‘John Wick: Chapter 3’ Recap & Ending Explained: Get Ready for Chapter 4!

One of the most popular action movie franchises ever is John Wick, which stars Keanu Reeves in arguably his greatest role ever. The movie focuses on the titular character’s revenge quest after a group of troublemakers killed his deceased wife’s dog and stole his car. Of course, there is something deeper in that storyline, as Wick used to be the best hitman in the entire underworld. And he will stop at nothing to get his revenge.

John Wick spanned four movies, and the fourth one is now showing in theaters worldwide. However, for those who are yet to watch John Wick: Chapter 4 and are looking to remember what happened in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, we are here to give you a quick recap of what happened in that movie so that you will be ready for what’s in store for Chapter 4.

What Happened in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum?

In the events of John Wick: Chapter 2, we saw that John was willing to go to any length to get his revenge after the crime boss, Santino D’Antonio, attempted to kill him during the events of second movie. In that regard, John went on another killing spree to get to Santino, who sent some of the best guards and assassins that money could buy to kill the legendary hitman. Of course, we know that John ended up killing all of Santino’s henchmen, as it was clear that Wick was on his way to killing him.

Santino, desperate to keep himself safe from the wrath of the legendary hitman, went to the New York Continental to seek refuge from the hotel’s manager, Winston. He wanted Winston to revoke any of John’s privileges in the Continental so that the guards and the other assassins could kill him. However, Winston decided against doing so but reminded Santino that he had privileges in the hotel. That means that he is basically untouchable in the Continental, as those who are welcome in this hotel cannot be killed due to the sanctity of the Continental under the laws of the High Table.

John found Santino with Winston in the New York Continental. Even though John Wick knows that he cannot conduct business while on Continental grounds, he still decides to kill Santino, thereby going against the well-established rules of the High Table.

The next day, Winston met up with John. He told him that he was now excommunicado, which meant that all of his privileges as an assassin for the High Table were gone, as he was basically excommunicated from the organization. Moreover, the High Table also placed a bounty on his head, which would be effective in an hour. When John learned that the bounty was serious and that assassins were looking to get their hands on him, he had no choice but to try to find safety at the end of the second movie.

Of course, Chapter 3 started where Chapter 2 ended. John Wick saw himself becoming the target of numerous assassins looking to get their hands on the hefty bounty placed on John Wick’s head. He met a gigantic assassin named Ernest, who wanted to kill him before the one-hour grace period ended. However, John killed him and went to a doctor that could patch him up.

The doctor stopped before completely patching John up because his one-hour grace period had ended. This led to a fight between John and a gang of assassins that tried to claim the bounty. After that, Wick went to The Director to seek safe passage to Casablanca to meet with a very important man.

Of course, The Director hesitated to help John because she knew this would violate her peace treaty with the High Table. Still, she agreed to give him safe passage due to her status as John Wick’s adoptive mother.

In Casablanca, John met up with Sofia Al-Azwar so that she could take him to the Elder, who I the only man above the High Table, as she wanted to atone for what he did in Chapter 2. Sofia took him to Berrada, who she used to work with, and he told John to wander around the desert until he could no longer walk because this was the only way for him to find the Elder. In exchange for his help, Berrada demanded Sofia give her one of her dogs, which she refused.

Berrada shot the dog, which was saved by a bulletproof vest. Sofia tried to kill Berrada but only wounded him when John warned her against doing so. After that, they had to fight out so that Sofia could leave John in the desert to find the Elder.

John found the Elder in the desert and desperately asked for his forgiveness because he wanted to live as a free man in memory of his deceased wife. The Elder asked John to assassinate Winston for him due to the man’s misdeed in giving Wick an hour to live before his excommunication could take effect. John showed his loyalty to the Elder and the High Table by cutting off his ring finger and offering his ring up to the Elder.

In New York, John survived an attack by the ninja Zero and his students. He got to the Continental safely, where he met up with Winston, who told him to live as a man loved by his wife instead of being an enslaved killer that could never find a way out from his obligation with the High Table. This allowed John to rethink his life and how he wanted to live it.

How Did Chapter 3 End?

As John and Winston were conversing, the Adjudicator came to demand Winston to give up his office as the manager of the Continental. John eventually agreed to team up with Winston to rebel against the High Table, as the Adjudicator deconsecrated the Continental so that her people could conduct business there.

With John having the backing of Winston and the Continental, he could equip himself with the weapons he needed to take on Zero and his ninjas. John Wick defeated Zero and his men, forcing the Adjudicator to parley with John and Winston.

Winston told the Adjudicator that his rebellion was a show of strength, to which the Adjudicator agreed. He told her that he was always loyal to the High Table and ready to return to the fold. That was when he shot John, who fell from the top of the Continental building but still managed to survive.

John and his dog were delivered to the Bowery King, who was pissed off at the High Table as well for what they did to him. That was when he asked John if he was ready to take the High Table on, to which he replied with his signature “yeah” answer.

How Did Chapter 3 Set Chapter 4 Up?

The events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum allowed us to see that John no longer wanted to live the life of a killer under the employment of a secret organization. He was finally convinced that he wanted ultimate freedom from his obligations to the High Table. As such, even though the Elder had previously revoked his excommunication he was now an enemy of the High Table due to his actions in Chapter 3.

That means that Chapter 4 is another movie full of fights between John Wick and the assassins that the High Table will send after him. And we know that John, when focused, is almost unstoppable, especially now that he has a true reason to keep on living.

As for Winston, we know that he is more than willing to hold on to his power as the manager of the Continental of New York, and that was the reason why he decided that it was best for him to shoot John as a show of his “loyalty” to the High Table. But we also know that he was never exactly loyal to the High Table because he could have killed John Wick instead of just shooting him in his bulletproof suit, knowing well that he would survive that attack.

In short, the ending of Chapter 3 sets up an eventual war between John Wick and the High Table. He still has his allies in the form of the Bowery King, and Winston could still be a reluctant ally, depending on whether or not he has a stake in the war. But the point is that John wants his freedom and is going to stop at nothing to make sure that he earns his way out of the life that the High Table forced on him.