WALTER C. DOLLNEAZ
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Having been in the employ of the Hellsing family for well over 50 years, Walter was formally the Hellsing Organization’s most skilled retainer, or "trash man", if you will. Along with Alucard, Walter has slaughtered countless midians from as far back as World War II with such a precision and fury he has attained the title of ‘The Angel of Death’. Now retired from the field of combat Walter now serves Sir Integra as an intelligence operative in the fight to keep England free of the dark horrors that besiege it.
Throughout the majority of Hellsing's story, Walter is ever-present as the organizations loyal butler and assistant tactician.
The following section will discuss Walter, his history, his story and his character traits in detail. Due to story spoilers pertaining Walter's past and its noted effects on the story's later chapters, Walter has been given a special biography page detailing content not discussed here.This is the version of Walter's biography that does not pull any punches in regards to spoilers.
Click Here to see the version of his biography devoid of spoilers of the manga story post volume 6.
Please click a section below to skip to it.
- Statistics
- Walter's Early Life - Warsaw, September 1944
- London 1999 And on: Millennium Returns
- Powers and Abilities
- Walter's Name
- Walter in the "Hellsing" TV Anime Series
- Trivia & Other Information
STATISTICS
Name in Japanese: ウオルター・C（クム）・ドルネーズ (Uoruta C [Kumu] Doruneezu)
Nicknames/Aliases: Angel of Death (Shinigami) [Moniker] Dornez, Ddollneazz [Alternate Spellings]
Age: Approximately 14, (in 1944) 69 (in 1999)
Eye Colour: Blue, Red after becoming a Vampire
Hair Colour: Black, Greying in 1999. Reverts to black post-vampirization
Gender: Male
Species: Human, Vampire (Post V6)
Nationality: British
Rank: Double-Agent and Secret Weapon
Religion: Presumed Protestant
Affiliations: Millennium (Member), Hellsing (Former agent, Working under-cover for Millennium)
Weapon of Choice: High-tensile razor wire
Voice (Old): Motomu Kiyokawa (Jpn) // Ralph Lister (Eng)
Voice (Young): Romi Park (Jpn) // N/A (Eng) (Not yet Dubbed)
Voice (Adult): Daisuke Namikawa (Jpn) // N/A (Eng) (Not yet Dubbed)
WALTER'S EARLY LIFE - WARSAW, 1944
 Walter in 1944. |
The details of his childhood are largely unknown, but Walter was born to good English parents in Great Britain sometime in 1930. His exact age was unknown, however as a very young boy he was taken in by the Hellsing Organization and began training as a human weapon, explicitly for the purposes of taking down occult threats to Queen and Country. Despite his young age, Walter fast became exceptional at his job, eventually being dubbed Hellsing's "Angel of Death" in light of his efficiency.
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In 1944, at the young age of 14, Walter was given what would become the single most influential assignment he would ever receive. With the world deep in the midst of it's 2nd World War, the Nazis were doing all they could to get the edge on the battlefield. This included Hitler commissioning a group of SS soldiers to breed an army of the Undead for him. Being Hellsing's specialty, they proceeded to dispatch their greatest agents, Walter and Alucard, to neutralize the threat. Upon arrival, Walter was initially offered a position by The Major, however he turned it down flatly, mocking the Nazi gruppe commander. This instigated a severe augment between Walter and the Captain. Despite being abandoned by colleague Alucard, Walter managed to survive and the offer to join Millennium was extended to him once again. For his own reasons, Walter accepted this time, and the young man made sure that he and Alucard finished the rest of the task without the vampire discovering that the other agents of the Nazi group had escaped, fleeing to Brazil to await the next stages of their plan.
 Walter, Standing with His Fellow Millennium Agents in 1944 . |
Walter spent many years masqerading as Hellsing's prime agent, and achieveing infamy for his fierce efficiency and murderous skill , all the while orchestrating events in Millennium's favor in the background. Eventually, his employer Arthur Hellsing fell ill, and the time to begin rolling Millennium's final plan into motion began. Alucard's involvement was paramount to the Nazi group's plans, and Arthur had long since locked him away in a dungeon. Walter manipulated events in such a way that he was conveniently out of the country when Arthur passed, forcing Integra to unleash Alucard again to protect herself. Upon his return, Walter continued his ruse, and took it upon himself to assist in looking after Arthur's little daughter Integra. She would one day grow into the head of the organization. It has never been specified when it was that Walter decided to retire from field combat, only that he did so and repositioned himself as (seemingly) Hellsing's most trusted servant, but still very much working towards Millennium's ultimate goal.
Meanwhile, Millennium themselves slowly began to advance their own plans until finally, in 1999...
LONDON, 1999 AND ON - MILLENNIUM RETURNS
 "I most highly recommend pissing yourself..." |
As
Integra reached maturity, Walter employed himself not only a skilled informant and assistant tactician but likewise a cornerstone for moral support. Despite this however, he remained vigilant at his task to ensure that both Integra and especially Alucard remain competant and functional for Millennium's plans. This included Millennium's own skills being employed by Walter in the creation of greater weapons such as the Jackal and the Harkkonnen for Hellsing.
In spite of his supposed retirement, the infamous "Hellsing" butler has come to aid many times in recent history. Walter was present during the devastating attack on Hellsing House perpetuated by the villainous Valentine Brothers of "Millennium". It is unknown what portion of the battle Walter was made aware of in advance by his Nazi cohorts, however he played his part as Hellsing's bodyguard and assisted in quelling the threat. Walter feigned his attempts to research the title "Millennium", offered by Jan Valentine during his temporary containment, stating that he hoped to gather evidence for the source of the attack. Little was uncovered until Integra herself suggested a possible resurface of a long-forgotten Nazi organization, surprising Walter greatly that she had discovered the truth so quickly.
 Walter Escorts Integra Through |
Walter remained present for various key events in the Hellsing timeline including: The Hellsing soldiers' funeral, post Valentine Brothers attack. The meeting with Enrico Maxwell of Section Thirteen. The conference with Her Majesty, Queen of England. And all subsequent encounters with Millennium staff. Walter frequently liaised with Alucard on combat strategies, such of which included Alucard's successful neutralization of Rip Van Winkle, all the while keeping up his great ruse. Walter's assistance was finally recommissioned as a front-line operative when the Great Monster War began in London. A cadre of Nazis were dispatched to take out Integra Hellsing, who were initially slaughtered by Walter. He lead Integra out to a waiting car and drove her through London, racing for Hellsing HQ at breakneck speed. However, upon being faced with a powerful opponent, Walter came to an abrupt stop, leaving Integra to drive herself the rest of the way while he held the Millennium's Captain off. Her final order to him: come back alive, no matter what.
And that was the last anyone had seen of Walter fighting on the side of Hellsing...
AS MILLENNIUM'S SECRET WEAPON
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At this point in the war, the time had finally come for Walter to re-join Millennium's ranks proper. Upon Integra's retreat, Walter returned with the Captain to the Zeppelin. The final phase of the plan was coming to fruition, and it was soon to be that Walter would have his confrontation with Alucard. It was now that the Dok performed his Vampirization surgery on Walter whose effects served to turn him into a genuine monster. Likewise, his de-aged appearance permitted him a return to peak physical condition and now offered a sporting chance against his nemesis, Alucard. Naturally, amidst the chaos of the raging war, Walter's surgically induced transformation was carelessly rushed and subject to catastrophic consequences. Even so, now returned to the battle field in his 30s, he stood proud and lethal. His time would come.
As Alucard's battle with Alexander Anderson came to a close, Walter took the chance to finally show himself, taunting his former colleagues, and scoffing at the notion that he had been brainwashed. He told them plainly that his action were of his own accord. Betrayed and horrified at her loss of companion and colleague, Integra tearfully yielded Alucard's order to "Search and Destroy". The implications were clear. The dog would turn on its family, and Walter was delighted.
Integra and Seras continued onto the Zeppelin for the final fight, leaving Alucard and Walter to battle in the gutted city below.
 Walter Does Battle with Alucard. |
Thus, The Angel of Death emerged upon his anticipated battle, seemingly holding his own against the No Life King. The Jackal was a ploy! A concealed explosive that was detonated, destroying Alucard's hand and forcing him to use his Hellhound, which Walter instantly killed. As Luke Valentine emerged from the beast's body, Walter took him with his wires, using the man as a morbid marionette and attacking Alucard fiercely. The battle was taking its toll and all too soon Walter realised that his surgery had been botched leaving him with little time for toying with his nemesis. He resolved to finish Alucard quickly. Took stock and drove a great sharpen pole directly through Alucard's chest. It was done. Alucard was finally dead, this time, forever. Or so it seemed! Alucard however, gifted with purely supernatural resurrection, rose again mercilessly beat the butler down. The side effects of Walter's surgical enhancements played havoc with his physiology. He continued to de-age rapidly, now 20, now 14 as he was once in 1944. Walter was fast approaching his limit and was distraught to learn that his chance to destroy Alucard was over, the Major would now be moving on to utilize his master-stroke. Exhausted, Alucard called upon his eldritch abilities, using whatever dark enchantments he possessed to call upon the spilt rivers of blood of London's fallen unto him. So as he might soak it into every aspect of his hideous being.
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Unbeknownst to the dark hero, the fiendish Schrodinger had earlier slashed his own throat, allowing his blood to mix with that of countless others. The effect proved a cruel and final poison for the No Life King. The conclusion of the Major's ultimate plan having succeeded in finally nullifying Alucard afforded Walter a chance to peacefully renounce whatever remained of his mangled life. Heinkel, on site, sought to shoot the butler. The shot was wounding but not lethal. Walter managed to escape, returning back to the Nazi Zeppelin in her final moments. On board the ship, Walter confronted the Doktor. It appears that Walter never intended upon letting Dok escape and readily destroyed both the man and his twisted work. In Walter's final moments, he fondly recalled Integra and said his own heartfelt goodbye before meeting his untimely end in the flaming Zeppelin. In the moment of his demise, Integra was stricken with ultimate loss of his presence. A goodbye to an old friend.
Long after the war, in spite of his great betrayal, Integra and Seras remembered him fondly, and missed him dearly.
POWERS AND ABILITES
Walter's Wires in Action. |
Walter is initially a normal human being lacking any special powers. However, he may very well be the purest example of a character trained to the peak of physical human efficiency and ability, as Walter appears to possibly be the only human being in the series capable of combating true vampires and werewolves directly without the aid of external enhancement. Walter was trained at a young age. At 14 he was peerless in combating the werewolf Captain.
Walter's main form of combat is through his high tensile wire. Walter employs a large number of wires coming seemingly out of nowhere and so thin it is sometimes difficult to see them. Walter is so efficient with his wires that he can quickly and easily slice a vampire's head clean off which just the slightest movement of his wrist or fingers. During his battle with Jan Valentine, Walter professed to not being "As spry" as he once was. Whether Walter was stating this honestly or using it as an intimidation tactic is unknown.
Upon being turned into a vampire, Walter's abilities were greatly heightened. Walter's body was restored to it's peak physical condition, and his strength greatly increased. Walter is also seen employing various attacks and techniques never before seen, such as weaving his wires into a square shaped shield capable of blocking gunfire and using the deceased shade of Luke Valentine as a puppet. It is unknown if his new vampiric powers allowed him to perform these feats, or if he was capable of them before. Walter's vampirism, however is a double-edged sword for the man. Although it allowed him a great increase in power and ability, it proved to be temporary as the rushed surgery lead to his body failing him and continuing to de-age beyond the point originally intended.
WALTER'S NAME
 Walter's Name From the Back of Manga Volume 4 |
As is common in the Japanese language, transliteration of, what are intended to be European names to Japanese and then back again does not always go smoothly. This has caused some discrepencies in the English-language releases as to the correct transliteration of Walter's name. While Walter's given name, "Walter" is extremely straightforward and is presented as the name "Walter" normally should in Japanese, his middle and surnames, as well as his epithet are where the major discrepancies lie.
Firstly, Walter's seldom-heard middle name, Cumm. Walter is usually listed or introduced as "Walter C." without ever explaining what the "C" stands for. However, the last pages of the volume 4 manga novel, it was first revealed to be "Cumm" (Pronounced: "Koom") with later portrayals in the manga lending credence to it, such as when Walter introduced himself in volume 9. This appears to be a reference to the Latin term "Cumm" with usually translates out to "With". This may be a reference to the fact that Walter is always by Integra's side, though this is never stated by Hirano.
 Walter's Entry in the OVA Liner Notes. |
The majority of the confusion however, stems from Walter's family name. In the original Japanese novels it is written as [ドルネーズ] (Doruneezu). Due to common Japanese language conventions, the character for "R" is interchangeable, meaning the proper transliteration of that character is part of the largest crux of the issue. The majority of official sources appear to use a name that transliterates it as "L" with Hirano himself and the TV series spelling it "Ddollneazz" while the original Japanese OVA liner notes booklets and all US editions spell it out as "Dollneaz", preserving Hirano's original name while simply removing what are perceived as "extra" letters. The biggest discrepancy comes from the official Dark Horse translation of the manga which presents his name as "Dornez". The later-released Blu-ray boxed set of Hellsing I-V also modified its spelling of Walter's name to list it as such as well.
And lastly, there is Walter's epithet, which is very straightforward. In the original Japanese, it is [死神] (Shinigami) which would literally translate to "Death God". A "Shinigami" in most Shinto lore is a spirit or a god whose job is to ferry the departed, much akin to the grim reaper. The official translation is "Angel of Death", which fits the translation in-context and works best in a European setting.
WALTER IN THE HELLSING TV SERIES
 Walter in the TV Series. |
As he is a major character, Walter appears in the 2001 Hellsing anime TV series as well. Walter's TV series adaptation is amongst the most accurate to the manga in comparison with the rest of the supporting cast. Walter's adaptation remains faithful even after the original story material presented post episode 7 of the series. The butler is seen not only fulfilling his duties as Hellsing's tactical coordinator, but also going so far as to risk his life in protect of Integra.
As Millennium was removed from the story entirely, Walter's relationship to the organization, either as their destroyer or their secret weapon is ignored. However it should be noted that at the time of the series' creation, the publication of the manga was somewhere in the 4th volume, and Walter's role as a traitor was not yet presented. However, it is interesting to note that what seems to be several allusions to Walter's role as a double-agent are made throughout the TV series.
First, the later parts of the story explicitly state that there is a traitor in Hellsing's midst, and although the plotline was left open and the traitor was never named, the only "traitor" in the Hellsing Organization in the manga was Walter. Walter is also seen as an enemy in Order 9, Red Rose Vertigo, fighting Seras and not allowing her to save Integra. This was the result of brainwashing, and he was quickly saved and restored to his normal self, however it does draw a direct parallel to events that would later be known, implying that Hirano may have given the anime staff some of his ideas for later, or may himself have been partially influenced by the TV staff.
TRIVIA & OTHER INFORMATION
 American Tabacco |
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In the manga novels, Walter makes only one appearance in the first volume as an agent to gather information about Alexander Anderson for his master, Integra. He makes his first full appearance later, giving Seras and Alucard their latest weapons in volume 2. Both animated adaptations expand on Walter's screen entrances, adding to his appearances and duties. The TV series saw Walter given additional lines of dialog and expanding on his actions. Such scenes include Alucard consulting with Walter about the creation of the Jackal. The OVA has made every attempt to maintain faithful to the original manga, as such Walter is rarely brought into frame for another other than flanking Integra and tending to her coat and cigar as would be expected of a domestic servant, until the script proper calls for his interaction.
- It is noted in his youth, Walter was something of a tobacco connoisseur whom had a particular aversion to American cigarettes. Walter is never seen smoking during the present story in either the TV series or OVA. It is assumed age and impending infirmary caused him to reconsider this generally filthy habit.
- Walter's actions as an agent of Millennium where never fully explained in the manga. It is shown and repeatedly noted that Walter wanted, obsessively, to defeat Alucard in combat and destroy him completely. However, it was never stated why exactly nor was it shown how Walter defected. These events were most likely planned to be shown in The Dawn prequel manga. However, as the project was abandoned, they were never depicted. As The Dawn is currently being produced in animated form, it may depict an ending to the story, but at the time of this writing, it is not known.