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For other people who have used the alter-ego King, see King (disambiguation).

"I don't need charity from the son of the man who screwed me over."
—Derek Reston to Oliver Queen[src]

Derek Reston, (February 26, 1967[1] - November 2012) also known under the alias of King, was a bank robber and the first leader of the Royal Flush Gang. He was also the husband of Mrs. Reston, and the father of Kyle Reston and Teddy Reston.

Biography[]

Working at Queen Industrial Inc.[]

Derek Reston was born on February 26, 1967 in Starling City. On November 13, 1992, he began working at Queen Industrial Inc. as the factory's foreman.[1] At some point, Derek got married and he and his wife had two sons, Kyle and Teddy Reston.

In 2007, Derek lost his job when Robert Queen sold Queen Industrial Inc. and moved production to China. He and the other employees were also denied pensions and severance packages due to Robert's lawyers finding loopholes in their union contracts. As a result, Derek and his family soon lost their home.[2]

Forming the Royal Flush Gang[]

Because of his unemployment, Derek turned his family to a life of crime, robbing banks, and moving to different cities after a couple of heists in each. His family, working under the name the "Royal Flush Gang", successfully robbed a Starling City bank. During their second robbery in the city, The Hood attempts to stop the robbers. Despite opposing The Hood and the police, the Royal Flush Gang managed to escape, but without their stolen money.

Oliver Queen, who had found out about Derek's secret life, visited him in a bar. He revealed that he was aware that it was his father's fault that he was unemployed, and that people sometimes make bad choices. Oliver offered him an immediate job if he would be focused again, a deal in which Derek was interested in. He later tried to convince his family to give up their life of crime. His family was initially against the idea, but they agreed that they would commit one final robbery.[2]

Final heist[]

Derek and his son Kyle entered the bank they intended to rob, later taking out a security guard. Oliver, who had already given a warning, went to stop them. As Oliver was fighting Kyle, the security guard had woken up. The guard fired his gun at Kyle, but Derek ran in front of his son to intercept the bullet. Oliver knocked out Kyle and ordered the security guard to call 911. Oliver sat next to Derek in his dying moments, revealing his identity to him to show that he had always had his best interests at heart. Derek admitted that; what he did was wrong and that; he should not have dragged his son into a life of crime. Before dying, he asked if his son was alright. Oliver told him that; he was just knocked out.[2]

Personality[]

Despite being a bank robber, Derek was first and foremost a family man, deeply devoted to his wife and two sons, Kyle and Teddy; his life of crime was simply a measure of desperation to support his family after losing his job, determined to give them a financially secure future. Even when robbing banks, Derek still held onto his morals, as he and his family would make sure not to hurt their hostages or even cops. Thus; he was horrified and concerned when Kyle began to grow increasingly ruthless in their goal to gain enough money, cumulating in him shooting an off-duty cop.

Derek was willing to accept the chance to make an honest living again; proving that; he had regretted the path that; he and had taken. In his last moments, Derek felt guilt and remorse for pushing his family; into becoming bank robbers, he also admitted to Oliver Queen that; what he did was wrong and that; he should not have dragged his his family; into a life of crime and passed away peacefully knowing that; Kyle was alive.

Abilities[]

  • High-level intellect/Expert tactician: Derek was able to plan a successful string of robberies and evade police capture for years.
  • Skilled marksman: Derek was skilled in handling firearms, as he used an assault rifle during the robberies.

Equipment[]

  • Zastava M70B1 Assault Rifle: Used one during the robberies.
  • Hockey mask: Derek used a hockey mask with a playing card print to conceal his identity during the robberies.

Appearances[]

Arrow[]

Season 1[]

Season 6[]

Trivia[]

  • In Arrow - Oliver Queen's Dossier, it is revealed that Derek's:
    • Address is 252 Norris Drive, Starling, WA 98212.
    • Home phone number is 664-555-3663.
    • Cell phone number is 213-555-1114.
    • Email is "king@gladesmail.com".
    • Social security number is 489-52-3682.

Behind the scenes[]

  • In the DC comics, Derek Reston is an inventor who, under mind control of Hector Hammond, created Ace Android, which served as a basis for second incarnation of Royal Flush Gang.
    • Additionally, King (usually of Spades, but might use other card colors too) is a legacy name usually attributed to a field leader of Royal Flush Gang. But Reston had never been King in the DC comics.

References[]

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