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Batroc the Leaper

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Georges Batroc the Leaper (Template:Langx) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Tales of Suspense #75, 1966.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> He is a mercenary and a master of the French form of kick-boxing known as savate, commonly depicted as an adversary of Captain America,<ref>Template:Cite book[1]</ref> and a mentor of Gwen Poole. Batroc's name derives from the word batrachia, a classification of amphibians that includes frogs, which also plays on the stereotype of calling French people frogs.<ref name=":2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Georges St-Pierre portrays Batroc in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) and the Disney+ miniseries The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and animated series What If…? (both 2021).

Publication historyEdit

Batroc, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, first appeared in Tales of Suspense #75 in March 1966. He has reappeared in various Marvel titles ever since.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Sporting a new costume designed by John Romita Jr., Batroc served as Klaw's top lieutenant in the first arc of Reginald Hudlin's 2005 re-launch of Black Panther.<ref>Black Panther vol. 4 #1. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Sporting a muted, subtle redesign by Gurihiru, Batroc served as the primary mentor of Gwenpool in Christopher Hastings' 2016–2018 series The Unbelievable Gwenpool, with their relationship being described as "one of the warmest aspects" of the series.<ref name="AV" /><ref name="CB" />

Fictional character biographyEdit

Georges Batroc was born in Marseille, France, and served in the French Foreign Legion. He is a French costumed mercenary who specializes in savate (also known as "La Boxe Française"), a form of kickboxing, with acrobatic skills and unusual articulate flexibility. Although he has primarily appeared in the pages of Captain America, he has also faced off against the Punisher, Spider-Man, Deadpool, Hawkeye, Iron Fist and Gambit. Batroc has occasionally led his own team, "Batroc's Brigade", although the membership has changed over time.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The group has primarily fought Captain America.

In the character's first appearance, he was hired by Them to steal the Inferno-42 cylinder. He first battled Captain America during this mission. When Batroc introduced himself with typical bluster, Cap revealed, to Batroc's delight, that he had already heard of the mercenary: "Batroc the Leaper, eh? A master of la savate, the French art of boxing with the feet!"<ref>Tales of Suspense #75–76. Marvel Comics.</ref> Later, he was again hired by HYDRA and abducted Sharon Carter for them. He lured Captain America into a rematch, in which he insisted HYDRA not intervene, and again lost; however, when HYDRA agents prepared to kill both Cap and himself, Batroc, incensed at such "men wizout honair", switched sides to help Cap against HYDRA.<ref>Tales of Suspense #85. Marvel Comics.</ref> In both of these stories, Batroc was regarded as a deadly combatant, his skill respected by enemies and employers alike.

Batroc was then hired by a foreign power to locate a "seismo-bomb" with the first known Batroc's Brigade (consisting of the original Swordsman and the Living Laser). Batroc battled Captain America again.<ref>Captain America #105. Marvel Comics.</ref> The Machinesmith's Baron Strucker android known as "the Hood" then hired a new Batroc's Brigade (consisting of the Porcupine and Whirlwind) to battle Captain America.<ref>Captain America #130. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Batroc then formed a third Batroc's Brigade, which consisted of various unnamed henchmen, rather than known supervillains, since supervillains had failed Batroc in the past. The alien Jakar, concealing his true nature and intent, hired this group to abduct children from New York and to battle Captain America and the Falcon. Although Batroc felt no compunction about abducting children, upon learning Jakar's true nature and his intent to use the children's souls to revive his comatose race, he felt his "sense of honair" had been violated by the deception, and he again switched sides, aiding Captain America and the Falcon to rescue the children.<ref>Captain America #149–150. Marvel Comics.</ref> Ward Meachum then hired Batroc's Brigade, who battled Iron Fist and a ninja warrior, several Brigade members dying in the process.<ref>Marvel Premiere #20. Marvel Comics.</ref>

For a while after that, Batroc operated without a Brigade. Alongside an extra-dimensional demon ally, Batroc attempted a theft of transuranium, but was stopped by Captain America and Spider-Man.<ref>Marvel Team-Up #52. Marvel Comics.</ref> Batroc was also a member of the ersatz "Defenders", a group of villains who were impersonating the actual Defenders. They committed robberies while posing as members of the Defenders, until stopped by a Defenders contingent.<ref>The Defenders #63–64. Marvel Comics.</ref> Alongside Mister Hyde, Batroc attempted an extortion scheme against Manhattan. He battled Captain America, but when Mister Hyde decided to carry out the threat, which would kill thousands, Batroc, again showing that there were some lines he would not cross, aided Captain America against Hyde, saving the city.<ref>Captain America #251–252. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Batroc then formed a new, longer-lasting lineup of Batroc's Brigade - this one consisting of Zaran the Weapons Master and Machete. This team was first seen when Obadiah Stane contracted them to steal Captain America's shield and Batroc finally succeeded.<ref>Captain America #302–303. Marvel Comics.</ref> Trick Shot then hired Batroc's Brigade to battle Hawkeye.<ref>Solo Avengers #3. Marvel Comics.</ref> Baron Helmut Zemo then hired Batroc's Brigade to acquire the fragments of the Bloodstone. They battled Captain America and Diamondback.<ref>Captain America #357–362. Marvel Comics.</ref> The Brigade was later hired by Maelstrom to help him build a device that could destroy the universe and battled the Great Lakes Avengers.<ref>GLA: Misassembled #1–4 (2005). Marvel Comics.</ref> Alongside Snakebite, Batroc also battled the Punisher.<ref>Punisher #67. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Later, Batroc the Leaper showed up as a member of a small army of villains organized by Klaw to invade Wakanda, which included the Rhino, the Radioactive Man, the Cannibal, and the Vatican Black Knight. He was defeated by Black Panther's royal bodyguards.<ref>Black Panther vol. 4 #1–6 (2005). Marvel Comics.</ref>

During the crossover JLA/Avengers, Batroc appears as a brainwashed minion of Krona.<ref>JLA/Avengers #4. DC Comics/Marvel Comics.</ref>

Batroc had a daughter, Marie, who is teamed in villainy with the daughter of similar B-list supervillain the Tarantula. Both daughters take their fathers' respective costumes and titles. The Taskmaster expresses his shock that the Tarantula and Batroc are heterosexual before soundly beating the two villains' offspring, tossing them effortlessly off of a building before shooting them in the heads, killing them both, noting that he also "hates ethnic stereotypes."<ref>Agent X #6. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Batroc briefly served among the group of villains forcibly drafted into Baron Helmut Zemo's Thunderbolts army. But after returning to federal custody, Batroc registered with the Superhuman Registration Act,<ref>Avengers: The Initiative #1. Marvel Comics.</ref> and was sent to a superhuman training facility located at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia to train recruits in the martial arts<ref>Iron Man #14. Marvel Comics.</ref> before being transferred over to Camp Hammond.<ref name="battledamage">Template:Cite comic</ref>

Ultimately, however, Batroc found government work unsatisfactory and returned to his mercenary life, confronting the new Captain America while on a job to steal an item from the United Nations.<ref>Captain America (vol. 5) #43. Marvel Comics.</ref> Also, he was working with The Man with No Face, a mysterious being from Captain America's past.<ref>Captain America vol. 5 #44. Marvel Comics.</ref> It is soon revealed that Batroc stole the original Human Torch's remains for reverse engineering.<ref>Captain America vol. 5 #45. Marvel Comics.</ref>

During the "Dark Reign" storyline, Quasimodo analyzed Batroc the Leaper for Norman Osborn. He states that Batroc should be apprehended and punished to serve as a warning to anyone who dares desert the Fifty State Initiative.<ref>Dark Reign Files. Marvel Comics.</ref>

By the events of The Unbelievable Gwenpool, Batroc and a handful of other super individuals were corralled into working for MODOK against their wishes.<ref>The Unbelievable Gwenpool #2 (April 2016) Marvel Comics.</ref> He was fine with it, figuring on earning some money until MODOK would eventually decide to kill him. There he met the metafictional Gwen Poole a.k.a. Gwenpool who killed their team's assassin and took credit for his kills, earning her an unwanted place on the team.<ref>The Unbelievable Gwenpool #2 (March 2016) Marvel Comics.</ref> Finding out that she has no powers and only killed the assassin through luck, after noticing her lack of skill during a fight with Thor, he decided to turn her in, until she convinced him that she was actually from another universe and knew useful information;<ref name=":3">The Unbelievable Gwenpool #3 (June 2016) Marvel Comics.</ref> Batroc is surprised to realise from Gwen's information that he remembers nothing from before his first fight with Captain America, with Gwen explaining that he did not exist before that point due to it being his first appearance, and that he was based on French stereotypes, his Wikipedia page mentioning his name to be derived from frogs.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> Batroc then decided to make Gwen less of a liability by teaching her actual combat moves and the use of weapons, allowing her to subsequently defeat MODOK when he independently found out her secret and took over the team briefly;<ref>The Unbelievable Gwenpool #4 (July 2016) Marvel Comics.</ref> that coming Christmas, Batroc then took time to mourn the deaths of his wife and daughter.<ref>Gwenpool Holiday Special: Merry Mix Up #1 – "Gwenpool's Unbelievable Christmas (a.k.a. the Gwenpool Holiday Special For Real This Time)" (December 2016) Marvel Comics.</ref> After a fight with some aliens in which they did not get paid, and their base was destroyed, the group broke up,<ref>The Unbelievable Gwenpool #10 (January 2017) Marvel Comics.</ref> briefly reuniting after being captured by Arcade.<ref>The Unbelievable Gwenpool #12–13 (February–March 2017) Marvel Comics.</ref>

After Gwen learns her series is coming to an end as a result of choosing to be a hero rather than a villain, erasing an older alternate "evil" version of herself from existence,<ref>The Unbelievable Gwenpool #20 (September 2017) Marvel Comics.</ref><ref>The Unbelievable Gwenpool #23 (December 2017) Marvel Comics.</ref> she convinces Batroc to let her participate in a heist of a casino owned by Chance; having been informed of Gwen's new-found ability to manipulate reality, Batroc has Gwen catch the sound effects as he kicks in the door of Chance's safe, allowing him to do so silently, before escaping with Chance's gold upon being caught by him.<ref name=":24">The Unbelievable Gwenpool #24 (January 2018) Marvel Comics.</ref> After learning from Batroc that Chance was "a Spider-Man bad guy" she had not recognised, and that they have been out "Robin Hooding", Gwen is touched when Batroc reveals that he had put the money aside for her into legitimate accounts, and believes life as a hero is better for her than the mercenary life he lives.<ref name=":24" /> Accepting her series' cancellation and that future Marvel Comics writers will not provide Batroc the same characterisation he has had in The Unbelievable Gwenpool, instead relegating him to being a henchman and minor antagonist, Gwen bids farewell to him and prepares to face oblivion.<ref name=":24" /><ref name="AV">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":2" /> Over a finale montage set over several decades, Batroc joins Gwen in confronting MODOK when he returns from space and remains in contact with her.<ref>The Unbelievable Gwenpool #25 (February 2018) Marvel Comics.</ref><ref name="CB">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

During the Secret Empire storyline, Batroc the Leaper, the Living Laser and Whirlwind are trapped inside the Cosmic Cube and attack a haggard, bearded man in a torn World War II army uniform who identifies himself as Steve Rogers. He is assisted by people that appear to be Sam Wilson and a Bucky Barnes who never lost his arm.<ref>Secret Empire #4. Marvel Comics.</ref>

During the "King in Black" storyline, Batroc the Leaper is among the villains recruited by Mayor Wilson Fisk to join his Thunderbolts at the time of Knull's invasion.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>King in Black: Thunderbolts #1. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Powers and abilitiesEdit

Batroc the Leaper has no superhuman abilities, but is in peak physical condition in every respect. He is an Olympic-level weightlifter and has extraordinary agility and reflexes. His leg muscles are particularly well developed, enabling him to leap great distances equal to an Olympic athlete. He is an expert martial artist and hand-to-hand combatant who specializes in savate, and he is also adept at other martial arts such as Krav Maga.<ref name=":0">Heroes for Hire vol. 3 #6 (July 2011)</ref> He is also skilled in parkour.<ref name=":0" /> He is also a skilled military tactician, having formerly been in the French Foreign Legion.

Batroc is also an experienced thief and smuggler who can speak both French and English.

Other versionsEdit

Ultimate MarvelEdit

The Ultimate Marvel incarnation of Batroc the Leaper is a French jewelry thief. This version's martial arts skills are also present. When he and his thugs were robbing a jewelry store, they are stopped by the new Spider-Man's "venom strike".<ref>Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man vol. 2 #13</ref>

MC2Edit

In the MC2 continuity, Batroc the Leaper still operates his own criminal syndicate, until stopped by American Dream.<ref>American Dream #2. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Marvel ZombiesEdit

A zombiefied version of Batroc the Leaper appears in the third installment of the Marvel Zombies series, where he is killed by Absorbing Man's trademark concrete ball and chain.<ref>Marvel Zombies 3 #3. Marvel Comics.</ref>

House of MEdit

In the alternate continuity of the 2005 "House of M" storyline, Batroc the Leaper is a member of the Hood's extensive-criminal empire.<ref>House of M: Masters of Evil #1. Marvel Comics.</ref> He participated in the takeover of Santo Rico and stayed to fight when the Red Guard came, to protect the sapiens population. He was the first of them to die, attacked by Agent Toad and terminated by two of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s soldiers.<ref>House of M: Masters of Evil #4. Marvel Comics.</ref>

Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe AgainEdit

In Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe Again, Batroc appears alongside Bullseye as one of two mercenaries sent by Red Skull to kill Deadpool after he starts killing off villains. They are ambushed by Deadpool however and Batroc ends up killed by him.<ref>Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe Again #5. (September 2017) Marvel Comics.</ref>

In other mediaEdit

TelevisionEdit

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> This version is a member of Doctor Doom's Lethal Legion.

Marvel Cinematic UniverseEdit

Template:See also Georges Batroc appears in media set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, portrayed by Georges St-Pierre.<ref name="St-Pierre">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This version is an Algerian mercenary and pirate.

|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> wherein he allies with Karli Morgenthau and the Flag Smashers to seek revenge on Sam Wilson for foiling a heist of his before being killed by Sharon Carter for attempting to extort her.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":1" />

Video gamesEdit

MiscellaneousEdit

Batroc the Leaper appears in the motion comic Marvel Video Comics: Training Day, voiced by Mark Oliver.Template:Cn

MerchandiseEdit

Batroc the Leaper received an action figure in Hasbro's Marvel Legends toy line.

See alsoEdit

ReferencesEdit

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External linksEdit

Template:Captain America characters Template:Black Panther (Marvel Comics) Template:Great Lakes Avengers Template:Thunderbolts Template:Stan Lee Template:Jack Kirby

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