Although each character shares the same name, they are portrayed as distinct family members who typically play significant roles in collaborating with the United States government and military within the DC Universe.
Rick Flag Jr.'s leadership and exceptional skills have earned him a reputation as one of Amanda Waller's most loyal and trusted operatives within the team, despite the high mortality rate associated with their missions.
[2] In a previous version, the character was alternatively depicted as a soldier named Anthony Miller, who was suggested to have been implanted with false memories, believing himself to be the son of the original Rick Flag.
Frank Grillo currently voices his father, Rick Flag Sr., in the DC Universe animated series Creature Commandos (2024), and will play the character in live-action in the upcoming film Superman (2025) and the 2025 second season of Peacemaker.
With his expertise in engineering, Bright assisted in the creation of the Rocket Red Brigade and lent a hand to the nation of Qurac in assembling their metahuman team, the Onslaught.
[15] Rick Flag Jr. was then tapped by the government to lead the new Suicide Squad as formed by Amanda Waller, a role he reluctantly assumed.
The loyalty Flag had towards his teammates and Waller was evident in the fact that he did not shy away from a conflict with the Justice League to free Nemesis from Soviet captivity.
[16] The death of Karin Grace also served to amplify this and it came to a head when US Senator Cray threatened to reveal the existence of the Suicide Squad to the public.
Unbeknownst to him, Amanda Waller had already dealt with the threat, and Flag set out to assassinate Cray to ensure the existence of the Suicide Squad, even though he loathed some of its members.
Flag set out to destroy the Jihad team after learning that his father had previously attacked their stronghold, Jotunheim, during World War II to neutralise a Nazi prototype nuclear weapon.
Rick was later revealed to be leading a clandestine Suicide Squad unit at the behest of Waller, and against the expressed mandate of the Checkmate organization.
Confronted with the possibility to give up his presumed identity and return home, Miller decides that the Suicide Squad needs a Rick Flag, and refuses the offer.
Rick Flag Jr.'s young son by Karin Grace who also shared his name was kidnapped by Koschei the Deathless, a member of the Jihad, but was rescued by Nemesis of the Suicide Squad.
Additionally, Rick Flag Jr. is well-versed in utilizing a wide range of weaponry commonly employed by soldiers within the United States military.