[Character Discussion Thread] Jack

[doctorskuld]

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!

Comments

[doctorskuld]

Aside from his pecs, Jack's insouciance is his best quality.

I love that he seems to find everything funny.

I strongly interpret Jack as an agent of chaos, who likes things not to go smoothly, but for them to go interestingly instead...and this is so evident in how hard he is shipping TY and MSF. 'You know what would be hilarious? If that cop TY sued actually fell in love with him and TY fell in love back.'

...and then it actually happens and Jack thinks it's the most wonderful thing he's ever seen. Okay, second most wonderful, after Zhao Zi.

I love that he tells Ah-De to chill out and have some coconut water.

I LOVE THAT SCENE too! Ah-De is pissed off as all hell and Jack's just like swinging an arm around his shoulders telling him to calm the fuck down, knowing full well that's just going to make Ah-De even more angry. HA!

and his core vulnerability when it comes to Zhao Zi, is actually pretty clear.

That "OH NO" moment when he first goes to ZZ's house and cooks for him, that was it. That was Jack, DONE.

and THEN this pure cinnamon roll ray of sunshine baby cop happens to him.

Jack never thought once in his life that he would trade in his mercenary career—going undercover, going from one dangerous, put-your-life-on-the-line job to another—for being a househusband, and yet, there he is, with Grandma's apron and a smile as Zhao Zi walks downstairs in the morning for breakfast.

[clevermanka]

who likes things not to go smoothly, but for them to go interestingly instead
Oh my gosh you're so right, and I think with Zhao Zi he gets both!

this is so evident in how hard he is shipping TY and MSF
I just had a vision of Jack being in a mercenary club like Jeeves' uhhhh I don't remember the name of the secret valet organization where they keep their employers' embarrassing secrets in a big book? But something like that, only online and anonymous obvs, maybe they're on reddit, and Jack's giving everyone updates of these two idiots and all the members in the reddit (I'm rolling with this now) are like DUDE WHAT HAPPENED NEXT YOU CAN'T LEAVE US HANGING.

[doctorskuld]

I would totally read a fic in the format of a reddit thread where Jack gives updates on his boss [29M] and the cop he sued two years ago [28M] falling in love.

[clevermanka]

This format is exactly what I want and absolutely unaligned with my writing strengths so I hope somebody else jumps on it.