John Wick’s 10 Most Unmistakable Character Traits

In many ways, John Wick mirrors a lot of the character traits of his main actor, Keanu Reeves. Much of these traits have been amplified, in order to sell his character as a lethal assassin with a notorious worldwide reputation. It’s a big part of what made John Wick such a popular franchise, thanks entirely to Reeves’ performance.

These character traits embody everything from his conversational skills to his prowess in battle. By this point, fans know what to expect from the character, and they’re about to get a lot more of him in the upcoming fourth chapter of the John Wick action movie series.

He Says Very Little

Many agree that John Wick is arguably Keanu Reeves’ best character, due to how subtle and effective he is in the films. A man of John Wick’s caliber knows the value of staying quiet and only speaking when there’s reason to do so. The only person he really had any sort of conversational dialogue with was his late wife, while the rest of the time, he was pure business.

Even when dealing with Continental staff, Wick doesn’t say anything that does not need to be said. He’s straight, to the point, and does not volunteer information. He’s not one to reminisce about old times or invite people over to talk until the wee hours of the morning.

His Blank Stare

Wick barely shows any emotion, except in battle, which is ironic. When he’s not busy shooting up a place or beating the tar out of his enemies, he tends to keep a stoic and impersonal look on his face, possibly by design. This is part of what helped establish John Wick as one of Hollywood’s best contract killers.

If he were jovial or friendly, he’d lose a lot of what makes him the character he is. By staying somewhat emotionless, Wick is able to project confidence forward, while silently telling people that he’s not to be trifled with. That being said, he is capable of being polite and courteous… just not generous.

His Weapon Stance

John Wick’s weapon stance is practically tied to his character and says a lot about him. It single-handedly signifies an entire lifetime spent in combat, from his earliest days as a young criminal, to his military training, and his career as a high-ranking assassin.

He stays tactical almost all of the time, clutching weapons close to his body, and keeping them trained forward at all times. As he moves, he checks every corner by turning the gun in the direction of his own eyes, which is de facto military training at work. It shows just how experienced he is in combat, and how rooted he is in rudiments.

His Hand-To-Hand Fighting Style

Wick doesn’t care about being fancy when it comes to fisticuffs, but rather, he’s down and dirty. He knows that when the guns are dry, the fighting will be brutal, especially when he goes up against competitors in his own line of work. Therefore, he needs to be at the top of his game.

His martial arts consist of close grappling, heavy punches and knees, as well as a combination of throws and rolls. He’s also willing to do whatever it takes to win, including using dirty tricks. To him, it’s a matter of survival, not honor, and this speaks a lot about his character’s ruthlessness.

He Likes To Flip His Enemies

Wick is an expert at close-quarters combat, and he mixes gunplay with hand-to-hand combat in order to get the best of both worlds. This character trait was almost overplayed in John Wick: Chapter Two, when he grabbed and flipped the majority of his foes, before shooting them dead in the face.

This might be in line with his approach to combat, which is usually up close and personal. Rarely does Wick take out targets from a distance, and the closer he gets to his enemies, the more personal it becomes. The flip-and-shoot combo is practically built into his character at this point.

He Wears The Best Suits

Though he often lazes around in his casual clothes at home, he’s all style when it comes to the various action sequences in the John Wick franchise. He’s often seen sporting the best suits, many of which are lined with tactical weaves that add as built-in armor. He isn’t interested in going casual, which might be in line with the Continental’s sense of style.

It also adds to Wick’s reputation as a no-nonsense killer who gets the job done, no matter what. By sticking to suits, he’s evoking a character trait that has served him well throughout his career. If he were to ever slum it for the sake of comfort, he’d lose his mysterious notoriety.

He’s Versatile And Adaptable

When he’s under fire, Wick thinks very fast and is able to adapt to the situation with uncanny forethought. He may have learned this through his training, which taught him how to read a room, identify the players inside, and cover all the entrances and exits.

Armed with this sixth sense, Wick can change his attack strategy depending on the factors. Sometimes this means swapping weapons that are better suited for a particular target or fashioning them out of various parts, which was demonstrated in John Wick 3: Parabellum.

He Knows His Weapons

As one of the world’s most deadly assassins, Wick has a knowledge of weapons that exceeds that of most humans. He’s used every single weapon imaginable, and a few that nobody would ever think of, in order to eliminate his targets, and stay alive to fight another day.

It isn’t known if Wick has a fascination with weapons, or if it’s just a necessity of his profession, but this is one of his defining character traits. He views every weapon as an extension of himself, whether it’s a gun, a knife, or even a pencil, which is quite deadly in his hands.

He Is Relentless

Wick is one of the most relentless killers in movie history, and he’ll stop at nothing to accomplish his goals. Once he sets his mark on a target, there’s no stopping him, for any reason. This kind of attitude is what gave him such a notorious reputation within the Continental’s assassin community.

It could be argued that Wick’s relentlessness is almost religious, or influenced by some sort of code. Either way, he’s willing to sacrifice everything in order to finish what he started, including his own life. That kind of commitment is what makes him so frightening to those who cross his path.

His Attachment To His Wife’s Memory

The thing that defines John Wick the most is the memory of his departed wife, who died from a terminal illness following his retirement from his profession. The grief is so great that Wick basically retreats into himself, which is something his late wife anticipated.

She gifted him with a puppy named Daisy to help him deal with that grief, which was instrumental in getting his life back on track. That, and his fondness for his prized Mustang Mach 1, which the couple shared, are all emotional anchors through which he remembered his wife, and kept her close in his heart. The loss of Daisy was one of the saddest moments in John Wick, because of what it symbolized for the character.

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