The Continental: Who Is Mazie & How Could She Connect To The John Wick Timeline?
It is the rare property that can exist on vibes alone, and the oftentimes questionable "John Wick" franchise has this ability in spades. What started as a simple revenge story about a man and his dog has spanned four movies and now has a prequel about the film's iconic, looming hotel. "The Continental: From the World of John Wick" takes the mythology of assassins, coins, and propriety and runs with it. Set in a fictionalized love letter to the '70s, the series follows a young Winston Scott's (Colin Woodell) hostile takeover of the titular hotel with a wide range of characters that is, frankly, tragic, which we don't see again in the "John Wick" films.
One of these team-ups is with a queen in her own right, Mazie (Zainab Jah). Introduced as a reluctant ally in Episode 2, Mazie is the one leader in the New York underworld who is not under Cormac's (Mel Gibson) thumb. Staying as far out of his reach as she can, she holds control over the Bowery and the unhoused inhabitants that dwell there. The price for Winston to retain her services is a simple one: love. For her people to fight Winston's battle against Cormac, her people demand to be seen, as they so often aren't. "John Wick" doesn't always have time to explore thematic resonance in great detail, but there is a throughline that connects Mazie's world of the Bowery to the main timeline of the feature films — and Laurence Fishburne's Bowery King.
The Bowery King is Mazie's successor
The alternate reality New York City of "John Wick" is a rich backdrop to an expansive universe. "The Continental" draws from this specific world, particularly when it comes to the Bowery. Mazie's dwelling is a clear reference to Laurence Fishburne's fan-favorite character. As Mazie gives the unhomed a safe space in "The Continental," so too does the Bowery King in the "John Wick" films.
Introduced in "John Wick 2," the Bowery King runs a network of spies whom John (Keanu Reeves) must cooperate with when in dire straits. At first glance, Mazie's connection to the Bowery King could be surface-level or even an Easter egg, at best. Both hail from the same district and appear to be the same type of figurehead for the area. But while "John Wick" excels at symbolic characters, being in charge of the Bowery could be an inherited position.
Mazie and the Bowery King have made names for themselves by being independent of The High Table. They have no interest in politics, nor do they allow themselves to be intimidated. Instead, they support individuals who have no one else to stand up for them. And while the Bowery King makes a point to say that he rose through the ranks himself, he very well would have known Mazie in his day. It doesn't necessarily mean that they were related, but she may have been his predecessor when it comes to facing off against The High Table.