  |
This article's content is marked as Mature The page contains mature content that may include coarse language, sexual references, and/or graphic violent images which may be disturbing to some. Mature pages are recommended for those who are 18 years of age and older. If you are 18 years or older or are comfortable with graphic material, you are free to view this page. Otherwise, you should close this page and view another page. |
High Chancellor Adam James Susan is the main antagonist of the V for Vendetta comic book series. He is the Bigger Bad/secondary antagonist in the 2006 film of the same name.
Biography
Susan is the dictator of England and the leader of the corrupt Norsefire Party. A former police chief constable, upon his entrance into politics he gathers a select few like-minded right-wing extremists and corporate executives into his inner circle, and then exploits the poverty, chaos, and panic that follow a worldwide nuclear war to seize power. Once in control, he gives himself the title of "Leader," and bans all art and literature that conflict with the views of the party, criminalizes political dissent, and puts Jews, Arabs, Pakistanis and homosexuals into concentration camps.
In order to further monitor the state, Susan takes control of the intelligence departments known as the Eye and the Ear, the military police departments called the Nose and the Finger, and the propaganda department called the Mouth. These are run by his subordinates, Derek Almond (later Peter Creedy) at The Finger, Conrad Heyer at The Eye, Brian Etheridge at The Ear, Eric Finch at The Nose, and Roger Dascombe at The Mouth. The leaders of these departments run the day-to-day affairs of government.
From his inner sanctum, he forsakes virtually all human contact, resolving to be feared and respected if he cannot be loved. He reserves the closest thing he can manage to human feeling for Fate, the super-computer which both surveys security and maintains the bureaucracy of his government, loving and worshiping the machine as a goddess; in one scene, it is strongly implied that he masturbates in its presence. Susan is an ascete who does not consume alcohol, has remained a virgin his entire life and who lives a generally monk-like existence. He is not without human qualities, however; his last few moments reveal him to be a timid, socially inept man who is eager to somehow connect with his people. He recounts his past, including glimpses of his childhood; it is suggested that he was a lonely child who became increasingly introverted and turned to religion and fascism, ultimately suffering a complete break with reality. He also shows signs of solipsism, claiming that he and Fate are the only "real" beings in existence.
His rule begins to crumble when a masked terrorist calling himself "V" blows up the Houses of Parliament on November 5 (Guy Fawkes Day), and begins systematically killing Susan's lieutenants. His defiance gradually inspires the public to rebel against Norsefire's reign. Susan tries desperately to capture and kill the mysterious vigilante, but remains increasingly powerless to stop him.
Feeling that Fate has abandoned him, Susan appears for a publicity parade. He takes comfort in his peoples' love for him, unaware that the cheering crowds are only cheering because Creedy's goons are forcing them to. At the end of the parade, Susan exits his car, hoping to shake hands with one of his people. He eagerly reaches out to a woman, unaware that she is Rose Almond, the widow of Derek Almond, Creedy's predecessor, who shoots and kills him, just at the moment he began to open himself to other people. Creedy immediately takes total control of London for a short time before he too is killed by one of his underlings, soon resulting in the total collapse of the government.
In the film
See Adam Sutler.