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application; expiation.
Character Name: Nicholas D. Wolfwood
Character Canon: Trigun Stampede
Canon Point: Episode 12, right after saving Meryl and escaping with her out of July.
Age: Wolfwood has (unwillingly) gone through genetic experimentation during his time with the Eye of Michael which caused his body to age at an accelerated rate. While his actual age is unclear, it's safe to say that he is chronologically at least 18 years old. Physically, he appears to be in his mid to late twenties.
Crime: Wearing shoes with no socks.
Background: Here!
Personality:
It is revealed toward the end of the first season that Wolfwood's true purpose in joining up with Vash was to lead him to July and ultimately, to his brother, Millions Knives. What was meant to be a straightforward escort mission gets complicated the more Wolfwood comes to know Vash, who seems to see through Wolfwood's bitter cynicism to the heart of him: a haunted man who paid the price of a bargain made for the safety of the only place he had been able to call home. Wolfwood is aware of who he is as a person and that he is past redemption, having killed too many in his life—there is nothing he nor anyone can do to change this fact. But Vash had looked at him when they were in the belly of the worm and said "[he] can see it in his eyes" that Wolfwood is kind; that he has the capacity for change and to be more than just the killing machine he was engineered to be. Over the course of the season, Wolfwood shows that kindness despite his struggles to reconcile who he is with what he's done. This is apparent when Wolfwood goes back to July to try and help Vash and Meryl in the final fight against Knives, despite having already fulfilled his objective. If he hadn't taken this assignment and met Vash, he likely would have remained the same pessimistic and coldhearted person he always believed himself to be.
Wolfwood has a pragmatic and jaded outlook on life, often butting heads with Vash's kindness and optimism. He is well aware that the world they live in is cruel and unfair and the weak don't survive; it's every man for himself, kill or be killed, and Wolfwood would be damned if he let himself be killed first. He tells Vash that he "[doesn't] have the luxury of being afraid to make tough decisions" and that he has to choose to protect the things that are dear to him; thus, he'll do anything he has to in order to achieve that—even if it means killing people. He doesn't take pleasure in it, but he accepts that it is necessary to do so in order to keep those important to him safe.
Wolfwood is a survivalist, and while at times he may come across as callous and self-serving, he understands the pain of loss and the value of life. He tells Zazie that "no matter how heavy a cross you carry, you still deserve to eat. You still deserve to laugh." Wolfwood understands that in order to protect others, he must first protect himself and keep himself alive, to continue moving forward no matter the hardships he must endure because of his choices.
While he would like to believe (and have others believe) that he admires qualities like pragmatism and loyalty—and he does value these qualities—at his core, Wolfwood admires kindness, and the ability to continue to be kind despite the cruelties of life. Although this may seem antithetical to Wolfwood's outward personality, he craves this sort of kindness and compassion because he's never experienced it himself. At a young age, Wolfwood has had to fend for himself, having lost his parents before he was brought to the orphanage, and later being subjected to the Eye's experiments. Yet, he knows that he doesn't deserve that kindness because of what he's done. How could someone be kind and good when they have already killed so much? The world will always be cruel and unfair no matter what he does, and he hates how disillusioned he has become because of it. While protecting the orphanage is his reason behind everything he does, the gravity of his sins weigh heavily on him in much the same way Vash's guilt weighs on his own shoulders. However, while Vash channels it into atonement and helping anyone and everyone he comes across, Wolfwood knows he is past the point of repentance, and as such, the only option he has is to continue throwing himself into what he is good at and what he was made to do. A weapon is given trajectory, not autonomy.
Still, there is a strength in gentleness and in mercy. While Wolfwood often sneers at Vash's habit of giving out pieces of himself just for the sake of helping others and his stubborn refusal to kill, he admires Vash's unwavering commitment to it; his unshakeable belief that there is always goodness in humanity, they just need to have the opportunity to foster it. Vash shows him that just like Wolfwood, the world has the capacity to change, and that life can still be kind and good.
Abilities: Through the experiments he'd endured with the Eye of Michael, Wolfwood's body has been genetically engineered to be at peak physical condition and is bestowed the following abilities:
Wolfwood is also shown to have enhanced senses, reflexes, and is a perfect shot. His training with the Eye has made him able to adapt to any situation, continuously analyzing his opponents to gain the upper hand. With his penchant for recklessness and his inability to stay down, Wolfwood is a difficult opponent in a fight and will not hesitate to be a pain in the ass for whoever is unfortunate enough to be his target.
Inventory:
Samples: one and two.
Questions: Not right now!