Jericho
Back to Villains Main > Jericho
Real Identity: Joseph "Joe" Wilson
Affiliations: H.I.V.E.
Appearances: Part One and The Movie
Powers/Skills: Telepathy and Telekinesis
Voiced By: Asher Bishop and Griffin Puato
Joseph Wilson is the son of Slade and Adeline Wilson. One night, Slade Wilson called from San Miguel. Joseph Wilson interrupted and asked if he could talk to his father. Wilson asked him if he brushed his teeth yet. He confirmed then asked him to read to him over the phone. Wilson tried to tell him he was late for a dinner meeting but he asked for just a little. Wilson knew what "A little, little" meant. Wilson opened his green suitcase and got out his copy of "Knights & Dragons" then started reading. Wilson stopped at "Into legend, into lore" and convinced his son to turn in. Joseph Wilson crawled under his blanket, stood up, and mimicked shooting a gun. He asked his mother to read to him. She pointed out his father already read to him. He pleaded. She wasn't falling for his wide eyed, innocent routine. He hugged her and pleaded again. She conceded and reached for "Knights & Dragons" but he contended that was just for his father. She called him "the commanding officer" of this family.
Adeline Wilson tucked Joseph in and stepped outside the bedroom. She was attacked by The Jackal and got knocked out. Jackal kidnapped Joseph to use as a bargaining chip. Slade Wilson, as Deathstroke, confronted Jackal and still refused to join H.I.V.E. even though Joseph was in danger. After Deathstroke dispatched Bronze Tiger and another operative, a part of the floor opened and a glass enclosure rose up. Joseph Wilson was held at knife point by a H.I.V.E. Soldier. Deathstroke severed Tiger's arm and threw out a flash bomb. He stabbed Jackal through his gut and threw him aside. He told Joseph not to be afraid and charged. Deathstroke broke through but he wasn't fast enough. The soldier slit his throat then was killed. Deathstroke picked Joseph up then leveled the building with three grenades. Joseph Wilson survived but he was could never talk again. At the hospital, Adeline Wilson's glare said enough. Slade Wilson left them. He wrote one letter to Joseph explaining he agreed with his mother that it was for the best that he stay away for awhile. He claimed he was a knight like him his book and slayed dragons so they would never hurt him or his mother.
Slade Wilson never made contact or even tried to see his son. For his own safety, Adeline Wilson chose a private academy in Switzerland for Joseph's schooling. No one knew Joseph manifested mental powers. Whatever the serum did to his father's physiology was passed down to him. He was isolated, trapped, and friendless with his soul and mind on fire. Somehow, the H.I.V.E. Queen learned of him and recruited him to her cell. He bonded with her after finding out she was his half-sister. 10 years after the Jackal kidnapped Joseph, the Queen revealed her cell's existence to Deathstroke and teased she was interested in the Wilson family. Wilson reiterated he wasn't joining them. She told him not to flatter himself, and intimated they had the son. She showed him a feed of Joseph lying down on a floor then compared Deathstroke to a hand gun and Joseph to a nuclear bomb. Joseph suddenly started to power up. Queen declared Joseph belonged to her. Wilson demanded to know what she did to him. She chuckled in surprise and stated he did it. She scoffed upon realizing Wilson didn't know he was the source of his son's powers.
Deathstroke went to the H.I.V.E. Queen's base in the Kerguelens and quickly surrendered so he would be brought to her. Deathstroke cut to the chase and demanded his son. She was amused by his sudden concern for him after he was left trapped, isolated, and friendless with his mind and soul on fire. Deathstroke stated he didn't know his son had powers. She wondered if he didn't want to. He was taken to the chamber holding Joseph. Deathstroke thought he was their lab rat. She countered they were training him and helping him master his powers. Deathstroke pointed out he was locked up. She stated it was for his own protection since his psychic energies were still wildly unstable. Still, she keyed on how limitless his potential was. Deathstroke assumed she meant as a weapon. She confirmed as much and told him to imagine manipulation on a global scale through the power of mind. H.I.V.E. Would dominate the world with no bullets or bombs. Deathstroke pounded on the chamber and called out to Joseph. Joseph had flashbacks to when his throat was slit. Shiva put her swords to Deathstroke's neck in a "x" pattern.
The Queen revealed they gave him a new name, Jericho, because he was going to bring down the walls of the old order tumbling down. She nodded and Shiva released Deathstroke. The Queen inquired if he ever cared about Joseph or if this was just another adventure to prove his questionable manhood. She claimed H.I.V.E. was now his family. Jericho used telepathy to ask Deathstroke for his help. Deathstroke told him to get back. He planted an explosive on the chamber. The Queen saw it but it was too late. The explosion rocked the room. Deathstroke put Jericho over his shoulder and bolted, shooting soldiers he came across. A mounted device fired a bola at him. They dropped over a ledge. Deathstroke jumped off a moving ledge, fired a grapnel, and made it into a doorway with Jericho. They were soon surrounded. Jericho awakened and used his powers to render them all unconscious. Jericho claimed to know a way out. He used his telepathy to make Deathstroke think he radioed Wintergreen then used telekinesis to open steel doors. He dropped to his knees and revealed that was all he could do.
Deathstroke tried to hail Wintergreen but his gauntlet fried. Jericho informed him Wintergreen wasn't coming and revealed he blocked the signal. Deathstroke asked him why. Jericho revealed he wouldn't betray his own sister. He didn't understand. Jericho tapped his head. Deathstroke realized the H.I.V.E. Queen was the daughter of him and the Cambodian woman he slept with. He tried to explain his motives to Jericho. Jericho cut him off and told him he came riding to the rescue like a knight in shining armor. Deathstroke called out to him. He stated Joseph was gone and there was only Jericho. H.I.V.E. caught up to them. Jericho bid Deathstroke goodbye. The soldiers opened fire on Deathstroke. After talking innumerable amounts of bullets, Deathstroke dropped to his knees. Lady Shiva pushed him off the cliff into the ocean then congratulated Jericho. Jericho took one last look then walked back into the facility.