With John Wick: Chapter 5 officially confirmed, the protagonist’s future story is unclear, but if Keanu Reeves’ character were to retire for good, the franchise already has an excellent replacement. While theories have emerged about the Baba Yaga having a mission to protect someone in John Wick 5 or potentially even fighting his way through hell, no details have been confirmed about what will bring the lead character back into the spotlight. The last time we saw him, John was presumed ᴅᴇᴀᴅ, but considering he has already survived so much punishment, it’s possible the protagonist decided to fake his death.

ᴀssuming this is the case, John surely has retirement in mind having already had a taste of it in the first film. Therefore, even if he is involved in the action, the ᴀssᴀssin may still be seeking long-term peace, meaning he will need a successor. While Ballerina is seemingly setting up Ana de Armas’ Eve as John Wick’s replacement, she isn’t the only option. Donnie Yen’s Caine is also getting his own spinoff and is a strong candidate to pick up where John left off, but one option seems like the perfect face for the franchise given their popularity.

John Wick 5 Needs To Bring Back Akira

Akira Is One Of The Best Supporting Characters John Wick Has Ever Introduced

Akira was a major highlight during her debut in John Wick: Chapter 4 and it would be great to see her brought back as the Baba Yaga’s successor. While there doesn’t have to be a pᴀssing of the torch-type scene, focusing future storylines around Akira while still having characters like Caine and Eve involved would be an exciting future for the franchise. Akira played a fairly substantial role in John Wick: Chapter 4, but the film definitely left me wanting to see more, especially after her father, Koji, was murdered, creating the perfect opportunity for her to step up.

Considering Koji was the manager of the Osaka Continental and was a valuable ally of John who died defending the protagonist, his daughter already has an obvious connection to the lead character. Although it seems inevitable that Akira will return in Donnie Yen’s John Wick spinoff, she still deserves a chance to be a major character going forward and lead her own movies, given how memorable her previous role was. Akira proved she was a very capable fighter in John Wick 4 and confirmed she was very alert to danger while maintaining good morals.

Her bow also sets Akira apart from most of the franchise’s other top ᴀssᴀssins, making me even more desperate to see her return. She undoubtedly has all the right traits to take over from John Wick, and although they may not be on the best terms after Chapter 4, that could always change in the future.

What Happened To Akira In John Wick 4’s Post-Credits Scene

Akira Set Her Sights On Caine After He Killed Her Father

While Akira wasn’t involved in the latter half of John Wick 4, she did return in the post-credits scene and looked set to get revenge on Caine. Despite Caine having a previously good relationship with John and Koji, he was forced to work for Vincent Bissett de Gramont, who threatened his daughter, resulting in the ᴀssᴀssin fighting against his former ᴀssociates. After defeating Koji, Caine was willing to spare his life, but Koji insisted on fighting to the bitter end, leading to his demise. From here, Akira vowed revenge on Caine, and the post-credits scene indicated she might get it.

She was able to track down Caine and walked towards him while drawing her blade before the scene cut to an abrupt end. Although Rina Sawayama hasn’t been confirmed for Caine’s John Wick spinoff, the post-credits moment hinted at Akira being involved in his movie, potentially as one of his main adversaries. While her final moments in John Wick 4 suggested she intends to murder her father’s killer, it seems a little too obvious for their confrontation to play out in broad daylight, meaning if they do have a showdown, it may take place in a more private setting.

Regardless of what happens between the duo, John Wick: Chapter 4‘s post-credits scene proved Akira is alive and well, albeit with a very serious grudge that won’t go away without some sort of closure with Caine. Therefore, the upcoming spinoff seems like a great chance to resolve their story, but it shouldn’t be the end of Akira’s role in the action universe.

How Akira Could Fit In John Wick 5

The ᴀssᴀssin May Still Hold A Grudge Against John For Indirectly Causing Her Father’s Death

ᴀssuming John Wick 5 happens before the Caine spinoff, Akira could potentially spend the movie gearing up to confront Caine, with her perspective focusing on the journey leading to John Wick 4‘s post-credits. However, she deserves the chance to have a story outside this arc, and something more personal with John could do the trick. While Caine is the one who killed Koji, Akira still holds John responsible for his death, a dynamic that could be explored throughout the fifth movie. She is unlikely to be the main antagonist, but this dynamic could play a major role in the narrative.

Having John potentially try to atone for his mistakes could lead to the duo teaming up once again, this time with Akira warming to her father’s close ally. This could lead to John mentoring Akira and potentially setting her up as his successor, giving her the chance to be a crucial part of the plot without sidelining the protagonist. After John Wick 4‘s ending, it’s hard to imagine the Baba Yaga remaining the lead character for too much longer, and allowing Akira to resolve her issues with John and eventually replace him could be the perfect story for her.

Alternatively, she could also be going after what is left of the High Table, which may also be what pulls John back into the action, or she could simply be a free agent who John goes to for help. Either way, Akira deserves to be involved in John Wick: Chapter 5, and I’m excited to see what the franchise does with the character going forward.