| “ | The number one killer is time. | „ |
| ~ Jack's famous quote. |
| “ | What? Why is there an egg in this?! | „ |
| ~ Jack to William on his egg metaphors. |
| “ | That one will hurt in the morning. | „ |
| ~ Jack while using time dash. |
Jack Joyce is the main protagonist of 2016 video game, Quantum Break. He is a drifter who returns to his hometown to help his brother William and best friend Paul Serene, with their project on time. Once the testing on the project malfunctions, Jack is exposed to chronons and becomes a "Shifter", a person with the ability to manipulate time.
He was voiced and portrayed by Shawn Ashmore, who also portrayed Bobby Drake/Iceman in the X-Men series and Lamplighter in The Boys and voiced Conrad in The Dark Pictures: Man of Medan.
History
On October 9, 2016, Jack Joyce arrives at Riverport University where he is reunited with his best friend, Paul Serene, and being introduced to the time machine. Just as they are about to begin testing, it malfunctions and exposing them to chronons, giving them time manipulation powers.
As Jack and his younger brother, William Joyce, escape Monarch Solutions' soldiers, they ended up being confronted by its leader: an aged Paul Serene, having used the time machine to escape the chaos only to fall to the End of Time. Serene then founded Monarch in 1999 to prepare for this event.
Jack opposes his former friend to prove him wrong that time can be changed to stop the End of Time. After stopping the end of time, he begins to suffer from Chronon syndrome and gains precognition like Serene.
Biography
Early Life
Jack Joyce is the son of Anthony and Kathryn Joyce and is the younger brother of William Joyce. In December of 1999, their parents were killed in a car accident, leaving William to raise Jack on his home (something he states was "ill" for). The brothers' relationship became strained afterward, with William once blaming Jack for their deaths, but the latter would become more and more independent from William.
Jack would meet and befriend Paul Serene, who would have a close bond with as they got older, being the proactive troublemaker of the two. When they were in their early teens, the two run upon a suicide, but decided to keep the incident a secret. Jack and Paul had a lengthy record of causing trouble, with Jack having been arrested numerous times for grand theft auto, assault, and theft attempts.
Becoming a Drifter
In 2010, Jack decided to leave Riverport, and started a nomadic lifestyle across the globe. Jack remained in contact with Paul via email, but lost touch with William, further straining their relationship. In Laos, Jack received weapons training, and presumably settled in Bangkok, Thailand for a couple of years. In 2015, he was arrested for weapon-related charges, but they were dropped for unknown reasons.
In October of 2016, Paul called Jack for help on a project him and his brother, William, were working on. Concerned, Jack decided to return to Riverport, and would go to the university where they worked.
Quantum Break
Night Springs
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Chronon Powers: After being exposed to chronon particles released from the time machine in Riverport University, Jack gained the ability to manipulate and control time, and move through the world when its "stutters".
- Time Vision: Jack has the ability to sense enemies, and harmful objects, through a minor precognition. (meaning he feels imminent threats.)
- Time Stop: Jack has the ability to temporarily stop time in a determined area, halting the enemies caught in the "bubble" he creates, granting him an easier target. With that ability, he is able to stack bullets from the firearms he holds against said targets.
- Time Shield: Jack has the ability to create a protective bubble that can deflect bullets or projectiles.
- Time Blast: Jack has the ability to break time in a focused area with destructive results.
- Time Rush: Jack has the ability to run through time when it's frozen, allowing him to move from enemy bullets or incoming projectiles.
- Time Dodge: Jack can dodge or dash out of harm's way.
Abilities
- Marksmanship: Jack is a capable marksman, being able to use handguns, rifles and other weaponry. He received weapon training in Laos, which proved useful in fighting Monarch Solutions' soldiers.
Gallery
Trivia
- He was originally portrayed by Sean Durrie but was revealed to be stand in for Shawn Ashmore by Remedy Entertainment.
- Durrie would go on to play Nick Masters in the game.
- Jack's name continues' Remedy's use of a rhyming pattern in their video games. His surname, Joyce, rhymes with "choice", as the player's choices affect the live-action episodes. Remedy Entertainment previously did this with their main protagonist, Max Payne and Alan Wake.
- Alan Wake is an easter egg in the video game, being in a trailer called "Return".