Assassination of President Kennedy



The Assassination of United States President John F Kennedy is a notable moment in many universes throughout the Multiverse. It was first depicted in JFK in 1991.

Background
Most of the Multiverse unless otherwise stated sees Senator John F Kennedy of Massachusetts defeating Vice President Richard Nixon in the 1960 United States Presidential Election and being sworn in on January 20, 1961, succeeding Dwight Eisenhower. His Vice President is Lyndon Johnson.

Kennedy's presidency was nicknamed "Camelot" in reference to the days of King Arthur of England. In late 1963, President Kennedy and Vice President Johnson were already preparing for their reelection campaign for 1964. Part of that effort involved taking part in a motorcade in Dallas less than a week before the American Thanksgiving holiday.

November 22, 1963
Throughout the Multiverse where the Assassination occurs, the events immediately leading up to it go as follows.

As the motorcade begins, President Kennedy, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, Texas Governor John Connally and Texas First Lady Nellie Connally enter the limousine that has the top removed so onlookers can better see them as they pass by.

Lee Harvey Oswald is working at the Texas School Book Depository building near Dealey Plaza in Dallas and is on lunch break as the motorcade and specifically, the Presidential limo pass by. Kennedy is assassinated soon after.

Timelines begin to differ as it involves the assassination itself. In the universes of Full Metal Jacket, Quantum Leap Timeline 1, and in the Line of Fire, Oswald is either confirmed or at least accepted as the assassin.

In other timelines, a conspiracy either involving or framing Oswald exist. In the Oliverse, the possibilities of Oswald either being the assassin or at least in on the plot are presented. His innocence to the crime is also presented. It is heavily implicit that in this universe, Oswald had advanced knowledge of the plot, but did not prevent it and instead would be framed for it.

In DC Timelines 31 and 53, the Comedian is the assassin who fires the fatal shot from behind the fence at the grassy knoll.

In Marvel Timeline 11, the assassination is referenced as being carried out by the Red Skull while in Marvel Timelines 20 and 31, Magneto is held prisoner for a time though he insists he was trying to prevent the killing by using his mutant powers of magnetic manipulation, only to be thwarted at the last second. Magneto also insists that President Kennedy was himself, a mutant.

Either way, the end result is President Kennedy being killed and Governor Connally being wounded in the shooting.

Doctor Who
In Doctor Who Timeline 1, the Doctor is in Shoreditch, a section of London on this day. Apparently oblivious to the events unfolding in Dallas, Coal Hill School teachers Barbara Wright and Ian Chesterton track down mysterious student, Susan Foreman to the Foreman junkyard. After confronting her and the Doctor, while also being welcomed into the TARDIS, the Doctor starts up the time ship, beginning a long series of adventures.

Assassination Fallout
Vice President Johnson would soon be sworn in as the new President of the United States, succeeding the slain Kennedy.

Lee Harvey Oswald left Dealey Plaza for the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas before heading back downtown on foot, winding up in the Texas Theatre where he would be identified and arrested. His arrest at first would be for the murder of DPD Officer JD Tippit which had occurred moments prior and approximately 45 minutes after the assassination of President Kennedy. While in custody, Oswald would be booked for the assassination along with the other murder. Oswald would be murdered on live television by Jack Ruby while in Dallas Police custody two days later.

In the DC Watchmen Timelines, the Comedian would continue on as normal, carrying out missions for the US Government and be largely retired by the time of his own murder in 1985.

In Marvel Timeline 11, the Red Skull would get his comeuppance at the hands of Captain America.

While public blame was still placed on Oswald, the Marvel X-Men Original and Revised Timelines would still see Magneto imprisoned though he would eventually escape with some help.

Danaverse Connection
The events of November 22, 1963 are a peculiar one in the Multiverse. The most notable universe in which the assassination occurred is the JFK one where Oswald is implied as being the patsy he claimed he was to reporters. Somehow, in all of these universes, no definitive conviction or prevention of the assassination exists with the private exception of the Marvel X-Men Cinematic Timelines.

Information
November 22, 1963 was notable for a number of reasons outside of Dallas. Two other prominent deaths happening that day were authors Aldous Huxley and CS Lewis. Another notable death that day was that of Nazi Doctor, Wilhelm Bieglbock who had been convicted in the Nuremburg Trials.

In the National Football League, the Detroit Lions were sold to the Ford family who have continued said ownership into the 21st Century.

In Dallas, the musical duo of Dale and Grace were in attendance that day for the motorcade. They, along with other musical artists were in town for a Dick Clark's Caravan of Stars concert scheduled for that night, but would be canceled. Dale and Grace also just happened to have the Billboard Hot 100 #1 song that week, their cover of Don Harris and Dewey Terry's, I'm Leaving It Up to You. Other Caravan of Stars artists who in turn were on hand for the motorcade include Bobby Rydell, Brian Hyland, and Jimmy Clanton. In 1970, Hyland would write and perform a song titled Mail Order Gun in reference to the rifle allegedly used to kill the President.

Music albums With the Beatles by the Beatles and a Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector were released in stores.

While entertainment events were largely canceled that day and evening, there were few exceptions. For example, a college football game between the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and NC State Wolfpack in Raleigh played on as scheduled in front of over 15,000 in attendance. The Wolfpack would win 42-0 in what was the regular season finale for both teams. The NFL famously played their scheduled games that weekend while the rival American Football League rescheduled that week's slate for December.

The premiere of Doctor Who on November 23 went on as scheduled though with a momentarily delay as BBC updated viewers on the latest from the United States in the wake of the assassination itself. A novel would be released years later titled Who Killed Kennedy, exploring the assassination through a time travel lens with Doctor Who characters. The story is not considered canon in the Danaverse.

In popular culture, the assassination has inspired movies, television, and stage plays. Other media ranging from songs to games have referenced it.

The impact of President Kennedy's death is ongoing in our reality. It has spawned debate over the investigation and theories ranging from conspiratorial to single bullet. Whether the actual truth gets to replace the official version of it remains to be seen.