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John "Ace" Merrill

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John "Ace" Merrill is a major antagonist of the Stephen King multiverse.

Serving as the main antagonist of the novella The Body, and it's film adaptation Stand By Me, the secondary antagonist of the novel Needful Things, a minor antagonist of the short story Nona, and a supporting character of the Castle Rock TV series. He is also falsely mentioned in the novel Tommyknockers.

Ace is the nephew of Reginald 'Pop' Merrill. He leads a teenage gang of bullies who torment and terrorize Gordie LaChance, Chris Chambers, Teddy Duchamp and Vern Tessio. His closest friends among his gang are Norman "Fuzzy' Bracowicz and Richard "Eyeball" Chambers, Chris's older brother. He once had a girlfriend named Betsy Malenfant. 

After being caught by Sheriff Alan Pangborn for trying to crack the safe in The Mellow Tiger, Ace was sent to Shawshank Penitentiary for 4 years. After being released in 1989, Ace moved to nearby Mechanic Falls. He got a job at Oxford Plains Speedway as a part-time pit mechanic. In 1991 he was shot and killed by Deputy Norris Ridgewick.

Ace is not to be mistaken for John Merrill, who was mentioned in The Tommyknockers as the father of Ruth Merrill McCausland.

Quick Answers

What role does John 'Ace' Merrill play in the Stephen King multiverse? toggle section
John 'Ace' Merrill is a significant character in the Stephen King multiverse, primarily as an antagonist. He is the key antagonist in the novella 'The Body' and its film adaptation 'Stand By Me'. Further, he is the secondary antagonist in 'Needful Things', a minor character in the short story 'Nona', and supports the narrative in the 'Castle Rock' TV series. The character is referenced in the novel 'Tommyknockers'.
Provided by: Fandom
In which Stephen King stories does Ace Merrill appear? toggle section
John 'Ace' Merrill features in multiple Stephen King stories. He is the primary antagonist in 'The Body' and its film version 'Stand By Me'. He plays the secondary antagonist in 'Needful Things', a minor antagonist role in the short story 'Nona', and supports in the 'Castle Rock' TV series. He is also referenced in 'Tommyknockers'.
Provided by: Fandom
Who is Ace Merrill's uncle in the Stephen King multiverse? toggle section
In the Stephen King multiverse, John "Ace" Merrill's uncle is Reginald Merrill. Ace is positioned to inherit the family business from Reginald.
Provided by: Fandom
How does Ace Merrill contribute to the plot of 'Stand By Me'? toggle section
John 'Ace' Merrill, a character in 'Stand By Me', is a significant antagonist in the Stephen King universe. Portrayed by Kiefer Sutherland, Ace is the primary antagonist in 'The Body' and its film adaptation 'Stand By Me'. He also features in the short story 'Nona' and the TV series 'Castle Rock'. Ace is recognized for his fierce loyalty to his gang and his violent tendencies, notably scarring Richard 'Eyeball' Chambers' eye.
Provided by: Fandom
What is the nature of Ace Merrill's gang in 'The Body'? toggle section
In 'The Body', Ace Merrill leads a group of seven, including himself. The gang comprises Eyeball Chambers, Billy Tessio, Charlie Hogan, Vince Desjardins, 'Fuzzy' Bracowicz, and 'Jackie' Mudgett.
Provided by: Fandom

Castle Rock[]

John Merrill will be played by Paul Sparks in Season Two of Castle Rock. He will be taking over his uncle Reginald's criminal business and threatening the fragile peace between Castle Rock, Maine and Jerusalem's Lot, Maine.

Physical appearance []

Ace was described by Gordie to have "sharp, handsome features" during his teenage years. As an adult, Gordie says his attractive looks were "buried in an avalanche of flesh" in his 30s. In a few pages in the confrontation between his gang and the boys during the storm, he had an "Elvis D.A" and a "Nylon school jacket", giving him a greaser type appearance. Ironically, many bullies in Stephen King's works tend to be greasers if set in the 1950s, '60s, or '70s. Since in the novel, Billy, Charlie, and Norman were described as having motorcycle boots at some points in the novel, it is most likely that he wore them as well. In Needful Things, it is said that during his teenage years, he wore a motorcycle jacket and engineer boots.

He is played by Kiefer Sutherland in the film, who resembles Ace in the books accurately. He also has Blonde hair. His hair is in some sort of crew cut with the sides slicked back and the top being somewhat spikey. He wears a black or white t-shirt with black chinos and penny loafers. He sometimes wears unbottoned shirts over the t-shirt.

Quotes[]

  • "We're gonna get you for this."
  • "You're dead."
  • "What are you gonna do, shoot us all?"
  • "This is big time, baby."
  • "C'mon kid, give me the gun before you shoot your foot off, you ain't got the sack to shoot a woodchuck." 

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Appearances[]

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