Iscariot (Hellsing)

Infobox comics organization
name=Iscariot (Vatican Section XIII)


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no

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publisher=

Editions Tonkam
Planet Manga
Norma
J.P. Fantastica Editorial Ivrea

debut=Hellsing volume 1
creators=Kouta Hirano
type=Intelligence Agency
business=
organisation=
organization=y
base=Vatican
owners=Archbishop Enrico Maxwell
employees=Heinkel Wolfe Alexander Anderson
Yumie Takagi
fullroster=
cat=intelligence agencies
sortkey=PAGENAME

Iscariot is a fictional organization from the manga series "Hellsing.

The Iscariot Organization, named after Judas Iscariot, the apostle who betrayed Jesus, is a top-secret wing of the Vatican (the section that's not supposed to exist) charged with the active pursuit and extermination of demons (such as vampires) and heretics. Given that the Hellsing Organization not only employs vampires but is run on the principles of staunch Protestantism, Iscariot is their natural rival, despite their similar aims.

The Iscariot 'paladins' are the elite fighting force of the Iscariot Organization. They appear wearing long cassocks and crosses, in the manner of their most prominent member, Alexander Anderson. They are known to fight with a wide variety of weapons, usually as necessitated by the situation (for example, Alexander Anderson wields blessed bayonets that are especially effective against vampires, while Heinkel Wolfe is armed with simple pistols, effective against her human targets). The Vatican's Special Section XIII also commands other seemingly independent military forces, most notably the Knights of the Sagely Brethren, the Knights of the Order of Calatrava La Nueva, the Knights of the Military Order of St. Stefano di Toscana, and the Knights of the Order of Malta.

In addition to Iscariot, there is another special section of the Vatican; Section III Matthew, named after St. Matthew. In the third Crossfire episode, Section III is referred to as "John" [Hellsing Volume 3, Crossfire 3] with the apparent task of suppressing information. However, in Hellsing, its purpose is the retrieval of various holy relics and artifacts. This is in accordance with its name, "Matthew," which is derived from the Aramaic name "Mathai," meaning "Gift of God". They were the ones that 'acquired' Helena's Nail, and gave it to Iscariot, who bestowed it upon Alexander Anderson for use in battle against Hellsing's vampire, Alucard.

If Matthew is Section III, and Iscariot is Section XIII, then it is probably safe to assume that there are eleven other sections of the Vatican, each of them named after an apostle of Jesus, and each of them existing with a different purpose.

History

Little is known about the history of the Iscariot Organization. However, it is revealed by various characters that Iscariot has existed for a very long time, possibly as long as Christianity itself. The existence of Alexander Anderson suggests that Iscariot has perhaps engaged in genetic engineering and other advanced technologies to fulfill its purpose and to create greater weapons with which to combat its enemies. Iscariot has a sacred duty to do battle with the "seven million, four hundred and five thousand, nine hundred and twenty-six demons of hell".

Iscariot also has a bitter rivalry with Hellsing, due to their differing ideologies. Hellsing is an Anglican organization, Iscariot is a Fundamentalist Roman Catholic organization. Also, it is implied that Hellsing kills vampires because of what they "do". Hellsing will not attack a vampire unless it poses a threat to the Church of England or to the British Crown. Iscariot, on the other hand, kills vampires because of what they "are".

Most of the Iscariot Organization was killed during the Nazi invasion of London. Some were initially killed fighting the vampire SS troops; the rest died fighting against Alucard's familiars alongside Alexander Anderson. Those who weren't killed outright committed suicide by detonating explosives strapped to their bodies as they were overwhelmed by the undead. A very small group of priests remain alive, along with Heinkel Wolfe.

Members

; Alexander Anderson:A paladin, or warrior priest, who works for the Iscariot Organization. Like Hellsing's Alucard, Anderson is Iscariot's trump card, except that he is a human, rather than a vampire. However, Iscariot has enhanced Anderson through some kind of genetic engineering, turning him into a being known as a Regenerator. His mission (both personal and professional) is the destruction of all of Hell's demons, including Hellsing and Millennium. To complete this mission, he uses his arsenal of blessed bayonets and sometimes his bare hands. He is Alucard's main rival and adversary.

; Enrico Maxwell:Enrico Maxwell is the overzealous leader of the Iscariot Organization.

; Heinkel Wolfe and Yumie Takagi:Heinkel Wolfe is a pistol-wielding assassin for the Iscariot organization who partners with Yumie, a Japanese nun with a split personality. They act as bodyguards for Maxwell in Hellsing volumes 4 and 5 and are later seen among the brigade of Catholic paladins sent to apprehend Integra under Father Anderson's leadership.

; Father Renaldo: There is not much known about him, he's just a priest like Alexander. And he seems to be (like Walter to Integra) a 'bodyguard' to Enrico Maxwell, and appears to wield a sword (as is seen in episode 7 of the TV series, "Duel"), although he only brandished its hilt briefly.

References