In the John Wick universe, Respect is the most important thing. John was saved many times by other characters even by giving their lives because they respected the man.
And to think he did it in return as well. That's not only honorable, but professional too. He returned the courtesy that was given to him many times when he asked for help.
yeah. i think that's why even though they say john doesnt have a lot of friends, those friends are willing to help him even if it's risking their lives. compared to big bosses who have people on their sides using power, fear, benefits(if tides changes and tables turned, they might not stay), john earns his bonds with his humanity. can tell by the friendly atmosphere when they see john returned.
The gold coins are considered favours per action. Clean 0ut 8 bodies, 8 coins. 1 room? 1 coin, 5 guns and as much ammo as you need, 5 coins. So yes, the value shifts, just depends on how much you NEED something.
I viewed at a coin per body count. Made me wonder how many people an Adjudicator had to deal with in order to get the black coin. Either that or it’s a sign of hierarchy like the Marquis pin in Chapter 4
@@Broseph359 I dare say it's not as much a coin as a token that unlike a coin, you can't refuse, it's only ever shown as a form of identification and not actually given away. So I would see it as more of a universal marker that must be honoured with multiple uses.
One coin... Will get you a life saving surgery in a back ally drs office... OR, you can buy some one a bourbon on ice. Their scale worth seems to be a tad twisted.
@@illbedamned3586 The trouble is that you're thinking about the coins like a traditional monetary system, instead of what they are: physical tokens of an otherwise intangible social currency, based on a market of favors. Theoretically, they do have "denominations," as shown by the markers, and other symbolic trinkets, but, unlike traditional currency, which is, or at least was, pinned to the value of a tangible item, or substance, the various tokens represent, at their most basic, actions. Do a small favor, get a token. Do a bigger favor, get a more substantial token. Simple, if a bit difficult to break from old thinking habits.
@@thepopstheturtleexperience9171 caine gave his eyes to the marquis as deposit. its said in the movie when he talks to nobody about the price he paid. No body had to pull his hand out the knife and caine gave his eyes to serve and be of service.
@@TheSaltiestEver your right! But the high table wouldn’t let him get near his daughter, in his opening shot when Caine listening to his daughters violen solo, and gets called to speak to the marquis, the Marquis says “you got to close today”. Cain can’t visually see his daughter, or be within a certain distance of her, or the high table will kill her!
The Gold Coins actually solve an important problem with the Continentals. Usually, the High Table would ask for a cut of the action on any transaction with their organization. Such as John buying a drink, or ordering a customized 3-gun set of AR/Shotgun/Glock pistol. Naturally this presents an obvious opening for people to skim off the top and embezzle from the High Table. We are dealing with vendors to assassins, after all. So the High Table solves the embezzlement problem with gold coins. The price for each service is one coin per job, no matter the task. While this means John overpays for a drink and underpays for a $9,000 set of guns, it also denies anyone the chance to steal from the High Table because they control the currency. If anyone wants to convert coins to money, they have to deal with the High Table…so any opportunity for money schemes is checked there too. Pretty slick storytelling
@@GuitarsRockForever No but it does means that every employee is constantly undercut and can never actually make any money. The job pays one coin, the gear you need for the job costs one or more. At best, you break even and are working for free. At worst, you're paying them for the privilege of working for them.
One personal rule that John seems to follow is that any target that he is after has to see his (or her) death coming, this is mostly depicted in chapter 2 when he walks out on the floor in the museum and lets Santino see him, it would have saved him some trouble if he had shot him from the edge of the room and then evaded the guards afterward.
If you remember when Santino hide himself in the Continental he says to John that he can eat a new dish every day and still never eat the same thing twice
The Real Assassins Creed that had nothin to do with blasphemous nonsense about aliens creating the earth... John Wick (Babayaga) is the Greatest assassin of all time who is feared by everyone in the “guild” all over the world, and equally respected by many as well. He’s legendary beyond all others, and strikes terror into his enemies...the shadow of death 💀.
Honestly. This movie series (especially the cartoonish JW 4) feels like Assassin's creed modern day. Who knows, perhaps the Continental are simply an arm of the Templars :P
I think at the end of the day, there are two big factors that govern the rules in the John Wick universe: respect and the threat of violence. This is an inherently violent world these characters live in. So they don’t stop violence; they just try to regulate it, mostly with the threats of intense violence or loss of privileges, as is shown with their dealings with John. Most assassins follow those rules to avoid reprisal. However, there are plenty of instances where characters help each other out purely out of respect for each other, as we see with Koji and Caine in the fourth movie. The Director in the third movie honors John’s ticket for safe passage out of respect for his affiliation with the Ruska Roma. Even the first movie has an instance of that when Marcus is following John and keeping an eye out for him out of respect. But I think that’s more of an individual attribute than an institutional rule from the High Table; the High Table is ok with inconsistently upholding the rules as long as it solidifies their power. It’s why the Adjudicator cracked down on the Bowery King even though he didn’t technically or actually break any rules. And even then, the High Table does honor their word as we see with the Harbinger in the fourth movie. TL;DR, the High Table are rules lawyers that use violence to enforce the rules. Individual assassins follow their own code of honor and respect toward each other that may or may not put them in conflict with the High Table. Just my two cents on the matter.
On the topic of the blind swordsman and his retirement, based on the line about giving up his eyes I think that it's heavily implied that he literally had to blind himself in order to leave the high tables control because they did not trust him being as capable as he was at the time out in the real world. Mind you it does not look like it brought him as low as they were hoping considering that they turned back to him for help.
Additional Rule Any people who seats the table or the family of it supports it can acquire duels itself. Moreover, the duel in JW4 is somewhat an escape exit on the hands of the High Table itself but only if you challenge the Elder or any members of the High Table who has Autum Imperator and they accepted it
So much trouble could've been avoided if the Managers had the authority to remove absolutely anyone attempting to safehouse on Continental grounds. Or if there was a specific rule that Marker holders are an exception to the Continental safe harbor. After all, you could get out of a Marker obligation if your target stayed at the Continental indefinitely, creating a paradox in the two rules.
Rule is rigid to also keep the manager in check. What if he’s corrupt and give no protection to those he hates? That means he effectively disregarding the neutral ground of continental, making it useless as a rule. Target cannot stay in the hotel forever, as some point they have to leave it and the assassin can still make a move then.
well to be fair he already completed the marker so he was free to do whatever he wants, also doubt any other than a member of the high table could stay there for long periods
Zero's death really hit me, because the guy was a fanboy through and through, and to a certain extent - is INCREDIBLY relatable (excluding the whole assassin part) He was honourable as well, goddamn did that guy perform and was he a legend
@@CubeInspectorsaying goddamn is not using the lords name in vain. I suggest you actually read up on the meaning of things before trying to act like a smartass
The coin is effectively a favor's worth. How serious the favor is determines how many coins it's worth. More urgent or dangerous things weigh more coinage, as does the relevant skills of the people involved. I'd wager that the multiple coins paid to the cleanup crew was both for the whole crew and for knockon costs incurred (bribing cops, cleaning stray recordings, etcetera). What I'm interested in is how they are initially distributed.
In the later movies, there are shots inside several Continental hotels showing people checking coins with magnifying glasses. Winston is shown doing it himself in Chapter 2, and IIRC tells staff to "put them into circulation". In Chapter 3, Berrada (the man Sofia takes John to to find out about The Elder) mentions that the building they're in mints both coins and markers. Presumably, the Casablanca facility (and possibly more, led by those highly trusted by the High Table) produce coins. The Continentals across the world are sent shipments of coins, where they're checked over for imperfections. If they're acceptable, the Continental then circulates them. If I had to guess, they do this by swapping out damaged coins for new ones, possibly hiring people for menial tasks, and paying their staff with coins.
It should be noted that John Wick wasn't excommunicato when the Bowery King gave him the gun and 7 bullets. This means that the Bowery King didn't break any High Table rules by aiding John. So why did the Adjudicator order him to step down and then punish him with 7 sword cuts?
For some reason the sommelier has always been stuck on me since my first viewing. "...should your hands get... wet." Very cool character. I wish he was ever present from then on.
I like to think of the gold coins as having a financial value but also can be used as an alternative currency for simplicity purposes. I'm sure there is a currency exchange as there is for all things. And the reason John starts out with several hundred of these coins is because he knows their value and made it a point not to trade them when received. It is also a easy assumed representation that each coin represented a single assination. I also assumed these operations were cash only. So unles you wanted to carry around a briefcase full of cash, you had to carry gold coins instead.
Gold coins holds literal no monotary value I hate to be a dick but I don't know how much more clearer sofia's boss could've been when he literally explains it just a coin of the relationship of commerce it's a simply a favour or service/services token
So it is a literal representation of a "token of gratitude", or repaying a favor with a favor. If it is real gold, it literally has monetary value. Even in the outside world. They are just more valuable than the gold itself to those who use them for their intended purposes.
@@ramon4184 i know and understand this, but they do have some sort of monetary value still. The pay for the said favor or service, all which would be paid in some sort of monetary exchange in any other situation. I get what you were saying, but it just comes across wrong when you say the gold coins have literally no monetary value. Which is true and untrue at the same time. But for all intents and purposes of the comment and context, you are correct.
I like your take that the 0th law is “don’t hurt a dog”. OrelioS’ dialog backs it up. If you watch the scene again it’s obvious that he is more impressed/shocked by the dog bit. It’s easy to understand that he knows the rule but the kid does not
John doesn't kill unnecessarily I've noticed often giving an opponent the opportunity to withdraw and they respect him for it and will help him in return Francis comes to mind
2 Japanese Continental Branches. 1st Nihon Branch and Main one. Osaka Continental 2nd off shoot Branch Called Osaka Continental in Tokyo = Osaka Continental Tokyo!
The lore of the whole John Wick series is fascinating. I really want to see them expound on all of this and it looks like they are starting to with the next up coming movie and the TV series.
Mr Reeves. You are my inspiration and I admire you greatly. Also when you smile,it makes me smile. I'm am also not your foe, I am a friend to you and to many. ❤🤗😘🙏
Yeah I'm pretty sure any of us would go on a giant murder spree and stack bodies until we were killed or killed everyone involved in killing our dog by any means lol the car can be replaced
@@dr.burtgummerfan439 Gotcha, I mean yeah maybe not it was definitely one-of-a-kind but it was still just a car is what I meant, basically the cold-blooded murder of anybody and everybody involved would all be because of the dog not really the car
After john wick we really need a movie to just explore the entire lore of the underworld, the origins of the high table and its entire world, they can give us a scene of when the first golden coin was made
It's to clarify where the location of the continental is. One can assume that the Osaka continental is in Osaka, Japan, but the actual location the movie depicts the Osaka continent is at the National Art Center in Tokyo, Japan.
The continental hotel in Japan was in Osaka, and was...funnily enough, named "The Osaka", so its a case of just saying the name of the hotel in the location But geologically, different cities
I would make 'don't hurt animals - dogs' as unflexable as well as because I considered my dogs my dogs as part of my family and would not take kindly to anyone who tried to hurt them. A good break downn of the rules in the assassins world
The High Table should've make their retirement system, for example: Every member of The Table who desired to retires from The Table must fulfill all their Markers debt and pledge their last oath to never betray The Table at all cost. Then they will be released from any obligations and orders from The Table, will not be called for any favors or services, and their status is reduced to "retired" and they are given one last task where they can live normal life as they desired but still under The Table organizations surveillance where if they are to leak any information about them will result in immediate execution.
I get the sense that “don’t harm dogs” is more of an unofficial rule. A dog will never abandon you and will always love you even if your job is killing people. So I imagine that anyone would fly off the handle if their dog was killed by somebody, especially if the dog didn’t do anything to that person.
One minor correction. It was Julius the manager of the Rome branch who stops John and Cassian in Chapter 2 not Charon as he stops John and Zero in Chapter 3. Thanks 😁 3:02
I'm going to go and see the 4th one again in theaters; possible a few more times. I loved it. I go and see the JW movies a few times when they release one.
John did his thing, but I'm still craving a spin off just to tie the other character arcs up in a nice bow! Maybe they bring down the high table, elder and avenge John?
So what do the rules say about killing a potentially corrupt adjudicator just before she's about to call and have your Continental deconsecrated in retaliation, and then disposing of her body in the incinerator immediately?
I thought about that as the scene played out lmfao. Adjudicators technically don't have power so I imagine it wouldn't be more than a slap on the wrist as they're just messengers, but I suppose the punishment was fighting Zero
So, even though the title suggests you've discovered 11 rules of the High Table, and supposedly, that's ALL of their rules, you really only included 3 rules in the video. The rest aren't rules, just observations. Don't hurt a dog isn't a rule. Someone just happened to kill John's dog, and John took that personally. The only real rules you discussed were: 1 No business on Continental grounds 2 If the manager violates the rules, the Continental can be declared excommunicado 3 You must always honor your marker Everything else in the video is just observations about the movies and aren't necessarily rules of the High Table.
CHARON: "Excuse me sir, you have an...Avenger here waiting in the lobby to see you." WINSTON" Excellent, my four o'clock is here." PETER PARKER: "Sorry for the lateness, I came as soon as I could."
the market was respected, santino asked jhon to do a favor, and he has to do what ever the favor is. jhon was excomunicado for killing santino IN THE CONTINENTAL, no for broken the marker
as far as giving the clean up guy multipul coins, he was actually giving him one coin per body. you can tell this during his "reservation" chat. Its a damn good series.
As much as the rules are putting the life of crime in a romantic light, I gotta admit: It is a wonderful fiction. It basically says: "We are scum, but even we have rules that we follow. Lest we turn into rabid animals." Very interesting 'verse. And very good video! Thanks for going through the work to do it =)
Let us be honest. the High Table is the metaphorical mountain and the systems of assassins are likely direct successors of the oldest, first sect, the Hashishim.
John Wick always seems to have only one true problem in the world. Lesser men, greater in power in the world but small minded and thus arrogant and needlessly cruel don't understand that simply leaving him alone, to grieve, repair, rest, whatever, would save their lives. Instead they have to push and poke the sleeping beast, even if unknowingly doing so, like in the first movie.
The one thing I'm still having trouble understanding, is if blood debts are required to be paid back, yet excommunicated people can't get help, shouldn't there be a policy where you can get your debts paid back before the excommunicado starts?
I assume the rule is absolute, meaning Hallie's character needed to oblige, Of course she'd sign her death warrant, which is a hole in the plot that has never been discussed
Theres a multitude of reasons. Winston holds John in the highest level of esteem. He has the brains to stay on johns good side and the balls to give High Table the finger. and remember, John is called Baba Yaga... do i mean The boogeyman? No, i mean he's the one you call to kill the fucking Boogeyman!!!
@@firdauswahab8485 winston respects john wick and gave him an hour to escape. Winton doesn't not respect or like perkins so he didn't give her the same courtesy he gave wick
Because Marcus wasn’t under contract. The contract was open and it was a verbal agreement. He only broke a gentleman’s agreement because Viggo simply asked him to do it but the contract wasn’t exclusive to Marcus.
Marcus never intended to take on the contract. It only makes sense if John completely trusts him because he could've and should've killed him at the hotel.
He didn’t fail to kill him. He had him right in his sights and when he sees Perkins enter the room he shoots the pillow to wake him up. If he wanted to he could’ve shot both of them. He missed so badly it wouldn’t even be close to a kill
I would say the last rule is more of a personal thing than one regulated by the Table or a Contintental. Including what said dog represents, like John's first dog.
The rules are whatever the script calls for in the scene. They are neither tied together nor cohesive. Wick was framed by someone on the council or w/e it's called in the 2nd movie and he was then punished not that person, even though it was known or learned that John was innocent.
I always believed that since John was out that the rules about the marker should no longer apply. He was retired, out, and should no longer had been beholden to the marker or its holder.
I think the coin meant for how great the favor must be done, like checking a hotel room, asking for guns and tools and other simple tasks requires less coins but something like evidence disposal and other high value deeds have more price
There is a loophole in roles. In John Wick 2, when Bowry King helped John, John wasn't excommunicado, he just had open contract. So technically, Bowry King had no restriction to help John. It is weird that in the end High Table considered it as a help, which lead to breaking the rules. In this case everybody else, who provided services to John should be punished too, which didn't happen. Also, hierarchy of rules is not clear as well. When ballet mother helped John to go to Africa due to having a mark, she still suffered punishment. Similar case with Russka Roma. High Table worked not in the relation to rules, as they punished by their own justification and not related to exact rules defined.
Self Mutilation does not inspire loyalty, nor not providing for your assassins. There should be a filtering process or set of rules for high table members to follow and go through, and none of it should rely on bloodlines or wealth. We see John fighting against this in every chapter
The hotels don't have places for dogs. John's 2nd dog was watched over as a favor though. Also John does not kill innocents (aka non assassins) it seems
I always wondered what would happen if someone used a marker to have some one assassinated but the person being assassinated used their marker to prevent the assassin from killing them
3:08 It wasn't Charon who stopped John Wick and Cassian(Gianna D'Antonio's bodyguard) from conducting business on Continental grounds, it was Julian, the manager of the Continental in Rome.
The weird thing is that SO MANY rules just step all over the others. Like...did no one really think a Marker wouldn't be employed to kill a person sitting at the table? You're asking someone to either die by you, or die by the table then, which is just ridiculous and should have come caveats. It's a literal golden ticket for assassins. Either puts some restrictions on the requests, exclude hits from being made on high table members through it exclusively, or just be able to cancel it with a duel if the request actually is just fking outlandish. Stupidest underground organization ever
While i agree what you have to understand is how rare markers really are, in the whole saga we only see 2 one owed by John fucking wick himself and the later a hotel manager, two very powerful people by no means low level thugs, case in point they aren't small things to owe someone, make sense?
The marker can be both a blessing and a curse which is why it is a rare thing to be used. Because if you use a marker on someone to, let's say, kill a high-ranking member of the high table, not only will you have to face thousands of skilled assassins but also risk getting killed in return for using the marker to kill a high-ranking member of the high table. The whole point of a marker is to only offer them to someone who you want to repay with your life on the line.
The only mistake John made was he killed Santino inside continental grounds. Thats the whole point of john wick 3 and 4, hunting John because he broke the rules. If he was a tid bit patient he could've killed Santino later on and went after the table properly afterwards. We would have seen the same bloodbath anyways.
I think the " Never assassinate the hitman's pet" rule is ridiculous... I'd prefer the rules of "If you messed with an assassin's family matter...You'll get a serious personal matter..."
Than animals itself??? I'm sorry but no. Just no. Sometimes rules make us worse than animals. Also guarantee that's been said at least 10,000+ times before you. Maybe the bad grammar makes it unique.
In the world of John Wick &&& the Assassin's world, a pet say as even a turtle, but a dog or cat is thee only true friend, family, & loyal friend you would ever have in that life💯
WAW. A. SUPER. AWESOME. EXPLANATION. YOU. SIR. ARE. THE. BEST. NOW. WE UNDERSTAND. ALL THAT. ....THE. MOVIE. IS. SO FAST. THAT. SOMETIMES. WE LOOSE. IT. AWESOME. REVIEW. TNKS
