#harker in hellsing

[see-arcane]

My ADHD is acting up again, but I have some questions and insights on your Hellsing AU.

So I think what's interesting about the premise is that it's essentially a Bad End for the Novel. Though I think the thing that really drives my imagination is how it's portrayed in the manga. So if I get this right, Bram Stroker's novel events actaully happened, in a meta sense, it's less epistolary fiction and more of a true crime documentation. That said, if we go with Hirano forgetting about Jonathan, does this mean Jonathan was intentionally left out of the book due to censorship on Abraham's part or due to apocrypha, names through out the years got warped?

As well, Abraham is an interesting part in this. The way it's written is that Van Hellsing is a bit of a dick. Or is he? From the perspective of Jonathan, he's lost everything. He's an immortal cyrptid, he's wife is dead, his paternal figure whom he trusted apparently lied to him, and his friend's sacrifice was simply in vain. In a dark way, Dracula lost the battle, but won the war. Or is it?

I think the part that really helps solidfy this AU, is the ambiguity of how things when down in the end, which sets up the entire story. The years between the ending of Dracula and the beginning of Hellsing is a blackout that's interesting on how Abraham really shaped the setting. Did Van Hellsing intentionally left things out for certain events to happen? Was he a lot more sinster in his intentions? Or was there simple miscommunication that didn't allow information to be given? While Alucard does comment on Jonathan's strange anti-vampire powers came from his vow, what really is that coming from that vow or from Van Hellsings experimentation? As well, Alucard's version of what happened, while maybe it did happen, it could also be that Alucard is intentionally fucking with Jonathan on making Van Hellsing a lot more sinister than he actually is. In the end, Jonathan wouldn't know, so he might have to take Alucard's word upfront and that's the thing that might fuck with his mind.

As well, Van Hellsing naming his son after Arthur instead of Jonathan is interesting if we go with some headcanons. It could be on Van Hellsing's thought that, if we go with either version, he wouldn't name his son after Jonathan simply because Van Hellsing knows he kinda doesn't derserve that...hm not honor, but like he knows he fucked up Jonathan's life, so he doesn't want to take more from an already dead man.

While the main story is about Alucard and Jonathan, some other character exist!

I remember that Jonathan's opinion on Integra sours after Brazil, but I'd love to see more interactions afterwards. I mean, here's a guy who was alive when her grandfather was still around. Even if it ended on bad terms, I'd like to see how they talk afterwards. Maybe a sort of surrogate Uncle role later on, even if her morals getting skewed, I can see Integra have Jonathan as a sort of moral rock, she would rather have Jonathan be up in her face and tell her she's a horrible person, then to have it hidden, sort of a cold comfort that she has good people keeping her in check so that she doesn't become completely heartless.

Seras as well. I mean I can see Seras as the number one indicator that Alucard's changed in Jonathan's mind. It's one thing to vamp up a young attractive women, it's another to actually do it to save her from death and then actaully teach her about things. As well, making a pseudo-daughter relationship would at least give Jonathan some heartache as well. Apparently, Seras was also similiar to Mina in the manga, so I can see a moment, not a romantic one, but one where like Seras has a heart to heart moment on why she understands why Jonathan has such visceral hatred towards her master, maybe a connection between Seras and Jonathan, that while they are traumatized people, they do connect to a certain humanity that they see with each other.

Finally, Walter! I went online to see about why Walter betrayed the Org, with him being old and no longer able to fight Alucard, since apparently by fourteen, he was the best Vampire Hunter in the world and never got to fight Dracula. What does give me some ideas is that, while I'm not sure if Jonathan is known as the one who actually killed Dracula in this AU, either way the information probably would eat up Walter on the inside. Jonathan is proof that the "no-life king" was actaully killed and only got saved by Van Hellsing. As well, with Alucard clearly egging Jonathan on and the latters abilities to be Alucard's metaphorical guillotine, I could see Walter wanting to have an early a chance as possible to fight Alucard one last time before he dies. Though, like I said, I can clearly see Alucard dismiss Walter's ambitions as something that he can never aspire to. As well, I do like to see Walter and Jonathan chat, maybe with some heartache on Walter's end. Seras, Jonathan, and the Geese getting close to him. I can see Jonathan be clearly confused and sad that Walter would become a Vampire just to fight Alucard, when he could've just grown old with the people he loves.

Finally, I'm not sure how you end the AU, but even if things changed, the London Fight between Alucard's final release and Jonathan's strange power going head to head is would be great, just to show the people in the front row how Jonathan's Post October 3rd vow was what let him just become a Shoenen Protag and be the one to beat Alucard(With the help of Quincy, the power of friendship, love and a gun that he found.) Also, would this mean if Jonathan gets stabbed by accident on the Nail of the cross, he becomes an Angel of Death? Or does he get another shoenen power up?

Holy dang friend that is a monolith of text, thank you for all of it! In order:

-I think Jonathan never being mentioned or identified in the manga + Integra openly mentioning Bram Stoker being a thing (be it a novel he wrote or some other meta twist in-universe) + Mina clearly being Mina Harker =

Doylist: Hirano did what 90% of Dracula adaptation/spinoff writers who presumably actually read the book do, and actively plugged his ears and covered his eyes and pretended Jonathan Harker didn’t exist/unceremoniously got killed off so he wouldn’t have to deal with him canonically scarring, scaring and beheading the Count.

Watsonian: In-universe Bram Stoker (who we assume was not on the scene in Transylvania with the hunting crew) might have been tapped afterward to ‘invent a story’ to feed the public a fictional tale about how to spot and slay vampires. Or maybe he never wrote a novel at all! Could be he really did churn out something more ‘official’ about defense against vampires, not a story, but a manual treated as entertainment.

-Van Hellsing may not be evil, but he was obviously an opportunist. He and the others could have slain Dracula once upon a time. He was in charge, he struck a bloody blow…but clearly called the execution off. And decided Dracula could be put to use as a weapon against other supernatural threats. If there’s any consolation—justification—it’s that Dracula was a monster, responsible for terrible things. That he is the biggest fish in a pond of lesser monstrous fish. Put him to use. How can you dehumanize what isn’t human?

In the context of my AU, Jonathan, both before and after Mina’s cruel ending from simple consumption (blood was always going to be her undoing), does not care for Dracula’s humanity. He wants him dead. In Hell. Scraped from the face of the Earth for what he committed against so many innocents, against Mina. Van Hellsing knows these feelings; just as he knows he is the ‘occultist who knows what’s what’ among the group. He can spin something convincing to keep the very angry suddenly super strong and basilisk-eyed young man from lopping the Count’s head off and taking away a valuable tool.

“Friend Jonathan, I know. I know you wish him ended—but understand, he is the King of Vampires. We cannot end him so simply as we free the common undead. Aid me—aid us—in laying him low, and I shall commit the rites needed to eliminate him full. After, in safety, you and Madam Mina shall have your peace. Your whole life is waiting…”

(Said even as he clocks the deathly Strangeness mounting in Jonathan. The only one to lay a lasting scar on Dracula himself in centuries, using a mere spade… Another tool for later, perhaps.)

-Cut ahead to Integra interacting with Jonathan, freshly awakened from his torpor in the basement by the presence of vampires slaying mortal victims in proximity to him. If Integra was aware of Jonathan Harker at all, it was as an oddity that her ancestor and his descendants after him never managed to crack. A surreal Victorian Sleeping Beauty never rotting or rising, but radiating an odd chill from the coffin for over a century since his suicide in the face of Mina’s death. Maybe past Hellsings tried to experiment. Add things, wake him up, understand what he is. No dice. And Alucard’s version of help is never really helpful. So when he pops up and things start happening, Integra clocks a few things.

Jonathan is an anti-vampire weapon. One that can be used against Alucard, her trump card; the first thing he did upon rising—after slaying Luke Valentine—was leave a lasting scar on Alucard. Dracula’s original wounds were all healed with Abraham’s work. Whether other Hellsings’ tinkering on the unconscious Jonathan or the ‘aging like fine wine’ thing was in effect with Death stewing the psychopomp powers, he is able to truly injure and put down Alucard. …But he didn’t. Won’t. Not when he’s needed to take down other horrors en masse. A hard thing for him. The choice made for the Greater Good that he can now make, knowing that Mina is no longer at stake. There is heroism at his core—a desire to Do Right, Do Good.

Refreshing. Grounding. But not enough to stop Brazil from happening, or its aftermath. Jonathan was likely nursing a twice-worsened old wound from that, having built up trust with another Hellsing after the original lied to his face and put Dracula on a leash. In his eyes, Integra committed an even worse sin in letting that leash go. She had full control over this monster with an abundance of power, more than enough to defeat Alhambra and defend the human collateral, but she opted to meet Millennium’s bluff with open thoughtless violence. Whatever Alucard felt like. It would/will take a lot for her to regain his trust.

Seras’ presence is interesting in the way you said; the proof positive that Alucard is not the Dracula he knew. Monstrous, vicious, mocking, but with enough of a kernel of care to acquire a fledgling. Not in the old pantomime of collecting for a pseudo-harem, but just someone who is kin. Maybe out of admiration, out of fondness, out of a desire to have a True vampire exist among the growing plague of False vampires. But Seras exists as someone Alucard is teaching and caring for, as someone who genuinely cares about Alucard in turn. (Though her calling him Master distinctly worries Jonathan.) She would be the first one to reach out to him post-the Harkers taking down the blimp and Jonathan would actually hear her out.

Walter. Walter, Walter, Walter.

The biggest knife twist. He plays Jonathan as he plays everyone. Polite, charming, a wise and capable friend to lean on. Even his vernacular is the closest to Jonathan’s; most of a century old. And then, to learn that all this time he’s been setting up dominos and planning to betray Hellsing and any amount of human cattle for the sake of one last bout of fisticuffs with Alucard, has to be yet another blow to his already battered ‘I like making friends!’ heart. Bonus points if he clocks that Walter might have been outright jealous of Jonathan personally—the original nemesis, the one who would have, could have slain Dracula for good. The novelty that Alucard is now unpleasantly eager to either toy with or goad into a death battle, nettling his resolve. Jonathan is a threat against his own goal; let Millennium have him.

-OOH Jonathan Harker VS Level Zero Alucard-Dracula in all his glory! In my own AU I think Jonathan and Mina’s meddling with the blimp and spoiling the advantage = London Fight not really being necessary as the climax which also = Schrodinger Catboy not having the opportunity to poison Alucard’s blood with his liminal erasure quality. However, if we say [EVENTS HERE] happens, let’s get to Big Full Power Dracula VS Jonathan for funsies. Also for funsies, let’s say Jonathan Harker is shounen powered up in turn, Death spiking into him to make him equal to Dracula’s level (he had to grapple more with the werewolf on the blimp because, hey, Werewolf is not Undead is not Death’s Enemy) as needed. Which means =

Eldritch horror undead Dracula VS Eldritch horror reaper Jonathan, no accidental Nail-stabbing necessary.

A coin flips.

In one timeline, we see The End. Jonathan brings the kukri down and ends Alucard, Dracula, for good. As he is unmade, he smiles.

“Thank you, my friend.”

Integra and Seras are left sour, mourning. Yes, it’s what he wanted. Yes, Seras and the bones of the organization remain to handle any straggling horrors left, as do the Harkers, but… There is a hollow left behind by the bastard. The Harkers take their leave. Mina thinks a private thanks to whatever it was her husband has put out of its Limbo existence, for whatever else he was and did, it was by his power that she was able to reunite with and aid Jonathan after all this time.

The coin lands on the other side.

Jonathan witnesses Dracula/Alucard willingly--!!!—yield to Integra Hellsing, even without the supernatural collar on him. This is Level Zero, his full power in all its horror, capable of anything…but he bows his head. Anderson happens. Walter happens. The blood is rushing to him from the slaughtered masses. And Jonathan clocks Schrodinger and the poisoning plan. Before the faux boy can slit his throat and dive into the red river, Jonathan brings his kukri down on him.

He is pure Death. No more question of ‘The cat is both everywhere and nowhere!’ No. No no. The cat is in the box, the cat is dead, and Jonathan has carved it into little Nazi violin strings before he can enact Millennium’s finishing move. Against all the machinations of narrative and fate, Jonathan Harker saves Alucard’s life (or undeath, as it would have stood for so many long long years). In doing so, the Major and his leftovers are fully thwarted as Alucard and company swiftly overpower and crush them with no dignity or catharsis whatsoever. Like swatting insects.

And Alucard never ever ever ever EVER lets Jonathan live down the fact that he saaaved him~.

“I knew you cared.”

Jonathan pops a blood vessel in his eye. Cut to black.

[see-arcane]

At least he *gets* to quit this time.

...Or does he?

Maybe. Maybe not.

Maybe choice doesn't come into it at all.

Maybe seeing the Victorian cryptid preserved specifically for 'Destroying Alucard' reasons wandering out in the open might be too great a temptation for certain interested parties. The kind who would only be too happy to add a new asset to their forces. Willingly or otherwise.