John Russel

This page relates to the John Russel of the DeadLands Crisis. If you are looking for Commander John Russel please click the link.

Early Life
John Russel was born some time before 2100 to Donald and Sophia Russel. John was left at the Arcadia Cathedral shortly after his birth and given to Father Anderson and the sisters at the Cathedral.

John spent his first few years at the Cathedral, under the care of Father Anderson, he attended a private school where he met and befriended Harry Zemeckis.

John would then be adopted by Harry's grandfather and brought to live with his best friend. However this did not last long, as Harry's grandfather died in an apparent suicide which was later revealed to a murder by Alexander Kendrix.

Alexander would then adopt the two boys and bring them to live with him at the KenX headquarters in Arcadia. Where he would love and care for the two young boys as if they were his own.

After such a broken childhood, John took far slower to Alexander than Harry. However the two did develop a fairly strong bond as John grew.

John would later decide to become a Detective in the CMC.

Detective Years
John quickly fast tracked his way through training and became one of the youngest Senior Detectives on the force.

John excelled as a detective, and was widely regarded as one of the best detectives in the city. It was during his Detective service that John lost his arm in a botched assault.

Training a Rookie
John took on a rookie at the pushing of his Captain, this rookie was Diana Hudson, who John believed to be a late joiner of the CMC. However it was eventually revealed that Diana was a sleeper agent for Alexander sent to watch and protect John.

John and Diana grew to have a strong and deep friendship, which near the end started to blossom into something more physical.

Escaping Arcadia
John learned through two tapes left by his father, that the DeadLands outside of Arcadia were not inhospitable, but were in fact quite safe. However this was kept secret by Alexander and his father so that they could control and rule over the people of Arcadia.

It was also revealed to John that his father and mother were murdered by Alexander, along with his adoptive grandfather. John shared most of this information with Charlotte, Harry and Chloe, however he withheld the information regarding John's parents. A secret that would not be revealed to them until the closing moments of the DeadLands Crisis.

John and Harry put together a plan to break the city free. This plan succeeded despite the fact that they both knew that Alexander knew they were planning to rebel in some way.

First Death
When E-Day finally happened, John was fatally shot by Alexander in the head on the roof of their apartment.

John would later be saved, revived by Alexander and his medical teams. John was significantly altered during this process. However his survival was kept a secret from everyone outside of Alexander, Diana and John.

John was lied to and manipulated through Thought Control to believe he was murdered by one of his family, which led to significant anger issues and poor temperament that would drive John to attempt to murder Charlotte and Harry. As well as murdered dozens of others.

John would be plagued by these memories for the rest of his official life.

Post-DeadLands Crisis.
John fired the last shot of the Crisis, killing his adoptive Father. After murdering Diana Hudson.

John would later go on to marry Charlotte and move north of Arcadia in to what would become the family home for the next two thousand years.

John was the first Lord of House Russel, which were both given to his family by the now free people of Arcadia.

John would later be buried in a shared coffin with his wife upon his death some years later.

Fame
John Russel was famous from birth, as he was the only child to ever be allowed to live within the Cathedral. Which earned him the nickname "The Cathedral Baby."

John later grew into a household name when both John and Harry were adopted by Alexander Kendrix. This fame followed them both for their entire lives, which only grew during and after the events of the DeadLands Crisis.

Rumors
There are several rumors that surround John Russel in particular.

Extended Life
There has long been a rumor that John did not in fact die, that instead, the alterations Alexander made would allow John to live longer than any human possibly should.

Higher Powers
It is speculated by some that John Russel made a trip across the Atlantic only a year or so after the end of the DeadLands Crisis, a trip that would have been incredibly dangerous and one not done since before the sealing of Arcadia. According to several sources, John Russel ventured across the world led by a map discovered in Alexander Kendrix's trophy room, along with two men. The purpose or result of this trip is not yet known.