So, here’s the thing: Rick Flag Sr. isn’t exactly the first name that pops into your head when you think of The Suicide Squad. But, if you take a closer look, this guy’s the unsung hero—he’s basically the great-great-granddad of the whole mess. While his son, Rick Flag Jr., gets all the screen time, the ol’ man’s influence is quietly lurking behind the team. I mean, without Rick Flag Sr., we wouldn’t have the Suicide Squad as we know it today. Yeah, I said it.
The OG Rick Flag Sr. Origins
Rick Flag Sr. first made his debut in Star Spangled Comics #7 in 1942, way back when Superman and Batman were still wearing their underwear on the outside. He wasn’t just any soldier—this guy was the leader of the Suicide Squadron, a ragtag group of soldiers volunteering for dangerous, suicide-type missions during WWII. They weren’t exactly looking for medals—more like looking for the exit, considering their job was pretty much the comic book version of “good luck, don’t die.” Fun fact: the Suicide Squadron’s name was, uh, not subtle.
Now, Rick Flag Sr. wasn’t about flexing muscles or making speeches, though. He was just the guy who led with heart, guts, and, if we’re being real, probably some serious PTSD. He’d send his men into the kind of operations that’d make the Mission: Impossible folks go, “Yeah… we’ll pass.” It was a different time, y’all—one where heroes were brave and the stakes were ridiculously high. Flag Sr.’s whole thing was about risking it all for the greater good. As we’d see later on, that theme is gonna haunt everyone who comes after him.
Fast Forward to the Dark Twist: The Suicide Squad We Know
Alright, hold up. You might think, “Yeah, Flag Sr., cool dude. But what does he have to do with the Suicide Squad we know today?” You’re getting ahead of yourself! So, here’s the kicker: after WWII, the Suicide Squad kind of fizzled out. Womp womp. Enter the 1980s and The Brave and the Bold #25. This time, the whole thing’s got a wicked twist. Instead of a bunch of good ol’ boys signing up for glory, you get… criminals. Yep, a government-backed task force full of supervillains doing dirty work—basically the same idea, but with way more questionable ethics and fewer heroes.
And who’s leading this ragtag band of misfits? None other than Rick Flag Jr., the son of the original Rick Flag Sr. Let me tell you, Jr. was living in some big shoes. Talk about pressure—he’s trying to hold down the fort, honor Dad’s legacy, and, oh yeah, not get blown up by criminals who’d just as soon take him out as cooperate. No big deal, right?
But, here’s where things get even more interesting: Flag Sr.’s whole moral compass—duty, sacrifice, and that “all in for the team” vibe—ends up becoming the backbone of what the modern Suicide Squad turns into. Even though Rick Flag Jr. is running the show now, you can’t shake that sense of duty that Flag Sr. instilled in him.
Rick Flag Sr.’s Moral Dilemma—and Yours, Too
Now, let’s pause. Picture this: You’re Rick Flag Sr. You’re leading a squad of people you care about into dangerous situations. Some of them are good people. Some of them are complete jerks. But guess what? You’re still responsible for them, right? The weight of that decision—every time you send someone into the line of fire—probably kept him up at night.
I mean, this wasn’t just some “charge in, guns blazing” situation. This was leadership under pressure. Every choice he made was about balancing duty with human decency. Like, “Am I doing the right thing sending my best friend into an almost certain death trap?” No wonder his story gets passed down—Jr. would be stuck with the same agonizing choices. Rick Flag Sr. set that tone. He laid out a pretty grim moral path, but it was a path, nonetheless.
Rick Flag Jr.? Well, he’s basically juggling grenades while trying to follow in Dad’s footsteps—and we all know that never goes as planned.
Legacy Beyond the Battlefield: Rick Flag Sr.’s DNA in Task Force X
Look, I won’t lie—there’s a lot of cynicism in modern Suicide Squad comics. The group is packed with characters that make Deadpool look like a boy scout, but that mission-first, no-bullshit mentality that Flag Sr. had? That’s still there. The one where you’re not just doing this for fame or fortune, but because your country—or someone with more power than you—says so.
And while Rick Flag Jr. carries the torch for the Suicide Squad, it’s important to remember that Rick Flag Sr. set the whole framework. He was the prototype, man! Imagine the Suicide Squad without that initial “throw yourself into the fire” ethos. A whole team of villains doing good-ish work? Doesn’t sound as cool, does it? But it was that mentality, passed down from Sr. to Jr., that made the team’s original vibe so damn compelling. These weren’t just bad guys; they were misfits fighting for something bigger—whether they liked it or not.
Now, you wanna know something wild? The whole idea of using people—expendable, dangerous people—who have to fight for their lives? That all came from Flag Sr. It wasn’t just “here’s a ragtag group of soldiers”—it was about crafting a purpose out of risk. Same thing with Amanda Waller later on. Rick Flag Sr. was practically an early blueprint for Task Force X…except, you know, without all the supervillains and crazy powers.
Rick Flag Jr. vs. Sr.: The Family Drama You Never Expected
Okay, so the family dynamic here? Yikes. It’s like The Godfather, but with more explosions and less pasta. Rick Flag Jr. is constantly living in the shadow of his dad, and that’s gotta mess with your head, right? Imagine being handed this massive legacy—you’re basically forced to be this perfect soldier, this guy who gets duty, gets sacrifice. But every time he turns around, his dad’s ghost is looming over him. Rick Flag Sr.’s entire ethos is haunting him. Imagine trying to live up to someone who was literally built for leadership. No pressure.
Flag Jr. has his own moments of greatness, sure. But the tension of living up to Sr.’s legacy? That’s the real drama.
The Hidden Legacy in Modern Media
So, Rick Flag Sr. may not be strutting around in the latest Suicide Squad movie or getting a solo graphic novel. But trust me, his impact is felt. His legacy still gets mentioned in the comics, and you see it in how Rick Flag Jr. carries himself. That same moral backbone, that same sense of responsibility, bleeds into every decision he makes. Even though the Suicide Squad is made up of a bunch of colorful criminals now, the same “all-in” mentality Flag Sr. embodied is there.
Speaking of modern adaptations, you remember the 2021 Suicide Squad movie? Yeah, Rick Flag Jr. (played by Joel Kinnaman) steps up to the plate, but that weight? It’s still Flag Sr.’s lingering influence. Not directly in the film, sure. But trust, Sr.’s ghost is hanging around.
Anyway, Here’s the Kicker…
Rick Flag Sr. doesn’t need to be a headliner to have made a lasting impact. His legacy is sewn into the fabric of The Suicide Squad, and without him, there would be no Rick Flag Jr., no Task Force X, and no team of misfits we’ve all come to know and love. It’s crazy how a character like Flag Sr.—who didn’t get all the glam and glory—still ended up shaping this entire universe.
