John Salt

## Sir John Salt

Sir **John Salt** is a high-ranking colonel in the Raven Union who is also the overseer of Project Stormcloud.

## Throughout *Pennyworth* Series

### Project Stormcloud

In *The Heavy Crown*, Martha and Aziz go to Alfred to have him do a job for them. As it turns out, Alfred is meant to abduct Colonel Salt, in exchange for a hefty fee.

As for Salt, in the day time the 2 cars arrive at Vikki Dufrench house. He has George Orwell captive and eventually shoves a chisel in his ear and incinerates the man in question. Later that night, Salt and his mistress were intimate on the floor, when Alfred Pennyworth broke in from one door, Bazza and Daveboy came in from the other side. Salt recognizes Alfred from the papers and claims his dad was a hero to him. Salt tries to talk or bribe his way to freedom. Salt tells Alfred he likes to know what makes people tick. Alfred is like a taxi meter. Money drives him. Alfred seems glad to hand him over to Aziz, but he’s snatched right back not long after and quickly resumes work for the Raven Union as though nothing even happened.

Aziz is quickly on Alfred’s doorstep complaining about this since it implies a leak that potentially came from Alfred himself, though he vehemently denies it. Salt, it turns out, was a bigger fish than first implied, and Aziz is curious if he mentioned anything about a Project Stormcloud. Later, Alred ponders these details with Gulliver Troy, who swiped Salt away from Aziz at Alfred’s request in exchange for another hefty chunk of change too.

In *The Burning Bridge*, at Raven Union headquarters, Lord James Harwood and Frances Gaunt welcome Colonel Salt back, who updates them on the latest Project Stormcloud tests. Frances thinks the chemical weapons experiment is wrong, and Harwood promises to put a stop to it, even if he believes in it himself. Harwood’s reasoning is that chemical weapons are more effective than bombs simply because they don’t damage property.

In *The Belt and Welt*, against the counsel of his closest advisors, Harwood tells Miss Dixon he will take the call and accepts to help Bet out, one last time. He instructs Colonel Salt to send a squad of men to find Bet and bring her back. However, when the men arrive at the art teacher's house, instead of bringing Bet back, they open fire. The teacher is killed in the crossfire, while Bet and Katie have no choice but to run away. While Salt was instructed to help Bet, he instead decided to take her off the board and remove one of Harwood's weaknesses.

In *The Hunted Fox*, while there were some reservations about Project Stormcloud, Colonel Salt now presents the lethal capabilities of his biological weapon, which Harwood hopes to use to kill his enemies without destroying London. The aforementioned project is given the green light. While it looks like the Raven Union is getting ready to finally win the war.

### Elevated Rank

In *The Rose and Thorn*, at the Raven Union headquarters, Colonel John Salt makes a powerplay in order to take control of the entire organization. While Lord Harwood has been in charge of the Union, he's been growing increasingly erratic. Thus, Salt uses Frances Gaunt's recent betrayal as an opportunity to rise in the Union's ranks. Salt manages to successfully manipulate Harwood into giving him a promotion, and he doesn't stop there. When a young soldier Lieutenant Greaves proves loyal to Gaunt, he further influences Harwood to make certain that he lashes out. When the soldier expresses his support of Gaunt, Harwood completely loses it and brutally beats Greaves to death with his cane in front of his officers. General Nelson Thursday orders the military forces take Harwood into custody, leaving the recently promoted Colonel Salt as the next in line to take control of the Raven Union.

In *The Bloody Mary*, Colonel Salt, is now at the head of the Union and is determined to keep all of this quiet for the time being. In truth, all he wants is to keep Harwood alive, so that he may use him as a scapegoat when "Project Stormcloud" is unleashed on London. However, Salt's plan runs into a massive complication when one of Harwood's secretaries contacts Bet Sykes and her sister, Peggy answer at Sykes Pain Supplies. She informs them about Lord Harwood's situation, and the two women rapidly storm the estate in order to free him. Unfortunately, the army is simply too numerous, and they are unable to escape. But Harwood devises a plan: he agrees to surrender to Salt, which he will use to create a diversion to allow Bet and Peggy to escape. Harwood, despite being unhinged, knows exactly why Salt needs him alive, and that is why, when he surrenders to him and the army, he draws a weapon on them. The soldiers open fire, and Lord Harwood is shot repeatedly until he falls dead to the ground. His death temporarily halts Salt's plan from using Stormcloud right away, and Bet and her sister end up successfully escaping, with the mission to find and free Frances Gaunt, the one woman who could wrestle control of the Raven Union from Salt's treacherous hands.

In *The Hangman's Noose*, The war for England is close to reaching its end. Following the funeral of Lord Harwood, the leaders of the Raven Union and the English League agree to meet for peace talks. However, these negotiations don't exactly go as planned. While Prime Minister Aziz, the Queen and the rest of the League anticipate a fair discussion, the Union's power-mad new leader, John Salt gives the League an ultimatum: he wants their full and unconditional surrender, or else he will unleash his "Stormcloud" weapon onto the citizens of London.

The League doesn't believe the Raven Union council will approve of the use of such a horrific weapon but Salt is quick to organize a vote, and every member gives their approval for "Stormcloud" to be used.

In *Paradise Lost*, Thomas Wayne informs the Union that he has brought back his missing scientist, Lucius Fox. They are allowed to pass and, although they are meant to be taken directly to John Salt, they dispose of their security escorts once they are inside and leave. Salt eventually realizes that something is wrong, and the four men are captured before they can escape the compound. Dave Boy, Thomas, and Lucius are locked up in cells, but Alfred is taken to Salt’s office. The leader of the Raven Union sees Alfred as a man of honor, and offers him the opportunity to join his side. Alfred refuses, but Salt has Arthur try and persuade his son to switch sides. Despite managing to escape thanks to Bet and Peggy’s help.

Alfred, Thomas, Lucius, and Dave Boy are once again captured. Alfred was not able to bluff his way out. The four men are taken to Salt’s chambers, where each has a chance to join the Union. They all decline the offer, as expected, but Arthur asks Salt to give him a moment of privacy with his son, to try one last time to have him join them. Salt accepts and goes to his rooms to wait. In the end, Alfred, Thomas, Lucius, Dave Boy, and Arthur drive away from the Raven Union headquarters with the “Project Stormcloud” weapon finally secured. Their mission has been a success, while Salt remains in the dark about facing retaliation for what he did to Lord Harwood at the hands of Beth Sykes.

In *The Lion and Lamb*, Salt isn't fazed by the loss of the weapon, and that is because this doesn't affect his plans in the slightest. In truth, the League only stole a decoy since Salt foresaw the possibility of the weapon being taken, which is why he had it already placed in London in a secret location. As it turns out, "Project Stormcloud" is actually hidden in the coffin containing Lord Harwood's body, which is still located at the church where Salt's televised eulogy took place. Alfred and Dave Boy rush over to the church, and there, they are pinned down by gunfire. With Salt threatening to detonate the bomb at any moment, time is of the essence, but thankfully, Alfred and Dave Boy get help from Gulliver Troy. While Troy had initially set out to kill Alfred once and for all, he changed his mind after learning about the threat of "Stormcloud" during a visit to the English League's headquarters.

Troy and Lucius Fox arrive on the scene to save Alfred and Dave Boy, but as Lucius attempts to deactivate the bomb, he realizes it's too late. At Raven Union headquarters, Salt activates the weapon when he is attacked by Bet Sykes and her sister Peggy.

The blue compound of "Stormcloud" takes Troy over, claiming his life but containing the detonation. With the threat of the bomb is finally over, Salt is arrested by the Raven Union army for his crimes, when General Thursday breaks in and Frances Gaunt takes his place as leader of the organization.

In *Well To Do*, It is revealed that John Salt had escaped from prison and disappeared 5 years after the war.

### Changed Man

Working from the ledger, they found Mrs. Gaunt in *Rhyme 'N' Reason*. Mrs. Gaunt admits she can't tell, clarifies won't tell Bet where. Bet states, she will shoot Mrs. Gaunt, but Gaunt know Bet is not a monster. Only misguided. So they sit down to tea. Mrs. Gaunt goes after them with a paper with the address. Bet tells Julie, job is on.

Going to Northern England. Sitting and waiting, Bet and Julie play. Then comes Salt walking past, looking if he has been fishing. As Bet was searching for Salt with baby Julie. They follow him to an alley. She shoots him, but Salt rises off the ground. Showing, that he is changed. 2 men come around from behind.

Then by *Hedgehunter* Julie and Bet have been taken to the Raven High Council in Exile. Taken prisoner. Salt showing off his new spike in his arm. Not sure what to make of seeing Bet Sykes again. Bet thought he turned him self into a Swiss Army Knife. Salt has embraced the times we live in. Being now a PWE. Next asks Bet if she knows why the Ravens lost the civil war... Evolution defeated the Ravens. Troy turned into Captain Blighty. Being simply human was not enough. Salt signals the Raven's living weapon. Soon the Ravens will have an army of them.

Julie was used as leverage to get info out of Bet, as she was tired up in the Chancellor's office. Salt wants to know how Bet found him. Bet first acts like she is MI5 but then is made to confesses, it was Frances Gaunt. Salt answers that he should have taken care of that old bag years ago. That is what mercy gets you.

Julie had already been moved out of her baby carriage. They shot an empty carriage. Lucky, Bet was keeping a gun in the stuff bear toy. They were about to escape. Salt came up from behind, stabbed her. Fighting back, she was bleeding badly. She hurt him bad enough, right outside the room Julie and all the others were kept. They were able to escape the raven base.

In *Don't Push It* Martha gets a phone call. Someone taking through something to alter their voice. First tells her that Salt is dead, and what will become of the Raven's lab. Prime minister Aziz confirms it to be true and enhanced solders, Level 7 also. Everything Salt and the ravens were working on; the data, his lab, his test subjects and enhanced soldiers, the army has confiscated. Level 7 plans to continue Salt's work.

## Personality

He is described as, "a would-be despot masquerading as an obedient civil servant, John Salt is a calculating killer, whether by pen or sword".

## Appearances

Season 2 - 10/10
* *The Heavy Crown*
* *The Burning Bridge*
* *The Belt and Welt*
* *The Hunted Fox*
* *The Bleeding Heart*
* *The Rose and Thorn*
* *The Bloody Mary*
* *The Hangman's Noose*
* *Paradise Lost*
* *The Lion and Lamb*

Season 3
* *Well To Do* (Newspaper & Mentioned)
* *Rhyme 'N' Reason*
* *Hedgehunter*
* *Don't Push It* (mentioned)
* *Rag Trade* (mentioned)
* *Highland Wedding* (mentioned)

## References

1. ↑ John Salt Character Bio - Epix Press Site