Much like thievery, there really is no honor in being an assassin or a hitman. People just ask you to kill someone for a relatively measly fee and you'll have to do it regardless, making it one of the dirtiest work available to humankind. For that matter, John Wick is not without his sins-- many of which have had some dire repercussions.
ittedly, John's no political genius, he's more like a loose cannon you point at something; someone who acts purely out of rage or instinct. This has made his existence problematic in his movie world; smarter and craftier people have manipulated him into doing bad things. Other times, John just doesn't care about the consequences at all and acts out of impunity. Here are 10 examples of why John is worse than the Boogeyman.
PUT INNOCENTS IN DANGER
It's no secret that nearly half the world in the John Wick films is all assassins. This became a lot more apparent in the second film. For some reason, however, it seems these guys, including Wick, have never heard of the word "discretion." They regularly keep assaulting one another out in the streets amidst the all-seeing eyes of the public.
From that silenced shootout in the subway station to the disco massacre, there's no shortage of human collateral damage that follows in John Wick's wake. It's impossible to think that no stray or missed bullet could have hit a random pedestrian, especially in that subway scene with Cassian, but miraculously, there were no innocents harmed. Still, that doesn't dispel the fact that they were all put in danger.
DESTROYED THE RUSSIAN MAFIA'S LEVERAGE
John Wick doesn't usually go to church, but when he does, he shoots the priest in the leg and kills most of the disguised henchmen church-goers. Afterward, John then proceeds to strike the Tarasov Mafia, where it hurts in the first film: in their gonads. He specifically did this by burning and destroying their treasure hoard which contains their money and "secrets."
The money can burn, however, some of these secrets are too important. It could be anything such as leverage against corrupt politicians to extortion tokens for big businesses and more notorious criminal organizations. Since John destroyed all those, he quite possibly plunged the underground world into chaos and gave evil people and organizations free rein.
KILLED SOMEONE INSIDE THE CONTINENTAL
It has been well-established in the first John Wick movie that business inside The Continental grounds is strictly prohibited. It's a hotel network that acts like embassies for assassins where murder is prohibited. In that regard, it provides a lawful respite for all the chaos happening outside the hotel and helps establish order in an otherwise animalistic crime world.
Then, John comes along all impatient and rash, shooting Santino D'Antonio like livestock. It was "badass" but in hindsight, John violated the sanctity of The Continental and brought the whole world down on his neck-- all because he couldn't wait or think clearly.
MADE SANTINO D'ANTONIO A MEMBER OF THE HIGH TABLE
The funny thing about John is that he made Santino D'Antonio way too powerful before he decided to kill him. If you can recall, John owes Santino big time for lending the manpower and firepower necessary to fulfill Viggo Tarasov's deal with John.
Santino, in return, wanted John to kill his sister, Gianna D'Antonio, who was head of the Camorra crime family. She was also a member of the High Table and by killing her, John basically handed Santino the position. This made Santino untouchable and even more powerful than Viggo Tarasov, not that it mattered to John, anyway.
RUINED MANY ESTABLISHMENTS
In addition to putting innocents in danger whenever he's around, John has most likely caused the shutdown of many business establishments due to how he wrecked the place with the shootouts and the mass murders. The disco/jacuzzi/bar establishment in the first movie comes to mind.
In the later films, John, along with his old friends, managed to wreck a whole museum-- a beautiful one nonetheless. The number of bodies he leaves behind and all the blood and bullet holes in the marble statues are usually enough to close down an establishment and draw enough attention from the regular world.
BETRAYED BERRADA
Throughout all the three movies, John is often outgunned, outmatched, and outsmarted by many enemies, which is why he had to think and behave like them. That meant double-crossing anyone he isn't indebted to or who is of no use to him anymore.
Berrada, the gold coin mint owner in John Wick 3: Parabellum, just happens to be this unlucky human being. John and Sofia Al-Azwar went to Berrada to get information on the Elder's whereabouts so that John could ask for forgiveness. Berrada did ask for fair trade but in return, both John and Sofia gave him a bullet to the leg, an impromptu castration, and killed half the population of Morocco.
BETRAYED THE HIGH TABLE
The High Table is by no means a likable faction in the movies, but they do have their rules, and those are pretty simple. Their leader, the Elder, was even comionate enough to give John a second chance, something they don't usually do. The Elder asked John to kill Winston and replace him as the owner of The Continental in New York.
It was a solid deal and would have absolved John of his transgressions against the High Table... then he betrays them. Turns out that was a most likely a bad move on John's part as Winston also betrayed him to the High Table... or did he?
MADE VIGGO TARASOV TOO POWERFUL
Despite him thinking otherwise, John's actions and decisions come with some significant consequences. Some of them don't even manifest until later on in his life. Before he retired, he was Viggo Tarasov's hitman. Viggo then cut a deal with him when he wanted out: to kill all of the Tarasov Mafia's enemies in one night, the "impossible task."
John delivered thanks to Santino D'Antonio, and this made Viggo rise up to the top of the food chain in New York. The Russian Mafia boss became way too powerful and unchallenged, and his son became too careless and arrogant because of this. Eventually, it led to John's dog being killed and his car being stolen.
INVOLVED OTHERS IN HIS PROBLEMS
There's no doubt that John still has some friends despite a long time in retirement, some of which are reluctant. Regardless, anyone associated with John has a 50 percent chance of dying or getting hurt badly all because of John's rather shortsighted choices.
Most of John's friends took quite a heavy toll and a bullet for John when they decided to help him. The Bowery King had his face disfigured and was nearly killed, the Director of Ruska Roma (John's adoptive mother) got tortured, and even Winston was asked to relinquish ownership of The Continental. There's no doubt that John brings a hurricane of trouble wherever he goes.
STOLE A DOG
Look, John gets a free for all the killing he does since he's practically grieving and has the right to do it in peace. However, John stole a dog from an animal clinic as a replacement for his dead one whom his wife left as a grieving gift.
It's not a big crime or a bad mistake compared to most of his decisions in this list, but that dog could have belonged to someone else. Apparently, he dog was "to be put down" or euthanized for some reason, which could mean that John did the dog a favor... or it could be a dog with behavioral problems which is why it's up for a euthanasia (it looked healthy enough, anyway). In any case, that wasn't for John to decide since he's neither a dog expert or a veterinarian, but you wouldn't dare tell him that now, would you?
