John Wick (character)
John Wick is a male film character who features in John Wick.
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Biography
Jardani Jovonovich (Russian: Джордани Йованович, Belarusian: Ярдані Іовоновіч) was a male human born in Padhorje, Byelorussian SSR, Soviet Union on September 1964. He came to be orphaned at a young age before being taken in by an old friend of his father who would eventually become Wick's mentor.
He came to be adopted and recruited by the Ruska Roma organized crime group, then mentored by one of its leaders, a woman known as the The Director, in New York City. Jardani became associated with many members from the other branches of the Ruska Roma around the world, including Katia, who became his surrogate sister. Under the Director's supervision, Jardani was extensively trained from youth to become a lethal hitman and learned multiple skills which included martial arts, marksmanship, melee combat, tactical and defensive driving, stealth, infiltration, and escapology. Jardani would later adopt the name "Jonathan Wick", or "John Wick" for short as the anglicized form of his birth name.
Years after leaving the Ruska Roma, John became a professional hitman who earned the nickname Baba Yaga (Russian: The Boogeyman) for his unparalleled lethality. He joined the Continental in New York City, a hotel chain catering exclusively to criminals. His reputation for peerless efficiency and reliability earned him considerable respect and fear within the criminal underworld, as well as his persistence to go after those who earn his anger, making him a legendary figure, known to the leaders of virtually all criminal organizations as someone never to be crossed.
John eventually joined a Russian criminal organization known as the Tarasov Mob, becoming one of the main executors of its leader, Viggo Tarasov, who valued and respected John's exceptional abilities, and once saw John kill three men in a bar with a single pencil. During this time, Wick developed relationships with various other criminals working for the High Table, the highest known power in the international criminal underworld, comprised of delegates representing each controlling mafia family. However, John also made a considerable array of enemies - unsurprising, given his profession - including Ms. Perkins, Cassian, and Ernest. In spite of this collection of enemies, John developed valuable friendships with fellow assassins like Sofia Al-Azwar, Caine, and Koji Shimazu, forging a brotherly bond with the latter two. During this time, he even helped Sofia rescue her daughter from the mob, and consequently received a blood oath marker from her, symbolizing her debt to him.
John also met a woman named Helen, with whom he fell deeply in love and later married. John decided to leave the uncertain life of an assassin to be with her. When he approached Viggo about retiring, the latter reluctantly agreed to let him leave, but on the condition that he completed an "impossible task": kill every one of Tarasov's rivals in a single night, ensuring his enemies would be completely destroyed before any could mobilize and retaliate. Completing this task was not considered possible for even John to do alone, and so he sought the help of Italian syndicate leader, Santino D'Antonio, who provided additional manpower and equipment in exchange for John giving him a marker—a decision that would ultimately come back to haunt them both; John figured since he would be free of the criminal underworld, he wouldn't be bound to honor the marker, thus exploiting a rare loophole. Upon completing the task, Wick was released from Viggo's service and the criminal underworld, and allowed to retire to a quiet life as a law-abiding citizen. John and Helen lived peacefully for five years before Helen's death from cancer.
Following the death of his wife, John has remained withdrawn from the world of organized crime, instead choosing to spend his days driving his prized 1969 Mustang Mach 1 and caring for his dog Daisy, who was left to him by Helen. All of this changed when a brash Russian gangster named Iosef Tarasov (who was later revealed to be Viggo's son) offered to buy John's Mustang at a gas station. John politely but flatly refuses the offer. An upset Iosef later leads his gang in an assault at John's house during which he attacks the hitman, kills Daisy, and steals his car, leaving him unconscious. Aware that John will come to take revenge, Viggo calls John and tries to advocate peace for his son but John silently refuses, forcing him to send a group of assassins to kill his former associate. Succeeding in killing all of them in a brutal fight, Wick chases Iosef in a nightclub but Iosef's security team prevents him John from killing the gangster. Viggo, in an attempt to protect his son from John's wrath, sends several assassins, including Marcus and Ms. Perkins, to eliminate him. However, the ultimate result of the conflict is the death of both Iosef and Viggo, along with Marcus and Ms. Perkins. John then adopts a pit-bull, who was set to be euthanized before returning home.
With his vengeance against the Tarasovs accomplished, John recovers his car from Abram Tarasov, Viggo's brother and successor. Wanting peace, he allows Abram to live in exchange for a truce. He then returns to his retirement with his new dog. However, Santino D'Antonio arrives at his house afterward, asking him to pay his debt. When John refused, the Italian destroys his house with a grenade launcher. John later goes to the Continental Hotel where he speaks with Winston, who tells him to fulfill his debt, otherwise, his life is forfeit. John then confronts Santino in the New Modern Museum and the Italian tasks him to kill his sister, Gianna D'Antonio. Gianna had been selected to represent their family at the High Table and Santino wishes to assume her throne. Reluctantly, John accepts, knowing he must, and he travels to Rome where he uses gold coins to get an armored suit, an arsenal and maps to the catacombs under the D'Antonio estate. When John arrives at Gianna's ascendance party in Roman ruins, she reveals that she knows her brother's plot and slits her own wrists to maintain what little agency she has left. John, who only shoots her after she's dead, finds that completing his mission has made him Santino's next target. He then fights his way through a rigorous assault by Ares, Santino's right-hand woman, and her cohorts through the catacombs under the estate. After escaping the ambush, he is forced to fight Cassian as well and the two men crash at the Continental Hotel of Rome where the two immediately stop fighting when Julius reminds them they are one Continental property. In the bar, John apologizes for killing Gianna, while Cassian vows revenge. Santino places a $7,000,000 bounty on John Wick's head. Several agents attempt to kill John, including Cassian. John kills them all, except Cassian who is left alive for professional respect. John Wick arrives at the Bowery King where his wounds are treated. And then John convinces the Bowery King to help him kill Santino, who provides him with a gun with seven bullets and information about Santino's location. John manages to kill most of Santino's henchmen and leaves Ares badly injured, while Santino escapes to the Continental Hotel, demanding Winston revoke Wick's membership. Winston retorts that Continental is "his kingdom" and John hasn't broken any rules as of yet. At the same time, Winston tells Santino that he has privileges in the Continental. However, John arrives and finds Santino. Winston tells Wick to walk away, but the assassin ignores his warnings and kills Santino inside the Continental before returning home.
Overview
Personality and attributes
He later came to go by the name of Jonathan Wick. John was shown to have a tattoo across his back with the Latin phrase "Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat" (English: "fortune favors the bold").
He was said to be a man of focus, commitment, and sheer will.
After the death of Helen, John came to had lost everything except for the dog that was the final gift from his wife. Upon getting the pet, he said that he received some semblance of hope and an opportunity to grieve without being alone.
Powers and abilities
He came to be an incredibly skilled martial artist and hand-to-hand fighter. Among the fighting styles known to him included Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, Jiu-Jistu, Sambo, Aikido and Krav Maga.
In the past, he was noted for his fondness for German weapons.
As a hitman, he came to join the ranks of the Continental that was a hotel catering exclusively to criminals.
Notes
- John Wick was created by Derek Kolstad where he was portrayed by actor Keanu Reeves and featured in the John Wick universe.
In other media
Video games
Appearances
- John Wick: (2014)
External Links
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