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Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons

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Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons
Genre
Based onCharacters appearing in DC Comics
Written byJ. M. DeMatteis
Directed bySung Jin Ahn
Voices of
ComposerKevin Riepl
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes2
Production
Executive producers
ProducerSam Register
EditorTodd Raleigh
Running time87 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkCW Seed
ReleaseJanuary 6 (2020-01-06) –
November 24, 2020 (2020-11-24)

Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons is an American animated web series that premiered on January 6, 2020. Initially, the series was planned as a 12-episode run on CW Seed. However, after the first episode aired, these plans were altered, and the series was repurposed into a direct-to-video animated film titled Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons: The Movie. The film was released digitally on August 4, 2020, followed by a Blu-ray release on August 18, 2020. Despite the transition to film, a second episode of the original web series was unexpectedly released on November 24, 2020, nearly ten months after the first.

Plot

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Following an accident, Slade Wilson is saved by an experimental drug from which he develops super strength, enhanced agility, and regeneration. He decides to use these new abilities to become the mercenary "Deathstroke" with the help of his friend William Wintergreen. Slade then marries general Adeline "Addie" Kane. Together, they have a son named Joseph. While on a mission in Cambodia, Deathstroke meets Lillian, a woman who he falls in love with. Unbeknownst to Slade, after he completes his mission and leaves, Lillian gives birth to Rose, a girl who becomes orphaned after her mother dies in a hit and run. Rose lives alone until she is rescued by Jackal, the mysterious leader of a secret organization known as H.I.V.E. He trains her to one day become his successor. Jackal later kidnaps Joseph. Slade returns home from a mission abroad and finds Addie, angered after discovering about his secret life as an assassin. Slade promises to bring back Joseph and hunts down Jackal at his base of operations. There, Deathstroke is confronted by Jackal's agents Bronze Tiger and an unnamed woman. In the ensuing fight, Slade kills the woman, cuts Tiger's arm off and heads to kill Jackal. Just before Slade can rescue Joseph, his throat is sliced, making him mute. After Joseph becomes hospitalized, Addie breaks up with Slade. She then isolates Joseph at a private school to hide him from Slade.

Ten years later, Slade continues operating as Deathstroke. One night, he is contacted by the H.I.V.E. Queen - H.I.V.E.'s new leader - who has Joseph hostage for his psychic abilities, which he inherited from Slade. This reunites him with Adeline, who wants to join Slade in the rescue mission but he is reluctant. Before Slade leaves, Adeline shares a kiss with him. Slade's hunt for the Queen leads him to Colonel Kapoor, a former agent of H.I.V.E. Kapoor's intel takes Slade to Kaznia where he confronts Tiger, now a freelancer. In the ensuing battle, Tiger reveals that Jackal is alive and the Queen is located at the Kerguelen Islands. Wintergreen takes Slade there. Upon his arrival, he is attacked by Sandra Woosan / Lady Shiva. Slade surrenders and is taken to the Queen. The Queen reveals she had trained Joseph to use his abilities as a weapon known as "Jericho". Slade rescues Joseph, who reveals he has joined H.I.V.E. as Jericho. The Queen is actually Slade's daughter Rose; Joseph's sister. Slade is shot into the ocean, but, using his regeneration powers, he refuses to die. Addie fishes him out, revealing she had placed a tracking device through the kiss they shared earlier. Slade reveals his affair with Lillian to Addie. Rose informs Jackal about Slade's supposed death, pleasing him. During training, Jericho's powers become out of control, but Rose stops him. Slade, Addie, and Wintergreen discover H.I.V.E.'s plan to use Jericho's abilities to control the world.

Jackal conducts a series of coordinated attacks across the United States to lure the president out. While boarding a H.I.V.E plane, Rose and Jericho betray Jackal, realizing he had manipulated them into becoming rogue. In the ensuing fight, they discover Jackal's suit is designed to repel Joseph's psychic attacks. Slade and Addie then board the plane and confront Jackal and Shiva. Shiva holds Rose and Jericho hostage. Slade heads to fight Jackal while Addie fights Shiva, who Rose manages to kill. During this fight, it is revealed that the woman who Slade killed while rescuing Joseph years ago was Jackal's daughter. That is why he took Slade's children under his wing. Jackal shoots at Slade with his armor's powers, but Slade redirects the blast, leaving an opening in the plane. Slade and Jackal fall out of it. While falling, Slade places a bomb on Jackal, killing them both.

Back home, Jericho starts to reminisce about his father, while Addie officially welcomes Rose into the Wilson family. At a beach elsewhere, Slade's body is washed up and appears to still be alive.

Cast

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Production

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The series was announced in May 2019. Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons aired on the CW Seed.[2] It was planned to be a short-form series on CW Seed,[3] consist of 12 episodes, all written by J.M. DeMatteis and directed by Sung Jin Ahn. The voice cast of the series was revealed in late October alongside a teaser trailer which was released online.[1] The film version of the story was released on August 4 the same year, on Blu-ray and digital platforms with the same voice cast from the series.[4]

The movie

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Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons - The Movie
Promotional poster
Directed bySung Jin Ahn
Written byJ. M. DeMatteis
Based onDeathstroke
by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez
Produced by
Starring
Music byKevin Riepl
Production
companies
Distributed byWarner Bros. Home Entertainment
Release date
  • August 4, 2020 (2020-08-04)[5]
Running time
87 minutes[6]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons - The Movie is the direct-to-video adult animated superhero film based on the CW Seed series, produced by Warner Bros. Animation, and distributed by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.[7] It was released digitally on August 4, 2020 and on Blu-ray on August 18.[8]

Reception

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On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 80% based on 11 reviews, with an average rating of 6/10.[9] It earned $4,012,097 from domestic Blu-ray sales.[10]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "First Look at CW Seed's Michael Chiklis-Led Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons". comicbook.com. October 4, 2019.
  2. ^ "Deathstroke Animated TV Show Coming To CW Seed". screenrant. May 17, 2019. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
  3. ^ Scott, Ryan (June 18, 2020). "Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons the Movie Trailer Brings R-Rated DC Animated Action". MovieWeb. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
  4. ^ Stone, Sam (August 4, 2020). "Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons Clip Reveals [SPOILER] as the Hive Queen". CBR. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
  5. ^ DEATHSTROKE: KNIGHTS & DRAGONS – THE MOVIE COMES TO HOMES IN AUGUST | Graphic Policy
  6. ^ Trailer: 'Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons' Strikes Home Vid in August | Animation Magazine
  7. ^ Deathstroke Animated Movie Unloads First Full Trailer | CBR
  8. ^ Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons Blu-ray
  9. ^ "Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
  10. ^ "Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons (2020) The Numbers Listing". The Numbers. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
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