Just who is John Black? That's a good question. Still to this day we have no idea.
In January of 1986 a bandaged man known only as “The Pawn” was brought to Salem by
Victor Kiriakis. "The Pawn" was an injured man who had no idea who he was.
The bandages were eventually removed and the man known as John decided he could try
and build a new life in this town. "The Pawn" took the last name of Black
when he was working in a soup kitchen. Someone asked him what his last name was the
he didn’t know what to say so he took the last name Black from a Vietnam plaque that
hung on the wall.
Eventually John took a job as head of security at University
Hospital. During this time there was a rapist that was terrorizing the staff. While
working to protect the staff John bumped heads with Dr. Marlena Evans on several
occasions. The two forged a unique friendship which led to Marlena's realization
that John had amnesia. She tried to help him recover his memories through hypnosis.
Some memories surfaced which led John to believe he was Stefano DiMera. Needing to
know more John set out to find his true identity. By the journey's end we found out
that the man known as John Black was really Marlena's husband Roman with plastic
surgery. John and Marlena went back to Salem and tried to resume a normal life but
it wasn't meant to be. Marlena was kidnapped and she was killed in a plane crash
on April 23, 1987.
Roman went from woman to woman over the next five years.
None of the women he got involved with could take Marlena's place in his heart.
Eventually Roman met and fell in love with Isabella Toscano. They were engaged
to be married when Marlena came back to reclaim her family. Isabella gave Roman
his ring back and Marlena moved into the Brady house. Marlena soon began having
nightmares about being held captive. She insisted that Roman was with her. Both
needed to know more so the two of them set on an adventure to the island where Marlena
was held captive. They didn't find anything. They were ready to leave when they
ran into a man looking like the origional Roman. Unable to resolve anything on the
island both men headed back to Salem for DNA tests. The DNA tests revealed that
the man in the jungle was indeed the Real roman Brady. Not knowing who he was Roman
2 took back the name of John Black.
In 1992 a woman named Danielle Stevens
arrived in Salem. She was claiming that John was her husband. It was believed that
he was a jewel theif named Romulus. The two of them went to Geniva to find out the
truth to his past which was locked away in a safe deposit box. John ened up being
arrested when they tried to open the box because the authorites believed that he
was Romulus. When his finger prints didn't match Romulous's John was freed. Meanwhile
back in Salem Isabella read a file that Lawrence had on John and she came to realize
that Danielle was Romulus not John. The authorites found John but Danielle escaped.
This journey was not a total bust because John found an old broken locket which
lead to the realization that he was actually Forrest Alamain. He was a brother to
Lawrence and a nephew to Vivian. DNA tests revealed that he was indeed Forrest.
John then received his inheritance from his father's estate but he kept the name
John Black.
Even today we still don't have a lot of answers as to who John
Black really is. According to the storyline right now John was mercinary for Stefano
but he was not a priest. He only pretened to be a priest so that he could steal
some very valuable paintings for Stefano. So if you want answers as to just who
John Black is well you just have to stay tuned...
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