John Alden (Salem)

"My father's boots were the very first in Salem, and I'm warning every goddamn one of you murdering, hypocritical, Puritan bastards that these boots will be the last."

- John Alden to a crowd.

Johnathan "John" Alden is the male lead and one of the main protagonists of the WGN America thriller TV Series, Salem.

He is the son of John Alden senior and Sarah Alden, former lover of Mary Sibley and a hardened war hero. He returns home to his native Salem, Massachusetts after fighting in the nine years war to find his home town amidst a witch panic but has returned with the sole purpose of being reunited with his former lover and love of his life Mary only to discover that she is now married to George Sibley, the very man that had sent him off to die.

He is portrayed by American actor Shane West.

Personality
John is pragmatic, stubborn and hot tempered. He is considered to be a loose cannon among the Puritans but is adorned particularly by the commoners of Salem. He rebels often at the Puritan way of life and is thought to be a heretic but he is also brave and gallant which he shows when he saves Anne Hale on numerous occasions. He is not afraid to stand up for what he believes in or stand up for what is right.

John also has a dark side as it was revealed he had kill 20 of his own militia men to avenge the deaths of the Mohawk people who had taken him in after he was injured in the war. He also murdered his fellow soldier, William Hooke, when he arrived in Salem and threatened to reveal his secrets.

Background
Born and raised in Salem, Massachusetts he is one of the first borns in the new world and the son of the late John Alden senior, head of one of the founding families and a member of the selectmen board. John had a loving relationship with his father though he often disappointed him particularly for not learning scripture or attending university choosing instead to join the war but his father soon came to accept his son's choices. Before the events of 1685 John embarked on a relationship with the young Mary Walcott the pair quickly fell in love but he was later sent to join the militia to fight the French and the Indians. The night before he left Salem after witnessing the branding of Isaac Walton he made a vow to Mary that he would return for her within a year, splitting a silver coin in half and giving one half to her. A token of his promise to her.

During John's time in the militia he was severally injured in battle and left for dead but was found by the Mohawk tribe who brought him back from the brink of death. Their medicine man took a particular interest in John and he lived with them while he healed from his injuries, learning their ways and language while they treated him with exceptional kindness and compassion. One day while out hunting with their warriors the Mohawk village was raided by white men, the men, women and children murdered. Enraged by what had been done he hunted down all those responsible killing them all except for William Hooke who he spared.

Season One
Details to be added.

Season Two
Details to be added.

Trivia

 * Historically, John Alden escaped from Salem after the accusations that he was a witch and took refuge with friends in Duxbury.
 * He also married an Elizabeth Phillips Everill who gave him 14 children.
 * The real John Alden wrote a written account of the Salem Witch Trials.
 * Between the first and second seasons, John hatred towards the Puritans is replaced by the even more ruthless towards the witches.
 * He died at the end of the second season and was resurrected by a dying Mary. The consequences of this resurrection spell have yet to be revealed.
 * Even in the period between the introduction and the beginning of the first season, Alden was on the verge of death and was healed by a shaman.


 * John Alden (Shane West) and Mercy Lewis (Elise Eberle) never had interactions on the scene after the events of the pilot episode; they never had however a dialogue.