When you join something called The Suicide Squad, your life expectancy is automatically low.
Since its start, DC Comics’ team of super-villains forced into missions for the government has seen a lot of turnover in the ranks.
If a villain isn’t killed on the mission itself, they could still run afoul of Amanda Waller, who has no problems getting rid of anyone who gets in her way.
While the 2016 Suicide Squad movie had a few casualties, most of the Squad made it out alive. That’s probably not going to be the case for James Gunn’s new version of the film.
It’s blatantly obvious several of the dozen new characters introduced in the film will be lucky to make it to the halfway point.
While the film has returning characters Harley Quinn and Rick Flag, the huge number of new Squad members is notable. Here is how each new member of the Squad ranks from least to most likely to survive and a reminder of how often they live up to their name.
T.D.K.
It’s not sure what exactly those initials stand for, but his name might as well be DOA.
It seems offbeat to cast beloved geek actor Nathan Fillion in a superhero movie and then completely waste him.
But his “powers” are to pull his arms off and throw them at people. That may be a fun visual but not effective in real combat.
TDK is loosely based on a real DC Comics character known as Arm-Fall-Off-Boy, a character that exists in the future in the world of The Legion of Super-Heroes.
The idea he’s anything but cannon fodder is impossible to ignore, and if anyone’s surely the first Squad member to fall in combat, it’s this goofball.
Blackguard
It’s Pete Davidson playing a guy whose real name is Dick Hertz.
That’s a huge red flag Blackguard is meant to be bumped off, and no doubt under very brutal circumstances.
The comics version has always been a low-level crook whose only recurring foe is second-rate hero Booster Gold. He tried to reform, but it failed, and his tenure with the Squad ended with him beheaded by team leader General Eiling.
Clearly, Davidson’s name value will give Blackguard’s end in the movie more attention.
Javelin
His entire arsenal is a javelin. Not even a regular spear, just a javelin.
Sure, he can try an occasional explosive tip, but at least Captain Boomerang has more than one of his titular weapons, and they come back to him.
Instead, we’ve got an Olympic reject with a very limited move set, and he looks completely ridiculous.
His one tenure on the Squad was so bad that they didn’t even waste time seeing if he’d get killed the second time but just cut him loose. That puts Javelin’s odds in this film very low.
Weasel
Once a simply costumed crook, John Monroe was mutated into a true weasel-like creature.
The sharp claws may be good in a fight, but it also turned him into a true animal with barely any intelligence or ability to follow orders.
His one mission in the comics ended with him slashing the Thinker’s throat, and then team commander Rick Flag killed him.
He may become a quirky Rocket Raccoon-type character (especially with Sean Gunn’s voice), but more likely, Weasel ends up crushed quickly.
Savant
It’s fun seeing Gunn using his old Guardians of the Galaxy star Michael Rooker as another “veteran crook” character.
Savant is unique in that he’s a technological genius but doesn’t linearly see things. That makes him forgetful and somewhat unstable, even for this bunch.
He can be a top fighter, but the character may have the touch that he’s somehow already “seen” his death and is just going through the motions.
Rooker will be fun in the role, but it’s unlikely Savant ends up any better than Yondu.
Thinker
Peter Capaldi’s twisted genius seems to be set up as a primary villain in the movie.
The trailer’s voiceover has him noting it only takes one bold act for these villains to get respect again, and his mental powers make him a formidable foe.
In the comics, the Thinker died in his mission for the Squad before being reborn into a conniving figure with enhanced mental powers.
This all adds up to the likelihood the Thinker also buys it. However, there is a possibility he ends up becoming an artificial intelligence like his comic book counterpart to plague the Squad further.
Mongal
The daughter of the alien warlord Mongul, Mongal isn’t quite as twisted but adores a good brawl.
Why she’s on Earth, let alone with the Squad, is a mystery, but she appears to be a bruiser who enjoys a good fight.
While she may sacrifice herself against an enemy, it’s just as likely she manages to survive (her species is notoriously hard to kill) and maybe even become a recurring character.
It’s hard to tell, but Mongal might end up being a breakout character in the film.
Ratcatcher 2
Her name indicates there was a previous Ratcatcher who died.
This new version is a woman played by Daniela Melochir, who uses a flute-like device to control rats.
The trailer has a shot of her commanding an army with a bloodied face, hinting she may be sacrificing herself to save the day.
Yet there’s the possibility she manages to survive as she appears more innocent than others and brings a much-needed moral code to this pack of criminals.
Polka Dot Man
He should be a dead man walking.
A longtime joke of Silver Age Batman stories, his entire gimmick is wearing a suit that fires off polka dot-shaped bubbles as a distraction.
He also appears to have a death wish which lends well to a group called The Suicide Squad.
But he’s also played by popular actor David Dastmalchian and the idea this goofball is the one who survives over heavy hitters would be the exact thing to appeal to Gunn and make PDM a fan-favorite character.
Peacemaker
It may seem surprising not to have Peacemaker at the top of the list.
John Cena plays Peacemaker, he’s featured heavily in promotion, and it’s already been announced that he has an HBO Max series coming next year.
Surely, this fanatical commando survives all the way to the end credits. Yet, it hasn’t been announced if that show is a prequel or sequel to this movie.
That Cena was cast to make Peacemaker’s death a bigger event would be a bold move and prove no one is safe in a movie like this.
King Shark
King Shark is primed to be the breakout character of this Squad.
The crook has always been a lovable addition to the Squad as a dim-witted figure whose best solution to a problem is to eat it.
But he’s also got a sense of humor and is very friendly with teammates, including great banter with Harley Quinn. He’s also nearly impossible to actually destroy and comes back even when blown up.
The fact he’s voiced in the film by Sylvester Stallone makes it a safe bet the King remains on the throne of popular Squad characters for some time to come.
Bloodsport
This is probably the safest bet of the new characters to survive.
Originally, Will Smith was going to reprise his role as Deadshot in The Suicide Squad but had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts. Rather than recast, Gunn added Idris Elba as Bloodsport.
Having an A-list actor in the role indicates Bloodspot will find a way to survive the film. His teleporting weapons are quite handy in a fight, and he has a great look to him as well.
The trailers indicate Bloodsport takes up a leadership role in the conflict and sets him up to return for several sequels down the road.
The Suicide Squad debuts in theaters and HBO Max on August 6.