- ❝ Did it make you feel powerful, Ray? Did you get a little tingle between your legs?❞
- ―Defalt to Ray when discussing the blackout deaths.
Defalt is a disc jockey who works in Dot ConneXion at Ambrose Theatre, and a blackhat hacker for hire who works against DedSec. He is a minor antagonist in Watch Dogs and also the main antagonist of Watch Dogs: Bad Blood.
Biography[]
Background[]
Defalt's background is mostly left unclear. His name implies he is from Eastern Europe, likely Poland. He later started working for Dot ConneXion as a DJ, and became a hacker for hire, apparently notorious (as he was known by both Raymond "T-Bone" Kenney and Dermot "Lucky" Quinn), and a "brilliant" hacker, in T-Bone's words.
Watch Dogs: Bad Blood further reveals his background. He had a brother under suicide watch in a mental hospital watch prior to the Northeast Blackout of 2003. The statewide blackout caused by T-Bone gave him the chance to escape and was found later after he hanged himself. Ever since that event, Markowicz hated T-Bone and sought revenge. He then started to work as an informant for Blume, in order to find him.
It is also known that he attempted to enter the DedSec group, though he was refused as his job was against DedSec's policy of its members being anonymous; he does not operate under his own name, but he had a notorious created identity as "Defalt" that he refused to give up when the group demanded it. He had a grudge against DedSec ever since.
Events of Watch Dogs[]
Aiden first hears mention of Markowicz during Act III when Clara Lille reports a series of digital probes, "mostly from script kiddies", but that a further probe by a hacker known as Defalt made them nervous. T-Bone claims that Markowicz is "brilliant", and that he could cause them serious trouble.
Later on, Defalt hacks The Bunker and steals the data that Aiden stole from Iraq. While doing so, he distracts the team by exposing Clara's involvement in the Merlaut job that inadvertently led to Lena's death. After this, his virus proceeds to delete the blackmail from the Bunker's servers. Following this, T-Bone locates and breaks into Defalt's apartment and discovers a wealth of advanced, prototype technology. Before he can take any of it, Defalt's alarms go off, calling Fixers to the scene, from which Aiden helps T-Bone escape.
Aiden manages to track Defalt to his day job as a DJ at Dot ConneXion. Defalt hacks into the Profiler app, changing all identifying qualities to mocking statements and meme-based jokes. Defalt unintentionally leaves a trail that allows Aiden to track him down; however, when Aiden reaches Defalt's laptop webcam, giving him a clear view of Defalt, the masked hacker notices and discreetly gives the webcam - and Aiden - the finger before plunging the entire club into a blackout. Defalt then hides underneath his DJ system and sends a decoy out on an escape attempt via the roof of the building to keep Aiden occupied, he also hires Fixers to keep Aiden occupied on the rooftop so he can have the decoy make a getaway. Aiden manages to kill all the Fixers and follows the decoy out of the alley where he is making an escape in his Rosewood. After chasing the decoy around the city while downloading the stolen data back from him, Aiden is then able to incapacitate his car.
The decoy's fate is left to player's choice: he can be gunned down or knocked down. Also, after the player downloads the full data, it is possible to let him go, if this happens, T-Bone will guide Aiden towards a spot where he finds out that the decoy abandoned his car and his mask, and is nowhere to be seen. Either way, he is not mentioned again.
Events of Bad Blood[]
Defalt returns in Bad Blood, confirming he survived the events of Watch Dogs. He was among the Fixers who were hired by Blume in order to find T-Bone. While T-Bone questions himself why hasn't he left Chicago after being beaten up by Aiden, he ultimately discovers by recording one of the Fixers that he is also trying to find him. Hacking his computer, Defalt talks to T-Bone through the camera. T-Bone localizes him thanks to the Umeni building behind him. T-Bone then goes to him, in a construction site in Brandon Docks, however, when he finds his room, he finds out with horror that Defalt created the electrical re-enactments of the deaths of the eleven people who died in the northeast blackout. The last body, hung, wears Defalt's mask; this is when T-Bone discovers his brother was among the eleven casualties, which explains why Defalt was after him.
Defalt later hires a group of Fixers to raid T-Bone's hideout, the Silo. Luckily he and his partner Tobias Frewer survive the attack and kill the attacking Fixers. Tobias later tracks Defalt down in an underground area in The Loop. When T-Bone goes there, he ends up locked up in a room, where he is faced with not only Defalt but also the other people whose loved ones were killed by the Blackout, through television. Defalt asks the relatives of the eleven victims to decide his fate; turning off their webcams counts as a vote to spare him, while continuing to watch counts as a vote to kill him. T-Bone apologizes for what he did, and for any additional trauma that Defalt is causing by forcing them to continue to think on what happened. He also warns his victims' loved ones that if they murder him, they'll feel the guilt of it just as he feels the guilt of killing their loved ones; this convinces three of them to vote to spare him, though the majority still choose to kill him. Defalt then opens the ventilation, filling the room with lethal gas. Using Tobias' phone camera, T-Bone hacks in Defalt's room and reroutes the ventilation to his room. As he tries to escape, a neon sign collapses, blocking his way. Defalt angrily taps on his computer in order to attempt to stop the gas; however, he is unable to do so and pushes the desk over in frustration, before he collapses onto his chair and asphyxiates.
Events of Watch Dogs 2[]
Defalt does not appear in Watch Dogs 2, but some people can be seen wearing Defalt masks, proving his legacy lives on. He is also mentioned in the mission Rodentia Academy.
Events of Watch Dogs: Legion[]
Again, Defalt does not physically appear in Watch Dogs: Legion, but there are numerous Easter Eggs and references to him. Defalt has set up an underground hideout, and he has left messages for the player to read. In his underground set up, there is also a Parcel Fox box, supposedly with his mask inside. Thus, it is assumed he is either alive, or a copycat has fulfilled his legacy. Ironically, Dedsec Londoners can actually recruit DJ occupants and famous individuals, despite the fact that DedSec must remain anonymous.
Appearance[]
Defalt has an interesting set of attire, most notably his bright blue neon rat mask. His face is never seen. He wears a dark grey hoodie with a pixelated 'Defalt' written across the center, grey sweatpants, and sneakers. There is a blue headphone jack and a black USB cord hanging out of his back pocket, which is likely meant to be his "tail" to go with the rat mask.
Personality[]
Before the Bad Blood DLC, Defalt's personality was mostly unclear. However it is shown through his messages and attitude towards Aiden that he is very arrogant and puts himself above others. He is also childish in some points, as seen how he writes with smileys and internet slang terms such as 'LOL', however it is shown that he does so to provoke Aiden. In Bad Blood, this aspect of his personality is elaborated upon further by showing his history with DedSec and T-Bone.
It is also shown that he displays advanced levels of psychopathy, such as when he giggles insanely when watching T-Bone get gassed. He also personally creates electrical re-enactments of the deaths of the eleven people who died in the northeast blackout and takes great pleasure when T-Bone becomes emotionally distraught because of this.
Despite his psychopathic nature, it is clearly obvious that vengeance has consumed him. His only true mission in life was to get revenge on Ray "T-Bone" Kenney, for causing the Northeast Blackout of 2003, which resulted in his brother escaping a mental ward and committing suicide. This also shows his love for his brother. It is seen as so deep, that because of Ray Kenney unintentionally causing his death, Defalt let vengeance completely consume him.
Skills and Abilities[]
- Hacking Skills: His most powerful skill is his ability to hack. This is so potent, that he became one of the potential recruits for DedSec and later on their strongest rival. He was able to hack into the Bunker Systems and even Aiden Pearce's profiler systems. His hacking abilities made even Lucky Quinn see him as a very powerful asset, that he must acquire.
- CTOS Manipulation: He, too, has access to CTOS, and thus is capable of hacking feats similar to Aiden Pearce, including controlling traffic lights, police scanners, steam pipes, and bridges.
- Psychological Warfare: He was able to torture Raymond Kenney over the deaths of the Northeast Blackout of 2003, which made him somewhat emotionally unstable and incredibly angered / vengeful.
- Strategic Skills: He is a highly skilled planner, as he managed to fool Aiden Pearce by sending him after his decoy. The plans laid out for his ultimate revenge against Ray Kenney were also a highlight of his strategic skills.
- Resources: It has been stated that despite Defalt having a massive ego, he has the skills and a "vast set of resources" to actually back his ego. He has the resources to hire many Fixers who are well equipped.
- Song Artist: His occupation is a DJ, who regularly works at the Dot ConneXion. During the beginning of Bad Blood, a news broadcast claimed that his next record became a massive hit.
Mission Appearances[]
Watch Dogs[]
Bad Blood DLC[]
- One of The Council of Daves missions
- Connections
- Ghosts (voice)
- Hold the Line (voice)
- The Verdict (killed)
Watch Dogs 2[]
- Rodentia Academy (mentioned)
Trivia[]
- It might be possible that Defalt hired the Fixers in the mission "Way Off The Grid", as hinted by one of the Fixers while guarding the warehouse with old computer which contains T-Bone's exact location. And there is a proof that during Aiden's infiltration inside the warehouse, The Bunker got hacked (probably by Defalt) as Clara informed Aiden before the shoot-out against the Fixers.
- His appearance in Bad Blood somehow creates an inconsistency with Watch Dogs, as he is killable in the former.
- There is a hackable text conversation in Bad Blood implying that the "Defalt" encountered in The Defalt Condition was in fact an impostor, with Defalt working behind the scenes. The Defalt seen working on the DJ system in The Defalt Condition is the real Defalt, however the one who is chased from the roof is indeed an imposter. This is proven if one is to look at the floor where Defalt was at the DJ system after the blackout that he can be seen hiding underneath the DJ system. The conversation shows that Defalt regularly hires DJs who wear the rat mask and his clothing. However it seems to be canon that the impostor either was knocked out or escaped, since according to some of T-Bone's monologue during the DLC, he thought that Defalt skipped town after Aiden "spanked" him. This leaves the nature of the Defalt encountered in "The Defalt Condition" unknown.
- Defalt bears an uncanny resemblance to the popular real-life house music producer, Deadmau5. Defalt's mask resembles a rat, whereas Deadmau5's mask is that of a mouse.
- When profiled, his sub-description is listed as "twoplustwoisfive". This is likely a reference to the George Orwell novel 1984. This may also be an allusion to the Deadmau5 album "4x4=12".
- Defalt's name is a modified version of the word default.
- In Dot ConneXion, Defalt uses binary code in his CTOS profile. If put together, it can be translated in binary code to "RRROFFFLLLL", an acronym for the phrase "Rolling On Floor Laughing."
- In the "Bad Blood" DLC, it turned out that Clara was working with Defalt when she was searching for The Bunker.
- Defalt's symbol appears as the logo for Digital Trips, suggesting that he is the one who wrote and programmed them.
- If this is true, then Defalt also goes by the name Emperor Rat, as a news broadcast interviews Digital Trip users and says that these "drugs" are made by Emperor Rat.
- His CTOS profile shows that his income is over $8,675,300 dollars a year. This is most likely untrue, given the fact that when Aiden Pearce uses the Profiler (after Defalt hacked it), all the other guests have hacked statuses, including ridiculous incomes.
- If so, it might be possible that "JB Markowicz" isn't his real name.
- In Quinn's audio log #8 (found in the Merlaut during No Turning Back), Quinn states that he wants to arrange a meeting with Defalt because of Clara Lille terminating her association with the Chicago South Club.
- In the picture of where DedSec's poster with the objects in it, an old Mac Pro in the corner can be found.
- Strangely, Defalt's voice actor is not credited in Watch Dogs: Bad Blood, even though he speaks in the DLC.
- Defalt seems to have a fondness for watching pornography, as T-Bone found a USB stick filled with lesbian porn in the mission The Rat's Lair.
- In The Defalt Condition, Defalt (or his clone) carries a 1911 and will fire it if he exits his vehicle.
- His real name is a possible reference to BJ Blazkowicz, the main character from the Wolfenstein series.
Real World[]
- Adrian Burhop, the voice actor for Defalt, died in a skiing accident on December 6, 2023. He was 48 years old.[1]
External links[]
Gallery[]
