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| Overview |
| “ | I will not suffer impediments to my work. And no one's told me that I'm not allowed to harm you... Thorn Princess. | ” |
— Hemlock to Yor Forger[1]
| ||
Hemlock (弟切, Otogiri?) is a member of Garden from Ostania. He is introduced during the events of the Current Arc.
Appearance[]
Hemlock is a tall man with a light complexion and an imposing figure. He has long, dark gray hair with a neat fringe covering his eyebrows. His face is marked by two distinct points under each of his yellow eyes and two under his lips.
Contributing to Hemlock's cold and aloof vibe is a large, black coat with cream-colored lines, cream buttons, and a grid pattern lining. Underneath the coat, he wears a black suit and tie with a dark pink collared shirt that also has a grid pattern, as well as light gloves. Hemlock also walks around with his sword, which is hidden in a cane with a curved handle.
Personality[]
Hemlock's dedication to being a tool for Garden
Hemlock has a cold and detached personality. Serious and unwavering, he shares no empathy toward those he seeks to kill, which extends to even creatures. Hemlock believes that for one to be a professional killer, they should not be a part of society. Furthermore, he believes that things such as cover identities and true selves do not belong in Garden, saying that a pruner's role is merely to be a tool for the Shopkeeper, and they do not need love or happiness. As such, he has dedicated himself to being a Garden operative and acts with calculated professionalism.
As an assassin, Hemlock is quite bloodthirsty and often finds himself seeking out violence at every opportunity, willing to cut down anything that impedes his work and eerily grinning at the thought of completely eradicating his targets. Due to this, Hemlock lacks proper foresight and planning during missions, preferring to completely eradicate his targets to fulfill his task. Despite these flaws, Hemlock is still a formidable assassin.
Hemlock's self-isolation to gain strength
Hemlock often acts prickly and irritable toward his fellow assassins, especially Yor, toward whom he is particularly hostile. Believing that Yor has neglected her duties as Thorn Princess since her marriage and viewing her as an impediment to his work, Hemlock has no qualms about belittling her, even going as far as attempting to harm her when she annoys him.
In truth, Hemlock is a very lonely man with a very fragile pride. Out of a desire to become the strongest assassin, he believed he could achieve this by severing all of his ties with others, thinking that only those beloved by isolation could become effective killers. As such, Hemlock willingly abandoned all ideals of having human connections, leading him to live an unsociable life in which he actively rejected having any interactions with just about anyone, including his own Garden colleagues. However, this life of solitude affected Hemlock, who secretly suffered from his self-inflicted loneliness and wished to socialize with others, but his ideals to become strong through loneliness were able to keep him sane. During his fight with Yor, Hemlock attempted to persuade her that his ideals were correct and made him stronger than her, even going as far as threatening to kill Yor's family to make her stronger. His threat ultimately resulted in him being bested by Yor, and this loss caused Hemlock's beliefs to be shattered as he concluded that all of his time spent alone was meaningless if Yor, who valued her connections, defeated him.[2]
Synopsis[]
History[]
Hemlock's lonely past
Wanting to become the strongest assassin, Hemlock declared to himself that he would sever all of his ties. As such, he began avoiding human contact whenever he could, including refusing invitations from the Shopkeeper and other co-workers. Hemlock spent lots of time alone, from eating to amusement park visits to even celebrating his birthday. Hemlock once believed that he and Yor were the same, as he recognized her aura that made her alone. However, after Yor joined the Forger family, Hemlock lost any admiration and respect that he had for her as he believed she had made a mockery of her talents by abandoning her pride as an assassin to play house with civilians. While Yor went on with her new cover life, Hemlock continued on his path of isolation, working on his craft and honing his abilities.[2]
Current Arc[]
Shopkeeper interrupts the tension between Hemlock and Yor
Hemlock arrives at Garden's headquarters to report a recently completed pruning task. Upon entering the Shopkeeper's garden, he throws a knife at a ladybug on Yor Forger's hand, referring to it as a "noxious pest." Matthew McMahon intervenes, stating that it is harmless. After both sides explain their presence, Hemlock coldly accuses Yor of slacking off, though Matthew defends her, explaining that their workload has decreased under the Shopkeeper's orders. Hemlock makes a suspicious movement toward Yor, as if ready to attack, but is interrupted by the Shopkeeper's arrival. During their meeting, the Shopkeeper assigns a mission to eliminate illegal elk hunters, instructing Yor and Matthew to choose either Hemlock or Gympie as a partner. Hemlock volunteers, promising not to harm any elk. When Yor nervously mentions her fear of bugs, Hemlock threatens to kill her if she continues speaking of them.[3]
Hemlock meets Keekee
The assassins drive through the forest to the demilitarized zone. On the way there, an irritated Hemlock asks Matthew about the falcon perched on his head and pecking him. Matthew explains that it is his pet, Keekee, which they will use to scout their surroundings. After hearing Yor talk about her family pet, Bond, Hemlock accuses her of losing her edge since she married. However, Yor counters that her marriage has only strengthened her resolve about their work. Matthew also brings up his marriage, prompting Yor to ask about his wife and if they shared welcome-home kisses. Taken aback by the odd question, Hemlock tells Yor to stop talking about the topic, reminding her of her position as a pruner and lecturing her on being a professional killer.
Hemlock travels through the forest with Yor and Matthew
Upon arriving at the elk's habitat and the poaching grounds, the assassins proceed to move on foot, skillfully leaping through the forest's trees. After Matthew warns Yor to be careful of potentially poisonous plants and venomous creatures that could harm even her, Hemlock says they should have brought Gympie instead of Yor because of her specialty with poisons, but Matthew responds that she lacks the necessary firepower to face the poachers. Hemlock asks if they are allowed to kill all the poachers, Matthew confirms that they are free to kill anyone except the poacher's leader, which makes Hemlock smile as he gets the okay to kill almost everyone.
Hemlock beheads poachers with his sword
He challenges Yor to a game to see who can kill the most poachers, but much to his disappointment, she declines. Hemlock begins to call Yor a coward but is ignored by her as she drops down to observe a fallen antler. After Matthew explains the antlers' origin and the Miteran elk, Hemlock points the group to human footprints in the area, which they follow until they run into one of the elk. Observing a nearby snare trap, he breaks a branch from a tree and throws it at the elk, scaring it away from the trap. Hemlock explains his actions to his teammates, after which they hear a gunshot coming from a group of poachers hunting an elk. Hemlock and Yor kill the men, but before Hemlock can finish off the remaining ones escaping, Matthew stops him from killing one, explaining that they will follow him to the poachers' camp.
Hemlock attacks Yor
The assassins are left to deal with the rampaging elk, which is panicked after being shot. When Matthew says they must calm the animal, Hemlock suggests beheading it, but Yor and Matthew remind him that part of their task is to protect them. Matthew heads off with his falcon to locate the poachers' camp, but not before instructing Hemlock not to harm the elk, threatening to report it to the Shopkeeper. Yor continues her attempts to soothe the elk, but it attacks her and Hemlock, who expresses his admiration for the animal's solitude and evolution of offensive antlers. Growing annoyed and refusing to let his work be impeded further, Hemlock attacks Yor and prepares to fight her, justifying that he was never told not to harm her.[4]
Hemlock cuts Yor's neck
While Yor tries to defend herself, Hemlock tells her that her existence is in his way, viewing her as a toxic insect disrupting Garden's natural order. He then says that things like cover identities and true selves do not belong in Garden as their role is merely to be tools for the Shopkeeper. After admonishing Yor for associating with civilians, she attempts to counter Hemlock's oncoming attack and tells him to calm down. However, Hemlock easily intercepts her attack, causing her to fall back to create distance. In response, Hemlock throws his sword up in the air, catches it with the curved handle of his cane, and proceeds to cut Yor's neck with the extended reach. As he declares that Yor has lost her title as "Thorn Princess," Hemlock overwhelms her with a flurry of attacks and tells her that she must love isolation instead, which he believes has made him the strongest.
Hemlock threatens Yor's family
Hemlock proceeds to explain how he has spent his time alone and tries to impress upon Yor his devotion to his ideals, failing to notice that the elk they were supposed to protect has calmed down and left the scene. Hemlock continues to keep Yor on the defensive, cutting at her body while abashing her connections with others. Hemlock grows disappointed as Yor continues to dodge his attacks instead of fighting back and believes that killing her would prove nothing about his "isolation powers." As such he declares to kill Yuri and the Forgers, saying that it will cut her free from their shackles. Hemlock proceeds to leave to propose his plan to the Shopkeeper but is stopped by Yor, who attacks him with a powerful thrust of her weapon. Hemlock happily prepares to battle Yor but is surprised by her sudden speed and ferocity.
In his defeat, Hemlock imagines Yor wounding him
Hemlock is suddenly on the defensive as Yor closes the gap between them. She then kicks up a large rock and destroys it, sending the debris toward him. As Hemlock cuts down the chunks, Yor kicks a piece at his head. He is stunned by the hit but quickly throws a knife at her as he falls. Yor catches the blade with her mouth and spits it back at Hemlock, who kicks it away and gets back on his feet. He then lunges at Yor with his sword, declaring his victory. To his surprise, however, Yor quickly catches his sword with the pommel of her stiletto, after which she breaks it and thrusts her weapon at him. Hemlock imagines himself fatally wounded but sees that Yor stopped just before piercing him.
Standing victorious, Yor tells Hemlock to never target her family again. Shocked by his defeat, Hemlock drops to his knees as he tries to process his loss to the "Make-Out Merry-Maker." Recalling all the times he spent alone to become the strongest, he begins questioning what it was all for. Keekee then appears with a note from Matthew reporting that he found the poachers' base. Yor tries to hurry Hemlock to meet with Matthew, but as he is too lost in his thoughts to hear her, she ends up dragging Hemlock across the terrain while Keekee pecks at the bump on his head.[2]
Abilities and Skills[]
Enhanced Strength and Stamina: Hemlock demonstrated his strength when he, with just one hand, managed to effortlessly break and throw a branch to ward an elk away from a snare trap.
Hemlock matches with Yor's intense speed
Enhanced Speed and Agility: Hemlock is a very fast and agile combatant. While traveling through the forest's trees with his fellow assassins, he quickly and skillfully. He is also shown to move at very high speeds, particularly with the throwing knives in his arsenal and his swift decapitation of two poachers with his sword. During his battle with Yor, the two appeared to share similar speed, as Hemlock was able to dodge her attack from behind and matched her rapid attacks. Even when rattled after getting hit in the forehead with a rock by Yor, Hemlock was still able to throw a knife at her as he fell over. After Yor caught the knife and threw it back at him, Hemlock was quick enough to kick the blade away and get back on his feet immediately after.
Hemlock spinning his sword on his cane sheath
Weapons: Hemlock is skilled with bladed weapons and has demonstrated proficiency in throwing them, particularly his sword and throwing knives, with the latter concealed in his cane. His aim is very precise, as he was close to killing a ladybug perched on Yor's finger. With his sword, Hemlock's preferred method of killing appears to be beheading. The sword appears to be quite sharp and sturdy, as Hemlock used it to cleanly carve through a tree in one swift motion while attacking Yor. By connecting the curved grip of his sword with the curved handle of his cane sheath, Hemlock is able to have a greater range with his sword, which he can masterfully spin around and utilize in a whip-like fashion.
Enhanced Senses: Hemlock has good eyesight and observation skills, being able to spot hidden things like snare traps and footprints in a dense forest.
Relationships[]
Shopkeeper[]
Hemlock's relationship with the Shopkeeper seems to be one of professional duty. While he follows the Shopkeeper's orders without question, he is highly critical of others in his group. His interactions with the Shopkeeper are formal, as Hemlock respects his authority and wishes to be in his good graces to the point that he even follows Matthew's orders not to harm the elk after being threatened to be reported to the Shopkeeper. However, because of his goal to become strong by severing all ties, Hemlock would regularly decline invitations from the Shopkeeper to drink together, only meeting with him if necessary.
Matthew McMahon[]
Matthew and Hemlock's relationship is tense. Matthew is more laid-back, while Hemlock has a more serious and confrontational attitude. Hemlock does not seem to be fond of Matthew's more relaxed approach to their work, often challenging his methods, seemingly disliking his way of defending Yor. However, the two share a professional connection, as both are operatives of the Garden, and their interactions are mostly centered around mission tasks and assignments.
Yor Forger[]
As a fellow Garden assassin, Hemlock sees Thorn Princess as a rival. Despite knowing that she had her brother, Yuri, he once felt a kinship with her, as he saw that they were both lonely people. However, after she joined the Forger family, he soon lost his respect for her, seeing that it was dulling her edge as an assassin. Hemlock concluded Yor had forfeited her "Thorn Princess" title by trading her assassin life for that of a civilian's, a mockery of her talents in his opinion; his own isolated strength contrasted sharply with her choice, which only further angered him. Hemlock also began seeing her as a harmful influence on Garden as even Gympie started talking about getting herself a boyfriend, having been influenced by Yor.
Hemlock challenges Yor's choice to connect with others
During the mission to protect the Miteran elk and eradicate their poachers, Hemlock continuously acted hostile toward Yor and accused her of losing her edge since her marriage. Hemlock's actions ultimately led to a showdown with Yor, a fight he instigated to demonstrate his superiority and validate his method of gaining strength through isolation. Yor's inadequate battle skills frustrated Hemlock, prompting him to threaten her family's lives in order to sever her ties with them. However, after being bested by Yor, Hemlock's beliefs were shattered as he concluded that all of his time spent alone was meaningless, leaving him unresponsive for a while.
Chapter Appearances[]
| Mission 114 | Absent |
| Mission 115 | Debut |
| Mission 116 | Appears |
| Mission 117 | Appears |
Trivia[]
- His name "Hemlock" (弟切, Otogiri?) refers to a real plant known as St. John's wort in English.
- In Japanese culture, the Otogiri plant is associated with secrecy and healing, but can also symbolize hidden danger, which fits Hemlock's cold and deadly personality.
- Despite sharing the English name "Hemlock," the plant he is named after is different from the famously poison hemlock.
Quotes[]
- (To Yor Forger): "Continue speaking such drivel in my presence, and you'll be the first target I prune."[5]
- (About the Miteran Elk): "A deer that forms no herds and has evolved its antlers for attacking... what a noble beast. It has my respect."[6]
References[]
- ↑ SPY x FAMILY Manga: Chapter 116 (p. 21).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 SPY x FAMILY Manga: Chapter 117.
- ↑ SPY x FAMILY Manga: Chapter 115.
- ↑ SPY x FAMILY Manga: Chapter 116.
- ↑ SPY x FAMILY Manga: Chapter 115 (p. 15).
- ↑ SPY x FAMILY Manga: Chapter 116 (p. 20).