Cyberpunk 2077 is full of colorful characters, including Jackie Welles. He's the ride-or-die homie of protagonist V that shows up in the game's prologue regardless of what life path players choose. From his first appearance, Jackie oozes character, pizzaz, fun, and that classic Night City charm.
However, players may not get to know Jackie on a personal level. Being a CD Projekt Red title, most notable characters in Cyberpunk 2077 have their own traits and backstories, Jackie included. While his character is fun and guns on the outside, beneath that exterior Jackie has a lot of hidden characteristics that players may have missed.
10 Jackie's Gang History
Jackie's story in Night City began long before he encountered V. As a young man growing up in Heywood, the gang life naturally attracted Jackie. His desires for something more than a typical life in Night City ended up bringing him to the Valentinos, one of the largest gangs in the city at the time of the game.
The Valentinos aren't one of the game's most violent gangs either. In fact, the gang is mostly made up of womanizers, and their biggest targets are boyfriends and husbands throughout Night City. Inside the gang, traditions like honor and family are held in high regard, making it immune to subterfuge from corporations or the NCPD.
9 Jackie Had A Rocky Relationship With His Dad
Everybody's got a mom and pop, and Jackie Welles is no exception. However, like most of the stories out of Night City, this one isn't that happy. Jackie's dad was a gangster that used to beat him and his mother with a leather belt. The relationship changed Jackie, making him tougher.
Jackie's relationship with his father came to a head in his adolescence. The last time his father tried to beat him, Jackie fought back and turned the tables instead. After that fight, Jackie's father turned tail and ran, never to be seen again. Jackie ended up holding on to the belt, just in case his father ever came back.
8 Jackie Has An Expensive Taste In Tequila
Anyone that played through the prologue of Cyberpunk 2077 should know that Jackie Welles is a party animal. He likes letting loose with ladies and booze almost as much as he likes counting Eddies after a job well done. However, his taste in liquor, namely tequila, likely ran up a huge tab at bars.
In fact, one of Jackie's prized possessions is a special bottle of tequila, a sealed bottle of Centzon. According to Jackie's girlfriend, Misty, the bottle was sold to him by an old woman in Mexico who claimed it was one of 100 made by Jesus de Abajo, the founder of Centzon.
7 Jackie Is A Bit Of A Gear Head
Jackie Welles isn't the type to do anything in half-measures. When it comes to being a successful merc, pumping iron, or even drinking, Jackie takes it to the extreme. When Jackie got a fish, he didn't get a tiny goldfish, he stole a dwarf shark. So it shouldn't be any surprise that Jackie dedicated a ton of time to his Arch motorcycle.
The ride can be found in Jackie's garage with a box full of tools right next to it. Misty clarifies that Jackie would often tinker with his motorcycle in his downtime. It makes sense considering his personality; Jackie wouldn't be caught dead in a box-car. Instead, he lives fast and loose on a high-speed customized bike.
6 Jackie Is A Low-Key History Buff
Night City is a famous location, full of stories and people that have left a mark. Jackie, being an up and coming merc, aspires to be one of those legends. He even says that he wants to have a drink at The Afterlife, a club for mercs and fixers. Naturally, all his admiration for Night City's legends come from an unsaid appreciation for history.
Jackie partially acts as V's tour guide to Night City, introducing him to the city's notable locations and factions. That being said, he also explains the city's stories and notable characters. In one drive, Jackie mentions Johnny Silverhand and Adam Smasher, and how their legendary stories are inspirational. He may not outright say it, but Jackie's into history.
5 Jackie Almost Died Before Meeting V
Without Jackie, Cyberpunk 2077 would be a very different game. V wouldn't have had a tour guide to Night City, no partner in crime or friend to lean on. That's why it's so shocking to learn that Jackie almost died long before meeting V, while he was just a kid in a gang.
During his time with the Valentinos, Jackie found himself in a gunfight. He caught a bullet in his chest, just next to his heart, and went down. Afterward, Jackie had to reveal his gang involvement to his mother, who got him to leave the gang. Luckily, the Valentinos respect family above all else, and let him go without a fight.
4 Jackie Has A Spiritual Side
Jackie is a guy full of energy and spunk. On the outside, he's ready to face any challenge head-on, a real tough player. But on the inside, Jackie was a much more conflicted character, dealing with his own personal issues. His girlfriend, Misty, got him to confront some of those issues through spirituality.
Misty even got Jackie to create a mandala, a Hindu and Buddhist symbol that represents the universe. The creation, made of sand, at first looks like something completely out of Jackie's character. However, as Misty explains why Jackie made it, it becomes apparent that he is a much more complex character than he seems to be.
3 Jackie Was An Avid Boxer
As a well-established figure in Night City, Jackie had friends all over. He even introduces V to one of them, the ripperdoc Viktor Vector. Vik, as players can easily see during their first visit with him, is an avid fan of old-school boxing. It shouldn't be a surprise then that Vik got Jackie into the sport as well.
After the game's prologue, Vik reveals that he actually boxed with Jackie a few times, saying he had an arm like a cannon. Players never get to see Jackie in action, but judging by his size and other fighting abilities throughout the game, he is without a doubt an at least capable boxer.
2 Misty Isn't Jackie's First Girlfriend
In case it wasn't obvious from his time spent with the Valentinos, Jackie is a bit of a womanizer. He doesn't go around hooting at the chromed out women in Cyberpunk 2077 though, he's more of a romantic. That being said, Misty isn't Jackie's first serious girlfriend in Night City.
Misty is actually the one to reveal Jackie's romantic history. She mentions his ex-girlfriend, Camila. While she's never seen on screen, it's implied that they had a long relationship before Jackie started going out with Misty.
1 Players Can Get Jackie's Guns
It's no secret that Jackie's flame burns out early on in Cyberpunk 2077. Far before the game's launch, his demise was shown in a trailer. However, what wasn't shown is the memorial for Jackie that players can attend afterward.
The memorial, an ofrenda, is full of people that knew Jackie and want to share one last memory of him. For those that want V to be a good friend, they can attend the ofrenda and even speak at it. The reward for such good behavior is an opportunity to nab Jackie's iconic gold-plated guns. Jackie's guns are actually some of the most impressive non-tech weapons in the game, so be sure to nab them.