[John Wick Series] - Origins of John Wick and companions explained

Helen Wick - Hidden mottifs 

Helen Wick is the deceased wife of John Wick, the reason John Wick accomplished his ‘Impossible Task’ to exit the underworld, and the reason John Wick returned back to the underworld.

Ironically, as the John Wick series proceeds, John Wick starts to lose all of his items which he could hold to remember Helen, his wife. John Wick loses his dog Daisy that Helen left as her last gift, his phone that had memories of him and his wife, his home that had memories together and etc.

 

 

Helen in Greek means ‘Torch’ or ‘Light’ which may emphasize what a symbolic figure that she was to John Wick who was called the ‘Babayaga’ which was the demon of the night.

John had a habit which he could not sleep at night without the lights on which may be both a symbol of his wife’s absence or because even in his sleep he intimately wants to be aware of his environment for safety.

 

 

 Also, Helen in the Greek-Roman mythologies was the cause of the Greek-Trojan War. As Paris of Troy who was the Prince of Troy and Hector’s brother fell in love with Helen who was the wife of the Greek general Menelaus and ran away to Greek.

This caused the Greek to assemble their forces and invade the Troy kingdom.

Similarly, Helen and John Wick’s love might have been a short runaway for John but it also became the catalyst for John Wick to disarray the whole killer underworld.

 

 

Helen’s last gift to John Wick was beagle named Daisy. Daisy was the favorite flower of Helen Wick.

"John, I'm sorry I can't be there for you. But you still need something, someone, to love. So, start with this. Because the car doesn't count. I love you, John. This illness has loomed over us for a long time, and now that I have found my peace, find yours. Until that day, your best friend, Helen."

 

 

Winston Scott and Charon - 'Figure of the Underworld'

Two of the main characters that scene on every episode of the John Wick series are Winston Scott and Charon.

Winston is the manager of the Continental Hotel of New York and certainly one of the most powerful men in New York. Charon is the receptionist at the New York Continental Hotel.

Charon as the recpetionist who is the first person you meet at the Continental Hotel and Winston as the manager of the New York Continental might be an analogy of the underworld of the Greek-Roman mythology.

 

Left: Kharon   right : Hades

 

Winston presents his power by preventing everyone from killing John Wick in New York and buy him 1 hour and shows his influence in the underworld of New York throughout the whole series.

At least for New York’s underworld, Winston seems to know everything happening and takes control.

 

 

Also, Charon himself seems to originate from Kharon who would be the first figure that a dead person would meet in the Greek-Roman underworld as Kharon ships the dead across the Styx River.

In the mythology Kharon received coins for his service which fits the John Wick universe as well.

 

 

Both has been significant supporters to John Wick since the first episode of the series. Winston initially tried to stop John Wick from taking his revenge against the Tarasov Mob in the first episode knowing the consequences.

"Have you thought this through? I mean, chewed down to the bone? You got out once. You dip so much as a pinky back into this pond, you may well find something reaches out and drags you back into its depths."

 

 

But as John Wick insists, Winston helps John from letting him know Iosef Tarasov’s location in the Red Circle and help John take Marcus’s revenge.

"I know what you're thinking, Jonathan. We live by a code. Which is why I'm not the one telling you that a certain helicopter at a certain helipad is being fueled for a certain someone."

 

 

He guides John Wick throughout the whole episode letting him know of the consequences of the Marker

"Rules. without them, we Live with the animals."

 

 

Winston even refuses to help Santino D’Antonio, despite the fact that Santino became the newly crowned member of the High Table

“You demand nothing of me Mr. D’Antonio. This kingdom is mine and mine alone.”

 

 

At episode 3, Winston and Charon plot the master plan in how to keep John Wick alive and keep the Continental Hotel New York still under Winston’s control.

 

 

The Director of the Ruska Roma - John Wick's origin and former advisor

The Ruska Roma directly translates as the ‘Russian Romany’. The Romany or Romani are more commonly known as gypsies.

She is believed to adopt Jonathan "John" Wick, or Jardani Jovonovich (Джарданы Джовонович) from the Soviet Union occupied Belarus and make him the ‘Babayaga’ through the harsh training conditions of the Ruska Roma.

 

 

Probably John Wick would have received his English name John Wick as Jardani translates to the Saint John in Romany (or Rokmani) and Wick is the last four letters of his original Russian last name (If you convert the ‘ch’ to the ‘k’ pronunciation)  

 

 

The story of Marcus Luttrell – Inference for John Wick

Marcus Luttrell is a Navy SEAL veteran who is the author of the ‘Lone Survivor’. Marcus was the survivor of the tragic incidents during Operation Red Wings in Afghanistan against the Taliban. He had a therapy dog named ‘DASY’ but some trespassers killed his dog.

 

 

Marcus interviewed that Dasy was not just a therapy dog and called 911 right after the incident but said “You need to get somebody out here because if I catch them, I’m going to kill them”[1].

Marcus chased the shooters as well while the Texas Rangers also chased the shooter’s cars. Both of the killers were caught and one received probation for five years, the other received 2 years in prison.

 

Baba Yaga - Boogeyman[2]

 

“John wasn’t exactly the Boogeyman. He was the one you send to kill the XXXXing Boogeyman. “

 

The Baba Yaga is a witch like figure in the Slavic culture. The Baba Yaga is known to prey on children and is often referred as creature that posses magic appearing in the dark and fogs.

However, it is more of a complicated character as it also stands out as an outlaw. Besides of being described as an antagonistic figure it may even help people to escape from their wicked families.

 

 

However still, folk stories describe the Baba Yaga as a very trick creature. As John Wick’s roots originate from the Russian-Slavic culture, people would have nicknamed him the Baba Yaga for his character as an outlaw and for how deadly he is.

The Boogeyman which is a folk lore also often used to frighten children would be a good example to explain the Baba Yaga in an American context.

 

 

Is John Wick a marine?

Many people assume that John Wick was a marine and Marcus in episode 1 met together in the Marine Corps.

Because John Wick has a tattoo on his back that states Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat and has a proficiency in using the rifles that are M16 derivatives.

The 3rd Marine Regiment (Currently the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment) insignia is ‘FORTES FORTUNA JUVAT’ which is the same meaning as John Wick’s tattoo that means ‘Fortune favors the Bold’.

 

 

However, there never was a reference that Marcus or John served in the marine corps.

Actions such as John Wick placing his watch inwards that helps avoid detection by preventing light reflections suggest that John Wick once served in the military. However, still an exact reference in which branch he served is unknown.

 

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[1] https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-trending/navy-seal-goes-john-wick

[2] https://www.worldhistory.org/Baba_Yaga