The John Wicki
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"No wife. No home. No dog. You have nothing, John. Vengeance is all you have left."
—Santino D'Antonio

Santino D'Antonio is an Italian mafia boss associated with John Wick, with whom he owns a Marker. He serves as the main antagonist in John Wick: Chapter 2 and a posthumous antagonist in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.

To repay the latter debt, John was bid to assassinate Gianna D'Antonio, Santino's sister. He succeeded, thus making Santino head of the Neapolitan crime organization known as the Camorra.

History

Background

Santino D'Antonio is the son of the head of the D'Antonio crime family and the brother of Gianna D'Antonio. His father had a seat in the High Table, an elite organization of leading criminal families, but after his death, he bequeathed this seat to Gianna, much to Santino's disappointment. Since that day, Santino planned revenge and the death of his sister to obtain the seat in the High Table.

When legendary hitman John Wick sought to leave his life as a killer, he was told in return to complete one last job for his boss Viggo Tarasov. In order to accomplish the task, John visited Santino and asked for help - in return he made a blood oath with Santino - the Marker. Although Santino was actually ready to accept John's retirement after that, he finds that he has taken himself back to the world of assassins and has now repaid his debt after he took revenge on Viggo and his son Iosef.

John Wick: Chapter 2

A few days after John came out of retirement to seek revenge on Viggo and Iosef Tarasov, Santino decides to visit him and presents the medallion to demand service from him. However, John refuses to honor the oath, claiming that he is retired. Santino leaves the house displeased and opens the back of his truck, revealing a grenade launcher which he uses to destroy the house.

John later decides to honor his oath, with some convincing from Winston, and goes to see Santino to find out what his mission for him is. Santino tasks him with assassinating Gianna D'Antonio so he could take her spot at the High Table.

After John succeeds in his mission, Santino sends Ares, his personal bodyguard, and several of his men to kill John, to tie up loose ends. However, John kills most of his men and escapes. Santino then tries to call John, but he refuses to listen. Santino then places a 7 million dollar bounty on John Wick's head, prompting hitmen from all over the world to try and assassinate him.

John fends off most of the assassins but is wounded while doing so. He later finds out Santino's location at an art exhibit from the Bowery King. John goes to confront the Mafia boss while he is holding a party. Upon noticing John, Santino quickly flees while his henchmen fight a pursuing John.

Santino escapes into the "Reflections of the Soul" exhibit and mocks John, saying he has nothing left but revenge. While John heads into the exhibit to confront him, Ares arrives with several more men. Although John manages to kill all of them, including Ares, Santino is able to escape.

Santino flees to the Continental Hotel, knowing that John can't kill him there because the rules forbid it. While there, Santino demands that Winston revoke John's membership to the Continental, but Winston refuses as John had not broken any rules. When John arrives in search of Santino and confronts him as he is eating, Santino smugly makes it clear to John that he intends to remain in its sanctuary indefinitely, protected by the rules. However, despite Winston's warnings, John shoots and kills Santino in the Continental lounge much to the shock and dismay of Winston and everyone present. John did this as he knew that, even if he were to let Santino live, he would still be hunted And so opted to get his revenge.

The next day, John meets Winston at the Bethesda Fountain. Winston informs him that as a direct result of Santino's death, John’s bounty will, per the High Table, be doubled and offered globally. John is also declared "excommunicado" from the Continental as a consequence for killing Santino on organization grounds, losing access to the Continental's resources and privileges, almost certainly dooming him to a future of being actively hunted by assassins. However, Winston gives John and his dog a 1-hour headstart to run, even giving John a Marker for future use.

John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum

After his death, his body was to be cremated within the furnace located underground of the Continental Hotel. Before this can happen, however, The Adjudicator visits the Continental and examines his body, while discussing Winston's involvement with John and how he too must be punished for the incident.

Trivia

  • The surname "Santino" literally translates as "Little Saint."
  • Even if John never violated the rules of the Continental, in not killing Santino, the result would be the same, as Santino would just pour money into making John's bounty larger and larger. As a result, John decided instead to kill him and break the rules, as at least then he would get his revenge.
  • It is indicated that both Winston and Charon despise him, due to his action in hiring people to kill his sister, as Winston coldly refuses his pledge to revoke Wick's membership and Charon simply ignores Wick when he knew fully well that Wick came to kill Santino.
  • In 2020 130g of Cocaine was attempted to be smuggled into Italy addressed to Santino D'Antonio hidden in coffee beans.
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