John Wick makes his way through Manhattan before he is labeled "excommunicado" for the unauthorized killing of High Table crime lord Santino D'Antonio on the grounds of the New York Continental Hotel.[N 1] At the New York Public Library, he retrieves a marker medallion and a crucifix. He is injured in a fight with a hitman named Ernest and seeks medical treatment from an underworld doctor, but his $14 million bounty activates before the doctor can finish. John finishes suturing himself and shoots the doctor in the stomach and shoulder to protect him from repercussions. He is quickly pursued by various gangs of assassins, whom he kills in an antiques store, in a stable, and in a chase while on horseback.
John meets with the "Director", the head of a secretive Ruska Roma crime syndicate. John presents the crucifix and demands safe passage to Casablanca. The Director reluctantly helps John as he was once one of them, a Belarusian-born protégé named Jardani Jovonovich. An Adjudicator of the High Table meets with Winston, the manager of the New York Continental, and the Bowery King, who manages a network of homeless criminals, to inform them that they both have seven days to resign from their positions. The Adjudicator hires Zero, an independent Japanese assassin, and has him stab the Director through both of her hands as penance for defying the High Table. In Casablanca, John meets Sofia, a former friend and manager of the Moroccan Continental. John presents the marker, which he obtained after helping her protect her daughter, and demands to be directed to the "Elder" - the only person above the High Table. Sofia reluctantly takes John to Berrada, her former boss, who tells John he may find the Elder by wandering through the desert until he cannot walk any longer. In exchange, Berrada asks for one of Sofia's dogs and when she refuses, he shoots the dog, which survives on account of its ballistic vest. Sofia tries to kill Berrada, but at John's warning she only wounds him. They fight their way out of the kasbah by killing scores of Berrada's henchmen and drive into the desert, where she leaves him.
Seven days later, the Adjudicator and Zero confront the Bowery King, who refuses to abdicate his position. In response, Zero's students slaughter his men while the King is scarred seven times with a wakizashi as penance. Meanwhile, John collapses in the desert and is brought to the Elder. John states that he wants to live to keep the memory of the love he once had with his late wife.[N 2] The Elder agrees to forgive John on the condition that he kill Winston and remain subservient to the High Table for the remainder of his life. John severs his ring finger and offers his wedding band to the Elder as an act of fealty. He returns to New York and is attacked by Zero and his students before reaching the protection of the Continental. Winston urges John not to die as the "Baba Yaga", but as a man who loved and was loved by his wife. The Adjudicator arrives, but Winston refuses to resign his position and John refuses to kill him, leading the Adjudicator to revoke the status of the Continental by deeming it "deconsecrated" and send both Zero and an army of heavily armed High Table enforcers to kill John and Winston. Winston provides John with weapons and the assistance of concierge Charon and his staff. After killing the enforcers, John is ambushed by Zero and his students, and John proceeds to kill all but two students who surrender with honor after being beaten. Zero confronts John and admits to being an admirer before the two fight, with John emerging as the victor after stabbing Zero through the chest and leaving him to die.
The Adjudicator agrees to a parley with Winston, who offers fealty to the High Table after pointing out that he has only "shown strength". John arrives and Winston shoots him repeatedly, causing him to fall off the roof. The Continental is consecrated again and Winston reassumes his manager position. The severely injured John is covertly delivered to an underground bunker in the sewers, where the Bowery King is waiting. He voices his anger with the High Table and asks John if he feels the same way, and John simply replies, "Yeah".
