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|name= Henry Heywood
 
|name= Henry Heywood
 
|image= Henry Heywood.png
 
|image= Henry Heywood.png
  +
|species=Humans
|occupation= Flight commander for [[NASA]]<br/>Member of the [[Justice Society of America]] <small>(formerly)</small>
 
|status= Deceased
+
|status= Deceased
 
|occupation= Flight commander for [[NASA]] <small>(formerly)</small>
|family= [[Bettie Heywood]] <small>(wife)</small><br>[[Hank Heywood]] <small>(son)</small><br/>[[Nate Heywood]] <small>(grandson)</small>
 
  +
|affiliation={{F|Justice Society of America|(formerly)}}<br>{{F|NASA|(formerly)}}<br>{{F|page=United States Army (Earth-1)|United States Army|(formerly)}}
|actor= [[Matthew MacCaull]]
 
 
|family={{F|Bettie Heywood|(wife)}}<br>{{F|Hank Heywood|(son; deceased)}}<br/>{{F|Nate Heywood|(grandson)}}
  +
|homeuniverse=Earth-1
 
|alterego= Commander Steel
 
|alterego= Commander Steel
 
|aeimage= Commander Steel.png
 
|aeimage= Commander Steel.png
 
|codename= Chameleon
 
|codename= Chameleon
 
|actor= [[Matthew MacCaull]]
 
|show= DC's Legends of Tomorrow
 
|show= DC's Legends of Tomorrow
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{Quote|I'm a hero to a lot of people; that's the job.|Henry Heywood|The Justice Society of America}}
 
{{Quote|I'm a hero to a lot of people; that's the job.|Henry Heywood|The Justice Society of America}}
'''Henry Heywood''' (died April 13, 1970) was a a flight commander for [[NASA]] and a former member of the [[Justice Society of America]] known as '''Commander Steel''' and '''Henry the Chameleon'''. He was the husband of [[Bettie Heywood]], father of [[Hank Heywood]], and grandfather of [[Nate Heywood]].
+
'''Henry Heywood''' (died April 13, 1970) was a flight commander for [[NASA]] and a former member of the [[Justice Society of America]] known as '''Commander Steel''' and '''The Chameleon'''. He was the husband of [[Bettie Heywood]], father of the late [[Hank Heywood]], and grandfather of [[Nate Heywood]].
   
He became a guardian for a fragment to the Spear of Destiny and managed to hide it on the moon. He ultimately met his demise when he sacrificed himself to save the [[Legends]] and the [[Waverider]]. His dogtags served as an heirloom that was passed to his son and later to his grandson.
+
He became a guardian for a fragment to the Spear of Destiny and managed to hide it on the moon. He ultimately met his demise when he sacrificed himself to save the [[Legends]] and the ''[[Waverider]]''. His dogtags served as an heirloom that was passed to his son and later to his grandson.
   
 
==Biography==
 
==Biography==
Sometime prior to 1939, Henry Heywood joined the army, and was given dog tags with the number 070233; he continued to regularly wear them throughout his career. In 1939, he saved President [[Roosevelt]] from an assassin's bullet, which left a dent in one his tags. Before he had been recruited into the JSA he was a fighter pilot.<ref name="The Justice Society of America">{{Ep|The Justice Society of America}}</ref>
 
   
  +
=== Military and superhero career ===
After the [[Legends]] forced [[Albert Einstein]] to reveal [[Mileva Maric]] as the physicist's secret collaborator in 1942, Heywood and the [[Justice Society of America]] intercepted the team and wanted to bring them in for questioning.<ref name="Out of Time">{{Ep|Out of Time|page=Out of Time (DC's Legends of Tomorrow)}}</ref>
 
 
Henry Heywood served in the [[United States Army (Earth-1)|United States Army]] and was given dog tags with the number 070233, which he continued to regularly wear them throughout his career. In 1939, Henry saved President [[Roosevelt]] from an assassin's bullet, which left a dent in one his tags. During his military career, he was a fighter pilot.<ref name="The Justice Society of America">{{Ep|The Justice Society of America}}</ref>
   
  +
During [[World War II]], Henry was recruited into the [[Justice Society of America]] under the moniker "Commander Steel". Despite the organization's strict professionalism, Henry worked to maintain a camaraderie with his teammates, such as trying to get them to sing whilst on stakeouts, with mixed success.<ref name="Compromised" />
[[File:The Justice Society of America meet the Legends.png|thumb|258px|Henry and his team confront the Legends.]]
 
  +
  +
=== Working with the Legends ===
 
After the [[Legends]] forced [[Albert Einstein]] to reveal [[Mileva Maric]] as the physicist's secret collaborator in 1942, Heywood and the [[Justice Society of America]] intercepted the team and wanted to bring them in for questioning.<ref name="Out of Time">{{Ep|Out of Time (DC's Legends of Tomorrow)}}</ref>
  +
 
[[File:The Justice Society of America meet the Legends.png|thumb|250x250px|Henry and his team confront the Legends.]]
 
When [[Nate Heywood]] saw him, he seemed somewhat awestruck though Henry was at a loss for why. The Legends then revealed that they knew [[Rex Tyler]] though the JSA insisted that Rex never said anything about them. When they were ready to bring them in, the Legends began to resist sparking a fight. Henry quickly knocked Nate out before he and [[Courtney|Stargirl]] moved to fight against [[Firestorm]]. The JSA managed to incapacitate the Legends and brought them back to their headquarters. Henry thought that they should send them to the Bellevue Mental Hospital as he thought they were crazy for their talk of time travel. However, it was revealed that Nate Heywood had his own copy of his dog tags because he was his future grandson. Nate was excited to finally meet him but Henry tried hard to not look or speak to him.
 
When [[Nate Heywood]] saw him, he seemed somewhat awestruck though Henry was at a loss for why. The Legends then revealed that they knew [[Rex Tyler]] though the JSA insisted that Rex never said anything about them. When they were ready to bring them in, the Legends began to resist sparking a fight. Henry quickly knocked Nate out before he and [[Courtney|Stargirl]] moved to fight against [[Firestorm]]. The JSA managed to incapacitate the Legends and brought them back to their headquarters. Henry thought that they should send them to the Bellevue Mental Hospital as he thought they were crazy for their talk of time travel. However, it was revealed that Nate Heywood had his own copy of his dog tags because he was his future grandson. Nate was excited to finally meet him but Henry tried hard to not look or speak to him.
   
 
When the team was dispatched to Paris to intercept a Nazi named [[Krieger]], they ran into the Legends again as they had learned history had changed and the JSA didn't make it back from the mission alive. Nate pulled Henry aside and wondered why he wasn't speaking to him and Henry revealed that his grandson's idolization of him scared him. He said that he did what he did so others like his son and even his grandson didn't have to. Nate told him that, because of his health condition, he was shielded his whole life and wanted to be a hero like him though Henry told him that he didn't have to be a soldier to be a hero. Henry fought with the JSA and Legends to intercept an exchange that Krieger was overseeing but they were caught off guard when Krieger transformed into a berserker monster due to a serum and kidnapped [[Amaya Jiwe|Amaya]] and [[Ray Palmer|Ray]]. He fought with the team to rescue them but was unable to get far enough away when a bomb strike was ordered. Nate arrived with a motorbike to help him but they were unable to get fully away when a bomb made them crash and injured Nate.
 
When the team was dispatched to Paris to intercept a Nazi named [[Krieger]], they ran into the Legends again as they had learned history had changed and the JSA didn't make it back from the mission alive. Nate pulled Henry aside and wondered why he wasn't speaking to him and Henry revealed that his grandson's idolization of him scared him. He said that he did what he did so others like his son and even his grandson didn't have to. Nate told him that, because of his health condition, he was shielded his whole life and wanted to be a hero like him though Henry told him that he didn't have to be a soldier to be a hero. Henry fought with the JSA and Legends to intercept an exchange that Krieger was overseeing but they were caught off guard when Krieger transformed into a berserker monster due to a serum and kidnapped [[Amaya Jiwe|Amaya]] and [[Ray Palmer|Ray]]. He fought with the team to rescue them but was unable to get far enough away when a bomb strike was ordered. Nate arrived with a motorbike to help him but they were unable to get fully away when a bomb made them crash and injured Nate.
   
[[File:Henry and Nate Heywood.png|thumb|left|258px|Henry Heywood bidding his future grandson Nate goodbye.]]
+
[[File:Henry and Nate Heywood.png|thumb|left|250x250px|Henry Heywood bidding his future grandson Nate goodbye.]]
Nate's life was starting to be in jeopardy and Henry was angrily asking if there was anything that could be done for him as they were all from the future. Ray arrived with a modified version of the serum and injected Nate, saving his life. Henry stayed by Nate's side until he woke up and was happy to see that he was going to be okay. When Nate's dog tags returned, it appeared that history was back on course again. Henry told Nate that he was a hero after all. He and his team were then returned back to their headquarters where their leader Rex Tyler had been killed shortly afterwards.
+
Nate's life was starting to be in jeopardy and Henry was angrily asking if there was anything that could be done for him as they were all from the future. Ray arrived with a modified version of the serum and injected Nate, saving his life. Henry stayed by Nate's side until he woke up and was happy to see that he was going to be okay. When Nate's dog tags returned, it appeared that history was back on course again. Henry told Nate that he was a hero after all. He and his team were then returned back to their headquarters, where their leader, Rex Tyler, had been killed shortly afterwards.<ref name="The Justice Society of America"/>
<ref name="The Justice Society of America"/>
 
   
  +
=== Finding the Spear of Destiny and retirement ===
[[File:Rip Hunter and the JSA retrieve the Spear of Destiny.png|thumb|258px|Commander Steel and his team being led by Rip Hunter to the Spear of Destiny.]]
+
[[File:Rip Hunter and the JSA retrieve the Spear of Destiny.png|thumb|250x250px|Commander Steel and his team being led by Rip Hunter to the Spear of Destiny.]]
In 1956 President Eisenhower sent an order for Henry and the JSA (sans [[Todd Rice|Obsidian]]) to go on a mission to [[Leipzig]], but they never made it back. When he, Stargirl and [[Charles|Dr. Mid-Nite]] were there, they were aided by [[Rip Hunter]], to recover the [[Spear of Destiny]]. They found that the spear's power was to great for any one person to wield. Breaking it into four pieces, Henry took a piece and was transported<ref>{{Ep|Camelot/3000}}</ref> by Rip to [[Manhattan]] in 1965.<ref name="Moonshot">{{Ep|Moonshot}}</ref>
+
In 1956, President Eisenhower sent an order for Henry and the JSA (sans [[Todd Rice|Obsidian]]) to go on a mission to [[Leipzig]], but they never made it back. When he, Stargirl and [[Charles|Dr. Mid-Nite]] were there, they were aided by [[Rip Hunter]], to recover the [[Spear of Destiny]]. They found that the spear's power was too great for any one person to wield. Breaking it into four pieces, Henry took a piece and was transported<ref>{{Ep|Camelot/3000}}</ref> by Rip to [[Manhattan]] in 1965.<ref name="Moonshot">{{Ep|Moonshot}}</ref>
   
  +
Over the next five years, Henry worked his way up the ranks at [[NASA]], eventually becoming a flight commander.<ref name="Moonshot" />
Over the next five years, Henry worked his way up the ranks at [[NASA]], eventually becoming a flight commander. During the launch of the Apollo 13 capsule into space, he was visited by the Legends, among whom was Rip. When he was approached by Rip, Henry went and gave him a hard punch across the jaw and locked him up as he thought he wasn't ever supposed to see him again. When he reunited with the Legends they explained their situation, how the [[Legion of Doom]] was hunting the fragments, and so they wished to retrieve the final piece. Discovering him to have hidden it in Neil Armstrong's flag on the moon, they flew their way into space aboard the ''Waverider'', only to discover that [[Eobard Thawne]], a member of the Legion, was ahead of them. Due to a small meteoroid field, the ''Waverider'' lost most of its power, causing it to have trouble re-entering the Earth's atmosphere with the lunar module. Henry met back up with Nate and he confessed that he was actually happy to see them again because he now had a chance to go back and reunite with his wife and son and make it like he never left, which Nate was happy about. However, they were overheard by [[Amaya Jiwe|Amaya]] and she told Henry that doing that could change the person that his son could become as well as change Nate, if he even is born at all. Henry didn't take that into account and though Nate argued that it might not be a risk, Henry didn't want to take the chance. He then went and apologized to Rip for hitting him and blaming him for his own decision to leave his family for the sake of the mission. [[Martin Stein]] contacted the team and informed them that Hank Heywood was at mission control and Henry confessed that he rigged a contest to be able to finally meet with him.[[File:Henry Heywood's sacrifice.png|thumb|left|258px|Henry says a final goodbye to his grandson before he sacrifices himself to save the Waverider.]] When the Waverider had to re-enter the Earth at an angle of 38°, it was determined that the cargo bay door had to be opened to correctly angle the ship though the person would no doubt lose their life. Henry decided to sacrifice himself to correctly angle the ship and he headed for the cargo bay. He shared one last look with his grandson and told him to tell his son back on Earth that he was sorry before he unlocked the cargo bay door of the ship, and getting sucked straight out into the atmosphere.
 
   
  +
=== Final mission and death ===
Nate went down to see his young father where he noticed he was wearing the dogtags which Hank told him belonged to his father but he died before he could know him. Nate assured Hank that his father was sorry he left him.<ref name="Moonshot" />
 
 
During the launch of the Apollo 13 capsule into space, he was visited by the Legends, among whom was Rip. When he was approached by Rip, Henry went and gave him a hard punch across the jaw and locked him up as he thought he wasn't ever supposed to see him again. When he reunited with the Legends they explained their situation, how the [[Legion of Doom]] was hunting the fragments, and so they wished to retrieve the final piece. Discovering him to have hidden it in Neil Armstrong's flag on the moon, they flew their way into space aboard the ''Waverider'', only to discover that [[Eobard Thawne]], a member of the Legion, was ahead of them. Due to a small meteoroid field, the ''Waverider'' lost most of its power, causing it to have trouble re-entering the Earth's atmosphere with the lunar module. Henry met back up with Nate and he confessed that he was actually happy to see them again because he now had a chance to go back and reunite with his wife and son and make it like he never left, which Nate was happy about. However, they were overheard by [[Amaya Jiwe|Amaya]] and she told Henry that doing that could change the person that his son could become as well as change Nate, if he even is born at all. Henry didn't take that into account and though Nate argued that it might not be a risk, Henry didn't want to take the chance. He then went and apologized to Rip for hitting him and blaming him for his own decision to leave his family for the sake of the mission. [[Martin Stein]] contacted the team and informed them that Hank Heywood was at mission control and Henry confessed that he rigged a contest to be able to finally meet with him.
   
  +
[[File:Henry Heywood's sacrifice.png|thumb|left|250x250px|Henry says a final goodbye to his grandson before he sacrifices himself to save the ''Waverider''.]] When the ''Waverider'' had to re-enter the Earth at an angle of 38°, it was determined that the cargo bay door had to be opened to correctly angle the ship, though the person would no doubt lose their life. Henry decided to sacrifice himself to correctly angle the ''Waverider'' and headed for the cargo bay. Henry shared one last look with his grandson and requested him to tell Hank back on Earth that he was sorry. Henry then unlocked the cargo bay door of the ship and was sucked straight out into the atmosphere, eventually dying of oxygen deprivation.<ref name="Moonshot" />
===Legacy===
 
  +
After his apparent death in 1956, his wife gave their son, [[Hank Heywood|Hank]], the dog tags, which he eventually passed down to his own son.<ref name="The Justice Society of America"/>
 
 
== Legacy ==
 
After Henry's apparent death in 1956, [[Bettie Heywood|Bettie]] gave their son, [[Hank Heywood|Hank]], his dog tags, which the latter eventually passed down to his own son, [[Nate Heywood|Nate]].<ref name="The Justice Society of America" />
  +
 
In 1970, moments after Henry's death, Nate went down to see his young father, Hank, at [[NASA]]. Nate noticed Hank was wearing Henry's dog tags. Hank explained they belonged to his father, who had died before he could know his son. Nate assured Hank that Henry was sorry for leaving him.<ref name="Moonshot" />
  +
  +
[[File:Henry Heywood glamour.png|thumb|250x250px|A glamor of Hank confronts Nate.]]
  +
When [[Sara Lance]] was corrupted by wearing the [[Death Totem]], she made a glamor of Henry to psychologically torment Nate. The vision of Henry played on his grandson's guilt over the former's death, indicating Nate should have been the one sucked out into space instead. Henry then brutally pummeled Nate, denouncing him as a "disappointment" to the family and claiming he wasn't worthy of [[Amaya Jiwe|Amaya]].<ref>{{Ep|Necromancing the Stone}}</ref>
   
 
==Personality==
 
==Personality==
Henry never wanted to be seen as a hero, merely a person, a belief he relayed to his grandson Nate when the latter traveled back in time to 1942. Usually appearing rough around the edges and possessing a no-nonsense attitude, Henry was not purely a grouch; he regularly sung to the JSA to raise their spirits when on missions, and often tried to teach [[Amaya Jiwe]] to sing along, though he never succeeded.<ref name="The Justice Society of America"/>
+
Henry never wanted to be seen as a hero, merely a person, a belief he relayed to his grandson Nate when the latter traveled back in time to 1942. Usually appearing rough around the edges and possessing a no-nonsense attitude, Henry was not purely a grouch; he regularly sung to the JSA to raise their spirits when on missions, and often tried to teach [[Amaya Jiwe]] to sing along, though he never succeeded.
   
Henry's somewhat gruff exterior was notably seen during his interactions with his future grandson. Despite his rough demeanor towards his descendant, Henry offered Nate sound advice and appears proud of the hero that Nate would become. He also felt a certain attachment to Nate, sitting by his side following Nate's recovery from his injuries on board the ''Waverider''. He also enjoyed his time in space with Nate, having bonded with his grandson even further. Upon sacrificing his life to ensure atmospheric re-entry to Earth, he revealed to Nate just how much he loved and respected him, deciding that Nate should not have to bear the burden of sacrificing his life, feeling satisfied that he'd done his duty to his country, planet, and family. Henry's sacrifice profoundly shook Nate, causing him to emotionally break down in Amaya's arms, showing how deeply the two Heywood men had bonded.
+
Henry's somewhat gruff exterior was notably seen during his interactions with his future grandson. Despite his rough demeanor towards his descendant, Henry offered Nate sound advice and appears proud of the hero that Nate would become. He also felt a certain attachment to Nate, sitting by his side following Nate's recovery from his injuries on board the ''Waverider''. He also enjoyed his time in space with Nate, having bonded with his grandson even further. Upon sacrificing his life to ensure atmospheric re-entry to Earth, he revealed to Nate just how much he loved and respected him, deciding that Nate should not have to bear the burden of sacrificing his life, feeling satisfied that he'd done his duty to his country, planet, and family. Henry's sacrifice profoundly shook Nate, causing him to emotionally break down in Amaya's arms, showing how deeply the two Heywood men had bonded.
   
During his time as a flight commander for NASA, Henry became resentful of Rip Hunter due to having had to abandon his wife and son in order to protect his fragment of the Spear of Destiny. This extended to the point where he punched Rip in the face, locked him up, and refused to speak with him. However, upon his grandson revealing how Rip had lost his own wife and child, Henry became considerably more at ease.<ref name="Moonshot"/>
+
During his time as a flight commander for NASA, Henry became resentful of Rip Hunter due to having had to abandon his wife and son in order to protect his fragment of the Spear of Destiny. This extended to the point where he punched Rip in the face, locked him up, and refused to speak with him. However, upon his grandson revealing how Rip had lost his own wife and child, Henry became considerably more at ease.
   
 
==Abilities==
 
==Abilities==
  +
*'''Expert hand-to-hand combatant:''' Henry was incredibly strong in close combat.
*'''[[Marksmanship|Expert marksman]]:''' Henry was masterful with firearms, protecting the [[Legends]] and fighting [[Nazi]]s.<ref name="The Justice Society of America"/>
 
*'''Expert hand-to-hand combatant:''' Henry was incredibly strong in close combat.<ref name="The Justice Society of America"/>
+
**'''[[Marksmanship|Expert marksman]]:''' Henry was masterful with firearms, protecting the [[Legends]] and fighting [[Nazi]]s.<ref name="The Justice Society of America" />
*'''Multilingual:''' As noted by Amaya, Henry was fluent in seven languages, to the point of being able to sound like a native in each.<ref name="Moonshot"/>
+
*'''Multilingualism:''' As noted by [[Amaya Jiwe]], Henry was fluent in seven languages (including [[English]]), to the point of being able to sound like a native in each.<ref name="Moonshot" />
*'''Performance/Singing:''' Henry was an avid singer with a beautiful voice, his songs kept his team's spirit on harsh missions.<ref name="Compromised">{{Ep|Compromised}}</ref>
+
*'''Singing:''' Henry was an avid singer with a beautiful voice. His songs kept the [[Justice Society of America|JSA]]'s spirits up during harsh missions.<ref name="Compromised">{{Ep|Compromised}}</ref>
*'''Stealth/infiltration:''' Henry earned another nickname as the "the Chameleon" for his talent to move about unnoticed and conceal his true nature. His talent ultimately allowed him to effectively adopt a whole new lifestyle in 1970, becoming a lead official in NASA.<ref name="Moonshot"/>
+
*'''Stealth/infiltration:''' Henry earned another nickname as the "the Chameleon" for his talent to move about unnoticed and conceal his true nature. His talent ultimately allowed him to effectively adopt a whole new lifestyle in 1970, becoming a lead official in [[NASA]].<ref name="Moonshot" />
   
 
==Equipment==
 
==Equipment==
 
[[File:Commander Steel design.png|thumb|250px|Nate's sketch, signed as "Commander Steel!!" [''sic''] ]]
 
*'''[[Commander Steel uniform]]:''' Henry uses this specialized uniform on his missions as a member of the JSA.
 
*'''[[Commander Steel uniform]]:''' Henry uses this specialized uniform on his missions as a member of the JSA.
*'''Dog tags #060233:''' This item was passed in the Heywood family throughout generations, eventually ending in Nate's hands. When Henry saved President Roosevelt from an assassin's bullet, it left a dent in the tags.
+
**'''Dog tags #070233:''' This item was passed in the Heywood family throughout generations, eventually ending in Nate's hands. When Henry saved President Roosevelt from an assassin's bullet, it left a dent in the tags.
*'''[[Gun|Rifle]]:''' Henry uses a modified rifle on his missions as Commander Steel.
+
*'''[[Gun|Winchester 1897]]:''' Henry uses a modified shotgun on his missions as Commander Steel.<ref name="The Justice Society of America"/><ref name="Out of Time"/>
  +
*'''[[Gun|Colt M1911A1]]:''' Henry used this pistol as a sidearm.
   
 
==Appearances==
 
==Appearances==
[[File:Commander Steel design.png|thumb|250px|Nate's sketch, signed as "Commander Steel!!" [''sic''] ]]
 
 
===''DC's Legends of Tomorrow''===
 
===''DC's Legends of Tomorrow''===
  +
{{Scroll|
 
====Season 2====
 
====Season 2====
*{{Ep|Out of Time|page=Out of Time (DC's Legends of Tomorrow)|(as Commander Steel)}}
+
*{{Ep|Out of Time (DC's Legends of Tomorrow)|}}
 
*{{Ep|The Justice Society of America}}
 
*{{Ep|The Justice Society of America}}
*{{Ep|Shogun|(mentioned)}}
+
*{{Ep|Shogun|m}}
 
*{{Ep|Compromised|(pictured)}}
 
*{{Ep|Compromised|(pictured)}}
 
*{{Ep|Outlaw Country|(codename written on sketch)}}
 
*{{Ep|Outlaw Country|(codename written on sketch)}}
*{{Ep|Camelot/3000|(flashback; as Commander Steel)}}
+
*{{Ep|Camelot/3000|(flashback)}}
 
*{{Ep|Land of the Lost|(flashback)}}
 
*{{Ep|Land of the Lost|(flashback)}}
 
*{{Ep|Moonshot}}
 
*{{Ep|Moonshot}}
  +
  +
====Season 3====
  +
*{{Ep|Welcome to the Jungle|m}}
  +
*{{Ep|Necromancing the Stone|(glamor)}}
  +
  +
====Season 4====
  +
*{{Ep|Tender is the Nate|m}}
  +
*{{Ep|The Getaway|m}}
  +
*{{Ep|Séance and Sensibility|m}}
  +
}}
   
 
==Behind the scenes==
 
==Behind the scenes==
 
*In the DC comics, [[w:c:dc:Hank Heywood|Hank Heywood]] was crippled during World War II, and a scientist used cybernetic upgrades to make him extremely powerful. He took the name "Commander Steel", originally just "Steel", and became a member of the All-Star Squadron. His grandson Hank Heywood III also had to be rebuilt after an injury, and he became the second Steel working with Justice League Detroit. Heywood's other grandson Nathan became Citizen Steel as a member of the Justice Society.
 
*In the DC comics, [[w:c:dc:Hank Heywood|Hank Heywood]] was crippled during World War II, and a scientist used cybernetic upgrades to make him extremely powerful. He took the name "Commander Steel", originally just "Steel", and became a member of the All-Star Squadron. His grandson Hank Heywood III also had to be rebuilt after an injury, and he became the second Steel working with Justice League Detroit. Heywood's other grandson Nathan became Citizen Steel as a member of the Justice Society.
**In the New 52 continuity, [[w:c:dc:Henry Heywood, Jr. (Earth 2)|Henry Heywood]] became known as Captain Steel, after his scientist father Henry Heywood, Sr., used a special metal alloy to make his bones stronger by binding with his DNA; however, it replaced the bones and some of his vital organs entirely, while imbuing him with super-strength and a mental control over machinery.
+
**In the ''New 52'' continuity, [[w:c:dc:Henry Heywood, Jr. (Earth 2)|Henry Heywood]] became known as Captain Steel, after his scientist father Henry Heywood, Sr., used a special metal alloy to make his bones stronger by binding with his DNA; however, it replaced the bones and some of his vital organs entirely, while imbuing him with super-strength and a mental control over machinery.
   
 
==References==
 
==References==
<references/>
+
<references />
 
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heywood, Henry}}
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heywood, Henry}}
   
Line 87: Line 114:
 
[[Category:Allusions to the comics]]
 
[[Category:Allusions to the comics]]
 
[[Category:Members of the Justice Society of America]]
 
[[Category:Members of the Justice Society of America]]
[[Category:Characters from Earth One]]
+
[[Category:Military]]
[[Category:Humans]]
 
[[Category:Deceased]]
 

Revision as of 05:18, 17 February 2020

"I'm a hero to a lot of people; that's the job."
—Henry Heywood[src]

Henry Heywood (died April 13, 1970) was a flight commander for NASA and a former member of the Justice Society of America known as Commander Steel and The Chameleon. He was the husband of Bettie Heywood, father of the late Hank Heywood, and grandfather of Nate Heywood.

He became a guardian for a fragment to the Spear of Destiny and managed to hide it on the moon. He ultimately met his demise when he sacrificed himself to save the Legends and the Waverider. His dogtags served as an heirloom that was passed to his son and later to his grandson.

Biography

Military and superhero career

Henry Heywood served in the United States Army and was given dog tags with the number 070233, which he continued to regularly wear them throughout his career. In 1939, Henry saved President Roosevelt from an assassin's bullet, which left a dent in one his tags. During his military career, he was a fighter pilot.[1]

During World War II, Henry was recruited into the Justice Society of America under the moniker "Commander Steel". Despite the organization's strict professionalism, Henry worked to maintain a camaraderie with his teammates, such as trying to get them to sing whilst on stakeouts, with mixed success.[2]

Working with the Legends

After the Legends forced Albert Einstein to reveal Mileva Maric as the physicist's secret collaborator in 1942, Heywood and the Justice Society of America intercepted the team and wanted to bring them in for questioning.[3]

The Justice Society of America meet the Legends

Henry and his team confront the Legends.

When Nate Heywood saw him, he seemed somewhat awestruck though Henry was at a loss for why. The Legends then revealed that they knew Rex Tyler though the JSA insisted that Rex never said anything about them. When they were ready to bring them in, the Legends began to resist sparking a fight. Henry quickly knocked Nate out before he and Stargirl moved to fight against Firestorm. The JSA managed to incapacitate the Legends and brought them back to their headquarters. Henry thought that they should send them to the Bellevue Mental Hospital as he thought they were crazy for their talk of time travel. However, it was revealed that Nate Heywood had his own copy of his dog tags because he was his future grandson. Nate was excited to finally meet him but Henry tried hard to not look or speak to him.

When the team was dispatched to Paris to intercept a Nazi named Krieger, they ran into the Legends again as they had learned history had changed and the JSA didn't make it back from the mission alive. Nate pulled Henry aside and wondered why he wasn't speaking to him and Henry revealed that his grandson's idolization of him scared him. He said that he did what he did so others like his son and even his grandson didn't have to. Nate told him that, because of his health condition, he was shielded his whole life and wanted to be a hero like him though Henry told him that he didn't have to be a soldier to be a hero. Henry fought with the JSA and Legends to intercept an exchange that Krieger was overseeing but they were caught off guard when Krieger transformed into a berserker monster due to a serum and kidnapped Amaya and Ray. He fought with the team to rescue them but was unable to get far enough away when a bomb strike was ordered. Nate arrived with a motorbike to help him but they were unable to get fully away when a bomb made them crash and injured Nate.

Henry and Nate Heywood

Henry Heywood bidding his future grandson Nate goodbye.

Nate's life was starting to be in jeopardy and Henry was angrily asking if there was anything that could be done for him as they were all from the future. Ray arrived with a modified version of the serum and injected Nate, saving his life. Henry stayed by Nate's side until he woke up and was happy to see that he was going to be okay. When Nate's dog tags returned, it appeared that history was back on course again. Henry told Nate that he was a hero after all. He and his team were then returned back to their headquarters, where their leader, Rex Tyler, had been killed shortly afterwards.[1]

Finding the Spear of Destiny and retirement

Rip Hunter and the JSA retrieve the Spear of Destiny

Commander Steel and his team being led by Rip Hunter to the Spear of Destiny.

In 1956, President Eisenhower sent an order for Henry and the JSA (sans Obsidian) to go on a mission to Leipzig, but they never made it back. When he, Stargirl and Dr. Mid-Nite were there, they were aided by Rip Hunter, to recover the Spear of Destiny. They found that the spear's power was too great for any one person to wield. Breaking it into four pieces, Henry took a piece and was transported[4] by Rip to Manhattan in 1965.[5]

Over the next five years, Henry worked his way up the ranks at NASA, eventually becoming a flight commander.[5]

Final mission and death

During the launch of the Apollo 13 capsule into space, he was visited by the Legends, among whom was Rip. When he was approached by Rip, Henry went and gave him a hard punch across the jaw and locked him up as he thought he wasn't ever supposed to see him again. When he reunited with the Legends they explained their situation, how the Legion of Doom was hunting the fragments, and so they wished to retrieve the final piece. Discovering him to have hidden it in Neil Armstrong's flag on the moon, they flew their way into space aboard the Waverider, only to discover that Eobard Thawne, a member of the Legion, was ahead of them. Due to a small meteoroid field, the Waverider lost most of its power, causing it to have trouble re-entering the Earth's atmosphere with the lunar module. Henry met back up with Nate and he confessed that he was actually happy to see them again because he now had a chance to go back and reunite with his wife and son and make it like he never left, which Nate was happy about. However, they were overheard by Amaya and she told Henry that doing that could change the person that his son could become as well as change Nate, if he even is born at all. Henry didn't take that into account and though Nate argued that it might not be a risk, Henry didn't want to take the chance. He then went and apologized to Rip for hitting him and blaming him for his own decision to leave his family for the sake of the mission. Martin Stein contacted the team and informed them that Hank Heywood was at mission control and Henry confessed that he rigged a contest to be able to finally meet with him.

Henry Heywood's sacrifice

Henry says a final goodbye to his grandson before he sacrifices himself to save the Waverider.

When the Waverider had to re-enter the Earth at an angle of 38°, it was determined that the cargo bay door had to be opened to correctly angle the ship, though the person would no doubt lose their life. Henry decided to sacrifice himself to correctly angle the Waverider and headed for the cargo bay. Henry shared one last look with his grandson and requested him to tell Hank back on Earth that he was sorry. Henry then unlocked the cargo bay door of the ship and was sucked straight out into the atmosphere, eventually dying of oxygen deprivation.[5]

Legacy

After Henry's apparent death in 1956, Bettie gave their son, Hank, his dog tags, which the latter eventually passed down to his own son, Nate.[1]

In 1970, moments after Henry's death, Nate went down to see his young father, Hank, at NASA. Nate noticed Hank was wearing Henry's dog tags. Hank explained they belonged to his father, who had died before he could know his son. Nate assured Hank that Henry was sorry for leaving him.[5]

Henry Heywood glamour

A glamor of Hank confronts Nate.

When Sara Lance was corrupted by wearing the Death Totem, she made a glamor of Henry to psychologically torment Nate. The vision of Henry played on his grandson's guilt over the former's death, indicating Nate should have been the one sucked out into space instead. Henry then brutally pummeled Nate, denouncing him as a "disappointment" to the family and claiming he wasn't worthy of Amaya.[6]

Personality

Henry never wanted to be seen as a hero, merely a person, a belief he relayed to his grandson Nate when the latter traveled back in time to 1942. Usually appearing rough around the edges and possessing a no-nonsense attitude, Henry was not purely a grouch; he regularly sung to the JSA to raise their spirits when on missions, and often tried to teach Amaya Jiwe to sing along, though he never succeeded.

Henry's somewhat gruff exterior was notably seen during his interactions with his future grandson. Despite his rough demeanor towards his descendant, Henry offered Nate sound advice and appears proud of the hero that Nate would become. He also felt a certain attachment to Nate, sitting by his side following Nate's recovery from his injuries on board the Waverider. He also enjoyed his time in space with Nate, having bonded with his grandson even further. Upon sacrificing his life to ensure atmospheric re-entry to Earth, he revealed to Nate just how much he loved and respected him, deciding that Nate should not have to bear the burden of sacrificing his life, feeling satisfied that he'd done his duty to his country, planet, and family. Henry's sacrifice profoundly shook Nate, causing him to emotionally break down in Amaya's arms, showing how deeply the two Heywood men had bonded.

During his time as a flight commander for NASA, Henry became resentful of Rip Hunter due to having had to abandon his wife and son in order to protect his fragment of the Spear of Destiny. This extended to the point where he punched Rip in the face, locked him up, and refused to speak with him. However, upon his grandson revealing how Rip had lost his own wife and child, Henry became considerably more at ease.

Abilities

  • Expert hand-to-hand combatant: Henry was incredibly strong in close combat.
  • Multilingualism: As noted by Amaya Jiwe, Henry was fluent in seven languages (including English), to the point of being able to sound like a native in each.[5]
  • Singing: Henry was an avid singer with a beautiful voice. His songs kept the JSA's spirits up during harsh missions.[2]
  • Stealth/infiltration: Henry earned another nickname as the "the Chameleon" for his talent to move about unnoticed and conceal his true nature. His talent ultimately allowed him to effectively adopt a whole new lifestyle in 1970, becoming a lead official in NASA.[5]

Equipment

Commander Steel design

Nate's sketch, signed as "Commander Steel!!" [sic]

  • Commander Steel uniform: Henry uses this specialized uniform on his missions as a member of the JSA.
    • Dog tags #070233: This item was passed in the Heywood family throughout generations, eventually ending in Nate's hands. When Henry saved President Roosevelt from an assassin's bullet, it left a dent in the tags.
  • Winchester 1897: Henry uses a modified shotgun on his missions as Commander Steel.[1][3]
  • Colt M1911A1: Henry used this pistol as a sidearm.

Appearances

DC's Legends of Tomorrow

Season 2

Season 3

Season 4


Behind the scenes

  • In the DC comics, Hank Heywood was crippled during World War II, and a scientist used cybernetic upgrades to make him extremely powerful. He took the name "Commander Steel", originally just "Steel", and became a member of the All-Star Squadron. His grandson Hank Heywood III also had to be rebuilt after an injury, and he became the second Steel working with Justice League Detroit. Heywood's other grandson Nathan became Citizen Steel as a member of the Justice Society.
    • In the New 52 continuity, Henry Heywood became known as Captain Steel, after his scientist father Henry Heywood, Sr., used a special metal alloy to make his bones stronger by binding with his DNA; however, it replaced the bones and some of his vital organs entirely, while imbuing him with super-strength and a mental control over machinery.

References