Enigma Variations

As Jason collects the clues that will lead him, eventually, to the stolen collection of Elgar manuscripts, he realizes that the clues seem to follow each of the fourteen different movements in the Enigma Variations—and the people delivering those clues seem to resemble the real-life friends that Elgar dedicated each of those movements to.

Variation IX—nicknamed “Nimrod”—is exceptionally well-known. It’s often played at funerals—including Princess Diana’s and, more recently, that of Prince Philip. “Nimrod” opened London’s 2012 Olympic games, and composer Hans Zimmer threaded his own adaptation of it throughout the 2017 film, Dunkirk.

The reason it’s called “Nimrod” is because of Augustus J. Jaeger, who was the music editor at Novello & Co. In the Old Testament, Nimrod is described as “a mighty hunter before the Lord.” The German word for “hunter” is Jäger. Augustus Jaeger was one of Elgar’s closest friends and confidants, providing advice and criticism throughout his career.

The person who presents Clue #9 to Jason in Bad Boy is an elderly priest named Emil Wojeck, who became a lifelong friend and advisor to Marcus Merritt, the thief who stole the Elgar manuscripts, and who has now compelled Jason to find and return them.

Jason discovers that “Wojeck” is a variation of one of the oldest and the fourth most common surnames in Poland—and that it’s derived from the word wojak, or “warrior".
To Jason’s way of thinking, a warrior is as good as a hunter.

When he visits the priest, Jason is presented with a model plane that Marcus assembled - an actual Nimrod. And as he's leaving, the priest embraces him, in a surprisingly emotional moment.

“God bless you, Jason,” Emil said, wrapping his arms around me in an unexpected hug that made me feel at once both warm, and comforted. “Peace be with you.”
“And with you,” I said, as his strong arms let me go.