Tatsu Yamashiro (山城 達 Yamashiro Tatsu), née Tatsu Hikari (ひかり 達 Hikari Tatsu) [2], is a Japanese samurai assassin code-named Katana (after her weapon of choice) and an infamous master of swordplay and martial arts who trained to the highest level in the ancient art form.
She is a proxy member of the Suicide Squad, and, of note, the only voluntary member who served as the personal bodyguard of Rick Flag.
Tatsu Hikari was born on March 16, 1986, in Tokyo, Japan. She was an only child and supposedly developed deep-seated issues with her father. She trained in various martial arts at a young age, a trait encouraged by her parents. When she reached adulthood, two brothers began to compete for her heart: Maseo and Takeo Yamashiro, yet her decision to marry the former drove the latter into joining the Yakuza and be disowned by his family.[2]
After the deaths of Tatsu's parents, she and Maseo started a family of their own, and she gave birth to twin girls, Yuki and Reiko. Meanwhile, Takeo rose in the Yakuza's rank, and one of his exotic tastes included ancient weapons. He was presented with a pair of matched swords, one of which Takeo favored due to its mystical properties, which would come to be known as the Soultaker because of its ability to trap the souls of its victims within itself.
The young Yakuza associate spent days preparing himself before taking both swords to the Yamashiro residence, demanding his brother duel for the "prize" of Tatsu. During the course of the struggle, a fire was started and, while Maseo was distracted by his children, Takeo killed him with the Soultaker.[4]
While the execution was ongoing, at least one other member of the Yakuza was present to observe the events unfold.[5] Tatsu arose just in time to see her husband die, and fiercely engaged Takeo, gaining the upper hand and disarming him. Attempting to save her children, she heard her husband's voice coming from the mystical sword telling her they were already lost.
The Japanese script on her pants translates to, "I weep when I think of him," as a reference to Maseo himself.[5]
Saving the World[]
Deployment to Midway City[]
"Love your perfume. What is that; the stench of death?"
―Harley attempts to converse with the stoic Katana[src]
Katana went on a mission to Japan, tracking down the member of the Yakuza who watched her husband's death unfold without interfering. Katana struck at least four of his men down before she finally reached her target. The man pleaded for mercy, to which Katana pointed out that there hadn't been any mercy for her husband. The man pointed out that he hadn't killed her husband, but Katana would not back down, slashing him with the sword.
Katana arrived outside Midway City where she was the last member of the Suicide Squad to arrive and got aboard the helicopter transporting the squad mere seconds before taking off. She's introduced to the squad by Rick Flag and Harley Quinn jokingly said hi to her and introduced herself to Katana which caused her to ask Flag if she should kill them. She was told to stand down and did so.
The helicopter transporting the Task Force X Members soon arrived in Midway City but was quickly shot down by one of the Enchantress' minions, and so the helicopter crashed. Another helicopter carrying A.R.G.U.S. soldiers managed to land safely and the A.R.G.U.S. troops were deployed to make sure the squad members survived. They did, and walked out unharmed, Katana included.
Katana had walked with the rest of the squad and their A.R.G.U.S. troops support through the war-torn ruins of the city to locate and terminate the Enchantress and her brother Incubus. During that time, Captain Boomerang told Slipknot that the nano-bombs were fake and were just a scare tactic. Slipknot believed him and the two soon plotted and launched their escape. Katana stopped George, but Slipknot was getting away until Rick Flag activated his bomb, effectively killing him in an instant. This revealed the bombs to be real and temporarily discouraged future escape attempts by the team members.[5]
Katana soon came across a group of soldiers who were infected and turned into warriors for the Enchantress. Amanda Waller had ordered them to pull out and continue, but they were spotted and thus engaged them. Katana used her Soultaker sword and killed numerous infected soldiers, and the battle soon came to an end after Deadshot showed off his impressive shooting skills and managed to kill all the remaining soldiers charging at them.[5]
Retrieving HVT1[]
After their first battle, Katana and the others headed towards the John F. Ostrander Federal Building where their target was located. The squad moved in and they soon had to rush to the top floor after Harley Quinn used the elevator and caused them to panic. Katana was there to greet Harley after her elevator stopped and she let her walk by after Harley made no attempt to fight them. They eventually battled more of the Enchantress' minions and had to form a defensive position around Rick Flag as he was being dragged away. After the battle dragged on, Deadshot had soon gotten sick of El Diablo not doing anything and riled him up, which caused El Diablo to burn down the remaining minions in a fit of rage.
Eventually, Katana and the others reached the top floor of the building where they found the safe house and location of their target. The target was revealed to be their boss, Amanda Waller, and she ordered a quick cleanup before leaving. After the drives were wiped clean and her FBI support was killed to eliminate witnesses, Waller arrived in front of the squad and mentioned how she'd still kill them so they couldn't kill her at that moment. She then walked away with Killer Croc saying he likes her and they followed behind her as well.
Katana and the others made it to the top of the roof where they awaited a helicopter to get them out. A helicopter was there, but something was up and the squad soon took cover as it was revealed that the Joker had hijacked it and began to fire on all of them. This was a distraction, as soon Harley's bomb was disabled and she managed to get on board and escape. Not wanting escaped convicts, however, Waller had the helicopter shot down, but both Joker and Harley survived.[5]
Drowning Sorrows[]
Soon after, the squad decided to drown their sorrows with a drink. They then decided to make a toast to honor among thieves. Katana, however, was offended by this, stating that she isn't a thief. After a conversation between Flag and Lawton, Katana and the rest of the squad left to battle the Enchantress.[5]
Facing Enchantress and Incubus[]
While Task Force X prepared to face the Enchantress, Katana swore to her husband within Soultaker that if she would not make it out alive in the upcoming battle, that they would be reunited.
When they went to face The Enchantress, Incubus attempted to kill Captain Boomerang, but Katana interfered and sliced off the Homo Magi's hand, resulting in Incubus regrowing the lost limb and then attacking Katana herself, but El Diablo interfered and defeated Incubus.
When they later confronted Enchantress, she told Katana and the others how once their armies were defeated, that she could then rule the planet. She then released an electric vortex that used Amanda Waller knowledge t target facilities, which Katana shielded herself and backed away from. Rick Flag suggested that in order to defeat her, they needed to "Cut her heart out." to defeat her.
Enchantress changed form and started teleporting when Katana and the others tried to hit her, Despite this Katana was still able to strike her, resulting in Enchantress teleporting to the center of the electricity and reattempting to attack Katana and the others.
Katana swung Soultaker at Enchantress once again, but was unable to leave an affect. Enchantress returned to the center and deprived the squad of their weapons, including Soultaker from Katana, and explained that they had won her mercy and that if they did not join her, they would die. Harley Quinn approached Enchantress while Katana and the others watched, Harley picked up Soultaker and swung at the Enchantress's heart and pulled it out.
Enchantress; now vulnerable, begged Katana for her to kill her, and be reunited with Incubus, but Rick Flag instructed Katana to not do so so that they could threaten Enchantress to return June Moone or they would kill her, Enchantress refused, and consequently Rick Flag crushed her heart, killing Enchantress and allowing June Moone to emerge.
Personality[]
"One does not get paid to do what is right. Now shut up and walk, or I'll see to it you won't have any feet to walk on."
Katana is fiercely loyal to Rick Flag, working together with him as his body guard, and is thus the only willing Suicide Squad member. In addition, she is grievously devoted to her deceased husband Maseo Yamashiro, tearfully speaking to his spirit, which is allegedly encased inside her Soultaker sword. She is also seemingly void of humor (most likely due to the lingering grief over her husband and daughters' tragic deaths), and is known to be very serious and professional. As a warrior, Katana is ruthless and merciless to her opponents, especially towards criminals, meaning that she is more than willing to kill them, with Rick Flag using this ruthlessness of hers to keep the other Squad members in check. She is also almost completely fearless, as she faced the mighty Enchantress and Incubus without any hesitation.
Abilities[]
"This is Katana. She's got my back. She can cut all of you in half with one sword stroke, just like mowing the lawn."
Peak Human Condition: Katana, as a highly skilled and experienced samurai and assassin, is in top physical condition though not even near to Batman's level.
Peak Human Durability: Katana is exceptionally durable, swiftly recovering after being sent flying back by a blow from the superhumanly strong Incubus.
Master Martial Artist: Katana, as a samurai, is an extremely skilled martial artist and hand-to-hand combatant, volunteering as the personal bodyguard of Rick Flag on the Suicide Squad. Flag even advises the other Squad members not to killed by her, thus implying that Katana is the most skilled combatant of the Squad. Hence, she swiftly overpowers the group of Yakuza that murdered her husband, instantly pins an escaping Captain Boomerang against a wall, and was the one Squad member to hold her own the best against the extremely skilled Enchantress in the final physical battle with her, though Katana was eventually defeated as well. It should be noted, however, that Enchantress' victory in this instance is primarily due to her not only being equivalently skilled to Katana, but also having superior strength and durability, as well as a penchant for teleporting around the battlefield every so often (usually to avoid Katana's incapacitating strikes and blade slashes).
Sword Mastery:
Katana slicing an Eye of the Adversary
Katana, as a samurai, is an extremely skilled and lethally formidable swordswoman (normally wielding a Japanese samurai katana called the Soultaker, hence her code-name). She is thus one of the most formidable members of Suicide Squad, on par with Deadshot and El Diablo, to whom Amanda Waller refers to as some of the most dangerous humans on Earth. Rick Flag even goes so far as to say that Katana could "cut all of [the other Suicide Squad members] in half with 1 sword stroke, just like mowing the lawn," and he therefore advises them not to get killed by her, implying that Katana's swordsmanship makes her the most skilled combatant on the Squad. Hence, she swiftly and easily killed the Yakuza group that murdered her husband and (before El Diablo steps in, in his flaming avatar form) she was the only Squad member who managed to wound Incubus, slicing off his right arm with her sword. Katana's swordsmanship, coupled with her immense combat skills, also made her the one Squad member to hold her own the best against the extremely skilled Enchantress in the final physical battle with her, though Katana was eventually defeated as well. It should be noted, however, that Enchantress' victory in this instance is primarily due to her not only being equivalently skilled to Katana, but also having superior strength and durability, as well as a penchant for teleporting around the battlefield every so often (usually to avoid Katana's incapacitating blade slashes).
Skilled Acrobat: Katana is quite skilled in acrobatics, easily dodging a hurled boomerang from Captain Boomerang.
Bilingualism: Katana can fluently speak both her native Japanese and English, though. Lacking a foreign accent in the latter.
Soultaker: Katana's Japanese samurai katana sword (her namesake) has mystical properties, including the ability to slice right through the extremely durable Enchantress and Incubus (who are virtually invulnerable to non-mystical weapons), as well as the ability to trap the souls of the user's victims, which appears to impress Rick Flag.
Wakizashi: Katana carried this short sword in tandem with her sword.
According to The Suicide Squad director James Gunn, he did not consider Katana for inclusion in the film as Rick Flag was the only non-criminal character he was intent on using for Task Force X in the final film.[6]
Katana on DC Database
Katana on Wikipedia
