Who does not enjoy a well-crafted antagonist? Loki, Venom, Joker, Draco Malfoy, Poison Ivy, Thanos, and Darth Vader, to mention a few, are idolized by fans all around the world. It is also worth noting that DC features a slew of badass villains. So, from the same universe that gave us the legendary Joker, we present Alex Merkel, a violent mercenary villain. Gail Simone and Nicola Scott developed Alex Merkel, who first appears in Secret Six #1. (2008).
This is a version of the Secret Six, which consisted of mercenary villains that were always on the run. The Secret Six is the name of three fictional DC Comics comic book teams, as well as the fourth team from another planet. Each squad consists of six men, led by Mockingbird, a mysterious individual whom the characters believe is one of the other five. Junior is a terrifying, insane, horror-movie-style villain like Gail Simone is known for.
Her terrible past and backstory, which shaped her into the mercenary killer and mob leader we know, are what really stand out about her. In this video, we will delve into her background to examine the events that shaped her into the strong lady she is today, as well as much more, as we lay out the whole character analysis of this formidable female woman. She is a femme fatale but in a very distinct, frightening, and ultimately fatal way.
Most Tragic Origin Alex Merkel
Peter Merkel, the first Ragdoll – a DC villain, had a daughter who he named Alex Merkel. Her father was first dismayed to have a daughter, but she grew up to be extremely beautiful and quickly became his favorite, despite the fact that his “favor” was heavily hinted at to include sexual abuse. Perhaps as a result of the abuse, she established a close bond with her elder brother, Peter Merkel Junior, who adored Alex, and it’s widely assumed that the two had an incestuous relationship. Despite her reputation as a lovely woman, she struggled with her appearance. These finally led to her undergoing severely disfiguring surgery in an attempt to duplicate her father and brother’s talents. When Alex had to go out in public, she began to hide her entire body.
Alex and Peter Junior eventually parted ways, with Peter now being a new Ragdoll. Alex, on the other hand, mutilated herself by stitching her eyes permanently open and her lips permanently parted, believing that her apparent beauty was nothing more than a disguise for her inner ugliness. On her nose and cheeks, she stitched small crimson patches. Alex built a criminal empire that stretched west from the Mississippi to the United States’ coast, using the alias “Junior” and passing herself off as a male. Junior was considered to be a male by most people, including those who had spoken to her.
She managed to take control of the west coast crime by torturing the loved ones of everyone who dared to cross her. She kept herself hidden in a crate in the basement of a homosexual strip club because she didn’t want to be seen, and managed her massive criminal empire with only a phone and a notepad. Nobody was certain “Junior” existed, but they didn’t want to take a chance of offending him. Her sole real property was a card with the words “Get out of Hell Free” printed in Aramaic on it that she’d obtained through some methods.
She had personally committed a number of crimes, the majority of which involved murder, rape, or mutilation, as well as coordinating the routine criminal activities carried out by her network of confederates spread around her influence area. She was aided most intimately by two confederates, Tig and Aaron, who were originally conjoined, identical twins.
Except for these two and those she killed, Alex never exposed her face to anybody. Around her, even her two brothers had to wear blindfolds. She wore a mask that covered her entire head on the rare occasions that she went outside. She is a capable, skilled, and sadistic killer and torturer who lacks empathy and compunctions.
However, it must be noted that most, if not all of her decisions as an adult were heavily influenced by her childhood trauma, which made her who she is. Most people to this day confuse her character with that of a man and mistake her for being male because of the way she presents herself.
All the terrible circumstances that she went through resulted in the creation of a paranoid yet sadistic villain who feels almost nothing apart from loathing and rage along with being numb to both physical and emotional pain. She has reached a point where she savors inflicting pain on others and this could be an outlet of all the pain and trauma she holds inside. This is not to provide justification for her misdeeds but to show that villains are created, not born.
Junior’s existence was later discovered by an FBI agent, Catalina Flores, who heard of his existence from a dying criminal. Junior was pursued by an FBI task squad, but all they found was an empty container. She fooled Junior’s accountant, Ira Shelton, into stealing a rare card from Junior, one that permitted whoever had it to avoid going to hell when they died. Junior was momentarily reunited with her older brother after coming into battle with the Secret Six, who’d been paid to escort Flores and the card to Gotham.
Junior tried to persuade a priest to pardon her sins so she could get out of hell without the card, but he killed her when he claimed he couldn’t do it unless Junior repented. Still after the card, but remembering her elder brother’s kindness from their childhood, she gave him and his buddies a head start in their attempt to get away from her. Junior was believed to have been killed when she was blasted by numerous supervillains’ weapons at the same time during a confrontation on the outskirts of Gotham City.
Alex Merkel in Various story arcs
The first story arc of Alex is in Unhinged – Secret Six. Alex was a devoted Catholic who wanted to use the Get Out of Hell Free Card, which was guarded by the Secret Six, including her brother and Tarantula, to atone for her numerous misdeeds. Junior was slain by Tarantula after sending nearly every bounty hunter and assassin in the DCU after them and making a concerted effort to kill them herself.
Hostile Takeover of Birds of Prey is the second story arc that we see Alex in. In this, Alex Merkel has risen from the dead, but her organization is now being run by Mr. Tripe, a close colleague. Mr. Tripe, who is in his eighties, examines two women who want to work as receptionists at Merkel’s company, which is a front for her criminal enterprise. Both women have the surname Ms. Lachess, but their first names are Triss and Somnia, respectively. Tripe’s obscurity is demonstrated when he refuses to allow either woman to sit throughout the interview. He defends himself by saying that he enjoys taking advantage of others during the first interactions.
Tripe adds to the strangeness of the scenario by displaying the women a few inkblot images and asking them what they see because “the extent of the interview” is over. Their answers appear to be conventional at first, like a bouquet of flowers, and their responses, of course, disappoint Tripe. Tripe informs them that he is searching for associates who are entirely honest with themselves as well as with the company, so he urges both women to strip. Tripe’s proposition astounds both women, but they reluctantly accept because they both need a job. Tripe discovers various horrific scars on both women as they show their naked bodies to him. Tripe then demands that they reveal how they acquired their disfigurements, but they both refuse.
Mr. Tripe loses patience and informs them both that they are being interviewed for a position as a personal assistant to one of Tripe’s co-workers, Mr. J. – a Joker interlude. Tripe provides both women with another opportunity to impress him. They came up with the idea that the inkblot looked like a woman’s smashed skull with her entrails hanging out this time. Tripe was so delighted with their responses that he offered the job to both of them.
Tripe directs his new interns to welcome a new client to the office later that night: Ms. Hargison, who is actually Lady Blackhawk. “Ms. Hargison’s entourage” includes Black Canary, Dove, and Hawk. “Ms. Hargison” flirts with Tripe and tells her entourage to stay away while she meets with him privately. Tripe agrees with “Ms. Hargison” and tells his interns and security to leave the office while he entertains the firm’s newest client.
Dinah triggered her commlink with Oracle, who had just turned down the firm’s security camera feed, giving the team a two-minute opportunity to acquire the proof they need to expose the firm’s malfeasance, while Zinda distracted Tripe. By kissing Tripe and pleading for his advice on a personal subject, Zinda continues to play the innocent but needy client.
The cover narrative for “Ms. Hargison” is that she is being blackmailed by some unsavory persons. Hank uses his charm to distract the interns, while Dinah and Dawn pry through the elevator shaft doors. They use access ladders to swing down the shaft and avoid carefully positioned motion detectors.
Tripe admits to “Ms. Hargison” in his office that he is dying, but that he is not frightened of dying since he has found redemption in Alex Deborah Merkel, the firm’s savior. Triss and Somnia Lachesis, however, have discovered who Hank truly is. They draw their weapons and demand to know why the Birds of Prey have infiltrated the company. When Tripe hears the commotion outside his office door, he realizes “Ms. Hargison” and his entourage are not who they claim to be. Tripe assaults Zinda Blake, who headbutts him because the police will need someone to testify about what happened at the firm.
Dinah and Dove make their way down to the firm’s basement. Dawn notes that the lights in the basement flicker, that there is graffiti on the walls, and that there are small rag dolls hanging from the ceiling. Dinah, on the other hand, was more captivated to a single object in a basement corner. The thing appeared to be a wooden chest with a telephone and a notebook connected, from what she could discern. Dinah and Dawn quickly discover they are not alone in the basement. Junior uses a pair of scissors to stab Dove. Black Canary uses her Canary Cry to save Dove from Junior. Junior is knocked unconscious, but Canary’s cry shook the firm’s structure.
Renee Montoya, meanwhile, has returned to Gotham. She’s heard whispers that firearms and drugs are being purchased. The transaction is reportedly set to take place in Gotham’s sewers. She also hears rumors that the acquisition was arranged by unscrupulous cops. The women track down and question the dishonest cop.
The cop, on the other hand, begs the two women to simply throw him into the raging sewage and let him drown. His motivation for wanting to die is because he was assigned to arrange this sale by someone from an “undisclosed firm,” and if the arrangement failed, his wife would be killed as a result of his failure. The deal’s facilitator had previously assassinated the officer’s sister-in-law.
Oracle is contacted by Huntress, who advises her to get the team out of the firm before it’s too late. Because Huntress’ signal is too weak in the sewers for Babs to hear Helena’s request, she summons Catman to assist Huntress at the firm. Huntress notices the breakdown in communication and decides to go to the firm personally to save her friends. Huntress and Question get on Huntress’ motorcycle and ride to the firm once they reach the surface. In front of the firm, Catman meets Huntress and Question.
Hawk is kidnapped by the Lachess brothers, who take him to the firm’s roof, where a helicopter awaits. The chopper is intercepted by Huntress, Question, and Catman before the twins. They save Hawk, and Huntress puts an end to the twins by blowing up the chopper they were in with an explosive arrow. After all of this mayhem, the Birds are unable to locate Junior, who has once again escaped, and Babs appoints Huntress as the new Birds of Prey leader.
Why Alex Merkel Seems Permanently Angry
Junior is crazy and extremely nasty, and she is always angry, probably owing to the pain she is under as a result of her disease. She speaks in a harsh, clipped tone as if it’s a painful experience for her. When she is outraged, though, she does so for an extended period of time, which appears to fuel her fury.
She has no qualms about ordering or carrying out the most heinous acts she can think of on the loved ones of anyone who crosses her. Indeed, she gets a strange kind of satisfaction from it. She will compel her victims to tell her that their loved ones should be taken instead of them. Junior records it nevertheless, before killing them, and then plays it for their families.
She thought the Card made her impervious to the consequences of her conduct. As a result, when it went missing, Junior got obsessed with finding it at all costs. She tried to ask a priest to forgive her crimes in confession as a backup plan, but when that failed, she killed him. Alex hides her face because she despises her appearance. When compelled to go outside, she stays in a crate and keeps herself wrapped in rags.
If she sees herself exposed, she explodes with wrath at the judgment she sees in their eyes and kills them. She also requires that everything around her be unattractive. Junior, for example, will not travel in a nice car, preferring the worst one she can find.
Her procedures haven’t given her the same flexibility as her father and brother. Furthermore, she is unable to walk without the use of crutches. Despite her small stature, Alex possesses almost superhuman levels of frenzied strength. Boasting this immense strength, she is capable of ripping someone’s head off with little or no effort. She also appears to have a high pain threshold and had taken down Bane in a matter of seconds.
She generally carries a pair of scissors with her. She once slapped her brother’s fingers off with them before he could respond. Her most valuable asset is her ferocious, borderline psychotic attitude. It has the ability to frighten more strong opponents. With just a phone and a notepad, she was able to suppress crime along the American west coast.
With this, we come to the end of chronicling the life and deeds of the mercenary villain, Alex Merkel whose alias ‘Junior’ name struck fear in the hearts of all those who crossed her path.