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"It's not pain that breaks people. It's fear."
—Tobias Church to Rene Ramirez

Tobias Church (died November 2016), known by the alias Charon, was a crime lord who set about creating a coalition of the gangs of Star City, aiming to take it over. His goals brought him into conflict with the Green Arrow and his team. He received his moniker for his habit of leaving two coins on the eyes of his murdered victims. He was later killed by Prometheus after trying to kill the Green Arrow when he was warned twice not to. Before getting killed with a shuriken, he told Prometheus the Green Arrow's real name. 

Biography

Early life

At some point, Church spent time in prison in Hub City and Blüdhaven. After being released from prison, Church made his way to Star City.[1] He also conquered the crime in Hub City by murdering the crime lords in it to create one gang.[2]

First encounter with Green Arrow

After a group of corrupt police officers attempted to steal guns and drugs from a criminal hideout, Church and his men entered. The officers defied Church, but Church beat the lead officer to death and declared himself the new boss, with a plan to take over the city and take down the Green Arrow.[1]

The first step of Church's plan was to kidnap Mayor Oliver Queen, not knowing that he and the Green Arrow were one in the same. Church and his men kidnapped Queen and many city council members, planning to hold them hostage for the Green Arrow. Queen escaped and suited up before taking on Church. With the building primed to explode, Church attempted to escape in a helicopter, but the Green Arrow shot a grappling arrow onto his helicopter. The two fought inside of it, with Church managing to push the Green Arrow off and escaping, though the hero survived using a parachute arrow.[1]

Church later brought together the heads of several local gangs, including the Bertinelli crime family, and declared himself their new leader. When the head of the family, Pino Bertinelli challenged Church, Church had him killed by one of his own men.[1]

Allying with Amertek

As Church's influence in Star City continued to grow, he was approached by Janet Carroll, the CEO of Amertek Industries, who was desperately seeking a way to save her company from imploding in upon itself by selling Church all of their surplus military gear for $100m, giving Church the power to "take down a country" if he so desired. The deal was however foiled when the Green Arrow and the newly arrived Havenrock metahuman Ragman showed up seperately of each other to stop it. While Ragman dealt with most of Church's men, Church engaged the Green Arrow in another one-on-one brawl with Church coming out on top. Before Church could stab the Green Arrow with one of his own arrows, Ragman stepped in, knocked out Church and saved the Green Arrow.

As he was leaving a nightclub shortly after the engagement with the vigilantes, Church's bodyguards were shot and killed by arrows. Believing the Green Arrow was back for another round Church prepared to face his enemy only to be struck in the back with a thrown hatchet and slammed to the ground by an unknown masked archer. The mysterious archer revealed knowledge of Church's previous encounters with the Green Arrow and warned Church that if he killed the Green Arrow, then Church too would die. Church demanded the archer's identity, to which the archer responded that his name was Prometheus.

After Prometheus learned that Church had ignored his warnings and confronted him at the docks, reminding him of his threat and tried to kill him, but Church had his own bodyguard to protect him. Prometheus reminded Church he had his second warning and wouldn't be given a third and left. After Church was arrested following his defeat by the Green Arrow, being transferred to Iron Heights, Prometheus attacked the convoy of police cars escorting him. After slaughtering the escorting officers he confronted Church in the police van. Church tried to plead for his life by telling him Green Arrow's identity: Oliver Queen. When Church asked if they were cool, Prometheus threw a shuriken into his neck and killed him, then left the scene of his slaughter.[3]

Personality 

Tobias was a ruthless individual who stopped at nothing in order to get what he wanted. He would spend days torturing someone just to get what he wanted.

Despite his ruthlessness, in his last moments, he showed some humanity by telling the police guard who was watching him to stay in the truck, not so the guard could protect him, but so he wouldn't get killed.

Abilities

  • Expert hand-to-hand combatant/Brawler: Church was a highly skilled brawler. He is well-known for pummeling his opponents to death with his fists. He was able to fight on par with Green Arrow.
  • Expert Leader/Tactician: Church was able to eliminate crime bosses and force gangs into his own gang. He has great leadership skills, being able to command a highly diverse group of criminals.
  • Expert Torturer: Church is extremely skilled at torture. It is hinted that this is mostly due to prior experience and eventually learned on how to perfect this skill. He learned Oliver Queen was the Green Arrow by torturing the street-tough Rene Ramirez.
  • Peak of human physical condition: Church is in top physical condition. He was able to stand up and keep fighting after being shot with an arrow by the Green Arrow, showing a lot of endurance.

Equipment

  • Brass knuckles: Church used brass knuckles to kill a police officer and in his fights against the Green Arrow.

Behind the scenes

  • In DC comics, there is a number of characters named Charon, however, none exactly resemble the version seen in the show.

Appearances

Arrow

Season 5

References

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