Takacs was the illegitimate son of an American CIA operative and a revolutionary in Soviet-era Budapest. However, Takacs was raised without knowing who his father was as he died before he was born, but he was told he was "a great American soldier." After turning 18, he enlisted in the Hungarian Defence Forces and joined the 1st Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment before joining the 2nd Special Operations Brigade, earning the rank of Master Sergeant (Zaszlos)