MovieChat Forums > The Green Mile (1999) Discussion > I wish John didn't make Percy kill Wild ...

I wish John didn't make Percy kill Wild Bill

posted 8 years ago by MikeHunt153
11 replies | jump to latest

I know he deserved it, but he was already on death row, so what was the point? The point of John's character is that he couldn't hurt a fly, but he basically becomes a murderer.

[–] Captain_Beeble 8 years ago

so what was the point?

Probably just so he could make Percy go crazy enough to go catatonic and get him sent to the loony bin. Coffey sure wasn't going to make Percy shoot a good, innocent man, so he had to turn Percy against a bad guy. And Wild Bill was the only bad guy available then, so it had to be him.

[–] mikeyg24 8 years ago

Percy was evil and unfortunately his familial connections were going to preserve his behaviour and probably get the boys fired or at least reprimanded. I never really bought Paul's threat about him getting in trouble for standing by while Wild Bill tried to strangle Dean. This way he gets taken out for good.

We have to show the world that not all of us are like him: Henning von Tresckow.

[–] strntz 8 years ago

The point of John's character is that he couldn't hurt a fly..

Flies are innocent creatures other than their disgusting habits of defecating on everything they touch. John would *never* hurt an innocent being. That I believe is the point.

...but he basically becomes a murderer.

By strict definition, sure. But Wild Bill was going to die anyway, and since John "saw" what Wild Bill did, there was no doubt about his crimes. John just hastened Wild Bill's demise (and did him a favor if you think about it) and prevented Percy's sadism to inmates at the state mental hospital.

Is very bad to steal Jobu's rum. Is very bad.

[–] residentevil6901 8 years ago

I'm happy how it all happened. Wild Bill got killed and Percy ended up in the crazy room that Bill was when they picked him up.

[–] Hanz-Willhelm2 8 years ago

John couldn't "control" people. He didn't make Purcy kill Bill, he punished Purcy but Purcy in his own evil chose to kill Bill.

It's not like John can program people to carry out orders.

Lamar Jackson for Heisman!

[–] jnericsonx 7 years ago

Yeah, before Percy shoots Wild Bill, you see tears running down his face, as he KNOWS the horrible thing Wild Bill did, and also realizes that John was not deserving of what was going to happen to him,so, it broke him, but not before blowing Bill away, but after that, well, you saw what happened to him.

[–] JR541 7 years ago

It could be that John Coffey was "other worldly" in some way. He was definitely intended to be a Christ figure in some way. He even has the initials of J.C. John seems to judge that both Wild Bill and Percy need to be punished. He has a way of knowing things and perhaps whatever power (or magic as Paul puts it) he has let him know that it was "Gods will" that they should be punished thusly.

Or maybe I'm full of sh*t.

He's taking the knife out of the Cheese!
Do you think he wants some cheese?

[–] Drooch (5333) 4 years ago

You forget the vengeful Christ of the Bible.

[–] spurtle467 (1518) 4 years ago

Unless Percy has something of an awakening in the future and comes out of his catatonic state then I would say he was punished worse than Wild Bill, who was a murderer of 2 little girls, and who knows what else. If that was John's plan then it seemed pretty unjust and made him less the angelic figure he was supposed to be. I mean I'm also guessing that an instant death by being shot is preferable to electrocution too so he gave Wild Bill an easier escape.