The Ruska Roma have been an integral part of John Wick's quest to hold the High Table able, and their appearance again in John Wick: Chapter 4 give a glimpse of what's to come if John Wick 5 should come to . In John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum, Wick appealed to The Director (Anjelica Huston), the leader of the Ruska Roma family and, incidentally, Wick's adoptive mother figure, for a favor. She used her influence to help him escape to Morocco undetected, but in doing so his ticket was torn, and he was cast out of one of the most prominent families on the High Table.
Given how John Wick: Chapter 4 ends, there are only so many different storylines that can be explored if John Wick is still involved in the franchise. John Wick 4 sets up spin-offs that might seem obvious to fans of The Director's academy of assassins or Winston and The Continental - but they wouldn't be a focal part of Wick's mythical saga of revenge. The film's Ruska Roma subplot, which ultimately leads to Wick's climactic victory over the High Table, points to the most compelling John Wick 5 plot to date.
John Wick 4's Ruska Roma Subplot Sets Up A John Wick 5 Prequel Story
Despite his ticket being torn, John Wick finds a way to reconnect with the Ruska Roma family by taking out Killa (Scott Adkins), the head of a German family who murdered one of their to make a statement. For his gesture, they brand him with their crest, proving himself as a member of their powerful clan once again and allowing him to formally challenge Marquis Vincent de Gramont to a duel. There's been a lot implied about the assassin's upbringing within the Ruska Roma family over the franchise, and this means that John Wick's origins as Jardani Jovanovich can be explored in a John Wick 5 prequel.
A John Wick prequel can explore how he trained as an assassin under the Ruska Roma ways, his history with Katia, and the creation of the Baba Yaga mythos. Wick has only ever been seen as an elite hitman with an arsenal of skills at his disposal, but a John Wick 5 prequel could reveal how he was molded into the most infamous contract killer in the franchise. It could also include meeting Winston, Charon, Caine, Koji, and his wife Helen, and showcase the happy life with her that made him want to get free of the High Table to begin with.
Why John Wick 5 Being A Prequel Makes The Most Sense
Against all odds, John Wick died at the end of John Wick 4 because he found a way to outsmart the Marquis and outmaneuver the High Table by using their own rules against them. This creates somewhat of a conundrum for the franchise because it appears to have lost Keanu Reeves, its biggest star, but it can keep the John Wick name going strong. By focusing on Wick during his younger years as a rookie assassin, John Wick 5 can cast a young actor who can perhaps keep the franchise going for several more movies.
Given the John Wick: Chapter 4 box office compared to the franchise as a whole, it only makes sense to find a way to keep John Wick alive in some form for as long as possible. While it may not involve Keanu directly, John Wick 5 can still feature the famous assassin in a younger iteration, as well as continue to build upon the unique world he inhabits. At this point, the world-building of John Wick has become as essential to the franchise as the lore surrounding the Baba Yaga himself, and that begins with the Ruska Roma.
