Juan dela Cruz is the main protagonist of the 2013 Filipino titular series of the same name and its midquel, My Little Juan. He is mainly known as "Tagabantay," guardian of Bakal na Krus and a hero and the protector of human race against aswangs. He is portrayed by Coco Martin and Izzy Canillo as young Juan.
Juan was born to Samuel Alejandro and Amelia dela Cruz. He was born around 1992. Juan was raised as an orphan in a church by the parish priest, Fr. Ramoncito "Cito" Gonzales. He was loathed by the townspeople due to his temper except by the priest who he considers as his father. At some point the priest was killed by a thief and Juan ended up in Quiapo. Juan carried the values that his surrogate father thought to him. According to Juan his mother died during childbirth and was clueless of his father's current whereabouts. Unknown to him, his father is the Haring Aswang and the prophesized Anak ng Dilim, destined to lead the aswangs to take over the whole human race.
Personality[]
Juan as a child
As a child Juan was mischievous but goodhearted. He was misunderstood as a child by the townspeople, in one instance tried to "help" a man reenacting Christ's passion as penance by pouring alcohol to the man much to the anger of the latter. His classmates either bullies him or were told to stay away from Juan due to his delinquent behaviour. He was also branded as "Son of the devil" due to instances that he exhibits his superhuman abilities.
As a young man, Juan was a care-free, good-spirited and simple man. He also has a good sense of humor and retained some of his mischievousness, often jokes around even to the point of taunting the Haring Aswang with an altered voice through a cellphone call. Through his experiences of being tagabantay though, he is gradually learning he should be more serious of his responsibilities.
Powers and Abilities[]
As a half-aswang he has above average agility and strength. He also wields the Bakal na Krus, an iron cross that can change into a sword by default, but can transform to more kinds of weapons. Juan can also use night vision and enhanced hearing, also due to his heritage. He is also being trained by the Kapatiran in various fighting skills like Martial Arts. With the help of the Kapatiran and the Engkantada Princess Mirathea who helped him in archery and a aswang kid named Tonton who had a change of heart he unlocked the next weapon of the Bakal na Krus, the Pana ng Karunungan (Bow of Wisdom). He also has unlocked the Latigo ng Katarungan and the Sibat ng Kagitingan.
Bakal na Krus[]
The Bakal na Krus (lit. Iron Cross) is the legendary weapon of the Tagabantay. The cross can transform into different weapon forms. But only the Tagabantay can use this hidden weapons, once he learned what it takes to unleash that certain weapon. The Tagabantay can attract the cross to his or her hands and place it securely in a wall. The Bakal na Krus was once a ordinary weapon crafted by a Spanish warrior priest.
Ang Bakal na Krus habang nakadikit sa pader.
The cross became the legendary weapon as it is today when Datu Bangaraw struck the cross into the ground and made a prayer to make the cross a weapon of salvation. It is said that one who has bravery in one's heart and faith in God will become powerful. Datu Bangaraw's prayer was heard and the Bakal na Krus became a weapon that can change into different forms. He then passes the sword to his son, who in turn passes it to his descendants. However, all this stories about it's origin was never proven to be true. Aside from the fact that it is inherited from generation to generation.
Juan holding the Sword of Bravery a.k.a Espada ng Katapangan
The Espada ng Katapangan (lit. Sword of Bravery) is the first weapon form of the Bakal na Krus. It symbolizes Datu Mangaraw's bravery. This is the most widely used weapon form, used by Juan.
Juan needs to learn the real meaning of bravery for him to unleash the sword. Mang Pepe said that, bravery does not mean the absence of fear. Rather, to have the greatest fear and the will to acknowledge and face it. But instead of taking the advice of Pepe, Juan insists that he is strong because he has nothing to fear of.
Until one night, fighting as a vigilante, he runs after a crime syndicate Franco and encounter him fearlessly. He jumps and hold on the roof of the moving car driven by Franco. Unfortunately, Juan fell down and roll on the ground when the car brakes. The refugee takes advantage of Juan lying on the ground and shoot him immediately. Bathing in blood, Juan force himself to grasp the bakal na krus that is a few inches away from him. Just in time when Franco attempts to shoot the crying orphan on the streetside, he gets the bakal na krus and it turns as a sword. The sword reflects the bullet and hits Franco.
Pana ng Karunungan (Bow of Wisdom)[]
Juan preparing to attack using the Bow of Wisom a.k.a Pana ng Karunungan
The Pana ng Karunungan (lit. Bow of Wisdom) is the second form of the Bakal ng Krus. When the Bakal na Krus changes to this form, the cross only transforms into a bow and arrows only appear when in use. Juan uses this weapon form for ranged attacks as for attacking a distant enemy. For Juan to unlock this, he needs to learn the real meaning of wisdom. The wisdom that comes from the heart, and not from the mind.
He unlocked this when he met a child aswang named Tonton hiding from a house. The Kapatiran oblige him to kill the child right away for the child is still an aswang no matter how young he was. But Juan strongly disagrees to the kapatiran as he just can't kill an innocent child. He then escape as a refugee to the kapatiran, to protect the child, and hide him in an abandoned building. The child promise to never eat human flesh again after a sincere conversation with Juan. Until one night, Tonton was attacked by Kael's minions that put him into danger, that leads to the unleashing of the bow of wisdom.
Archer
Latigo ng Katarungan (Whip of Justice)[]
The Latigo ng Katarungan (lit. Whip of Justice) is the third weapon form of the Bakal na Krus.
Juan holding the Whip of Justice (Latigo ng wlwqKatarungan).
For him to unleash the whip, Juan must learn the real meaning of justice. True justice is not served when you rampage in anger or by shunning revenge upon those who you want to get even with.
When Princess Mirathea was kidnapped by a renegade tikbalang, Santana, Juan must saved the Princess at all cost. Santana appeals to Nerea, that for her to retrieve her daughter, she must obey to all his conditions. Upon learning Santana's reason behind his actions, Nerea insisted that Santana's father was not condemned to death by her husband, and that his father was later acquitted from the punishment. Meaning his father may still be alive. Upon knowing this, Santana had a change of heart and help the lambanas to rescue Mira from his tikbalang minions. When Santana told his tikbalang minions that the plans has changed, Rabuyo violently objects and insists on attacking Mira. Juan was forced to attack Rabuyo. Just in time when Rabuyo was about to attack Mira, the bakal na krus transforms into a glowing electric whip.
Sibat ng Kagitingan (Spear of Valor)[]
Juan holding the Spear of Valor(Sibat ng Kagitingan)
The Sibat ng Kagitingan (lit. Spear of Valor) is the fourth weapon form of the Bakal na Krus. For Juan to unleash this, he must learn the real meaning of valor. Fulfilling your duty despite of anything. Doing the right thing without asking for recognition.
The unleashing of this weapon, was the hardest and the most heartbreaking challenge, Juan ever encounters on his line of duty as a tagabantay. He learns the true meaning of valor, in a hard way, when his master and the father of his loved one, Mang Pepe becomes an aswang through the hands of Kael and Samuel. Juan gets so devastated when he was challenged to choose to kill Pepe, who begs to be killed when he became an aswang, to fullfill his duty as the Tagabantay. At first Juan, hesitates but he finally yet relunctantly killed Pepe with the spear to fullfill his duty.
Kalasag ng Anking Galing (Shield of Aptitude)[]
Nagulat si Juan sa paglabas ng Kalasag ng Angking Galing
The Kalasag or Shield is the fifth weapon of the Bakal na Krus. It has no official name, as Juan concludes that the name of the weapon is not important or at least too preoccupied on saving Pikoy, who is currently trapped in Homonhon at that moment. According to historical records, Juan is the first Tagabantay to unlock the weapon. The shield is used to protect the user from attacks and forms a protective blue aura range. The shield was shown to deflect gun bullets. It is also used to repel or reflect any kind of physical attacks.
The Kapatiran never thought that the bakal na krus possesses a hidden armor. It was unleashed when the kapatiran was trying to have a gun fight from aswangs hiding on a cargo boat. Asiong was about to be hit by a bullet when Juan accidentally unleashed the armor, while trying to cover his best friend. No one ever taught Juan how to unleash it. This only means that a student can sometimes learn from itself, even without it's master's words.
Puting Liwanag[]
The White Light (Puting Liwanag) - the most powerful weapon [more of a power rather than a weapon] which was first used by Datu Bangaraw. It was shown as a white orb of light that expanded from the cross. This weapon ended the aswangs' reign during the pre-Spanish period, as well as the growing threat of Peru-Ha's minions [aswang, tiyanak, nuno sa punso, tikbalang and kapre clans] on present times. This was unleashed by Juan during the clash of Peru-ha's minions and the humans, in Luneta Park. Although Peru-Ha barely survive the white light. The Kapatiran has no official teachings, about how to unleash it, as everyone was too preoccupied by the overwhelming threat of Peru-Ha on that moment.
Anak ng Dilim[]
Juan fully transformed as the prophesized Anak ng Dilim (Son of Darkness)
[]
Anak ng Dilim means the strongest entity of a certain underworld/mythical clan.
Case in point, the Anak ng Dilim in this series is Juan, he is the prophesized figure to lead the aswangs to victory against the Tagabantay and the Kapatiran and make the aswangs the dominant race over the humans as promised by the aswang goddess Saragnayan to the aswangs. The Anak ng Dilim is the eldest son of Samuel Alejandro, the Haring Aswang. It was known widely that Kael is the prophesized Anak ng Dilim until Juan Dela Cruz is revealed to be true Anak ng Dilim by Laura to the aswangs. When Samuel Alejandro realized the true identity of Saragnayan, that she is in fact DiwataPeru-ha, he became furious and questioned her what will be the aswangs' real fate. Peru-ha reaffirmed that nothing has changed that the aswang will still rule over the humans but nothing is assured after that. She also said that the Anak ng Dilim will eventually touch the Anito ng Saragnayan and that she will be free from imprisonment.
