Jean-Paul Valley
Jean-Paul Valley is a male comic character who features in DC Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Origin
Jean-Paul Valley
Prior to his death, his father supplied him with money, and the means to travel to Switzerland and meet with the Order of St. Dumas who would supply him with his training. It was later revealed that his father had actually been attempting to supply Jean-Paul with the means to escape the Order's influences, but his intentions were misread. (Azrael Annual v1 #1)
He came to be a graduate student at Gotham University. (Batman: Sword of Azrael v1 #1)
Hearing a commotion at the exit door, Jean-Paul came to find his father badly wounded and wearing the armour of a knightly crusader. He asked his son to remove the armour and leave his body to be found by strangers whilst also telling Jean-Paul to open the package he had left him earlier in the day. It was then that his father died in his arms whilst telling his son that he must not fail in the task now appointed to him. Following his father's instructions, two men later came for his body and Jean-Paul found money within the box along with instructions to travel to Switzerland. Once there, he was met by a driver who did not answer his questions but took him on a long journey into the mountains. He then found himself at an isolated chalet where he met a dwarfish man named Nomoz who claimed to be his new teacher. (Batman: Sword of Azrael v1 #1) In the Swiss Alps, a man named Nomoz taught Valley of the responsibilities of Azrael, and revealed that despite believing himself to be rather mild-mannered, he was in reality already a more-than-capable fighter requiring no additional training (apart from a few months of intense exercise in order to build up his body), having been already unknowingly suitably conditioned. His conditioning is the result of a process referred to as "The System", the full implications on the human psyche of which have never been fully explained. In his first time donning his costume, Azrael meets Batman (Bruce Wayne), accompanied by his butler Alfred, who had traveled to Switzerland investigating the mystery behind Azrael's father's death, the nature of which had inadvertently instigated a riot. (Batman: Sword of Azrael v1 #2) Although at first they were at odds with each other, Azrael was eventually forced to rescue Bruce from Biis (LeHah), and ended up rejecting the Order's violent and uncaring methods in favor of the more humanitarian efforts Batman encourages. (Batman: Sword of Azrael v1 #4)
Knightfall
Batman sought to mold Jean-Paul in a more natural way and looked to take him under his wing. He was then invited to Wayne Enterprises by Lucius Fox where he was approached with a job offer at the company. After taking the job, he was met by a teenager named Tim Drake who was to help in taking over Jean-Paul Valley's training. Revealing himself to be Robin, he provided Valley a masked costume and took him on patrol where the pair found criminals attempting to break into Wayne Enterprises and steal corporate ideas from the company. Together, they managed to stop the break-in though the System took control of Jean-Paul who responded automatically with him knocking out the criminals at the scene. (Batman v1 #488)
Whilst working for Batman, Jean-Paul was instrumental for saving the life of Lucius Fox after he was hypnotised to fall off a bridge. (Detective Comics v1 #658)
Jean-Paul then joined Alfred and Robin as they rescued Batman from the streets after his back was broken by Bane. Later, he helped Robin get a special medicine for Bruce's recovery. (Detective Comics v1 #664) With Bane rising to the power, Gotham was in need of Batman and Bruce asked Jean-Paul to fill in for him; a role that Jean-Paul accepted in a much more sinister way than expected. (Batman v1 #498)
When Bruce was out of action, Jean-Paul was asked to take over for him one night and was given a Batsuit by Robin. His first mission saw him confronting Killer Croc though Jean-Paul failed in stopping the villain. At the time, he came to see a costumed figure named Bane who easily defeated Killer Croc and left him badly injured. He then determined that Jean-Paul was not the real Batman and simply departed the scene. (Batman v1 #489)
Confident after his initial victory, Jean-Paul became a more brutal Batman and forced a confession out of the notorious gangster Tony Bressi, who provided some information on Bane. (Detective Comics v1 #665) Jean-Paul used Bressi to lure Bane, but he was instead confronted by Bane's henchmen. Using his new metallic gloves, Jean-Paul brutally defeated the trio and couldn't get further information as the police arrived at the scene and he was forced to flee. (Batman v1 #499) After learning the facility where Bane's henchmen were locked, he released them and used them to get to Bane. The confrontation between the two was short as Bane got the upper hand in the fight. (Detective Comics v1 #666) However, Jean-Paul managed to break free and both of them decided to retreat for the next confrontation. Jean-Paul was determined to take down Bane and with The System actively working on him, he designed and built his own battle armor, which he used in replacement of the Batsuit. With his new gear, Jean-Paul confronted Bane and after a long fight, he managed to defeat him, sparing his life and earning the city's respect and rightful claim to the Batman title. (Batman v1 #500)
Agent of the Bat
In the aftermath, Jean-Paul was broken as he wandered the streets and attempted to make sense of recent events. Whilst there, he met with the homeless where he began to help protect the vulnerable from being taken advantage by others there. Among his fellow humans, Valley found a sense of self with this being a new start for himself. (Showcase '94 v1 #10) A broken Jean-Paul by this point had lost the will to kill and stayed at a shelter. Around this time, a string of murders performed by Steeljacket led to Dick Grayson mistakenly believing them to be the work of Azrael. Tracking Valley, he found the traumatised Jean-Paul who wanted to be left alone by Batman. (Detective Comics v1 #681)
He was later approached by Batman who wanted his help in hunting down Nicholas Scratch's operations in Gotham. The Dark Knight though suggested that Jean-Paul adopt a new costume as the old one was wanted by the authorities. (Batman: Agent of the Bat v1 #50)
Five years later, the Order of Purity who were a splinter faction from the Order of Saint Dumas came to select a new person to assume the mantle of Azrael. This they came to find in a former police officer by the name of Michael who took on the title. (Azrael: Death's Dark Knight v1 #1) During the Blackest Night, Jean-Paul was shown as to be one of the many people that had died who had been re-animated as members of the Black Lantern Corps. (Blackest Night v1 #4)
Post-Flashpoint
Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. He was engineered with him being conceived in a vat with his DNA being manipulated with that of beasts leading to him becoming a virtual clone of his father who was Azrael that was the agent of the Sacred Order of Dumas. However, his father developed a conscience causing him to flee from the Order where he sought to protect his son from them. As a result, the Order had him eliminated whereupon they abducted the young Jean-Paul Valley. The Sacred Order desired a faithful and perfect soldier that could be programmed to follow their beliefs. Thus, they turned to Mother who had the means of shaping children into weapons. Despite the efforts, it was not enough and it was deemed for Jean-Paul Valley to become Azrael then he needed to experience ego death. He was then allowed to go out into the world for a few years to explore and to become an individual. It was then that the Order came for him to break him on every level using the conditioning bred into him by Mother. This broke his newfound individuality with the act being done by Nomoz in the greater glory of God. (Detective Comics v1 #958)
Using Epoch's equipment, Jessica Cruz managed to pluck an incarnation of her team from prior to their arrival in the Ghost Sector. This included Azrael before his brainwashing and death where he was provided memories of recent events where he along with his comrades worked to stop Darkseid. (Justice League Odyssey v1 #24)
Overview
Personality and attributes
He was chosen to accept the mantle of the new Azrael after the death of his father. (Batman: Sword of Azrael v1 #1) Later on, he came to go by the mantle of Batman and served as Gotham City's vigilante protector. (Batman Annual v1 #17)
On account of his inexperience, he commented that he did not know when someone was flirting with him. (Batman: Agent of the Bat v1 #54)
He was trained to be a winner to the point that he could not understand defeat. (Showcase '94 v1 #10)
Jean-Paul Valley was the son of Ludovic Valley who previously had been Azrael. (Azrael Annual v1 #1)
For for more than twenty generations, Jean-Paul Valley's ancestors had become the avenging angels known as Azrael in service to the Order. This included his father, his grandfather and even his great-grandfather who had all adopted the mantle. Unknown to him, his father had been implanting certain suggestions into him since his early childhood with these being remembered as near forgotten dreams. (Batman: Sword of Azrael v1 #1)
Upon assuming the mantle of Azrael, he came to find a teacher in Nomoz. (Batman: Sword of Azrael v1 #1)
For a long time, he had only known Oracle through their conversations on communication lines. This changed when he met her and was introduced to Barbara Gordon. Jean-Paul had thought she had been sisterly to him in their interactions which was something he liked as he never had any siblings. From that point on, he came to consider Barbara as a sister to him and said he would be happy with anyone she met romantically so long as they were nice to her. She in turn had tears of joy over their exchange and similarly came to see him as a brother. (Batman: Agent of the Bat v1 #54)
Powers and abilities
A formal name did not exist for this but it was referred to as 'the System'. The way of the System included knowledge and skills implanted below the surface of the soul. This gave him skills that he was not typically aware of including combat ones. When awakened, the knowledge of the System was known to almost possess Jean-Paul. (Batman: Sword of Azrael v1 #1) It was forced into him from childhood where it consisted of a complex blend of hypnotic suggestion and subliminal educations. This was responsible for teaching him all the talents, skills and knowledge needed by him. (Showcase '94 v1 #10) The programming given to him also compelled him to kill offending members of the Sacred Order of St. Dumas. (Batman v1 #488)
Under the System, his body could operate with incredibly speed and agility where it was able to avoid numerous gunshots whilst defeating numerous foes. (Batman v1 #488)
According to Batman, Azrael was a formidable entity whose prowess and abilities only increased in time thus making him a dangerous foe. (Batman v1 #488) Jean-Paul was said to require the suit in order to trigger his special abilities as a result of his childhood conditioning. (Azrael: Agent of the Bat v1 #50)
It was noted for being bullet-proof allowing Azrael to survive gunfire. (Batman: Sword of Azrael v1 #1)
The suit was said to be so much more than being a simple costume. The Wisdom of St. Dumas was used to underpin an artificial intelligence in the suit. (Detective Comics v1 #950) It was laced with an artificial intelligence more powerful than any seen. The Suit of Sorrows made the wearer the perfect assassin but drove the person mad with zealotry with it turning them to kill everyone that stood in their way. (Detective Comics v1 #958) Upon wearing it, the suit interfaced with the users nervous system and helped direct the strikes of the person in order to achieve the perfect blow. (Detective Comics v1 #950)
Notes
- The Jean-Paul Valley Azrael was created by Denny O'Neil and Joe Quesada where he made his first appearance in Batman: Sword of Azrael v1 #1 (October, 1992).
- In Wizard. No. 72 (1997), O'Neil commented on a difficulty in transitioning the character from a villain to a hero, ": "If I'd known he was to become a monthly character, I might have set him up differently ... The problem is that I had to turn a bad guy into a real hero, not just an anti-hero or lead. It's possible to do that, but it's difficult to retain the original characterization. You almost have to change his personality".
- The index section of the Blackest Night tabloid later indicated that the Azrael during the event was Jean-Paul Valley.
Alternate Versions
- In Batman: The Adventure Continues (2020), an alternate version of Jean-Paul Valley appeared in the setting set in the DC Animated Universe. He was a member of the Order of St. Dumas where during his training he met a young Bruce Wayne who was undergoing training from around the world. Years later, he took the mantle of Azrael and was dispatched to Gotham City in pursuit of Catwoman who had stolen the Order's Shawl of Magdalene.
In other media
Video games
- In Batman: Arkham Origins, the Jean-Paul Valley Batsuit appeared as an alternate costume in the Knightfall DLC pack.
Appearances
- Batman: Sword of Azrael v1: (1992)
- Batman v1:
- Showcase '94 v1:
- Azrael v1:
- Azrael Annual v1:
- Batman & Robin Eternal v1:
- Detective Comics v1:
- Justice League Odyssey v1:
External Links
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