Prior to Cyberpunk 2077’s release, many believed that Morgan Blackhand would play a big role in the game. He’s one of the most popular characters in the Cyberpunk universe, and his background is as interesting as they come. In fact, one could probably even compare Blackhand to The Witcher’s Geralt.
Blackhand is considered the Solo’s Solo, a leader among them if only in spirit, with tons of experience and ops under his belt. Geralt is the same to his fellow Witchers. Blackhand has no agenda, simply taking jobs because that’s his job. Sure, Geralt’s job is monster hunting, but he’ll hunt any monster big or small. Blackhand is perhaps more selfish in nature than Geralt, but both are pragmatists and excel in getting the job done. Blackhand is often able to even capture targets alive, a noteworthy trait given the dangers of Night City.
Otherwise, Blackhand is just another Solo in the Cyberpunk universe. His reputation, iconic black arm, and his job are his definitive traits, but reputation in Night City means everything. In Cyberpunk 2077’s version of Night City, he has no real reputation other than being a legend. Yet, in Cyberpunk 2077, it’s not clear what he does to become that legend exactly, making the title feel less earned.
Cyberpunk 2077: Morgan Blackhand Gets Lost in Johnny Silverhand
This is because most of Morgan Blackhand’s character gets absorbed into Johnny Silverhand. Many believe that, given changes to Cyberpunk 2077’s lifepaths pre-release and the appearance of Keanu Reeves as Johnny Silverhand, the entire game was changed for Reeves. It makes sense; if Reeves is in a game, he needs to be the focus of that game. Many think because prior lifepaths let players choose a “hero,” it was originally possible to get Morgan Blackhand, Johnny Silverhand, or Saburo Arasaka as Engrams in their head—not just Johnny.
This is supported by how the game melds Blackhand and Silverhand. In Cyberpunk 2077, Johnny Silverhand nukes Arasaka Tower, but in the original lore, that was Morgan Blackhand. Blackhand also had a famous rivalry with Adam Smasher, one between the Solo’s Solo and the Man who was more Machine, but that too transfers to Johnny. Adam Smasher’s hatred and rivalry of Morgan Blackhand makes a lot of sense, but with Johnny Silverhand, not so much.
As a result, it seems more like Morgan Blackhand becomes cut content for Cyberpunk 2077 than it does he was never in it. All that’s left is one non-descript reference in the Afterlife, as they don’t have much to describe him with, and a report suggesting that someone with a black arm killed someone else. It’s a small detail and easily missable, but it could suggest Blackhand will appear in Cyberpunk 2077 DLC. That could be a double-edged sword, though.
Morgan Blackhand Would Be Great DLC for Cyberpunk 2077, But…
On the one hand, bringing Blackhand back in and correcting this would be a smart move. It would make a lot of fans happy to see Morgan Blackhand in-game as DLC and to explore whatever it is that Cyberpunk 2077 seems to tease with that reference. If done well, Cyberpunk 2077’s expansion could launch to a better memory than the base game.
The problem is in the name, though: who is Morgan Blackhand in Cyberpunk 2077? Sure, CD Projekt Red can give him the same attitude and character design. Sure, CD Projekt Red can call him Morgan Blackhand and everyone can call him a legend, but his most defining legends are no longer his—they’re Johnny Silverhand’s. Not to mention, the interactions between Johnny Silverhand and Morgan Blackhand could be awkward, to say the least.
Cyberpunk 2077 would essentially need to cook up a new mythos for Morgan Blackhand and explain his current role in the game effectively (he’s supposed to be dead, after all). This isn’t a bad option, and really, it’s the only option. But at the same time, this runs into the problem of his new mythos living up to his old mythos, and it would all have to fit into his character. If key elements of his background, personality, and relationships with the megacorps and Solos of Night City are changed, it could make him an entirely different character.
Calling someone who fails to capture the rugged charm of Morgan Blackhand by that name would be as bad, if not worse, than skipping over Morgan Blackhand entirely. It’s a gambit, and it remains to be seen if the game takes this gamble whenever Cyberpunk 2077’s 2023 expansion is revealed.
Cyberpunk 2077 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.