Creature Commandos: Who Is Ilana Rostovic? Is She in DC Comics?

Creature Commandos launched with a two-part premiere and true to creator James Gunn, the DCU began with some serious wordbuilding. Each episode introduced so many characters from DC Comics, many of whom span generations. They will likely be given backstories and glimpses into worlds filled with characters and famous and obscure events from DC lore.

A character that has fast become central to the plot of Creature Commando‘s first season is Princess Ilana Rostovic of a small European nation, Pokolistan, a small fragment of the former Czech Republic.

Of course, Pokolistan doesn’t exist in reality, but it does in DC Comics. First introduced in the 2000s, in a Superman comic, the country was conquered by Avruskin, the son of Cosmonauts Paulin and Tor Avruiskin who was born at the God Hammer station after it had been struck by a radioactive meteor that killed his parents. He developed Superman-like powers after being exposed to red sunlight. After learning about the Man of Steel, he turned against his superiors and took on the name General Zod after having a vision in which he saw himself as the Kryptonian villain. 

While Pokolistan has a rich history in DC Comics, the country is a blank slate in TV and film. So Gunn can do with the country what he wants, though there may be some surprises yet to come that introduce old Superman villains in fresh ways on screen.

This brings us to the important question: Does Princess Ilana Rostovic rule Pokolistan in DC Comics? Nope, she’s an original creation by DC Studios’ James Gunn. 

In the first episodes, Ilana needs saving as the standard damsel-in-distress, who Rick Flag Sr falls for. However, as expected, Ilana may not be so innocent or in need of protection as first presented. In episode 4, Circle, who was presented as the primary antagonist, tells Amanda Waller she is actually trying to save Humanity from Ilana. With her powers of clairvoyance, and the ability to transmit her future visions directly into someone’s mind, she shows Waller exactly the worldwide destruction Ilana has planned for the world.

Marked for death, Flag Sr. tries to get to Ilana, because he doesn’t believe she is a villain. 

He warns her that the rest of the Creature Commandos are on the way to kill her, causing bloody carnage in Pokolistan after the Creature commandos are surrounded by Ilana’s personal guard, the Atomic Knights. All out war of the streets of Pokolistan, leaves us with the central question:

Is Ilana Rostovic or Circle the villain?