John Wick (Keanu Reeves) uncovers a path to defeating the High Table. But before he can earn his freedom, Wick must face off against a new enemy with powerful alliances across the globe and forces that turn old friends into foes.
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The latest entry in the series, about a killer who just wants to lay down his arms and live in peace, has an end-credits scene. It’s not long and it’s not entirely plot-critical, but it’s thematically relevant, said co-writers Michael Finch and Shay Hatten in a recent interview with Polygon. It is also pretty. Either way, that’s reason enough to stick with it. But if you don’t want or can’t have any clarification, here’s what happens in the post-credits scene of John Wick: Chapter 4.
John Wick: Chapter 4 ends with John’s ceremonial funeral. (No, we don’t know if he’s actually dead.) But that’s not all the film has to offer. After the credits, Caine (Donnie Yen) visits his daughter with a bouquet of flowers. As he slices through the crowd, Akira (Rina Sawayama) approaches him and draws his blade as he prepares to avenge the death of his father, Shimazu (Hiroyuki Sanada), whom Caine killed earlier in the film.
“One of the themes of this piece was to show the vertical extension of the table,” said Finch. The High Table is the oft-mentioned dark organization that governs the assassins in the John Wick films. “Continental is in full swing due to the current events in Osaka. What she doesn’t understand and what we’re trying to show is that once you’re on the table, there’s no way out. It was closed when Caine said “I’ll wait for you”. He knows he’s coming because he’s part of the table. He is inside, pursuing Caine for revenge. His story is in many ways the story of John Wick. This cycle of revenge and violence is central to the themes of the John Wick series, Hatten said.
“It shows the cyclical and cruel nature of this world that once you’re in there you can’t get out,” said Hatten. “I think that’s why we feel so sorry for John. No matter how many people he kills, you know, he really didn’t have a choice. He fell into this life and now he’s just trying to get out and honor his wife’s memory. But it’s really hard work.” While everything fits with the series’ themes, including revenge and the idea that the High Table stands above even the most legendary assassins who serve him, it’s also an exciting little addition to the film’s story – or maybe a foreshadowing of what’s about to happen in the series in the future.