Jack the Giant Killer sounds like a name that should belong to someone arriving to save the village. In Grimm Fairy Tales, that reputation is a lot less reassuring once you get…

Jack the Giant Killer sounds like a name that should belong to someone arriving to save the village. In Grimm Fairy Tales, that reputation is a lot less reassuring once you get into where his power came from and who he is serving. His story is introduced while Sela is still in Myst after the Dream Eater crisis. A village elder tells the children about the giants who once dominated the realm and the man who brought them down. That gives Jack a place in the world's remembered history before he becomes someone Sela has to deal with herself. The earlier tragedy matters. His family is killed by a ruthless king, and Jack gives up his soul in a bargain with the Dark One to obtain the power to destroy giants. He gets the strength to become the figure people remember. The price leaves him attached to something much worse than a heroic reputation would suggest. That is a nasty distinction. People can remember the victories, repeat the name, and leave out what made those victories possible. If all you hear is that somebody killed the giants who terrified an entire realm, it is easy to assume you understand what kind of person he is. When Sela goes into Limbo to recover Erik's soul, Jack is serving its ruler. She needs to reach someone she loves, and he is one of the dangers standing between her and that rescue. His giant-killing ability isn't being used to protect her. It belongs to the opposition now. That is also why his connection to the Horde needs a little care. His bargain ties him to the Dark One, while the Limbo stories place him directly in the service of that realm's ruler. Those connections explain where he belongs in this earlier network of antagonists without pretending every villain has the same commander in every appearance. Jack's history brings the cost of Malec's bargains into Sela's personal story. A man gained the power to avenge his losses, and now that power helps keep another person from undoing hers. Knowing the tragedy behind him doesn't make him any less dangerous when she needs to get past him.