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Pip Vernedead

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Pip Vernedead


Pip Vernedead (ピップ・ベルナドット, Pippu Berunadotto?) is a major supporting character in the Hellsing series created by Kohta Hirano. He is voiced by Hiroaki Hirata in Japanese, and Yuri Lowenthal in the English dub.

He was the leader of the group of mercenaries known as the Wild Geese. A shallow, perverted, and chainsmoking French mercenary, he and his squad, The Wild Geese, were hired by the Hellsing Organisation after Hellsing lost its own troops in the Valentine attack. Vernedead is a well-experienced soldier and fares surprisingly well against the undead he is put against.

Appearance[]

Vernedead is a man of slightly above-average height and build, with reddish-brown hair and green eyes. His hair is messy, thick and are tied up in a long braid, in which he sometimes curls around his neck. He has sharp features, and supports a bandage on the bridge of his nose. His right eye appears to be damaged, so he covers it with bandages up to the events of Rio; where he replaces the bandages with a black eyepatch instead.[6][7]

He wears a dark beige t-shirt under a brownish-dark green military jacket with its sleeves rolled up to his shoulder. The jacket's collar supports many badges and a flag. Upon being employed into the Hellsing Organisation, Vernedead 's jacket now supports the Hellsing badge. He also wears a baggy military pants with belt, and a pair of black boots. Perhaps his most notable accessories are his slouched hat with the Wild Geese badge. He also bears an orangish-red folded scarf.

Personality[]

Initially, Vernedead was portrayed as a narrow-minded and somewhat shallow, pervert whose sole pursuit was that of gaining money, and therefore proved to be an experienced, excellent mercenary.[8] His carefree attitude is shown whenever the members of the Wild Geese felt like they were in a hopeless situation, where Vernedead soon lightens up the mood and motivate his men.[9][10] He's charismatic in his speeches, and he treats his Wild Geese members as actual, close friends rather than nameless soldiers.[11][12] However, whenever the time really does seem bleak, Vernedead can be quite serious.[13][14]

Though his sarcastic nature greatly overshadows his battle intellect, leading for some to greatly underestimate him for the genius he is in strategy and tactics.[15] He's prideful, and despite being portrayed as a womanizer, Vernedead is loyal; especially towards Seras, whom he told his crew that if they ever let a woman like her die, then they'd be a disgrace, something his crew agrees with.[16] His playful and carefree attitude, along with his great leadership, is what drove for the Wild Geese to be incredibly loyal towards Vernedead.[17]

A man with respect and honor, Vernedead admitted that his concern with the battle was not out of money, but for revenge over the innocent civilians of London, despite it being a city that he hates, does not deserve to partook in a bloody "war" they had nothing to do with; stating that Millennium's act of bombing and turning London into something synonymous with hell is an act he cannot forgive. Though shallow and perverted in the surface, Vernedead is kind at heart; forcing himself to eat a cuisine he found to be so "greasy" because he didn't want to break an old lady's heart.[18]

Vernedead is also a compulsive smoker. In the OVA, he was shown with a cigarette hanging in his mouth even in death.[19] Seras also comments on this by saying "Would you please stop smoking cigarettes inside me?".[20]

History[]

Pip Vernedead was born in Paris city's western suburbs and was raised by his paternal grandfather in America after he became an orphan. Vernedead's mother died shortly after giving birth, and his father, a mercenary recently married, was killed in a mission in Colombia while his wife was pregnant with their first child. At a point in his childhood, he was teased for being "a child of murderers" and confronted his grandfather. Upon learning that his grandson wasn't aware of their family's history as a mercenary, Vernedead's grandfather gives Vernedead a speech on being a mercenary before stating that while Vernedead is upset by it now, he will continue the legacy, because it wasn't about the money, but fighting for fun.[21] Starting in 1992, Vernedead became a professional mercenary and fought on numerous battlefields.[22]

Hellsing[]

Manga wild geese

Vernedead and Wild Geese hired by the Hellsing Organisation.

The Wild Geese were hired by Walter Dornez at the end of Volume 2 as replacements for the soldiers killed during the Valentine Brothers' invasion of Hellsing Manor. When Integra introduced Seras Victoria as an example of a vampire, Vernedead laughed her off, mockingly claiming that if she was a vampire then he was "Frankenstein's Monster" as he advanced on the former policewoman.

He quickly regretted his skepticism when Seras nearly broke his neck by flicking him in the face with her index finger, also demonstrating supernatural speed while delivering several follow-up flicks. The demonstration was further enhanced when Seras' master, Alucard, entered the room by phasing through the wall. Now fully convinced of the existence of vampires, Vernedead and the rest of the Wild Geese began training with Seras at the shooting range outside Hellsing Manor.

Shortly after the Wild Geese began working at Hellsing Manor, Vernedead and the Geese began training under Seras and later Vernedead joined Alucard and Seras in traveling to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in order to find leads on the mysterious Millennium Organization. Alucard and Seras are later attacked by GATE units of the Brazilian military police after being declared in public as international terrorists, a ruse perpetrated by Brazilian officials in exchange for immortality promised by Millennium. While Alucard slaughtered the GATE unit invading his hotel, Vernedead snuck into the Brazilian officials' camp and killed them with a bomb. Alucard later fought and killed Tubalcain Alhambra, the local Millennium officer, Vernedead hijacked a helicopter to help them escape.

Vernedead later returned to England with Alucard and Seras, joining them at the emergency conference of Iscariot, Hellsing, and The Round Table Council to discuss Alucard's findings regarding Millenium. When Schrödinger appeared, Vernedead joined several others in training his gun on the interloper, and subsequently bore witness to the Major's declaration of war against them.

During Millennium's invasion of London (Operation Seelöwe 2), Vernedead , Seras, and the Wild Geese were tasked with defending Hellsing Manor. When First Lieutenant Zorin Blitz attacked Hellsing Manor with roughly one-third of the Last Battalion, Vernedead coordinated his allies' defense of the manor. As Seras Victoria shot down incoming missiles with the Harkonnen II's AA cannons, Vernedead admitted that he was no longer concerned about payment for his services. Although not particularly fond of London or its people, he believed that they did not deserve the horrors of war Millennium was bringing upon them. To that end, Vernedead ordered Seras to make the vampiric Nazis pay for every life they took, and Seras readily agreed.

After Seras shot down Zorin's zeppelin, Vernedead directed his Wild Geese to lay down suppressing fire on the advancing vampires, forcing them into a field of claymore mines the Geese had set up earlier. He explained that vampires, unlike humans, would not think of retreat - thus, their best hope was to whittle the Millennium forces down from afar. Unfortunately, Zorin used an illusion to distract the defenders, including Vernedead himself. By the time Seras managed to dispel the illusion, Zorin's forces had bypassed the minefield (by throwing a line of knives into the ground and hopping across their hilts) and breached Hellsing Manor.

Realizing that his mercenaries were vastly outclassed by the vampires in direct combat, Vernedead changed his strategy; the Wild Geese would try to stall the vampires while Seras ambushed and killed them. Before they split up, Vernedead almost tricked Seras into letting him kiss her, but honestly bid her luck as she set off. When Seras was gone, Vernedead gave his men a heartening speech about dying with honor for the sake of "a fine woman" before dispatching them to their posts.

The resulting battle went poorly for the Wild Geese; most of them were killed by Zorin and her minions. Vernedead found himself barricaded in the conference room with a few of his men, spending most of his time fortifying their position and bolstering their faltering morale in the face of overwhelming odds and low ammunition. When Zorin's troops attacked the Wild Geese's barricade with a Panzerfaust, Vernedead was wounded by wooden shrapnel that hit him in the stomach. Luckily, Seras arrived to destroy Zorin's troops before they could finish off the few surviving mercenaries, prompting Vernedead to confidently declare that the tide had turned back in their favor.

However, Zorin Blitz had other plans; she used her illusions to incapacitate Seras before inflicting numerous brutal wounds with her scythe. Before the First Lieutenant could finish Seras off, Vernedead struck her with the stock of his AK-74 before emptying his Colt SAA on her. With Zorin temporarily out of commission, Vernedead tried to carry Seras to safety under the cover of smoke grenades. As he struggled down the hall and shot down Seras' pleas to leave her behind, Vernedead was suddenly shot repeatedly by a vampire that managed to survive Seras' attack. While his remaining men finished off the vampire, Vernedead continued to slowly retreat, again refusing to leave Seras to die.

Lastkissmanga

Seras and Vernedead first and last kiss.

Before Vernedead could get to safety, he was impaled through the stomach by Zorin's thrown scythe in the back, finally forcing him to drop Seras as he slumped against a wall. Lighting a cigarette as the wounded Seras blindly reached for him, he playfully called her an "idiot" for needing saving while trying to save the Wild Geese. When Seras managed to climb over his dying body, Vernedead took the opportunity to kiss her, cheerfully laughing that he finally caught her off-guard. After asking Seras to drink his blood and defeat Millennium, Vernedead finally expired with a smile on his face.

As Zorin mocked Vernedead as an "insect" and summoned reinforcements, Seras honored Vernedead's last wish and drank his blood. In doing so, she unlocked her true vampiric powers, giving her the strength to effortlessly destroy Zorin's soldiers and overpower the First Lieutenant. When Zorin attempted to trap Seras in another illusion, she discovered that Vernedead's memories had been added to Seras', preventing her from influencing the latter's mind. After killing Zorin, Seras set out for London, citing her earlier promise to Vernedead that she would "get" the Nazis. The two survivors of the Wild Geese realized that their captain lived on within Seras herself, and thus saluted her before she left.

Hellsing v10 154

Vernedead as Seras's familiar.

Vernedead made a reappearance as Seras' familiar in Volume 9, encouraging her during her battle with the Captain in the Deus Ex Machina. He realized that the room they were battling in was filled with relics from World War II, including treasures stolen from the innocent people the Nazis killed. At that moment, the Captain threw Seras a silver tooth (or a tooth with a silver filling), which Vernedead interpreted as a desire for Seras to kill him. When Seras immobilized the Captain by grabbing his leg with her teeth, Vernedead manifested from her shadowy left arm and drove the silver tooth into the Captain's heart, killing him.

Vernedead continued to exist by the final chapter of Hellsing: Volume 10. As Seras uses her shadows to create a barrier around Hellsing Manor after the 30-year time skip, even though Vernedead makes no actual appearance, his voice can be heard from the shadows, which proves that he is still a sentient, living being as a part of Seras.

Relationships[]

Allies[]

  • Seras Victoria: Upon Vernedead's and Seras' first meeting, she was introduced to him as a "vampire," something Vernedead doesn't believe in and just simply shrugged her off.[23] After the revelation and the hiring of the Geese, Vernedead and his crew was to be trained under Seras Victoria, whom Vernedead found to be attractive and later takes particular interest in.[24] He teases her so much so that during training, Seras bursts out into a room with Walter and Alucard reporting that Vernedead had been sexually harassing her; Vernedead followed her into the room singing and continues the flirting, much to Seras' dismay.[25] As the story progresses, Seras and Vernedead soon starts to be more and more friendly towards one and another, in OVA IV they were seen having fun outside and buying food.[26][27]

    By the attack on the Hellsing Manor by subsidiaries of the Last Battalion under the orders of Zorin Blitz, Vernedead and Seras has grown to be close friends.[28] Vernedead's loyalty towards Seras is apparent; stating that if the Geese ever let a girl like her die, then they'd be nothing sort of a disgrace.[29] When Zorin prepares to execute Seras, Vernedead steps in and literally attacked Zorin head-on, which caused his inevitable death for doing so. However, he did it with no regrets, Vernedead died with a laugh on his face after he had finally stolen a kiss from Seras, with his final request being for Seras to "feed on him", which Seras accepts after Zorin had insulted him, in order to defeat Zorin "together."[30][31]

    After Vernedead returns as Seras' familiar, he became her advisor and encourages her in desperate situations which gives her a boost of motivation.[32] Within the time skip, Vernedead is referred to as Seras' shadow and has covered the Hellsing Manor as a watcher.[33]
  • Wild Geese Deputy: Vernedead and the Deputy were particularly close friends, having known each other since before the war in Uganda.[34][35] The Deputy was someone Vernedead can rely on in reporting situations and the conditions of members of the Geese. When the Deputy was in a near-death state, Vernedead was saddened and lets him rest in peace; also bidding a final goodbye.[36]

Enemies[]

  • Zorin Blitz: Zorin and Vernedead despises each other, more on Zorin's side who belittles him in every chances she gets.[37] Though Vernedead makes no attempt in underestimating her as he's very aware of her great capabilities as an artificial vampire of Millennium, Vernedead briefly insulted her by calling her a "hag" as he continuously strikes her without giving her any room to breathe. In the end, by Zorin's scythe in which she herself threw, Vernedead died as Zorin calls him an "insect," enraging Seras and dooming Zorin as a result of her overestimating herself.[38][39][40]

Abilities[]

Abilities and Skills
Tactical Genius: With Vernedead's family history being infamous for being a group of mercenaries, Vernedead's tactical genius may be inherited from his family.[41] For instance, he was the one who planned the minefield tactic had Zorin and her army escaped from the zeppelin unscathed; the plan worked for the most part, forcing Zorin to use her illusionary powers early on.[42][43] As a familiar, Vernedead became Seras' tactician and helped her greatly during the fight with The Captain; deducing his true nature as a werewolf[44], why the Captain threw a silver tooth at Seras[45], and the tactic used to precisely put an end to the werewolf.[46][47]

PipPainSupressionOVA

PipPainSupressionManga

Even though he's bleeding profusely from multiple shots, Vernedead suppresses his pain and strides forward to bring Seras into safety until he was stopped by Zorin

 Indomitable Will: Even when faced by inevitable, painful death at the hands of Zorin's military, Vernedead doesn't back down and instead puts up quite a challenge, and trouble for Zorin and especially, her army.[48][49] Even when he was shot at while trying to carry Seras to safety, he doesn't back down and still tries his hardest to stride forward; suppressing his pain before Zorin put a stop to it by throwing her scythe at Vernedead's spine.[50]

Pain Suppression: As he carries Seras back to safety after the torturous beating she received from Zorin, Vernedead was shot at by a member of Zorin's forces who was still alive; before any further damage, the battalion member was quickly put down before any more further damage to Vernedead could be done. Bleeding profusely, a combination of his pride and incredible will, he suppresses his pain and strides forward despite the damage.[51]

PipMarksmanshipOVA

PipMarksmanshipManga

Vernedead shoots the commanders of the GATE officers with incredible precision, without even trying

 Marksmanship: With hardly any difficulty and with such precision and speed, Vernedead was able to dispel any GATE commanders working for Tubalcain using just a silenced pistol; hitting headshots in every shot he fired.[52] In the OVA, with his incredible precision and reflex, he was able to throw a knife towards a man just as the man was about to shoot a spray bullets towards him.[53]

PipCombatOVA

PipCombatManga

Without giving Zorin any time to react, Vernedead strikes her down and later empties his Colt revolver on Zorin

 Combat Experience: Because of him being born into a life of mercenary, and his past experiences with warfare; Vernedead proves himself to be quite an exceptional combatant.[54][55] With no difficulty, he was able to silently approach, and caught Zorin off-guard just before relentlessly striking her; not giving any time nor chance for her to react, and later shooting her at point-blank range, which allows for him to buy some time for him, the remaining members of the Geese, and Seras to recover.[56][57] The scene was slightly altered in the OVA; the initial attack stays the same, but Zorin briefly managed in to try and attack Vernedead with her scythe, however Vernedead managed to block the attack and retaliated by shooting her at point-blank range with his revolver.[58]

Weapons[]

AK-74
Single Action Army

Concept and Creation[]

In order to balance out the dynamic of the cast, Vernedead was created to be paired up with Seras, as Seras and Alucard "combo" wasn't possible.[59] Despite his creation to serve as to pair up with Seras, Hirano noted that he was going to die early on in the story.[60] However, Hirano stated that Seras deciding whether or not to drink Vernedead's battle was decided on from the "very beginning."[61]

Hirano based Vernedead's design off of an earlier hentai manga he did years before Hellsing went into production.[62] Throughout Volume 2 until Volume 3, Vernedead's design wasn't yet finalized. Early on, his eyepatch was instead a bandage that wrapped around his damaged left eye, and it was not until Chapter 14 where his bandages were replaced by an eyepatch.[63][64] His jacket also appeared to be much more exaggerated before it was then simplified in Volume 6, similar to how Seras' outfit was also simplified from her first Hellsing military outfit in a special issue of Young King OURs.

Name[]

He is never referred to as "Pip" in the manga, but is credited as "Pip Bernadotte" in the credits of the OVA.[65] The English dub of the OVA pronounced Pip's last name as "Bernadotte." However, Chapter 52 of the manga's chapter cover features Pip, and writing behind Pip on the wall says "Pip Vern."[66] In addition, the official English translation of the manga by Dark Horse Comics wrote his last name as "Vernedead." The guidebook page specifically for Pip also uses "Vernedead," although an extra "D" was added in, resulting it to be "Vernedeadd."[67] Both surnames, "Bernadotte" and "Vernedead" are technically correct; as they've all been used in official medias in some way or another. It should be noted that in the original English release of Volume 2 by Dark Horse Comics, Pip's surname is written as "Bernadette" instead.[68]

Quotes[]

"Now, then. Let's go and die, dogs. Let's die while yelling 'fuck, fuck.' As we take gut-shots, as we writhe in agony. Make no mistake. No mistake about it."
— Pip Vernedead[69]
"Where do you plan to go? Your grave's right here. Your tombstone's this ruddy huge mansion. Your grave keeper's that terrifying girl, Integra. Your epitaph goes like this: 'Here, the mercenaries had at the evil Nazis in high style and here they sleep in high style.' But because of your bawling, it's your fault it gets changed. 'Wasted and Gutless, they die like bugs while weeping like women.'"
— Pip Vernedead[70]
"Monsieur Wolfman. Here's payback from someone, somewhere, fifty years ago. Keep the change. That's what you get for messing with a bloke's bird! And you lost your collar. Adieu, war dog."
— Pip Vernedead[71][72]

Trivia[]

  • It appears that on his left collar, he has a patch of the flag of Romania. Vlad the Impaler had his residence in Transylvania while he was the king of Wallachia, and after the Great War (WWI) Transylvania was integrated into Romania as part of the agreement between Romania and the allies.
    • It could also be a faded French flag.
  • The brand of cigarettes Vernedead smokes before he dies is "Lucky Strike."[73]
  • It's implied that Vernedead was raised in the United States in his youth. In the seventh episode of the OVA during his grandfather's speech, a shot shows Mr. Vernedead's newspaper and is actually readable. The newspaper he is reading is called "NEW YORK FINANCIAL NEWS" and another page talks has a headline about trade disputes and another saying an Alabama injunction led to a factory closing.

References[]

  1. ↑ Order 80: Wolf Fang (1) p. 5
  2. ↑ Hellsing: Volume 6 Character Introduction
  3. ↑ Order 13: Balance of Power (3) p. 12
  4. ↑ HELLSING official guide book p. 016
  5. ↑ Order 11: Balance of Power (1)
  6. ↑ Order 11: Balance of Power (1)
  7. ↑ Order 17: Elevator Action
  8. ↑ Hellsing: Ultimate III
  9. ↑ Order 48: Soldier of Fortune (4)
  10. ↑ Order 50: Soldier of Fortune (6)
  11. ↑ Order 47: Soldier of Fortune (3)
  12. ↑ Hellsing: Ultimate VIII
  13. ↑ Order 49: Soldier of Fortune (5)
  14. ↑ Order 52: Get Away
  15. ↑ Order 45: Soldier of Fortune (1)
  16. ↑ Order 48: Soldier of Fortune (4)
  17. ↑ Hellsing: Ultimate VIII
  18. ↑ Order 44: Balloon Fight pp. 1-3
  19. ↑ Hellsing: Ultimate VIII
  20. ↑ Order 80: Wolf Fang (1) p. 5
  21. ↑ Order 45: Soldier of Fortune (1)
  22. ↑ HELLSING official guide book p. 016
  23. ↑ Order 11: Balance of Power (1) pp. 9-12
  24. ↑ Hellsing: Ultimate III
  25. ↑ Order 13: Balance of Power (3) pp. 12, and 17
  26. ↑ Hellsing: Ultimate IV
  27. ↑ Order 21: Age of Empire (2) pp. 11-12
  28. ↑ Hellsing: Ultimate VI
  29. ↑ Order 48: Soldier of Fortune (4)
  30. ↑ Order 52: Get Away
  31. ↑ Order 53: Yaksa
  32. ↑ Hellsing: Ultimate IX
  33. ↑ Order 89: Romancia
  34. ↑ Order 50: Soldier of Fortune (6) prologue
  35. ↑ Hellsing: Ultimate VII ending sequence
  36. ↑ Order 50: Soldier of Fortune (6) pp. 1-2
  37. ↑ Hellsing: Ultimate VII
  38. ↑ Order 52: Get Away
  39. ↑ Order 53: Yaksa
  40. ↑ Order 55: Ogre Battle
  41. ↑ Order 45: Soldier of Fortune (1)
  42. ↑ Order 46: Soldier of Fortune (2)
  43. ↑ Order 47: Soldier of Fortune (3)
  44. ↑ Order 79: Warcraft (2)
  45. ↑ Order 80: Wolf Fang (1) pp. 3-4
  46. ↑ Order 80: Wolf Fang (1)
  47. ↑ Order 81: Wolf Fang (2)
  48. ↑ Hellsing: Ultimate VI
  49. ↑ Hellsing: Ultimate VIII
  50. ↑ Order 52: Get Away pp. 4-14
  51. ↑ Order 52: Get Away pp. 4-14
  52. ↑ Order 18: Elevator Action (5) p. 20
  53. ↑ Hellsing: Ultimate III
  54. ↑ Order 45: Soldier of Fortune (1)
  55. ↑ HELLSING official guide book p. 016
  56. ↑ Order 52: Get Away
  57. ↑ Order 53: Yaksa
  58. ↑ Hellsing: Ultimate VIII
  59. ↑ HELLSING official guide book Battle 03
  60. ↑ Hellsing: Volume 7 Character Introduction
  61. ↑ HELLSING official guide book Battle 03
  62. ↑ Hellsing: Volume 6 Character Introduction
  63. ↑ Order 11: Balance of Power (1)
  64. ↑ Order 14: Elevator Action (1)
  65. ↑ Hellsing: Ultimate X ending credits
  66. ↑ Order 52: Get Away chapter cover
  67. ↑ HELLSING official guide book p. 016
  68. ↑ Order 11: Balance of Power (1) p. 6
  69. ↑ Order 47: Soldier of Fortune (3) p. 17
  70. ↑ Order 48: Soldier of Fortune (4) p. 3
  71. ↑ Order 80: Wolf Fang (1) p. 16
  72. ↑ Order 81: Wolf Fang (2) chapter cover
  73. ↑ Hellsing: Ultimate VII
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