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He who increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow. This article contains spoilers, meaning it has information and facts concerning Assassin's Creed: Forgotten Temple. If you do not want to know about these events, it is recommended to read on with caution, or not at all. |
- "I've always been a wanderer at heart, never settling in any one place for very long... and I reckoned that would be my lot for the rest of my life. But for some reason... in this very moment, I get this uncanny feeling that it might not be so bad to put down roots somewhere."
- ―John Young, reflecting on his desire to settle down and start a family, 1725.[src]-[m]
John Young was a navigator for the Dutch East India Company in the early 18th century and one of the Zhang Wei Union's founding members.
After meeting the Assassin Edward Kenway in 1725, John defected from the company to assist Edward in his search for the lost Khmer city of Angkor, an alleged Isu site, becoming a close friend and confidant of the Assassin in the process. During their adventure together, John and Edward made several other allies with whom they established the Zhang Wei Union, a shipping company they used as a cover to conduct their search for Pieces of Eden in Southeast Asia.
One of the Union's members was Xialun Qing, a former servant whom John met in Macau and fell in love with. After recruiting her into the organization, John realized he wanted to renounce his life as a navigator to settle down and start a family with Qing, and vowed to do so once his adventure with Edward was over.
Biography[]
Meeting Edward Kenway[]
- John: "I have a good feeling about you. I smell a potential fortune in the making! So I'm staying with you! I can't go back to the company now that I've stolen one of their ships! They'll kill me if I ever show face there again!"
- Edward: "I'm not sure about earning a fortune... but I'll give you a story worth a drink, at least."
- —John offering to accompany Edward on his adventure, 1725.[src]-[m]
By February 1725, John had made a lot of money, though lost it all gambling in Macau, which made the poor man attempt to drown his sorrows by drinking heavily and boasting about discovering the ruins of the lost city of the Khmer Empire.[1]
A drunken John in the pub
After arriving in Macau to search for the ruins, which the Assassins believed to house Pieces of Eden, Edward Kenway approached John in Burnt Brian's Pub and tried to question him about his alleged discovery of Angkor. Mistaking Edward for a debt collecter, John caused a brawl and fled the tavern, though he was eventually caught by the Assassin and revealed that it had been his friend Hendrik who had discovered the city. The pair were then attacked by a group of ninja, who sought to silence John,[1] but they were quickly killed by Edward.[2]
John identified their attackers as pirates from Cipango and took Edward to the Dutch East India Company's dormitory in the city, where Hendrik was staying, so that the Assassin could protect him in case he was similarly attacked. John was told to wait outside and watched as Edward climbed up to his friend's room.[2]
Minutes later, John was startled by Edward, who had jumped out the window and into a cart of hay below. After explaining to a shocked John that Hendrik had been murdered, Edward revealed that there had been a "little misunderstanding", as Hendrik's company mates had mistaken Edward for his killer and were now chasing him. While attempting to escape their pursuers, Edward told John that their time together had come to an end and pushed him into a nearby alley to get him out of danger.[3]
John and Edward on the run from the former's company mates
After being abandoned by Edward, John "indefinitely borrowed" a company ship and headed to the port of Macau, where Edward was fighting another group of ninja. John fired a cannonball towards them, killing the ninja, while Edward dived into the water alongside a local man named Zhang whom he had protected from the ninja.[4]
Upon helping Edward and Zhang onto his ship, John explained that he had decided to continue his adventure alongside the Assassin, feeling that it would be well worth it in the end, and that he could not return to the company, as he would be executed for the theft of the ship. Edward allowed John to accompany him and the two decided their next course of action would be to retrieve Hendrik's sea log, which could contain information useful to their search for Angkor.[4]
Helping Zhang's village[]
- John: "Everyone in the village is grateful to you. He says if you ever need their help... they'll gladly do anything they can for you."
- Edward: "No, that won't be necessary..."
- John: "The Chinese have a strong sense of honor, friend. One good turn deserves another, and all that. Turning them down would be considered an insult."
- —John explaining to Edward the villagers' willingness to repay his help, 1725.[src]-[m]
John and Edward seeking shelter in Zhang's home
As the port was being patrolled by the navy following the earlier fight, Edward and John found it impossible to dock and were forced to wait and lay low for the time being. Zhang then offered to take them to a safe place where they could hide, as a sign of gratitude for Edward saving his life. Accepting his invite, they traveled to a village south of Macau, where the locals welcomed them and allowed them to stay as guests.[4]
After settling in, Edward took John into the wilderness to hunt for food. There, John watched as Edward shot a deer and used its legs as bait to lure and kill two alligators, and was impressed by the Assassin's skills. The pair then returned to the village and shared their gains with the locals to repay their hospitality. However, the feast was interrupted by the worsening health of a local woman who was suffering from cholera.[4]
Upon being informed by the villagers that many others were suffering from the same illness, John and Edward became determined to help them in any way they could. Believing that a solution of salt and sugar may ease the people's sickness, Edward decided to return to Macau alone to acquire the resources. John directed him to a warehouse owned by Lee Huiyin, an affluential businesswoman, and watched as the Assassin departed the village and made his way back to the city.[5]
John coming to Edward's rescue
Not long after Edward's departure, John, suspecting that the Assassin may get into trouble again, took his ship and sailed back to Macau as well, managing to dock into the port at night. There, he watched as Edward got chased on horseback by Dutch East India Company soldiers until eventually being cornered. Acting the same way he had done the last time Edward was in peril, John fired a cannonball at the soldiers, incapacitating them and allowing Edward to jump with his horse onto John's ship. The pair then sailed back to Zhang's village with the salt and sugar Edward had taken from Lee's warehouse.[6]
Thanks to their remedy, many of the villagers were saved, although it was too late for Zhang's daughter, who was too sick and ended up passing away. Edward later expressed his remorse to John, revealing that he also had a daughter. John tried to comfort him, saying that what had happened was fate, but Edward countered that people could change their fates, referencing his decision to leave his pirate days behind him and join the Assassins.[6]
As John angrily called out Edward for never telling him he was married, their conversation was interrupted by Zhang and his wife who, alongside the rest of the villagers, wanted to thank them for their assistance and repay the favour. Edward initially wanted to decline, but after John told him it would be considered an insult in Chinese culture, the Assassin decided to ask Zhang and his fellow labourers to become his informants in Macau, hoping of learning more about Lee.[6]
John confronting Edward over not telling him he is married
One week later, the labourers had managed to learn that Lee had come into possession of Hendrik's sea log and told John, who in turn informed Edward. The Assassin then volunteered to retrieve the log alone and John directed him to Lee's private residence, the Mandarin's House.[7]
At Edward's request, John took him back to Macau with his ship, waiting nearby while the Assassin infiltrated the Mandarin's House.[7] Although Edward ultimately failed to retrieve the log, losing it to the Templars, he did manage to secure an alliance with Lee, who gifted him two chests of treasure and other goods.[8]
Working for Madam Lee[]
Returning to Zhang's village, Edward and John offered Lee's gifts to the locals before discussing their next move. The Assassin invited John to accompany him on his upcoming expedition to Angkor, to which the navigator enthusiastically accepted. He also told him about his plan to acquire more information in Macau by having Zhang and his fellow labourers act as his informants within the various trading companies across the city.[8]
John and Edward discussing what to do with Rupiya
When Lee's fleet later came under attack by pirates employed by her business rivals, Edward went to meet with John so that they could use his ship to defend it.[9] Once they got close enough to one of Lee's ships that was under attack, John fired a cannonball at its mast to immobilize it, before taking Edward closer to the ship. This allowed the Assassin to board it and dispatch half of the pirate crew while scaring the rest into fleeing and abandoning their captain, Rupiya.[10]
After Edward took Rupiya hostage, he and John brought him back to Zhang's village and had him locked up. While walking through the village, the two discussed the sudden improvement the locals had seen in their way of life thanks to Edward. John then asked the Assassin about his next course of action, to which Edward revealed that he was going to inform Lee of who had ordered the attacks on her ships: Sun, the head of Hualien Trading Company.[11]
Not long after, Edward enlisted John's help in outing the Far East Company, who were trying to frame Lee's company for opium trafficking. At night, while Edward sneaked aboard one of the company's ships carrying opium, John fired a cannonball at the docks, igniting several barrels of oil and setting a warehouse on fire. He then made his escape while Edward took advantage of the distraction to retrieve several opium packages and expose the Far East Company's drug trafficking to the public.[12]
John taking Rupiya to his crew
Following his escape, John had a tied-up Rupiya lead him to the hideout of his former crew so that they could recruit them. John was able to find the place based on Rupiya's directions, whereupon he freed the pirate captain, allowing him to board his crew's ship and threaten them into returning to work for him.[13]
John and Rupiya later sailed back to Macau to help Edward destroy the Far East Company's ship he had exposed for smuggling opium, to prevent any party interested in its cargo from stealing it. After Edward set off a firework to signal them to begin their attack, John and Rupiya destroyed the ship and the opium inside with their cannons. As Lee was among those interested in the opium, this act marked the end of John and Edward's alliance with her.[14]
Voyage to Manila[]
- "It seem there's a recruiting call for workers with particular skills... by the Far East Company and the British East India Company, no less. They're after scholars of deciphering codes and peculiar old texts for one... ugh... and they're also hiring workers with experience in expeditions into the jungles of Southeast Asia."
- ―John informing Edward of what he learned in Manila, 1725.[src]-[m]
Without Lee's support, Edward later decided to form his own organization, the Zhang Wei Union, which promised to bring people together, protect them, and conduct business through ethical means. John was among the first people to be recruited into the organization, alongside Zhang and his fellow villagers, and Rupiya and his crew. After setting up their headquarters in the A-Ma Cultural Village, Edward, John and Zhang set out to find business opportunities in Macau, but were turned down by all the locals.[15]
John, Edward and Zhang struggling to find clients in Macau
Eventually, the trio were approached by a merchant who was the owner of the vessel John and Edward had previously defended from pirates. After explaining that Lee, Sun and the Far East Company had blacklisted them to prevent them from finding any clients, the merchant offered to hire them himself, as he required someone to escort his ship to Manila for a business endeavor.[15]
Accepting the job, Edward, John and Zhang used Rupiya's ship to sail to the Philippines. Upon reaching Manila, John went to party with the locals and got drunk. However, he also managed to learn that the Far East Company and the East India Company had recently begun recruiting people for an expedition in Indochina. Edward believed this to be a sign that the Templars were preparing to begin their search for Angkor, though he decided against doing the same, choosing to focus on building up their reputation first.[15]
While sailing back to Macau, the crew caught sight of a pirate ship attacking a Dutch East India Company vessel. After Edward decided to take the pirate ship as a prize and ordered Rupiya to attack it, John jokingly commented that Edward's tenure as a legitimate businessman had been short-lived.[15]
In the ensuing battle, John was left in charge of the crew as Edward took several men to board the pirate vessel via rowboat. John and Rupiya provided a distraction, bombarding the enemy ship with cannon fire, though the damages they inflicted proved too severe. As the pirate vessel caught fire and began to sink, Edward and the crew members who accompanied him were forced to abandon it.[16]
John and Edward watching the sinking pirate ship
Despite the loss of their prize, Edward and John did not come out of the battle empty-handed, as the former had managed to rescue several prisoners, including a Korean scholar and engineer named Yun Pyeong-Gyu. John was impressed by the man's vast knowledge and suggested to Edward that they recruit him.[17]
After Yun demonstrated his skills by fixing the wheel of the Dutch East India Company ship they had just rescued, Edward was similarly impressed and made Yun a proposition upon their return to Macau. Once Yun agreed to join their organization, John suggested that they all go drinking to celebrate.[17]
Mission to the Paracel Islands[]
- John: "You know, friend, I feel like a regular sapper with all these explosives strapped to my back."
- Edward: "Aye, I reckon we've brought more than enough between the two of us."
- John: "There's nothing like some good old subterfuge to set the heart aflutter."
- —John and Edward discussing the explosives they brought to destroy the pirate compound, 1725.[src]-[m]
When Edward accepted a job from Jan van Aert, the Dutch East India Company's chief navigator, to rid the Paracel Islands of pirates, John was surprised and questioned Edward's decision, believing the mission to be suicidal. However, the Assassin clarified to both John and Zhang that this was an opportunity to secure a partnership with the company and expand their organization in the process.[18]
Prior to sailing to the islands, Edward enlisted Yun's services to create advanced weaponry for their mission, which John helped Edward and Yun with testing. Afterwards, John jokingly threatened to kill Rupiya in case he planned to abandon them, after the latter had expressed his doubts about the mission.[18]
John throwing a bomb at the pirates
Edward's plan to destroy the pirates' stronghold required him and John to use a rowboat to arrive on the islands undetected. Afterwards, while Rupiya distracted the pirates by getting them drunk, the navigator and the Assassin planted explosives around the base. However, when Edward freed the pirates' prisoners, the commotion attracted the pirates' attention, initiating a gunfight. As Edward and John ran towards Rupiya's ship, the explosives they had planted detonated, destroying the pirate compound.[19]
Upon reaching Rupiya's ship, Edward volunteered to buy the crew time to escape, but John revealed that he still had one bomb in his possession, which he threw at the pirates. Although he missed and the bomb landed in the water, its blast radius was large enough to destroy the dock they were standing on, separating them from the pirates. This gave the crew enough time to sail away from the islands but the pirates soon caught up with them, so Edward devised a plan to lure them into a trap where they were all killed by hwachas built by Yun.[20]
Shimazu clan civil war[]
- John: "What possible reason could they have to quarrel with their fellow countrymen?"
- Edward: "Ah, that's right. They appear to have split into those from Cipango itself and those from overseas. And I believe their leader belongs to the latter group."
- —John and Edward discussing the conflict between the Shimazu ninja, 1725.[src]-[m]
Following the success of their mission to the Paracel Islands, the Zhang Wei Union entered into a five-year partnership with the Dutch East India Company. While this helped the organization to grow rapidly, Edward believed that they should shift their focus back to the search for Angkor.[21]
Edward telling John to find Jan
After John suggested that they investigate the Japanese ninja who had stolen Hendrik's sea log, Zhang told him and Edward about rumors that the ninja had split into two factions: the mainland Japanese ninja and those originating from overseas. This intrigued Edward, who decided to head to Macau to investigate alongside John and Zhang.[21]
At the city market, the trio witnessed an altercation between two groups of ninja, before Edward told John to go and inform Jan van Aert of the situation.[21] This ultimately allowed Edward and Jan to break up the fight when it escalated into a three-way standoff against Lee and Sun, who had allied themselves with the Japanese and the mixed-blood ninja, respectively.[22]
Later, Edward was tasked by Fuma Sukuna, the leader of the Japanese ninja, to assassinate Shimazu Saito, who was leading the mixed-blood ninja and serving as Sun's bodyguard aboard his floating gambling hall. Edward informed John and Zhang about his new mission and claimed that it was an opportunity to retrieve Hendrik's sea log, which was in Sun's possession. He then asked John and Zhang for their help, to which they both immediately accepted.[22]
Infiltrating Sun's gambling ship[]
John serving as Edward's decoy
As part of Edward's plan to infiltrate Sun's gambling ship, John acted as his decoy, disguising himself with a replica of the Assassin's outfit and a mask. He then partook in the ship's various games, enjoying himself and musing at the cleverness of Edward's plan, unaware that Saito had been able to deduce that he was not the Assassin.[23]
After getting drunk, John was given a hangover cure by the waitress Xialun Qing, whom he quickly fell in love with, admiring her intelligence and modesty. When the two closed in for a kiss, they were interrupted by a commotion, as the Japanese ninja accompanying Edward began killing the ship's staff. John told Qing to hide and went to find Edward.[24] Eventually finding him in the company of Saito, whom the Assassin had allied himself with, John provided them with cover fire, using a musket to take out several Japanese ninja that stood in their way.[25]
During the fighting, the ship began to be bombarded with cannon fire by Jeong, an admiral and mercenary hired by Lee to destroy Sun's fleet.[26] Acting quickly, John stole a gunboat and went to pick up Edward and Saito, in the process also rescuing Qing, who had accidentally fallen overboard. After John introduced Edward to Qing and was informed that Hendrik's sea log had been stolen by another Assassin, the group were spotted by Jeong, who had orders to kill them. Fortunately, they were rescued by the timely arrival of the Fenghuang, the Zhang Wei Union's flagship, and managed to escape to safety.[27]
Journey to the Philippines[]
John and the others listening to Yun's protests
Following the group's return to the Zhang Wei Union's headquarters, Edward decided to recruit Saito into the Union. However, this decision was heavily opposed by Yun, which confused John and Edward as they had never seen Yun in such an agitated state. Zhang explained to the pair that Yun's animosity towards Saito roused from the Imjin War fought between their respective countries over a century prior. Eventually, Yun and Saito were able to drop the animosity between them during a friendly archery contest.[28]
Edward later told John and Zhang about how he had lost Hendrik's sea log to members of the Chinese Brotherhood of Assassins who sought to use Angkor's treasure to overthrow the Qing dynasty, endangering countless lives in the process. The group resolved to find the treasure first, but were at a loss without the sea log. Fortunately, Saito had memorized the log's contents and worked with Edward and Yun to decipher them while John went to sleep.[28] However, he secretly overheard their conversation, learning that they were to sail to the Philippines to follow in the footsteps of Ferdinand Magellan.[29]
John holding Liu Qing at gunpoint
John decided to bring Qing along for the voyage and told Edward about her medical skills, convincing the Assassin that Qing could be useful as their doctor. He then boarded the Fenghuang alongside Edward, Qing, Yun, Saito and Rupiya before the group embarked on their long journey to the Philippines.[29] As they neared Manila, however, their ship came under attack by Jeong's fleet, which had followed them. Using Yun's latest invention – fire barrels which exploded on impact – the crew were able to cause considerable damage to the enemy vessels.[30]
Following their apparent escape from Jeong's fleet, John was quick to celebrate their victory, only to be surprised when the Fenghuang was suddenly boarded by the Chinese Assassins Xiao Han, Liu Qing and Xue Yan, who had accompanied Jeong. During the chaos, John helped to put out the fire started by the Assassins' bombs, and later managed to catch Liu Qing by surprise, holding him at gunpoint alongside several crew members.[31]
After Xiao Han and Xue Yan were defeated by Edward and Saito, respectively, the Chinese Assassins decided to retreat and fled back to Jeong's ship using parachutes. The Fenghuang then sailed into an incoming storm to lose Jeong's fleet, though one enemy ship managed to follow the crew. Fortunately, it was sunk by a Dutch East India Company vessel captained by Jan van Aert, who had learned about Edward's expedition and decided to accompany him.[32]
Arrested in Manila[]
John and the others being arrested
Not long afterwards, both the Fenghuang and Jan's ship came under attack by two Spanish Men O' War, forcing them to surrender. The crews of the two ships were subsequently brought to Manila, where they arrested by the Spanish authorities due to Jan's alleged involvement in the assassination of the Governor-General of the Philippines, Fernando Manuel de Bustillo Bustamante y Rueda.[33]
While Jan and his men were imprisoned in Fort Santiago's dungeon, the Fenghuang's crew were forced to remain inside their ship, under heavy guard. During their imprisonment, John managed to learn from some local sailors' gossip that Governor Bustamante had been killed in a riot six years prior by supporters of the Archbishop of Manila, Francisco de la Cuesta, and relayed this information to the others. Edward then decided to take matters into their own hands and had Qing distract the guards by bringing them food, allowing the crew to escape the ship.[34]
While Edward and Saito went to rescue Jan's crew, John and the others engaged in a fight with the Spanish soldiers at the harbor to retrieve their confiscated weapons and supplies. After Jan arrived with his men and thanked the Union members for their help, calling them "friends", John remarked that they were not friends and that it was Jan's fault they were in that mess to begin with.[35]
John and the others fighting Spanish soldiers at the harbor
Following the Spanish soldiers' defeat, Yun discovered a warehouse filled with barrels of petroleum, which he required to produce Greek fire, and John helped him to load the barrels onto the Fenghuang.[35] Once Edward and Saito returned to the Fenghuang, the ship set sail away from Manila, followed closely by Jan and his crew. When the Spanish Navy gave chase, Jan volunteered to distract their pursuers to give the Union members time to flee.[36]
After escaping to safety, Edward told John and the others about his and Saito's encounter with a monk who wielded a Piece of Eden in the shape of a crescent amulet. This surprised John, who questioned what their next move was. Edward replied that their destination remained unchanged and ordered the crew to set a course for Cebu.[36]
Excursion to Monkey Island[]
- "I swear to you, once this adventure is at an end, we'll go wherever you'd like to find a place to call home! Now, I may be a humble seafarer with no more to my name than the clothes on my back, but if you'll do me this great honor... I would like your hand as we venture forth on this voyage of life!"
- ―John proposing to Qing, 1725.[src]-[m]
Following their escape from Manila, John and Yun discovered that the Spanish authorities had confiscated all of their food rations and asked Edward for permission to attack two passing Spanish schooners to take their supplies. After sinking the ships and rescuing the surviving crew members, the Fenghuang docked at a nearby village to resupply. There, the villagers instantly recognized and greeted the Union members, as Zhang had recently begun trading with them.[37]
John and Edward meeting the village chief
John accompanied Edward as they went to meet with the village's chief, who informed them that several of her men wished to join the Union to learn to become merchants. After Edward welcomed the new recruits, John went to load the supplies they had been gifted onto the Fenghuang. While doing so, however, he noticed that an animal had snuck aboard the ship and was attacked by it.[37]
The animal turned out be a baby monkey, which amused John's fellow Union members when they were drawn by his screams and saw what had happened. After John unsuccessfully tried to call out to Saito for help, Qing was able to calm down the monkey and cradled it until it fell asleep. Seeing this, John envisioned Qing caring for their child one day and suggested that they adopt the monkey after deducing it must have lost its parents.[38]
Later, after the Fenghuang departed the village, John decided to spend the night on the ship's deck while Qing assisted Yun with his experiments. After Edward found him alone, the two had a meaningful conversation about what it meant being a husband and a father. When John expressed doubt that he would turn out to be a decent father, Edward told him how he had originally abandoned his family for the life at sea but was given another chance to be a family man when he met his second wife, Tessa.[38]
John and Edward witnessing the mortar fire about to hit the Fenghuang
The conversation made John decide that he wanted to settle down with Qing, but before they could discuss more, the Fenghuang was suddenly bombarded with mortar fire. Rupiya was able to steer the ship to safety and Edward instructed him to take cover behind some rocks on the nearby Monkey Island.[38]
After putting out all light sources on the ship, the crew managed to stay hidden, but Edward determined that they were trapped until they learned where the mortar fire had come from. Qing offered a solution and showed the crew her and Yun's latest invention: a hot air balloon,[38] which they dubbed the Celestial Chariot. After Yun suggested using it to survey Monkey Island from above, John was skeptical that the balloon could support a human's weight, to which Yun claimed that the pilot would need to be an extremely light person.[39]
Saito initially volunteered to be the pilot, but John pointed out that she was more muscular than most of the crew, causing Saito to insult him in response. Shortly after, Qing volunteered to fly in the Celestial Chariot instead, a decision heavily opposed by John, who was concerned for her safety. However, he eventually relented after Yun assured him that he had taken all the necessary precautions.[39]
Qing was ultimately able to survey Monkey Island and mark the locations of all enemy encampments, allowing the Fenghuang's crew to fire on them. However, the Celestial Chariot then suffered a malfunction mid-flight and caught fire, much to John's horror.[39] Although Qing was able to parachute to safety, John was furious that Yun's invention had nearly gotten his lover killed and confronted the engineer, who entered a state of shock.[40]
John confronting Yun for nearly getting Qing killed
Edward helped John to calm down, understanding his concern for Qing's safety but at the same time pointing out that it had been her decision to board the Celestial Chariot. After Yun returned to his senses, he apologized to John for failing to test the balloon's stability and endangering Qing's life, and the navigator ultimately forgave him. The crew then decided to sail to Monkey Island to find and rescue Qing.[40]
As they approached the island, however, the Fenghuang came across a fort which had been taken over by a faction of native resistance warriors seeking to liberate the Philippines from Spanish occupation. Edward subsequently decided to lead a small party to the island in search of Qing while the remaining crew members distracted the native warriors.[40]
John joined Edward and a few others on a rowboat, which they used to reach Monkey Island undetected while the Fenghuang engaged the fort. After exploring the forest in search of Qing, the group managed to find her parachute stuck in a tree, though no sign of Qing herself. Edward then noticed footmarks on the ground and decided to track them while John and the others followed his lead.[40]
However, Edward soon lost sight of the footmarks due to being unable to maintain his Eagle Vision active for long. John became concerned that they had lost Qing's trail, but fortunately his pet monkey, who accompanied the group, remembered Qing's scent and was able to lead them in her direction. Following the monkey, the crew members arrived at a village, which they assumed to be hostile.[41]
John and the others searching for Qing
Believing the villagers were holding Qing hostage, John and the others rushed towards one of the cabins, with Edward knocking out a native in the process. However, to their surprise, they found Qing tending to the villagers inside,[41] and she proceeded to explain that the natives had in fact rescued her from the jungle. She also revealed that the group's sudden assault had scared the villagers, making John and the others feel remorseful.[42]
The village's chief subsequently invited the group to stay as guests, leading to protests from his son, who was the same villager Edward had punched moments earlier. However, the chief remained firm on his decision while Qing told John and Edward that, since the resistance's occupation of Monkey Island, many natives had been forcefully recruited into their ranks.[42]
The conversation was interrupted by the sudden screams of a woman outside, who was pursued by what appeared to be a Manananggal. John shot the monster and, though he failed to kill it, his shot knocked off the Manananggal's mask, revealing it was actually one of the missing villagers. After the man was incapaciated by Edward's blowpipe and taken inside to receive medical attention, the chief informed the Zhang Wei Union members that other warriors in a similar condition roamed the island's jungles.[42]
John telling Edward of the bombs he planted to destroy the fort
Edward subsequently devised a plan to capture these brainwashed warriors and, using himself as bait, lured them into a trap, where John and other Union members caught them in a net. After the warriors were incapacitated and returned to the village, the Union members decided to storm Monkey Island's fort to rescue the prisoners held there. Fortunately, most of the resistance had left the island and sailed to Cebu, so the fort's defenses were lower than usual.[43]
While Edward and the others used some of the brainwashed warriors they had captured earlier to stage a distraction and infiltrate the fort's dungeon, John decided to plant several bombs to destroy the stronghold. He then informed Edward of what he had done, prompting the Assassin to order everyone to jump into the water before the explosives detonated.[43]
Narrowly surviving the fort's destruction, John and the others were picked up by the Fenghuang, whereupon the navigator listened to Qing and Yun's plans to build a second Celestial Chariot. When John voiced his opposition to the idea, as he did not want to risk losing his lover again, Qing told him that she knew how much he cared about her and revealed that being a member of the Zhang Wei Union was the first time she ever felt loved. Upon hearing this, John promised Qing that they would find a place to call home and asked for her hand in marriage, to which she excitedly accepted.[44]
Confrontation in Cebu[]
After the Fenghuang departed Monkey Island and sailed to Cebu, John and most of the crew stayed behind on the ship while Edward and Saito went to the city to look for the next clue to Angkor's location.[44] As John lamented that he would have liked to accompany Edward and that he had barely seen any action since Saito joined the Union, Rupiya advised him not to pray for dangerous situations. Just then, however, John spotted a fleet approaching Cebu and, realizing the ships belonged to the native resistance, decided to attack them.[45]
Edward forcing a terrified John to board the Celestial Chariot
After sinking the resistance's fleet, John and the others went to pick up Edward and Saito, who had failed to prevent the resistance's leader Rajah from escaping with their prize: another sea log. Nevertheless, Edward congratulated John for his quick thinking which had saved his and Saito's lives, before the crew followed Rajah to Fort San Pedro, which his men had taken over. Unable to approach the fort due to its cannons, John suggested attacking it with their mortars, but Edward did not want to risk destroying the crescent amulet in the bombardment.[46]
Just then, Yun offered a solution and revealed a second Celestial Chariot he had built, which could carry up to three people at once. John wanted nothing to do with the balloon but Edward forced him to board it, much to his horror. Upon noticing that the Celestial Chariot had no steering mechanism, John attempted to get out but it was too late. The balloon took off and brought him, Edward and Saito above Fort San Pedro, allowing the trio to commence their infiltration plan.[46]
While Edward and Saito dropped several anchors to keep the Celestial Chariot in place and used them as ziplines to descend to the ground, John remained inside the balloon to provide cover fire. He used his musket to take out several of Rajah's men,[47] but he soon ran out of ammunition and the rebels began cutting the anchors.[48]
Once only one anchor remained, John decided to lower the balloon's flames in the hopes he would be able to make a safe landing. However, this caused the Celestial Chariot to suddenly begin falling out of the sky, much to John's horror.[49] At the last moment, the navigator was able to increase the flames, preventing a potentially fatal crash, just as Edward and Saito returned to the balloon, having successfully retrieved the crescent amulet.[50]
Personality and traits[]
- Edward: "I need a cat's paw who can sneak in and out of Macau harbor as he pleases in the dead of night. In fact, I think I'm looking at the very man for the job..."
- John: "My friend..."
- Edward: "...Drunkard and gambler though you may be!"
- John: "Blast you Kenway!"
- —John and Edward's banter, 1725.[src]-[m]
When Edward first met Johh, he thought very little of him, seeing him as nothing more than a drunkard and a gambler. This was not helped by John running away after mistaking Edward for a debt collector and admitting that he had stolen his story about Angkor from Hendrik, which made the navigator seem like a coward and a liar seeking only recognition.[1]
Edward explaining the Templars to John
However, Edward's impression of John improved signficantly after the latter stole a Dutch East India Company ship which he used to rescue him. Because John had demonstrated courage by risking both his job and his life, Edward came to see the navigator in a more positive light and allowed him to accompany him. John was excited by the prospect of wealth at the end of their adventure, and even after Edward told him that the only thing he would likely gain from it was "a story worth a drink," he still enthusiastically accompanied the Assassin, due to having a "good feeling" about him.[4]
During their time together, John and Edward grew to become close friends. While the two enjoyed teasing each other from time to time, such as Edward calling John a drunkard and a gambler to annoy him (usually resulting in an over-the-top reaction from John), they still respected and fully trusted each other. The Assassin trusted John enough to tell him details about his private life such as the existence of his daughter,[6] and to invite him to accompany him on his expedition to Angkor.[8]
In turn, John cared about Edward's well-being, coming to his rescue several times and trying to comfort him whenever the Assassin was feeling down.[6] He also did not hesitate to confide in Edward, at one point asking him for advice after he considered settling down and becoming a family man. This led to a heart-to-heart conversation between the two, which made John realize his true feelings for Xialun Qing and that he wanted to start a family with her.[38]
Following the events on Monkey Island, John appeared to develop aviophobia, being terrified by the very thought of flying and refusing to step into the Celestial Chariot, until Edward forced him to do so.[46]
Skills and equipment[]
John's skills as a navigator rivaled those of Edward, who was an experienced seafarer in his own right. At one point, the Assassin called John the most skilled navigator he knew, though he might have only done so to boost his confidence before an insult.[8] In addition to his skills at the helm, John appeared to have some experience firing cannons, typically catching his enemies by surprise whenever he did so. Consequently, this tactic became a favorite of John's, and he used it to save Edward's life multiple times.[4]
John with a musket
Although quite cowardly, as he would run away from most direct confrontations, John could still hold his own in a fight. He was notably a skilled sharpshooter, having experience firing not just pistols, but also muskets, the latter of which he used when providing cover fire to Edward and Shimazu Saito aboard Sun's gambling ship. He was able to take out multiple ninja from a great distance and did not miss any of his shots.[25]
John was multilingual, being able to speak a variety of languages including his native Dutch, English, Portuguese, Mandarin, and Khmer. During one conversation with Edward, he claimed to have learned so many languages to be able to woo women from different parts of the world.[5]
Romantic life[]
Although John had a reputation as somewhat of a womanizer, this changed after meeting Xialun Qing while he posed as Edward's decoy aboard Sun's gambling ship. John was quickly attracted by the waitress' intelligence and modesty, calling her the brightest woman he had ever met. While Qing was embarassed by his compliments at first, as she did not believe herself good enough for him, she eventually came to reciprocate his feelings.[24]
John and Qing
After John saved Qing during the destruction of the gambling ship, he introduced her to Edward as his one "true love", causing the Assassin to congratulate him for finding the "greatest treasure of all".[27] Following Qing's recruitment into the Zhang Wei Union, John rarely left her out of his sight and decided to bring her along on the crew's journey to the Philippines. However, his care for Qing could sometimes manifest in the form of overprotectiveness, as seen when he quickly took her defense after believing she had been hurt by Saito's words.[29]
In time, John came to consider the possibility of retiring from his life as a navigator to settle down with Qing and start a family. After a conversation with Edward on what it meant to be a husband and a father, John decided to embrace these feelings and tell Qing of his intentions as soon as their adventure together came to an end.[38]
However, these plans changed when Qing nearly perished while testing Yun's Celestial Chariot, which made John realize he could not stand the thought of losing the love of his life even for a moment.[40] As soon as their excursion to Monkey Island was over, John proposed to Qing, promising her that they would find a place to settle down together, and she excitedly accepted. John then claimed that Qing had taught him the true meaning of love and that he would not stand in the path of her dreams, but that he would do anything to keep her safe.[44]
Gallery[]
Appearances[]
References[]