Batroc the leaper

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History (continued)

The 2000s

Batroc clashed with Captain America once again. This happened when he was hired by the Red Skull to steal launch codes from S.H.I.E.L.D.. Batroc got the codes and nearly delivered them, but Cap caught up with him.

Batroc knocked Cap out with a new gadget – neural shock boots. But Cap heroically recovered and stopped the Frenchman at the last second.

Some weeks later, Batroc ended up with Hawkeye shooting him through the leg in unrevealed circumstances.

Batroc then came up with an heroic plan. He would rob an entire stadium during a Yankees match, thus striking a worthwhile blow  against the forces of darkness. His henchmen warned the public that the stadium was laced with explosives, and to throw their valuables to them. Captain America was in the crowd and forced Batroc to reveal himself.

The mercenary threatened to blow the stadium up. But Cap called his bluff, knowing Batroc would never kill the audience. Batroc dramatically pressed the detonator’s button, revealing that there never had been explosives. He then humorously offered Cap to sign him an autograph. Captain America declined the offer, and knocked Batroc out.

Second half of the 2000s

In 2005, Batroc hired a new Machete (Mariano Lopez, one of Ferdinand’s brothers) for a Brigade contract with the Inhuman/Deviant Maelstrom. They stole the technology Maestrom needed. During a clash with the Great Lakes Avengers, Zaran killed the Grasshopper (Douglas Taggert). However, they turned against their employer when they realised that Maelstrom intended to destroy the universe.

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The same year, Batroc joined the cadre of mercs assembled by Klaw to lead Nigandan forces and invade Wakanda. Other hires were the Rhino, the second Radioactive Man and a Black Knight. Batroc was Klaw’s bodyguard. As such, he engaged the Black Panther’s two elite female bodyguards in hand-to-hand combat while Klaw assaulted T’Challa and his mother.

Batroc disarmed his opponents. But he was reluctant to hit women and was talking way too much. This gave the bodyguards the opening they needed to take him down.

The Thunderbolts

The Brigade was next seen in the US. An unspecified operation they were conducting in an hospital was interrupted by the Thunderbolts. Whilst Batroc, Machete and Zaran were vastly outgunned, they were far more used to working together than the Thunderbolts. They managed to make their opponents look like fools for a while. But then Photon (Genis Vell) took the Brigade down with but a gesture.

The Brigade apparently escaped, but were recaptured. They were then transferred into the Thunderbolt Army assembled by Tony Stark to serve as enforcers for his pro-superhuman registration regime. The Thunderbolt Army was deployed around the world when Wellspring energies empowered thousands of random people and made them lose control.

Batroc was seen in action in Tōkyō. He fought along with a motley collection of mostly American supercriminals including Tatterdemalion, Zaran, Cobra, Bushmaster, Whiplash and Blacklash. Most members of the Thunderbolt Army deserted in the wake of the Wellspring crisis.

London and the Initiative

Batroc was next spotted in London. He was wooing pretty barmaids and attempting to convince Machete and Zaran not to participate in a R.A.I.D. terror attack on the British capital. His friends refused to listen to reason. But Batroc was spotted by S.H.I.E.L.D., and S.H.I.E.L.D. officer Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine deduced why the Frenchman was in London.

De la Fontaine and her operatives (including Union Jack (Chapman), Sabra and the Arabian Knight (Hashim)) attempted to capture Batroc. The Frenchman escaped, but deliberately left his cell phone behind. S.H.I.E.L.D. used the data in Batroc’s phone to partially counter R.A.I.D.’s show of strength and greatly mitigate the civilian casualties.

Batroc was briefly seen as an instructor for the Initiative in the US. He had been recruited to teach martial arts and acrobatics to Initiative members. As such, he set up shop at Marine Corps Camp Quantico . This did not last long, as he soon received a better offer from China.

A younger America

In 2008, Batroc took a contract for the Man With No Face. The job was to raid the UN Building in New York City to steal old computer archives. On his way out, he and his men were attacked by a passerby who gave Batroc a good fight.

The savate expert chose to get away in order to complete his contract, rather than fully enjoy the fight. But as he left, he realised to his delight that his dazed opponent had been the new Captain America (James Barnes) – formerly Bucky.

The Man With No Face lobbed more money at Batroc to arrange for a trap for Barnes. Batroc and one of his men left a track that Bucky would follow quickly enough to be present during their next operation. The new Captain America barely made it out alive, and the Black Widow may have saved his life that day.

Meanwhile, Batroc and his men captured the inert body of the Human Torch (Jim Hammond), as they had been hired to do.

2010s

In 2011, Batroc fought his quasi-compatriot Fantomex. Apparently the two men were attempting to steal the same diamond from the American Museum of Natural History.

After a good brawl, Fantomex accidentally crashed into a police station. He then pretended that he meant to rescue the diamond from Batroc all along. Satisfied with the workout and the trading of creative insults in a mish-mash of English and pseudo-French, Batroc left.

Mere weeks later Batroc was hired to fight a delaying action against Captain America (James Barnes) in Paris. Batroc fought Barnes more than long enough for his employer’s men to do their job. He then narrowly escaped from the Captain, with some locals cheering him as they admired his courage in taking on such a powerful fighter.

Barnes did intercept the thieves just before they could leave the country, costing Batroc much of his pay. Nevertheless, the Frenchman considered that his real pay had been the satisfaction of the fight.

New York, New York

Meanwhile, Batroc was training a new Brigade. This version was a team of competent operatives equipped with ritual Atlantean melee weapons. This Brigade debuted as special enforcers for a ring dealing the Atlantean drug Hook, a vile narcotic. That attracted the attention of Mercedes “Misty” Knight and her Heroes for Hire.

Knight’s main field agent, Paladin, was attacked by Batroc’s vaguely ninja-like Brigade. He narrowly prevailed. But Batroc then intervened and thrashed the mercenary, breaking several bones despite Paladin’s body armour.

Still working for the Hook ring (apparently run by the Purple Man), Batroc and his men then engaged Spider-Man and lured him into an arena. Their employer wanted Spider-Man killed there, in a death match. Batroc and his men were just running backstage on that one, though. Once Spider-Man was in the arena they just watched the fight and ate popcorn in the bleachers.

However, the clandestine arena was unexpectedly attacked by Spider-Man’s allies. Misty Knight shot Batroc in the back with a stunning energy beam.

Madripoor

In 2012, Batroc and a variant Brigade were hired to steal a dangerous McGuffin , the Harvester protocol. Despite the intervention of Captain America and Iron Man, the Brigade was successful.

However, the Brigade was markedly less successful during further confrontations with the two men. They managed to allow their client to escape from the heroes, but were defeated and arrested.

Description

Batroc usually grows a full beard between jobs. But he will adopt one of his extravagant facial hair looks when getting in character.

Personality

Batroc is a flamboyant rogue. He’s in for… zee glory ! Zee honair ! Zee praity woomen ! Zee money ! without any regard for the law, but with a keen eye for panache and being outrageously flashy.

One of his big schticks is to affect a fake French accent. That comes complete with largely fictional French sentences one only ever hears in American fiction, such as “oh la la” and “oh zut alors”. A swashbuckler’s moustache is also involved.

Batroc plays the character of the fanfaron (the braggart), inherited from the Italian comedia del‘ arte or such literary characters as Tartarin de Tarascon , crossed with loveable swashbucklers such as Fanfan la Tulipe  and the gentleman burglar, Arsène Lupin . But underneath the act lies an obsessive need to prove his mettle.

Batroc will thus routinely pit his prowess against impossibly skilled opponents. Living legends at the peak of human possibilities, champions of lost crossdimensional cribs of the martial arts with dragon-spawned powers, chemically and surgically enhanced fighters, and the like.

Honour among thieves

While Batroc makes a big show of being an amoral rogue and greedy mercenary, he has clear limits.

1. He will not seriously endanger innocents (especially children).
2. He will not let an esteemed opponent die or be crippled (which would deprive him of future duel opportunities).
3. He will react violently against anybody interfering in a combat singulier, even if he’s losing.
4. He will avoid hitting or disrespecting a woman.

Batroc also condemns unnecessary killing. He will often stop his more bloodthirsty associates from finishing off people. This chiefly applies to vanquished opponents though. Batroc is almost always OK with killing a ready and armed enemy in a fair fight.

Furthermore, he considers that he has an obligation of fairness toward his employees, allies and employers. That is, unless they prove themselves to be dishonourable by his standards.

Yet, Batroc has no inhibition about hitting people in the back. He often starts fights with a surprise flying kick, especially against opponents with a weapon (or a shield). And he once agreed to kidnap children provided that they weren’t hurt. But given that he was betrayed and the children were imperilled, it is very unlikely he would agree to a similar deal nowadays.

Walking on foreign ground like a shadow

Batroc is not just projecting a bombastic, slightly clownish image. He sometimes employs a cartoonish sense of humour. One classic example is the capture of the Roxxon super-tanker ship in 1980.

He had his current, and particularly beautiful, girlfriend sunbathe on a small ship that sailed past the tanker. The sailors started coming starboard to ogle. As she answered with friendly, naïve-looking handwaves the whole crew massed starboard to whistle and catcall. Meanwhile, Batroc and Mr. Hyde boarded port, unseen.

The young woman then produced a large sign reading “Surprise ! You have been boarded !”. As the crew and officers wondered what she meant, Batroc and Hyde knocked most everyone out from behind.

When not playing his Batroc character, Batroc often acts as a Sean-Connery-as-James-Bond type. He has fun and gambles large sums in Old World casinos while wearing expensive suits and wooing even more expensive escorts. He still has a noticeable French accent whilst being Georges The Smooth Operator And Bon Vivant, but not the outrageous one of Batroc the Leaper.

Batroc very much enjoys romantic company. If circumstances do not allow him to flirt with and seduce pretty women as per tradition, he will hire a high-end lady of the evening rather than spend more than a few nights alone.

2011

The 2011 Captain America and Batroc the Leaper has some problems. It has Batroc being axiomatically outmatched by Captain America, whereas the two men often fought toe-to-toe and the Frenchman seems almost on par with Barnes in Brubaker’s Captain America. But it explores Batroc’s philosophy a bit further.

Batroc strives to be the best he can be in his trade. He’s proud of being such an accomplished athlete and fighter. He knows that many of the heroes he fights have super-soldier serums, cybernetics, powers, super-technology, secret magical martial arts, etc. and that he doesn’t. That is exactly why he considers that he’s a better sportsman than they are.

Georges Batroc doesn’t fight to win when pitted against quasi-superhumans like Captain America, though he’ll try his best. He fights for the beauty of it, to push his skills and his courage as far as they’ll go. And to show what a determined man can do.

Quotes, part 1

(Some of the quotes have been slightly altered to correct the French and keep the exaggerated French accent consistent.)

“Captain America ! I am honoured ! Long has Batroc admeered your skills ! Your dairing ! But nevaire, did I beleeve — that I would personally have ze distinction of being ze first one to defeet you in man-to-man combat !” (BOK !) “What a memorable triumph for Batroc the Leaper !” (Cap immediately gets up)

(Crushing Sharon Carter’s pistol underfoot before she can reach it) “Ahh, ma petite ! I am desolate with grief ! It seems I have so carelessly stepped upon your little toy ! A thousand pardons !”

(Admiring Cap’s reflexes) “Ah, I underestimated you, mon vieux !”

“Very clevair, mon capitaine ! But not clevair enough ! You must nevair forget zee superhuman skill of Batroc ! See how magnificently I clap my palms against your haid ? Is it not très formidable ! Ah, mon pauvre petit ! Your brain tingles with zee shockwaives, n’est-ce pas ? But have not zee fear ! Batroc shahll put an end to your misery !”

“Nom d’un chien ! Batroc feels zee terrible anger ! […] You ’ave earned zee right to raiscue [Sharon Carter], mon ami ! Quickly ! We shall strike wiz zee lightning speed !”

“Since the ill-fated affair of zee Iron Fist, I have waited for such an opportunity — langueeshing in luxury because zere were no crimes great enough for me to perform !”

“Pig ! You daire to deceeve zee mighty Batroc ?”

Quotes, part 2

“Sacrebleu ! Your treacherous [knockout gas] will not stop zee great Batroc !”

(Briefly losing the phoney accent as he realises Hyde’s intent) “NON ! Taking money from a thieving oil cartel like Roxxon is one thing, but mass murder is quite a different matter ! Batroc shall have no part of it !” (delivers a flying side kick to Hyde’s head)

(To Hyde) “And now, we shall see who is truly the superior fighter ! The gloves are off, n’est-ce pas ?“

(Sarcastically) “Quel dommage ! Your precious shield ! He is gone ! I had not even noticed ! Oh well, I guaiss zat will make zees fight a fair one !”

“You insolent swine ! Savate iz an artistic form of kickboxing rezerved for zee gentlemen ! I do not need against one such as you !”

(Having knocked out Diamondback in the dark without realising her gender) “Oh zut alors ! It ees a woman ! I’m so sorry ! Mille pardons mademoiselle !”

Machete : “But if I let him live, he’ll be able to identify us !”
Batroc : “Suhrelee you know Batroc zee Leaper craives raicognition !”

(After Zaran implies Batroc is gay, Batroc throws him to the ground with a light jumping kick) “M’sieu Zaran — nevair call Batroc anyzing but a ladies’ man… if you weesh to keep a full set of teef, pigé ?”

“Ah, Georges, zere is nothing like the start of a new day ! A day ripe wiz zee posseebeeleetiz of adventure, danger and romance ! I have teepped the bellhops, dined with zee concierge, and flirted with zee chambermaids. But now it eez time to say adieu to zese fine accommodations !”

(Facing Captain America and holding a detonator) “Would you like an autograph ?”

(Fighting Paladin) “Good. Pas mal. You noh a leettle about savate. Zere iz some graice ’eere. A soupçon of talent. I wish I ’ad time to teetsh you somessing of the boxe française. Malheureusement… I have onlee time to teetsh you a laisson : do not fous ta merde wiz my employairs.” (kicks Paladin off into the traffic)

(To himself, overhearing Captain America (James Barnes) speaking serviceable French) “Oh, he speaks French. I wonder if that makes my broken English more or less amusing.”

DC Universe History

Batroc fought Captain America so often he’s a piece of the star-spangled Avenger’s history. However, he also has the characteristics of a Nightwing villain/ally. And he could easily be woven into Robin’s formative years as one of his teachers.

Batroc would never work for Blockbuster and would thus represent outside interests in Blüdhaven. He could have a running feud with Grayson (Grayson is a very attractive young man, and seeing the women fawn over Nightwing would probably give Batroc a stroke), aiming to humiliate him but not to actually injure him.

By Sébastien Andrivet.

Source of Character: Marvel comics (chiefly Captain America books).

Helper(s): For Kansas Jim, sigma.net, Roy Cowan, Phil Dixon, Frank Murdock, Peter Piispanen, Chris Cottingham.