"One less human. More room for the monsters to roam." That's how The Bride, the closest thing that Creature Commandos has to a sort of break-out character, justifies the eventual demise of Princess Ilana in the fourth episode.
To her, people are cruel and unstable, often falling prey to their own hubris and desires for power and love. And sure, the same can be said of monsters, but monsters are what The Bride knows, she understands that kind of chaos. And that's why The Bride was always destined to the leader of the Creature Commandos.
She officially earns this spot in the final episode of the first season of the show, taking over in the wake of Rick Flag Sr.'s grievous injuries at the hands (well, mud) of Clayface. Flag himself had hinted at her skills before.
Back in the aforementioned fourth episode, just as The Bride disconnects from Flag due to the latter's commitment to the idea that the Princess actually doesn't want to rule the world, he commends her on how well she handled herself, especially among the misfits of the Commandos. The Bride doesn't gleefully accept the compliment, but it is an omen that she's meant for much more than simply being an outsider among outsiders.
A unique kinship
This kinship with the group, one based on her inherent insight into what it's like to shunned by the rest of the world, develops over the course of the season. It's mainly displayed through her relationship with Nina, the aquatic team member who is hesitant to not just get her hands dirty in combat, but fears any confrontation at all, even within the group.
The Bride understands that – she was violently awakened after being pieced together by a scientist, a scientist that she eventually grew to love. And after that scientist's gruesome death at the hands of his other, more jealous creation, she was thrust out into a cold world. She grasps the feeling of being lost and her confidence is empowering to the group's wayward souls.
It's a specific type of confidence that Rick Flag Sr. lacks. Flag is certainly battle ready. He's trained to be a soldier and to lead a group, but he isn't quite prepared to deal with the Creature Commandos, one that requires a bit more freakish finesse.
She grasps the feeling of being lost and her confidence is empowering to the group's wayward souls.
And in the end, he places his trust in the Princess, partially because she isn't inhuman and doesn't wear her monstrous side on her sleeve and face. She's normal and comforting amid the squabble of a bunch of DC Comics oddballs being forced to work together, leading to her being able to seduce and betray Flag fairly easily.
Amanda Waller, who has more of a history of putting these types of teams together, knows that Flag is a great leader of men. But whenever she plays referee between his wishes and the reality of the situation, the conversations seem to indicate that he's a poor handler of monsters.
You wanted monsters... you got monsters
For guiding monsters requires a specific touch that The Bride is able to deliver. Her bluntness earns the respect of Dr. Phosphorus, a guy who indulges himself in all manner of horrific deeds. The same went for Weasel, who follows her around with ease. Nina found her to be a kind of gruff older sister and the other inmates at the ARGUS facility were quick to fall in line whenever she commanded (or showed a display of strength).
But perhaps her most intuitive moment was gunning down Eric Frankenstein the second she saw him in the season finale. Flag had attempted to reason with Frankenstein and turn him into an ally, even when the big guy was obviously deluded. The Bride understood that he was beyond reproach and that he saw the rest of the world as only a means to his obsessive ends.
For the show's second season, with the Bride now put into a firm leadership position, some personal growth in that area might be in order.
The Bride is far from a perfect leader – as the madame of the brothel that the Bride and Nina hide out in in the sixth episode says, The Bride can only handle the world through violence. It is her answer to everything, meaning that she's ill-equipped for any scenario that might not require a terse word and a fist to the face. For the show's second season, with the Bride now put into a firm leadership position, some personal growth in that area might be in order.
But right now, she's the best hope that the Creature Commandos have, especially while Flag is in recovery. Bride doesn’t fully trust Waller (a smart move) and, more importantly, doesn't trust humanity at large. And considering how putting total faith in people despite the pleas of the more abnormal characters turned out in the first season, The Bride might be able to help them avoid making such mistakes going forward.
No, not all humans are bad. As we see in Creature Commandos, there are good people, whole families, that want to find peace. But we also saw that, in the end, you don't send a man to do a monster's job.
Creature Commandos is now streaming in its entirety on Max. For more, check out our Creature Commandos review, our Creature Commandos ending explained, and our Creature Commandos post-credits explained.
You can also check out our guide to Creature Commandos season 2 for everything we know so far.
