- "The reaper needs but a touch!"
- — A murderous Stalker to Bedew
Captain Death-Stalker, or more commonly Stalker, is the unfortunate captain of the Death's-Head—a wretched ghost ship that brings storms and chaos whither it sails. Stalker's alleged undeath is traceable to the failure of one of his own villainous experiments, and although he has claimed he longs to reclaim his mortality at any cost, his true intention is rebuilding his criminal empire.
Origin[]
Many moons ago, Captain Sterling "Death-Stalker" Yearling was a pirate and a scientist, in part because of his remarkable memory for detail. He was known for memorizing the designs of shipwrights and engineers and applying them for his own use. Sterling Yearling turned the Death's-Head into a cannibal of a ship, a marine monstrosity that was augmented by the very wood and iron of its victims. Among the most sinister of its weapons was its grapple gun, which was strong enough to pierce the hull of an ironclad.
Eventually, the captain's plundering brought him an unlucky physicist's plans for a "sea-displacement ray projector" (S-ray), a device which would be able to harness the power of "deep magic" and teleport a ship anywhere in the ocean in an instant. Considering it a jackpot haul, Sterling Yearling built the device himself and installed it on the Death's-Head. However, right as he was working out the finishing touches, an unidentified vigilante swept through the ship and dispatched the crew. Panicking, the captain fired the incomplete device and inadvertently blasted himself with the S-ray. The magical machine ripped the captain and his ship from their natural dimension and anchored them to a separate, timeless dimension akin to limbo.
Since then, the pirate captain has abandoned the name Sterling. He and the Death's-Head return to the seas around Equestria regularly. Now, with his ship joined to him as though it were his own leg, he travels the deep in search of new technology to plunder.
Personality[]
Captain Death-Stalker is a cruel and pitiless stallion who views other ponies only as tools and prey for his endless greed. He adores the sea and despises land, likely because he cannot easily manifest on terra firma, where the ship cannot travel. For the same reason, he tries to play nicely with other sailors nowadays, for they are his only link to Equestria.
Stalker exhibits overwhelming menace and revels in his power, commanding compliance out of sheer terror. Nevertheless, he has had considerable difficulty holding a gang together. He has an unfortunate reputation for killing his henchmen, sometimes by betrayal and sometimes by an accidental touch from his sinister gloves. Only the Unholy Three have dared to assist Stalker for an extended duration, and their arrest has left him largely alone.
Relationships[]
Goldfin[]
Goldfin is one of the few ponies whom Captain Death-Stalker does not bother trying to intimidate. She is the only pony who is capable of reaching the Death's-Head on a regular basis, so he thaws his icy demeanor somewhat when she is around. Stalker puts up with her presence in his waters for several reasons, the most significant of which are his spite for dry land and her willingness to listen to his story. Goldfin and Stalker agree that the sea is more beautiful and more romantic than anywhere on land, so they have common ground in that regard. Furthermore, Death-Stalker feels a need to confide his true origin in someone he can trust to bolster his notoriety. Goldfin is that mare. Still, he considers her little more than a living diary to inscribe and consult. Despite his relative politeness towards the aquatic Power Pony, Captain Death-Stalker values her only as a pet who exists for his amusement and tolerates no opposition from Goldfin and her friends.
Folderol[]
Captain Death-Stalker has been immensely interested in Folderol's Omnispell projects from their inception, and lately he has even permitted personal encounters with the mysterious mastermind. Death-Stalker sees Folderol as both a genius and a fool—one who can create designs that he can exploit for his own benefit. Having memorized Folderol's plans for the "Omnisquito," he has created his own and used it to copy Death Dragon's powers. Stalker also intends to dispose of Folderol and his elementalists as soon as it becomes convenient.
Bedew[]
Recently, Captain Death-Stalker has realized that his failure to kill Bedew may prove a blessing. Folderol's apparent unfamiliarity with Shaitan, the dark fiend that Bedew called to help her, has led the captain to believe that Bedew is involved in partnerships that she would like to keep secret from Folderol. With this in mind, Death-Stalker plans either to blackmail Bedew into spilling her master's secrets or use her infidelity to topple Folderol's operation from within.
Unholy Three[]
Death-Stalker employs the help of the Unholy Three, a team composite of Gull-Pony, Shark-Pony, and Crab-Pony—all stupid, greedy, and helpful for heavy lifting. They are more loyal to their employer than to each other.