history3_trapped | [Character Discussion Thread] Jack

Kicking off the series of character discussion threads right with Jack, everybody's favorite leather-clad mercenary and #1 TangFei shipper.

This thread will be full of spoilers, including the little bit of his background revealed in the second epilogue of the novelization.

Jack intrigued me from the very first scene in the series, where Tang Yi meets to negotiate with the Shi Ho Clan. Tang Yi projects an air of confidence, but Jack is the one with swagger as he faces down two pistols at point-blank range. And he grins as he stuffs his gun into a Shi Ho Clan member's hand, just in time as Unit Three bursts in to arrest everybody.

Throughout the rest of the series, Jack takes a special delight in terrorizing Li Zhi De,

cheering on Meng Shao Fei and Tang Yi from the benches,

and cooking for Zhao Zi, whom he finds charming due to Zhao Zi's immunity to his particular brand of intimidation.

We find out in late in the series that despite Jack's apparent competence and loyalty to Xin Tian Meng, it's all an act, as he's actually been hired by Interpol Chief Yan to infiltrate the syndicate and pass information on their operations to law enforcement. And his next mission is to worm his way into Chen Wen Hao's Cambodian syndicate.

That's when Jack realizes he might not actually want to go, because he's fallen in love with tiny cop disaster Zhao Zi. So when Zhao Zi finally confronts his own feelings and tells Jack not to go,

Jack ends his story arc as the most badassly adorable ex-mafia househusband since Tatsu.

But my favorite thing about Jack, besides how absolutely stacked he is, is that we just don't know that much about him. The second epilogue of the novelization, if it can be counted as canon, states that he was trained in the army, suggests he may have served as an elite assassin, and he left because he got bored of being a hitman. As for how long he's been in the employ of Interpol, we don't really know. We don't even really know from the series what makes Jack tick (other than Zhao Zi, of course), so Jack is a character who is ripe for fanfiction and fun to explore in fan creations.

There are a lot of different characterizations I've seen out there in the fandom, a lot of different interpretations of his life before the events we see in Trapped and after he settles down with Unit Three's resident cinnamon roll. There's a lot to discuss.

So, everybody, let's talk about Jack!

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I like the novel background stuff! Slots in there with my fave mercenary types (Eliot in Leverage, Shaw in Person of Interest) and I'm a sucker for the badass with secret heart of gold.

The thing I especially love about Jack is how I think even he doesn't know he has a heart of gold until he meets Zhao Zi. That expression on his face when he first sees this dumbass cutie walking? on his? hands? is like "oh this is gonna be fun." But then when he actually gets the dumbass cutie in an interrogation room he can't actually be mean enough to extract any answers!

Not that Zhao Zi has any answers anyway, but even if he did, we can already tell Jack's not gonna hurt that little dumplin'. And, imo anyway, Jack's sorta... poleaxed by this. When he lets Zhao Zi go, I read the expression on his face as "oh I'm definitely gonna be seeing you again, and you're gonna like it."

I. LOVE. JACK.

I love his insouciance, which is obvious from the first minute we meet him and see him looking so unperturbed by the gun-heavy gangster confrontation and police raid he's in the middle of. I love that he seems to find everything funny. I love that he tells Ah-De to chill out and have some coconut water. :D

And I love that it turns out there *is* something he cares about, and that something is Zhao Zi. Even though we don't get to know a lot about him in 10 eps, I think his emotional journey, and his core vulnerability when it comes to Zhao Zi, is actually pretty clear. And I love that it seems like he had this whole life plan of not getting too close to anyone, keeping things light, moving on (because relationships are just about people mutually using each, right?) and THEN this pure cinnamon roll ray of sunshine baby cop happens to him. ♥

Jack is, by far, my favourite character in this drama. Since the moment we met him I was gone for him. His swagger. His confidence. His devil may care attitude. The way he would smile even with a gun in his face. No trace of fear. If anything, his eyes seemed to say 'I dare you to try'. That first scene I knew right away this guy isn't one to be trifled with.

In my opinion he gives off the most dangerous vibe from all characters with the exception of Wen Hao. When Jack was twirling his knife back and forth and Wen Hao looked at him, it was like two tigers seizing each other up. The tiny smirks they gave each other made me think 'ohh these two are quite alike, aren't they'.

stare

Jack's speech about people using each other. That was rather cold, the words themselves, but in fact he's not a cold person, if anything I'd liken him to fire. Burning anything in its wake without care. It's fine as long as he gets to have some fun, as long as things are interesting. Fire is really pretty from afar but if you get too close you'd get burned. For me personally Tang Yi is cold, while Jack is hot. Not even sure how to explain that, it's the feeling I get from them.

The way I see it, Jack doesn't stay in one place often, from one assignment to another, so he doesn't allow himself to get close to anyone. Not until he meets Zhao Zi and his life changes.

Jack is still quite the mystery. He and Zhao Zi didn't get the same treatment as Shao Fei/Tang Yi and I understand, they're the secondary pairing and all. But I do wish they were given at least a bit more. Jack especially, they could have let us know more about him, because I understand how he is but I don't understand why he is, what made him the way he is. I guess it's true then that he's a pretty ideal character for fanfiction because we can do a lot with him.

Anyways, point is, he's the most fascinating character for me.

Oh but just one gripe? God damn I wish someone had taught Andy how to actually flip a butterfly knife because (see my comment about bad boys) when actually done properly is some seriously hot shit.

I've had another Jack thought since re-watching yesterday, and that is that he completely avoids Zhao Zi's question about whether he (Jack) has any family. And now my headcanon is that he in fact has a LOT of family in Taiwan, and he spends a good chunk of his househusbanding days pretending he's abroad when family invitations come and trying to avoid his myriad cousins who all have a mental Wanted poster of him with instructions to deliver him to parents xDDDDDDDDD

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