10 Most Powerful Members of Checkmate Who Could Join The DCU Now

The season finale of *Peacemaker* was full of surprises, ending with the hero stranded in a strange place. It also introduced Checkmate, a secret organization from DC Comics. Unlike previous versions of the group, this Checkmate seems to be a private organization meant to keep tabs on Rick Flag Sr. and his government agency, ARGUS. Though they couldn’t help Peacemaker, Checkmate could become a major player in the DC Universe, potentially including influential figures, just like in the comics.

The finale of *Peacemaker* featured the Checkmate team, which included members who didn’t have superpowers, like Adebayo, Fleury, Economos, and Harcourt. Of the new additions to the team, Vigilante (Freddie Stroma) and Bordeaux (Sol Rodriguez) stand out as having established roles within the Checkmate organization in the comics. Judomaster also possesses powers, though he wasn’t part of the original comic book team. Mr. Terrific, who was already known in the DC Universe, has also been a member. Now, here are some other powerful DC heroes and villains who could potentially join this secret team in the DCU.

10) Question

Question is an unusual character for a DC Comics hero – he’s a naturally suspicious conspiracy theorist who’s somehow been a member of multiple teams. He’s one of the few characters to have served on both the Justice League and the Suicide Squad. He also joined Checkmate, a DC team, during their 2021 comic book series run in the main DC Universe.

While working with Checkmate, he fought against Leviathan, a powerful and globally active organization. He’s a brilliant strategist and one of the few who independently figured out Bruce Wayne’s secret identity as Batman. Though incredibly intelligent, he’s not a strong physical fighter, relying more on his mind than his strength.

9) Arsenal

Roy Harper, who has gone by the names Speedy and Arsenal in DC Comics, has been part of several teams, including the Teen Titans, Young Justice, and the Outsiders. He later joined Checkmate, but secretly worked as a double agent. His true loyalty was to Leviathan, and he used his position within Checkmate to help dismantle the organization from the inside.

Originally known as Green Arrow’s sidekick, this hero is often compared to Oliver Queen. However, he’s developed significantly since his days as Speedy. Like Green Arrow, he’s skilled with specialized arrows and an incredibly accurate shot – nearly matching his mentor’s level of expertise.

8) Huntress

Huntress first appeared in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) in the film *Birds of Prey*. While Harley Quinn might be part of the new DC Universe (DCU) under James Gunn, she hasn’t appeared in it yet. It’s currently unknown if Huntress, played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead, will continue as the same character in the DCU, but if she does, James Gunn will probably make some changes to her.

Huntress, known as Helena Bertinelli in most DC stories, is a key member of the Birds of Prey and leads the international spy organization, Spyral. Before the ‘Flashpoint’ event, she was part of a different team called Checkmate, where she held the rank of Queen and secretly worked with Batman. As part of the ‘Bat Family,’ Huntress doesn’t have any superpowers, but she’s a highly trained fighter, assassin, and expert in espionage.

7) Green Arrow

Green Arrow found himself in a unique situation while working with Checkmate. At the time, Checkmate was battling Leviathan, a dangerous group trying to dismantle the Justice League. What made Green Arrow’s involvement particularly noteworthy was that he was actually leading the Justice League during this conflict.

I was relieved when Amanda Waller explained how we could stay independent and avoid government interference – the catch was, we’d have to take direction from Green Arrow. Now, Oliver Queen doesn’t have superpowers, but honestly, he’s the best archer in the DC Universe, and he *never* gives up. He’s a truly dedicated hero.

6) Rocket Red

Rocket Red is actually a series of individuals, all members of the Rocket Red Brigade – a Russian military team dedicated to defending the country against super-powered threats. These heroes are incredibly strong and wear special armor created by Kilowog, a Green Lantern. Beyond the Brigade, some Rocket Reds have also been part of the Justice League International.

The Rocket Red featured in the Checkmate series was Maks Chazov, a version of the character from before the ‘Flashpoint’ storyline. He first appeared in *Checkmate* Vol. 2 #22, where he was appointed as the White Queen’s Knight. Rocket Red’s abilities come from his armored suit, which lets him fly and fire missiles from his gloves.

5) Fire

Fire is the first character introduced who genuinely has superpowers. Before the events of *Flashpoint*, she was a member of Checkmate, joining independently after she and her friend Ice were part of the Justice League International. Ice’s death deeply affected Fire, causing her to leave for a time. Eventually, she rejoined the team as a member of Checkmate, known as the Black King’s Knight.

Fire had become deeply unhappy and reluctantly started working as an assassin for Checkmate, a decision she soon regretted. She’s incredibly powerful, able to cover herself in a green fire called Pyroplasm that she uses to burn her enemies, making her one of Checkmate’s most dangerous operatives.

4) Vixen

Vixen previously worked with both the Justice League International and Checkmate. She also spent time with the Suicide Squad, where Amanda Waller offered to help her manage the animalistic side that comes with her powers – the ability to take on the traits of different animals. Vixen’s time with Checkmate didn’t last long, as she was quickly recruited to join the Birds of Prey.

Vixen’s powers come from a special artifact called the Tantu Totem, which originally seemed to give her the ability to copy the powers of any animal she imagined. However, it was later revealed that she actually had this ability naturally, and the totem just helps her focus and strengthen it. When she uses her powers, she sometimes starts acting like the animals she’s mimicking, which can make it difficult to stay in control.

3) Count Vertigo

Count Vertigo is different from most members of Checkmate because he’s usually a villain. While he’s teamed up with groups like the Suicide Squad and Checkmate at times, he originally fought Green Arrow as a bad guy. He only started occasionally helping the good guys after being captured and joining the Suicide Squad.

Count Vertigo became a member of Checkmate during the “One Year Later” story arc, serving as the White Queen’s Knight while Amanda Waller, his previous boss from the Suicide Squad, was in charge. His ability, called the Vertigo Effect, throws off an enemy’s balance and interferes with the accuracy of ranged attacks, making him a valuable asset to the team.

2) Deathstroke

Deathstroke is a particularly ruthless villain who once worked with the organization Checkmate. However, he was never a core member; he infiltrated the team as a double agent. This occurred when Checkmate was tasked with locating the unconscious body of Slade Wilson. Instead, they found him awake and he immediately went on a destructive spree.

It was then revealed that the character was a double agent, secretly working against the Brotherhood of Evil to prevent them from stealing nuclear warheads from Russia. Simultaneously, it came to light that Deathstroke was collaborating with Checkmate, through the CIA, to neutralize the danger posed by Chesire. Deathstroke’s abilities include an incredibly fast healing factor, along with enhanced strength and skills gained from military modifications, making him one of the most capable characters in DC Comics.

1) Martian Manhunter

Martian Manhunter had a complicated relationship with Checkmate. He once worked secretly to sabotage their operations, hoping to persuade the President to disband the organization. Ironically, he was also the one who discovered that Amanda Waller played a role in sending supervillains to the planet Salvation.

The storyline featured in “Salvation Run” may be the direction James Gunn is taking the DC Universe, as the *Peacemaker* Season 2 finale introduced both Checkmate and the Salvation organization. Martian Manhunter, being from Mars, can change his shape and become invisible. But his greatest ability is telepathy, and he’s as strong and resilient as Superman, making him the most powerful hero to ever collaborate with Checkmate.

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2025-10-12 23:45