- "The people that i executed were innocent, which meant that I was the guilty one, that that cabal, they turned me into a murderer, which they made me punish the innocent."
- —Bertrand's confession.[src]
Bertrand Eldon was the former executioner at Blackgate Penitentiary turned vigilante known as the Executioner.
Biography
Early life
For 20 years, Bertrand worked at Blackgate Penitentiary executing criminals. Years later, he realized that all those he executed were innocent and were set up by a combined cabal of ada Angus Stanton, detective Stu Donnelly and judge Raymond Calverick.[1]
Rampage as the Executioner and death
In 2019, feeling extremely horrible with himself and remorseful for the innocents he murdered, he donned the guise of the "Executioner" and attacked the three corrupt law enforcement starting with electrifying ADA Stanton. Later, he set up a trap that resembled a firing squad to kill Stu Donnelly, which he succeeded in but also accidentally shot Sophie Moore. Searching resources for the third execution method, he runs into Batwoman while searching for hydrogen cyanide, but his car knocked her out giving him the possibility to steal the gas. He would try to kill judge Calverick in the courtroom but got interrupted by Batwoman once again. He attacked her but he is shot dead by Jacob Kane. His death caused a dead man's switch to trigger and make hydrogen cyanide fill the room, which was his plan for Calverick all along.[1]
Abilities
- Keen intellect: Bertrand was able to deduce the individuals he executed were innocent and find out there was a corrupt group of officials blaming them. He was also able to create a dead man switch.
- Expert investigator: Bertrand was not only able to deduce that the individuals he executed were innocent, but they were also framed by Angus Stanton, Stu Donnelly and Raymond Calverick.
- Skilled Engineer: Bertrand was able to set up an automatic firing squad trap for Stu Donnelly. Along with being able to set up a dead man's switch to trap both Batwoman and Jacob Kane.
- Skilled hand-to-hand combatant: Bertrand was a ferocious hand to hand combatant relying on a straightforward and fierce style combined with raw strength to overwhelm his opponents. He was able to dominate Batwoman and nearly kill her before he got stopped.
- Expert ax wielder: Using his axe he was able to chop down a eletric pole with a single swing. He also displayed great dexterity using his axe in combat against the highly agile Batwoman.
Equipment
- Executioner suit: Bertrand used a suit to terrify his victims as the Executioner.[1]
- Battle Axe: Bertrand used an axe as his main weapon of choice.[1]
Appearances
Batwoman
Season 1
Behind the scenes
- In the DC comics, the Executioner was a carnival worker who murdered wanted criminals and claimed the reward. His first appearance in the comics was Detective Comics #191.
- This version of the character also shares similarities with Lock-Up, the former security head of Arkham Asylum fired for use of excessive force, who later became a murderous vigilante to make his own justice.