Codename 47
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The man known only as "47" is the main character in the Hitman video game series, of which four games have been released up to date. His name comes from a barcode tattooed on the back of his head (640509-040147), the last two digits are 47. 47, an assassin by trade, works under various aliases during missions; the earliest example is Tobias Rieper (possibly a play on 'Grim Reaper'), revealed in the first installment of the series, and is so far the most used. Other aliases include Mr. Metzger (German for butcher), Flech Fisher, Mr. Julio, Mr. Byrd, Mr. Johnson, Jacob Leiter and Dr. Cropes (an anagram of "corpse").
His voice is provided by actor David Bateson.
Contents |
[edit] Origins
[edit] Creation
47 is a genetically enhanced clone, the culmination of more than thirty years of research into human cloning and genetic augmentation, created by a cabal of criminal masterminds in an attempt to create the perfect soldier.
In the 1950s, five men of various nationalities served in the same unit of the French Foreign Legion. After their stint in the Foreign Legion was finished, four of the men returned to their home countries and founded vast criminal empires. One, Dr. Ort-Meyer, worked in a mental institution, which was only a cover for experiments in genetics. In exchange for research funding, Ort-Meyer provided these criminals with donor organs harvested from clone bodies, with which they significantly extended their longevity. (By the events of Hitman: Codename 47, the "five fathers" were well into their 60-70s, but appear to be in their mid 40s or 50s.)
47's "Five Fathers," the men whose DNA went into his creation, were:
- Dr. Otto Ort-Meyer: A discredited Romanian scientist whose radical theories were significantly ahead of his time, Ort-Meyer believed that genetic recombination and human cloning could be used to produce a perfected version of humanity, possessing superior physical abilities and unburdened by moral scruples or the nagging voice of a conscience. His ultimate goal (unbeknownst to his partners) was to create an army of unbeatable and unquestioningly obedient supermen with which to conquer and repopulate the world, but in the end, Mr. 47 broke the good doctor's neck.
- Lee Hong: A Chinese crime lord, he eventually rose to head of the Red Dragon triad, becoming the most powerful criminal in Hong Kong. Even in his advanced age, Lee Hong proved extremely spry and dexterous with a sword.
- Pablo Belisario Ochoa: A Latin American drug dealer, Pablo formed his own drug cartel by violently eliminating his rivals, but his methods earned him great animosity and he was eventually forced to flee to a secret compound deep within the Colombian rainforest. Pablo was able to survive and continue fighting even after being shot a couple dozen times in the chest with an assault rifle (although this feat could partially be attributed to the large quantity of cocaine he had consumed moments earlier). Pablo appears to be heavily-inspired by Tony Montana in "Scarface".
- Franz Fuchs: A former member of the Hitler Youth, Franz always resented the collapse of Fascism. He developed a career as a professional terrorist-for-hire, organizing attacks such as the attempted chemical bombing of the G7 leadership.
- Arkadij "Boris" Jegorov: A staunch anti-Communist, Boris became a world-wide arms dealer who smuggled weaponry for his older brother; Russian mafia boss Sergei Zavorotko, and even trafficking in nuclear weapons. Boris was able to detect 47's presence from several rooms away.
From a secret laboratory beneath his privately-owned asylum in Romania, Ort-Meyer spent thirty years combining and manipulating DNA taken from each of the five conspirators in an attempt to create life. Free from any moral or ethical boundaries, Ort-meyer's research produced many failed attempts and aborted monstrosities, but ultimately several successful genetically augmented clones were created. 47 was one of several clones in Ort-Meyer's 4th series, possessing a 47th chromosome, which, combined with his exceptional criminal lineage, endowed him with levels of strength, speed, stamina, and intelligence significantly above the human norm. (In real life, possessing an extra chromosone can lead to problems such as infertility, Down Syndrome and premature death.)
In Blood Money, it is revealed that 47 was the first, and only perfect human clone in existence, and that Ort-Meyer's extensive research made successful human cloning a reality. 47's DNA is said to be the basis for cloning labs all over, and nothing has yet to parallel 47; a sample of 47's bone marrow is needed to produce a top-grade clone, even with all of Ort-meyer's research. While there are attempts that have come close, they have problems such as albinism and lifespans that cannot last longer than 18 months after puberty. It is mentioned however, that these clones have had their growth vastly accelerated, whereas 47 developed naturally from birth.
[edit] Training
Born on September 5, 1964, and tagged with the identity 640509-040147 (the barcode ID tattooed on the back of his head), 47 was "raised" with the other "Series IV" clones by the asylum's staff. From the very beginning, Dr. Ort-Meyer identified 47 as his most promising creation. While maturing, 47 was quiet and showed little social behavior, his only display of affection being toward a runaway laboratory rabbit he adopted (much to Ort-Meyer's displeasure). 47 also had a fairly negative relationship with the asylum staff, due to the regular medical checkups and frequent painful injections. It is documented that 47 stabbed a doctor with several needles, prompting Ort-Meyer to double the guards assigned to him.
Along with the other clones, 47 was trained from youth to be a tool. Instructed in the use of firearms, military hardware, and the many tools of assassination. During his training, 47 was noted for his exceptional marksmanship, as well as for attacking the asylum staff with homemade slingshots.
After 30 years of relentless training under the tutelage of Dr. Ort-Meyer, 47 eventually found a gap in the asylum's security. Killing a security guard and disguising himself in the guard's uniform, 47 managed to escape from the asylum.Unknown to him, 47's escape was deliberately orchestrated by Ort-Meyer himself in order to see how 47 would perform in the outside world.
[edit] The Agency
47 is soon employed by the International Contract Agency (ICA), a clandestine organization providing assassination and mercenary services. With a lifetime of training and genetically augmented physical abilities, 47 soon rose to become the Agency's top performer. He was retired between the events of Hitman: Codename 47 and Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, a span of roughly two years, before returning to work there. As the events of Hitman: Contracts and Hitman: Blood Money overlap and occur between 2004 and 2005, it is unknown what happened in the life of 47 during 2003.
[edit] Mr. 47's UPC Barcode Tattoo
The tattoo on the back of the protagonist's head 6-40509-04014-7 is actually registered as a product of May Audio Marketing Inc. It is unknown if there is actually any connection between the company and the game. The barcode's description is listed as Mr. 47 and its size/weight is listed as 210 pounds.
Also, the final number in the code (the check-number) is actually valid in respects to the rest of the code. The final number in UPC codes are determined by adding the odd-sequenced numbers, multiplying that by three, then adding that product to the sum of the even-sequenced numbers. Whatever number is needed to bring that total to a multiple of ten is the check-number. So in the case of Mr. 47's 6-40509-04014-7:
[3x(6+0+0+0+0+4)+(4+5+9+4+1)] = 53
53+7=60
Hence "7" is rightfully the final digit of the code.
At one point during the first Hitman game (for the PC), the player sees a laser scanner which is housed in a ceiling panel. Apparently the scanner reads the barcode on the back of the clones' heads.
The barcode is a reference for 47's birthdate and designation: 19(64),(05)th of Sept(09); Series Number (04), Class Number (01) Batch Number (47). The Mark number is gleaned from the project name: Mark IV (and that earlier clones are detailed as Marks I-III). The Batch number is surmised from the fact that the cloned assassins he fights in Hitman:Codename 47 are designated "Agent 48".
[edit] Abilities, reputation and common motifs
[edit] Abilities
47's unique genetic makeup gives him exceptional physical abilities, including increased strength, speed and endurance. While not quite superhuman, 47 is at the extreme end of what a human being is capable of, and may even exceed humanity's natural abilities by some degree. Notably, he can endure multiple bullets to the chest without dying, although a headshot with a rifle or a couple of shotgun blasts at close range would kill him (in Codename 47 and Blood Money it is shown that he wears a flak jacket for protection). He is also able to easily outrun everyone else in the games, and is strong enough to wield a minigun as a man-portable weapon, albeit fairly awkwardly. Finally, 47 is very athletic; able to mantle over ledges, climb pipes, and jump across balconies.
47 also has been rigorously trained in the art of assassination. He has an extensive knowledge of murder and of the means to accomplish it. He is skilled in all forms of firearm use, and has nearly perfect aim, limited only by the mechanical inaccuracy inherent in any firearm he uses. This makes him an excellent sniper, as well as a peerless pistol marksman. He is even able to wield two guns at once without any of the usual decrease in accuracy such behavior normally creates. He is also skilled in strangulation, throat-slitting, smothering, poisoning, and the use of improvising deadly weapons from objects he finds on his missions (shovels, pool cues, fire pokers, etc.).
47 has shown proficiency in operating a large variety of vehicles on more than one occasion, most often being when he has to extricate himself after all objectives are accomplished. These range from common automobiles and vans, small watercraft such as motorboats, and even aircraft like seaplanes and helicopters.
In Blood Money, 47 is also shown to be highly skilled in hand-to-hand combat. He can knock out a full grown man with a single punch to the face, disarm an opponent at close range and shoot them with their own weapon, head-butt an enemy to stun them, and seize people from behind to use as human shields.
While he is more than capable of using brute force to mow down a couple dozen armed men, 47 is also an extremely creative individual, capable of devising cunning and stealthy ways of eliminating his targets without creating a commotion. Notable creative hits include locking a target in a sauna to stimulate a heart condition and cause cardiac arrest, disguising himself as a chef and poisoning a target's meal by improperly preparing his fugu sushi, disguising himself as a doctor and sabotaging a surgical operation on a target, and replacing a prop Mauser C96 handgun with a real one during a break in an opera rehearsal, causing an actor to unknowingly kill the target.
47 also appears to have a rudimentary understanding of several foreign languages (based on the fact the player perceives subtitles during several conversations between individuals speaking non-English languages), but not to the point where he is conversant in any of them.
Finally, 47 is a master of disguises, often donning the uniforms of dispatched guards or civilians in order to blend in and infiltrate an enemy stronghold without being detected. The fact that he is a multi-racial clone aids him in this considerably. He may not look exactly like the people of the country his target is in, though he usually looks close enough to not arouse too much suspicion.
[edit] 47's reputation
Due to his exceptional talents, 47 is usually given the Agency's largest and most difficult assignments. 47 completes all of his assignments with unwavering accuracy, fulfilling all of his objectives and always eliminating his targets without hesitation. 47's stealth and cunning are legendary; he is regarded in the criminal community as an urban legend, and few even know what he looks like.
[edit] Logo/Insignia
47 has his own personal symbol, that resembles a modified fleur-de-lys, which he adopted from the Ort-Meyer asylum where he was born. The fleur-de-lys was the symbol used to represent The Foreign Legion’s Special Projects department, set up during the 1950’s to perform highly sensitive, top secret work. The symbol has been said to be a stylized "M" and "L", which stands for Merces Letifer or "Death as Business" the motto of the Agency he employs, or to be a stylized "H", which stands for "Hitman" (the latter being incongruent with the game's story). One of the projects involved experimental research into the replacement of damaged organs, skin and muscle tissue. The project focused on ways of replacing injured soldiers’ lost or damaged body parts, using POWs, the indigenous population and the legionnaires’ fallen comrades as donors. It was the work of this department that ultimately led to the creation of Agent 47 and hence it is from this that Hitman’s symbol stems. The fleur-de-lys, or lily, is also a flower commonly associated with death, this is not the reason that it has been adopted as a symbol, but it does make it even more appropriate. This symbol is engraved on the handles of his trademark Silverballer pistols. The Agency uses this symbol to mark weapon pick-up points on 47's satellite feed maps. It is also found on 47's equipment (such as his laptop, briefcase and cell phone). It can even be found in the Gontranno church on the windows. Prior to the death of Dr. Ort-Meyer, 47's laptop and briefcases were plain black; the first appearance of the logo on any of Hitman's equipment is near the beginning of Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, where he opens a briefcase marked with this logo and removes two custom AMT Hardballers, known throughout this and the following games as Silverballers (see below).
[edit] Whiteness
Each of the Hitman games has made use of the color white in some symbolic form. Up until Hitman: Blood Money, 47's death was portrayed by him falling backwards in pain on a white background. Every game in the series demonstrated significant plot points with the color white; with the first three games with a white background (and occasionally more subtly, such as Diana's white hair in the conclusion of Hitman: Contracts), with the final game the white church in which 47 was dressed in white. Fans are uncertain as to the exact significance of this color; a walkthrough of the penultimate mission in Hitman 2: Silent Assassin where this color appeared as "a vision of heaven, and proof of betrayal", indirectly implying an omnipresent hope for 47's Christian redemption. However, this opinion is let down by the simple fact that a large portion of the mandatory violence in the series has occurred in churches; in Hitman: Blood Money, 47 went so far as to murder an innocent priest. Others interpret the whiteness as a symbol for 47's isolation from the world, and solely occasional lapses into emotion when he is generally so completely detached. The argument for his isolation is strengthened by the fact that whenever another character has joined 47 in the whiteness for significant plot points they have been killed by him; Dr. Ort-Meyer, Sergei Zavorotko and No. 17 were all killed by 47 in white backgrounds. In the white church 47 killed everyone attending the funeral (with the exception of Diana; however, significantly, at the end of Hitman: Contracts, as mentioned above, she had white hair, whereas during Hitman: Blood Money her hair colour and, indeed, no part of her head, is revealed until after the funeral, in which it is revealed it is black). Also, in the case of Dr. Ort-Meyer and Sergei Zavarotko, it was not logic, practicality or monetary reward which motivated the violence; both were killed for very personal reasons.
Whatever else, it is certain that on some level the whiteness is metaphorical. This can be confirmed by the pivotal moment in 47's psychological growth, when he completed his Oedipal hit list by killing Dr. Ort-Meyer. In Hitman: Codename 47, 47 kills all of the No. 48's and then enters into a small antechamber into a laboratory which is a similar colour to the rest of the underground facility. Dr. Ort-Meyer approaches him in this antechamber; however, as soon 47 shoots him the antechamber dissapears to be replaced with the white background in which 47 snaps Dr. Ort-Meyer's neck. When the events following Ort-Meyer's death are returned to in Hitman: Contracts, an opening cutscene shows 47 killing a No. 48 in an ordinary-looking room before entering into the white area in which he kills Dr. Ort-Meyer. Once this cutscene is finished 47 leaves this white room; attempting to return to it shows that the door in which 47 enters is mysteriously locked. In Hitman: Blood Money, in a brief flashback narrated by Alexander Leland Cayne (i.e. not directly following 47's perspective), this medical facility is shown as it truly is, with the room in which 47 kills Dr. Ort-Meyer appearing more or less the same as the antechamber from Hitman: Codename 47.
[edit] Appearance
47 is completely bald. No hair grows on his head, although whether this is from natural hair loss or genetic design is unknown. The only visible sign of hair on his body are his eyebrows, which are brown. A barcode tattoo is prominently displayed on the back of his head (though it is never noticed by NPCs) containing information about his date of creation and clone series identification number (640509-040147). 47 also has rather piercing, blue eyes. His facial features are quite imposing, with a long face, large cheekbones, prominent brow, and recessed forehead. 47 is also taller than average, although not exceptionally so (based on information in Hitman: Blood Money, he is slightly over 6 feet tall).
It has been stated by the game's developers that 47 was designed to physically resemble David Bateson, the veteran stage, film and voice actor who has provided his voice in every "Hitman" game yet. His facial appearance has moderately altered in between the first three games, however Hitman looks dramatically and obviously different from all the other games in Hitman: Codename 47.
On his missions, 47 almost always shines in a well-tailored, silk-lined black suit of Italian make, with a red tie and white shirt underneath. With this suit he wears a pair of black leather gloves. Blood Money reveals that this ensemble costs $5000, or it is possible that the Agency has the cleaners they send retrieve a suit left in the field while deducting $5000 from his pay. Thus, the actual price of his outfit is unknown.
[edit] Trademark weapons
Although 47 owns a large and varied arsenal, he is well-known for carrying a couple of 'trademark' weapons.
[edit] The Silverballer
The Silverballer is a semi-automatic .45 caliber handgun (.45 ACP ammunition). In the original Hitman: Codename 47, 47 could carry one Silverballer (here referred to as 'Hardballer' instead, and also seemed to have no real significance for 47: it could be purchased like any other weapon at the start of a mission). To hold two, he would have to pick up another first. In later installments, 47 would mostly wield these guns two at a time, yet starting from Hitman: Contracts he would also be able to carry a single Baller equipped with a suppressor. An unlockable weapon in Hitman: Silent Assassin was two suppressed Silverballers. In Hitman: Blood Money 47 can extensively customise the Baller, attaching silencers, scopes, laser sights, and other upgrades to improve performance. It is also possible to modify it with an extended magazine and full-auto modification, essentially converting it into a machine pistol.
The weapon regularly has immense firepower; a pair of them can send bodies flying several meters. The only exception is Hitman: Contracts, in which the power of the weapon was toned down noticeably. The earlier installments granted the weapon a seven-round magazine, but the capacity was increased to nine cartridges in Hitman: Blood Money, and could even be upgraded to eighteen by the choice of the player.
[edit] The Fiber Wire
A synthetic cord attached to two handles that is used for strangulation. 47 almost always carries this weapon because it will not trigger metal detectors and ensures a quiet, swift kill when properly employed. Typically, 47 will approach his target from behind and slip the weapon over its neck, crushing the windpipe and slicing the jugular vein with a swift jerk, then wrestle the victim to the ground. (In the latest installment also used to strangle victims from above when in an elevator. He would carefully bring his trusted 'weapon', lower it to the unsuspecting target's neck and lift him up onto the top of the elevator using his exceptional strength. The target would be strangled to death by the time he is fully lifted.)
[edit] WA2000 Sniper Rifle
The Walther WA2000 is a rare bullpup configuration sniper rifle. It comes in suppressed and non-suppressed versions.
The rifle was not clearly considered a trademark of 47 until Hitman: Contracts, in which the gun is carried as a default weapon on several missions. In the earlier games it is more of 'just a weapon among the others'. Whatever else it is obvious that the developers thought highly of it as a weapon; its given name in Hitman 2: Silent Assassin was "Custom Rifle.
The model carried by Agent 47 in Hitman: Blood Money is a special carbon-fiber and polymer model that can be broken down and stowed in a special foil-lined briefcase so it can defeat metal detectors. It can also be upgraded with suppressors, variant ammo, scopes, etc.
[edit] Hypodermic Syringe
- Syringe Poison: Contains a mixture of Sodium Pentothal, Pavulon and Potassium chloride, when mixed together they form a concoction which can kill within 7-10 seconds.
- Syringe Sedative: Contains a powerful tranquilizer, which can knock out a full-grown man in an instant.
Generally an alternative to the fibre wire, the syringe can be used much quicker than the fiber wire. For instance, you can run up to a target from behind and quickly deploy the syringe, while the fiber wire requires a much slower and stealthier movement. They can also be used to inject their contents into food or drinks to sedate or poison targets indirectly. The sedative syringe is essentialy used to avoid unnecessary causalties in order to perform a perfect stealth mission.
[edit] RU-AP Mine
A small, undetectable mine (the acronym stands for Remote Undetectable Anti Personnel Mine) that can be placed in certain areas, or dropped on the ground. It has a detonator that can be used in a certain range. The range can be increased by buying an upgraded detonator before the start of a mission.
The RU-AP was not introduced until Hitman: Blood Money. Although several types of explosives (remote controlled included) were featured in the earlier games, they were not quite as versatile. In Blood Money, the mine is carried on all missions, and can be placed in briefcases, or in specific points of interest on the map (such as a chandelier in the Paris Opera House) to trigger unfortunate "accidents". The RU-AP mine can also be strategically dropped anywhere on the map. Intelligent NPC's will pick them up and transport them to the nearest security checkpoint, having recognized them as an unidentified object that doesn't belong there. If properly hidden, or at least out of sight, the mine can be a great distraction or direct killing tool.
[edit] 47's Character
[edit] Personality
On the surface, 47 is quite introverted, cold and callous, and seems able to feel compassion only toward himself, he would kill anyone should they fall on his hitlist, including Diana if he were paid for it. He is able to remain calm, controlled, and emotionally detached even in the tightest situations, and always speaks in a controlled, formal manner. While 47 is quite reserved and normally only speaks when absolutely necessary.
One of his mottoes appears to have become "Trust no one." His behavior toward others is generally cold and untrusting, with a few exceptions. He demonstrates a high degree of devotion to Father Vittorio, the Sicilian priest who gave him shelter in Silent Assassin, going so far as to rescue Vittorio from Russian mafia kingpin Sergei Zavorotko even though there was no monetary reward in it for him. He also seems to place at least some trust in his Agency contact, Diana Burnwood, such as being willing to meet her face-to-face, but he is most likely armed. However, on rare occasions, he can also show a surprising kind side to his personality. When being raised by Dr Ort-Meyer he befriended a rabbit, and even held a small funeral service after its death. A recurring character in the series, he has shown Lei Ling/Mei Ling (her name was changed to "Mei Ling" [relation to Mei Ling from the Metal gear solid series is unknown] in Hitman: Contracts, for unknown reasons) considerable forbearance, rescuing from sex slavery in the first three games, in the second game despite there being no benefit in doing so. He also rescued an Arabic prisoner being punished for just causes in a Nuristan renegade army officer's base in Hitman 2 Silent Assassin. In Hitman: Blood Money he owns a small Canary. Though 47 pets the Canary, 47 swiftly kills it in one of the last cut scenes in order to preserve his own life. He does, however, shed a tear shortly after. (spoilers) Despite his calm nature, in Hitman: Blood Money he struggles to say "Bitch!" at Diana when she jammed a syringe in his shoulder and sedated him (the only time he has sworn in the series).
[edit] Morality
47 can put his morals aside at any given time, and appears willing to kill anyone the Agency offers him a contract on; as he says in Hitman: Blood Money: "I can do whatever I'm paid to." While he has been known to show mercy to those he does not have specific orders to kill, he has also demonstrated a willingness to kill innocent civilians if the Agency specifies he should do so (for example, in a cutscene early in Hitman: Contracts, after interrogating a thug 47 knocks him unconscious rather than killing him outright. Yet in Hitman: Blood Money, a cutscene shows 47 murder an innocent mailman to ensure that the man could not betray the contents of the package to anyone else.) In most missions, it is ultimately the player who decides whether 47 will only kill his assigned targets, or slaughter every innocent civilian in sight. Yet, the games generally encourage the player to be stealthy and to minimize civilian and law enforcement casualties. In Contracts, 47's reaction to one single gunshot wound probably indicate he has never been shot before in the official story, thus strengthening his stealthy nature.
In Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, 47 confesses his sins of murder to Father Vittorio, and performs an act of Christian symbolism by making the sign of the cross before performing his first hit coming out from retirement. These actions seem to demonstrate that Agent 47 is not entirely devoid of human emotions and ethics. He has, however, not displayed any sign of a religious bias after the events of Silent Assassin, and came to consider leaving such matters behind him in the end.
47's targets are almost always violent criminal masterminds or corrupt politicians. He is usually not assigned to kill innocent individuals, the closest being an assignment to kill a private detective who had failed in his mission and ended up kidnapped by bikers.
[edit] Hitman: Afterlife (the Hitman movie)
Planning and filming has begun for the Hitman movie to be released in 2007. Agent 47 will be played by Timothy Olyphant[1]. (Vin Diesel was originally supposed to play Agent 47 but he was dropped off from the project) There has been a movement among fans to get the original voice actor David Bateson, who is also an experienced actor, into the lead role. Bateson, whose looks provided the basis for 47's, strongly desired and campaigned for the role, but lost.
