The Continental Offers The Biggest Clue Behind Winston's Loyalty To John Wick

Contains spoilers for "The Continental: From the World of John Wick"

Be it dog killers, elders, or marquis, there is no shortage of foes for John Wick (Keanu Reeves) to face in every movie – and no shortage of conflicts for Winston Scott (Ian McShane) to assist him with. But while John is talented, charismatic, and economical with his vocabulary, that doesn't quite explain why Winston is so quick to help him. If anything, John is nothing but an inconvenience and does nothing but put Winston's livelihood in jeopardy.

Peacock's new "John Wick" installment, "The Continental," doesn't just give an inside look at the '70s love letter to Winston's background, but what endears John so much to the hotel manager. Take a close look at John and he has a striking resemblance to Winston's (Colin Woodell) bearded brother, Frankie (Ben Robson). Both John and the elder Scott brother are similar in that regard and have comparable skills when it comes to combat. 

Episode 1 of the miniseries starts with a bang — literally. On New Year's Eve, Frankie uses the festivities as a distraction to steal the hotel manager's coin press and make a daring escape. Using impressive fighting skills and making a daring escape, Frankie uses all the skills that are common in the "John Wick" films, and it is easy to see how these universes are connected. But look past these surface-level similarities, and Winston's appreciation for John runs more than skin deep.

It seems that Winston's destiny will always be on the outside, observing the fates having their way with lesser mortals. He sees it happen with his brother Frankie, as he sees it with John. Both men try to adhere to their principles and are brutally struck down by The High Table in their way. After having a lucrative career as an assassin, John is almost successful in making it out when he finds a family. Even after his wife's death, he tries his best to stay out of the game, but fate has other plans. Frankie is much the same, a person whose cards are stacked against him.

Winston's brother also tries to escape a tragic life by finding love. After meeting Yen (Nhung Kate) in Vietnam, the two plan on running away into the sunset together. As fate would have it, Frankie's luck is somehow even more rotten than John's. Stealing the coin press goes terribly for Frankie, and he loses his life because of it. Through all of Winston's proclamations that he wants nothing to do with Frankie's plans, this changes things. He vows revenge, and he never looks back. This event alters him inextricably. So when he meets a man who looks similar to his dead brother, martial arts skills and all, Winston does everything he can to help him for as long as he can.