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The Crusader was a metahuman agent of assassination of the Vatican charged with murdering enemies to the Church's existence and authority. He was an enemy of Azrael.

Origin

The Crusader was born as one of many unnamed young male candidates with metahuman powers called Adepts searched for all over the Earth by agents of the Vatican to be taken from their families back to Rome. The Adepts were vigorously trained for proficiency in a wide variety of superhuman powers to become an agent that would fulfill the Catholic Church's prophecy found in the Book Of True Revelations to restore the Church to absolute power. The one who would be called the Crusader proved to be the most powerful and skilled of the Adepts and was chosen as the Church's agent after proving his loyalty by mutilating his own face with a super-heated golden cross.[1]

Azrael Vol II: The Killer Of Saints

After the true Shroud Of Turin was uncovered by the Order of Purity, the Crusader was sent to find all of the Order's agents who knew its whereabouts and destroy the Shroud so it could not be used to disprove the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Crusader went about finding the agents and butchering them in the ways that reflected the deaths of Christian saints when they refused. The Crusader eventually ran into conflict with Azrael, whom he easily defeated before moving on to interrogate Father Garret Day for the Shroud's whereabouts. The Crusader eventually discovered the Shroud after flaying Father Grieve and was goaded by Azrael to impale himself with the Sword of Sin and Sword of Salvation to prove the holiness of his mission. He retreated upon uncovering his mission to destroy the Shroud was in the name of the Church's power instead of service to his God.[2]

Batman: Judgment on Gotham

The Crusader eventually returned and joined Azrael and Fireball to form the Angels of Death in his mission to destroy Gotham City after deeming it wicked enough to deserve destruction. In reality, the Crusader was enlisted by Ra's al Ghul to destroy Gotham City using scientist Hans Gerlicht to turn Fireball into a living bomb. The Crusader repeatedly fought and tortured Red Robin and Catwoman to draw out the new Batman and eventually saved the city by containing the bomb with a forcefield after a change of heart by Azrael, leaving to parts unknown.[3]

Powers

Abilities

Related

Footnotes


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Azrael Villain(s)
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This character is or was primarily an enemy of Azrael. This template will categorize articles that include it into the category "Azrael Villains."

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