There’s a certain charm about protagonists whose backgrounds are shrouded in mystery. The Hitman series has one of these in Agent 47, who primarily serves as the playable character whom gamers control to carry out assassination contracts.
Some believe the extent to humanizing this character has been through a number of quotes, but the earlier games actually did carve out a fleshed-out profile for him. These are usually mentioned in passing, though, which means they are generally unknown to many fans. In order to educate the fanbase on Agent 47, and end any nagging queries they might have, here are ten questions about him, answered.
10 When Was He Born?
Due to the 47’s younger-looking facial features in 2016’s Hitman, questions have been raised over the timeline of the series. His supposed young age is a misconception, though, as it has been established 47 was born on September 5, 1964.
This was confirmed due to Dr. Ort-Meyer’s journal recording on September 5, 1989 stating that 47 had turned 25 that day. It also means he was already 35-years-old at the time of his recruitment in the ICA in 1999, and will be pushing 60 by the time Hitman 3 rolls out.
9 Who Are His Parents?
Being a clone, 47 was genetically created and has no mother. However, he has as many as five fathers! These men came from a variety of nationalities, who all donated their DNA with the intention of creating an army of clones.
The identities of these men are Lee Hong, Pablo Belisario Ochoa, Franz Fuchs, Arkadij Jegorov, and Dr. Otto Wolfgang Ort-Meyer. The latter remained as 47’s guardian and overall father figure of sorts, although his true intention remained to use him for his own means.
8 Why Does He Have This Particular Name?
A number of memes are dedicated toward 47 due to his mannerisms and unclear background. A common misconception is that he’s the forty-seventh clone created, but the reality is that he came much later. 47 is actually named so because he possessed the forty-seventh chromosome used by Ort-Meyer.
In fact, 47 is part of the fourth series of clones made by Ort-Meyer, meaning there were countless others who had preceded him. There were even Agent 48 clones, who were mindless killing machine that were wiped out later by 47 himself.
7 What Are His Signature Weapons?
The series presents numerous weapons in the games that are either great or rather weak. While these are options within the levels, 47 canonically wields a pair of “Silverballers.” This is the nickname given to a line of pistols belonging to the AMT Hardballers family.
When it comes to stealth activities where 47 doesn’t want to use firearms, his signature weapon shifts to his black fiber wire garrote, a weapon that has been promoted in artwork numerous times.
6 What Are His Physical Attributes?
Fans are generally interested in knowing the height, weight, and lifespan of their favorite characters, and 47’s can also be found. The ICA file in Hitman: Absolution revealed that 47 stands at 6 feet and 2 inches, and weighs 85 kilograms, or 1.88 metres and 185 pounds.
His potential lifespan can reach record breaking levels, as his physicals taken in 2016’s Hitman state that he has the physical attributes of a man in his 20s, even though 47 was in his mid-50s by then.
5 Does He Have Powers?
Hitman: Contracts is one of the shortest stealth games made. While fans weren’t too happy about this, it was actually a fair representation of how quickly 47 conducts his killings. This comes down to his peak technical prowess.
While he doesn’t have powers per se, 47's genetically enhanced nature allows him abilities like extreme reflexes, speed, strength much greater than the average human, and increased stamina. According to Ort-Meyer’s notes, 47 can run 10 kilometres in half an hour, and even has a minor healing ability.
4 Does He Have The Capacity To Love?
For the most part, 47 appears as an apathetic figure who puts his contracts above all else. And yet, he’s been known to have genuine affection for certain things. Ort-Meyer’s recordings revealed 47 adopted a rabbit at one point, and loved it so much that its death reduced him to tears.
He then had another pet, this time a mouse, which was killed by a fellow clone in order to bully 47. In Hitman: Blood Money, 47 had a pet canary that he seemed affectionate towards. Finally, 47’s protective nature toward Victoria in Absolution confirmed he could develop a connection with humans as well.
3 What Is His Kill Count?
The best Hitman levels are those where violence is kept to a minimum, as 47’s assassin nature is put to the test. Despite this, it turns out 47 might have killed close to 350 people as of Hitman 2! This number was reached based on the targets given during each game in the series.
The count includes the people killed during cutscenes, side missions, and considers challenge missions as canonical. It’s not altogether hard to fathom, though, seeing as his long career in the ICA does justify this number.
2 What Types Of Media Has He Appeared In?
There are a number of things fans want to happen in the next game and other 47 adventures, and these lists usually include him branching out to different media. As of yet, 47 actually can be found in several forms of media, including his history in gaming.
There have been two Hitman films, released in 2007 and 2015. Additionally, a web series called Hitman 101 was released in 2011, while a comic series centering around 47’s background titled Agent 47: Birth of the Hitman can also be found.
1 Does He Have A Moral Code?
The World of Assassination Hitman games are considered to have RPG elements like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. However, these haven’t yet dived so much into the moral aspect in gameplay. Within the story, 47 has shown traces of morality, though.
This was best seen when he refused to kill his handler Diana, after he found out he was protecting the clone girl Victoria. 47 was also visibly shaken when he found out ICA were using children like Victoria as part of their clone weapons. This led to him cutting ties with the organisation at the time, signifying that he only kills when he feels it has a purpose.