View source for Ajax (X-Men Movies)

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{{Villain Infobox
|image = 3000000000000.png
|fullname = Francis Freeman
|alias = Ajax
|origin = ''{{w|Deadpool (film)|Deadpool}}'' <small>(2016)</small>
|occupation = High-ranking member of the Weapon X Program<br>
Scientist<br>
Human trafficker<br>
Terrorist
|skills = High Intelligence<br>
Tactical Leadership<br>
Master Martial Artist<br>
Weaponry Expertise<br>
Manipulation<br>
Torture Methods<br>
Scientific Knowledge on Humans<br>
'''Mutate-Physiology:'''
*Superhuman Strength<br>
*Superhuman Durability<br>
*Superhuman Reflexes<br>
*Pain Immunity 
|hobby = Harassing and attempting to kill [[w:c:hero:Deadpool (X-Men Movies)|Wade Wilson]].<br>
Provoking his prisoners.
|goals = Produce superhuman slaves to sell them off to the highest bidder <small>(succeeded for a time)</small>.<br>
Kill Deadpool and Vanessa <small>(failed)</small>.
|crimes = {{Scroll box|Mass murder <small>(implied)</small><br>
Slavery<br>
Kidnapping<br>
Conspiracy<br>
Terrorism<br>
Incrimination<br>
Psychological abuse<br>
Mass torture<br>
Assault<br>
Corruption<br>
Unethical experimentation<br>
Slander<br>
Sabotage<br>
Hate crimes<br>
Stalking<br>
Harassment<br>
Human trafficking<br>
Gaslighting<br>
Mutilation<br>
Crimes against humanity<br>
Abuse of power}}
|type of villain = Sadistic Slaver}} {{Quote|What's my name?|Ajax's famous catchphrase, and also his last words.}} 
{{Quote|Joke around all [[w:c:hero:Deadpool (X-Men Movies)|you]] want. One thing that never survives in this place is a sense of humor.|Ajax to [[w:c:hero:Deadpool (X-Men Movies)|Wade]].}}

'''Francis Freeman''', also known as '''Ajax''', is the main antagonist of the 2016 superhero comedy film ''{{w|Deadpool (film)|Deadpool}}'', the eighth installment in ''{{w|X-Men (film series)|X-Men}}'' film series.

He is a mutant who is immune to pain and the leader of the Weapon X Program that was responsible for turning Wade Wilson into [[w:c:hero:Deadpool (X-Men Movies)|Deadpool]], due to the latter undergoing an experimental cancer treatment that granted him a regenerative healing factor but left horrible burn-like scars over his entire body, Deadpool resolves to ruthlessly hunt down his arch-nemesis and force him to reverse his disfigurement after the latter tells him that there is a cure for his condition.

He was portrayed by {{w|Ed Skrein}}, who also played [[Thomas Alexander Upton]] in ''TAU'', [[Zapan (Alita: Battle Angel)|Zapan]] in ''Alita: Battle Angel'', [[Borra]] in ''Maleficent: Mistress of Evil'' and [[Admiral Atticus Noble]] in the ''Rebel Moon'' film series.

==Biography==
===Early Life===
{{Quote|You know the funniest part of this? You still think we're making you a superhero. You? You're nothing. A little secret, Wade. This workshop doesn't make superheroes; we make superslaves. And then you'll be sold like all the others to some clients, and they will decide what to do with you. Perhaps they would make you terrorize citizens, putting down freedom fighters, I don't know.|Francis exposing his true purpose of the Workshop to Wade.}}
At some point during the early 21st century, Francis became the leader of the Workshop, an illegal research program that would take in those who were terminally ill and experiment on them, creating a front of a "miracle cure" for their ailments. These experiments were intended to turn these people into mutants by activating the dormant X-Gene in their DNA (assuming they had it at all) and if they were to survive the procedure and undergo a mutation, Francis would auction them off as slaves to the highest bidder, most of whom were rich and powerful criminals from all over the world.

At some point before or after he took over the Workshop, Francis had the same procedure all the program's patients went through performed on himself. Doing so granted him both enhanced strength and reflexes, and scorched his nerve endings, inhibiting his ability to feel pain. Following this, Francis would adopt the name "Ajax" and continue running the Workshop alongside his assistant [[Angel Dust]], who was able to become a mutant from the program as well.

===Torturing Wade===
One day, Wade Wilson wound up on Ajax's table in the hopes of being cured of terminal cancer. After injecting a serum into Wade that would trigger any recessive X-Genes in his DNA, Ajax and Angel Dust spent the next few days subjecting Wade to extensive torture out of hopes of triggering a mutation, without success. After Wade learned of Ajax's real name and mocked him for it, a furious Ajax sealed him in an oxygen deprivation chamber for two days straight and finally revealed to him the true purpose of the Workshop, in that they would sell him off to the highest bidder as a slave once he underwent his mutation.

[[File:AjaxTorture.png|thumb|250px|Ajax watches as Wade is tortured by Angel Dust.]]
Although the process successfully turned Wade into a mutant and granted him a regenerative healing factor that neutralized his cancer, it also further enhanced his tumors, severely disfiguring his entire body as a result. Unwilling to simply allow Ajax to sell him off, Wade stole a match from Angel Dust and used it to detonate an explosion that set the entire facility ablaze and freed him from confinement. While attempting to put out the flames with a fire extinguisher, Ajax was suddenly and furiously attacked by Wade. After a long fight, in which Ajax lied to Wade that he could cure his disfigurement, Ajax ultimately overpowered Wade and impaled him with rebar before leaving him behind to die as the facility fell apart.

=== Hunted by Deadpool===
Unbeknownst to Ajax, Wade survived the incident due to his regenerative abilities and would spend the next year hunting him down as the costumed vigilante known as Deadpool.

After supplying a Russian mobster with his monthly shipment of products from the Workshop, Ajax, accompanied by a convoy of cars and motorcycles, were en-route to their base when Deadpool suddenly intercepted them. With only twelve bullets and his two katanas, Deadpool was able to kill all of Ajax's men before taking down Ajax himself. However, before Deadpool could force Ajax to give up the cure for his disfigurement, Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead interrupted him, and Ajax was able to use the distraction to escape back to his base.

After getting his injuries treated by Angel Dust, Ajax took her with him to hunt Wade down, eventually learning of and kidnapping his fiancée Vanessa Carlysle.

===Death===
{{Quote|You grow back body parts now, Wade? When I'm finished, parts will have to grow back '''you.'''|Ajax to Deadpool in the final fight.}}
Setting up camp on a decommissioned aircraft carrier in a scrapyard, Ajax prepared to kill Vanessa with another oxygen deprivation chamber when Deadpool, accompanied by Colossus and Negasonic, arrived to stop him. While the two X-Men took on Angel Dust, Deadpool had a rematch with Ajax and after a brutal fight, managed to overpower and defeat him. After beating Ajax to the brink of death, Deadpool demanded that he cure him of his disfigurement, only to discover that there had never been a cure to begin with. Enraged, Deadpool grabbed a spare pistol and, despite Colossus' monologue about being the better person,  blows Ajax's head open with it, killing him.

== Powers and Abilities==
{{Quote|I was a patient here once myself, you know. The treatment affects everyone differently. It made Angel inhumanly strong. In my case, it enhanced my reflexes. Also scorched my nerve endings, so I no longer feel pain. And, in fact, I no longer feel anything.|Ajax describing the effects the serum had on him to Wade Wilson.}} 

*'''Enhanced Strength''': Ajax possesses strength far beyond that of a normal human. He can bend metal bars with relative ease, albeit with some effort, and engage Deadpool, who is also superhumanly strong, in hand-to-hand combat on equal terms. He is also able to easily lift a grown man above his head with just one hand, send Deadpool flying away several feet away with one kick, and throw a full-grown woman several meters away from him with brute force.
*'''Enhanced Durability''': In addition to his inability to feel pain, Ajax is far more resilient than a normal human. He appears to have internal control over his body, as he did not bleed from most of his wounds. He was even hit by a large shipping container and survived without suffering any major injuries.
*'''Enhanced Reflexes''': Ajax's reaction time is at superhuman levels, as shown by how he was able to easily block melee attacks from Deadpool during both of their fights and deflect an axe thrown at him at high speeds.
*'''Pain Immunity''': During his time as a patient for the Workshop program, Ajax's nerve endings were scorched, making it difficult for his body to feel pain. As a result of this, even the most grievous of injuries will not impair his movements, as he was able to continue fighting at full strength even after suffering critical injuries in his fights with Deadpool.
*'''Master Combatant''': Ajax was very proficient at hand-to-hand combat. He was able to easily gain the upper hand against Deadpool in both of their fights, a notable feat considering that Wade used to be in the Canadian special forces, and possibly would have defeated him in their rematch had Vanessa and Negasonic not interfered.
*'''Axe Mastery''': Ajax is highly skilled at using axes in combat, as shown when he used them to great effect in his rematch with Deadpool.
*'''Skilled Scientist''': While it is unknown as to how adept he was in medicine, Ajax had extensive knowledge of mutant biology and was able to quickly determine the nature of the powers that his victims developed.

==Equipment==
Francis has the very means to fight Deadpool. Despite that, he is shown as a scientist and a "regular" man wearing a brown skin jacket. Francis has equipment such as: 
*'''Bulletproof Vest''': When fighting Deadpool for the final time, Ajax is dressed in a grey long shirt, gloves, and a bulletproof vest, which would protect him from gunshots.
*'''Axes''': In the fight on the air carrier, Ajax grabs two axes to battle Deadpool, who is equipped with katana swords.

==Personality==
{{Quote|You're really gonna f-ck this up for me? Trust me, that wheezing bag of dick-tits has it coming. He's pure evil!|Deadpool describing Francis to Colossus.}}Ajax is an extremely sadistic, violent, egotistical, and brutal man who only cares about his own ambitions. He has a calm demeanor and never loses his temper with anyone, even when the situation is not at all in his favor. Ironically, he does not like "talkers" like Deadpool and Vanessa, and has a somewhat insecure side to himself, as he is sensitive about his real name (Francis) and admits to being jealous of Deadpool's healing factor. According to Deadpool, Ajax is pure evil.

Although he's a businessman, Ajax has no respect for his clients, as demonstrated when he strangled a Russian mobster for growing impatient over shipment delays until the latter agreed to give him more time. However, despite being Deadpool's archenemy, Ajax harbors a small amount of respect for him, claiming that "he likes a challenge." The only person he shows any type of concern for is Angel Dust, who he treats almost like a lover, although it's never actually confirmed if that's the case.

== Quotes ==
{{Quote|You know I’ve seen so many side effects before, I '''could''' cure them, but where’s the fun in that? Now I’m gonna shove you in again wade, not because I need to.. because I '''want''' to.|Ajax taunting Post-Mutated Wade upon deciding to leave the latter in a disfigured state}}{{Quote|Enjoy your weekend.|Ajax before leaving Wade to suffer the agonizing procedure of his mutant disfigurement}}
{{Quote|Wade f—-ing Wilson. Hello gorgeous.|Francis recognising Wade from his mask}}
{{Quote|<b>Francis</b> It sounds even stupider when you say it<br>
<b>Deadpool</b> like the kind of stupid who admits he can’t do the one thing I’m keeping him alive for?|Deadpool to Francis after realising his treatment is permanent and decides to kill him.}}

==Gallery==
===Images===
<gallery widths="300" bordercolor="gray" captiontextcolor="red" position="center">
AjaX Freeman.png
Francis Laboratoy.PNG|Ajax talking with Wade in the laboratory.
DeadpoolAjaxLabFight.png|Ajax defeats Wade in the burning lab.
Francis Workshop.PNG|Ajax leaving Wade for dead in the laboratory.
Francis Dealer.PNG|Ajax meeting his weapons dealer.
AjaxTrapped.png|Deadpool having tracked down Ajax.
AjaxStabbed.png|Ajax pinned to the railing, to no effect, while listening to Deadpool's and Colossus's argument.
Francis Talking with Vanessa.PNG|Francis talking with Vanessa; also his [[w:c:evil:Evil Grin|smug grin]].
Ajax with Angel Dust.PNG|Ajax with [[Angel Dust (X-Men Movies)]] in the helicarrier scrapyard.
Ajax Attacking.jpg|Ajax confronting Deadpool.
Ajax fighting with deadpool.jpg|Ajax fighting with Deadpool.
DeadpoolKillsAjax.png|Deadpool standing victorious over Ajax and pointing a gun to his head.
Francis talking with Deadpool.PNG|"You stupid fucking idiot. Did you really think there was a cure...for ''that?''".
Francis Last Moment.PNG|Ajax tauntingly asking "what's my name" a final time before Deadpool dismisses it.
Deadpool Kills Francis.PNG|Deadpool shooting Ajax dead.
AjaxCorpse.PNG|Ajax's corpse.
</gallery>

===Videos===
<gallery widths="300" bordercolor="gray" captiontextcolor="red" position="center">
Deadpool vs Ajax Final Fight (Part 1) Deadpool (2016) Movie Clip
Deadpool vs Ajax Final Fight (Part 2) Deadpool (2016) Movie Clip
</gallery>

==Trivia==
* This version of Ajax is the Francis version; Ajax is known for the entire film as "Francis Freeman", while in the comics he is known only as Francis.
* This is the first time acting of Ed Skrein as a villain in his cinematic career, as well as in a comic book movie.
* He repeatedly asks Wade Wilson, throughout the Deadpool movie, what his name is because he wants to be referred to by his mutant name Ajax; Wilson however continually calls him Francis as an act of defiance.
* In the movie's opening, he is credited as "A British Villain".
* Ajax is one of the few main Marvel movie villains to use the F-word. Others include [[Drake (Blade)|Drake]] (learned from Blade), [[Danica Talos]], [[Magneto (X-Men Movies)|Magneto]], [[Mephisto (Live-Action Movie)|Mephisto]], [[Donald Pierce (X-Men Movies)|Donald Pierce]], and [[Dieter Reinhardt]].
* If one pays attention to Francis during Colossus' monologue, he can be seen silently begging Deadpool to finish him off out of sheer boredom, with Wade nodding his head in agreement.
*It is unknown how he got his alias "Ajax" in the comics, but in the film, Wade jokes he got his alias from the dish soap of the same name.

==External Links==
*[https://pure-evil-villains.fandom.com/wiki/Ajax Ajax] on the [https://pure-evil-villains.fandom.com Pure Evil Wiki]

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