John "Ace" Merrill

{{It Character
|name = John Merrill
|image = <tabber>
|-|Movie=[[File:Acemerrill.jpg]]
|-|Castle Rock=[[File:John Ace Merrill (Castle_Rock).jpg]]
</tabber>
|born = 1944 (book)<br>1941 (film)
|age = 15 (book)<br>18 (film)
|gender = Male
|died = 1991
|alias = Ace Merrill
|title = John 'Ace' Merrill
|family = [[Reginald Merrill|Reginald 'Pop' Merrill]] (uncle)<br>[[Chris Merrill]]
|job = Bully gang leader<br>Drug dealer<br>Shop assistant<br>High school student
|home = [[Castle Rock, Maine]]
|loyalty = His gang, [[Leland Gaunt]]
|actor = [[Kiefer Sutherland]] (Stand By Me)<br>[[Paul Sparks]] (Castle Rock)
}}'''John "Ace" Merrill''' is the main antagonist of the novella ''[[The Body]]'' from [[Different Seasons]] (and, consequently the novella's film version, ''[[Stand By Me]]''), as well as a secondary antagonist in the novel [[Needful Things]]. Ace lived most of his life in [[Castle Rock, Maine]] (except in Stand By Me, in which Castle Rock is located in Oregon).

Ace is the nephew of [[Reginald Merrill|Reginald 'Pop' Merrill]]. He leads a teenage gang of bullies who torment and terrorize [[Gordon LaChance|Gordie LaChance]], [[Chris Chambers (Stand By Me)|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]] in the early-to-mid-80s for breaking and entering, Ace was sent to [[Shawshank Penitentiary]] for 4 years. After being released, Ace eventually made his way back to Castle Rock. He died there in 1991.

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

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

==Quotes==
*"We're gonna get [[Gordon LaChance|you]] for this."
*"[[Chris Chambers|You're]] dead."
*"What are you gonna do, shoot us all?"
*"This is big time, baby."
*"C'mon kid, you ain't got the sack to shoot a woodchuck." 

==Gallery==
<gallery>
John Merrill.jpeg
ace.jpg
ace155817_std.jpg
aceshot0152.jpg
Ace Merrill image.jpeg
</gallery>

==Appearances==
*''[[Nona]]''
*''[[Needful Things]]''
*''[[The Body]]'' (novel)
*''[[Stand By Me]]'' (film)
*''[[Castle Rock (TV Series)|Castle Rock]]''

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="115" orientation="square">
Ace merril.jpg
Ace Merrill image.jpeg
</gallery>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Merrill, John}}