TheCyberpunk 2077canon is dense with lore. CD Projekt Red crafted its game using Mike Pondsmith’s world-building from the originalCyberpunktabletop RPG to create a complex yet believable setting for its game.Cyberpunk 2077’s lived-in nature is assisted by Night City’s varied districts, unique slang, and intriguing NPCs.
Out of all ofCyberpunk 2077’s NPCs, Johnny Silverhand — played by Keanu Reeves — is the game’s most impactful. Johnny Silverhand accompanies V throughout most of the game once his personality construct gets slotted into V’s head via the lethal Relic shard and kicks offCyberpunk 2077’s main narrative. In addition to lobbing crude yet philosophical statements to influence the protagonist’s decisions, the rockstar helps introduce the player to Night City’s messy past. Johnny Silverhand’s story is wrapped up in several ofCyberpunk 2077’s endings, meaning that CD Projekt Red will likely move on from his character in the game’s upcoming sequel, Project Orion. However, one icon fromCyberpunk’s lore could serve as a handy replacement and introduce players to a new page from Night City’s history books.
Morgan Blackhand: Night City Legend
A veteran of both the Second Central American War and the Fourth Corporate War, Morgan Blackhand literally wrote the book about being a soldier-for-hire in Night City. Blackhand’s no-nonsense and nonlethal approach made him one of the most sought-after solos of the early 21st century. He gained acclaim by working for both private citizens like Kerry Eurodyne andmegacorps like Militech. Though Blackhand was in possession of cyberware like his namesake cybernetic arm and even a Sandevistan, he relied far more upon his innate physical and tactical skills. This caught the attention of rival mercenary Adam Smasher, who saw Blackhand as the antithesis of his “meat vs. metal” mentality.
Morgan Blackhand’s last known mission actually brought him into contact with Johnny Silverhand. In the lore of the tabletop game, the two teamed up alongside other elite operatives during the assault on the Arasaka Tower.Adam Smasherwas deployed by Arasaka to dispatch the intruders. Blackhand completed his part of the mission and was on his way to evacuate the scene when he came across Adam Smasher. The heavily modified mercenary — desperate to prove his superiority — goaded Blackhand into a confrontation after killing Johnny Silverhand and injuring another member of their team. A fight between Blackhand and Smasher broke out, but the resolution is unknown as a nuclear bomb planted inside one of the towers by Blackhand’s team was detonated shortly after.
Morgan Blackhand’s Absence in Cyberpunk 2077
Besides being Mike Pondsmith’s archetypal character for the solo class, Morgan Blackhand is a major character in theCyberpunklore. ManyNPCs inCyberpunk 2077like Jackie Welles revere Blackhand, placing him on a pedestal alongside other Night City legends like Johnny Silverhand, Adam Smasher, and Andrew Weyland. However, not only do these offhanded references encompass the full extent to which Blackhand appears in the game, but key details of the character’s backstory are seemingly retconned inCyberpunk 2077’s main questline.
During Johnny Silverhand’s introductory mission, V lives out the rockstar’s memories from the assault on the Arasaka Tower. Though a memorable introduction to the character, the mission deviates from Mike Pondsmith’s original canon. Morgan Blackhand is absent during the event, and many of his actions — like planting the nuclear device and fighting Adam Smasher on the landing pad — are instead performed by Johnny Silverhand.
Bringing Morgan Blackhand to Project Orion
It’s unknown ifMorgan Blackhand’s absence inCyberpunk 2077is a true retcon or just a result of Johnny Silverhand’s unreliable narration, but CD Projekt Red has the perfect way to address it. Making Morgan Blackhand a key figure in Project Orion’s story could build upon the many references to his character and cement him as a true Night City legend. Additionally, it would help to fill in the narrative gaps created by his exclusion fromCyberpunk 2077.
He could fill Johnny Silverhand’s role from the first game, but his personality is so different that it wouldn’t feel repetitive. Given the inconclusive nature of Blackhand’s fate, this would give CD Projekt Red flexibility to make Project Orion either a prequel or a follow-up. For those uninterested in Morgan Blackhand’s history, CD Projekt Red could follow asimilar pattern to Johnny Silverhand and Solomon Reedand cast an A-list celebrity to make Blackhand a major selling point for the game.
Cyberpunk 2077
WHERE TO PLAY
Cyberpunk 2077 is an open-world action-adventure from the creators of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, CD Projekt Red.Set in Night City, a megalopolis obsessed with power, glamour and body modification, you play as V, a mercenary outlaw going after a one-of-a-kind implant that is the key to immortality.Upgraded with next-gen in mind and featuring free additional content, customize your character and playstyle as you take on jobs, build a reputation, and unlock upgrades.The relationships you forge and the choices you make will shape the story and the world around you. Legends are made here. What will yours be?
