List of Supersoldiers in fiction
Encyclopedia
The Supersoldier
, a soldier or fighter enhanced beyond normal human limitations by some means, is a recurring trope
in speculative fiction
, particularly science fiction
. This list of supersoldier examples is not comprehensive.
Oddly enough, their final transformation into Dark Knights turns them into lightly armored axe-wielding undead who are far less challenging to fight. It has been suggested that those Dark Knights, who were nigh unstoppable in their time, are outclassed because they were the top of the line in the 10th Century AD, long before the invention of gunpowder and explosives. The transformation ritual has actually downgraded those super-soldiers into the 10th century equivalent of super-soldiers, obsolete and fragile versus WWII weapons and technology.
Supersoldier
Supersoldier is a term often used to describe a soldier that operates beyond normal human limits or abilities. Supersoldiers are common in science fiction literature, films, TV programs, computer, conspiracy theories, and video games, but have also made appearances in other related genres, such as...
, a soldier or fighter enhanced beyond normal human limitations by some means, is a recurring trope
Trope (literature)
A literary trope is the usage of figurative language in literature, or a figure of speech in which words are used in a sense different from their literal meaning...
in speculative fiction
Speculative fiction
Speculative fiction is an umbrella term encompassing the more fantastical fiction genres, specifically science fiction, fantasy, horror, supernatural fiction, superhero fiction, utopian and dystopian fiction, apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, and alternate history in literature as well as...
, particularly science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
. This list of supersoldier examples is not comprehensive.
Books
- Frank HerbertFrank HerbertFranklin Patrick Herbert, Jr. was a critically acclaimed and commercially successful American science fiction author. Although a short story author, he is best known for his novels, most notably Dune and its five sequels...
's Dune sagaDune universeDune is a science fiction franchise which originated with the 1965 novel Dune by Frank Herbert. Considered by many to be the greatest science fiction novel of all time, Dune is frequently cited as the best-selling science fiction novel in history...
has many examples of entire armies of supersoldiers, such as the Padishah EmperorPadishah EmperorPadishah Emperor is the title given to the hereditary rulers of the Old Empire in the science fiction Dune universe created by Frank Herbert.-Original series:...
's Imperial SardaukarSardaukarThe Sardaukar are a fictional fanatical army from Frank Herbert's Dune universe, primarily featured in the 1965 science fiction novel Dune, as well as Brian Herbert and Kevin J...
, who hail from the harsh penal colony Salusa SecundusSalusa SecundusSalusa Secundus is a fictional planet appearing in Frank Herbert's Dune universe. With harsh conditions rivaling those of the desert planet Arrakis, Salusa is used as the Imperial Prison Planet, and is one of two planets on which shigawire is grown .-Dune:In "Terminology of the Imperium," the...
, where six out of every thirteen inhabitants die before maturity. The strongest of these prisoners are selected and subjected to inhuman conditioning that kills a third of the remainder. Conditioned with a disregard for safety and human life and an inability to disobey orders, a single Sardaukar was a match for ten soldiers in the service of the other Houses of the LandsraadLandsraadThe Landsraad is a fictional organization in Frank Herbert's Dune universe. It is the assembly of all noble Houses in the Imperium.-Overview:...
, although Leto Atreides' elite shock troops were considered near equals to the Sardaukar. They were eventually replaced by the FremenFremenThe Fremen are a group of people in the fictional Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. First appearing in the 1965 novel Dune, the Fremen inhabit the desert planet Arrakis and are based on the desert-dwelling Bedouin and Kalahari Bushmen. In Herbert's novels, Arrakis is the sole known source...
of ArrakisArrakisArrakis — informally known as Dune and later called Rakis — is a fictional desert planet featured in the Dune series of novels by Frank Herbert. Herbert's first novel in the series, 1965's Dune, is popularly considered one of the greatest science fiction novels of all time, and it is...
under the command of Paul Atriedes as the foremost soldiers of the known universe. Under the Emperor Leto Atreides IILeto Atreides IILeto Atreides II is a fictional character from the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. Born at the end of Dune Messiah , Leto is a central character in Children of Dune and is the title character of God Emperor of Dune . The character is brought back as a ghola in the Brian Herbert/Kevin J...
, the Fish Speakers, an all female fighting force who were fanatically trained and eugenically bred, became the preeminent and most effective military force in the known universe. The Fish Speakers were eventually eclipsed by the Honoured Matres, evolved from offshoots of the Fish Speakers and the Bene GesseritBene GesseritThe Bene Gesserit are a key social, religious, and political force in Frank Herbert's science fiction Dune universe. The group is described as an exclusive sisterhood whose members train their bodies and minds through years of physical and mental conditioning to obtain superhuman powers and...
, an organization that also has a superhumanSuperhumanSuperhuman can mean an improved human, for example, by genetic modification, cybernetic implants, or as what humans might evolve into, in the near or distant future...
reputation. - In Larry NivenLarry NivenLaurence van Cott Niven / ˈlæri ˈnɪvən/ is an American science fiction author. His best-known work is Ringworld , which received Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards. His work is primarily hard science fiction, using big science concepts and theoretical physics...
and Jerry PournelleJerry PournelleJerry Eugene Pournelle is an American science fiction writer, essayist and journalist who contributed for many years to the computer magazine Byte and has since 1998 been maintaining his own website/blog....
's CoDominiumCoDominium-The CoDominium series:*A Spaceship for the King *He Fell into a Dark Hole *The Mote in God's Eye...
Universe, the Saurons are a genetically engineered race of supersoldiers. The army of the planet Frystaat also fields what might be called supersoldiers, being an elite, highly trained commando force bred to survive on a harsh, high-gravity world (referred to in one book as "mutantMutantIn biology and especially genetics, a mutant is an individual, organism, or new genetic character, arising or resulting from an instance of mutation, which is a base-pair sequence change within the DNA of a gene or chromosome of an organism resulting in the creation of a new character or trait not...
hell-planet BoerBoerBoer is the Dutch and Afrikaans word for farmer, which came to denote the descendants of the Dutch-speaking settlers of the eastern Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 18th century, as well as those who left the Cape Colony during the 19th century to settle in the Orange Free State,...
s" for their abnormal strength and stamina. In the follow-up novel Warworld: Blood Feuds, a Sauron expert in genetics also classes those of Frystatter genetics as having capacities beyond those of baseline Earth-human stock). The alien Moties also have a specialized Warrior caste, a subspecies bred for tens of thousands of years to be the perfect fighters and bodyguards. - Though it does not play a large role in the series, Larry NivenLarry NivenLaurence van Cott Niven / ˈlæri ˈnɪvən/ is an American science fiction author. His best-known work is Ringworld , which received Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards. His work is primarily hard science fiction, using big science concepts and theoretical physics...
's Known SpaceKnown SpaceKnown Space is the fictional setting of some dozen science fiction novels and several collections of short stories written by author Larry Niven. It has also in part been used as a shared universe in the Man-Kzin Wars spin-off anthologies sub-series....
universe makes reference to a group who wear the Hellflare, a flame tattooTattooA tattoo is made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification, and tattoos on other animals are most commonly used for identification purposes...
that signifies the wearer is trained to fight Kzinti warriors in single combat. The majority, perhaps all, of these individuals are implied to be JinxiansJinx (Known Space)Jinx is a fictional world in Larry Niven's Known Space stories.-Description:The world is a satellite of a gas giant named Binary in the Sirius A system, and is home to a human colony. Jinx is six times more massive than Earth, and very dense, with a surface gravity of about 1.78 times Earth gravity...
, another group of Humans adapted to a high-gravity planet by selective breedingSelective breedingSelective breeding is the process of breeding plants and animals for particular genetic traits. Typically, strains that are selectively bred are domesticated, and the breeding is sometimes done by a professional breeder. Bred animals are known as breeds, while bred plants are known as varieties,...
. The Hellflare wearers were first mentioned by Niven in the short story "Flatlander" (from the collection Neutron Star) as 'background color'; the first one to be used as a character is the Jinxian Daff Gambiel in the noveletteNoveletteA novelette is a piece of short prose fiction. The distinction between a novelette and other literary forms is usually based upon word count, with a novelette being longer than a short story, but shorter than a novella...
"Hey Diddle Diddle" by Thomas T. Thomas in Man-Kzin Wars VMan-Kzin WarsThe Man-Kzin Wars is a series of military science fiction short story collections , as well as the eponymous conflicts between mankind and the Kzinti that they detail...
. - The Galactic PatrolGalactic PatrolThe Galactic Patrol was an intergalactic organization in the Lensman science fiction series written by E. E. Smith. It was also the title of the third book in the series.-Overview:...
of E. E. "Doc" SmithE. E. SmithEdward Elmer Smith, Ph.D., also, E. E. Smith, E. E. "Doc" Smith, Doc Smith, "Skylark" Smith, and Ted was a food engineer and early science fiction author who wrote the Lensman series and the Skylark series, among others...
was a military organization made up of the LensmenLensmanThe Lensman series is a serial science fiction space opera by Edward Elmer "Doc" Smith. It was a runner-up for the Hugo award for best All-Time Series ....
, the end results of centuries of breeding programs among several races on dozens of worlds, designed to be not only physically and mentally superior, but morally superior as well, and armed with Lenses that give them telepathic abilities. The Patrol also had ground troops in the form of the Valerian marines, a human-offshoot subspecies bred on a high-gravity world (similar to, but predating, the Frystaaters and Jinxians, above). - In David Brin's novel The PostmanThe PostmanThe Postman , is a post-apocalyptic science fiction novel by David Brin. A drifter stumbles across the uniform of an old United States Postal Service letter carrier and with empty promises of aid from the "Restored United States of America", gives hope to a community threatened by local warlords...
(though not in the film adaptationThe Postman (film)The Postman is an American post-apocalyptic epic film based on the 1985 novel of the same name by David Brin. It was filmed in northeastern Washington , Fidalgo Island, Washington, central Oregon and Tucson, Arizona, and was directed by Kevin Costner, who also stars in the film...
), the United States military is described as having experimented with 'Augments', a type of supersoldier. There were at least two different forms of the modifications, one based one the use of strength enhancing cybernetics, the other using a combination of cybernetics, hormoneHormoneA hormone is a chemical released by a cell or a gland in one part of the body that sends out messages that affect cells in other parts of the organism. Only a small amount of hormone is required to alter cell metabolism. In essence, it is a chemical messenger that transports a signal from one...
stimulation, hypnosisHypnosisHypnosis is "a trance state characterized by extreme suggestibility, relaxation and heightened imagination."It is a mental state or imaginative role-enactment . It is usually induced by a procedure known as a hypnotic induction, which is commonly composed of a long series of preliminary...
and biofeedbackBiofeedbackBiofeedback is the process of becoming aware of various physiological functions using instruments that provide information on the activity of those same systems, with a goal of being able to manipulate them at will...
to enhance agility and endurance. The project apparently also experimented in the psychology of augmentation; the protagonist notes that the strength-enhanced cyborgs were chosen for being psychopaths whose loyalty was entirely to the project and each other (but not, as things would go, the US as a whole), while those in the adrenaline-control project were chosen for their psychological stability and strong sense of social conscience. - Gordon R. DicksonGordon R. DicksonGordon Rupert Dickson was an American science fiction author.- Biography :Dickson was born in Edmonton, Alberta, in 1923. After the death of his father, he moved with his mother to Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1937...
wrote a series of novels and short stories which centered around the Dorsai, one of the Splinter Cultures whose society centers around military service as mercenariesMercenaryA mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
. The Dorsai developed training and conditioning techniques that allowed them to operate at higher than normal levels of effectiveness in combat. The Dorsai, being professional soldiers, concentrated their education on military science which resulted in highly trained soldiers and officers who were highly skilled at tacticsMilitary tacticsMilitary tactics, the science and art of organizing an army or an air force, are the techniques for using weapons or military units in combination for engaging and defeating an enemy in battle. Changes in philosophy and technology over time have been reflected in changes to military tactics. In...
, operational artOperational warfareOperational mobility, beginning as a military theory concept during the period of mechanisation of armed forces, became a method of managing movement of forces by strategic commanders from the staging area to their Tactical Area of Responsibility....
, and strategyStrategyStrategy, a word of military origin, refers to a plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal. In military usage strategy is distinct from tactics, which are concerned with the conduct of an engagement, while strategy is concerned with how different engagements are linked...
. - John DalmasJohn DalmasJohn Robert Jones writes science fiction as John Dalmas. He has written many books based on military and governmental themes. His first published novel was The Yngling serialized beginning in the October/November 1969 issue of Analog....
wrote a series of novels about the Tsai a society of people with several different specialities one of which was military service. Tsai chose their specialities within the first few years of life and those who chose military service were highly trained light infantryLight infantryTraditionally light infantry were soldiers whose job was to provide a skirmishing screen ahead of the main body of infantry, harassing and delaying the enemy advance. Light infantry was distinct from medium, heavy or line infantry. Heavy infantry were dedicated primarily to fighting in tight...
mercenaries. The Tsai were not only high skilled with great physical conditioning but also had a telepathic ability allowing the soldiers to operate with an extremely high level of coordination. - In J. R. R. TolkienJ. R. R. TolkienJohn Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
's Middle-earthMiddle-earthMiddle-earth is the fictional setting of the majority of author J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings take place entirely in Middle-earth, as does much of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales....
mythology, SarumanSarumanSaruman the White is a fictional character and a major antagonist in J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings. He is leader of the Istari, wizards sent to Middle-earth in human form by the godlike Valar to challenge Sauron, the main antagonist of the tale, but later on aims at gaining...
's Uruk-haiUruk-haiThe Uruk-hai are fictional characters in J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth. They are introduced in The Lord of the Rings as an advanced breed or breeds of Orcs that serve Sauron and Saruman...
could be considered a form of supersoldier, having all the strength of Orcs while eliminating hindrances such as the Orc's weakness to daylight. However, an Uruk-haiUruk-haiThe Uruk-hai are fictional characters in J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth. They are introduced in The Lord of the Rings as an advanced breed or breeds of Orcs that serve Sauron and Saruman...
was no match for an elven warrior, especially one of the NoldorNoldorIn the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Noldor are Elves of the Second Clan who migrated to Valinor and lived in Eldamar. The Noldor are called Golodhrim or Gódhellim in Sindarin, and Goldoi by Teleri of Tol Eressëa. The singular form of the Quenya noun is Noldo and the adjective is Noldorin...
, greatest of warriors of the Children of IlúvatarChildren of IlúvatarThe Children of Ilúvatar is the name given to the two races of Elves and Men in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium because they were created by Ilúvatar, the One God, without the help of the Ainur....
. - In Illuminatus!, Hagbard CelineHagbard CelineFreeman Hagbard Celine, H.M., S.H. is a central protagonist in the Illuminatus trilogy of books by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson, named after the legendary Viking hero Hagbard who died for love. In the Schrödinger's Cat trilogy, the sequel to Illuminatus!, it is stated that 'Hagbard Celine'...
claims that a division of Waffen S.S. troops were ritually sacrificed and sunk under 'Lake TotenkopfTotenkopfThe Totenkopf is the German word for the death's head and an old symbol for death or the dead. It consists usually of the skull and the mandible of the human skeleton...
', so that they might be reanimated as mystically-enhanced supersoldiers at some later date. - The crossoverIntercompany crossoverIn comic books, an intercompany crossover is a comic or series of comics where characters published by one company meet those published by another...
novel Planet XPlanet X (Star Trek)The 1998 Star Trek novel Planet X by Michael Jan Friedman is a crossover between the X-Men comic book series and the characters of Star Trek: The Next Generation...
by Michael Jan FriedmanMichael Jan FriedmanMichael Jan Friedman is an author of nearly sixty books of fiction and nonfiction, more than half of which are in the Star Trek universe. Ten of his titles have appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list...
has the X-MenX-MenThe X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
and the crew of Star Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
teamed up to deal with a group of people from the planet Xhaldia who begin displaying various, mainly destructive, super-powers; it develops that they were genetically engineered by an aggressive alien race to use as supersoldiers, and these beings have returned to "harvest" their handiwork. - In the Wild CardsWild CardsWild Cards is a science fiction and superhero anthology series set in a shared universe. The series was created by a group of New Mexico science fiction authors, but it is mostly pulled together and edited by best-selling author George R. R. Martin with assistance by Melinda Snodgrass, also a...
science fiction/superhero anthology series, certain Houses of the ruling class on the planet TakisTakis (Wild Cards)Takis is a fictional planet in the Wild Cards book series. It is the homeworld of Dr. Tachyon and the source of the Wild Card virus. The culture of Takis has been alluded to in many Wild Cards stories, but was fleshed out more fully in the Wild Cards novel Double Solitaire by Melinda M...
use genetically enhanced supersoldiers called the Morahk, who possess superhuman strength, speed, durability, coordination, and healing rate, as well as resistance to Takisian telepathy. They are conditioned for fanatical loyalty, as well as occasionally being trained to serve as political advisors to those they protect. A Morahk warrior resembles a short, exceedingly broadly built and muscular human with a delicate, handsome elfen face. The Wild Card virus itself was designed to create supersoldiers by enhancing the Takisians' native psi powers, but its random unreliability made it useless for that purpose. - In the Star TrekStar TrekStar Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
novels co-authored by William ShatnerWilliam ShatnerWilliam Alan Shatner is a Canadian actor, musician, recording artist, and author. He gained worldwide fame and became a cultural icon for his portrayal of James T...
and Judith and Garfield Reeves-StevensJudith and Garfield Reeves-StevensJudith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens are a prolific husband and wife writing team, known mainly for their involvement with the Star Trek franchise. They have written several books both within and outside of Star Trek, and acted as executive story editors and co-producers on the fourth season of the...
(the "Shatnerverse"), particularly Ashes of Eden, Kirk'sJames T. KirkJames Tiberius "Jim" Kirk is a character in the Star Trek media franchise. Kirk was first played by William Shatner as the principal lead character in the original Star Trek series. Shatner voiced Kirk in the animated Star Trek series and appeared in the first seven Star Trek movies...
lover Teilani and her people were revealed to be KlingonKlingonKlingons are a fictional warrior race in the Star Trek universe.Klingons are recurring villains in the 1960s television show Star Trek: The Original Series, and have appeared in all five spin-off series and eight feature films...
/RomulanRomulanThe Romulans are a fictional alien race in the Star Trek universe. First appearing in the original Star Trek series in the 1966 episode "Balance of Terror", they have since made appearances in all the main later Star Trek series: The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager...
hybrids created as last-ditch supersoldiers in case of those powers warring with the FederationUnited Federation of PlanetsThe United Federation of Planets, also known as "The Federation" is a fictional interplanetary federal republic depicted in the Star Trek television series and motion pictures...
. Their childhood games, dances, and songs were disguised military training, and their genetically engineered bodies were augmented with biological materials taken from living human bodies. When the war never materialized and the Klingon/Romulan alliance broke up, they were abandoned with no knowledge of their intended purpose. - In Ehud Gat's Lilith: Operation Genesis, female volunteers to Project Dryad underwent gene-splicing treatments which included: Feline DNA for flexibility, Hawk DNA to increase eyesight, canine DNA to increase hearing and smell senses, various other DNA combinations to increase strength and endurance, sea mammal DNA to allow them to hold their breathes for long periods of time, starfish DNA to allow relatively-quick regeneration of damage and Alien DNA to increase their brain capabilities. In addition they were infused with Endurium, a super-metal laced into the bones to make them nearly unbreakable and various other cybernetic enhancements.
Movies and television
- Clone troopers in the Star WarsStar WarsStar Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
series are the precursors to the original trilogy's Imperial stormtrooperImperial stormtrooperThe Imperial Stormtroopers are fictional soldiers from George Lucas' Star Wars universe. Stormtroopers are the soldiers of the imperial army under the leadership of the evil Sith Lord and Emperor Palpatine and his commanders, most notably Darth Vader and Grand Moff Tarkin.They are shown in...
s: mass-produced troops with superior training, and all-around physical prowess. Clone commandos are far more powerful, operating in squads of four, and using the most advanced weapons and armour. ARC Troopers are also elite soldiers, considered one-man killing machines, with weaker armour, but very advanced training and weapons. They also possess normal human initiative while the other Clone troopers are engineered to be obedient. - The TV series AndromedaAndromeda (TV series)Andromeda is a Canadian-American science fiction television series, based on unused material by the late Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, developed by Robert Hewitt Wolfe, and produced by Roddenberry's widow, Majel Barrett Roddenberry. It starred Kevin Sorbo as High Guard Captain Dylan Hunt...
featured the Nietzscheans, a highly competitive, genetically enhanced offshoot of humanity. Andromeda also featured the Magogs, a highly dangerous, genetically modified creature with enhanced strength and aggression, clawed hand and feet and the ability to spray acid, who act as foot soldiers for the Spirit of the AbyssSpirit of the AbyssThe Spirit of the Abyss is the leader and god of the Magog in the TV series Andromeda. The Abyss is also referred to as "the Darkness" many times in the series...
. - In The X-FilesThe X-FilesThe X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
, Super-Soldiers are human-alien hybrids that exhibit extreme strength and seemingly cannot die. They were apparently designed to colonize the earth. - In Star Trek: Deep Space NineStar Trek: Deep Space NineStar Trek: Deep Space Nine is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe...
, the DominionDominion (Star Trek)In the Star Trek universe, the Dominion is a ruthless and militaristic Gamma Quadrant state consisting of many different races. The Dominion wages war on the United Federation of Planets and its allies in the late 24th century, acting as an antagonist in the TV show Star Trek: Deep Space...
genetically engineered the Jem'HadarJem'HadarIn the fictional Star Trek universe, the Jem'Hadar are the shock troops of the powerful Dominion located in the Gamma Quadrant. Genetically engineered for strength and resolve, they are also short-lived and believe that "victory is life." They are bred to perceive the Founders, enigmatic...
, who are gentically programmed to be fanatically dedicated, as well as addicted to a life-sustaining drug, to maintain their absolute loyalty. - Also in the Star TrekStar TrekStar Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
Universe, Khan Noonien SinghKhan Noonien SinghKhan Noonien Singh, commonly shortened to Khan, is a villain in the fictional Star Trek universe. According to backstory given in the character's first appearance, the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "Space Seed" , Khan is a genetically engineered superhuman tyrant who once controlled more...
was one of the Augments whose superior abilities and ambition led to the Eugenics War. - The Star Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
episode "The Hunted" involved an army of super-soldiers who were unable to re-acclimate themselves to civilian life after the war they were created for ended, due to their extensive psychological conditioning. The civil authorities resorted to imprisoning them 'for the public good', until a group of them escaped and overthrew the government. The episode is generally considered to be an allegory for the problem of post-traumatic stress disorderPost-traumatic stress disorderPosttraumaticstress disorder is a severe anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to any event that results in psychological trauma. This event may involve the threat of death to oneself or to someone else, or to one's own or someone else's physical, sexual, or psychological integrity,...
(and more specifically, Vietnam veteran's syndrome). - The Manticore project and the Familiar cult from the TV series Dark AngelDark Angel (TV series)Dark Angel is an American biopunk/cyberpunk science fiction television series created by James Cameron and Charles H. Eglee. The show premiered in the United States on the Fox network on October 3, 2000, and was canceled after two seasons...
, whose shared end goal is the creation of super soldiers/super humans, either through genetic manipulation or selective breeding, respectively. The heroine, MaxMax GuevaraMax Guevara is a fictional television character and protagonist in the cyberpunk science fiction television program Dark Angel. She is portrayed by Jessica Alba as an adult and Geneva Locke as a child...
, is one of the X5X5 (Dark Angel)The X5 Series supersoldiers are a fictional group of elite, genetically-enhanced supersoldiers in the television series Dark Angel.-History:...
escapees of the Manticore project. - In Stargate SG-1Stargate SG-1Stargate SG-1 is a Canadian-American adventure and military science fiction television series and part of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Stargate franchise. The show, created by Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner, is based on the 1994 feature film Stargate by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich...
, the Goa'uldGoa'uldThe Goa'uld are a fictional symbiotic race of ancient astronauts from the American-Canadian military science fiction television franchise Stargate. The Goa'uld are parasites from the planet P3X-888, integrated within a host, most of the time human. The resulting creatures are a powerful race bent...
use Jaffa, genetically modified soldiers that act as incubators for their symbiotes. They possess great strength, perfect health & long life—so long as their symbiote is intact. - The Goa'uld System Lord Anubis develops the Kull Warriors (first named supersoldiers or Anubis drones by the SGC personnel). These soldiers are far more resilient than Jaffa and wear black armor. They are almost impervious to most weaponry.
- In the spin-off series Stargate AtlantisStargate AtlantisStargate Atlantis is a Canadian-American adventure and military science fiction television series and part of MGM's Stargate franchise. The show was created by Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper as a spin-off series of Stargate SG-1, which was created by Wright and Jonathan Glassner and was itself...
, the WraithWraith (Stargate)In the science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis, the Wraith are the original enemy alien species, first introduced in the pilot episode . In the series, they are a vampire-like telepathic race who feed on the "life-force" of humans, and are the dominant power in the Pegasus galaxy...
scientist known to humans as Michael once experimented with combining human and Iratus bug DNA in order to create a horde of strong and aggressive hybrid warriors. - In the film Universal SoldierUniversal Soldier (1992 film)Universal Soldier is a 1992 American science fiction action film directed by Roland Emmerich and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren as soldiers who kill each other in Vietnam but are reanimated in a secret Army project along with a large group of other previously dead...
, the two lead characters are biologically-enhanced reanimated cyborg soldiers as part of an American supersoldier project. RoboCopRoboCopRoboCop is a 1987 American science fiction-action film directed by Paul Verhoeven. Set in a crime-ridden Detroit, Michigan in the near future, RoboCop centers on a police officer who is brutally murdered and subsequently re-created as a super-human cyborg known as "RoboCop"...
also has a similar premise. - The movie SoldierSoldier (film)Soldier is a 1998 science fiction-action film directed by Paul W.S. Anderson. The film stars Kurt Russell as Sgt. Todd, a soldier trained from birth...
was based entirely on the premise of supersoldiers, particularly the psychological effect of raising someone to be a human weapon. - In the movie Blade RunnerBlade RunnerBlade Runner is a 1982 American science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, and Sean Young. The screenplay, written by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples, is loosely based on the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K...
, Rutger Hauer plays a commando who is a replicant and possibly a supersoldier. - In the film Batman & Robin, the character BaneBane (comics)Bane is a fictional character who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Batman: Vengeance of Bane #1 , and was created by Chuck Dixon, Doug Moench, and Graham Nolan. Bane has been one of Batman's more physically and intellectually powerful foes...
is created with supersoldier serum - The Chronicles of RiddickThe Chronicles of Riddick (series)The Chronicles of Riddick is a science fiction action/horror media franchise, spanning two live-action feature films and their novelizations, a direct-to-DVD animated film, numerous animated shorts, two video games, an Internet-based video game, figurines and hundreds of instances of fan fiction....
film and videogame series concerns Richard B. RiddickRiddickRichard B. Riddick , more commonly known simply as Riddick, is the antihero of three films in the Riddick series, namely Pitch Black, The Chronicles of Riddick, and the animated movie The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury; as well as the two video games The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher...
, one of the last of a warrior race called the Furyans, a race which the ElementalElementalAn elemental is a mythological being first appearing in the alchemical works of Paracelsus in the 16th century. Traditionally, there are four types:*gnomes, earth elementals*undines , water elementals*sylphs, air elementals...
Aereon describes as "Defiant to the end". In the series, Riddick demonstrates nearly superhuman combat and athletic abilities. Furyans also have the ability to pass energy to each other and also bestow physical changes such as the Eyeshine, which turns out to be a Furyan ability rather than a prison augmentation as Riddick is well known for explaining it. - River Tam, a character in the television series FireflyFirefly (TV series)Firefly is an American space western television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon, under his Mutant Enemy Productions label. Whedon served as executive producer, along with Tim Minear....
and the subsequent film SerenitySerenity (film)Serenity is a 2005 space western film written and directed by Joss Whedon. It is a continuation of the short-lived 2002 Fox science fiction television series Firefly, taking place after the events of the final episode. Set in 2518, Serenity is the story of the captain and crew of a cargo ship...
, was a physically, intellectually and psychically gifted young girl whom the AllianceAlliance (Firefly)The Alliance is a fictional supra-governmental entity in the Serenity franchise, a powerful authoritarian government and law-enforcement organization that controls the majority of territory within the known universe...
attempted to turn into a supersoldier/assassin. - In the TV series Babylon 5Babylon 5Babylon 5 is an American science fiction television series created, produced and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. The show centers on a space station named Babylon 5: a focal point for politics, diplomacy, and conflict during the years 2257–2262...
, it was eventually revealed that the telepaths of many races were engineered by the VorlonVorlonA Vorlon is a member of a fictional alien species in the Babylon 5 television series and fictional universe. The Vorlon species is a member of the First Ones, a group made up of the earliest species to gain sentience in the galaxy...
s to use as potential soldiers against the ShadowsShadow (Babylon 5)The Shadows are a fictional alien species in the science fiction television series Babylon 5. Their homeworld is Z'ha'dum. In contrast to the Vorlons, whose philosophy is represented by the question "Who are you?", that of the Shadows is represented by the question "What do you want?", centering...
. In the Season 1 episode InfectionInfection (Babylon 5)"Infection" is an episode from the first season of the science fiction television series Babylon 5.-A-Plot:Dr. Vance Hendricks brings to Babylon 5 a deadly weapon from a long-dead civilization that is revived and wreaks havoc on the station....
, it is discovered that inhabitants of the planet Ikarra modified some of their own people to become supersoldiers. These supersoldiers ultimately killed every Ikarran on the planet. - In the TV series Now and AgainNow and AgainNow and Again is an American television series that aired in the US from September 24, 1999 until May 5, 2000 on CBS. The story revolves around the United States government engineering the perfect human body for use in espionage, but not being able to yet perfect the brain...
, an obese man, Michael Wiseman is killed in a subway accident and his brain is used by the United States Government in a super soldier program. He is trained in the arts of espionage by government experts but longs to return to his family. - In seaQuest DSVSeaQuest DSVseaQuest DSV is an American science fiction television series created by Rockne S. O'Bannon. It originally aired on NBC between 1993 and 1996. In its final season, it was renamed seaQuest 2032. Set in "the near future", seaQuest mixes high drama with realistic scientific fiction...
, G.E.L.F.s (Genetically Engineered Life Forms or "DaggersDaggers (seaQuest DSV episode)"Daggers" is the first episode of seaQuest DSV`s second season. It was originally shown on September 18, 1994, and originally aired as a two-hour television movie....
") were created for the sole purpose of waging war. As they were outlawed in 2004, they were all relocated to a remote colony island and essentially imprisoned. The prototype G.E.L.F., Dagwood's fighting skills and intellect were not as developed as the others, and as such, he was reassigned to custodial duties aboard the seaQuestSeaQuest DSV 4600The UEO seaQuest DSV 4600 and the UEO seaQuest DSV 4600-II are the two titular submarines featured in the science fiction television series "seaQuest DSV", which ran for three seasons on NBC from 1993-1996...
. - The plot of Return of the Living Dead 3Return of the Living Dead 3Return of the Living Dead 3 is an American romantic-horror film released in 1993. It was directed by Brian Yuzna and was written by John Penney. The film stars Melinda Clarke as Julie Walker, J. Trevor Edmond as Curt Reynolds, Kent McCord as Col. John Reynolds and Basil Wallace as Riverman...
revolves around a disastrous attempt by the military to use Trioxin to create controllable zombieZombieZombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...
supersoldiers. - The 1977 film Shock Waves, where Nazi zombies were failed subjects in a project to develop a soldier who can survive in a multitude of hostile environments (such as the freezing cold of the RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n winter) with a minimum of protective equipment. The subjects became impervious to normal weapons but went insane in the process and where eventually abandoned on a deserted island. - In the direct-to-video animated film Superman: DoomsdaySuperman: DoomsdaySuperman: Doomsday & Beyond is a licensed novel, published in 1993, set in the DC Comics universe, written by Louise Simonson, and with illustrations from Dan Jurgens and José Luis García-López. It is a young-adult version of The Death of Superman comics storyline from 1992...
, the monster Doomsday is revealed to be an attempt at a KryptonianKryptonianKryptonians are a fictional extraterrestrial race of the DC Comics universe who hail from the planet Krypton. The term originated from the stories of DC Comics superhero, Superman...
supersoldier gone wrong. - On SmallvilleSmallville (TV series)Smallville is an American television series developed by writers/producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar based on the DC Comics character Superman, originally created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The television series was initially broadcast by The WB Television Network , premiering on October...
, it is gradually revealed that Lex LuthorLex LuthorLex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
's company has been secretly experimenting with metahumanMetahumanMetahuman is a term to describe superhumans in DC Comics' shared universe, the DC Universe. It is roughly synonymous with both mutant and mutate and posthuman in the Wildstorm and Ultimate Marvel Universes. Use of the term in reference to superheroes was coined in 1986 by author George R. R...
and alienExtraterrestrial lifeExtraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
DNA as part of a program (Project Ares http://smallville.wikia.com/wiki/Project_Ares) to produce supersoldiers, ostensibly to combat the growing threats of metahumanMetahumanMetahuman is a term to describe superhumans in DC Comics' shared universe, the DC Universe. It is roughly synonymous with both mutant and mutate and posthuman in the Wildstorm and Ultimate Marvel Universes. Use of the term in reference to superheroes was coined in 1986 by author George R. R...
criminals and alien invaders. - In the 2006 film UltravioletUltraviolet (film)Ultraviolet is a 2006 American science fiction action film written and directed by Kurt Wimmer and produced by Screen Gems. It stars Milla Jovovich as Violet Song and Cameron Bright as Six. It was released in North America on March 3, 2006...
, Milla JovovichMilla JovovichMilla Jovovich December 17, 1975)is an American model, actress, musician, and fashion designer. Over her career, she has appeared in a number of science fiction and action-themed films, for which music channel VH1 has referred to her as the "reigning queen of kick-butt".Milla Jovovich began...
plays a young woman who was infected with a genetically engineered virus called hemophagia, which turns her into a vampire-like superhuman who is trained in combat by the hemophage rebellion. - The low-budget Sci-Fi ChannelSyfySyfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
film S.S. DoomtrooperS.S. DoomtrooperS.S. Doomtrooper is a 2006 made-for-TV science fiction movie starring Corin Nemec, in which a mutated Nazi supersoldier fights against Allied troops during World War II.The character of Private Parker Lewis is an homage of the main character of the Fox...
has the Nazis creating a giant mutant cyborg soldier during World War II. - In the 2003 Ang LeeAng LeeAng Lee is a Taiwanese film director. Lee has directed a diverse set of films such as Eat Drink Man Woman , Sense and Sensibility , Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon , Hulk , and Brokeback Mountain , for which he won an Academy...
film adaptation of The HulkHulk (film)Hulk is a 2003 American superhero film based on the fictional Marvel Comics character of the same name. Ang Lee directed the film, which stars Eric Bana as Dr. Bruce Banner, as well as Jennifer Connelly, Sam Elliott, Josh Lucas, and Nick Nolte...
, Bruce's father David Banner was experimenting with combining human/animal DNA to create soldiers that could survive any battlefield, affecting the genes of himself and his son. - In the 2008 adaptation The Incredible Hulk, Bruce Banner's gamma experiments were part of an attempt to recreate the supersoldier serum that created Captain AmericaCaptain AmericaCaptain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
. During the movie, Emil Blonsky is subjected to a frozen sample of the original serum, becoming much more agile and stronger and able to heal faster. - In Doctor WhoDoctor WhoDoctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
, several alien races including the Daleks (genetically engineered cyborgs purged of all emotions save hate and encased in tank-like armour from birth) and the Sontarans (a clone race bred only for war in batches of millions to be much stronger and tougher than any human) would likely be considered super soldiers.
Animated series
- Shane "Goose" Gooseman, one of the heroes of The Adventures of the Galaxy RangersThe Adventures of the Galaxy RangersThe Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers was an American animated Space Western television series created by Robert Mandell and Gaylord Entertainment Company....
, was the result of a government genetic engineering experiment to develop "supertroopers". Other supertroopers exist, but many were exposed to a gas to speed up their mutation and became aggressive and unstable in the process. - In the animated television series ExosquadExosquadExosquad is an American animated television series created by Universal Cartoon Studios as a response to Japanese anime. The show is set in the beginning of the 22nd century and covers the interplanetary war between humanity and Neosapiens, a fictional race artificially created as workers/slaves...
, the Neo Warriors were mass-produced as brutish shock troops, while the smarter Neo Lords were designed for infiltration and commando activities. Even the common NeosapienNeosapienThe Neosapiens , featured in the science fiction animated television series Exosquad, are a fictional race of genetically engineered sentient humanoids.-Background:...
troops, while not specifically designed as soldiers, are physically superior to humans in strength, reflexes, endurance, and senses. - In the G.I. Joe: A Real American HeroG.I. Joe: A Real American HeroG.I. Joe: A Real American Hero is a military-themed line of action figures and toys in Hasbro's G.I. Joe franchise. The toyline lasted from 1982 to 1994, producing well over 500 figures and 250 vehicles and playsets. The line reappeared in 1997 and has continued in one form or another to the...
comics and cartoons released by Marvel ComicsMarvel ComicsMarvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
and Sunbow ProductionsSunbow ProductionsSunbow Entertainment was an animation studio, founded in 1980 and owned up until 1998 by Griffin-Bacal Advertising in New York. The first animation efforts by Griffin-Bacal were producing the animated commercials for Hasbro's G.I...
respectively, a number of supersoldiers or supersoldier-like characters make appearances, the most supersoldier like being the Strato-Vipers and the Star-Viper of Cobra; pilots whom have been exposed to extreme gravity and have had cybernetics implanted in their brains to increase their reflexes. Also supersoldier like are the powerful Royal Guards and Nemesis Enforcer of the pre-human civilization Cobra-LaCobra-LaCobra-La is a fictional civilization created by Hasbro for the military-themed toyline and TV series G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. Introduced to the public in G.I. Joe: The Movie and the 1987 series of action figures, Cobra-La was created as a reference to James Hilton's Lost Horizon, and the...
. ZartanZartanZartan is a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, by Hasbro. He is a mercenary who often worked directly for Cobra Commander, and is one of the main villains in the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero comic and animated series. His character was voiced by Zack Hoffman in the 1985 TV...
, with his holographic and camouflage abilities, (the nature of which are something of a mystery) may be considered a supersoldier by some. Although not strictly superhuman or artificially enhanced, some might consider the characters of Snake Eyes and Storm ShadowStorm Shadow (G.I. Joe)Storm Shadow is a fictional character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero comic book series and television shows. The character is best known for his history with fellow ninja Snake Eyes...
to be akin to supersoldiers due to their great skill, which has come from rigorous, at times quasi-mystical ninja training. The genetically engineered characters SerpentorSerpentorSerpentor is a fictional character from G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, a line of military-themed toys created by Hasbro. The character was introduced in 1986 as a toy with an air chariot and included in the animated series that same year.-Toys:...
and venomous Maximus can be consider supersoldiers due to their highly enhanced attributes. - In Beast WarsTransformers: Beast WarsTransformers: Beast Wars is a Transformers toyline released by Hasbro between 1995 and 2000, and a Daytime Emmy Award winning full-CG animated television series spawned by it that debuted in 1996...
, Rampage, dubbed Protoform X, although not human exhibits the characteristics and has origins strongly reflecting that of a supersoldier. An experiment to replicate Starscream'sStarscream (Transformers)Starscream is a fictional character in the Transformers franchise. He is one of the most prolific characters in the Transformers fictional work, appearing in almost all incarnations of the story. Starscream is usually portrayed with the same characterization...
mutantMutant (fictional)The concept of a mutant is a common trope in comic books and science fiction. The new phenotypes that appear in fictional mutations generally go far beyond what is typically seen in biological mutants, and often result in the mutated life form exhibiting superhuman abilities or qualities.-Marvel...
indestructible spark was what resulted in Rampage's creation, most likely making him the forerunner of an attempt to create an army of Maximal supersoldiers to fend of a potential Predacon attack. - In the GundamGundamThe is a metaseries of anime created by Sunrise studios that features giant robots called "Mobile Suits" ; usually the protagonist's MS will carry the name Gundam....
series, Artificial Newtypes (or Strengthened Humans) are normal human beings that, though brainwave enchantment machines, drugDrugA drug, broadly speaking, is any substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function. There is no single, precise definition, as there are different meanings in drug control law, government regulations, medicine, and colloquial usage.In pharmacology, a...
s and brain surgery, has gotten the telepathic abilities similar to NewtypeNewtypeA Newtype is theorized to be the next stage of human evolution in the fictional Gundam universe. This minor but groundbreaking metamorphosis is usually expressed as a heightened mental awareness, the result of an evolutionary adaptation to life in space....
s. Different from most other super soldiers, where the physical body is the main focus on enchantment, these Artificial Newtypes are enchanted with the main focus being the ability to send out and receive brainwaves, which can be received by mechanical sensors. This ability allows them to directly control their own war machines, called mobile suits, with their mind so that the machine 's movement and dodging ability will not be limited by the pilot's two hands. They are also able to mind-control remote controlled weapons called "bits" and "funnels", which is way too complicated to be operated by hand (until computer assisted versions comes to play in the future). There are many side effects to the Artificial Newtype enchantment. One of the most common side-effect is mental instability. Many artificial newtypes behaves normally as a soldier most of the time, but becomes insane temporarily when certain events triggers and might attack both friends and foes. During their insane state, they will not respond to orders from their commanders or from people they are familiar with. Also, the organizations that trains artificial newtypes often implant false memory into them, either to keep them under control, or to use them to infiltrate enemy bases. This cause a great number of artificial newtypes to suffer from split personality. People that they know from one personality might be complete strangers to them when they are in their other personality. - Coordinators are genetically-enhanced humans in Gundam SEED and Gundam SEED Destiny with heightened strength and intelligence. Most Coordinators were not enhanced for the specific purpose of combat, though their abilities do tend to make them superior soldiers. However, a program known as Socius produced a group of "Combat Coordinators", most notably the characters Gai Murakumo and Kaite Madigan. The Extended humans (enhanced naturals) used by Blue Cosmos and LOGOS could also be seen as supersoldiers owing to their enhancements through implantation and drug usage (only in Gundam SEED) and mental conditioning (SEED Destiny) but it is debatable as they were more along the lines of Super Pilots (like those in the BattletechBattleTechBattleTech is a wargaming and science fiction franchise launched by FASA Corporation in 1984, acquired by WizKids in 2000, and owned since 2003 by Topps. The series began with FASA's debut of the board game BattleTech by Jordan Weisman and L...
universe) as opposed to true super soldiers. - In Gundam 00, the Human Reform League faction's Super Soldier Special Duty Organization produced the characters Allelujah Haptism and Soma Peries. Allelujah is considered to be "defective" and suffers from a form of dissociative identity disorderDissociative identity disorderDissociative identity disorder is a psychiatric diagnosis and describes a condition in which a person displays multiple distinct identities , each with its own pattern of perceiving and interacting with the environment....
as a result of his enhancements, with an extremely cruel personality that sometimes emerges when he has moral qualms about his actions in battle. While Soma does not display such symptoms, her first encounter with Allelujah caused her to go berserk and attack everything in sight. - In the TV series Justice League UnlimitedJustice League UnlimitedJustice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
, the superpowered Ultimen (along with an army of mindless Ultimen clones), and a clone of SupergirlSupergirlSupergirl is a female counterpart to the DC Comics Superman. As his cousin, she shares his super powers and vulnerability to Kryptonite. She was created by writer Otto Binder and designed by artist Al Plastino in 1959. She first appeared in the Action Comics comic book series and later branched out...
called Galtea, were created by the secretive, quasi-legal Project Cadmus as a deterrent against the Justice League, whom were seen as a threat by some factions of the U.S. government. The Project is implied to also have a hand in creating the Royal Flush GangRoyal Flush GangThe Royal Flush Gang or RFG are fictional characters in DC Comics. They first appeared in Justice League of America #43 in March 1966 under the leadership of Professor Amos Fortune.-History:...
, VolcanaVolcana (DC Comics)Volcana is a supervillain in Superman: The Animated Series. Voiced by Peri Gilpin, she made her first appearance in the episode "Where There's Smoke".-Fictional character biography:...
, another version of Doomsday, and later Terry McGinnis. - In Teen TitansTeen Titans (TV series)Teen Titans is an American animated television series based on the DC Comics characters of the same name. The show was created by Glen Murakami, developed by David Slack, and produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It premiered on Cartoon Network on July 19, 2003, and the final episode "Things Change"...
, Red StarRed Star (comics)Red Star is a fictional Russian superhero in the DC Universe. A former member of the Teen Titans, he first appeared under the name Starfire in Teen Titans #18...
is a supersoldier from Russia who the Titans meet in Siberia, and who has no control over his radiation-induced powers, until he explodes at the end of the episode.
Comic books
- Captain AmericaCaptain AmericaCaptain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
, Created by METH, was to be the first of an army of Super-Soldiers, a plan that was derailed when the creator of the Super-Soldier serum was assassinated, and the serum itself destroyed. Other characters in the Marvel UniverseMarvel UniverseThe Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
, such as WolverineWolverine (comics)Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
and Nuke are continuations of those experiments, as part of the Weapon PlusWeapon PlusWeapon Plus is a fictional clandestine program that appears in books published by Marvel Comics. It was created by Grant Morrison during his run in New X-Men. The program's purpose is the creation of supersoldiers intended to fight the wars of the future, especially a Mutant-Human war...
program. Other Marvel Super-Soldiers include the mutant CableCable (comics)Cable is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared as an infant in Uncanny X-Men #201...
, Omega RedOmega RedOmega Red is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in X-Men #4 , and was created by Jim Lee...
, X-23X-23X-23 is a fictional comic book superheroine appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, in particular those featuring the X-Men. X-23 is a female clone of Wolverine.-Publication history:...
, Deadpool, Josiah XJosiah XJosiah X is a fictional character who exists in Marvel Comics' shared universe, the Marvel Universe. He is the son of Isaiah Bradley, the black Captain America and the father of Elijah Bradley, the Patriot...
and Isaiah BradleyIsaiah BradleyIsaiah Bradley is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe, an early product of the United States' Super-Soldier program during World War II.-Publication history:...
. - The Galadorian Space KnightsSpaceknightsSpaceknights is a name used by at least three distinct groups of characters in the fictional . The better known group is a core concept of the 1980s comic book Rom Spaceknight, while the other two are far more recent creations and not much is yet known about them.-Galador's Spaceknights:The...
of toy line and comic adaptation Rom: Spaceknight were a form of Super-Soldier, cybernetically enhanced to fight the alien Dire WraithDire WraithThe Dire Wraiths are a fictional extraterrestrial species published by Marvel Comics. The Dire Wraiths first appeared in Rom #1 , and were created by Bill Mantlo and Al Milgrom. The Dire Wraiths are the main opponents of Rom the Spaceknight....
s. - OMACOne-Man Army CorpsOMAC is a superhero comic book created in 1974 by Jack Kirby and published by DC Comics. The character was created towards the end of Kirby's contract with the publisher, following the cancellation of Kirby's New Gods, and was reportedly developed strictly due to Kirby needing to fill his...
, the One-Man Army Corps, is a superhero created by Jack KirbyJack KirbyJack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
and published by DC ComicsDC ComicsDC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
. Set in the near future, OMAC is a corporate nobody named Buddy Blank who is changed by an A.I.Artificial intelligenceArtificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
satellite called Brother Eye into a super-soldier. Sasha BordeauxSasha BordeauxSasha Bordeaux is a fictional character in the DC Universe. She was at first primarily associated with Batman, and has subsequently evolved an association with Checkmate in two of its incarnations...
, CheckmateCheckmate (comics)Checkmate, a division of Task Force X, is a fictional covert operations agency within the DC Comics universe. It first appeared in Action Comics #598 and proceeded to have its own ongoing title in Checkmate!...
's Black Queen, is a Super-Soldier produced by OMAC technology. - The Wildstorm UniverseWildstorm UniverseThe Wildstorm Universe is a fictional shared universe where the comic books published by Wildstorm take place. It represents an alternate history of the real world where ideas such as interstellar travel and superhuman abilities are commonplace...
, Team 7 was exposed to the Gen-Factor in order to turn them into super-powered soldiers. This is, directly or indirectly, the origin of many of Wildstorm's major superheroSuperheroA superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
es. - The Authority's ApolloApollo (comics)Apollo is a fictional character, a comic book superhero who first appeared in the Stormwatch series, but is best known for his role in The Authority. While visually distinct, Apollo is cast in the mold of the Superman archetype....
and MidnighterMidnighterMidnighter is a fictional comic book superhero, best known as a member of the rogue superhero team The Authority. Created by writer Warren Ellis and artist Bryan Hitch, he first appeared in Stormwatch #4, before appearing in various Authority books and series and his own eponymous ongoing series...
were black ops soldiers surgically modified by Henry BendixHenry BendixHenry Bendix, also known as Weatherman, is a fictional character in the Wildstorm universe. He first appeared in the Stormwatch series.-Early life:...
of StormwatchStormwatch (comics)Stormwatch is a fictional United Nations-sponsored superhero team that originated in the Wildstorm Universe and has since been revived as part of the DC Universe. The original version of Stormwatch first appeared in Stormwatch Stormwatch is a fictional United Nations-sponsored superhero team that...
. - T.A.O.Tao (comics)Tao is a fictional character in the Wildstorm universe.-History:The Tactical Augmented Organism was created by Optigen, a subsidiary of the Halo Corporation, on behalf of International Operations. As a child, he grew at an amazing rate...
of the WildCatsWildcats (comics)Wildcats, sometimes rendered WildCats or WildC.A.T.s, is a fictional superhero team created by the American comic book artist Jim Lee and writer Brandon Choi.-Publication history:...
was genetically designed by the Halo CorporationHalo CorporationThe Halo Corporation is a fictional company appearing in Wildstorm comics. It first appeared in WildC.A.T.S. volume 1 #1 and was created by Brandon Choi and Jim Lee and played an important role in Wildcats volume 2 and 3.-History:...
to be the perfect Tactically Augmented Organism. - Rogue TrooperRogue TrooperRogue Trooper is a science fiction strip in the British comic 2000 AD, created by Gerry Finley-Day and Dave Gibbons. It follows the adventures of Rogue, a G.I. and his three comrades' search for the Traitor General...
and the other G.I.G.I. (comics)G.I. is the name given to the Generic Infantry in the Rogue Trooper universe. The name is a play on the original World War II G.I.They were developed by Souther scientists in a bid to create a genetically modified supersoldier. Because of the widespread use of powerful NBC weapons, Nu-Earth had...
s are genetically modified troops designed to be resistant to all known NBC dangers. - Lobster RandomLobster RandomLobster Random is a character in the comic book 2000 AD. He was created by Simon Spurrier and artist Carl Critchlow.-Overview:Ugly of temper and with a pair of claws surgically grafted onto his sides, Lobster Random was a genetically modified soldier, adapted to never need sleep or to feel pain...
of 2000 AD2000 AD (comic)2000 AD is a weekly British science fiction-oriented comic. As a comics anthology it serialises a number of separate stories each issue and was first published by IPC Magazines in 1977, the first issue dated 26 February. IPC then shifted the title to its Fleetway comics subsidiary which was sold...
was adapted to never feel pain or need to sleep. This was originally believed to be through gene therapy and neurosurgery, but it was later revealed that the lobster claws (delivered by a god from another reality) grafted to him were the real cause. - Marvel UKMarvel UKMarvel UK was an imprint of Marvel Comics formed in 1972 to reprint US produced stories for the British weekly comic market, though it later did produce original material by British creators such as Alan Moore, John Wagner, Dave Gibbons, Steve Dillon and Grant Morrison.Panini Comics obtained the...
character KillpowerKillpowerKillpower is a fictional British comic book character from Marvel UK. He is the partner of Motormouth and first appeared in Motormouth #1. Killpower was created by Gary Frank and Graham Mark.-Publication history:...
was genetically engineered by Dr. Oonagh MullarkeyOonagh MullarkeyDoctor Oonagh Mullarkey is a fictional character from the Marvel UK imprint of Marvel Comics. She first appeared in Motormouth #1, and was created by Gary Franks and Graham Marks.-Fictional character biography:...
as a prototype foot soldier for the Mys-TechMys-TechMys-Tech were a shadowy Faustian organisation who acted as the main villains in a range of, initially successful but short-lived comics, launched in the US by Marvel UK in the 1990s...
corporation. - Other Marvel UK characters Death WreckDeath WreckDeath Wreck is a fictional character who appears in the comic books published by the Marvel UK imprint of Marvel Comics. Created by Craig Houston and Stewart "Staz" Johnson, he first appeared in Death Wreck volume 1, #1 ....
, the second Death's HeadDeath's HeadDeath's Head is a fictional comic book character, a robotic bounty hunter appearing in the books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Simon Furman and artist Geoff Senior for the company's Marvel UK imprint...
and Death MetalDeath Metal (comics)Death Metal is a character from the Marvel UK imprint of Marvel Comics. He first appeared in Death³ #1 and was created by Dan Abnett and Dell Barras.-Fictional character biography:...
were cyborgs created by Doctor Evelyn NeckerEvelyn NeckerDoctor Evelyn Clarice Sarah Necker is a fictional character who appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. She first appeared as a supporting character in Death's Head #1, published by the Marvel UK imprint, and was created by Dan Abnett and Liam Sharp.-Publication history:In 2008, writers...
as part of the MINION project, a program to produce powerful, near-indestructible soldiers for the criminal group A.I.M.Advanced Idea MechanicsA.I.M. is a fictional terrorist organization in the . The organization first appeared in Strange Tales #146 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.-Publication history:...
in an alternate future; however, all three proved uncontrollable and eventually rebelled. - Marvel UKMarvel UKMarvel UK was an imprint of Marvel Comics formed in 1972 to reprint US produced stories for the British weekly comic market, though it later did produce original material by British creators such as Alan Moore, John Wagner, Dave Gibbons, Steve Dillon and Grant Morrison.Panini Comics obtained the...
superteam, Super SoldiersSuper SoldiersSuper Soldiers was a comic book published by the Marvel UK imprint of Marvel Comics in 1993. Part of the shared Marvel Universe setting, it centered around a team of superhuman British soldiers, with some plot aspects drawing on the background of Marvel's successful Captain America...
were a group of British enhanced soldiers, using biotech similar to that used by the U.S. to produce Nuke. - Pow!Pow!Pow! was a weekly British comic published by Odhams Press in 1967 and 1968 from their headquarters at 64 Long Acre, London. Part of their Power Comics imprint, it was printed on newsprint stock, in black-and-white except for its colour front and back covers, and initially comprised 28 pages.Pow!...
, a British comic magazine featured the Esper Commandos, a group of powerful psychics secretly working for the British government, in their 1971 annual. - The Gene DogsGene DogsThe Gene Dogs are fictional characters who appear in the comic books published by the Marvel UK imprint of Marvel Comics. Originally members of an elite counter-terrorism squad known as Team Omega, five dying soldiers become the Gene Dogs after an experimental medical process saves their lives by...
were elite covert troops modified with animal DNA to enhance their abilities. - Marshal LawMarshal Law (comics)Marshal Law is an English-language superhero comic book series created by Pat Mills and Kevin O'Neill. One of the first major creator-owned characters for a major publisher, it was first published by Epic Comics in 1987...
is based on the premise of genetically and surgically enhanced super-soldiers dealing poorly with being demobilizedDemobilizationDemobilization is the process of standing down a nation's armed forces from combat-ready status. This may be as a result of victory in war, or because a crisis has been peacefully resolved and military force will not be necessary...
and unable to fit in with normal humans. - The DNAgentsThe DNAgentsDNAgents is a comic book created by writer Mark Evanier and artist Will Meugniot and published by Eclipse Comics in 1983. It was later picked up briefly by Antarctic Press. In June 2006, old issues were collected into DNAgents Volume 1....
were created to serve as soldiers for a covert organization. - The MangaMangaManga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
Bio Booster Armor Guyver and its franchise have the monstrous superhuman Zoanoids and the techno-organic Guyver Units developed as living weapons.
Video/computer games
- Syndicate and Syndicate Wars
- The Nanosuits or "Nano-Muscle Suits", from CrysisCrysisCrysis is a science fiction first-person shooter video game developed by Crytek , published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, and released in November 2007. It is the first game of a trilogy. A separate game entitled Crysis Warhead was released on September 12, 2008, and follows similar...
are powerful, technologically advanced and extremely versatile battle armor. This is permitted through the suit's ability to adapt and absorb energy in various forms from heat, solar, electrical, carbon and radiation. In addition, the suit's CryFibril (artificial muscle) made it possible for increased Nano-bot production, therefore leading to drastically enhanced combat and physical performance, and allowing the operator to execute super-human feats. The foremost function of Nanosuits are their ability to dedicate their energy supply to a specific function which ultimately augments and greatly enhances certain properties of the wearer. - The SPARTAN-II and SPARTAN III Special Ops soldiers, Master ChiefMaster Chief (Halo)Master Chief Petty Officer John-117 is a fictional character and protagonist of the Halo fictional universe, created by Bungie. Master Chief is a player character in the trilogy of science fiction first-person shooter video games Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, and Halo 3 and will appear in the...
(SPARTAN "John" 117) and Noble Six (SPARTAN-B312), from the video games Halo: Combat EvolvedHalo: Combat EvolvedHalo: Combat Evolved, frequently referred to as Halo: CE, or Halo 1, is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie and published by Microsoft Game Studios. The first game of the Halo franchise, it was released on November 15, 2001 as a launch title for the Xbox gaming system, and is...
, Halo 2Halo 2Halo 2 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie Studios. Released for the Xbox video game console on November 9, 2004, the game is the second installment in the Halo franchise and the sequel to 2001's critically acclaimed Halo: Combat Evolved...
, Halo 3Halo 3Halo 3 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie for the Xbox 360 console. The third installment in the Halo franchise, the game concludes the story arc begun in Halo: Combat Evolved and continued in Halo 2...
, Halo WarsHalo WarsHalo Wars is a real-time strategy video game developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox 360 video game console. It was released in Japan and Australia on February 26, 2009, in PAL territories on February 27, and in North America on March 3...
, and Halo: ReachHalo: ReachHalo: Reach is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie and published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox 360 console. Reach was released in North America, Australia, and Europe on September 14, 2010. The game takes place in the year 2552, where humanity is locked in a war with the...
, are cybernetically and biologically enhanced. Nicole, also known as SPARTAN-458, in the Dead or AliveDead or Alive (video game series)is a video game series that is primarily composed of fast-paced 3D fighting games for arcades and home systems. The series is produced by Tecmo and developed by Team Ninja. Its story and characters are the creation of Tomonobu Itagaki, who has since left the company and is no longer working on the...
series is also a SPARTAN. The earlier SPARTAN Is were genetically enhanced, the results considered below expected and the program swept under the rug. SgtMaj Avery Johnson is one of them. - In the Metal GearMetal Gear (series)is a series of stealth video games created by Hideo Kojima and developed and published by Konami. The first game, Metal Gear, was released in 1987 for the MSX2. The player takes control of a special forces operative Solid Snake who is assigned to find the eponymous superweapon "Metal Gear", a...
video game series, the Les Enfants TerriblesL'enfant terribleL'enfant terrible is a French term for a child who is terrifyingly candid by saying embarrassing things to adults, especially parents....
project is used to develop the ultimate soldier and spawns the main character, Solid SnakeSolid SnakeMetal Gear, initially released in 1987, introduces Solid Snake, the rookie recruit of the elite special-forces unit FOXHOUND. Snake is sent by team leader Big Boss into the rogue nation Outer Heaven to rescue his missing teammate Gray Fox and discover who or what the "METAL GEAR" mentioned is, and...
, as well as his brothers Liquid Snake and Solidus Snake. In addition, many of the main characters throughout the series would be considered supersoldiers, due to their superhuman and paranormal abilities. - The Combine Elite is referred to as a supersoldier in Half-Life 2Half-Life 2Half-Life 2 , the sequel to Half-Life, is a first-person shooter video game and a signature title in the Half-Life series. It is singleplayer, story-driven, science fiction, and linear...
. They are heavily augmented cyborgs and have faster reflexes and can endure more than the other human and trans-human forces of the Combine Overwatch. The combat-oriented Combine Synths could also be classified as non-humanoid supersoldiers. - In the Marathon trilogyMarathon TrilogyThe Marathon Trilogy is a science fiction series of first-person shooter computer games from Bungie, originally released for the Macintosh. The name Marathon is derived from the giant interstellar colony ship that provides the setting for the first game; the ship is constructed out of what used to...
, a first person shooter series made by Bungie Studios where the main protagonist, a marine, is a biologically and genetically enhanced super soldier. The game takes place aboard the ship Marathon which has been invaded by a race of aliens called the Pfhor. - In the Metroid series, Samus AranSamus Aranis the protagonist of the Metroid video game series. Introduced in the 1986 video game Metroid, Samus is a female ex-army soldier bounty hunter usually fitted with a powered armor suit with weapons that include beams and missiles...
was strengthened with cybernetics, infused with Chozo blood (and later Phazon and Metroid DNADNADeoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
) which gave her superhuman abilities. Also, the fearsome bounty hunterBounty hunterA bounty hunter captures fugitives for a monetary reward . Other names, mainly used in the United States, include bail enforcement agent and fugitive recovery agent.-Laws in the U.S.:...
Kanden is the result of many years of research into creating a Supersoldier - However, the mental strain drove him utterly insane. His only goal is to prove himself the best bounty hunter in the galaxy. He has never reached the popularity of Sylux and Samus AranSamus Aranis the protagonist of the Metroid video game series. Introduced in the 1986 video game Metroid, Samus is a female ex-army soldier bounty hunter usually fitted with a powered armor suit with weapons that include beams and missiles...
, and seeks out the secret of the Alimbics in order to prove himself the very best. Also, the Elite Pirates, from Phazon experimentation on Space Pirate embryos, resulted in huge mutants, incredibly strong, heavy, and slow soldiers with the higher-tier soldiers having an addiction to Phazon. In Metroid Prime 3, it is revealed that the Galactic Federation has refined a type of powered armor that directly infuses Phazon into the wearer. - The Terran Ghosts from the game StarCraftStarCraftStarCraft is a military science fiction real-time strategy video game developed by Blizzard Entertainment. The first game of the StarCraft series was released for Microsoft Windows on 31 March 1998. With more than 11 million copies sold worldwide as of February 2009, it is one of the best-selling...
are psychicPsychicA psychic is a person who professes an ability to perceive information hidden from the normal senses through extrasensory perception , or is said by others to have such abilities. It is also used to describe theatrical performers who use techniques such as prestidigitation, cold reading, and hot...
Special Forces soldiers. - In Mass EffectMass EffectMass Effect is an action role-playing game developed by BioWare for the Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows by Demiurge Studios. The Xbox 360 version was released worldwide in November 2007 published by Microsoft Game Studios...
, genetic augmentation is commonplace throughout humans and other species. Ashley Williams, for example, received gene therapy for nearsightedness after birth and Infantry Package B after signing up for Alliance Marines; Commander Shepard had most likely undergone similar enhancements. Mass Effect 2Mass Effect 2Mass Effect 2 is an action role-playing game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The game was released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 on January 26, 2010 and for PlayStation 3 on January 18, 2011...
offers several stand-out examples: firstly, Commander Shepard was resurrected with the use of cybernetics and can further improve them over the course of the game, granting increased strength and resilience; also, Grunt is a genetically engineered "pure" krogan, stronger, tougher and more aggressive than most krogan, who are already notorious for those qualities; Miranda Lawson's augmentations and training do not have a strictly combat purpose, but she uses them as such; Legion is a unique geth platform that contains 1183 geth, more than ten times the number contained in standard platforms, enabling it to function independently and to interact with organics (standard geth platforms are about as intelligent as trained dogs) ; in addition, Jack was a subject in a Cerberus-ran program to improve biotic capabilities, which could have led to the development of a biotic supersoldier. - In the PC game F.E.A.R. the player is an experimental Special forcesSpecial forcesSpecial forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
operative with superhuman reflexes, who must fight against an army of clonedCloningCloning in biology is the process of producing similar populations of genetically identical individuals that occurs in nature when organisms such as bacteria, insects or plants reproduce asexually. Cloning in biotechnology refers to processes used to create copies of DNA fragments , cells , or...
soldiers that are telepathicallyTelepathyTelepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
linked to their insane commander. - In most games of the Command & ConquerCommand & ConquerCommand & Conquer, abbreviated to C&C and also known as Tiberian Dawn, is a 1995 real-time strategy computer game developed by Westwood Studios for MS-DOS and published by Virgin Interactive. It was the first of twelve games to date to be released under the Command & Conquer label, including a...
series there appeared tiberiumTiberiumTiberium or Ichor is a fictional substance that is central to the plot of much of the Command & Conquer series of real-time strategy video games...
-enhanced infantry soldiers. These often appear as expensive troopers whose cost and firepower (but mostly the latter) rival those of vehicles. Stronger ones often serve as "hero" units or, in the case of Renegade, boss characters. - In the survival-horror video game series Resident EvilResident Evil (series)Resident Evil, known as in Japan, is a media franchise owned by the video game company Capcom. It was created by Shinji Mikami as a survival horror game series that was initiated with the eponymous PlayStation title Resident Evil in 1996. Since then, the game series has strayed from its roots to...
, the TyrantsTyrant (Resident Evil)The Tyrant is the code name of a series of boss characters in the Resident Evil video game series. Tyrants, biologically engineered supersoldiers created and used by the sinister Umbrella Corporation, make appearances as boss characters in most of Resident Evil games and the desire to create an...
can count as super soldiers, they are humans infected with the T-Virus to turn them into Bio-Organic Weapons. Also the villains Albert WeskerAlbert Weskeris a character in the Resident Evil franchise. Although portrayed as a supporting character in the first game, he was later established as the primary antagonist of the series; he usually manipulated story events behind-the-scenes and had a role in more games than the other main characters...
and Alexia Ashford are infected with special versions of the virus. - The Chimera from the Resistance seriesResistance: Fall of ManResistance: Fall of Man is a first-person shooter video game for the PlayStation 3. It was developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. The game is set in an alternate history 1951, and follows Sgt...
could be considered supersoldiers in the same way, because they are stronger and faster than the average human. Several characters, including the series' main character, Nathan Hale, gain superhuman abilities from exposure (and brief immunity) to the Chimera virus. However most characters who survive infection become extremely aggressive, and eventually become Chimera. In Resistance 2Resistance 2Resistance 2 is a science fiction first person shooter video game developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3. The game was released in North America on November 4, 2008, Japan on November 13, 2008, and in Europe on November 28, 2008...
the Sentinels are an elite US Special ForcesSpecial forcesSpecial forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
unit who have all been exposed to the virus, and must constantly take medication to prevent the transformation (in Hale's case, every 19 hours). - In the video game BreakdownBreakdown (video game)Breakdown is a first-person action game released by Namco in 2004 for the Microsoft Xbox console. Views on the game are mixed, as it sold unspectacularly, and was criticized for the flawed gameplay mechanics...
, the main character is somewhat of a super-soldier; however, the powers are unknown to him at first and he must work to "regain" them. - In the MMORPGMMORPGMassively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
City of HeroesCity of HeroesCity of Heroes is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game based on the superhero comic book genre, developed by Cryptic Studios and published by NCsoft. The game was launched in North America on April 27, 2004 and in Europe on February 4, 2005 with English, German and French language...
, one of the main villain groups, the Council, gives their experienced soldiers "supersoldier serum" to turn them into deadly fighting machines. - In the computer game Deus ExDeus ExDeus Ex is an action role-playing game developed by Ion Storm Inc. and published by Eidos Interactive in 2000, which combines gameplay elements of first-person shooters with those of role-playing video games...
, the player character JC DentonJC DentonJC Denton is the player character and protagonist of the first-person role-playing computer game Deus Ex. He is voiced by Jay Anthony Franke in both Deus Ex and its sequel, Deus Ex: Invisible War....
, and his brother Paul are nanotechnologically-augmented agents. Augmentation canisters that can be found and installed in the game allow for new and improved abilities, enhancing agility, stealth or combat. - In Star Wars: Dark ForcesStar Wars: Dark ForcesStar Wars: Dark Forces is a first-person shooter video game developed and published by LucasArts. It was released in 1995 for DOS and Apple Macintosh, and in 1996 for the PlayStation. The storyline within the Dark Forces is set in the Star Wars fictional universe and follows the character Kyle...
, Dark Troopers are a class of robotic Imperial Stormtroopers, tougher and deadlier than ordinary stormtroopers. In the Expanded Universe, they are cyborgs of Elite Stormtroopers. - In the PC game ÜberSoldierUberSoldierÜberSoldier is a World War II-based first-person shooter, developed by Burut Creative Team and released in 2006. The game's original Russian title is Восточный Фронт .- Background story :...
, the player takes on the role of a German soldier in World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
who is killed in battle, but reanimated by scientists who give him superhuman abilities. With the help of other rebels, the player escapes and turns against the Nazis. - In No One Lives Forever 2No One Lives ForeverThe Operative: No One Lives Forever is a first-person shooter video game with stealth gameplay elements, developed by Monolith Productions and published by Fox Interactive, released for Windows in 2000. The game was also ported later to the PlayStation 2 and Mac OS X...
, supersoldiers are created by H.A.R.M., an evil crime organization. - In Return to Castle WolfensteinReturn to Castle WolfensteinReturn to Castle Wolfenstein is a first person shooter video game published by Activision and originally released on November 19, 2001 for Microsoft Windows. It was made available on Steam on August 3, 2007. The single player game was developed by Gray Matter Interactive and Nerve Software...
, there are Nazi machine-men, created by a mad scientist named Wilhelm StrasseReturn to Castle WolfensteinReturn to Castle Wolfenstein is a first person shooter video game published by Activision and originally released on November 19, 2001 for Microsoft Windows. It was made available on Steam on August 3, 2007. The single player game was developed by Gray Matter Interactive and Nerve Software...
, aka. "Death's HeadTotenkopfThe Totenkopf is the German word for the death's head and an old symbol for death or the dead. It consists usually of the skull and the mandible of the human skeleton...
". They are created through a "bizarre synthesis of robotic and biological engineering", and they serve as a springboard toward the creation of paranormal Dark Knights. Despite their interim status, they were formidable in their own right. Their equipment included highly advanced armor, autocannons, and rocket launchers, among others.
Oddly enough, their final transformation into Dark Knights turns them into lightly armored axe-wielding undead who are far less challenging to fight. It has been suggested that those Dark Knights, who were nigh unstoppable in their time, are outclassed because they were the top of the line in the 10th Century AD, long before the invention of gunpowder and explosives. The transformation ritual has actually downgraded those super-soldiers into the 10th century equivalent of super-soldiers, obsolete and fragile versus WWII weapons and technology.
- In CrackdownCrackdownCrackdown is an open world, third-person shooter video game for the Xbox 360. It was released in North America on February 20, 2007, and worldwide by February 23, 2007. Crackdown was developed by Realtime Worlds, and distributed by Microsoft Game Studios. It was conceived by Realtime Worlds...
, the main protagonists of the Agency that you play are so-called super soldiers apparently cloned and enhanced with nanotechnology. - In HazeHaze (video game)Haze is a first-person shooter video game, developed by Free Radical Design and published by Ubisoft for the PlayStation 3. It was released worldwide in May 2008. A demo for Haze was released on the PlayStation Network on May 6, 2008...
, the main character Shane Carpenter (and the rest of the Mantel soldiers) is a supersoldier, working for Mantel, who is empowered by a substance called Nova-Keto-Thyrazine - also called NECTAR which enhances strength, speed, perception, and reflexes; however if used in excess it causes an overdose which makes the user lose the ability to tell friend from foe and makes them extremely aggressive. - In WarcraftWarcraftWarcraft: Orcs & Humans is a real-time strategy game , developed by Blizzard Entertainment and published by Blizzard and Interplay Entertainment. The MS-DOS version was released in November 1994 and the Macintosh version in late 1996. Sales were fairly high, reviewers were mostly impressed, and the...
, the Chaos Orcs become supersoldiers after drinking Mannoroth's blood. - The Final FantasyFinal Fantasyis a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is developed and owned by Square Enix . The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science-fantasy role-playing video games , but includes motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise...
series of role playing video games has featured supersoldiers of various sorts as plot elements in several titles. Several characters in the PlayStationPlayStationThe is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
RPG Final Fantasy VIIFinal Fantasy VIIis a role-playing video game developed by Square and published by Sony Computer Entertainment as the seventh installment in the Final Fantasy series. It was originally released in 1997 for the Sony PlayStation and was re-released in 1998 for Microsoft Windows-based personal computers and in 2009...
, including the protagonist of the game, Cloud StrifeCloud Strifeis a fictional character and the main protagonist in Square's role-playing game Final Fantasy VII and several of its sequels and spin-offs. His original design was created by Final Fantasy VII character designer Tetsuya Nomura...
, his deceased best friend Zack, and the villain of the game, SephirothSephiroth (Final Fantasy VII)is a fictional character in the role-playing game Final Fantasy VII developed by Square Co. He is introduced there as the main antagonist. Character designer Tetsuya Nomura wanted his role in the story to be different from the other Final Fantasy villains while his design is intended to contrast...
, are humans that have been augmented by exposure to high levels of an energy source known as Mako, as well as infusion of cells from the alien life form Jenova. Cloud, Zack, and Sephiroth all had former connections with Shin-ra (Sephiroth and Zack were ex-members of SOLDIER and Cloud was a Shin-ra grunt, who was badly injured and experimented on after his confrontation with Sephiroth; if should also be noted that Zack was injected and infused twice while Cloud and Sephiroth weren't, whereas Sephiroth was injected with Jenova cells while he was still an embryo, giving him abilities beyond those of a normal SOLDIER), which created supersoldiers through a more simplified process using only Mako. Another Final Fantasy version of Supersoldiers are the elite mercenaries known as SeeD's from Final Fantasy VIIIFinal Fantasy VIIIis a role-playing video game released for the PlayStation in 1999 and for Windows-based personal computers in 2000. It was developed and published by Square as the Final Fantasy series' eighth title, removing magic point-based spell-casting and the first title to consistently use realistically...
, who augment their fighting skills by "junctioning" magic to themselves. Another example comes from Final Fantasy VIFinal Fantasy VIis a role-playing video game developed and published by Square , released in 1994 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as a part of the Final Fantasy series. Set in a fantasy world with a technology level equivalent to that of the Second Industrial Revolution, the game's story focuses on a...
, in which Cid and Emperor Geshtal sought to fuse magic and biology to create elite soldiers known as Magitek Knights, and other magic using superhumans. One of the protagonists of the game, Celes Chere is an example of these efforts, just like the game's primary villain Kefka. In the movie Final Fantasy VII Advent Children, the characters Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz seem to be superhumans with incredible speed and deadly accuracy with their weapons. - Timesplitters 2TimeSplitters 2TimeSplitters 2 is a first-person shooter video game available for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Nintendo GameCube game consoles. The game was published by Eidos and developed by Free Radical Design. The game was first released in October 2002 in North America and Europe, and later in Japan...
on the Siberia Level the Russian Scientists tried to generate supersoldiers from DNA from the Alleged Timesplitter, but the results ended badly creating hybrid mutants in which acted like zombies in the level. - Many gamers joke about or seriously consider the characters from the Call of DutyCall of DutyCall of Duty is a first-person shooter video game developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision in 2003. It is the first game in a series with the same name. The game simulates the infantry and combined arms warfare of World War II. The game is based on the Quake III: Team Arena engine...
franchise to be supersoldiers, as they are able to sprint long distances, absorb multiple bullets before going down and having outstanding kill records. This can easily be said about the multiplayer aspect as well, including the perk abilities such as being invisible to thermal sight, sprinting without rest (in theory a character could run forever without a break) or dropping a grenade after vital signs stop.- As to that, many other player characters would be considered supersoldiers due to similar traits.
- In the Starcraft franchise , Terran Ghosts are gifted humans with psionic powers. They are trained at early age by the government and enhanced with cybernetics to become stealth assassins. Project Shadow Blade further transforms Ghosts into Specters, who are even more deadly. In game, the ghost is a terran unit which can cloak, lockdown mechanical units, fire sniper shots or EMP rounds, and call down tactical nukes.
Tabletop role-playing games
- In BattletechBattleTechBattleTech is a wargaming and science fiction franchise launched by FASA Corporation in 1984, acquired by WizKids in 2000, and owned since 2003 by Topps. The series began with FASA's debut of the board game BattleTech by Jordan Weisman and L...
the warrior caste of the ClansClans (BattleTech)In the BattleTech universe, Clans are fictional peoples.-History:The background fictional story of the Clans begins with the build-up to the 1st Succession War...
is largely composed of soldiers created by means of eugenics and genetic engineering, intended to give them superior skills in their respective fields of action. Infantry units (Elementals) have superior size, strength and endurance, pilots of air- and spacecraft have improved reflexes, perceptions and cognitive capabilities, and MechWarriors, the operators of BattleMechs are somewhat a combination of the two. - In Warhammer 40,000Warhammer 40,000Warhammer 40,000 is a tabletop miniature wargame produced by Games Workshop, set in a dystopian science fantasy universe. Warhammer 40,000 was created by Rick Priestley in 1987 as the futuristic companion to Warhammer Fantasy Battle, sharing many game mechanics...
, Space MarinesSpace Marines (Warhammer 40,000)In the fictional universe of Warhammer 40,000 setting created by Games Workshop, Space Marines are genetically modified "super human" soldiers created by the Emperor to conquer the galaxy and defend mankind. According to Games Workshop, there are over a thousand recorded chapters of Space Marines,...
are elite soldiers, modified through gene therapy, surgical modifications, and hypnotic indoctrination. Several variations exist, such as Chaos space marines and the Grey Knights. Stormtroopers also appear somewhat as supersoldiers, with cybernetic augmentation and intense training from birth. - In RiftsRifts (role-playing game)Rifts is a multi-genre role-playing game created by Kevin Siembieda in 1990 and published continuously by Palladium Books since then. Rifts takes place in a post-apocalyptic future, deriving elements from cyberpunk, science fiction, fantasy, horror, western, mythology and many other genres.Rifts...
, there exist many forms of supersoldier mercenaries such as the Borg, or full-conversion combat cyborgs; the Juicer, a chemical-enhanced soldier gifted with incredible speed, reflexes, and strength from a constant supply of performance-enhancing drugs and substances, but with a severely shortened lifespan; and the Crazy, named because of the M.O.M. conversion (Mind Over Matter), that rewires their brain to increase their speed, reflexes and ability, but leads to mental instability and eventually insanity. - In UndergroundUnderground (role-playing game)Underground is a satirical "grim and gritty"-style superhero role playing game set in the near future. It was released by Mayfair Games in 1993 as a commentary on the politics and society of the early 1990s as expressed through the year 2021.-Overview:...
, the genetically-enhanced supersoldier has become predominant form of warfare in the 21st century, created by "conflict firms" using recovered alien technology and virtual realityVirtual realityVirtual reality , also known as virtuality, is a term that applies to computer-simulated environments that can simulate physical presence in places in the real world, as well as in imaginary worlds...
. - In ExaltedExaltedExalted is a role-playing game published by White Wolf Publishing. The game is classified as high fantasy, but may be more accurately described as "mythic fantasy", as the developer specifically avoided drawing on J. R. R. Tolkien, but rather turned to a mixture of world mythologies for inspiration...
the Dragon-Blooded were originally created as super-soldiers. They are the weakest type of Exalted, however, unlike the Celestial Exalted, the Terrestrial Exaltation is hereditary.
Webcomics
- The Abductees in the webcomic It's Walky! were altered to serve as supersoldiers using transplanted MartianMartianAs an adjective, the term martian is used to describe anything pertaining to the planet Mars.However, a Martian is more usually a hypothetical or fictional native inhabitant of the planet Mars. Historically, life on Mars has often been hypothesized, although there is currently no solid evidence of...
DNA and psychological conditioning. Abilities gained can include enhanced strength, durability, and healing rate, the ability to control certain alien technologies, and occasionally telekinesis, super-speed and other powers. - In the webcomic Schlock MercenarySchlock MercenarySchlock Mercenary is a comedic webcomic written and drawn by Howard Tayler. It follows the tribulations of a star-travelling mercenary company in a satiric, mildly dystopian 31st-century space opera setting...
, many members of the mercenary company Tagon's Toughs have received "soldier-boosts", illegal genetic and biochemical alterations which boost combat abilities. The former bounty hunter Doyt Gyo is a combat cyborg, and his gate-clone Doythaban can excrete explosive and toxic substances as well. - In the webcomic Inhuman the mainish character Grey is an attempt to breed a supersoldier from animal stocks.