John Wick Tattoos: All The Hidden Meanings Behind The Ink

For an action franchise, the John Wick films are rife with symbolism and this includes the John Wick tattoos. Not only do the names of characters echo Greek and Roman mythology, but the narrative structure is almost Shakespearean, and the action sequences are often balletic. For films that began with a hitman pulled out of retirement to avenge the death of his dog, they are surprisingly elegant. Their main protagonist, a man of economic word choice and surly charisma, also sports a fair amount of tattoos, and in fact, ink is on display a lot throughout the films.

Is there deep significance behind John Wick’s tattoos, or as they simply there to set him apart from all the other gun-toting tough guys in Hollywood? Do the tattoos on the members of his elite assassin’s guild have any meaning, including the highest-ranking members, like The Adjudicator? It is really a little bit of everything, as each of the John Wick tattoos has its own meaning in the movie world heading into John Wick: Chapter 4.

John Wick May Be A Marine Corps Vet

Though the films have not touched on John Wick’s backstory, his impressive hand-to-hand combat skill, firearm proficiency, body language, and the John Wick tattoos indicate he has a background in the military. Given the way he dispenses violent vengeance against those foolish enough to stand in his path, there’s good reason to believe he’s a Marine Corps vet. The tattoo across his back reads “Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat,” translated from Latin into, “fortune favors the bold.” It is reminiscent of the motto for the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines – “Fortes Fortuna Juvat.” The meaning is similar. Tattoos with similar slogans are not uncommon in many branches of the armed forces.

He Could Be (Or Used To Be) A Man Of Faith

In the shower scene of the first film, there is a clear look at the John Wick tattoos. Beneath the scrawling Latin phrase, “Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat,” are two hands cupped in prayer presented over a cross, with rays radiating from its three visible points. This indicates John could be a man of faith, so devoted to his chosen higher power that he got the pious tattoo placed between his shoulder blades. His mission of vengeance is against most religions, but his archetype of a “fallen angel” sort of anti-hero, of a once good man tainted by the sin of his former life, would fit the narrative of the films.

He’s Possibly A Pagan

“Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat” has been interpreted differently by different Latin scholars, and seeing that it’s a dead language, they continue to debate on the meaning behind the phrase. Some believe it to say, “It is only the strong ones that Fortuna comes to save.”.Fortuna was the Roman Goddess of Fortune and Good Luck, seen as a guiding figure of opportunity and fate. She could bless or curse a person’s actions, depending on her whim. Despite the praying hands on his back, the John Wick tattoos indicate he could believe in Fortuna and have more pagan beliefs, living his life according to the will of Luck’s guidance.

He’s Done Some Time

Given his history with the Ruska Roma as an orphaned child, and the fact they’re a division of the High Table filled with Belarussian assassins, Wick might have done some things on behalf of his adopted family that landed him in a Russian prison given the wolf tattoo on his right shoulder. Snarling wolves, tigers, or leopards are known as “oskals,” translated from Russian to mean “Big Grin,” and get placed on prisoners that are aggressive in the face of authority. If he wasn’t in a Russian prison, he may have gotten these John Wick tattoos by the Ruska Roma themselves for insubordination in his younger years.

He Was In The Russian Mob

In the first John Wick film, he worked for the Tarasov family, an influential clan within the Russian mob. Iosef Tarasov made the colossal mistake of stealing John Wick’s car and killing his puppy, a gift from his late wife, even though Wick put in many years of loyal service. In the shootout in the underground club, Iosef has several tattoos, including a back tattoo (although not similar to any of the John Wick tattoos). It’s possible that during his time affiliated with this family, Wick got some of the tattoos on his back and shoulders, such as the snarling wolf, the face in the flames, or the cross on his left shoulder.

He’s A Fan Of Fine Art

One of the most prominent John Wick tattoos is the praying hands on his back over a cross. The hands are a nearly identical copy to “Study of the Hands of an Apostle,” a pen-an-ink drawing by German artist Albrecht Dürer. It’s one of the finest examples of white highlighting with black ink on blue paper. By having the depiction of Dürer’s most famous work on his back, it could indicate John Wick has a more cultured side apart from the violence. Considering the lavish lifestyle of his associates, and the prestige of the High Table, it stands to reason he could have retired from the hitman racket with an appreciation for finely honed artistry.

He’s Proud Of His Adopted Family

As revealed in Parabellum, John Wick’s real name is Jardani Jovonovich, and he grew up an orphan. He was adopted into the Ruska Roma crime syndicate and groomed by The Director, who molded him into the world’s most elite assassin. She molded him into a fighter and a dancer, which is one of the reasons his movements are so fluid. The John Wick tattoos may commemorate his time spent in service to the family, indicating deep levels of commitment and devotion. Other dancers under the Director’s vigilant eye also boast large tattoos that cover their backs, shoulders, and arms.

John Wick Tattoos Could Indicate Allegiances

Just as John Wick found sanctuary with the Ruska Roma and began his career as an assassin working for prominent Russian families, so too could the tattoos of the other characters in the John Wick Universe indicate allegiances to their specific cohorts. Russian mob and prison tattoos tend to reflect one’s deeds and accomplishments, so it stands to reason that the assassins that pledge themselves to a clan under the purview of the High Table acquire pieces of ink with certain specific contracts, like their first hit, or most prominent hit.

The John Wick Tattoos Reveal Assassin Ethos

John Wick selected “Fortis Fortuna Aduivat” to bow across his back above a set of praying hands, indicating he’s a decisive man of action. His actions are bold and he is above fear, living life according to his own moral code and terms of conduct. The Adjudicator in John Wick Parabellum has the word “Einfühlung” tattooed across their neck. This is a German word that translates to “empathy,” which is an ironic selection of ink given the nature of their position with the High Table. Perhaps it’s a reminder to express an understanding of another person’s frame of reference and to judge everyone fairly.

Tattoos Represent A Division From Society

The High Table and its covert guild of elite assassins is a mysterious entity apart from society but nevertheless involved in all of its machinations. All its agents work within the confines of its laws and doctrines and care very little for the rules of society. This could be a reason so many of the associates under the High Table sport copious tattoos. Their ink visually signifies being apart from society in a symbolic way. A prime example is the operators in John Wick Chapter 2, who perform socially acceptable roles, yet are covered in ink that wouldn’t be appropriate for that position in previous decades.