V (Cyberpunk)

"V. Just V. Only people who know me real well can use my real name." - V to Skye after the latter called him Vincent."V", real name Vincent Miller (b. October 12, 2053) is a fictional American mercenary who operated out of Night City, a fictional megalopolis in the region of California by 2077. A nomad at birth and by heart, V moved to Night City to start a new life as a renowned legend. However, things went south when he was killed, but brought back to life by a chip implanted into his brain. But the chip is a construct of legendary rockerboy terrorist named Johnny Silverhand, who opposed corporations such as Arasaka, and with the chip slowly erasing his brain from his own body, V embarked on a journey across Night City to find a way to save himself and earn his legendary title. He is the grandson of Joel Wallace and a descendant of Jon and Sam Wallace. He will serve as the primary protagonist of the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077 gameplay series, which is considered canonical to The Outlaw's Saga, but is not an official entry.
== Biography ==
Note: Although V is fully customizable, with their gender being player-choice, in this canon, V is a male. The article below pictures V as he/him.
=== History ===
V was born on October 12 in 2053, and grew up in the American wilderness, having been part of the Bakkers nomad family. At the age of 16, he made his first kill when Raffen Shiv scouts assaulted their camp, with V killing one of them with a single shot to the eye.
He left the family after it merged with Snake Nation, leading him to search for a new life. Not long after, V made contact with Jackie Welles, who needed a nomad in order to smuggle Arasaka contraband across the Californian border to Night City.
=== 2076 ===
Around late September or early October, whilst travelling to the meeting point, V was forced to stop at the Southern Californian town of Yucca to get their car, the Rattler, repaired. After a local mechanic fixed it and the local sheriff kicked him out of the town, V contacted an old fixer friend to locate Welles. As a last favor to V due to him being a friend, he complied but told him to never contact him again.
V finally made contact with Jackie, and once they loaded the cargo on the Rattler, they went directly to the border crossing. They manage to cross without a hitch, but discovered it was all a trap. An Arasaka convoy was waiting for them on the other side of the border, forcing V and Jackie to flee at top speed with the Rattler through the Biotechnica Flats. After losing their tail and taking refuge in an abandoned garage, V and Jackie discovered that they were smuggling a living iguana. Though originally Jackie planned on ditching V without their money, Jackie offered to help V set up in Night City and split their profit by selling the iguana to another party, which they accepted, leading to their friendship.
=== 2077 ===
V stayed with Jackie for six months, doing mercenary jobs together while improving their street cred. Eventually, V managed to save enough money to rent an apartment of his own in Megabuilding H10.
Around the last week of April 2077, after completing a job for Wakako Okada, V and Jackie were contacted by another fixer named Dexter DeShawn. They, along with Netrunner T-Bug, were hired to break into Konpeki Plaza and steal a Relic from Yorinobu Arasaka for Evelyn Parker. V undertook preparation for the heist, meeting with Parker to locate the device and retrieving a Flathead from the Maelstrom gang to assist them.
After finishing planning at the Afterlife, V and the crew undertook the heist and successfully retrieved the Relic from Konpeki Plaza. However, they were forced to hide when Yorinobu returned to his apartment and met with his father, Saburo Arasaka, in the room and murdered him. With security increased in the building, T-Bug was quickly discovered and killed by Arasaka's netrunners remotely, moments after breaching the door security. V and Jackie tried to move towards a ladder to escape but an Arasaka's drone found them and shot at them. They jumped off and fell down through a glass roof, leaving Jackie seriously wounded and the container of the Relic damaged, causing the Relic's integrity to drop. To avoid further damage to the Relic, Jackie slotted the shard into his neural interface. Jackie and V escaped on the Delamain cab, after being chased by Arasaka drones. On the way to No-Tell Motel, Jackie succumbed to his critical wounds. Before Jackie breathed his last, he used up his last effort to slot the Relic into V to keep it safe.
At the rendezvous point inside the No-Tell Motel, DeShawn shot V in the head and dumped V's body in the landfill to cover his track, with the Relic remaining slotted in V's neural interface.
However, the Relic successfully resurrected V sometime later, and V tried to crawl out of the garbage. Located by Saburo's ex-bodyguard Goro Takemura, he was brought back to Night City and to Viktor Vektor's clinic. Whilst recovering there, V learned that the Relic was overriding his consciousness with an engram of Johnny Silverhand, and that he had only a short time left to live. Misty then brought V back to his apartment to rest. Later that night, the engram of Johnny Silverhand started assaulting V, demanding him to commit suicide. Despite some difficulty and struggle, V succeeded in taking the pills that Misty gave him. Meeting with Goro, V was asked to help testify to Saburo's heir, Hanako, and expose Yorinobu's crime. At the same time, they decided to investigate various leads into removing the Relic, including Evelyn and its creator Anders Hellman.
With help from Judy Alvarez, V located Evelyn and learned that she was initially hired by the Voodoo Boys to steal the Relic, though only for Silverhand's engram. Meeting with Placide, they arranged to help them bypass the Blackwall and contact Alt Cunningham, a legendary netrunner and Johnny's former girlfriend. Through Alt, V learned that they could extract the engram through Soulkiller and rewrite it with their consciousness, though only within Arasaka's Mikoshi system. After contacting Rogue Amendiares, V learned that Hellman was attempting to defect to Kang Tao. Working with Panam Palmer and the Aldecaldos, they ambushed his convoy and retrieved him. Whilst interrogating Hellman, V learned that the Relic was permanently connected to their neural system, making the process impossible to undo. Afterwards, V called Takemura to follow up with his own interrogation and unfinished business.
V and Goro met with Sandayu Oda, Hanako's bodyguard, to inform him of Yorinobu's betrayal. When he refused to believe them, they gradually decided to contact Hanako during Yorinobu's memorial parade and began making preparations to do so. After they dealt with the security forces and Oda, Goro was forced to kidnap Hanako and had V meet with her. After telling her what they witnessed, they were attacked by Arasaka forces led by Adam Smasher, though V managed to escape the ambush. Shortly afterwards, V was contacted by Hanako and arranged a meeting at Embers. During it, he learned that Mikoshi was located under Arasaka Tower.
During the meeting, the Relic began to malfunction, forcing V to leave it early. With Silverhand taking control, he was taken to Victor's clinic and learned that the Relic's process was almost complete. After given some time alone atop Misty's Esoterica, V and Johnny made a decision that would affect the lives of others.
=== Surgery ===
V ultimately decided to keep on living rather than go out like a legend, still valuing his life. Taking up on Reed’s offer of a surgery that would save his life, he called in his helo and is transported to Langley, Virginia. Before he departed and passed out from anesthesia, Johnny’s engram paid V one last respectful visit, before saying his goodbye, “goodnight, Vincent. Today was a good day.”
For the next two years, V was put into a coma and operated on to remove the Relic from his brain, with Reed personally overseeing the operation. In the end, the doctors were able to save V from dying from the Relic, effectively giving him a third chance at a new life. However, the Relic had done severe and permanent damage to his neural system and if he were to ever use cybernetic augments again, he would die.
=== Reawakening ===
In 2079, V had finally woken up from his coma in a hospital room in Langley, where Reed was waiting. He delivered the good news that he was now able to live again and no longer needed to worry about dying. But the bad news is that he had been out for two years and that the Relic rendered him unable to use cybernetics without killing himself. V was devastated by the news, but still found appreciation in the fact that he has been given a brand new lease on life. Reed offered V a desk job in the FIA as a thank-you for his services, but V turned him down, desiring to return to Night City. He was transported via a helo and was dropped off near Misty’s Esoterica. However, it had turned into a Zetatech building and Misty had moved. Viktor was still around, but forced into working for Zetatech. As an old favor, Vik confirmed V’s diagnosis and told him that he was now more busy, but he is welcome any time.
V also tried calling his old friends, but they have all moved on with their lives and some had left Night City for good.
* Judy found and married a woman named Bianca. She is relieved to hear that he is alive but admitted that she will not be there to be part of his next adventure in life as she was now married and living in Pittsburgh.
* Panam refused to pick up as she believed that V had abandoned her two years prior and assumed he was dead. When he tried to call her again, he left a voice message, with Mitch returning the call and telling him that Panam was still very upset over the fact that he had disappeared without telling her anything about where he was going, nor even what he was doing. He then advised not to call her again.
* River was angry that V had disappeared without a trace and that he suddenly called out of the blue. However, he had a chance to explain himself, calming River down. He revealed that after V’s disappearance, River had sold everything he knew about the NCPD to Trauma Team and is now a fugitive. Unable to directly face V due to him being ashamed of himself, he cut off contact.
* Kerry was happy to hear that V was alive and well now, but he was now more busy than ever and kept getting interrupted and unable to make time for V at the moment as he was on tour.
V was eventually ambushed in an alleyway, but without his cybernetics, he was unable to fight back, causing him to be beaten to a pulp. He was found by Misty, who had changed her look and moved to Poland for a new start. The two caught up on each other and wished each other the best. Misty then told V that if he ever found himself in Poland, he should visit. She then departed to leave the city, while V resigned himself to the fact that he was now an ordinary citizen living an ordinary life. V then walked with the crowd and disappeared, no longer having death loom over him, but is now without a reputation and his previous life.
== Appearance ==
Note: V's race, ethnicity, and gender is fully customizable, but in this canon, he is depicted as an African American male.
=== Physical ===
V is depicted as an African American male, with dark brown hair and brown eyes. He has a more darker complexion, with some lightness to it. He typically sports a short crop hair with shaved sides. In the beginning of the series, he sported a beard, but as part of the series progressed, he shaved his beard down to a stubble, but it grew back thicker by the end of the series.
=== Clothing ===
V wore a variety of clothes during his journey across Night City in 2077:
* In the beginning, V wore a leather vest that had a Bakkers patch on it before V ripped it out and discarded it. He also wore a smiley face t-shirt underneath, worn-out pants that he stole, and sneakers. He saved these in his wardrobe as mementos, but never bothered to don these clothes again.
* Later, V resorted to simply wearing his smiley-face t-shirt, a pair of new jeans, and his old sneakers.
* During the heist, V wore a black tuxedo suit. However, it was later discarded when the jacket was taken off after V was shot, and his clothes were ruined by the fifth of the landfill he was dumped in. He died in these clothes but was resurrected.
* As time moved on, V found a black and brown biker trench coat, a combat turtleneck, tactical pants, and boots to don his new look, as well as an old Arasaka cap with an old camera attached, and mainly had a black carbon fiber Oni mask to hide his identity. This look would dub him as the Vigilante of Night City, known as "The Star."
== Personality ==
== Killed Victims ==
== Relationships ==
=== Jackie Welles ===
=== Mama Welles ===
=== Johnny Silverhand ===
=== Panam Palmer ===
V first came across Panam Palmer when she stormed out of the Afterlife bar in anger after arguing with Rogue Amendiares, but the two did not properly meet until V called her for a favor. She was wary of V at first, especially since he worked under Rogue. She initially did not intend to assist him, but when he offered to get her vehicle and her cargo back, she reluctantly accepted. The two bonded more when they worked together to ambush the opposing nomads and retrieved her vehicle, and bonded even further when V assisted her in getting revenge against one nomad in particular - Nash Bane, a Raffen scav. As their bond grew stronger, so did her dependency on V when it came to her affairs with her clan - the Aldecaldos. With V's help, she gained her respect for her clan back as well as vice-versa. During their time together, V often made romantic moves on her, which slightly embarrassed, impressed, and charmed her all at the same time. At first, she initially wanted the relationship to be kept platonic, but eventually when the two partnered up to use the Basilisk tank for the Aldecaldos, Panam made a sexual advance on V, which he accepted. Due to the tank being connected to their neural networks, which doubled their feelings, especially in pleasure, the two decided to put it to the test and had sex in the tank, solidifying their relationship as a couple. Their consummation was cut short when the Raffen Shivs assault them and the Aldecaldos camp. The two tried not to make it any awkward by the time they protected the camp and exited the tank, but rather, became even more fond of one another. When V passed out due to his relic malfunction, she took him with her when the Aldecaldos moved camp towards the top of a cliff just outside of the city. V finally told her the truth about his Relic malfunction and how he is slowly dying, concerning Panam greatly and even offering for him to accompany the Aldecaldos out of Night City and hopefully either find help or die being surrounded by a loving family. V appreciated the offer, but suggested that he needed to finish business in Night City first before he could leave, which Panam understood and decided to wait for him. The two went on a few dates after.
When V had decided to assault Arasaka Tower, he called Panam to say his goodbyes, but instead, she offered to help him in the fight instead rather than stand by and watch V risk his own life, with the Aldecaldos being more than willing to help. V ultimately called upon them for help, and despite the heavy casualties of the assault, with Saul being one of them, their plan was a success. In the end, V gained control of his body once more, but he only prolonged his life to six more months until he would die anyway before winter due to the Relic affecting his brain beyond repair. V then made the decision to abandon Night City for good and accompany Panam south of the border towards Arizona with the rest of the surviving Aldecaldos, using the Basilisk that he used with Panam to escape. Panam promised to help V in any way that she can once they made it south and even offered to find someone who could help. With V having only months left to live, the two presumably became much much closer in Arizona. How their final days together went is unknown.
=== Viktor Vektor ===
=== Misty Olszewski ===
V and Misty first met when Jackie Welles introduced him to her. The two quickly got along, even though Misty was an avid tarot card expert. Oftentimes, she offered emotional support and spiritual guidance for V, especially after Jackie died and V was killed, but resurrected. V emotionally apologized for Jackie's demise, which she acknowledged and understood, showing no grudge for it. She also pointed out for V to continue finding tarot card graffiti across Night City if given the chance. V also invited her to Jackie's memorial service at Mama Welles' bar, despite Mama Welles herself not being a big fan of her. Thanks to V putting in a good word for her, Mama Welles invited her for dinner and saw her good qualities. When V prepared to face off against Arasaka with the Aldecaldos, she gave him more tarot card readings. When she called him for the final time after V's departure from Night City, she gave him three more tarot card readings and gave him the fact that he may have a good life in the Badlands, while wishing him luck and telling him to be free. The two severed ties on good terms.
=== Goro Takemura ===
V and Goro first met officially after V was first killed by Dexter DeShawn. When the Relic brought him back, Takemura saved V from the landfill where Dexter had him dumped. He desperately risked his life to rescue V and the two worked together to shake off Arasaka officials. Goro helped V with ensuring that he did not die from the complications of the Relic right away and watched over him when he was in a coma for a few weeks under Viktor Vektor's care. Goro then officially hired V into helping him investigate the matters of Saburo Arasaka's death and Yorinobu Arasaka's involvement. V then decided to help Goro in reaching out to Hanako Arasaka and give her the news, using V's testimony. The two worked closely together in doing so, developing some form of friendship, as well as a bit of rivalry over their own ideals, with Goro being a devout follower and employee of Arasaka, and V being a devout Corpo opposer and nomad. During Hanako's parade, when V faced off against Oda, Takeumura pleaded V to spare his life, which he did, despite Oda being a thorn in his side as well as his attempted murderer. When the two managed to secure Hanako, with Arasaka storming their hideout, V chose to rescue Takemura from certain death rather than leave him to die. This attempt proved fruitful and Takemura was secured in a safe location under Hanako's orders. However, due to V having the Aldecaldos destroy most of Arasaka, which ultimately led to Hanako's death as well, Goro cursed V for this action and when he delivered his last message shortly before committing seppuku, he told the merc to "rot in hell."
== Gallery ==
== Trivia ==
* V's fate remains ambiguous in the game, even after the Star ending. However, there is evidence that suggests that V could have possibly survived.
** Misty pulled three tarot cards: "The Chariot," "The Lovers," and "The Sun," with each one implying a good future. Misty further implied that V is more likely to have a good life in the Badlands and told him to be free. "The Sun" means a long, fruitful life, implying that V will be cured and survive.
** Panam contacting V about her situation as well as implying that she will be arriving home soon implies that V is still alive and living with her.
** Although V was not answering his calls, it could be implied that he was simply unavailable, but most likely watched the video feeds for the calls.
** The "real" V's consciousness died when he jacked into Mikoshi under Arasaka Tower, but an engram of him took his place.
* Cyberpunk 2077's artwork shows V as a Caucasian male with a beard and a fade styled haircut. Other artwork depicts V as a tanned female with red hair.
* V is voiced by Gavin Drea as a male, while as a female, he is voiced by Cherami Leigh.
* V's first name, Vincent, is revealed by Skye, one of the Dolls at Clouds, who was controlled by a sort of tech that allowed her to know more truths about V. However, he did not like her using his real name, saying that only those who knew him real well can know his first name.
* V is a Christian, as revealed when speaking with Joshua Stephenson, saying that he is in fact, a believer of God. He also prays with him, reciting the Lord's Prayer, as well as agreeing to do what Joshua wished him to do and carry out his request of crucifying him.