Next year’s Fable reboot isn’t a complete reset of the famous RPG franchise, as it will feature at least one prominent character from entries’ past: Jack of Blades. This legendary character is referenced a few times throughout the original trilogy, but his most prominent, meaningful appearance is in the first Fable, wherein his maniacal thirst for control and almost comical power scaling cemented him as one of the most iconic gaming villains of his generation.
In the Fable release date trailer, we get a look at a new villain, Isabelle, played by Haley Atwell. In typical villainous fashion, she monologues about why she wants power, why Albion is doomed without her, and so on. But then there’s a brief shot of Isabelle approaching some sort of crystal, and within that crystal we can see the Sword of Aeons, a mythical and enigmatic weapon that allows Jack of Blades to realize his full power. Basically, where the Sword of Aeons appears, Jack is soon to follow, which is why it’s not especially surprising when he finally pops up at the end of the trailer. Having said that, his inclusion in this new Fable runs the risk of backfiring if Playground Games isn’t careful.
Who Is Jack of Blades, Fable’s Most Powerful Villain?
Long before humanity emerged from the primordial muck, there was a place called the Void, where Jack of Blades resided alongside Queen of Blades and King of Blades. Together, they were known as the Court of Blades. The trio approached the people of Albion with demands for worship, but they refused. In retaliation, the Court quite literally scorched the Earth. Later, they would return to assert their authority, and once again, the people rejected them, prompting the Court to send a great flood. Eventually, they returned for a third time, and cast out a third time: the Court sent a wave of madness throughout the land. This time, the people relented, and so began the Court’s long tyranny over Albion.
Some time later, a boy called William Black was born, gifted with special powers that would later be known as Will—the basis of Fable‘s magic system. After obtaining Jack’s very own Sword of Aeons, William defeated all three members of the Court, but Jack’s soul became trapped inside his iconic mask, which would allow him to return to Albion ages later in a corporeal form. However, his powers were greatly diminished without his sword, which William Black had hidden. Jack discovered that he could locate the sword by using the blood of William Black, and so he sought out Black’s descendants, the protagonist of the original Fable and his sister Theresa. Jack slaughtered their father, kidnapped their mother, and blinded Theresa, while the protagonist escaped.
Eventually, this protagonist would defeat Jack of Blades, destroying his mask and casting him back into the Void. Alternatively, the player can choose the “evil ending” and become Jack’s new vessel, but this has been widely disregarded as non-canon due to the events of subsequent entries. In any case, it’s highly unlikely that Jack of Blades is actually dead and gone, as he’s a deity that exists beyond time and space, more like a force of nature than a man.
Jack of Blades Could Define the Connection Between Old and New Fable
With Jack of Blades coming back in Fable, the stakes could be much higher than initially anticipated. Again, Jack is basically a multidimensional god who, when in possession of the Sword of Aeons, is virtually unstoppable. Had William Black, arguably the most powerful Hero in Albion’s history, not obtained this sword, he would have almost certainly died at Jack of Blades’ hand. At full power, he poses a massive threat to the world state of the new Fable, which is promising in its own right.
But there’s also the question of what exactly Jack’s plan is, and how he will go about realizing it. He’s not shown with the Sword of Aeons in the Fable trailer, so perhaps we can assume that his goal will be to track down the weapon once more. To this end, he may seek out the player-character or their allies, just like he did with the first Fable’s protagonist; Jack could once again search for the blood of William Black, thereby confirming this new game’s continuity with its predecessors.
In turn, this could make the game more impactful. Much like the 2018 soft reboot of God of War, this new Fable could offer a distinct experience while still meaningfully building on the overarching narrative of its series. It would be additive rather than a total refresh. Considering both his threat level and significance to Fable‘s lore, Jack of Blades could be a great vehicle for this particular strength.
Fable’s New Version of Jack of Blades Could Still Be Disappointing
I hate to be a Debbie Downer, but it’s worth tempering expectations for Jack of Blades’ return, if only because massive IPs tend to leverage nostalgia for cheap or cynical thrills. A certain iconic space opera franchise comes to mind here, but I digress. The point is, Jack of Blades could come back as little more than some predictable fan service, perhaps simply rehashing his role from the original or, worse yet, being used for a shallow twist, like a reveal that this isn’t the real Jack, or that he is actually just a misunderstood moper. Handled improperly, Fable‘s recreation of Jack of Blades could backfire, undermining the character’s original significance.
Much like the 2018 soft reboot of God of War, this new Fable could offer a distinct experience while still meaningfully building on the overarching narrative of its series.
Thankfully, there are a lot of interesting directions Fable can take with respect to its Jack of Blades storyline. Perhaps the game will finally give a full look at Court of Blades, or maybe it can reintroduce other characters from past games, like Theresa, who has so far been absent from the Fable reboot’s marketing. As always, the Devil is in the details, so Playground Games will need to use a deft hand regardless of what it hopes to accomplish with this fresh rendition of Jack.
- Released
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February 23, 2027
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Blood, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence
- Publisher(s)
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Xbox Game Studios
- Engine
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unreal engine 4, forza tech
