Summary
Killua Zoldyck fromHunter x Hunteris easily one of the most beloved characters in all anime. Killua is a remarkable assassin, can envelop himself in lightning, and createsone of anime’s best duos with Gon, but his incredible character development is often overlooked.
ThroughoutHunter x Hunter, Killua gradually develops from an aimless boy who is a slave to his family’s whims to a bright-eyed kid who has found his purpose in life and values himself. Perhaps the most beautiful part of his growth is the fact that it doesn’t happen all at once. His character arc is a slow process full of ups and downs that occur throughout the entire span of the show. Bit by bit, Killua blossoms in spite of everything internal and external that seeks to hold him down.
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Nature vs. Nurture
The key theme to Killua’s entire character arc is the psychological concept of nature vs nature. Nature vs. Nurture is a simple idea but has been an important topic of conversation in society since the question came into existence. Nature has to do with genetics. It poses the question, are all humans and their behaviors a product of their DNA? Nurture has to do with the environment a person has had to live in. The nurture side asks, are all humans a byproduct of their environment and the people they grew up with? Ultimately, the theory seeks to answer the question of how much of their lives people actually control.
In the case of Killua, understanding this concept is key as it is the crux of what drives his story. Killua is the heir to the Zoldyck family,a family of elite assassinswho have been training him to be the head of the family since birth. From the moment he drew his first breath, Killua has been subjected to torture, sent on missions to murder people, and has had to play psychological mind games with all members of his family. Being head of the family is the sole reason he exists in his family’s eyes.
At the same time, Killua is also just a boy trying to figure out his own path in life. He was born with a good heart and is a fiercely loyal friend to Gon and any others he deems as a friend. Time and time again, he proves himself to be a compassionate person who wants the best for those he cares about. Despite his own struggles, he has the unending drive to be more than what others say he is.
Killua and the Zoldycks
The Zoldycks are infamous for beingthe most powerful assassinsin the world ofHunter x Hunter. However, the means of acquiring this strength is by no means a pleasant one. Becoming an assassin worthy of the surname Zoldyck requires extensive training. The training involves being subjected to all manners of torture, both physical and mental, voluntarily being poisoned over and over to build immunity, assassination missions, and more.
As the selected heir to the family throne, Killua’s training was especially severe in order for him to fill out the unfathomable potential he has to become an elite assassin. But as one can imagine, this kind of brutality takes a toll, especially on someone who is so young. When the anime introduces him for the first time, Killua is shown to be an otherworldly talent when it comes to assassination. But whenhe faces his brother Illumiat the end of the Hunter Exam arc, viewers find out early on that he is just a boy who wants a friend, but his self-esteem is so low that he is unable to free himself from the shackles he’s bound in.
Gon’s Guiding Light
The friendship between Gon and Killuais critically important for the development of both of these characters. Their influence on one another is tangible, especially as the show progresses into its final arcs. When the pair first meet in the Hunter Exam arc and all the way through to the Zoldyck Family mini-arc, Killua simply wants to be friends with Gon. This is where the first big moment in his nature’s resistance against his environment happens. Killua hears that his friends have come for him while being tortured, and he frees himself with ease. He packs his things and heads to his father’s room to tell him he’s leaving. He surprisingly receives his father’s blessing and, with that, takes an important step on his path of self-growth.
The seed for his biggest internal conflict, the one of his self-worth, was planted in his childhood and began to show itself slowly throughout his time with Gon in the Yorknew City and theisekai-like Greed Islandarcs. For example, at the end of the Greed Island arc, when Gon thanks him for always being there for him, he becomes bashful and turns away as he thinks to himself that the roles should be reversed. Despite the fact that he has put so much effort into the friendship, he still sees himself as owing Gon.
The Needle
Fast Forward to the Chimera Ant arc, and Killua has descended to what is his lowest point. In the first episodes of this arc, Killua’s struggle with his self-esteem hits its apex. When he spars with Biscuit before his battle with Shoot, she tells him straight out that his mindset, which prioritizes escape, might get Gon and himself killed someday. As he toils with Biscuit’s warning, he ends up in the very situation she had feared when he has tofight the chimera ant Rammotin order to protect a defenseless Gon.
In this fight with Rammot, he hears Illumi’s voice incessantly ringing in his head, telling him to run. However, he knows he can’t because then Rammot will surely kill Gon. He is getting beaten by Rammot when finally, as Rammot is about to land the fatal blow, he pulls out the needle Illumi implanted in his skull. Once he does this, he gets over his escapist instincts and swiftly defeats Rammot.
Killua pulling out the needle is symbolic of him finally overcoming his struggle with self-worth. When he pulls out the needle from his skull, he officially discards who he was before and sees himself as a valuable person. This is emphasized near the series' end when Gon thanks him for everything. He accepts that thanks with confidence and even chastises him for thebehavior that nearly killed him in the first place. There are plenty of other moments late in the Chimera ant arc and the 13th election arc that highlight his nature’s victory, but this one is the most telling because it’s a direct contrast to his demeanor in the Greed Island arc when Gon gave Killua his thanks.
Overall, Killua is an exceptionally profound character that many people can relate to, and it deserves to be talked about when people talk aboutHunter x Hunter. It’s normal to feel lost or at the whim of others, but Killua’s story shows how valuing one’s self can help people find their purpose and grow into a person who walks their own path rather than walking down the one set by others who have their own ends in mind.
