Ricky Tan

### Cause of Death

Kicked out of a penthouse window and plummeted several stories to his death, landing onto the roof of a taxi.

## Villain Information

### Crimes

Organised Crime
Money Laundering
Counterfeiting
Smuggling
Murder
Murder by Proxy
Corruption
Parricide
Conspiracy
Treason
Assault
Attempted Murder

### Goals

Continue his counterfeiting scam throughout the use of casinos all over the United States.
Kill Chief Inspector Lee and Detective Carter and evade capture.
(Both Failed)

## Miscellaneous Information

### Type of Villain

Fraudulent Crime Lord

> ***“Imagine a business where people hand you money and you hand them back absolutely nothing. Now, that’s a real American dream thanks to a few pieces of metal and the most beautiful U.S customs agent. I’m back in business.”*** *- Ricky Tan revealing himself as the perpetrator behind the illicit counterfeiting scam.*
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**Richard “Ricky” Tan**, also known as **Tan**, is the main antagonist of the 2001 action-comedy film, *Rush Hour 2*.

He is a former police detective of the Hong Kong Police Department and the former partner of Chief Inspector Lee’s father. During *Rush Hour 2*, Tan is the current leader of the Hong Kong Triads, running an illicit counterfeiting and smuggling operation.

He was portrayed by Hong Kong actor, John Lone.

## Story

### Background

In 1992, five years prior to the events of *Rush Hour 2*, Ricky Tan worked as a Hong Kong police detective, working closely with his fellow partner, Chief Inspector Lee’s unnamed father. During his time with the Hong Kong police, Tan developed a friendly relationship with Lee, the son of his partner.

During an ongoing investigation of an international smuggling case, Tan is revealed to be working alongside the Triads by Lee’s father. When he attempts to expose him, Tan pins Lee’s father to a wall and after the latter pleads to not kill his son, the former mercilessly shoots him dead.

Following this incident, Tan immediately resigns from the police force to continue working with the Triads. The evidence mysteriously disappears and the case, alongside Lee’s father murder, is never solved. Tan continues working with the Triads, eventually becoming the leader and head of the Hong Kong Triads.

On the Black Market, Tan purchases the only U.S treasury outside of the U.S and soon acquires metal plates of U.S dollar bills. Using these, Tan successfully creates and manages an illegal counterfeiting operation which produces millions upon millions of counterfeit cash. Tan would plan to launder this cash through the use of numerous casinos all over the United States of America.

Two American custom agents, disguised as American translators, begin investigating Tan. Tan would eventually discover this investigation and immediately order their assassinations by sending his second-in-command, Hu Li to deliver a package to them, disguised as a bomb. This would immediately lead to the events of *Rush Hour 2*.

### Rush Hour 2

In 1997, Tan executes his plan to kill the U.S custom agents and it’s successful as it results in the deaths of the two agents. When investigation began on the incident, Tan and his gang of Triads would be suspected of the bombing however there was no evidence to prove this.

Following a lead on Tan, Chief Inspector Lee, accompanied by Detective James Carter, go to the local massage parlour, Heaven on Earth located in Hong Kong where they find him working on his laptop. Lee suggests requesting backup as Tan is a “very dangerous man” however Carter instead goes to confront him. Tan jokingly brushes off Carter’s demands resulting in the latter becoming agitated. Carter destroys Tan’s laptop, causing Lee to intervene. Lee presses Tan with questions relating to the incident however the latter dismisses this in a friendly tone. Tan soon leaves, wishing the two detectives a “good day” in a monotone manner, leaving the two detectives surrounded by Tan’s group of bodyguards.

To avoid questioning from the authorities, Tan sends Hu Li once again to the police station with a bomb in an attempt to kill Lee. This fails as Lee narrowly survives the explosion. Tan would later express his anger at the failure of this.

Later that night, Tan hosts a party on his private yacht, the Red Dragon, attended by many while secretly infiltrated by Lee and Carter. Lee and Carter are brought to Tan, located at the back of the yacht, who is berating Hu Li for failing to kill Lee earlier. After dismissing her, Tan invites Lee for a conversation while Carter waits inside. Tan reveals that he didn’t destroy the American embassy, resulting in the agents’ deaths, however states that “his people”  within the Triads did. Before he can elaborate further, Hu Li interrupts the meeting, accompanied by a group of Tan’s men. When Tan attempts to question her, Hu Li yells at him and pulls out a pistol, firing it into Tan’s torso, causing him to fly backwards into the water. Hu Li flees the scene while Lee is forced to fight Tan’s men.

Following the ordeal, Tan is declared dead and is presumed to have been assassinated for the metal plates he owned. Tan, however, was not dead and was alive and well, having faked his death and successfully deceiving everyone. While Lee and Carter investigated Tan’s counterfeiting operation, Tan continued to work in secret, working closely with hotel billionaire Steven Reign.

A few days later, Tan finally reveals himself at the grand opening of the Red Dragon Casino to an incapacitated Lee who expresses his shock and confusion in Tan’s survival. Tan finally reveals everything, being the one responsible for the counterfeiting scam and the bombing of the American embassy. Tan continues to selfishly mock and taunt Lee. Tan notices Carter creating a scene on one of the tables and orders for his removal. Upon noticing Reign going to the penthouse to steal the plates for himself, Tan leaves the room to go after him, mischievously wishing Hu Li to “have fun”.

Soon enough, Tan finds Reign on the top floor of the penthouse stealing the plates for himself. Reign attempts to keep Tan quiet by coercing him with a hidden gun in his jacket but Tan remains unperturbed. Tan then fatally stabs Reign with a hidden knife and the latter falls to the floor, dead. Tan takes the plates and makes his way for the exit, but is abruptly interrupted when Lee rushes in, catching him red-handed. Tan regains his composure and begins pressing Lee about his father and his final moments. Lee becomes distressed while Tan relishes in the moment. After failing to attack Lee, Tan is pinned at gunpoint to the nearby wall just before Carter rushes into the room. While Tan continues to taunt Lee about his father’s death, Carter urges Lee to shoot Tan dead while Lee is left in anguish.

### Death

When Lee turns to yell at Carter, Tan smacks the gun out of his grasp, causing it to go off and unleash a shot in Carter’s direction. A scuffle ensues for the gun. Tan runs for the gun and fires it at Carter who blocks the shot with a rug. Unable to see someone else close to him die, just like his father, Lee instinctively performs a jumping kick on Tan sending him flying out the window where he can do nothing but scream in terror as he rapidly plummets twenty stories to his death, crashing onto the roof of a taxi. The impact kills him instantly as he lies limp on the taxi just as the surrounding witnesses scream and run away in terror from the gruesome sight.

### Legacy

Because of Tan’s death, his entire counterfeiting operation is foiled and ultimately stopped before it became increasingly worse. The plates are successfully retrieved by the authorities and presumably removed to prevent more incidents like these from occurring in the future. His entire Triads organisation became defunct as most of its members were either presumably killed or arrested.

Tan suffered his petrifying, well-earned death at the hands of Lee for all the nefarious actions he committed with the murder of Lee’s father being simultaneously avenged. Because of Lee’s experiences with Tan, Lee is able to let go and finally move on from the past that had been haunting him for several years, finally putting an end on that chapter of his life and looking forward towards the future.

## Appearance

Tan possesses a physically weak and slim build with white skin. He measures at a height of five feet and five inches, possessing dark brown eyes and black hair which is styled in a tidy, short manner.

Throughout *Rush Hour 2*, Tan is primarily seen in suits of various colours and styles however typically consists of a white button-up shirt with an accompanying tie, standard trousers, business shoes and suit jacket with an accompanying pocket square featured in his left breast pocket. Tan chooses to wear suits because of his leadership role in the Hong Kong Triads, responsible for leading the entire organisation.

When Tan is seen at the massage parlour, Tan is only seen in a long, white bathrobe which covers his body from his torso to his legs. At his waist, the bathrobe has been tied.

## Relationships

### Allies

* **Hu Li** *(Deceased)* - Right-Hand Henchwoman/Second-In-Command

### Enemies

* **Chief Inspector Lee** *(Alive)* - Archnemesis
* **Detective James Carter** *(Alive)*
* **Steven Reign** *(Deceased)* - Former Ally

## Quotes

### Rush Hour 2

> - ***“I’m busy at the moment. I know you. You are Lee’s American friend, right?”** - Ricky Tan’s first words in Rush Hour 2.*
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> - ***“[chuckles] You American are so funny!”** - Ricky Tan brushing off Carter’s demands, believing it to be a joke.*
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> - ***“Lee! Hello, my friend, how are you? What about? The police station? If you have any questions, ask me here.”** - Ricky Tan talking with Lee at the massage parlour.*
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> - ***“No problem. Now, I must excuse myself. Inspector. Have a good day.”** - Ricky Tan leaving the massage parlour, leaving the two detectives alone with Tan’s bodyguards.*
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> - ***“Hu Li, you disappoint me. Have you forgotten where you’re from? Don’t forget who you work for. You think you could ever be a leader?!”** - Ricky Tan berating Hu Li for failing to kill Lee with the bomb earlier.*
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> - ***“I know what everybody is saying, I did not blow up the American embassy…I’m not that stupid but I believe some of my people did. My enemies are trying to frame me. There’s a war going on right now within the Triads. I’m afraid I’m gonna lose this time. If your father were still alive, I would turn to him for advice. Lee, I really need your help, I cannot trust anybody else. I’ll give you all the information you need…BUT you’ve gotta get me out of Hong Kong right away!”** - Ricky Tan’s presumed last words before he’s “killed” by Hu Li.*
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> - ***"Look at you, Lee. You look ridiculous. You know, it didn't have to be like this. It's too bad. Like father, like son...Look at this old fool. What does he think he is doing? I'll tell you it's almost impossible to find a partner that is trustworthy and loyal. Wouldn't you agree, Lee?"*** *- Ricky Tan continuing to callously mock and ridicule Lee.*
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> ***- “Tell them to get rid of Lee's friend. The trouble with partners is they die. As will you. So, Hu Li…have fun.”** - Ricky Tan ordering for Lee's death at the hands of Hu Li.*
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> - ***"Americans love to gamble, Mr. Reign...Oh? And, my plates? I enjoyed that little story you told about the dragon and the treasure. My mother used to tell it to me all the time. Do you know the moral of that story?"*** *- Ricky Tan before murdering Steven Reign.*
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> - ***“I hate that fortune cookie shit!”** - Ricky Tan upon murdering Steven Reign, responding to his comment about the Red Dragon legend; also one of his most iconic lines.*
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> - ***“Just like your father. I really did try to help him, you know. To share with him, to make your life better but he was too weak. Too afraid of change. I don’t think it’s over, there are casinos all over this country. I can make you a very rich man, Lee. Don’t make the same mistake your father did. Don’t you remember, I’m already dead.”** - Ricky Tan taunting Lee about his father’s death.*
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> - ***“Would you like me to tell you how your father died? He never begged for his life or tried to make a deal. All he asked me just seconds before I pulled the trigger…was that I promise not to kill you. Oh, it was so pathetic. What are you gonna do, Lee? Are you gonna spend the rest of your life hiding like your father? You can’t do it, can you? Just as I thought. Go on!”** - Ricky Tan’s last words before he falls several stories to his death.*
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### Quotes About Ricky Tan

> - ***"That's Ricky Tan?! That's a midget in a bathrobe!"*** *- Carter expressing his disbelief in Tan being the intimidating, high profile Hong Kong Triads leader because of his height.*
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> - ***"[Carter] Damn! Good kick, Lee! [Lee] It was an accident. [Carter] That's okay. We'll just say he tried to catch a cab."*** *- Carter and Lee reacting to Ricky Tan's death.*
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> - ***"Damn! He ain't gonna be in Rush Hour 3!"*** *- Carter, during the outtakes, reacting to Ricky Tan's death.*
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## Gallery

Ricky Tan's debut in Rush Hour 2.Tan at the massage parlour, working on his laptop.A light-hearted Tan talking with an agitated Carter.Tan leaving the massage parlour, leaving Carter and Lee alone with his bodyguards.Ricky Tan alongside members of The Triads.Tan berating Hu Li for failing to kill Lee with the bomb earlier.Tan's "last talk" with Lee before his "assassination".Ricky Tan's "Final" MomentsRicky Tan's Faked DeathTan revealing himself at the Red Dragon Casino after having faked his death.Tan mocking a gagged Lee.Ricky Tan before murdering Steven Reign in cold blood.Tan pinned against a wall by Lee as Carter rushes in.Ricky Tan's Final MomentsLee performs a jumping kick on Tan, leading to his subsequent death.Ricky Tan goes flying out the penthouse window, plummeting several stories to his death.Ricky Tan's DeathRicky Tan landing onto the roof of a taxi.Tan's taxi landing from a different angle.A dummy of Ricky Tan dropped onto the roof of a taxi during the bloopers of the film.
## Trivia

* Ricky Tan is Lee's archnemesis, responsible for his entire character arc and tragic past.
* In the bloopers of the film during Tan's death scene, a dummy of Tan crashes onto the roof of the taxi which Carter replies with *"Damn! He ain't gonna be in Rush Hour 3!"*. This has become a renowned and loved quote in the *Rush Hour* series.
* Ricky Tan's death is highly reminiscent of *Maggie Peterson's* death from *Child's Play* where she flies out of a high story window and consequently falls to her death, landing onto the roof of a truck.
* Ricky Tan is one of the only two *Rush Hour* antagonists, alongside Juntao, who screams as he falls to his demise.
* Ricky Tan is the first Asian main antagonist in the *Rush Hour* trilogy.
* It's currently unknown how Tan managed to fake his death successfully on his yacht. He possibly might have been shot with a blank by Hu Li and then later retrieved in the waters of Hong Kong by his henchmen or Hu Li herself when she retrieved a small boat after incapacitating Detective Carter.
* Ricky Tan is the only *Rush Hour* antagonist to be directly killed by Lee despite it being an accident.
* Tan, alongside Kenji, are the only *Rush Hour* antagonists who are more personal towards Lee as an antagonist than the general conflict.