Street-level legends · Street level
Vicious vs John Wick
A syndicate executive with a sword and no loyalty meets the man who would burn down a syndicate for a dog.
Tale of the tape
| Cowboy Bebop | Universe | John Wick |
|---|---|---|
| Street level | Tier | Street level |
| A katana, a crow on his shoulder and absolute ruthlessness | Strength | Gun-fu, relentless focus and an iron will |
| Trusts nobody, which means nobody comes to help him | Weakness | Every fight costs him something |
| 0–2 | Record on Versus | 3–1 |
The Arena
Vicious had climbed to the top of the Red Dragon syndicate by betraying every person above him, and when a rift dropped him into a world with a High Table and a hierarchy of crime families, he saw nothing but another ladder to climb. His first step was simple: kill the most feared man in this world, and take his reputation.
He found John Wick in an old church, lighting a candle. Vicious walked down the aisle with his katana drawn, his crow perched on his shoulder. “You’re the Baba Yaga,” he said. “I expected someone taller.” John blew out the match and turned. He looked tired, as always. “I get that a lot.”
Vicious lunged. John’s pistol was in his hand before the blade cleared the second pew.
Round One
John fired twice. Vicious deflected the first bullet with his blade, a feat of reflexes that would have impressed anyone, and the second grazed his shoulder. He closed the distance, and his katana flashed across John’s chest, slicing through the suit. The bulletproof lining stopped the edge. John grunted and struck back with the pistol grip.
They fought through the pews in a blur of steel and gunfire. Vicious was a superb swordsman, merciless and fast, and every swing aimed to kill. John was a master of close-quarters gunfighting, and every shot was aimed to end the fight.
Vicious realised quickly that this man did not panic, did not hesitate, and did not stop. He had never fought anyone like that.
The Turn
Vicious kicked over a rack of candles, and the old wooden pews caught fire. Smoke filled the church. He moved through it like a ghost, striking from the shadows, and opened a long cut along John’s arm. John did not slow down. He tracked Vicious by sound, by the rustle of his coat and the beat of the crow’s wings.
Vicious struck again, and John caught the blade in his left hand, wrapped in his jacket sleeve, and held it. Vicious pulled. John did not let go. He shot Vicious in the leg, then in the shoulder, then pistol-whipped him across the face.
Vicious staggered back, bleeding, his crow screaming. He looked at John and saw something he had never seen in any opponent: absolutely no fear of dying.
The Finish
Vicious tried one last strike, a perfect killing blow aimed at John’s throat. John stepped inside it, took a shallow cut on the neck, and drove his elbow into Vicious’s jaw. The katana clattered on the stone floor. Vicious fell to his knees among the burning pews.
John stood over him, pistol raised. “Why?” he asked. Vicious spat blood and laughed coldly. “Because in my world, the strongest one takes everything.” John looked at him for a long moment. “In mine,” he said, “the strongest one is the one who has nothing left to lose.”
He lowered the pistol, took the katana and walked away through the smoke. Behind him, the crow landed beside its master. Vicious stared at the burning church for a long time, and for the first time in his life, he understood that some ladders end in a fall.
The verdict
John Wick wins
Vicious is a superb, ruthless swordsman, but John Wick is the more experienced killer, his bulletproof suit and gun-fu beat a blade at close range, and he simply refuses to stop.
- Gun-fuJohn’s close-quarters gunfighting beats Vicious’s swordsmanship.
- Bulletproof suitIt stops Vicious’s killing cuts.
- RelentlessnessJohn does not panic or slow down even when wounded.
How the rematch could go differently: In a sword-only duel with no guns or armour, Vicious’s blade skill would make him a dangerous favourite.
Who do you think wins?
Who would win in a fight between Vicious and John Wick?
John Wick wins. Vicious is a superb, ruthless swordsman, but John Wick is the more experienced killer, his bulletproof suit and gun-fu beat a blade at close range, and he simply refuses to stop.