Hoping to leave his past as a contract killer behind him and pursue a normal life, John met with Viggo Tarasov, boss of the Tarasov mob, who agreed to grant him his freedom if he could carry out what was described as "impossible task", implying that John was not expected to survive the mission. In order to accomplish his goal, John requested assistance from crime boss Santino D'Antonio and subsequently ended up owing him a blood oath called a "marker". Wick eliminated all Tarasov's major rivals, thus enabling him to become one of New York's most powerful crime bosses.