- For other uses of "Vigilante", see Vigilante (disambiguation).
- "Well, I'm--I'm conflicted about this. I'm not gonna lie to you. I'm a police officer, duly sworn. I don't condone vigilantes or vigilantism. Once people start taking the law into their own hands, you're on the road to anarchy. But there's worse things out there than anarchy, and sometimes, as much as I hate to admit it... the police aren't enough to deal with it all."
- —Quentin Lance[src]
A vigilante, also known as a "mask", is an individual who takes the law into their own hands, believing that the police and the court system are unable to or unreliable at bringing criminals to justice. However, not all vigilantes are fighting for justice, some do it out of personal revenge or antagonistic reasoning. It is also common for vigilantes to take on a moniker to be known by, some by personal choice and others by having been named by the public.
Some vigilantes eventually gain a level of popularity and admiration from the general public that they begin to be seen as a "superhero". Despite the name suggesting this term is reserved for individuals with superhuman powers, it is also used to define individuals without any but instead rely on combat skills, intellect or gadgetry.
While most vigilantes typically exist outside of the government, some have been given amnesty due to the positive effects that came from their actions. Some have gone so far as to be fully pardoned and even deputized as superheroes officially working more closely with law enforcement.[1]
Known vigilantes
Heroes
| Image | Name | Alter ego | Universe | Status | Works with | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barry Allen | The Flash | Earth-1 | Active | Team Flash | |
| Helena Bertinelli | Huntress | Earth-1 | Inactive | Team Arrow (formerly) | Turned rogue; incarcerated |
| Adrian Chase | The Hood | Earth-2 | Inactive | Laurel Lance | Presumed deceased |
| Kara Danvers | Supergirl | Earth-38 | Active | Superfriends | Secretly an agent of the D.E.O. |
| Ralph Dibny | Elongated Man | Earth-1 | Active | Team Flash | |
| John Diggle | Spartan Green Arrow (briefly) | Earth-1 | Active | Team Arrow | Deputized |
| Dinah Drake | Black Canary | Earth-1 | Active | Team Arrow New Team Arrow (formerly) | Deputized |
| Jay Garrick | The Flash | Earth-3 | Inactive | Team Flash (occasionally) | Retired to train a new Flash |
| Ted Grant | Wildcat | Earth-1 | Inactive | Team Arrow (occasionally) | Retired |
| Carter Hall | Hawkman | Earth-1 | Inactive | Legends (formerly) | Deceased |
| Roy Harper | Arsenal | Earth-1 | Inactive | Team Arrow (formerly) | Retired |
| Connor Hawke | Green Arrow | Earth-16 | Active | Team Arrow | |
| Nate Heywood | Steel | Earth-1 | Active | Legends Team Flash (formerly) | Left Legends to become a Time Bureau agent; later rejoined |
| Curtis Holt | Mr. Terrific | Earth-1 | Active | Team Arrow New Team Arrow (formerly) | Deputized |
| Rip Hunter | Earth-1 | Inactive | Legends (formerly) | Deceased | |
| Mon-El | Valor | Earth-38 | Active | Superfriends (formerly) The Legion | |
| Jefferson Jackson | Firestorm (formerly) | Earth-1 | Inactive | Legends (formerly) | Retired; now focused on his family |
| J'onn J'onzz | Martian Manhunter | Earth-38 | Active | Superfriends | |
| Clark Kent | Superman | Earth-38 | Active | Superfriends (occasionally) | |
| Kate Kane | Batwoman | Earth-1 | Active | ||
| Bruce Wayne | Batman | Earth-1 | Inactive | Left Gotham City | |
| Kuasa | Vixen | Earth-1 | Active | Legends (occasionally) | Shares the mantle with Mari |
| Earth-1 Laurel Lance | Black Canary | Earth-1 | Inactive | Team Arrow | Deceased |
| Earth-2 Laurel Lance | Black Canary | Earth-2 | Active | Team Arrow | Reformed criminal turned vigilante |
| Quentin Lance | Detective (formerly) | Earth-1 | Inactive | Team Arrow (formerly) | Deceased |
| Sara Lance | White Canary | Earth-1 | Active | Team Arrow (formerly) Legends | |
| John Constantine | Earth-1 | Active | Legends (reluctantly) | ||
| Mari | Vixen | Earth-1 | Active | Team Arrow (occasionally) | Shares the mantle with Kuasa |
| Malcolm Merlyn | Dark Archer | Earth-1 | Inactive | Team Arrow (formerly) | Anti-hero; deceased |
| James Olsen | Guardian | Earth-38 | Active | Guardian's team (formerly) Superfriends (formerly) | Deputized |
| Ray Palmer | The Atom | Earth-1 | Active | Team Arrow (formerly) Legends | |
| Oliver Queen | Green Arrow | Earth-1 | Active | Team Arrow | Deputized |
| Oliver Queen | Green Arrow | Earth-16 | Active | Team Arrow | |
| Robert Queen | The Arrow | Earth-2 | Inactive | Presumed deceased | ||
| Thea Queen | Speedy | Earth-1 | Inactive | Team Arrow (formerly) | Left to destroy three Lazarus Pits with Nyssa and Roy |
| Rene Ramirez | Wild Dog | Earth-1 | Active | Team Arrow New Team Arrow (formerly) | Deputized |
| Cisco Ramon | Vibe | Earth-1 | Active | Team Flash | Took meta-human cure; no longer a field agent; later unwillingly regained powers via Mar Novu |
| Ronnie Raymond | Firestorm | Earth-1 | Inactive | Team Flash (formerly) | Deceased |
| Rory Regan | Ragman | Earth-1 | Inactive | Team Arrow | Leave of absence |
| Mick Rory | Heat Wave | Earth-1 | Active | Legends | Anti-hero |
| Kendra Saunders | Hawkgirl | Earth-1 | Inactive | Legends | Retired |
| Winn Schott | Man in the Van | Earth-38 | Active | Superfriends (formerly) Guardian's team (formerly) The Legion | |
| Evelyn Sharp | Artemis | Earth-1 | Inactive | Team Arrow (formerly) | Turned rogue; presumed deceased |
| Vincent Sobel | Vigilante | Earth-1 | Inactive | Team Arrow (occasionally) | Anti-hero; deceased |
| Felicity Smoak | Overwatch | Earth-1 | Inactive | Team Arrow | Deputized Retired to raise her daughter |
| Leonard Snart | Captain Cold | Earth-1 | Inactive | Team Flash (occasionally) Legends | Deceased |
| Caitlin Snow | Killer Frost | Earth-1 | Active | Team Flash | |
| Martin Stein | Firestorm | Earth-1 | Inactive | Team Flash (formerly) Legends | Deceased |
| Lyra Strayd | Earth-38 | Inactive | Guardian's team (formerly) | ||
| Eddie Thawne | Earth-1 | Inactive | Team Flash | Deceased | |
| Eobard Thawne | Harrison Wells | Earth-1 | Inactive | Team Flash (formerly) | Revealed to be a villain in disguise |
| Harrison Wells | Earth-2 | Inactive | Team Flash (formerly) Jesse Wells' team (formerly) | Presumed deceased | |
| Harrison Wells | H. R. Randolf | Earth-19 | Inactive | Team Flash | Deceased |
| Jesse Wells | Jesse Quick | Earth-2 | Inactive | Team Flash (formerly) Jesse Wells' team (formerly) | Presumed deceased |
| Iris West-Allen | Eye in the Sky (briefly) The Flash (briefly) | Earth-1 | Active | Team Flash | |
| Joe West | Earth-1 | Active | Team Flash | ||
| Nora West-Allen | XS | Earth-1 | Inactive | Team Flash | Erased from existence |
| Wally West | Kid Flash (current timeline) The Flash (Flashpoint timeline) | Earth-1 | Active | Team Flash (formerly) Legends (formerly) | Left Team Flash and later joined the Legends for a brief time |
| Tatsu Yamashiro | Earth-1 | Inactive | Team Arrow (occasionally) | Retired | |
| Hunter Zolomon | Jay Garrick/The Flash | Earth-2 | Inactive | Team Flash (formerly) | Revealed to be a villain in disguise; deceased |
Villainous vigilantes
| Image | Name | Alter ego | Universe | Status | Works with | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Helena Bertinelli | Huntress | Earth-1 | Inactive | Incarcerated | |
| Manchester Black | Earth-38 | Inactive | The Elite | Deceased | |
| Colton | Earth-1 | Inactive | The Hoods | Incarcerated | |
| Carrie Cutter | Cupid | Earth-1 | Inactive | Suicide Squad | Incarcerated |
| Jeff Deveau | Earth-1 | Inactive | The Hoods | Incarcerated | |
| Bertrand Eldon | Executioner | Earth-1 | Inactive | Deceased | |
| Joseph Falk | The Savior | Earth-1 | Inactive | Deceased | |
| Pamela Ferrer | Menagerie | Earth-38 | Inactive | The Elite | Incarcerated |
| Phillip Karnowsky | Earth-38 | Inactive | Incarcerated | ||
| Lonnie Machin | Anarky | Earth-1 | Inactive | Incarcerated | |
|
| Malcolm Merlyn | Dark Archer | Earth-1 | Inactive | Reformed; deceased | |
| Tommy Merlyn | Dark Archer | Earth-2 | Inactive | Reformed; deceased | |
| Joseph Monteleone | Tar Pit | Earth-1 | Inactive | Incarcerated | |
| Hartley Rathaway | Pied Piper | Earth-1 | Active (now as a hero) | Team Flash (occasionally) | Reformed |
| Isaac Stanzler | Earth-1 | Inactive | Deceased | ||
| Unnamed | Mo | Earth-38 | Inactive | The Elite | Incarcerated |
| Unnamed | Hat | Earth-38 | Inactive | The Elite | Incarcerated |
Known vigilante/superhero teams
Some vigilantes/superheroes would operate in teams, with their different skills used to support each other.
Heroes
- Legends
- Superfriends
- The Legion
- Guardian's team
- Team Arrow
- Canaries (in a possible future)
- Team Flash
- Barry Allen/The Flash (co-leader)
- Cisco Ramon/Vibe
- Iris West-Allen (co-leader)
- Joe West
- Caitlin Snow
- Ralph Dibny/Elongated Man
- Nora West-Allen/XS (erased from existence)
- Freedom Fighters
Former vigilantes
Heroes
- Helena Bertinelli/Huntress (turned rogue; incarcerated)
- Ted Grant/Wildcat (retired)
- Carter Hall/Hawkman (deceased)
- Roy Harper/Arsenal (retired; resumed vigilantism in a potential future)
- Curtis Holt/Mr. Terrific (retired; left for a job in Washington D.C.)
- Thea Queen/Speedy (retired)
- Harrison "H.R." Wells (deceased)
- Laurel Lance/Black Canary (deceased)
- Ronnie Raymond/Firestorm (deceased)
- Kendra Saunders/Hawkgirl (retired)
- Evelyn Sharp/Artemis (secretly a villain; status unknown)
- Leonard Snart/Captain Cold (deceased)
- Eddie Thawne (deceased)
- Eobard Thawne/Reverse-Flash (former leader of Team Flash; secretly a villain)
- Scythian Torvil/Hawkman (retired)
- "Jay Garrick"/The Flash (secretly a villain; deceased)
- Rory Regan/Ragman (leave of absence; status unknown)
- Isaac Stanzler (deceased)
- Martin Stein/Firestorm (deceased)
- Jefferson "Jax" Jackson (leave of absence)
- Harrison Wells (retired; returned to Earth-2)
- Emiko Adachi/Green Arrow (secretly a villain)
- Birds of Prey (inactive)
- Barbra Gordan/Batgirl/Oracle (deceased)
- Dinah Lance (deceased)
- Helena Kyle/Huntress (deceased)
Villains
- The Hoods (inactive)
- Aglin (incarcerated)
- Baker (incarcerated)
- Colton (incarcerated)
- Jeff Deveau (incarcerated)
- The Elite (inactive)
- Manchester Black (leader; deceased)
- Pamela Ferrer/Menagerie (incarcerated)
- Hat (incarcerated)
- Mo (incarcerated)
References
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