The Champion (The Tick)

The Champion is the main antagonist of the first live-action version of The Tick episode "The Big Leagues".

Abilities and Personality

One of the City's mightiest heroes, Champion has super-speed and strength, although the Tick is stronger and faster. The Champion is the head of the League of Superheroes, and a not-so-subtle and misogynistic bigot as He refuses to let women and minorities into the League. He uses his secret identity as lawyer Steve Filbert to protect the League from lawsuits.

Like Clark Kent as Superman, the Champion wears a pair of glasses to disguise himself in his secret identity. In his superhero costume, Champion doesn't wear a mask.

Summary

One day, the Tick and Arthur receive invitations to join the League of Superheroes, with Arthur being addressed as "Sidekick". Tick and Arthur's friend Captain Liberty is upset as the League has no minorities and no women. When the Tick and Arthur arrive, they accidently rip the original league Manifesto Parchment, but manage to put it back together. The Champion meets the two, mistaking Arthur's name as Abner, and then shows them around and asks them to comeback again that night at 10 for their initiation, which is later shown to be in the manner of a college fraternity's style hazing.

Meanwhile, Liberty, and Tick and Arthur's other friend and fellow superhero BatManuel meet up with the latter's lawyer, revealed to be the Champion, who agrees to take the lawsuit, but only after giving the excuse that they say that she won't get in if she doesn't have the traits they're looking for. Initially, Liberty believes that it's not her gender, but Batmanuel convinces her to sue them. The Tick and Arthur show them their league rings and she tells them about the lawsuit.

At the League headquarters, the Champion asks the Tick and Arthur to tell Liberty to back off as their first assignment. During this time, as Champion changes back to his alter ego, Tick is unable to recognize him with his glasses on, forcing him to take them off. When Tick and Arthur try to convince Liberty to drop the lawsuit, she kicks them out after Tick repeats Champion's words.

That night, Tick and Arthur meet up on a roof. When Champion arrives and hears the lawsuit isn't being dropped, he believes that she'll just take settlement money. When Champion asks what Tick and Arthur are doing on the roof, Tick says it's for nightly patrol. Champion says it's not their turn for nightly patrol and asks where their League photographer is, as one of the League's rules states that members don't go on patrol without someone to take publicity shots. The Tick and Arthur then see a petty criminal committing a robbery, but before they can go, Champion prevents them. He says that while he admires Tick's moxy, he says petty crime should be left to the cops and low rent heroes as it looks bad for a Leaguesmen and is considered beneath them. Tick is unconvinced, but Champion states rules are rules, as the League has a reputation to keep, and they have bigger threats to face. He then says to Tick and Arthur that their prescience acts as a deterrent and tells them to think of them like nuclear weapons, just sitting around doing nothing and scaring people. When their Rings give off an Alert, Tick thinks it's an invasion of alien robots, but Champion says it's martinis at the club. This causes Arthur and Tick to start having doubts about the league.

Meanwhile, Liberty gets more rejected superheroes to join her cause. Champion, as Filbert, calls and says the League proposed a settlement, but she refuses.

At the League, the members, including Tick and Arthur, have cigars while Arthur starts to grow more disillusioned about them, while Tick is still concerned about the petty criminal. Tick then walks over to the security TVs and asks if the Leaguesmen are looking for villains, to which the Champion says they're just flipping around. At one camera, Tick sees the petty criminal breaking into a car and points it out. Batmanuel shows up to stop the petty criminal, which Tick points out as well. When Arthur walks up and sees Batmanuel in trouble, one of the other men ask Champion if he's recording it to which Champion says it'll be going on their blooper reel. They all begin laughing, which upsets Tick and Arthur, who points out that BatManuel is their friend. Arthur realizes that Liberty was right about the league, causing him to tell the League off and quit. Tick follows suit as well and says he's glad that he and Arthur ripped the parchment, which makes Champion angry, even though Arthur says it was an accident and that they taped it back up.

When Tick and Arthur arrive at the law firm, Liberty tells them to leave, but they explain that they're there to help her. She sarcastically tells them to tell it to her Lawyer which Arthur says they're going to and that they're sorry for before and want to make it up to her. Liberty thinks they're going to try to guilt her out of the lawsuit. When Arthur tries to explain, the elevator doors open to which Liberty says "Steve". When Arthur looks at him, Champion realizes Arthur and Tick are in front of him and tries to bring the Elevator back. Arthur realizes that "Steve" and the Champion are one in the same, while Tick grows suspicious of "Steve" and finds something familiar about him, while Arthur tries to get him to reveal his Identity. When Champion doesn't Arthur points it out, to which Liberty says "the Champion of the little guy and the underdog" and calls Arthur a sellout. When Champion tries to leave, Liberty asks where he's going, and he says he has an appointment, as other employees and clients gather and look on. Liberty says she thought they had an appointment to which Champion tries to say he's sick. Tick then says he remembers "Steve" as "That weird Guy with Glasses that kept sneaking into the Locker Room at the League".

Champion tries using his super speed to run to the Elevator, but Tick uses his own super speed and beats him to it. Tick then asks Champion what he's up to and Champion tries to deny it. As Champion tries to move, Tick picks him up to prevent him and accidently bumps him into a wall causing his glasses to fall off. When Champion tries to pick them up, Tick Recognizes him as Champion and asks what he's doing there. Liberty then Realizes that "Steve" And Champion are one in the same to which Champion denies and puts his glasses back on, causing Tick to wonder where Champion went. Batmanuel is also stunned. Champion tells the receptionist to get rid of the quartet, causing Liberty to ask her how it feels working for the champion. Puzzled, she looks at "Steve" and She says that if he takes off his glasses, he does look like him. Champion tries denying it but everyone else including Tick says he is the Champion. A delivery man who sold "Steve" Tuna Sandwiches for the last five years says he never noticed it Either. "Steve" attempts denial again to which The Delivery Man says, "The Hell you're not." then takes a potted plant and smashes it on his head, leaving "Steve" still standing and angry. A fellow business partner and friend for Twenty Years becomes mad at "Steve" for keeping this secret from him and asks if he knows how much business they lost because of him, causing him and the others to rip off his business suit, revealing his true identity. Furious, Champion tells them to leave him alone, but Liberty still has business to discuss with him. Champion tries to double, then triple the settlement, but Liberty refuses. As a result of a potentially lost lawsuit, the League files for bankruptcy, opens a new headquarters, renames the organization and Kicks the Champion out.

Trivia

He is an obvious parody of DC’s Superman.