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| “ | Wake the f**k up, Samurai. We have a city to burn. | „ |
| ~ Johnny to V in Cyberpunk 2077 - his most famous quote |
| “ | He's f**ked in the head, the world's f**ked in the head - and you're f**ked in the head 'cause MY f**ked up head is inside it. Guess if you want to save the world, that's the first step - get f**ked in the head." | „ |
| ~ Johnny to V in Cyberpunk 2077 |
Robert John Linder, better known as Johnny Silverhand, is one of the main characters of the dystopian science fiction multimedia franchise Cyberpunk, appearing as the deuteragonist of the 2020 action role-playing video game Cyberpunk 2077.
A "rockerboy" operating in Night City, he served as the front man and leading vocalist of the band Samurai. Silverhand was a prominent adversary to the Arasaka Corporation, even taking part in several attacks on them, as well as the archenemy of Adam Smasher.
In Cyberpunk 2077, he is both voiced and portrayed by Keanu Reaves, who also played Neo in The Matrix series, John Wick in the film series of the same name, "Ted" Theodore Logan in the Bill & Ted films, Johnny Utah in Point Break (1991), Jonathan Harker in Bram Stoker's Dracula, Evan Webber in Knock Knock, Jack Traven in Speed, John Constantine in Constantine (2005), Johnny Mnemonic in the film of the same name, Sage in The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run, and also voiced Batman in DC League of Super-Pets, and Duke Caboom in Toy Story 4.
His singing vocals are provided by Dennis Lyxzén, vocalist of hardcore punk band Refused.
Overview[]
Johnny Silverhand, born Robert John Linder, is a very well-known and influential artist in America. An ex-US military veteran who defined the rockerboy movement to what it is today. He was the lead singer of the band Samurai, one of the most prominent figures that fought against the corrupted government and the Corporations. Johnny concentrates most of his anger to the Arasaka corporation, due to the kidnapping of his girlfriend, Alt Cunningham, leading to her supposed death, which may or may not have been his fault. He's charismatic and quite the charmer, but is also known to be irrational, impulsive, and a manipulator often being branded as a terrorist.
Biography[]
Born as Robert John Linder, Silverhand served in the US army during its conflicts in Central America. He grew disullusioned with the government and its manipulative use of soldiers. Linder also lost his arm in the conflict, leading him to replace it with his signature prosthetic. Whilst many veterans became the target of government propaganda after returning from the war, Linder changed his name to "Johnny Silverhand" to avoid this and became part of the burgeoning Rockerboy movement. He went on to form the band Samurai, using his music to spread anti-corporation and government message.
Tabletop Games[]
Silverhand serves as a main character in the adventure Never Fade Away. Whilst returning from a gig with his girlfriend Alt Cunningham, they were attacked by thugs hired by Arasaka to capture her. Silverhand was rescued by the reporter Thompson, who reveals that the thugs were after Alt and reveals her role as the creator of the Soulkiller. Deciding to rescue her, Silverhand and Thompson recruit his ex-girlfriend Rogue Amendiares and Santiago Aldecado, forming a plan. Using a gig as a distraction, Silverhand and his team infiltrate Arasaka Tower, battling their way through forces in their way. They eventually locate Alt, during which they fight and kill several prominent Arasaka officials. Johnny disconnects Alt from the system, unknowingly severing her consciousness from her body.
Silverhand returns in the adventure End Game as part of Morgan Blackhand's Militech-backed team. Having been contacted by Alt through Cyberspace, he learns she has survived as an AI and hopes to rescue her. He works with Spider Murphy to rescue her from Arasaka's servers. During the battle, Silverhand fights Adam Smasher and is critically injured. Whilst the other members flee, he is left behind before a nuclear weapon is detonated at the tower.
Cyberpunk 2077[]
According to flashbacks experienced by V, Johnny survives the attack but was captured by Arasaka. He is later transformed into an engram on Saburo Arasaka's orders, killing his body and copying his mind. Johnny's engram is used in testing for the Relic, a device used to upload minds into bodies. This was stolen by Saburo's son Yorinobu Arasaka who hid it on the top floor of Konpeki Plaza hotel until it was found by the mercenary V, who is killed by the fixer Dexter DeShawn after their heist went sideways due to Yorinobu's unexpected murder of his father. This unintentionally triggered the device in V's chip slot, which both resurrects them and activates Silverhand's engram, causing him to override their mind.
Initially battling for control, Silverhand begins working with V to find a way to either remove the chip or ensure he doesn't override their consciousness. He also acts as an advisor for them in several situations, primarily to ensure their own survival. Johnny is also used to contact Alt, who has survived beyond the Blackwall and become an all-powerful AI. Through her, they learn they can sever their connection through Arasaka's Mikoshi system, used to store the company's engrams and stored in the rebuilt tower. Several side quests also allow Johnny to reconnect with Rogue and the surviving members of Samurai, as well as developing a good relationship between him and V if the right dialogue is chosen.
Johnny also helps V decide how to access Mikoshi, advising they either get help from Rogue or storm the building either themselves; he advises against requesting assistance from the Aldecaldos Nomads, insisting that V doesn't need their blood on their hands, and objects to accepting Hanako Arasaka's deal to have the Relic removed in exchange for taking down Yorinobu. If V accepts Hanako's deal, Arasaka surgeon's successfully remove the Relic and delete Johnny, but not before he and V are able to have one parting conversation, where the former expresses his dissapointment with the latter.
If the player agrees to request assistance from Rogue to attack Arasaka Tower, Johnny will personally lead the attack. Depending on V's choices after connecting to Mikoshi, Johnny will either be removed from their body and merge with Alt, or be granted control of their body while V merges with Alt in his place. In the latter event, Johnny, grateful for the second chance V has given him, leaves Night City to start a new life.
If the player completed Phantom Liberty and sided with the NUSA, V can request them to remove the Relic using the Neural Matrix, but the operation results in Johnny being deleted, V slipping into a two year coma and their body being unable to accept combat chrome, leaving them unable to become a legend on Night City.
Quotes[]
| “ | Know what? You're starting to remind me of me... fifty years back. Minus the charisma... and impressive cock. | „ |
| ~ Johnny to V while the latter is driving with Panam Palmer. |
| “ | Listen up, V. Those guys are trailer tuggers. An assault on Arasaka's just not another convoy to 'jack. You already tried this with amateurs... Both know how that ended. | „ |
| ~ Johnny, telling V that the Aldecaldos vs. Arasaka is a bad idea, if they are either female or did not romance Panam Palmer as a male. |
| “ | Johnny: 'Member what Dex asked you? "Quiet life or blaze of glory?" V: Sure, I remember. Johnny: Shame you chose wrong. Damn shame. |
„ |
| ~ Johnny and V's final exchange if the latter decided to work with Hanako Arasaka. |
| “ | Goodbye, V. And never stop fighting... | „ |
| ~ Johnny, if V leads the assault on Arasaka alone or with the Aldecaldos, and returns to their body with limited lifespan they have left. |
| “ | G,night, Vincent/Valerie... Today was a good day. | „ |
| ~ Johnny's farewell to V if the latter chose to have the NUSA remove the Relic in Phantom Liberty. |
Trivia[]
- In Cyberpunk 2077, V experiences flashbacks to Johnny's involvement against Arasaka, notably being shown to be the person who planted the nuclear weapon at Arasaka Tower. However, Alt mentions in-game that these are unreliable retellings created by his mind.
- In the trailer to Cyberpunk 2077, we can see a punk holding Silverhand's solo album.
External Links[]
- Johnny Silverhand at the Cyberpunk Wiki
 Heroes
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Fixers Afterlife Mercs Aldecaldos Samurai Us Cracks Trauma Team FIA Others
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