Alucard

Alucard is the principal antihero of Hellsing, Kouta Hirano's gothic action-horror manga. An extraordinarily powerful vampire employed by the British Hellsing Organization, he serves as its ultimate weapon against vampires, ghouls and other supernatural threats. Despite his position as humanity's defender, Alucard is himself a terrifying monster with a history of atrocities spanning centuries. His loyalty to the Hellsing family, fascination with humanity and desire for a worthy opponent form the foundation of his character. Alucard was originally Vlad III Dracula, the 15th-century Voivode of Wallachia, notorious for his brutal military campaigns and mass impalement of his enemies. As a child, Vlad endured captivity and sexual abuse under the Ottoman Empire. He clung fiercely to his Christian faith, believing that his suffering and military struggles were sacrifices made in God's service. After years of warfare against the Ottomans, Vlad's armies were defeated, his homeland devastated and his people slaughtered. Captured and awaiting execution, he despaired of divine salvation. Rather than accept his mortality, Vlad rejected God and drank the blood spilled before him, surrendering his humanity and becoming a vampire. He subsequently became the legendary Count Dracula. Centuries later, Dracula traveled to England, where he was defeated by Abraham Van Helsing and his companions. Unlike the conclusion of Bram Stoker's novel, Dracula survived his defeat in Hirano's continuity and was placed under the authority of the Hellsing family. Renamed Alucard—Dracula spelled backward—he became their servant and supernatural weapon. Over the following century, the Hellsing Organization conducted extensive occult research and experimentation to augment and control his abilities. During World War II, Alucard and the young Walter C. Dornez were dispatched to Nazi-occupied Warsaw to investigate a German program developing artificial vampires, as depicted in Hirano's unfinished prequel, Hellsing: The Dawn. Following the death of Sir Arthur Hellsing, Alucard was confined beneath the Hellsing estate. He was eventually awakened by Arthur's daughter, Integra, when her uncle Richard attempted to murder her and seize control of the organization. Alucard killed Richard's men and recognized Integra as his new master, beginning a relationship that would define his modern existence. Alucard ordinarily appears as a tall, imposing man with pale skin, sharp features, black hair, red eyes and prominent fangs. His signature attire consists of a long crimson coat, matching wide-brimmed hat, dark suit, red cravat, circular sunglasses, black boots and white gloves bearing the Hellsing seal. His appearance is not fixed. He can assume a restrained form resembling a man in a black straitjacket, transform into the armored Vlad Dracula of his human lifetime, or manifest as a young girl, as seen in The Dawn and his confrontation with Walter. His physical form is ultimately an expression of his supernatural nature rather than a biological limitation. Alucard is ruthless, theatrical, sadistic and supremely confident in his abilities. He delights in combat, frequently humiliating opponents and permitting them to inflict seemingly fatal injuries before regenerating. His intimidating presence and dark humor conceal a calculating, experienced warrior who understands both human and supernatural psychology. Despite his cruelty, Alucard possesses a profound respect for humanity. He particularly admires individuals who confront overwhelming adversity without surrendering their convictions. His respect for Integra and Alexander Anderson stems from their determination and willingness to face death. Alucard considers his own transformation into a vampire a fundamental failure. By abandoning his humanity to escape death, he became a monster incapable of achieving the dignity he recognizes in mortal people. His immortality is therefore both his greatest power and his deepest curse. He longs for a human opponent capable of ending his existence, believing that a monster should ultimately be defeated by a human rather than another monster. This desire explains his fascination with Anderson and his anger when the priest sacrifices his humanity to obtain greater power. His loyalty to Integra is absolute, but it is not mindless obedience. He frequently challenges her resolve and enjoys provoking her, while respecting her authority and independence. He recognizes her as a worthy successor to Abraham Van Helsing and takes pride in serving someone who possesses the courage to command him. Supernatural abilities Alucard possesses an enormous range of vampiric and occult abilities, enhanced through the Hellsing family's experimentation. His most significant abilities include superhuman strength, speed, reflexes, heightened senses, exceptional marksmanship, telepathy, hypnosis, telekinesis, intangibility, and the capacity to transform into bats, mist, darkness and other monstrous forms. He can also manipulate his own shadow to produce additional limbs and devastating supernatural attacks. His most formidable defensive ability is regeneration. By consuming blood and absorbing the souls of his victims, Alucard accumulates additional lives within himself. These souls effectively allow him to survive injuries that would permanently destroy an ordinary vampire. He can also manifest absorbed beings as familiars, retaining their appearances and certain supernatural abilities. Notable examples include the demonic hound Baskerville, Tubalcain Alhambra and Rip Van Winkle. However, Alucard's extraordinary resilience is not unconditional invulnerability. His accumulated lives can be destroyed, and his powers remain subject to the limitations imposed by the Hellsing Organization. Control Art Restriction System Alucard's powers are regulated by a series of occult seals. He can release progressively greater portions of his abilities according to the threat he faces. His ultimate release, Level Zero, requires Integra's authorization. It allows him to summon the countless souls and familiars accumulated throughout his existence, transforming him into a living army of the undead. However, releasing those souls also exposes him to greater danger by removing the reserve of lives that ordinarily protects him. Alucard's signature firearms are the Hellsing Arms .454 Casull and the 13mm Jackal. Both are enormous custom handguns designed for his supernatural strength. The Casull is his standard firearm, while the heavier Jackal is specifically designed for combating powerful supernatural adversaries, including regenerators. Alucard combines his firearms with his supernatural abilities, frequently employing overwhelming firepower before finishing opponents with his bare hands or fangs. Integra Hellsing: Alucard's master and the person to whom he owes his allegiance. He respects Integra's courage, authority and humanity. Their relationship combines the obligations of master and servant with mutual trust and a deeper personal attachment that develops throughout the series. Seras Victoria: A former police officer whom Alucard turns into a vampire after mortally wounding her while eliminating a vampire who was holding her hostage. He becomes her mentor, encouraging her to accept her new nature and develop her abilities. Although he often teases her, he respects her determination and takes pride in her growth. Hirano has characterized their relationship as something closer to comradeship and familial affection than romance. Alexander Anderson: A Vatican Iscariot priest and Alucard's greatest personal rival. Despite their opposing allegiances, Alucard admires Anderson's faith, courage and determination. He recognizes the priest as a potential opponent capable of granting him the death he desires. Walter C. Dornez: A former battlefield companion and Hellsing's butler. Alucard fought alongside Walter during World War II and regards him as an old comrade. Their relationship ultimately collapses when Walter betrays Hellsing and becomes an artificial vampire to challenge him. Alucard becomes Hellsing's principal weapon against Millennium, a surviving Nazi military organization developing artificial vampires. His battles against Luke Valentine, Tubalcain Alhambra and Rip Van Winkle demonstrate the extraordinary difference between his abilities and those of his opponents. When Millennium launches its invasion of London, Alucard returns from the aircraft carrier Eagle and receives Integra's authorization to release Level Zero. He unleashes his accumulated army of undead soldiers and familiars against Millennium and the Vatican's invading forces. His subsequent confrontation with Alexander Anderson becomes the culmination of his personal philosophy. Anderson uses Helena's Nail, a sacred relic that transforms him into a supernatural instrument of divine destruction. Alucard is devastated by Anderson's decision, believing that the priest has abandoned the very humanity that made him worthy of respect. With Seras's intervention, Alucard survives Anderson's assault and ultimately kills him. The victory brings him no satisfaction, as the human opponent he hoped would defeat him has become another monster. Alucard then confronts Walter, who has undergone artificial vampirization in pursuit of the power necessary to overcome him. Their battle ends with Walter's deteriorating body failing him. The Major, orchestrates Alucard's apparent death through Schrödinger, a being capable of existing everywhere & nowhere so long as he can recognize his own existence. Schrödinger kills himself & allows his blood to be absorbed by Alucard. With millions of souls already residing inside him, Alucard can no longer maintain the individual self-awareness necessary to sustain Schrödinger's ability. 30 years later, Alucard returns to Integra and Seras, revealing he killed the millions of souls in himself except Schrödinger.