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Whacked right outta his skull! He ain't ever comin' back! Woohoohaahaahaa!

– Johnny the Boy

Johnny the Boy, often known as "Johnny," was a young member of Toecutter's merciless and psychotic motorcycle gang and acts as the secondary antagonist in the events of Mad Max. He was portrayed by Tim Burns.

Biography[]

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Johnny the Boy was a young and somewhat delusional affiliate of Toecutter's Gang that seemed to have a lot less control over himself more so than the other gang members. He was initially made known to Main Force Patrol when he was left on his own accord at the scene of a car crash and gang rape perpetrated by Toecutter's gang. He is arrested for multiple felonies, and held to stand trial, but he is allowed to walk when no witnesses turn up to give evidence at the court hearing.

Johnny became engaged in a violent and dramatic confrontation with the MFP officer, Jim Goose, after the aborted hearing. He laughs and postures, taunting Goose, while leaving the Halls of Justice. Goose erupts, and attacks Johnny, but is held back by his fellow officers. Both men exchanged insults and threats.

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Although Johnny appeared an unlikely antagonist of the MFP, he was constantly forced further and further over the edge by his mentor -- Toecutter. It is noteworthy that Johnny the Boy is the only member of Toecutter's close associates who is yet to be fully initiated. He does not yet bear the Phi tattoo of a full gang member. and it becomes clear that the Toecutter expects Johnny to take responsibility for avenging the gang's grudge against the Goose, as part of gaining full gang membership. The mental decline of Johnny mirrors that of society -- one that is pushed ever closer to the edge.

Eventually, Johnny achieves revenge quite spectacularly, secretly stalking Goose. He seizes the opportunity to sabotage Goose's motorcycle, before then causing the salvage utility that the Goose uses to retrieve the bike to swerve off the road, roll down a cutting, leaving the Goose helpless as the Gang converges on the wreck. The Toecutter forces Johnny to torch the utility, resulting in a fiery end for the Pursuit Officer.

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As Max hunted down the rest of Toecutter's gang for his revenge, following the death of his wife, he comes across Johnny beside a car wreck and a body. Johnny is in the process of looting a pair of boots from the deceased. Max handcuffs Johnny to the wreckage and sets up a timed death-trap. Max tosses Johnny a hacksaw, telling him he could release himself by cutting through the handcuffs in ten minutes or his own ankle in five. This moment provides interesting insight into Johnny's personality, as he tries to reason with Max that the only accusation against him that can be proven is the theft of the boots. Right up to the end, the whole series of events seems like a big game of "cops and robbers" to Johnny. He is completely stunned that the police officer, Max, is not following the law anymore. It is ultimately unknown if Johnny managed to free himself from the wreck in the time limit given. It seems unlikely. All we're shown was an explosion as Max drives away. It is uncertain whether the psychotic's potential did lend itself to Johnny cutting-off his foot to escape. However, even if he managed to cut off his foot, and then scramble away from the wreck, he likely would have quickly died from blood loss. Added to this, is the fact that he makes no effort on screen to try and cut anything, only crying and complaining.

Abilities and Personality[]

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Although serving as one of the notable antagonists along with Toecutter and Bubba, Johnny was an unlikely and unfortunate antagonist. Perhaps in a more stable society, one not falling apart, his mental illness could have been treated; but due to the encouragement of Toecutter and this downward societal spiral of law and order - his more villainous side emerged fully.

The efforts that Toecutter put into encouraging Johnny's sociopathic tendencies did not amount to acceptance without question. Toecutter's frustration with Johnny's unreliability is clear on several occasions. He's known to have constantly irritated other members of the gang, and known for getting himself into trouble. Bubba even openly questions Toecutter's motives for picking Johnny up from the Halls of Justice, after Johnny seemingly gets high and needlessly lingers at the scene of a crime. Again later, Bubba directly criticizes Johnny down on the beach. 'You just don't have the style, do you chicken-shit...' seems to sum up Bubba's assessment of him.

Gallery[]

References[]

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