Alasdair "Alec" McCullough is the main antagonist on Netflix's Wu Assassins. He is portrayed by Tommy Flanagan.[1]
He is an international crime boss with a mysterious interest in San Francisco's Chinatown.
Early Life[]
Alasdair was born in the 1500s in Scotland where he was a mercenary in his early days. One day after killing a deer, he meets Ying Ying who after a brief sparring, she defeated him. She deemed him worthy and bestowed him the monk shard, turning him into the Wu Assassin and tells him to kill the rest of the Wu Warlords, starting with the Wood Wu. Alasdair objected this, but Ying Ying returned to the Dao, leaving him alone. A few days later, he has a nightmare of his family being drowned by water, and leaves to a different place.
In the 1500s, Alec is forcibly given the Wu Assassin powers.
Alasdair was about to tell his wife about Ying Ying when a Water Wu Lord ambushed him, and killed his wife and son, which enrages Alasdair to kill her for vengeance. Alasdair meets with Ying Ying, and begs her to revive his family, or kill him but Ying Ying refuses, saying she can't revive the dead and tells him to kill the Wood Wu Warlord. After killing the Wood Wu, he relinquished the Monk Shard through a controlled suicide, while holding the Wood Wu so that it would bring him and his family back with its healing abilities. He was revived from the dead because of the healing power of Wood Wu but he couldn't revive his family. Through the healing power, he was able to live for over 500 years. During that time, he changed his name to Alec and became a leader to a Scottish crime gang.
Throughout the Series[]
Season 1[]
In Drunken Watermelon, he is the subject of the police investigation, as Frank Fletcher, chief of San Francisco Police, believes Alec McCullough plans to go to war with Uncle Six, leader of the Triad. He assigns Christine Gavin (CG) to the case.
In A Twisting Snake, Kai Jin, the present Wu Assassin, observes Alec McCullough's statue while getting a tour from Ying Ying but doesn't think much of it. Later, while searching CG's files he recognizes Alec's face from the previous Wu Assassin statues and calls CG. Uncle Six meets up with Alec McCullough to talk about business.
McCullough telling Uncle Six his history.
In Codladh Samh, Uncle Six tells Alec McCullough to stay out of Chinatown, and when McCullough refuses Uncle Six starts to burn McCullough's papers. McCullough extends his hands, and his papers revert back to normal, revealing that he is also a Wu Warlord. Uncle Six asks who is he, and Alec McCullough, having some respect for Uncle Six, tells him his history.
Uncle Six asks does he become immortal, but McCullough assures that only the Wood Wu Warlord is immortal, as the Wood Wu Xing is the only artifact to have the power to heal. McCullough senses the Wu Assassin is in San Francisco and offers a deal: team up with McCullough and the other Wu Warlords to kill the Wu Assassin, and in return Uncle Six can control part of the world. Uncle Six thinks about this, then leaves.
In Gu Assassins, Alec McCullough hallucinates his wife and son in his castle while talking about his plan to reunite with them. Later, he gets a visit from Zan (Uncle Six's right hand bodyguard) who tells him the identity of the Wu Assassin, as well as where the Fire Wu Xing is. When McCullough asks Zan why is she betraying Uncle Six, Zan replies that she wants more power which impresses McCullough.
In Ladies' Night, Alec McCullough contacts the Metal Wu Warlord Gideon to help him get the Fire Wu Xing, and introduces Zan to Gideon (who is controlling the body of a woman name Natalie). When Tommy Wah escapes the interrogation room during the blackout and meets Alec McCullough, who calls him by his name (even though they never met). Frightened, Tommy runs away but is soon caught by McCullough. Zan wakes up after her defeat from Jenny Wah and Christine Gavin, and rendezvous with Alec who has Tommy hostage. Jenny and Christine meet with McCullough after hearing Tommy's screams.
McCullough tells Jenny to give the Fire Wu Xing to Zan, but Jenny takes the Fire Wu Xing for herself, becoming the new Fire Wu Warlord. McCullough is impressed by Jenny's quick decision, but Gideon reveals himself to be controlling San Francisco Police Captain Frank Fletcher. Jenny shoots a fire blast at Fletcher, who deflects it. McCullough stabs Tommy with a wooden stake, threatening Jenny if she has an outburst one more time he will kill Tommy. McCullough heals Zan, orders Gideon to take control of Christine (due to his belief that Christine is valuable to the Wu Assassin), and asks Jenny what will she do.
In Paths: Part 1, Miss Jones, the Water Wu Warlord, gets an artifact that acts as a guidepost to the afterlife from The Duke, and gives it to McCullough while asking where is Gideon, to which McCullough replies that Gideon has taken form of a female body that Miss Jones may like. Kun Zi meets with Kai Jin in The Path to explain McCullough's endgame: he plans to revive his dead family by entering The Path. The problem is that The Path does not welcome any outsiders, only the monks and Wu Asssasin are permitted without any consequences.
If any outsider (human or Wu Warlords) enter The Path, it will disrupt the flow of The Dao (energy that flows throughout the Path) which will damage time, space, and reality. Alec McCullough calls Kai for a deal: Give him the earth Wu Xing, and he will return Christine, Tommy and Jenny but Kai hangs up due to advice from Uncle Six which infuriates Lu Xin Lee.
McCullough meets with Jenny and tries to break her spirit by replaying the conversation Kai had with McCullough earlier, and tells her that Kai does not care for her. The next morning, McCullough puts the artifact in another stone that has similar markings, completing the puzzle (which causes the stone to glow red).
McCullough hears rustling in the woods.
In Paths: Part 2, Kai and Lu Xin meet up with Alec McCullough, but McCullough tells them to drop their weapons. Kai and Lu Xin confront McCullough, who mocks Kai on Uncle Six's death as well as Ying Ying's words, telling him that Ying Ying only brings suffering and death. McCullough heals Tommy, and tells Kai that every move Kai can think of, McCullough already has a counter for that, telling Kai that there are 4 Wu Warlords (Christine (with Gideon impersonating her), himself, Miss Jones, and Jenny) and his henchmen against Kai, also revealing that he knew Kai met with Jenny to devise a plan.
Kai nearly hands the Earth Wu Xing to McCullough, before letting Tommy have it. McCullough smiles, telling him that was exactly what he needs, as the only way to travel to The Path is to have 5 humans that possess the Wu Xing, the Wu Assassin, and an artifact that acts as a guidepost to the afterlife (seen in Paths: Part 1). The whole group is transported to The Path where Kai wakes up and catches McCullough's Wu Xing. While Kai is busy acquiring every one else's Wu Xings and expelling his monk shard, McCullough sneaks away and enters the Gate where he sees The Dao, and enters it.
McCullough sees his family again, and they are surprised by his new accent and clothes. When Caleb touches McCullough's chest, McCullough realizes that he lost his Wu Xing (making him easier to kill) and he did not close the portal. After a brief stand off, McCullough convinces his wife and son it is really him. At night, McCullough hears rustling, and Kai ambushes him, finally killing him and ending his reign once and for all.
Physical Appearance[]
Alec McCullough is a relatively tall individual who is 6 feet. In the 1500s, he wore white loose clothing and had long hair. In the present, his hair is drastically shortened and combed back, his accent changed and wears dark clothing.
Personality[]
Alec McCullough is an arrogant individual who happens to be very intelligent. Due to him being immortal for 500 years, he is very educated and mostly calm. He often talks down individuals as he is beneath them, and constantly tries to break their spirit, as well as mocking them based on their failures, However, McCullough has shown to have signs of respect toward people who are unpredictable; this is shown in Ladies' Night where after Jenny outsmarts Zan, McCullough outright says that although he lived for centuries, he did not expect Jenny's decisions. He does not seem to care if innocents were killed.
McCullough cares very deeply about his family, so much that he was willing to put the world in jeopardy just so he can reunite with his family. Ultimately, it was his emotions that drove to his downfall, as he was so driven to see his family that he did not think of closing The Dao portal, or seeing if Kai Jin survived.
Powers and Abilities[]
Former Powers:
- Wu Assassin: Due to his prowess as a warrior, Alec was made the Wu Assassin, and as such possessed the all of the abilities of the Wu Assassin. His strength, speed, and resilience were enhanced beyond normal human beings.
- Wood Wu: Being the avatar for the wood wu, Alec was able to manipulate woodland aspects of nature. He was able to command the woods and vines, and was also able to quickly heal from any injuries he received. Being the avatar of the wood wu also prevented him from dying or ageing, evidenced by the fact that he was still alive 500 years after becoming the Wood Wu Warlord.
Abilities[]
- Skilled Swordsman: Alec McCullough was born in the 1500s where every men had to fight for themselves and their family. He was able to fight off Ying Ying for a brief moment before being overwhelmed. He was skilled enough to kill a Water Wu Warlord by himself (although she was distracted) and the Wood Wu Warlord. Although McCullough was skilled in swordsmanship, he most likely did not learn any hand to hand combat, as Kai relatively overpowered him easily (although Kai ambushed him).
- Genius Level Intellect: Having been alive for at least 500 years, McCullough has educated himself over the time, making him very smart. Alec stated that he has planned 4 moves ahead of his opponnets, this is true when Kai tries to outsmart McCullough but fails. He was able to figure out how to travel to The Path by himself, which is no small feat.
Appearances[]
Season 1[]
Trivia[]
- Alec McCullough is the oldest living character in the series.
- He is the only individual to become the Wu Assassin and Wu Warlord.
- It is unknown how Gideon and Miss Jones met McCullough.
- He is the only Wu Warlord with the power to heal.
- It is not clear on how Alec McCullough reunited with his family: did he travel to the afterlife and brought them back, or did he travel back in time.
Gallery[]