| For other uses, see Diamondback (disambiguation) |
- "You quote the Bible like you actually believe in God."
"And you speak to me as if you're not in the presence of death." - ―Mariah Dillard and Diamondback[src]
Willis Stryker is the half brother of Luke Cage who slowly became angered by their father's treatment of him and eventually became a criminal under the alias of Diamondback. Finding his brother in Harlem, Diamondback used Hammer Industries weapons to first take control of Cottonmouth's criminal empire before attempting kill Cage while working with Black Mariah to control Harlem's criminal underworld. Diamondback attempted to frame Cage for multiple murders until choosing to kill him himself, only to be defeated and arrested, however Noah Burstein decided to use Diamondback as a test subject to recreate Cage's superhuman powers.
Biography
Early Life
- "The great Reverend Lucas wasn't man enough to give his first son his last name. You see, I was still Willis Stryker. But his real son was Carl Lucas. But here's the crazy thing. Nobody said nothing. And Carl and I we grew up best friends, but there was all this tension. You could just feel it like a draft coming in from under a door. I just wanted him to see me. I was a good boy. I did well in school. But he always loved Carl more."
- ―Diamondback[src]
Willis Stryker was born when his mother, Dana Stryker had an affair with James Lucas, a preacher who she was working as a secretary for. However Lucas refused to leave his wife and therefore rejected Stryker, having his own son named Carl Lucas two years later. Lucas' mother was thought to be unable to have children, leading to Lucas being called, The Miracle Baby, something that enraged Stryker as the truth about him also being the preacher's son was kept hidden from everybody, including Lucas whom Stryker became friends with.[citation needed]
Boxing Training
Stryker trains Carl Lucas in boxing
- "Why you doing this Carl? Cause some fool smacked you up outside of a bowling ally? You're gonna get yourself killed."
"Nah, I'm gonna get this dude Willis, it's about respect!"
"We're city champs Carl, my arm, your legs, you got nothing to prove alright." - ―Willis Stryker and Carl Lucas[src]
When the young Carl Lucas was beaten up in front of a bowling alley by another teenager, Stryker helped train Lucas how to box by taking him to a gym in Savannah. Even though he told Lucas that he had nothing to prove to anyone, Lucas remained determined to prove himself as a skilled fighter, noting that he was part of the proud Lucas family which only annoyed Stryker more, although he kept quiet about his own relation to Lucas. Stryker basically taught Lucas how to fight, reminding him to keep focused on his breathing while he threw his punches.[citation needed]
Fall from Grace
Stryker and Carl Lucas go on trial
- "When it came time for sentencing, the preacher convinced the judge to let his golden boy join the Marines. Me? Juvie. Got jumped two days in. Boy drew a shank and I killed him in self-defence. So I got sent away to hard time. And sweet Dana? Oh, her cancer ate her alive and she died alone in a shelter without a friend in the world."
- ―Diamondback[src]
A few years later, Stryker and Lucas stole a Red Corvette, just for a joyride and discussed music, with Stryker noting he liked Prince and Lucas liked Michael Jackson. They were pulled over by police and arrested. Lucas and Stryker's dad convinced the judge to let Lucas go so he could join the Marines. As for Stryker, he was put in juvenile detention where he was soon attacked and killed the inmate in self defence and sent to prison. Hating both Lucas and their father, Stryker vowed revenge but did not know that Lucas was sent to prison.[citation needed]
Watching over Cottonmouth
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To be added
Attack on Luke Cage
Diamondback takes aim at Luke Cage
Diamondback was informed by Shades that Cottonmouth had been murdered, so he took the opportunity to come to Harlem and finally kill Luke Cage. Finding him taking a walk with Claire Temple, Diamondback armed his rifle with one of his Judas Bullet, muttering to himself that the bullet was for Cage who he considered a Judas, before firing a single shot into Cage's stomach, who punctured his skin and caused him to fall to the floor in agony.
Diamondback calls out to Luke Cage
As Temple tried to control Cage's bleeding as the Judas had failed to exit his body and was still in his stomach, Diamondback chose not to kill him but rather continue tormenting him. While Cage was loaded into an ambulance with Temple, Diamondback prepared his Hammer Industries guns and followed closely behind in his armoured car. Before they could get too far away from him however, Diamondback used one of his guns to destroy the bottom of the ambulance, causing it to crush into the streets of Harlem while Diamondback watched the chaos he had caused unfolding in front of him with delight.
Cage and Temple quickly escaped the crashed ambulance and hid behind a car, while Diamondback followed and called out to Cage by quoting The Warriors, a movie they had watched together years earlier when they were young men, with Diamondback calling Cage by his real name of Carl Lucas. When Diamondback heard the sounds of the New York City Police Department arriving to investigate the ambulance crash, he took his chance to make his escape, telling Cage to keep running away from him and he was now beginning to enjoy himself.[citation needed]
Threatening Misty Knight
- "Come on arn't you gonna beg? Not even a little bit?"
"If you gonna shoot me, then do it!"
"You're slowing me down baby girl, besides Luke likes you, I'll hurt you later, he'll suffer more that way." - ―Diamondback and Misty Knight[src]
Diamondback tracked Luke Cage and Claire Temple down to a medical centre where Temple was attempting to remove the Judas Bullet from his stomach. Diamondback took aim at Cage's head, but missed and instead tried to grab Temple only to get stabbed in the arm. Cage then ripped Diamondback through the window, causing them to come face to face. Diamondback used Cage's hesitation to kick him in his stomach wound before being thrown through the wall, finding his gun was currently out of ammo.
Using his gun, Diamondback continued to hit Cage in his wounded stomach, ensuring that he was in too much agony to fight back, falling to the floor and clutching his wound. As Diamondback attempted to leave as he could not kill Cage without another Judas Bullet, he also managed to grab ahold of Detective Misty Knight, who had tried to ambush him, and stole her gun. Shooting Cage in the stomach three times, Diamondback then placed his gun to Knight's temple and threatened to execute her if Cage attempted to follow him as he exited the building.
Once outside, Diamondback began to cruelly mock Detective Knight as he compared Cage to the devil and noted how Cage had a love for dark skinned and frizzy haired women like her and Reva Connors. As he held her own gun to her head, Diamondback asked Knight to beg for mercy, which she refused to do, so Diamondback forced her onto her knees and placed the gun to the back of her head. But rather than executing her, Diamondback explained that he would continue hurting her later to make Cage suffer, knocking her out cold before escaping.[citation needed]
Fight In the Cinema
Diamondback reloads his Judas Bullet
- "The crimes you went to jail for, the torture you endured once you were inside, all me I'm afraid. Well not Reva's death, I just like saying her name just to watch you squirm."
"You ruined my life."
"I gave you wings! I sent you to hell and you come back with superpowers! Ain't that a bitch." - ―Diamondback and Luke Cage[src]
Running down the streets of Harlem, Diamondback found the empty United Palace Theatre where he shot off the lock before entering, leaving a trail of blood behind him. Taking his position hidden inside the theatre, Diamondback loaded his gun while Luke Cage arrived and searched for him. Diamondback tormented Cage, explaining how his mother had destroyed herself due to his father's actions.
Diamondback awaits Luke Cage in the theatre
Before long Cage found him above him, comparing Diamondback to a snake much like Cottonmouth, with Diamondback also agreeing with this statement, noting that much like a snake he shed his own skin and replaced it with something stronger ever since Cage had left him to go to prison while he walked free. Noting that the people of Harlem had been worshiping a false idol in Cage, Diamondback promised that he would expose his time in Seagate Prison as well as the tragic death of Reva Connors, which enraged Cage, explaining that he was to blame for his torture while in prison.
Diamondback and Cage continue to fight
Expressing his rage that Cage had gone to prison and returned with superpowers, Diamondback attempted to shoot him with the Judas Bullet, but Cage dodged the shot before destroying the platform Diamondback was standing on, causing him to fall all the way down to his level down below. Despite being vastly outmatched by Cage's strength, Diamondback continued fighting, kicking and punching him repeatedly in his gunshot would to gain whatever advantage he could, at one stage even hitting him with a golden beam to cause Cage the maximum pain that he could inflict upon him.
Diamondback mocked the fact that Cage was now bleeding, only for Cage to gather his strength and disarm Diamondback and knock him to the ground. Before he could get to his feet, Cage grabbed Diamondback by his collar and with all his strength, launched him out of the door where he hit a pillar with incredible force. However this moved took all the energy that Cage had left as he collapsed onto the ground in agony, Diamondback, upon seeing this, regained what energy he had left and quickly left the theatre, escaping into New York City.
Diamondback shoots his own half-brother
Cage however also got away and stumbled through Harlem searching for Diamondback, barely able to walk let alone run due to his injuries. Eventually Diamondback caught up with him and began explaining the deadly power of the Judas Bullet, noting that it was designed to kill you with the second blast. As Diamondback asked Cage for any final words, Cage apologised for everything that happened, noting he loved him like a brother. Diamondback however revealed that they were brothers before shooting Cage and causing him to fall into a garbage truck which then drove away.[citation needed]
Hunting Luke Cage
As Shades' men were unable to track down the corpse of Luke Cage, Diamondback decided to confront them himself. Coming to Harlem's Paradise, Diamondback mocked their efforts by asking if his disappearence was due to magic. He then made the shape of a gun with his fingers and shooting Darnell in the shoulder with another gun, explaining that it was not magic and they would have to keep looking until they found Cage dead or alive.
Once the men were had left, Diamondback began mocking Shades for his attempts to seduce Mariah Dillard and take over from Cottonmouth. When Diamondback began blaming Shades for Cottonmouth's death, Shades defended his actions by noting that Cottonmouth was losing control and that Diamondback had trusted him with dealing with him, although Diamondback insisted that his instructions were for Shades to deal with the situation not Cottonmouth himself who Diamondback wanted alive so they could continue their successful business.
As Diamondback explained that Cottonmouth was his best seller of Hammer Industries' weapons and mocked Shades for thinking he might get to keep Harlem's Paradise, he drew his gun and aimed it at Shades' head, asking for one reason not to kill him. While Shades kept calm and silent, Zip then reappeared and noted that killing Shades would not help him find Luke Cage any faster. Hearing this answer, Diamondback laughed and dropped his gun, noting that Zip was clearly smarter than his ridiculous name suggested that he was.
Diamondback sits on Cottonmouth's throne
Diamondback took a seat underneath Cottonmouth's large photograph of Biggie Smalls, explaining that he had gotten out of the darkness of his own mind by reading the bible and obeying the forty eight laws of power. He then explained that until they found Cage's corpse, he was not dead and needed to be found as soon as possible, ordering Zip and Shades to continue their search throughout New York City until Cage was found. Shades however decided to focus his efforts not on the search, but protecting Mariah Dillard's control of Harlem.[citation needed]
Wiping out Rivals
- "No ones coming at me, they'll ask around so you tell 'em, I'll murderies everything in sight, because I don't care, and I won't quit. You can't bargain with me, you buy or you die."
- ―Diamondback to Domingo Colon[src]
When Diamondback learned that Shades was assisting Mariah Dillard, he decided to take matters into his own hand, interrupting the meeting they were having between Dillard, Domingo Colon and several other mobsters based in Harlem. Diamondback explained that he had become offended that the group were not buying Hammer Industries weapons from him anymore, which was affecting his income and pissed him off.
Diamondback kills his rival competitors
Diamondback then shot Peter Hong through the head before throwing a knife straight into the eye of Jacques Alef, killing them both instantly. While the group sat in terror and awaited their own, Diamondback explained that he had killed Colon's men outside and moved behind Neville Barnwell and shot him through the throat, with the bullet then managing to strike Juan Carlos Castro in the eyeball. Colon called Diamondback crazy for his actions, but he was unfazed, explaining that he had no issue with Colon's cousins elsewhere and therefore he would be keeping him alive for the time being.
Going over to Dillard, Diamondback called her crazy for not reacting to the murders before asking why they should be friends. Dillard suggested they had a mutual enemy in Luke Cage who had allegedly killed her cousin Cottonmouth, telling Diamondback that he should be making a profit on the fact that Cage was now a target, explaining that he should be selling the Judas Bullets to the New York City Police Department as they needed a weapon that could kill him. Diamondback agreed and ordered her to suggest the idea to the police herself.
Collecting his knife from Alef's eye, Diamondback apologised to Colon for making a mess while he cleaned the knife. When Colon asked why he was being kept alive, Diamondback explained that he would soon be having other mobsters in New York City questioning what had happened, and Diamondback wanted Colon to explain that if they dared challenge him, he would kill them all. Making a final point that he was not a man who could be bargained with, Diamondback left to get a meal at Peter Luger Steak House with Shades following behind him.
Returning to Harlem's Paradise, Diamondback watched the performance of The Delfonics until he was interrupted by Shades, who informed him that a video of Luke Cage attacking some police officers had gone viral. When Shades asked what should be done about this, Diamondback told him that it was great news as it meant Cage no longer had anywhere to run and they would soon be able to find and kill him. When Shades tried to question this logic, Diamondback sent him away, claiming that he was enjoying the song and wished to listen to it in peace.[citation needed]
Working with Mariah Dillard
- "Well you don't need to kill God with one shot to sell a weapon, you just need to make Him bleed."
"That's all well and good but whose going to be able to afford it?"
"What price can you put on peace of mind?" - ―Diamondback and Mariah Dillard[src]
Diamondback ordered Mariah Dillard to meet him outside his warehouse located just outside of New York City, insisting that she not be driven by her assistant Alex, explaining that he would have had to kill him and that he would not have come to her as he considered that power should not travel. Dillard however argued that Diamondback had no real power without working with her influence.
Diamondback gives Mariah Dillard a tour
Taking a tour inside the warehouse and showed of his Judas Bullets, explaining that they were made with Chitauri metal, although Dillard was not so impressed as he had failed to kill Luke Cage with them yet. When Dillard questioned who would be able to pay for the bullets, Diamondback explained that they could be broken down into smaller bullets to be sold for mass-production to be used in machine guns which were only slightly less powerful. Diamondback made it clear that he needed Dillard's political influence to convince the people that Cage had become a threat to their own safety.
Although Dillard tried to explain that she needed more time to convince the New York City Police Department on this concept, Diamondback informed her that she was now out of time as they would be beginning right away. Diamondback was then given one of his Judas Gauntlet which he put on while Dillard confronted him about this revelation, arguing that this would not work, but Diamondback explained that he would cause a few random deaths that would be blamed on Cage to spread fear around Harlem, promising that he was focused on Cage.[citation needed]
Framing Luke Cage
Diamondback frames Luke Cage for murder
- "I killed two birds with one stone by sticking a body on Luke Cage, he's hiding somewhere in the blessed aquarium, so I turned the heat up. Old Carl, he's either going to stand up and defend his name, or he's gonna run and hide like a bitch. Either way it doesn't matter, I've got the gun to take him out."
- ―Diamondback to Mariah Dillard[src]
Wearing the Judas Gauntlet which gave him incredible strength, Diamondback wore a hoodie and followed Officer Jackie Albini as he was buying socks for his wife off the street. Stepping behind Albini and when the Officer questioned who he was, Diamondback said that he was Luke Cage before punching him so hard in the chest that he broke his rib cage and caused him to go flying backwards.
As Diamondback made his escape, he began shouting out that he was Cage, ensuring that the people of New York City had someone to blame for the murder. Returning to Harlem's Paradise, Diamondback sat reading the bible while being confronted by Mariah Dillard, who was furious that the murder of Albini had resulted in children being arrested and harassed by the police before mocking Diamondback for constantly quoting the bible, only for Diamondback to turn the statement back on her by noting that she was now in the presence of death himself.
Diamondback explained that he felt that Dillard's methods of pitching the bullets to Harlem's council were taking far too long. Diamondback explained that his way of doing things put the pressure back onto Cage by accusing him of the murder, meaning he would either come out to defend his name or run and hide. When Dillard accused him of being completely insane and out of control, Diamondback told her that she clearly was not a real politician because he thought that if she was she would have already been able to make the situation work for them both.
However Dillard and Diamondback soon gained a helping hand when Detective Dorsey assaulted the young Lonnie Wilson during the New York City Police Department's desperate search for the fugitive Cage. This allowed Dillard to spark outrage across Harlem, blaming Cage for the fried tempers across the city and calling for the people to turn on the former hero of the people. As Dillard gave a speech outside the police station, Diamondback sat in his car and watched from a fairly safe distance, taking pleasure seeing his plans slowly coming together.[citation needed]
Hostage Situation
Diamondback overlooks the protest
Using Harlem's Paradise as a meeting place, Mariah Dillard held a massive press conference condemning the actions of Luke Cage and blaming him for the assault on Lonnie Wilson. During her speech, Dillard noted that Cage had seemingly murdered Cottonmouth as well as Detective Jackie Albini, calling on the people to turn against Cage before comparing his super-powered actions to that of Jessica Jones and Kilgrave, calling for the police to be armed to protect them, all of which Diamondback watched closely from the balcony.
Diamondback shoots Misty Knight in the arm
As Dillard invited Reverend John Pope to take the stage while she spoke with Damon Boone, Diamondback watched as Detective Misty Knight arrived and began making her way towards his location. When Knight stepped into his office, Diamondback greeted her with a cruel smile, despite Knight claiming that he was under arrest, Diamondback denied this before drawing his guns and shooting her in the arm. Before he could kill her, Cage arrived and blocked Diamondback's bullets while chaos unfolded downstairs as the terrified guests ran for cover.
Taking Knight in his arms, Cage jumped downstairs and hid under the bar while Diamondback's men opened fire at him.[citation needed] As the shooting continued, Zip complained that Cage was bullet proof, but Diamondback reminded him that Knight was not. Eventually Cage hid in the kitchen with knight and blocked the door, while Shades arrived and advised that they escape before New York City Police Department arrived. Diamondback however refused to leave at all, advising that they freestyle the current situation, much to Shades' dismay.
Shades reminded Diamondback that he only had one Judas Bullet but Diamondback was not concerned, ordering Lopes, Sugar and Ty to take the remaining guests hostage and execute them if they offended him, demanding that Damon Boone to taken upstairs to his office and that Zip collect a specific key there. Once they were alone Diamondback confronted Shades for talking out of turn in front of his men, explaining that his plan was to frame Cage for the shooting and that when they killed him they would be celebrated for stopping his rampage.
With the hostages in position, Diamondback and Shades moved to the kitchen door where they met with Zip, who presented Diamondback with the case that he had asked for which contained a grenade launcher. While Shades questioned what such a weapon was for, Diamondback ignored the question as he loaded the gun and joked that this was the moment when the panties dropped. He then fired a single shot into the kitchen, destroying the door into the kitchen and the fridge that was blocking it with a large fireball as debris flew towards the group.
As his men stepped into the burning kitchen with his gun raised, Diamondback discovered that Cage and Knight were nowhere to be found. Diamondback then ordered his men to search every inch of the kitchen to find them. Shades once again questioned Diamondback's decision, claiming that he was not being clear headed, but Diamondback only argued that his was making the right moves as they could easily claim that violence had broken out at this anti Luke Cage rally as soon as Cage arrived, noting Mariah Dillard could now close their deal.[citation needed]
Using Damon Boone
- "Unpredictability gives us leverage."
"All you're doing is scaring them, let me help you, what do you want?"
"Reciprocity." - ―Diamondback and Damon Boone[src]
With Damon Boone in his office, Diamondback held a gun to Boone's head and ordered him to call Priscilla Ridley and claim that he had been taken hostage by Luke Cage. Before Ridley could ask for his demands, Diamondback snatched the phone away and hung up before claiming that unpredictability was his ally. Boone tried to offer to help Diamondback get what he wanted, although he noted that the police would not bow down to terrorism.
Diamondback offered Boone a drink of whiskey before beginning a discussion about the Scottish and how there was a time when they would not think twice about cutting a man's head off with a sword, which Diamondback claimed he liked about them. Ignoring Boone's offers to help with negotiations with the police, Diamondback handed Boone his bible, which he noted as a gift from his father to his mother, inviting him to read sections of it while Diamondback overlooked Harlem's Paradise and checked on the condition of his hostages downstairs.
Giving him new instructions, Diamondback had Boone call Ridley and Blake Tower again and request a helicopter on the roof of the Paradise, still claiming it was Cage holding him hostage and offered to hand over half of his hostages in exchange. Ridley promised to do this and asked if Detective Misty Knight was also still alive, with Diamondback claiming that she was, although he refused to prove this. Diamondback began playing Blue Eyed Soul for Boone before showing him a photograph of his mother while explaining how she had met his father.
Diamondback explains his family history
Becoming more frustrated as he spoke, Diamondback explained that his mother had had an affair with his father while he was still married, before his father's actual wife finally had a miracle child and then refused to accept Diamondback as his own son. Diamondback explained how he and his secret half brother had grown up together as best friends, although he had always felt tension between them and only ever wanted his father to accept him as his own son, but his father had always loved his other son through marriage more and never accepted him.[citation needed]
Dealing with Issues
- "Carl, Carl, Carl, here you go again, bobbing and weaving because you're too scared to take a hit, it's just like I taught you in the ring, no matter how much you duck eventually you're gonna have to nuck and buck. If you don't surrender yourself and Misty Knight, I'm gonna kill a hostage every ten minutes, starting with Damon Boone."
- ―Diamondback to Luke Cage[src]
Diamondback was updated by Shades that the hostages had been sent to the New York City Police Department as he had ordered, noting that he was not concerned about what they would tell them as either he or Luke Cage would soon be dead. Shades confronted Diamondback on the fact that he had taken these hostages with no plan. They were then informed by Sugar that Claire Temple had disappeared after attacking Lopes to help Candace Miller, who Shades noted was the one who Mariah Dillard had bribed so Diamondback sent him to deal with it.
Having warned Shades that once they were out of this situation they would be having a long talk, Diamondback returned to his office where he turned on the speakers in Harlem's Paradise to address Cage. Diamondback reminded Cage of their time training together as young boxers before ordering him to surrender himself and Misty Knight. As he spoke, Diamondback loaded his gun with his final Judas Bullet before explaining that if Cage failed to surrender, then he would begin executing one hostage every ten minutes until he finally showed himself.
Diamondback was soon contacted by his weapons manufacturer who informed him that Dillard had convinced the police to buy the Hammer Industries guns from him. Diamondback proceed to continue telling his stories to Damon Boone, explaining how he and Cage had been arrested as young men, with Cage getting off and him being sent to prison before committing his first kill and doing hard time while his mother died of cancer. Collecting his Judas Gauntlet, Diamondback then hit Boone hard in the chest, throwing him backwards and killing him.
Diamondback ordered Shades to drop Boone's outside for the police to collect, while this was happening the lights across Harlem's Paradise were suddenly cut off. Needing to regain control, Diamondback took Candace Miller and waited for Cage to appear and rescue the hostages in the darkness. Once Cage arrived and knocked out Sugar, Diamondback revealed himself and forced Cage to choose to either catch him and let Miller die, or save Miller and let himself be killed by the police who were coming in armed with Judas Bullets in their guns.
Diamondback dropped Miller off the balcony before attempting to shoot Cage as he caught her, however Diamondback missed the shot and was forced to run back to his office as SWAT teams stormed the building. While Cage was surrounded and captured by the police, Diamondback collected his equipment and found Zip, who promised to show him a way outside despite being threatened with a gun. Diamondback followed and walked free into Harlem while Cage and Shades were arrested by the police along with Sugar, Lopes and Ty.[citation needed]
Keeping Business Running
Diamondback has a meeting with Turk Barrett
- "My only condition is loyalty. Stick with me and Harlem will be remade in your image. We'll be doing this for years to come."
"Harlem is already in my image. You staying?"
"Once I've finished with Carl I'll evaporate, but don't worry, you'll still feel the ocassional cold breeze. Sweet dreams Mariah" - ―Diamondback and Mariah Dillard[src]
In order to deal with his situation, Diamondback had all his money cashed in and reclaimed all his equipment. He then called in Turk Barrett who complimented him on his tactics after Shades had been arrested and Luke Cage had gone on the run before being informed by Diamondback that he was needed to sell his Hammer Industries guns on the streets of New York City in order to continue making profits for his own organisation during this highly difficult time.
They were interrupted by the arrival of Zip who informed Diamondback that some of his equipment had gone missing, so Diamondback responded by briefly attempting to strangle Zip before laughing and telling him that he liked his ambition. Diamondback went on to explain that Shades had become too much like Icarus by talking back to him. Diamondback explained that he would have Shades freed from the New York City Police Department's lockup in order to have him assassinated, promising to give Zip the job if he wanted it, which he clearly did.
Diamondback then asked Barrett if he was willing to help his organisation, at which point Barrett made it clear that he was always willing to do the work as long as it was uncomplicated business. Upon hearing this, Diamondback asked Zip to take Barrett out in order to begin his work. Once Barrett had left the warehouse, Zip came back and asked Diamondback what he had in a box he had had delivered, to which Diamondback did not explain it was a Battlesuit and instead called it one of the Seven Deadly Sins which he planned to use against Cage very soon.
With Zip being sent to assassinate Shades, Diamondback contacted Mariah Dillard to inform her of this update, noting that he was also killed Damon Boone all to help her political standing within Harlem, although Dillard insisted that she was out of politics and would be focusing on Harlem's Paradise instead. It was at this point Diamondback revealed he was actually inside Dillard's house, noting she should never talk about murder on the phone before handing over a large bag of cash to her to be used in repairing the Paradise after the shootout.
What Dillard questioned what the money was really for, Diamondback informed her that all he wanted was her loyalty to him, noting that if she continued to work for him then Harlem would be remade in her own image and they could continue their business for many years to come. When Dillard questioned if Diamondback was staying in Harlem or not, he promised that once Luke Cage was dead then he would be disappearing, although he vowed that he would never be too far away. With this note Diamondback left Dillard's home with a smile on his face.[citation needed]
Domingo Colon's Rebellion
- "You know when a rattlesnake is at it's most dangerous Domingo? When it's cornered!"
"I'm gonna rip your head off!" - ―Diamondback and Domingo Colon[src]
While reading the holy bible inside his Secret Warehouse, Diamondback was confronted by Domingo Colon and several of his men, who noted that he prefered Harlem's Paradise to this empty warehouse. Colon then revealed that he had come to the warehouse with the intention of killing Diamondback, drawing his guns with men while Diamondback's own men came to his aid, leading to a tense standoff between the two rival criminals.
Colon informed Diamondback that his men had found the bodies of Zip and two others, noting that this was not Luke Cage's style and therefore it was mostly likely Shades who had killed them as Diamondback had bailed him out of the New York City Police Department's custody in order to assassinate him. While putting his bible back into his pocket, Diamondback then told Colon that a snake like him was most dangerous when cornered before drawing too guns and shooting at Colon, running to the back of the warehouse while a violent gunfight broke out.
Diamondback prepares to arm a bomb
While the shootout continued, Diamondback took cover and ran to the backroom, while Colon promised that he would rip his head off. Eventually Diamondback made it to the back where he opened a crate which contained his own Specialised Battle Suit, as he looked down upon it, Diamondback quoted the bible before putting it on. Stepping out into the gunfight, Diamondback soon defeated his attackers before using the Judas Gauntlet to punch Colon in the stomach and crush his bones before setting off a bomb and leaving any survivors to burn in the now incoming blast.[citation needed]
Duel at Malcolm X Boulevard
Diamondback reveals his armoured Battle Suit
Diamondback tracked Luke Cage down to Pop's Barber Shop where he threw a grenade before revealing himself wearing his Specialised Battle Suit, which was insulted by Bobby Fish. Diamondback also saw that Shades was in the shop as well, who attempted to kill his former employer by shooting him, only to discover that the Battle Suit was bulletproof. While Misty Knight took the others outside to safety, Cage and Diamondback faced off, with Diamondback promising that he would soon kill the others once he had gone through Cage.[citation needed]
As Cage hit Diamondback across the Barber Shop into a photograph of Pop, Diamondback smugly revealed that his Battle Suit had been made by Hammer Industries and could therefore withstand even his blows. Ripping out one of the chairs, Diamondback launched it at Cage, missing but with such force that it flew out into the Harlem street. As Cage continued hitting his half brother, Diamondback insulted his fighting skills, calling his punches weak, so Cage responded by slamming him onto the ground before launching him painfully into the ceiling.
Diamondback quickly recovered and called on Cage to keep the fight coming. The brother began throwing each other through the walls of the Barber Shop as Diamondback recalled their time training together as young boxers before they pulled each other up the stairs where Diamondback was able to launch Cage out of the upper floor window, with him landing in the street below in front of the many onlookers. Despite the crowds calling on Cage to win, Diamondback promised to beat his arse up and down the block as he kicked him across the street.
Diamondback gains the upper hand in the fight
With Cage becoming exhausted, Diamondback began hitting him repeatedly with increasingly powerful blows, only for Cage to gain the upper hand and smash his body into the side of a car, but the Battle Suit kept him fighting. Diamondback then began explaining that James Lucas had always planned on leaving his wife to marry Diamondback's mother, causing Cage to attack him again while SWAT Teams arrived armed with Judas Bullets before Diamondback threw a motorbike at Cage which he quickly deflected before they continued exchanging powerful blows at each other.[citation needed]
Defeat and Arrest
As Diamondback got back to his feet, Luke Cage told him that he was done fighting, explaining that when he was sent to Seagate Prison, their father had called him a mistake too. Cage then invited Diamondback to kill him, claiming that it was something he was not ready to do, but Diamondback responded by charging in and hitting Cage repeatedly in the chest and head, knocking him into the side of a parked car.
Despite getting close to beating Cage to death, the constant blows that he was delivering eventually caused Diamondback to run completely out of breath, as Cage used the technic that Diamondback had taught him years early for boxing. As Diamondback attempted to regain his breath as his Battle Suit began to run out of power, the crowds began chanting Cage's name, led by Claire Temple. Cage then stepped back into the fight and beat Diamondback into submission, delivering one final blow which sent Diamondback flying back and took him out.
Diamondback is treated by Noah Burstein
Diamondback was then quickly arrested by the New York City Police Department for his crimes, but was first taken to a hospital where he was given a neck brace and waited to recover from the brutal beating he had received from Cage during their fight. While he was in the hospital, Diamondback was accused of the murder of Cottonmouth, with Mariah Dillard swearing to Priscilla Ridley she had seen him killing her cousin. While he sat in his hospital bed, Diamondback was visited by Doctor Noah Burstein, who closed the door behind him to speak to Diamondback in private.[citation needed]
Personality
Willis Stryker grew up with Carl Lucas, the son of the respected reverand, James Lucas and they became best friends despite Stryker's strong animosity towards Lucas due to being the illegitimate child and therefore not allowed the Lucas name whereas Carl was the supposed firstborn and revered for it. Despising this injustice for most of his life until his breaking point was when he was sent to prison yet Lucas was only forced to join the army for a crime they both committed, Stryker was overpowered by hatred and jealousy in captivity becoming vindictive, obsessive and insane to the point of ruthlessness.
Upon discovering that Lucas was not only alive but returned from Seagate with superpowers, Stryker's hatred festered, citing that he was sentenced to Hell but was granted yet another miracle given to him from the God Stryker himself believed within so devotedly and wished to destroy his life the way Lucas destroyed his. After meeting with Luke Cage over years apart, the first he thing he does is reveal the secret that the two of them were brothers that he kept to himself for years and tormented Misty Knight upon discovering that she was close to Cage, only keeping her alive so he could torture his half-brother further before running his life. Once again, Stryker became deeply frustrated over Cage's idolisation by the people of Harlem, having suffered for it his entire life, he framed him for the murder of an officer and a hostage crisis in Club Harlem to destroy his legacy as a hero as was his name as a Lucas in the past. For all of his negative qualities, Stryker loved his mother dearly as he wasn't there for her when she got cancer and died because he was imprisoned due to not being a Lucas and Reverend James simply stopped caring for her without Stryker being there, also greatly motivated his need for revenge
His religious faith seemed to enforce his revenge mission against Cage, quoting several bible verses that directly link to Cage's betrayal against Stryker within the theatre and to illustrate his point across multiple times. The Judas Bullet was designed to symbolize this act of treachery; stating "one Judas to another" before shooting Cage in the abdomen and vowing to repeat the same words that Cain said to his father after slewing Abel when he finally did kill Cage.
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Power Suit Enhancement: Stryker wears a power suit developed by Hammer Industries, that enhances his strength and durability, allowing him to fight on par with Luke Cage.
- Superhuman Strength: Thanks to the use of the gloves from the Power Suit, Stryker's strength was increased to superhuman levels, being able to send people flying away several feet, and instantly killing regular human beings with a single blow, by crushing their chest. Stryker also managed to cause Luke Cage internal injuries, through Luke Cage's nigh-impenetrable skin. The strength granted by suits increases with the damage it takes, as it is capable of transforming the kinetic energy of the impacts received into strength for the gloves.
- Superhuman Durability: The Power Suit made Stryker extremely durable, being designed to absorb kinetic energy to reduce physical damage to its user. Stryker was able to withstand direct bullet hits and blows from Luke Cage's superhuman strength.
Abilities
- Master Marksman: Stryker is a master marksman. He is highly skilled with various firearms such as assault rifles, pistols, and sniper rifles. Stryker is also highly proficient in knife throwing, as he was able effortlessly to hurl a knife into a man's eye from across a table.
- Expert Martial Artist: Stryker is a highly skilled combatant. He is skilled in Boxing, as he has taught this fighting style to Luke Cage.
Equipment
Weapons
- Judas Bullets: Special ammunition developed by Hammer Industries from repurposed Chitauri technology from the Chitauri Invasion of New York.
- Fostech Origin-12: A shotgun that has been heavily modified and customized by Hammer Industries to fire the specialized Judas Bullets. Diamondback used this firearm in conjunction with the Judas Bullets on numerous occasions to attempt to kill Luke Cage.
- Walther PPK:
Other
- Power Suit: A powered suit developed by Hammer Industries that absorbs kinetic energy to reduce damage to the user, and power gauntlets that enable to user to inflict massive damage.
Relationships
Family
- Grandfather
- James Lucas - Father
- Dana Stryker † - Mother
- Luke Cage - Half-Brother, Best Friend turned Enemy, Attempted Victim
Allies
Enemies
- Hernan Alvarez/Shades - Ally turned Enemy
- Mariah Dillard/Black Mariah - Ally turned Enemy
- Claire Temple
- Misty Knight
- Domingo Colon † - Ally turned Victim
- Jaques Alef † - Victim
- Neville Barnwell † - Victim
- Juan Carlos Castro † - Victim
- Peter Hong † - Victim
- Jackie Albini † - Victim
- Damon Boone † - Hostage and Victim
- Candace Miller † - Hostage
- Bobby Fish
Appearances
| Appearances for Willis Stryker |
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In chronological order:
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Trivia
- In the comics, Willis Stryker was a childhood friend of Carl Lucas and Shades. Jealous of the love of Reva Connors for Lucas, Stryker framed him hiding stolen Maggia's drugs in his house. The criminal organization tried to kill Willis but ended up killing Reva Connors instead.
- In the comics, Luke Cage had a brother named James Lucas Jr., codenamed Coldfire, who underwent an experiment led by Dr. Karl Malus to gain superpowers in order to fight his hated brother.
