Despite his prevailing popularity as one of Deathstroke, unfortunately, proved he doesn't deserve it. A creepy altercation involving Talia al Ghul and Robin showed that Slade Wilson is not the sort of figure that deserves the spotlight.
It'd be obvious to say that the last few years have been kind to Deathstroke. From a character that started out as a recurring nemesis of the Teen Titans, Slade's star has only risen as time's gone on. The mercenary has gotten featured roles in team books, spinoffs and events, not to mention consistent ongoing series. Deathstroke has alternated between hero and villain, generally landing somewhere in the realm of 'anti-hero'. However, Slade Wilson's past is murky at best. Despite his popularity, he's never exactly been able to escape the role he played in "The Judas Contract" storyline or his involvement with Terra. In fact, Deathstroke would prove his worst critics rights with another instance that involved Slade Wilson taking advantage of a minor.
In Batman and Robin #12 by Grant Morrison and Andy Clarke, Slade eagerly jumps at an opportunity presented to him by Talia al Ghul. She had just had her son Damian's spine replaced after he was shot in an incident involving Red Hood. What Talia didn't tell her child was that she installed technology that allowed her to physically control Damian's body. Wanting a seasoned professional to eliminate Dick Grayson, she hands control over to Deathstroke, who uses a rig to operate the young Robin's body. With his autonomy fully removed, Damian is helpless as his body attacks his mentor. Thankfully Dick realizes what's happening and uses a stun gun to overload the technology inside Damian, as well as trigger a heart attack in Slade.
The truly messed up part about this is that it follows a pattern of behavior for Slade. Deathstroke's relationship with Terra remains one of the character's darkest and creepiest parts of his history. Clearly, Slade Wilson has no qualms with using minors as tools to hurt his enemies and that aspect of character is the biggest reason for why Deathstroke just can't work as an anti-hero.
There is no doubt that Slade is an engaging character for readers. He’s got an interesting design, cool weapons, and his tactical mind has helped him overcome odds that would have killed lesser heroes or villains. It’s understandable that Wilson has a large fan base, but that doesn’t excuse his past. As one of DC’s darkest stories, “The Judas Contract” showed Slade was not a figure to be emulated. His manipulation and relationship with Terra was an indicator of how low Deathstroke would sink to attack his enemies. His body-jacking of Robin reinforces the idea that to Slade, nothing is off-limits as long as he gets what he wants. Anti-heroes may not be the most valiant characters, but they generally have a moral com that points them in the right direction. These repeated instances of minor abuse show that Deathstroke just isn’t an anti-hero, no matter how much DC tries to push him as one.
