Major Mapleleaf


Major Mapleleaf is the name of two fictional superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, primarily in the series Alpha Flight, both of whom were created by writer Scott Lobdell.

Major Mapleleaf (Louis Sadler)

Louis Sadler is the name of the first Major Mapleleaf. He first appeared in Alpha Flight #106.

Fictional character biography

Louis Sadler was a Canadian superhero during World War II and the occasional ally of the Invaders in their battles against Hitler and the Nazis. He gained his powers through an unrevealed process which appears to have affected his aging process. After the war, he went underground in his crimefighting and eventually revealed his public identity in 1963 to devote time to raising his son, Michael, his proudest achievement. After Michael's death from A.I.D.S. he sank into a depression. Later, when the news was making a cause celebre out of a baby with HIV, he went on a rampage, believing society did not care about Michael's fate due to his homosexuality. He was stopped by Northstar of Alpha Flight, who came out as gay himself during their battle.

Major Mapleleaf (Lou Sadler Jr.)

Louis "Lou" Sadler, Jr., the younger son of the original Major Mapleleaf, assumed the mantle of Major Mapleleaf. Lou first appeared in Alpha Flight vol. 3 #1.

Fictional character biography

Louis "Lou" Sadler, Jr. is secretly a normal human with no superpowers who just rides a super-powered horse named Thunder.
Bearing the rank of Staff Sergeant in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Sadler took the code name of Major Mapleleaf out of respect for his father. Lou reportedly had an abusive relationship with his father, who beat him; blaming him for the death of his mother. Lou, who speaks very positively of his father, denies the abuse.
Sadler was recruited by Sasquatch as one of the new members of the Alpha Flight team when the original team was kidnapped by aliens.
Along with Guardian, both incarnations of Puck, Vindicator, and Shaman, Major Mapleleaf was among the Alpha Flight members killed by The Collective.