Of all the sad stories in Cyberpunk 2077, Misty and Jackie’s bittersweet romance is one of the most poignant. Though most of their relationship happens off-screen, Jackie speaks about Misty frequently in Act I, and V can find him hanging out in Misty’s Esoterica in-between jobs. Like many love stories in Night City, however, this one ends in tragedy, with Jackie’s death at the end of the “The Heist,” leaving Misty heartbroken.
Jackie is the first character V bonds with in Cyberpunk 2077, which makes it even more stunning that he would die so early in the game. It isn’t until after his death, though, that V learns more about Jackie’s past and his history with Misty.
Jaquito “Jackie” Welles was born in 2047 in Heywood. His father was a violent drunk who would beat Jackie and his mother with a belt until Jackie got strong enough to fight back, sending his father to the hospital. Jackie’s father left after that and never returned. Jackie joined the Valentinos gang for a time, but after a near-fatal incident, he left the gang for his mother’s sake.
How Cyberpunk’s Jackie & Misty Met
Misty Olszewski is the owner of Misty’s Esoterica, an occult store that also serves as a front for Viktor Vector’s ripperdoc clinic. She also grew up in Heywood, and knew Jackie growing up, though they didn’t start dating until about a year before his death. Misty is on bad terms with Mama Welles because Jackie’s mother never approved of their relationship, preferring Jackie’s ex-girlfriend Camila.
Much of Jackie’s background and the history of his relationship with Misty comes from the quest ‘Heroes’ which triggers after the end Cyberpunk 2077’s Act I. If V chose to send Jackie’s body back to his family, they’ll get invited to a traditional ofrenda ceremony to memorialize Jackie. Mama Welles gives V the key to Jackie’s garage and asks them to find an offering, an item that was important to Jackie. When V goes to the garage, they find Misty sitting outside, and they can choose to sit and talk with her about Jackie and their relationship.
Misty admits that she comes to Jackie’s garage often to sit outside and wait for him, even though she knows he isn’t coming back. Then Misty offers some of Cyberpunk 2077’s most heartbreaking exposition about the kind of man Jackie was, saying, “You actually got to know him, the real Jackie. Everybody else thought he was a goofball with a rough-hewn face and an edge. But they’re wrong…He wore his heart on his sleeve. And wasn’t at all afraid to live fully. Had his inner demons, though.”
Inside Jackie’s garage, as V looks around at potential offerings for the ofrenda, Misty explains the history behind each item, which is how V learns about Jackie’s abusive father. She also remarks on the mandala that Jackie secretly created in an attempt to understand Misty’s spirituality. In the end, V can choose to convince Misty to come to the ofrenda even though Mama Welles didn’t invite her, and her presence helps to soothe some of the bad blood between them.
Like many of the stories in Cyberpunk 2077, Misty and Jackie’s history is brief and tragic. At Jackie’s ofrenda, V is able to piece together the story of their romance and has the opportunity to heal the rift between Jackie’s love and his mother. These sorts of touching details are what make Cyberpunk 2077’s storylines so compelling to fans.