Marquis and John Wick

In the aftermath of the High Table's feud with the New York Continental, which ended with the legendary underworld assassin John Wick being shot by Winston to save his life, the Marquis de Gramont is sent by the High Table to properly discipline Winston for his defiance. Prior to this, the Marquis also had Killa Harkan, a German mob boss, kill John's Uncle Pyotr as part of their retribution. Summoning Winston and Charon before him, the Marquis has the Continental demolished, executing Charon but sparing Winston in order to make a statement.

With John having recently assassinated the Elder, the Marquis turns his attention to dealing with him. Anticipating that John would seek refuge in Japan with his trusted ally and Osaka Continental manager Koji Shimazu, the Marquis sends his forces to Osaka to search for him. The Marquis also recruited the blind assassin Caine, coercing him out of retirement by threatening to kill his daughter. The Marquis' henchmen arrive at the Osaka Continental, where a brawl ensues between the High Table forces and Shimazu's employees. John is able to escape with Shimazu's support, who is later killed by Caine; even if the Marquis was unsuccessful in killing John here, he was still content with the bloodshed caused at the Continental, as it sent a clear message.

The Marquis is later approached by renowned bounty hunter Mr. Nobody, who offered information on John's whereabouts in exchange for a hefty payment of $25 million. After negotiations, the two settle on $23 million, but the Marquis then stabs Nobody's hand and demands he pulls it away as a show of loyalty. Nobody then pursues John to Berlin and reports back to the Marquis about his precise location, but the Marquis refuses to pay him unless he succeeded in killing John.

After a shootout at Killa's nightclub, in which John personally kills Killa to avenge Pyotr and regain his place in the Ruska Roma family, John is able to issue a formal challenge to a duel to the Marquis now that he is officially a part of a family belonging to the High Table. After the two decide on the parameters of the duel, the Marquis appoints Caine to be his representative. However, before the duel begins, the Marquis puts a bounty of $26 million on John's head and sends waves of assassins to prevent him from reaching the dueling site before sunrise, which would result in John's defeat by default.

John is nonetheless able to reach the steps of the dueling site, the Basilica of Sacré Coeur de Montmartre, only to be beaten back by the Marquis's assassins with only three minutes left to make it there. However, Caine then intervenes and helps John fight off the assassins so he can make it to the top of the church. The duel commences, a fierce gunfight with pistols. However, Caine shoots and gravely injures John. Demanding the right to administer the coup de grâce, De Gramont eagerly swaps places with Caine. However, before the Marquis can execute John, Winston distracts him and noted that John had not yet fired his pistol. John then kills the shook Marquis by shooting him in the head. John and Winston are declared the winners of the duel, and Caine is released from his service to the Marquis.

Despite this, as he walks down the steps, John collapses and seemingly dies from the wounds he had sustained earlier by Caine. If John Wick really died as his tombstone at the end of the film indicates, his demise would be a bittersweet victory for both parties. On one hand, it would mean that the Marquis had the last laugh after all by ultimately succeeding in his mission to kill John Wick, even if he didn't survive long enough to witness it. On the other hand, however, it allows John to finally reunite with his beloved late wife Helen in death, earning him the peace and freedom he had been searching for.

VINCENT FULL NAME Vincent Bisset de Gramont ALIAS Marquis de Gramont The Marquis OCCUPATION High-ranking member of the High Table POWERS / SKILLS Vast resources and influence Wealth Marksmanship Knife-wielding HOBBY Flaunting his wealth. Wearing expensive suits. CRIMES Organized crime Mass murder Terrorism Assault Torture Blackmail Extortion Mutilation Abuse of power TYPE OF VILLAIN Aristocratic Crime Lord

A man with full authority and full power given by the high table. Marquis Vincent Bisset de Gramont, also known simply as the Marquis or Marquis de Gramont, is the main antagonist to John Wick. He is an aristocratic crime lord appointed by the High Table to reassert their authority after the death of the new Elder. His mission is to eliminate John Wick and anyone who aids him or opposes the Table, using this opportunity to elevate his own position within the Table. Because of this, Gramont becomes John Wick's most formidable and merciless adversary.

The Marquis is a young man of unknown origin who has quickly climbed the ladder within the High Table doing god knows what. I always saw him as someone from the gutter that now savors the glittery suits he’s wearing. He functions as the new sheriff set out to rid the world of John Wick once and for all. John’s getting old and tired, the Marquis is offering him a way out. To be the one who finally kills the Baba Yaga would secure his status and power within the High Table.

The Marquis is a very cunning and snide individual. He at first appears affable, but this simply cloaks his tendency towards cruelty and hunger for power. Once he is appointed to deal with John Wick, the Marquis goes out of his way to make an example out of anyone who may be helping him, even having his men kill others who weren't at all involved, simply as a show of force. Although claiming to enforce the will of the High Table, the Marquis' primary ambition is to further his own power and he only cares about the Table's rules in as much as they advantage him. When they work against him, he is happy to bend or even fully disregard them.

JOHN WICK Grew Up… in a small village in Mexico where he engaged in petty theft throughout the town.

Living… in a super modern mansion that gets blown to bits at one point because Santino, head honcho of the organized crime syndicate that John used to work for, takes issue with John’s retirement.

Profession… Wick used to serve in the US Marine Corps, where he learned a code of honor and ethics that he later grapples with when he becomes a hitman. Wick worked for the Continental, a hotel that functions as neutral territory for criminals, and soon gained a reputation as an efficient killer. After meeting his wife Helen, he decides to start a new life and change for the better. Unfortunately, he is soon dragged right back to the world of crime.

Interests… killing, killing, killing. Whenever John Wick isn’t killing, he’s tending to his dogs, seemingly the only thing keeping him sane and – well, maybe “happy” isn’t the right word – let’s just say content. He is adept in martial arts and at using firearms, and knows a thing or two about throwing knives. Not to mention, he loves driving his vintage Mustang around the racetrack. He ends up turning this hobby into, you guessed it, a way to kill his enemies by running them over.

Relationship Status… widowed. His stoic demeanor, murderous rampages, and laconic vocabulary don’t always make him seem like an eligible bachelor. However, his love for dogs, fluency in more languages than a UN Diplomat, and unreal physique would suggest otherwise.

Personality… think the human version of a German Shepherd. Ever since his wife Helen died, Wick has maintained a melancholic and cold-blooded veneer. If someone wrongs him, he mercilessly retaliates against them.