John May

"John May was the first V to turn against Anna. He started the resistance."

- Ryan Nichols

John May is a minor character featured in the 2009 television series V. Played by actor Michael Trucco, he first appeared in the episode "John May". References to the character were made in earlier episodes of the series.

Biography
John May was an alien member of the race known only as the Visitors. Around the year 2000, John was disguised as a human and sent to Earth as part of an advance scouting force. Spending time on Earth and mingling with humans dramatically altered John's outlook on life. Aware of the Visitor's eventual plans of conquest, John believed that humans were "worth saving" and so he betrayed his race and formed a Visitor resistance cell known as the Fifth Column. Though secretly working against the efforts of the Visitors, John also found what he referred to as his "true North". He married a woman and became a stepfather to her son James. They lived in an idyllic house in Reedsville, New York.

Shortly thereafter, another Visitor named Ryan Nichols found where John was living and came to his house. He was instructed to bring him back to their Supreme Commander Anna, but John was prepared for him. The two fought one another in the woods outside of John's home, but John got the drop on Ryan and managed to escape. Ryan returned to the house a year later and John knew he would not be able to escape a second time. John and Ryan went into his private office where John typed out a false suicide note. Looking at Ryan, he knew that living on Earth had affected him as well and that he was now questioning his loyalties. According to Nichols, he executed John May shortly after this meeting.

Though John was gone, his name became legendary amongst the Fifth Column. His martyrdom emboldened them and they continued to grow and to fight their shadow war against the Visitors. When the Visitors publicly revealed themselves to the populace of Earth, several humans formed a resistance and teamed up with members of John May's Fifth Column. During one incident, they managed to hack into the mother ship's global broadcasting network and presented the words "John May Lives" for all the world to see. The message served to strengthen the spirit of the Fifth Column and their efforts to repel the invaders.

Whether John May is truly dead remains to be seen, but his courage lives on through his followers.

Notes & Trivia
John May left behind a communications device, as well as other alien artifacts, that he kept stowed away in a storage unit in Reedsville. The com device was later recovered by his stepson as well as other members of the resistance.