Innocent as a Human
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The fourth episode of the Hellsing anime.
Summary
As Hellsing troops are scrambled, Seras meets her new commander, Steadler, who makes a slight about her being inhuman, and, touching her face, asks if she still “crave[s] for a man at night”. Back in the mansion’s study, Walter show’s Integra a snuff film, which shows the previous commander, Gareth, being shot in the chest, wearing the Hellsing coat of arms. Walter comments that he’s suppressing the media from further stories on the matter, and Integra declares that the “ignorant masses” can not know of their actions. As Integra is informed that MI-5 has been called in to deal with the snuff film investigation, Alucard comments that he can’t understand this world that humans have created, with Integra commenting it is no separate from his. As Seras and company enter the target area, a news broadcast of their actions appear on TV, and Walter moves to quash it, much to the resistance of the female news anchor, Kim, who is leading the story. Seras locates the man filming them, and Hellsing hands him over to the police.
Further investigation reveals the man is known as “Flesh” on the internet, but interrogators are unable to coerce the name of who hired him. Back at the TV station Kim is chewed out by her superior, while, upon flashback, we realize this is same woman who had the vampire executed in front of her at the beginning of episode two. At dusk, Seras heads back to the crime scene and, after discovering a camera on the same floor Steadler was working on, is told to leave by a British investigative member, likely from MI-5. As Seras leaves, Alucard, communicating telepathically, says that Seras has all the evidence she needs. At the same time, Kim is justifying the snuff films she’s creating, while Seras tales Steadler in another part of town. Kim appears in the bar and leaves with Steadler, while a snuff film of a demon-like creature trying to tear off a man’s head is being filmed, which is quickly interrupted by Alucard. The beast attempts to shoot Alucard, but, having no effect, Alucard shoots it in the head, shattering the glass to its back, revealing Kim and Steadler. Seras, appearing from the shadows, raises her gun to the two, and tells Alucard not to shoot, that they should be judged by human law. Fargason appears and takes Steadler away, while Kim defends herself to Integra, saying she has the right to watch. Integra decides her crime can not be judged by mortal law, and Alucard grips the woman, and drains the blood from her body. Seras, looking on, gives in to her temptation and, upon returning to the mansion, drinks human blood (from a medical blood pack) for the first time.
Trivia
-What kind of vampire is the creature in the snuff film that attempts to tear the drug addict’s head off? It’s hard to say, as it’s deep, gravelly and oddly shaped head make it unlike the freak vampires we’ve been exposed to, but in the same turn it appears human as its first combat instinct is to draw a gun and not use some innate abilities. It is likely this “breed” was invented to show further evidence of a blurred line between people, demons, the demons people can create, and the people demons can affect.
-This is the first episode in the TV series with a completely unique storyline, featuring themes of the atrocities both human and demon are able commit, thus narrowing the presumed “gap” between the two. Also, it features a character, Kim, who was already invented for an earlier episode, “Club M.” While her blue eyes indicate some of the similar “innocence” we see in other human characters (including Seras pre-vampirism), she obviously no more innocent by simple default, as she as justified the murdering of innocents in her search for truth.
-Written on the walls, in blood, as Seras searches one of the building’s rooms, is the phrase “From deep darkness To the no life king.” The “No-Life King” is a title that is used to refer to vampires among characters in the manga, OAV and TV series.
-MI-5, also known as the Security Service, is the security agency and counter-intelligence group within Britain.
-How is Gareth shown dying in a snuff film, even though we see him die in the previous episode by Anderson’s bayonet? Apparently, someone recovered Gareth’s body before Hellsing could, propped it up, and shot it again, seemingly as a declaration of war.
-Walter notes that Steadler, the new Hellsing commander, is from the SAS. SAS stands for “Special Air Service,” and are the chief special forces group in the British Army.
-This episode appears on the Volume 2 DVD, titled "Blood Brothers," of Geneon’s release of Hellsing.
