Morgan Blackhand

He is arguably the most legendary solo (mercenary) in the entire Cyberpunk canon, a ghost from the 2020s whose shadow stretches long into the 2077 era and beyond.

The Man: The Legendary Solo

  • The Professional's Professional: In an era of flashy, psychotic solos like Adam Smasher, Blackhand was the opposite. He was calm, methodical, precise, and famously low-chrome. He relied on skill, tactics, and intelligence over raw, cybernetic power. He was the ultimate strategist.

  • The Corporate Soldier: His primary employer was Militech. He was the personal "problem-solver" for Militech's CEO, Bartmoss. This made him the arch-nemesis of Arasaka and their own top solo, Adam Smasher.

  • The Rivalry: The conflict between Morgan Blackhand (Militech) and Adam Smasher (Arasaka) was the central, personal embodiment of the Fourth Corporate War. They were two opposing philosophies of combat and two champions of rival empires destined to clash.

The Myth: The Night City Holocaust

His legend is irrevocably tied to the events of the Night City Holocaust of 2023—the nuclear destruction of Arasaka Tower.

  • The Official Mission: Militech tasked a team, led by Blackhand and including Johnny Silverhand, to infiltrate Arasaka Tower and destroy their central database, "The Soulkiller."

  • The "Big Lie": As you know, the official story (The Big Lie) pinned the nuke on Arasaka. The truth is that Militech provided it.

  • Blackhand's True Role: While Johnny Silverhand's raid was a chaotic, personal crusade to save Alt Cunningham, Morgan Blackhand's mission was the real Militech operation. He was the on-the-ground commander.

  • The Final Showdown: During the chaos, the nuke was detonated. The last confirmed sighting of Morgan Blackhand was on the roof of Arasaka Tower, locked in a final, epic battle with Adam Smasher as the building disintegrated around them.

  • The Disappearance: After that day, Morgan Blackhand vanished. He was presumed dead, but his body was never found.

The Mystery & His Role in 2077 and Beyond

  • The Theories: The central mystery is: What happened to Morgan Blackhand?

    1. He Survived and Went Deep Underground: The most popular theory. As the ultimate professional, he saw the world burning and decided to disappear, knowing Militech and the NUSA would want him silenced as the one man who could expose "The Big Lie."

Morgan Blackhand in the 2097 Timeline

He is the ultimate ghost, a wild card that could shatter the precarious balance of power.

  • A Living Legend: If he's alive, he'd be over 100 years old, but age could be managed with advanced tech. His mere survival would be a seismic event.

  • The Keeper of the Truth: He is the one living witness who could definitively prove "The Big Lie" and reveal Militech's responsibility for the nuke. This makes him the most dangerous man in the world to the NUSA/Militech.

  • The Uncorrupted Icon: In a world now dominated by Lazarus revenants, Shivanti AIs, and corporate theocracies, Morgan Blackhand represents a "purer" past. He is a symbol of a time when solos were human, bound by their own code, not corporate leases or religious fanaticism.