Highlights
- The upcoming Fable game's main antagonist has not been revealed, leaving gamers curious about who it will be in this highly anticipated reboot.
- Many fans hope that the iconic villain, Jack of Blades, will make a return in the reboot, as he was a formidable and memorable antagonist who played a pivotal role in the first Fable game.
- Bringing Jack of Blades back could strengthen the reboot's identity and reuse some strong story structures from the first game.
Way back in 2018, it was originally reported that Microsoft was working on some kind of Fable reboot. This was officially confirmed in 2020, but very little has been revealed about the game. This has left many wondering who will be the main antagonist of the upcoming Fable installment.
Currently, it isn't clear how the upcoming game will fit into the series' overall continuity. The developers have yet to reveal if this game will be a direct continuation of the original games or start its own timeline. The first trailer for the Fable reboot seemed to imply the latter given its return to a medieval fantasy setting. If this is the case, now could be a great time to bring back the franchise's best villain, Jack of Blades.
Who is Jack of Blades in the Fable Franchise?
Jack of Blades was the main antagonist in the first Fable game and the primary cause of the game's key events. The character was actually one of three entities from a place known as The Void who attempted to conquer Albion long ago. They were defeated by a hero named William Black, but Jack survived by binding his soul to a mask. He would then possess whoever wore the mask and use their bodies to enact his will.
In the first game, the antagonist ordered the raid on Oakvale Village, resulting in the death of the protagonist's father, the kidnapping of his mother, and the blinding of his sister. This, as it turned out, was part of an elaborate plan to obtain an ancient weapon known as the Sword of Aeons which would restore his former power and allow him to conquer Albion. Regardless of what path the player chooses, Jack of Blades is killed at the end of the base game.
In Fable: The Lost Chapters much of Jack of Blades' nature is revealed. The Hero must confront Jack one last time and defeat him in the game's final boss fight. At the expansion's end, gamers can choose to destroy Jack's mask once and for all or wear it and become consumed by the game's antagonist. Should the universe's timeline be reset, it would be the perfect time to bring back this iconic and hard-to-kill villain.
How Jack of Blades Could Help the Fable Reboot
While the Fable games are full of great antagonists, none of them were able to match Jack of Blades. He managed to be a personal enemy who tied into the protagonist's origin story while being a big part of the universe's overall lore and functioning as a major threat to Albion. Future antagonists would be threatening and sympathetic in their own ways but many of them failed to achieve this kind of balance. Bringing Jack of Blades into the Fable reboot could help the game achieve a perfect hero/villain relationship.
Furthermore, including Jack of Blades could help firmly establish the game as its own thing or set a definitive ending for the original game. Some believe the new Fable should take place during the fall of the Heroes' Guild, and bringing back Jack for that game would give The Hero a more tragic ending. On the other hand, having a new version of the character in the game could help define it as the start of a new universe completely separate from the original.
Ultimately, it's impossible to say what the developer has in store for the upcoming game. Its trailers have been cryptic, and the upcoming installment currently doesn't have a release date. While arguments have been made for and against having Jack of Blades return for the new Fable, the character would offer a great opportunity for the developers to establish the game's identity, one way or another.
Fable is in development for PC and Xbox Series X/S.