and for all events in Electric Undertow. If adding any new examples before the clean up is completed, please follow that guideline.
4%%
5%% Please don't change the spoiler policy for this page (including the cut-off point) without discussing it on the Marvel Comics cleanup and maintenance thread:
6%% https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=16630056830A15456800
7%%
8Characters from the Creator/MarvelComics series ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' and its sequel, ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituriElectricUndertow''.
9[[foldercontrol]]
10
11!The Morituri
12[[folder:In general]]
13----
14!!In general
15* ComboPlatterPowers: Thanks to the unpredictable nature of the second phase of the Morituri process, recipients may get anything from [[PlayingWithFire pyrokinesis]] or SuperSpeed to the [[GreenThumb power to make flowers bloom]]. Sometimes their power turns out to be more than it first appears (e.g. [[spoiler:Scanner's "enhanced senses" are actually full-on PsychicPowers]]).
16* DeadlyUpgrade: Shortly before the [[PowerDegeneration Morituri Effect]] takes their lives, a Morituri gets a strong spike upwards in their level of power, although this itself is (usually) not fatal, only a symptom of their imminent death.
17* FanservicePack: Justified, as the first phase of the Morituri Process grants the RequiredSecondaryPowers and puts the subject into better-than-perfect health, usually adding height and muscle, and can cause other physical alterations as well. Blackthorn was particularly enthused about her newly-cleared skin and slight bust enhancement.
18* LightningBruiser: As part of the Morituri Process, all Morituri gain a powerful overall physical enhancement in order to [[RequiredSecondaryPowers prepare their bodies for the second phase]], and thus have a degree of SuperStrength, a very low level of SuperSpeed, some SuperReflexes, and SuperToughness.
19* MultinationalTeam: The members of the Strikeforce are drawn from different backgrounds, nations, and cultures. Justified as the rare people who qualify for the process could come from anywhere in the world.
20* PowerDegeneration:
21** The powers granted by the Morituri Process are incompatible with the human body, so the subject has a year or less to live before the "Morituri Effect" kills them. This applies even if they don't use the powers. The nature of their death tends to reflect their powers and mental state - it could be an explosive SuperPowerMeltdown, they might [[ImMelting dissolve into gory goo]], or they might fall into a coma and peacefully slip away. [[spoiler:A cure is eventually discovered, so this isn't an issue in the ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituriElectricUndertow'' series, but most of the Morituri are already dead by then]].
22** At one point it's stated that if a candidate only completes part one of the Morituri Process, gaining the low level SuperStrength and other RequiredSecondaryPowers, those enhancements would burn out their body within a month without phase two.
23* PropagandaHero: There's a lot of media in-universe about the Morituri, intended to bolster Earth's morals during the war against the Horde (and also increase their trust in the Paideia).
24* RequiredSecondaryPowers: The first stage of the Morituri Process grants some level of SuperStrength, SuperToughness and a very small amount of SuperSpeed and SuperReflexes. Without those enhancements their system wouldn't be able to survive the second phase - and without the second phase, the initial physical enhancements would burn out their bodies within a month.
25* SuperpowerMeltdown: Depending on the person's powers and state of mind, death due to the Morituri Effect's PowerDegeneration can be very explosive. Some of the Morituri actively use it as a final TakingYouWithMe option.
26* SuperSpeed: It's a very downplayed example, but the first stage of the Morituri Process boosts the recipient's speed. They're faster than normal humans, but not nearly fast enough to use any of the usual super-speed tricks. However, some candidates (such as Scaredycat and Wind) also acquire traditional super-speed from the second phase of the process.
27* SuperStrength: Stage one of the Morituri Process gives the recipients some level of super-strength, as well as a very small dose of SuperSpeed and toughness. Stage two then adds something extra - for some (e.g. Brava) that's even more strength, but for most it's something very different.
28* TakingYouWithMe: At least one Morituri manages to weaponize the SuperPowerMeltdown variant of the Morituri Effect's PowerDegeneration, destroying themselves and their foes in an explosion of energy.
29* TraumaticSuperpowerAwakening: In many cases the superpowers granted by the second phase of the Morituri Process don't immediately develop unless the subject faces a high amount of stress. As they can't afford to wait (not least because of the PowerDegeneration that will kill the candidates within months), Dr. Tuolema and Commander Nion develop The Garden, a DeadlyTrainingArea, to rapidly activate new Morituri's abilities.
30[[/folder]]
31
32
33!!The Black Watch
34[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/886e19c1_b472_410d_aa0a_80a2408ba97c.jpeg]]
35[[caption-width-right:350:From left to right: Aaron Ray Leonard, Bruce Higashi, Clinton Rogers, Woodrow Green, and Patricia Lynn Sobrero.]]
36
37The predecessors of the Morituri program, the Black Watch consisted of five professional soldiers granted abilities by Tuolema's experimental process. Two of them died in training, and none of the others survived their first mission, but they are remembered as famous heroes.
38
39Unlike their successors, they were treated as an elite military squad and weren't assigned individual costumes or codenames.
40
41[[folder:In general]]
42* FamedInStory: ''The Last Stand of the Black Watch'' is a popular comic retelling the Black Watch's raid on the Horde, portraying them as DefiantToTheEnd during the titular LastStand. It's also a PropagandaPiece to help recruit their successors, and doesn't tell the true story of their deaths.
43* FlawedPrototype: Dr, Tuolema wasn't aware of the optimum age for the Morituri Process when the Black Watch was created, so the programme selected older professional soldiers. This shortened their lives to weeks rather than months.
44* PosthumousCharacter: All of the Black Watch are dead before the first issue of the comic, so they don't get a chance to meet their first wave successors. [[spoiler:Subverted with the later reveal that Higashi is still alive as a Horde prisoner]].
45[[/folder]]
46
47[[folder:Woody Green]]
48!!Woodrow "Woody" Green
49!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' #1
50A soldier with eye-blasting powers.
51----
52* EyeBeams: He was able to shoot energy beams out of his eyes.
53* LastStand: According to an official Paideia comic book, he died from being shot by a Horde heavy energy cannon. This is a lie.
54* SuperpowerMeltdown: Woody was killed when the [[PowerDegeneration Morituri Effect]] overloaded his EyeBeams, with an explosion of uncontrolled energy reducing his head to a scorched skull.
55[[/folder]]
56
57[[folder:Bruce Higashi]]
58!!Bruce Higashi
59!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' #1
60A Japanese-American soldier.
61----
62* AFateWorseThanDeath: The Horde figures out a way to keep him alive past the point where the Morituri Effect would have killed them, but he is kept shackled and tortured the whole time.
63* LastStand: According to an official Paideia comic book, he died from being shot by a Horde heavy energy cannon.
64* SuperStrength: All Morituri gain some level of superhuman strength, but Bruce was seemingly much stronger than most - strong enough to hurl a piece of Horde mobile artillery high into the sky.
65[[/folder]]
66
67[[folder:Aaron Ray Leonard]]
68!!Aaron Ray Leonard
69!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' #13
70An American soldier and one of the first volunteers of the Morituri process.
71----
72* {{Unperson}}: A downplayed example. The Black Watch are remembered as a heroic trio, and there seems to be no public awareness that Leonard was ever a member of the squad. However, his name is inscribed on the military's memorial.
73* WeHardlyKnewYe: Although he's mentioned and shown in a single image earlier in the series, it's not until #27 that Aaron's shown in a flashback. He's the second recruit to die in training, crushed in [[DeadlyTrainingArea the Garden]] when he freezes for a moment after teammate Lynn Sobrero is killed in front of him. Aaron gets very little dialogue and no backstory before this happens.
74[[/folder]]
75
76[[folder:Clinton Rogers]]
77!!Clinton Rogers
78!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' #1
79A superhumanly-strong American soldier.
80----
81* HeroesFightBarehanded: He kills the Horde leader in South Africa with a bare-handed NeckSnap.
82* LastStand: According to an official Paideia comic book, he died from being shot by a Horde heavy energy cannon. [[spoiler:He actually dies from getting an axe throwin into his chest.]]
83* SuperStrength: Like all Morituri, he had superhuman strength.
84[[/folder]]
85
86[[folder:Patricia Lynn Sobrero]]
87!!Patricia Lynn Sobrero
88!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' #13
89An American soldier and one of the first volunteers for the Morituri process. Patricia was one of the two Black Watch trainees killed in [[DeadlyTrainingArea The Garden]] while trying to activate her new powers.
90----
91* {{Unperson}}: A downplayed example. The Black Watch are remembered as a heroic trio, and there seems to be no public awareness that Sobrero was ever a member of the squad. However, her name is inscribed on the military's own memorial.
92* WeHardlyKnewYe: Although she's mentioned and shown in a single image earlier in the series, it's not until #27 that Patricia's shown in a flashback. She's the first of two recruits to die in training, a page after her first appearance, and only gets one line of dialogue.
93[[/folder]]
94
95!!The First Wave
96[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/f2e3132f_0a31_4ae7_82e3_36f862544c1e.jpeg]]
97[[caption-width-right:350:Clockwise from upper right: Marathon, Snapdragon, Blackthorn, Adept, Vyking, and Radian.]]
98
99[[folder:Adept]]
100!!Adept (Jelene Anderson)
101!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' #1
102A devout Christian with the ability to intuitively understand anything she touches.
103----
104* HealingHands: She can synthesize antidotes and cures within her body by touching an infected person.
105* TheHeart: She is the one who holds the original team together. Much of the reason why the second team is so dysfunctional is because they don't have someone like her on their team.
106* InstantExpert: She learns how to fly an aircraft just by touching the controls. On the other hand, figuring out how to use alien artifacts taken from the Horde takes her weeks of study.
107* MartialPacifist: Despite her enhanced strength, Jelene almost never uses violence, even while raiding a Horde space station.
108* MusclesAreMeaningless: She remains almost as slim (albeit well-toned) as she was before the process, but she's as strong as most of her more muscular teammates.
109* NiceGirl: She is the nicest, sweetest Morituri ever. Even Harold Everson's parents, who otherwise despise the Morituri for failing to protect their son, think she's a lovely girl.
110* PersonalityPowers: The sweet Christian girl-next-door get a power that lets her heal people.
111* PossessionImpliesMastery: She is able to intuitively understand anything she touches. This proves very useful when the team raids a Horde ship.
112* ReligiousBruiser: Although the "bruiser" part is downplayed as her power makes her more useful as an analyst, she's religious and has the same physical enhancements as her teammates.
113* ThereIsAGod: Although she was already a devout Christian, she describes gaining the ability to analyze anything as allowing her appreciate the hand of God in everything more than she ever could before.
114* TokenReligiousTeammate: While many of the Morituri members are religious to varying degrees, Adept wears her faith up front. Her costume bears a heavy resemblance to priestly robes, and she often prays for guidance during stressful situations.
115[[/folder]]
116
117[[folder:Blackthorn]]
118!!Blackthorn (Aline Pagrovna)
119!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' #1
120A young woman with the ability to break down solid matter.
121----
122* DeathByChildbirth: [[spoiler:She dies after giving birth to Guy Harding's child. However, this is also potentially an inversion: since she survived past the one-year mark and only died after the child was born, her pregnancy might have been the only thing keeping her alive.]]
123* DespairEventHorizon: [[spoiler:The death of Jelene sends her right up against the edge, and then Radian's murder at the hands of Shear sends her right over.]]
124* GoOutWithASmile: [[spoiler:Aline dies in the arms of her lover, knowing their child will be able to develop normally in Dr. Tulolema's incubator and at peace with her death. Instead of exploding like so many others, she gently dissolves into nothing]].
125* MakeThemRot: She can break down the molecular bonds in solid matter, causing things to rot and melt.
126* TheNondescript: She explains that she volunteered for the Morituri process to avoid this trope; she was perpetually ignored as uninteresting by everyone else around her, and decided a year of attention was preferable to an apathetic life.
127* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: [[spoiler:She quits the team after Shear murders Radian.]]
128[[/folder]]
129
130[[folder:Marathon]]
131!!Marathon (Robert Greenbaum)
132!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' #1
133[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/338b32b9_830c_4239_9125_4b2d58dfac24.jpeg]]
134
135->''"Nothing's wrong, nothing's right. There's no room for any of that. We fight and die, and all that matters is how many of the enemy we can kill first."''
136-->-- '''Marathon''', ''Strikeforce Morituri'' #6
137A hulking recruit with superhuman strength, endurance, and agility over and above his teammates.
138----
139* TheBerserker: After [[spoiler:Lorna's]] death, he starts to grow cold and merciless. The death of [[spoiler:Vyking]] pushes him into an obsession to kill the Horde at all costs.
140* BigEater: While his body was growing larger and more powerful, he was also constantly hungry.
141* TheBigGuy: He's the largest of the Morituri recruits.
142* TheDreaded: He slides deeper and deeper into fury, becoming this to the Horde.
143* FacialMarkings: He uses an industrial laser to burn a large "M" onto his face.
144** Doubles as a CompanyCameo, as it's the same stylized "M" used by Creator/MarvelComics at the time.
145* LastStand: [[spoiler:He dies while destroying a major Horde ship in Jupiter's orbit.]]
146* SuperStrength: He has a variation; his strength increases the longer he refrains from using it.
147* TakingYouWithMe: [[spoiler:As he felt the beginnings of the Morituri Effect, he stored up his strength for a day or two, then combined the energy he'd been saving up with the explosive Effect, destroying a Horde ship]].
148[[/folder]]
149
150[[folder:Radian]]
151!!Radian (Louis Armanetti)
152!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' #1
153A man with energy-projection abilities.
154----
155* BatmanGambit: [[spoiler:Afraid that death by the Morituri process would constitute suicide, and fearing for the life of Aline and her unborn child, he betrays the team in order to find out if the Horde's rumored cure is true. When he finds that the Horde was lying about a cure by bluffing them, he returns to the team, where Shear picks a fight with him and kills him, allowing him to die in battle as he wished.]]
156* BlindedByTheLight: Part of his ability to project along the electromagnetic spectrum.
157* DirtyCoward: Deconstructed; when he learns that the Horde may have a cure for the Morituri effect, he is the first to consider making a deal for it, but [[spoiler:when he actually does take the deal, it's not for himself, but to find out if there's a cure so that Aline and her unborn child could survive.]]
158* HandBlast: He can beam energy from the entire electromagnetic spectrum. He wears focusing sleeves on his forearms to direct them.
159* PlayingWithFire: My combining his EM-projection with a source of plasma, such as Snapdragon's power or one of the Horde's welders, he can project flame.
160* ReligiousBruiser: He re-develops some religious beliefs after his near-death experience in The Garden, and [[spoiler:ultimately decides that waiting for the Morituri process to kill him would be the same as suicide, a mortal sin, even though a priest assured him otherwise]].
161* RewardedAsATraitorDeserves: [[spoiler:Radian is killed by Shear when the latter believes he became a traitor to the Horde. In reality, Radian had feared that succumbing to the Morituri effect would be tantamount to the mortal sin of suicide, and he wanted to die in battle instead.]]
162* ThereIsAGod: Although he was apparently raised religious, he lapsed in later life. This changed in The Garden when he was paralyzed and at the brink of death after he became terrified at the prospect of burning for eternity. The fear both unleashed his secondary powers and started him wrestling with some heavy concepts.
163* TimeToStepUpCommander: [[spoiler:He replaces Vyking as the de facto leader after the latter's death.]]
164* WalkieTalkieStatic: He can use his microwave powers to transmit a landline phone signal, though the first time he tries it it's very faint and staticky.
165[[/folder]]
166
167[[folder:Snapdragon]]
168!!Snapdragon (Lorna Raeburn)
169!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' #1
170The first member of the first wave to die. Little is said about Lorna's background, but she seems to be confident and determined. Lorna apparently talked about her past with her teammate Aline, but the only thing revealed to readers is that she'd had some relationships with men.
171----
172* HandBlast: Snapdragon can throw plasma blasts from her forearms. Her costume includes wrist-mounted projectors to help focus and aim them.
173* PlayingWithFire: She can create a flamethrower effect by combining her plasma bursts with Radian's energy projection powers.
174* SacrificialLion: She's the first member of the first wave to die, and she's killed by the Morituri Effect's PowerDegeneration, not enemy action. Her death hits the rest of the team hard, and the next issue focuses on their reactions in a way that doesn't really happen for subsequent fatalities.
175* SuperPowerMeltdown: After a battle in which her plasma blasts [[DeadlyUpgrade seem to get more powerful]], she doubles over in pain, realises that she's dying from the [[PowerDegeneration Morituri Effect]], and has just enough time to get clear of her friends before she [[DisappearsIntoLight explodes in a flash of light]]. All that's left behind is a plume of smoke, not even a body.
176* WeHardlyKnewYe: Lorna's introduced in issue #1 and killed off by the [[PowerDegeneration Morituri Effect]] in issue #4. She's friendly with Harold, and Marathon later mentions that he has a crush on her, but we learn very little about Lorna, and nothing about her history or reasons for signing up.
177[[/folder]]
178
179[[folder:Vyking]]
180!!Vyking (Harold Carl Everson)
181!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' #1
182An aspiring writer and de facto leader of the first wave.
183----
184* AttackReflector: He can absorb and reflect energy attacks.
185* AuraVision: He can see the "auras" of any lifeforms nearby, and identify them, this allows him to keep track of his teammates location and status.
186* DecoyProtagonist: He's the main character [[spoiler: until he abruptly dies in issue 6.]]
187* DiedDuringProduction: [[spoiler:He was writing a book about his experiences, but the Morituri Effect caught up with him on a mission]].
188* HotBlooded: Even before getting his full powers, he is just itching for a fight.
189* TheLeader: He becomes the leader of the first wave because of his hot-blooded nature and ability to bark out orders.
190* MistakenForAnImposter: When out for the night in a civilian outfit, he gets mistaken for Greg Mattingly, the actor who plays him on the Morituri TV show.
191* WouldHitAGirl: After his teammates are nearly killed in The Garden, he becomes convinced that Commander Nion is a Horde plant who's trying to kill them off before they can become a threat and savagely beats her before he's stopped. Given the horrifically stressful circumstances he was under, she finds it perfectly understandable and forgives him.
192[[/folder]]
193
194
195!!The Second Wave
196[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/morituri_2.jpg]]
197[[caption-width-right:300:From left to right: Toxyn, Scatterbrain, and Scaredycat.]]
198
199[[folder:Scaredycat]]
200!!Scaredycat (Pilar Lisieux)
201!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' #6
202A speedster with the ability to cause panic in others.
203----
204* CondescendingCompassion: In her DayInTheLimelight, she expresses pity for Jelene for dying as a Christian, feeling that her faith blinded her to the truth about the world beyond.
205* EmbarrassingNickname: She and Scatterbrain dared each other to give each other the worst codenames they could think of.
206* EmotionBomb: She can broadcast fear and panic into anyone nearby.
207* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: [[spoiler:She accidentally kills Wildcard when she jumps on his shoulders and squeezes his throat with her thighs. He panics and over-exerts himself trying to find a power that would allow him to shake her off.]]
208* NewAgeRetroHippie: She is a mystic. This causes some friction with the devout Christian Jelene, who is a bit put off when Pilar refers to Jesus Christ as "one of the Great Masters". She also gets on Brava's nerves when she asks her about astronomy (Brava's former profession) and then actually tries to question her expertise when Brava presents a thoroughly unromantic view of the universe.
209* ShipTease: She and Scatterbrain are hinted, though his descent keeps this from happening.
210* SuperSpeed: She is the fastest member from either the first or second wave.
211[[/folder]]
212
213[[folder:Scatterbrain]]
214!!Scatterbrain (William Deguchi)
215!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' #6
216A telepath with the ability to send and receive thoughts.
217----
218* AlmostDeadGuy: Will telepathically delivers a warning to Dan Baker right before he dies.
219* DeadlyUpgrade: [[spoiler:After contacting the mind of one of the monstrous failed Morituri he becomes unable to turn off his powers, which begin developing rapidly until he starts being able to remotely sense things from great distances. Unfortunately, he becomes obsessed with death and begins exploring what happened to people as they died, which led to him retreating into himself and falling into a coma]].
220* DespairEventHorizon: [[spoiler:Crosses this after discovering the failed Morituri]].
221* EmbarrassingNickname: He and Scaredycat dared each other to give each other the worst codenames they could think of.
222* EmotionBomb: He can broadcast mental states to anyone nearby.
223-->"I'm going to broadcast memories of the first time I drank a whole bottle of vodka!"
224* HandicappedBadass: During his empowering, he sustained an injury that required him to permanently wear a leg brace.
225* HeroicBSOD: [[spoiler:As mentioned, following his contact with the failed Morituri, he started to become obsessed with death, eventually shuttering himself into his own mind]].
226* HeroicRROD: [[spoiler:After languishing in a coma for a while, he burns out the last of his powers [[AlmostDeadGuy delivering a telepathic warning]] to Scanner.]]
227* MadOracle: [[spoiler:As his powers began expanding and he grows obsessed with death, his sanity starts slipping in a case of rapid-onset depression]].
228* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: Normally a mild-mannered NiceGuy, [[spoiler:when he sees that the Paideia tried to make Morituri without Tulolema's supervision--and instead created twisted, agonized failures--Deguchi ends up killing the man in charge of the project--which starts a downward spiral for him]].
229* PowerIncontinence: His control over his abilities is limited to turning them on and off; when his powers are active, any thought or emotion he sends out will be received by anyone within range, and he picks up the thoughts of anyone nearby. [[spoiler:Later, he finds it increasingly difficult to turn this power off, and ends up putting himself into a coma after it becomes too much for him.]]
230* ShipTease: Has it with Scaredycat until he goes into a coma not even her entreaties can snap him out of.
231* {{Telepathy}}: He can broadcast thoughts and emotions indiscriminately to anyone within range. He also figures out how to read other people's thoughts, but this is also indiscriminate, so it doesn't help him as much as one would expect.
232[[/folder]]
233
234[[folder:Toxyn]]
235!!Toxyn (Ruth Mastorakis)
236!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' #6
237A confident young woman with the ability to generate various chemicals and toxins.
238----
239* AmbiguouslyBi: She doesn't need to kiss other girls in order to administer her chemicals (she could transmit those chemicals via touch or breath), but she does it anyway.
240* BreathWeapon: She can load her breath (technically her saliva) with a chemical (such as KnockoutGas) and exhale it.
241* DarkAndTroubledPast: She was spurred to join the Morituri by a relationship that went horribly wrong. It seems she was involved with a man named Niko who ended up beating and humiliating her when she brought up the prospect of marriage.
242* DyingDeclarationOfLove: [[spoiler:After Jason Edwards (the future Revenge) helped her and the rest of the Morituri escape from a Horde ship, she confessed that she was attracted to Jason and they shared a kiss. Then to their despair, the Morituri Effect hit and she had to flee before she detonated. Her last words were to declare that she loved him]].
243* HealingHands[=/=]PoisonousPerson: She can generate a variety of helpful or harmful biochemicals after touching someone.
244* KissOfDeath: She can administer one of these by altering the chemical composition of her saliva.
245* LoveAtFirstSight: She and Jason Edwards felt an immediate attraction [[spoiler:but they didn't get to act on it beyond kissing and making a date]].
246* TimeToStepUpCommander: When the Horde attack San Francisco in issue #8, Ruth suddenly finds herself leading the Morituri because everyone else took her impromptu ideas as leadership -- which she ''doesn't'' want.
247-->'''Toxyn:''' She wants ''me'' to tell her what to do? '''Me?''' I can't be ''responsible!''
248* WoundedGazelleGambit: In her first mission, she disarms a Hordian by pretending to surrender and then generating a contact paralytic.
249[[/folder]]
250
251
252!!The Third Wave
253[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/morituri_3.jpg]]
254[[caption-width-right:350:Back row: Hardcase, Backhand, and Brava.\
255Front row: Silencer, Wildcard, and Shear.]]
256
257[[folder:Backhand]]
258!!Backhand (Greg Mattingly)
259[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/7c26e57c_9574_456a_8d0f_9ffcd70cc92f.jpeg]]
260!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' #4
261A holovision actor who previously played Vyking on the ''Strikeforce: Morituri'' television show. After Harold Everson's death, he joined the Morituri program, and now has the ability to absorb and reflect energies directed at him.
262----
263* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:Feeling the Morituri Effect coming on him during a losing battle, he harnessed the power spike it gave him into an self-explosion that turned things around for the team]].
264* InadequateInheritor: Intended to be a replacement for Vyking, he turns out to be far less competent and less brave than Everson, and ends up being a second-stringer in the new team.
265* PurpleProse: Occasionally he has outbursts of overblown dialogue more fitting for his old job and has to be reminded to rein it in.
266* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: He looks a lot like Harold Everson, and has similar powers to him.
267* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: [[spoiler:It's hinted that his self-explosion somehow (radioactivity?) caused Shear to develop the brain tumor that drove him mad]].
268[[/folder]]
269
270
271[[folder:Brava]]
272!!Brava (Domenica Contrera)
273!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' #13
274A Spanish giantess with superhuman strength and endurance greater than those of the other members. She becomes the new leader after Radian's death.
275----
276* AmazonianBeauty: She's just shy of seven feet tall, with a muscular build, sculpted European features, flowing black hair, and a very flattering blue leotard for a costume. She's well aware of the attention she gets and likes it.
277* DistaffCounterpart: Her powers basically make her a female version of Marathon.
278* GeniusBruiser: She was an astronomer before the Horde invaded.
279* IceQueen: Scatterbrain compares her to a very cold mountain.
280* LightningBruiser: Her secondary "power" is to develop more physical prowess than the usual Morituri subject, though she's not quite at Marathon's baseline level, and lacks his ability to build up power.
281* {{Retirony}}: [[spoiler:Shortly after leaving the team to spend her last days living peacefully in Spain, she assassinated by Tiger, working with the conspiracy]].
282* SuperStrength: She is the strongest Morituri after Marathon passes.
283* SurvivorsGuilt: Following the death of [[spoiler:Shear]], she becomes the last surviving member of the Second Team, and the only one to live to see the Horde's defeat.
284* TheLeader: After it becomes clear that Walther isn't cut out to lead, she takes over as the team's leader.
285[[/folder]]
286
287[[folder:Hardcase]]
288!!Hardcase (Lt. Burke O'Halloran)
289!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' #13
290A former West Point cadet and 2nd lieutenant in the defense forces. He gets the ability to harden any substance by touching it.
291----
292* BloodKnight: He's never happier than when he's battling the Horde. When the Paideia orders the Morituri to shelter in place, Hardcase is outraged.
293* CombatPragmatist: He can fight ''really'' dirty when he wants to. During the showdown with the previous Morituri, he uses his powers to harden Aline's skin, rendering her incapable of breathing too deeply without risking severe internal injuries.
294* DroppedABridgeOnHim: [[spoiler:He and Silencer are burned alive by a microwave blast.]]
295* MyCountryRightOrWrong: In any conflict between the Paideia and his peers, he instinctively takes the Paideia's side.
296* ConsummateProfessional: A professional soldier before he joined, he follows the orders of his superiors even when he doesn't like them.
297* GenreSavvy: Having been a military officer, he has a special insight on some of the Horde's similar techniques, as well as being able to understand Pogorelich's training methods.
298* SexEqualsDeath: He dies shortly after losing his virginity to Silencer.
299* SuperToughness: He can increase the density of anything he touches to produce this effect, and use it to incapacitate enemies.
300[[/folder]]
301
302
303[[folder:Shear]]
304!!Shear (Walther Feyzioglu)
305[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/a14798a5_6070_47ed_8969_6315cb8dd40e.jpeg]]
306!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' #13
307A Turkish-German hothead with the power to telekinetically cut through matter. He ends up becoming the new leader after Radian's death, much to his chagrin.
308----
309* BloodKnight: During a talk show appearance, he talk about how much he loves tearing his enemies apart in great detail.
310* HairTriggerTemper: He is constantly pissed off about something. Scatterbrain describes him as "violence that eats itself." [[spoiler:After his death, the scientists discover that he had an inoperable brain tumor that was slowly destroying his judgment.]]
311* JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope: As his death grows nearer, he gets increasingly violent and paranoid, before finally snapping and [[spoiler:killing Pogorelich]].
312* KlingonPromotion: He is nearly promoted to team leader after killing Radian, but declines.
313* KnightInSourArmor: Despite the fact that he serves in the Morituri, he hates the Paideia, as their OneWorldGovernment overlooks the poor and displaced like his family.
314* SanitySlippage: As mentioned, he slowly grows insane over time [[spoiler:thanks to the malignant tumor in his brain]].
315* SecretlyDying: [[spoiler:After his death, it's discovered that he had a brain tumor that was slowly killing him]].
316* ShoutOut: An in-universe case, as he based his costume off an old ComicBook character called ComicBook/ThePunisher.
317* SmugSuper: As Walther's [[spoiler:malignant tumor]] gets worse, he increasingly proclaims himself to be the best Morituri ever.
318* TeethClenchedTeamwork: A variant in that he gets along well enough with the rest of the team, but he resents the Paideia (the world government sponsoring the Morituri) for allowing Turks like himself to be treated as second-class citizens in his native Germany, and for keeping the poor struggling while the rich thrive.
319* YourApprovalFillsMeWithShame: He is horrified when Pogorelich wants to promote him as a reward for killing Radian, as he despises the Paideia and does not want to be their puppet.
320[[/folder]]
321
322[[folder:Silencer]]
323!!Silencer (Akiya Badaranaike)
324[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/c19079f1_c58c_4876_8316_8f7c73d39b8d.jpeg]]
325!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' #13
326A refugee from Gabon with the ability to silence all sound within a certain range.
327----
328* BewareTheQuietOnes: Her powers basically involve stopping vibrations. She quickly figures out a deadly use for this ability -- stopping heartbeats.
329* DarkAndTroubledPast: Her family and her lover were slaughtered by the Horde.
330* DroppedABridgeOnHim: [[spoiler:She and Hardcase die when the Horde blast them with microwaves from a satellite. It's one of the most unpleasant deaths in the series.]]
331* PaintingTheMedium: When she uses her powers, the color is removed from the area she's silencing, to represent the lack of sound.
332* SexEqualsDeath: She and Hardcase both die after having sex.
333* SexForSolace: She offers to have sex with Hardcase after learning that he's never even had a girlfriend.
334* TheStoic: According to William, Akiya is filled with rage and grief for her homeland that would consume her if she ever expressed it.
335[[/folder]]
336
337[[folder:Wildcard]]
338!!Wildcard (John Crenella)
339!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' #13
340[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cba564f2_851b_4c90_b2e8_909a60ec41de.jpeg]]
341A recruit with the ability to mimic the abilities of his teammates.
342----
343* FacialMarkings: He paints a black diamond over his right eye.
344* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:His dying act is to absorb Blackthorn's power, which combined with her pregnancy staves off her death from the Morituri effect. It's unclear if this was an intentional dying gesture or just random chance ]].
345* ItsPersonal: He chose to become a Morituri because his father was enslaved by he Horde.
346* PowerCopying: He could duplicate the ability of any other Morituri member nearby.
347* SacrificialLion: He is the first member of the second wave to die.
348* SuperheroPackingHeat: Carries a hand weapon of some sort in a hip holster -- one of the only Morituri to do so.
349* TooDumbToLive: He constantly misapplies his powers, which causes his powers to burn him out during his fight with the first team.
350[[/folder]]
351
352!!The Fourth Wave
353[[folder:The Fourth Wave (''a.k.a.'' the Morituri Monsters, the Mutant Morituri)]]
354[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/758e8063_e2ac_4194_b06e_9f3c89583b3e.jpeg]]
355!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' #16
356The fourth wave of Morituri were created by the Padeia Institute without the knowledge of Dr. Tuolema. Unfortunately, without his supervision, the Morituri effect mutated the subjects into horribly disfigured forms, and were kept locked up by the Padeia.
357----
358* DeathSeeker: When the morituri monsters were found by the other members of the team, their request is to be killed and freed from their suffering.
359* EnergyBeings: One of the members of the fourth wave has mutated into an unstable energy form, and is confined inside a shielded area.
360* NoNameGiven: The members of the fourth wave are never named in the comic. Other sources have named three of the characters as Carol Rayweick, Victor Leroy Long and Macintire Kenlin.
361* PsiBlast: They are able to unleash a powerful psychic blast that instantly kills a squad of attacking Hordians.
362* TooPowerfulToLive: The monster morituri are able to instantly kill a half-dozen Hordians with a single psychic blast. Backhand uses this to justify euthanizing them, as to do otherwise would simple allow the Padeia to exploit their power.
363* TorturedMonster: Though not stated outright, it is implied that the members of the fourth wave are suffering in pain and fear from their condition.
364----
365[[/folder]]
366
367
368!!The Fifth Wave
369[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rco025_1584248486.jpg]]
370[[caption-width-right:300:Burn, Scanner, and Lifter.]]
371
372[[folder:Burn]]
373!!Burn (Yoko Wantanabe)
374[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/3429f533_c1dc_44ff_b847_5f005a8a46ca.jpeg]]
375!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' #25
376A Japanese pyrokinetic.
377----
378* GratuitousJapanese: Though she is fluent in English, Yoko sprinkles her speech with bits of Japanese.
379-->"Konichi-wa. I am very pleased to be here."
380* FlatCharacter: Her characterization is almost non-existent.
381* MamaBear: Yoko gets ''murderous'' when her children are threatened.
382* PlayingWithFire: She is a standard pyrokinetic.
383[[/folder]]
384
385[[folder:Lifter]]
386!!Lifter (Fiona Windsor)
387[[quoteright:289:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/8c10cf1b_4246_41f1_a8ee_3b597baf570f.jpeg]]
388!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' #25
389An English-born telekinetic.
390----
391* FieryRedhead: Fiona has red hair and a hair-trigger temper.
392* FlatCharacter: Her characterization is nearly non-existent, especially compared to the other Morituri.
393* MindOverMatter: She has telekinetic abilities.
394[[/folder]]
395
396[[folder:Revenge]]
397!!Revenge (Jason Edwards)
398[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/revenge_6.jpg]]
399!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' #21
400Originally an Earth soldier from Edmonton, Canada, Jason Edwards was captured in his first battle against the Horde. He was taken as a prisoner and slave, and was later freed by Toxyn when the Morituri raided a Horde ship. Though he is extremely knowledgeable about the Va-Shakk and their culture, the Paideia views him with suspicion, and thus forced him to undergo the Morituri process. He ended up receiving the power to make objects explode by touching them.
401----
402* BoxedCrook: Unlike the other recruits, his recruitment was less than voluntary; he had been a soldier before his capture, and thus when he returned, the Paideia accused him of desertion and gave him the choice between execution and service in the Morituri.
403* CassandraTruth: Try as he might to explain that he was ''kidnapped and enslaved'' by the Horde and rescued the Morituri by hijacking a Horde vehicle, the Paideia ''still'' treat him like a deserter and willing collaborator.
404* ChekhovsSkill: His time as a slave of the Horde gave him a lot of valuable insight into their culture.
405* FrameUp: [[spoiler:When the conspiracy within the Paideia tries to kill the other members of the team by bombing the bridge their train is about go go over, he manages to reach the train just too late to stop the bridge from blowing and is attacked by Ghost. Thanks to Edwards's explosive powers and the fact that it looked like he was using them on nothing, it was easy for the conspirators to frame him]].
406* LoveAtFirstSight: He and Toxyn felt an immediate, powerful attraction [[spoiler:but they didn't get to act on it beyond kissing and making a date before the Morituri effect blew her up]].
407* MadeOfExplodium: He can convert anything to energy by touching it. He once managed to kill someone with super speed just by touching them ''once.''
408* SoleSurvivor: Of his unit. After being overlooked during the CurbStompBattle they suffered, he swiped some civilian clothing (knowing the Horde would kill a soldier on sight) but still got caught while trying to escape.
409* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: He just happens to join the team shortly after Backhand's death, with powers comparable to Backhand's.
410[[/folder]]
411
412[[folder:Scanner]]
413!!Scanner (Dan Baker)
414!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' #22
415One of the few survivors of a Horde attack on Utah. As luck would have it, he was deemed suitable for the Morituri process, and gained clairsentience.
416----
417* DeathSeeker: After his hometown, family, friends and pregnant fiancee were all wiped out by a badly-targeted bomb, he volunteered to become a Morituri, seeing it as a long suicide.
418* DoomedHometown: His hometown of Pinecrest, Utah, was wiped out by the Horde.
419* LostLenore: His beloved girlfriend was killed by aerial bombardment.
420* MySignificanceSenseIsTingling: Scanner has clairsentience, though he initially thinks it's super senses until the psychic aspect became known.
421* OminousMessageFromTheFuture: He receives a psychic message from Scatterbrain telling him to "beware of the new ones". As a result, he is suspicious of his fellow teammates, which [[PoorCommunicationKills causes problems later on.]]
422* SecondLove: He eventually falls in mutual love with Burn.
423* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: He happens to join just as Scatterbrain is about to die, and just happens to have telepathy as part of his power set.
424* {{Technopath}}: A neural jack installed in his head allows him some control over machines.
425[[/folder]]
426
427!!The Sixth Wave
428The Sixth Wave (''a.k.a.'' the Killer Morituri, the Morituri Assassins)
429[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/morituri_assassins.jpg]]
430[[caption-width-right:350:From left to right: the Ghost, the Tiger, and the Wind]]
431
432In the wake of the [=VXX199=]'s sudden appearance and the abrupt end of Earth's war with the Horde, the Paideia feared that their government would be declared obsolete, and thus commissioned a trio of hardened criminals to be given powers to protect their interests.
433
434[[folder:The Ghost]]
435!!Ghost (Tam Van Ok)
436[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/b2d968a8_6e3a_472b_b08b_6757641d078e.jpeg]]
437!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' #24
438A former Cambodian assassin with invisibility powers.
439----
440* AffablyEvil: [[spoiler:After he kills off the conspirators who cheated him, he reveals himself to the Morituri, apologizes for trying to kill them, and teams up with them to hunt down Lamont]].
441* ConsummateProfessional: A masterful assassin who follows his contracts -- as long as he isn't cheated. He also doesn't murder innocent bystanders, and puts Wind on his kill list after learning that he ''has''.
442* ExactEavesdropping: [[spoiler:While at Guy Harding's house to kill Tuolema, he happens to hear Tuolema talking about how they have no idea whether or not the closest thing they had to a cure for the Morituri Effect would even ''work'', which gives Ghost pause. He's about to try again, when Tuolema mentions that the cure is actually a benign virus which he'd spread to Guy (and, unknowingly, Ghost) by being in their presence. This makes him spare Tuolema, likely out of pragmatism or a sense of fairness]].
443* {{Invisibility}}: This is the power he gained as a result of the Morituri Process, and it works via psychically confusing the senses so they can't detect him. It even works on electronic devices! [[spoiler:But not psychic powers]].
444* MaybeMagicMaybeMundane: His POV mentions being able to do things like read peoples' thoughts and cloud their minds ''before'' the Morituri treatment. It's unclear if he somehow had powers of some sort beforehand or was "just" ridiculously perceptive and skilled.
445* NobleDemon: An assassin, but with standards.
446* StealthExpert: He was a master at not being seen ''before'' he could actually be invisible.
447* TurnedAgainstTheirMasters: The government told him that the Morituri process was safe because it could be cured. They ''didn't'' mention that no one was sure if the cure actually worked or was safe. Upon learning that he was tricked, he decided to kill the conspirators who'd hired him.
448[[/folder]]
449
450[[folder:The Tiger]]
451!!Tiger (Zakir Shastri)
452[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/687eb7a0_4bc7_42f4_8b3a_8325e6e60cee.jpeg]]
453!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' #24
454A Pakistani mercenary with the ability to generate energy blades from his fingers.
455----
456* AsskickingLeadsToLeadership: Takes over India [[spoiler:once the Paideia collapses]].
457* BloodKnight: "Death sounds are my music. Sex and drugs are no substitute for hot adrenalin."
458* CarpetOfVirility: A hairy, hairy man.
459* KarmaHoudini: [[spoiler:At the end of ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituriElectricUndertow'' he's still ruling India, with no consequences for his crimes. Will's [[AndTheAdventureContinues final speech to the Morituri]] states that Tiger's going to be a problem they need to deal with - but nothing further is shown]].
460* LaserCutter: His powers allow him to generate energy blades around his hands.
461* MakeThemRot: In addition to cutting, his energy "claws" break down molecular bonds, much like Blackthorn's power.
462* ProfessionalKiller: He has no qualms about killing women and children as long as the Paideia's paying him.
463* RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil: [[spoiler:Before killing Brava he tells her to "submit" to him, and after she starts fighting, he tells her if she'd let him have his way with her he might have spared her a little longer]].
464* TurnedAgainstTheirMasters: [[spoiler:Like Ghost, the government lied to him about a cure for the Morituri Effect, and he'd've killed the conspirators who'd hired him if Ghost hadn't gotten to them first]].
465* WouldHurtAChild: Even before he received super-powers, Shastri did not hesitate to slaughter a cave full of unarmed women and children as they were related to a village of bandits.
466[[/folder]]
467
468[[folder:The Wind]]
469!!Wind (Julio Diego Gonzales, ''a.k.a.'' Red Cougar)
470[[quoteright:287:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/a2811caa_c58a_4023_bc5f_bd09c632edc3.jpeg]]
471!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' #24
472A serial killer of Mexican, possibly Native American descent, with superhuman speed powers.
473----
474* AGodAmI: Starts believing this after the Morituri treatment.
475* AxCrazy: Your typical insane serial killer-type.
476* BoxedCrook: The Paideia was willing to overlook his criminal past in exchange for his service in their black-ops squad.
477* InsaneEqualsViolent: Because people going ''quietly'' insane doesn't work for a superhero comic.
478* InsistentTerminology: Beat up a guy for not calling him "Red Cougar". That's pretty insistent.
479* MagicalNativeAmerican: He thinks he's one, first believing himself to be TheChosenOne, then believing himself an actual God.
480* RecruitingTheCriminal: Before being recruited, he was serving a life sentence for murdering transients.
481* SuperSpeed: His powers allow him to run at high speeds.
482* WhyAmITicking: [[spoiler:He dies after punching Revenge, unaware that doing so allows Revenge to convert him into energy.]]
483* WindmillCrusader: He believes that he's a Native chief named "Red Cougar" who's on a divine mission to keep the world from being overrun by "broken people" (''i.e.'' transients).
484[[/folder]]
485
486!Other humans
487!!The Paideia
488Originally an education reform organization called the Paideia Institute, it later replaced the United Nations as a worldwide mediation and arbitration service. It eventually became a ''de facto'' OneWorldGovernment through contracts with all of the nations of the world, and served that role at the time of the Horde invasion.
489
490[[folder:Dr Tuolema]]
491!!Dr. Kimo Tuolema
492[[quoteright:169:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kimo_tuolema.jpg]]
493!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' #1
494The scientist who originally discovered the Morituri Process.
495----
496* FrameUp: [[spoiler:The conspirators within the Paideia frame him for their crimes, claiming that he used the Morituri Process to make terrorists in order to overthrow the government]].
497* ItsPersonal: After the Morituri effect killed the Black Watch on their first mission, Tuolema quit the project... but then his only child was killed in a Horde invasion.
498* MyGreatestFailure: He regrets allowing the military to have the Morituri Process before figuring out a way to prevent the Morituri from dying.
499* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight:
500** He helps create an incubator for [[spoiler:Aline's unborn baby]] so it can live on after her.
501** He steals an alien signaling device from the Paideia and activates it, hoping to find some other beings who can help stop the Horde.
502* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: He deserts the Paideia after they continually ignore his scientific and moral objections to their actions.
503[[/folder]]
504
505[[folder:Commander Nion]]
506!!Commander Beth Luis Nion
507[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/27031340_a902_437d_a89f_9b683c402171.jpeg]]
508%%[[caption-width-right:300:some caption text]]
509
510!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' #1
511A former television network producer, and the first commander of the Morituri.
512----
513* ActionGirl: She doesn't hesitate to jump into a firefight when necessary.
514* BlessedWithSuck: [[spoiler:She secretly went through the Morituri Process alongside the Black Watch - and the second phase gave her the [[GreenThumb ability to make flowers bloom]]. And that's all. She still dies from the usual Morituri Effect PowerDegeneration, too]].
515* ChekhovsSkill: Her former ties to the media world allow her to make the team into celebrities, which also has the knock-on effect of forcing the Paideia to keep the team public instead of letting it be turned into a black-ops program.
516* AFatherToHisMen: She becomes a mother figure to her team, [[spoiler:to the point of undergoing the Morituri Process herself in the hopes of being able to contribute. Unfortunately, it doesn't work properly in her case]].
517* GreenThumb: [[spoiler:Her secret Morituri power is the ability to make flowers bloom.]]
518* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: She is tough and demanding, but also cares about the Morituri under her command.
519* SecretlyDying: [[spoiler:Before becoming the team's commander, she underwent the Morituri process, but ended up with the relatively useless power of [[GreenThumb making flowers bloom]], leaving her with a power that she [[BlessedWithSuck couldn't use]] to fight the Horde, and not more than [[PowerDegeneration a year left to live]]]].
520* ShootTheDog: She acquiesces to put the budding Morituri through The Garden, a potentially-fatal training room which has killed two people already, in the hopes of jump-starting their secondary powers. They very nearly ''do'' die to The Garden's threats, but she keeps the simulation going until they demonstrate said powers, much to her later guilt.
521* TeamMom: A major reason why the first team was so successful was the fact that she was around to keep them together.
522[[/folder]]
523
524[[folder:Commander Pogorelich]]
525!!Commander Yuri Pogorelich
526[[quoteright:272:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/pogorelich.jpg]]
527!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' #13
528A career soldier in the Paideia, and the second commander of the Strikeforce Morituri.
529----
530* CreatorCameo: He is modelled after series co-creator Peter Gillis.
531* HuskyRusskie: Pogorelich is a proud Russian, and has a stout build, beer belly, and full beard.
532* MotherRussiaMakesYouStrong: He follows his orders without question or hesitation, even if he disagrees with them.
533-->"Like a Russian, I do what I'm ordered to. But like a Russian... I think what I think."
534* TooCleverByHalf: He turned the Strikeforce into a lean, efficient machine for fighting and killing the Horde. Unfortunately for him, his higher-ups suddenly decide to switch to a defensive posture, leaving him with a team full of restless soldiers with severe anger-management problems. It does not end well for him.
535* TyrantTakesTheHelm: In sharp contrast to Nion, Pogorelich cares only about discipline, results and victories. This attitude ends up biting him in the ass when, after months of trying to groom the violent and unstable Walther to take over the squad, based purely on Walther's violent instincts, [[spoiler:Walther instead snaps and murders him, convinced that Pogorelich is planning to kill him.]]
536[[/folder]]
537
538[[folder:Andre Lamont]]
539!!Andre Lamont
540%%
541%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=16793536590.70494100
542%% Please don't change or remove without starting a new thread.
543%%
544[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bf516b79_949e_4fe7_a2ac_03abc002adc0.jpeg]]
545%%
546!!!'''First Appearance:'''
547Director of Earth Defense Forces and a member of the Paidean Council, Lamont is second in command to the Prime Minister. He was one of Dr. Tuolema's original backers, when the Morituri Process was first designed, and his government role makes him the highest authority in the Morituri's chain of command.
548----
549* BadBoss: From his very first appearance it's clear that Lamont's willing to sacrifice the Morituri for his own personal gain, stopping them from winning [[WarForFunAndProfit a very profitable war]] too quickly. [[spoiler:Once the war is no longer a factor, he orders the assassination of the surviving Morituri, at least partly because he's worried about Scanner's psychic powers. He also sets up his own secret team of Morituri assassins, lying to them about the reliability of the cure - and is quick to order their deaths when he suspects they may have realized the truth]].
550* {{Brainwashed}}: Lamont was always a CorruptPolitician, but [[spoiler:the alien VXX-199 also [[KillAndReplace replaced his mistress with a genetic construct]], who then used some form of PsychicPowers to subtly steer his actions. This also doomed his attempt at [[TakeOverTheWorld World Domination]], as the aliens wanted his exposure and downfall to split the world government, triggering a decade of chaos]].
551* CorruptPolitician: Lamont's been working with Herman Szell and Junzo Tanaka ever since the Morituri were first created, limiting their successes and trying to ensure that the war with the Horde remains winnable, but isn't actually won [[WarForFunAndProfit as long as it remains profitable]]. [[spoiler:When the war approaches its end, he starts setting up a secret team of Morituri to murder his political enemies]].
552* KlingonPromotion: [[spoiler:Lamont sends a Morituri assassin, The Wind, to murder the Paideia's Prime Minister so that he can become the new world leader. The murder succeeds, but Lamont's plan immediately falls apart afterwards]].
553* KnowWhenToFoldEm: [[spoiler:When Lamont's plan falls apart, he surrenders to the Morituri and the authorities and names some of his co-conspirators (although not Tanaka or Szell). Subverted by the implication that surrender wasn't his own choice - his bodyguards were [[KillAndReplace replaced by VAX-117's genetic copies]] and told him to surrender, possibly with direct MindControl added to the long-term {{Brainwashing}} the aliens had previously used to influence him]].
554* TakeOverTheWorld: Lamont's ultimate goal is to become leader of the Paideia and rule the world, for his own profit, alongside his allies Szell and Tanaka. [[spoiler:The very public failure of that plan, immediately after the Prime Minister's assassination, causes the Paideia to collapse and splinter, ending the single world government... exactly as the alien VAX-117 had planned]].
555[[/folder]]
556
557[[folder:Vic West]]
558!!Vic West
559[[quoteright:195:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/vic_west.jpg]]
560!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' #21
561A government agent who is an aide to Andre Lamont. His actual duties are to carry out Lamont's covert operations.
562----
563* ExactEavesdropping: He is overheard by the Ghost talking to Lamont about their plans to betray the Morituri Assassins. That proves to be fatal.
564* ManOfWealthAndTaste: Vic is always seen wearing a black suit and tie.
565* ObviouslyEvil: He plays this trope straight, implementing Lamont's orders without any signs of discretion.
566* SecondFaceSmoke: When Vic interrogates Jason Edwards, he blows smoke in his face before yelling at him.
567* TooDumbToLive: He uses a speakerphone to discusse plans with his boss on how to manipulate and then kill an ''invisible assassin'' without using code names, euphemisms, or any sort of obfuscating safeguards. Guess where the assassin is during the call?
568[[/folder]]
569
570[[folder:Herman Szell]]
571!!Herman Szell
572!!!'''First Appearance:'''
573An international arms merchant.
574----
575* KarmaHoudini: [[spoiler:At the end of ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituriElectricUndertow'' he's still a techno-baron and world leader, with no consequences for his crimes. Will's [[AndTheAdventureContinues final speech to the Morituri]] suggests that they'll need to deal with Szell at some point, and that he'll probably be at war with Tanaka soon - but nothing further is shown]].
576* TakeOverTheWorld: Hs is working with Andre Lamont to take over the Paideia so he can profit from the ensuing public discomfort. By the time of ''Strikeforce Morituri: Electric Undertow'', he controls half of the world under fascist rule.
577* WarForFunAndProfit: He has gotten rich from selling weapons to the Paideia to fight the Horde. When the Horde are defeated, he looks for new ways to exploit the Morituri to continue his revenue stream.
578[[/folder]]
579
580[[folder:Junzo Tanaka]]
581!!Junzo Tanaka
582!!!'''First Appearance:'''
583A Japanese multi-billionaire and member of the Paideia.
584----
585* CorruptCorporateExecutive: He has gotten richer from selling Morituri-related merchandise, and plots with other corrupt leaders in the Paideia to prolong the war for his own benefit.
586* JapanTakesOverTheWorld: He's a Japanese businessman who's plotting to TakeOverTheWorld and become rich(er). Ten years after the fall of the Paideia, he owns most of Asia and Siberia, and is preparing to buy Korea.
587* KarmaHoudini: [[spoiler:At the end of ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituriElectricUndertow'' he's still a techno-baron and world leader, with no consequences for his crimes. Will's [[AndTheAdventureContinues final speech to the Morituri]] suggests that they'll need to deal with Tanaka at some point, and that he'll probably be at war with Szell soon - but nothing further is shown]].
588* MerchandiseDriven: He was already rich before the Horde invaded Earth, but has gotten even richer from selling action figures, comic books, and other Morituri-related merchandise.
589* TakeOverTheWorld: Hs is working with Andre Lamont to take over the Paideia. By the time of ''Strikeforce Morituri: Electric Undertow'', he is said to control half of the world.
590[[/folder]]
591
592!Aliens
593!!The Horde
594
595A race of barbarian PlanetLooters who plunder inhabited worlds for supplies, equipment, technology, and sport. They view the Earth as a vulnerable beast ripe for exploitation.
596[[folder:In general]]
597!!In general
598----
599* ChallengingTheChief: It's possible to formally challenge a warlord for their position, with a duel overseen by the Horde's elders.
600* NoBloodTies: It is implied that the Horde have little attachment to their families, as they find it bizarre that humans are [[ThickerThanWater attached to their parents and families]].
601* NoWomansLand: Horde society is strongly patriarchal. All of the warriors, technicians, and leaders are male and in orbit around Earth, while the women and children are left with the main fleet around Jupiter. It's also implied that they see women as disposable, and Horde leaders often express surprise that human women can actually fight.
602* SpaceNomads: The Horde travel between worlds in a fleet of mismatched ships, using stolen technology from several different races.
603[[/folder]]
604
605[[folder:Gentle Inquirer]]
606!!Gentle Inquirer
607[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/e1cfe543_e50b_4062_8907_37b3693ef34f.jpeg]]
608The lead interrogator and researcher of the Horde. He prefers subtlety and fear to get results, and shuns the brutish approach of his peers.
609!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' #3
610----
611* TheChessmaster: He plays subtle games of power and influence among the Horde leadership to protect his own interests.
612* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: Despite his prominent role in the Horde machinations, the Gentle Inquirer is never seen nor referenced again after issue #20, when writer James Hudnall took over the series.
613* TheDreaded: Believes the best way for the Horde to exploit humans is through terror tactics, as direct assaults will simply provoke humanity to torch the planet out of spite.
614* HopeCrusher: Fancies himself as this, preferring to spiritually break his opponents into submission.
615* MadDoctor: He tortures ''decapitated human heads'' to find out how much pain they can endure before total brain death, then uses those heads to drive berserker robots. He cheerfully admits that if he weren't torturing humans, he'd be torturing his fellow Horde members instead.
616* TheStarscream: He seeks to become the leader of the Horde by overthrowing the ones above him, using subterfuge to do so.
617[[/folder]]
618
619[[folder:Stark Fist]]
620!!Stark Fist
621[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/64fe492f_7b62_4cca_90f9_c73615745c27.jpeg]]
622!!!'''First Appearance:''' ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'' #2
623Warlord of all Tents and Provider of the Race, Stark Fist was the supreme leader of the Horde when the first Morituri were created
624----
625* CruellaToAnimals: The floor of the Stark Fist's private chambers is covered with the furs of various Earth animals.
626* DecapitationPresentation: He has kept the head of Black Watch member Clinton Rogers as a trophy, and gleefully shows it to Blackthorn when she charges into his chambers.
627* KilledOffscreen: After his battle with Blackthorn, we don't see him again before the Horde flagship explodes after Marathon damages it. During the Horde's next attack on Earth it's confirmed that the Stark Fist is dead, and was onboard when it exploded. Subverted later, when a flashback actually shows Marathon killing him before the ship exploded.
628* NotSoStoic: The Stark Fist acts smug and confident when Blackthorn confronts him, but immediately flies into an explosive rage when she manages to wound him.
629* {{Sadist}}: He is boastful of his fighting abilities, and enjoys seeing the fear of his opponents before he kills them.
630-->"Here I will kill you and feel your fear melt in your death."
631* SlouchOfVillainy: Spends his free time in his quarters draped in his chair while admiring his treasures.
632* StrengthEqualsWorthiness: He claims that what he respects in others is their strength.
633[[/folder]]
634
635[[folder:Thundercrush]]
636!!Thundercrush
637%%
638%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=16793536590.70494100
639%% Please don't change or remove without starting a new thread.
640%%
641[[quoteright:319:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/78cc86f3_55d2_4ab1_85e4_cc5f057eec6e.jpeg]]
642%%
643!!!'''First Appearance:'''
644Thundercrush of the Chasm Tent is appointed as the warlord of the Horde after the death of Stark Fist, a decision that upsets the Gentle Inquirer.
645----
646* AdiposeRex: He is noticeably fatter and stouter than most other Hordians.
647* StoutStrength: Despite his large size, Thundercrush is willing and very able to lay hands on anyone who displeases him. At one point he picks up a subordinate by the throat, single-handed, and then hurls him across the room.
648* UnstoppableRage: When he believes that his tentmate Hammersmith has been kidnapped and slain by the Morituri, Thundercrush immediately orders the Horde to [[MacrossMissileMassacre launch all of their nuclear missiles]] in a [[ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill 200-mile radius]] of the area the Horde believe contains the hidden Morituri base.
649[[/folder]]

Top