- "The path to paradise begins in hell."
- —The Director to John Wick
The Director is a crime lord and leader of the New York branch of the Ruska Roma. She is also the adoptive mother of John Wick and a mentor at the Tarkovsky Theater.
Biography[]
Background[]
- "You know, when my pupils first come here, they wish for one thing: a life free of suffering. I try to dissuade them from these childish notions, but as you know, art is pain. Life is suffering."
- —The Director
The Director is the theatrical mentor at the Tarkovsky Theater and leader of the Ruska Roma, a crime organization that has an understanding of The High Table, which is considered to be the governing authority of the criminal underworld. She was also known to be the mother figure of the legendary assassin John Wick, who was trained in his childhood by the Ruska Roma before he left.
John Wick: 3 - Parabellum[]
- "John: I still have my ticket
The Director: After all the chaos you've caused for the last few weeks, you think your ticket is valid? You forget that the Ruska Roma is bounded by the High Table, and the High Table stands above all? They could kill me just for talking to you. You honor me by bringing death to my front door. Oh, Jardani, what has become of you?" - —The Director and John Wick
After John was declared "excommunicado" for his unauthorized killing of Santino D'Antonio on the grounds of the New York Continental, he went to The Director for aid. In response, she opted to help John because he was once a member of Ruska Roma, giving him safe passage to Casablanca and accepting his ticket despite his status. However, she banned John from ever returning to the Ruska Roma.
Later, as a punishment for helping Wick, she was confronted by a High Table representative known as The Adjudicator, who was dispatched to adjudge those who aided Wick. She was forced to show fealty to the Adjudicator with the support of Zero and his men by having her "helping hands" stabbed, which was carried out by Zero.
From the World of John Wick: Ballerina[]
TBA.
Trivia[]
- She is heard referring to John as "Jardani" which turns out to be John's real name. She acts like John's mother figure in the sense that she raised John in her organization since John is an orphan.
- She is seen directing ballet performed by female orphans under her care, to the point of them suffering severe injuries to their feet and toes. She justifies this with her view that "art is pain, and life is suffering."
- The male orphans under her care are seen practicing Sambo, a Russian/Soviet martial art. They can be observed using a certain move to bring an opponent down to the ground. John Wick himself can be seen using this maneuver in fights on several occasions. She comments to John about it looking "familiar" to him.
- She appears to be inspired by Irma Bunt, the villain from 1969 James Bond film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Both are elderly women in their 60s who ran an academy and raising orphans as assassins.