William Stryker

Reverend William Stryker is a fictional character in Marvel Comics, known for his recurring role as an adversary of the X-Men. A former sergeant and a devout Christian minister, Stryker harbors an intense hatred for mutants, often leading campaigns against them. He is also the father of Jason Stryker, a mutant who plays a significant role in his motivations.

The character made his debut in the graphic novel X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills (1982), created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Brent Anderson. Stryker is characterized by his high intelligence, military training, and expertise in psychological manipulation. He has been affiliated with several organizations, including Weapon X and, previously, Stryker's Crusade and the Purifiers.

Stryker has been featured in the X-Men film series, where he is portrayed as Colonel William Stryker, the leader of Weapon X and a primary antagonist of Wolverine. He is portrayed by Brian Cox in X2 (2003), Danny Huston in X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), and Josh Helman in X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) and X-Men: Apocalypse (2016).

In 2009, IGN ranked William Stryker as the 70th-greatest comic book villain of all time.

William Stryker was created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Brent Anderson, making his first appearance in the 1982 graphic novel X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills. The character was reportedly modeled after American televangelist Jerry Falwell.^{[citation needed]}

Reverend William Stryker is a religious fanatic with a military background, characterized by his intense hatred of mutants. This animosity drives him to commit horrific acts, including the murder of his wife, Marcy Stryker, and their mutant son shortly after the child's birth in Nevada. Following these events, Stryker experiences a suicide attempt. Over time, he becomes convinced that Satan is plotting to destroy humanity by corrupting prenatal souls, leading to the emergence of mutants. Stryker ultimately interprets the birth of his mutant son as a sign from God, compelling him to fulfill his perceived calling: the eradication of all mutants.

Fueled by this conviction, Stryker rises to prominence as a controversial preacher and televangelist. His followers, which include a secret paramilitary group known as the Purifiers, engage in hate crimes against mutants. In a calculated move, Stryker orchestrates the kidnapping and brainwashing of Professor Xavier, connecting him to a device designed to eliminate all living mutants. To thwart this plan, the X-Men are compelled to ally with Magneto. The extent of Stryker's bigotry is further revealed when he attempts to murder Kitty Pryde during a live television broadcast, resulting in an NYPD officer shooting him.

Stryker reappears in the X-Treme X-Men storyline, having been presumed forgotten within the narrative. It is revealed that he had been serving a prison sentence due to the consequences of his previous actions. During his transfer on an airplane, Lady Deathstrike infiltrates the aircraft, where she kills Stryker's guards and rescues him. It is then disclosed that the two are lovers, and Stryker promptly initiates a new crusade against the X-Men, targeting Wolverine, Cannonball, the X-Treme X-Men team, and Shadowcat, with whom he holds a longstanding grudge.