The Uncertain Fate of Cassian in John Wick: Chapter 2

The Ambiguity Surrounding Cassian

John Wick: Chapter 2 leaves the fate of Cassian ambiguous, raising questions about whether Common's character died at the end.

John Wick fights Cassian in John Wick Chapter 2

The second installment of the John Wick franchise brought Keanu Reeves' hitman into contact with a series of new opponents as part of a globe-trotting mission. Once John Wick arrives in Rome and begins his assignment to assassinate the head of the Italian Camorra crime syndicate, he soon encounters a worthy adversary in the franchise's underrated villain Cassian. He worked directly for the syndicate and was the bodyguard for Gianna D'Antonio, John Wick's target, which ensured a confrontation would take place between the two assassins.

A scene of John Wick and Cassian

John Wick and Cassian's first fight after the assassination of Gianna D'Antonio takes place, and the chase is forced to end so they don't break The Continental's rules. Despite the respect that the two men have for each other, Cassian is driven to avenge the death of Gianna and will stop at nothing to take down John Wick. This leads to another fight between them once John has a bounty placed on his head. Since John Wick is known for killing anyone who challenges him, there are understandably questions about if Cassian dies in John Wick 2 based on how their final fight occurs.

John Wick and Cassian pointing a gun in John Wick 2

The reason why there is doubt about whether Cassian lived or died in John Wick: Chapter 2 is directly the result of how the movie leaves him. Cassian and John Wick fight a second time near the end of the movie, culminating in a subway knife fight. Although the two men are seemingly equally matched at first, John eventually gains the upper hand. This leads to him stabbing Cassian in the chest with a knife and leaving him sitting in the subway car. Cassian is last shown to be alive, smirking as the doors close, and potentially making him another victim among John Wick's kill count.

John Wick 2 Cassian knife in chest

At the conclusion of the fight, John Wick tells Cassian that he has put the knife in a very particular place in the hitman's chest. John tells him that he will surely die if he pulls the knife out, because the blade is in his aorta and will cause him to bleed out. The movie does not specifically mention what will happen if Cassian decides to leave the knife in, but it is possible that he could be treated for the injury and have a chance at survival. Considering John Wick tells him this fate is a 'professional courtesy,' it would seem as though John Wick believes that Cassian will die as a result of this fight.

Cassian points a gun at John in John Wick 2

The Unresolved Fate of Cassian

The questions about Cassian's fate were not settled through the sequels. Common did not return as the character in John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum or John Wick: Chapter 4. It was confirmed in the lead-up to the John Wick 2 sequel that Cassian would not be present, so his absence did not come as a surprise. It also would have been quite difficult for Cassian to appear in the movie if he did survive. The John Wick timeline is incredibly truncated, with John Wick 3 beginning directly after John Wick 2. Even John Wick 4 happened less than a year after John Wick's near-death experience.

John Wick 2 Cassian at party

The minimal time passing between the movies means Cassian would not have a natural role to play in John Wick 3 or John Wick 4. He should still be recovering from his own injury when both movies were taking place. It would not be realistic for Cassian to be back at full strength from a knife to the heart this quickly. This means that even if Cassian did not die in John Wick: Chapter 2, it was in the franchise's best interest to leave him out of the immediate sequels to avoid doing anything too unrealistic.

John Wick and Cassian fight on a subway train

The Possibility of Cassian's Return

There is a chance that John Wick 5 could be where the franchise finally confirms if Cassian is alive or dead. The next installment in the series will likely take place far enough along in the timeline where a full recovery for Common's character would make sense. This would allow John Wick 5 to bring Cassian back, once again turning him into a mirror of John Wick, who would also be returning from a presumed death. Seeing them interact again after all this time could provide the franchise with an opportunity to give Cassian and John Wick a different on-screen dynamic and relationship.

It would also be quite easy for John Wick 5 to confirm that Cassian died in John Wick 2 if that is the direction the franchise wants to go. Several different characters could mention the fact that John killed him years ago. The movie could even add Cassian's name to one of the tombstones near where John Wick's grave is located. That would allow the film with a rather simple way to reveal Cassian's fate after John Wick: Chapter 2.