Killua Zoldyck

Killua Zoldyck (キルア=ゾルディック, Kirua Zorudikku) is the third son of Silva and Kikyo Zoldyck and the heir of the Zoldyck Family, until he runs away from home and becomes a Rookie Hunter. He is the best friend of Gon Freecss, and is currently travelling with Alluka Zoldyck.

Appearance
Killua has spiky silver hair, very pale skin, and blue eyes. His eyes change shape depending on the mood that he's in, narrowing and sharpening when he goes into assassination mode. Killua is fairly lean at the start of the series, due to constant physical conditioning and torture training he received when he was young. As time passes, he becomes more muscular and toned. In the Nippon Animation anime adaptation, Killua's eye color is changed to green during the OVAs. He is also often seen holding a green skateboard (turned yellow in the 2011 series).

Killua typically wears baggy clothing, with his usual attire consisting of long-sleeved and dark-colored shirts. Most of his clothes have a turtleneck. Killua wears long, baggy shorts in the manga and Madhouse animated adaptation, but Nippon Animation's character design shortened them to reach above his knees. Killua also wears blue boots, recolored brown and black in the Nippon Animation adaptation.

As a child, Killua's hair is longer, almost cascading to his shoulders. He wore a hoodie with his trademark blue coloring, grey pants, and shoes.

Personality


Initially, Killua is introduced as a character who appears similar to Gon: cheeky, cheerful, and full of mischievous ideas. However, contrasting Gon's politeness, Killua can be quite rude to others, mostly strangers and older people. He is most commonly known for having a sweet tooth; he loves everything sweet and spent almost 200 million on snacks when he was at the Heaven's Arena. His favorite snack is chocolate, specifically Chocolate Balls.

He is also one of the quickest-thinking characters and often analyzes a situation with great ease and accuracy. In spite of his young age, his way of thinking, knowledge, and pragmatism give him the attitude of an adult. He is initially very confident about his own abilities, going as far as questioning Gon's capability during the Hunter Exam, and compares his strength with other people. As time passed, Killua became humble about it; but when somebody compliments him, especially Gon, he becomes easily embarrassed.



However, his ruthlessness and aptitude in killing show the other side of him—deadly, violent, and bloodthirsty. Conflicting with Killua's predisposal to kill is his unyielding loyalty to his friends and natural kindness. He claims Gon was his first friend, and he grows progressively more attached to him as time passes. Killua often suffers immensely in his attempts to help his friends without a single complaint. He puts others before himself without being concerned about his own health or even his life.



Until recently, Killua's greatest flaw was his fear of those seemingly more powerful than him (one of whom being his elder brother, Illumi). Killua had been trained as an assassin by his brother to be extremely cautious and that he only engages in combat provided that victory is absolutely certain. This impeded him as a Hunter, as Biscuit stated more than once that victory is never certain, and that depending on the circumstances, a person has the potential to defeat a stronger opponent.

Killua especially struggles with these dueling ideologies during the latter half of the series, as he begins to encounter stronger opponents. His brother's teachings remained firmly entrenched in his mind, to a point at which Biscuit prophesied that he would one day abandon Gon because of this. Finally, he had to face Biscuit's prophecy when he encountered a Chimera Ant while Gon (who could not use Nen at the time) was not far off and had no way to defend himself. At the last moment, Killua realized that Illumi had implanted a needle in his brain way back in the first Hunter Exam. This needle was responsible for forcing Killua to retreat and jailing himself in his comfort zone whenever any situation would potentially endanger his life. Upon extracting the needle, Killua was freed from this restraint and gained full control of his subconscious to make his own decision whether or not to flee whenever there is a need to fight stronger opponents.



During the events of Greed Island, Killua has shown to be highly susceptible to gambling. Going as far to be willing to gamble with his life to get big reward in the slot machine and seem to show heavy gambling rush in his eyes causing Biscuit to neck chop him to make him stop.

A stark contrast to his best friend Gon, Killua is highly mature in both thinking and emotion in which he can keep his anger in check and maintain rationality better than Gon even when facing a terrifying experience like the death of Kite, while Gon gives in to his rage and loses his logical thinking.

Background


Killua was born as the middle child of a family of known assassins, the Zoldycks. Showing great promise from birth, Killua followed the traditional Zoldyck training, which was imparted to him by Silva and Illumi. He had already mastered many killing techniques at a tender age and was set to be one of the best assassins the family had ever produced. At the age of three, he started a training in tailing that routinely put his life at risk.

At a young age, he fulfilled three of Alluka's requests, causing Nanika to take over. He asked her how to revert the change, and it explained its powers to him. He decided to keep it a secret from their parents, who were however informed by Mitsuba after she witnessed one episode. Silva and Kikyo questioned him about it, and he relayed what Nanika told him, adding that refusing four demands resulted in death only after Mitsuba is killed. At the age of six, he was forced by Silva to battle in the martial arts tournament at the Heaven's Arena until he reached the 200th floor, after which he was allowed to return home. It took him two months to reach the 150th floor, and a total of two years to get to the 200th.

When he was six or seven, he mastered the game of darts as part of basic training. Around the age of nine, he met and attempted to befriend the newly hired Canary. She thanked him for the thought, but, due to their different status, she declined his offer to be friends.

At an unknown point in his life, his family determined he lacked the mindset of a real assassin and had Illumi implant a special needle in his head to subliminally remodel his character through fear, as well as to prevent him from freeing Alluka from her playroom.

Sick of killing, at the age of 11 he rebelled against his family, injuring his mother and older brother, and ran away from home to take the Hunter Exam for fun. By that time, he had already assassinated more people than the Bomb Devils combined.

First Phase


Killua is one of the few rookies who make it to Zaban Tunnel. He meets Tonpa, and accepts the drink offered to him, despite suspecting the drink contained some chemicals. He later asks for four more cans, baffling Tonpa, but Killua reveals to him that he has built a resistance against poisons and would not be killed by them. Satotz then arrives to announce the start of the 287th Hunter Exam, in which the applicants would have to follow him to the next examination site. Killua uses his skateboard and passes by Gon Freecss, Kurapika, and Leorio Paradinight. Leorio berates him for using a skateboard in an endurance test, but Gon points out that Satotz only told them to follow him. Killua asks Gon's age and finds out both of them are almost 12 years old. He decides to run alongside the group and asks for Leorio's age, calling him "pops". Insulted, Leorio reveals he is not even 20 yet, to the two boys' shock.



60 kilometers later, Leorio becomes extremely exhausted. Killua is convinced that he is dropping out and tells Gon to leave him behind. Leorio finds the motivation to continue running and Gon picks up Leorio's suitcase with his fishing pole. An impressed Killua wants to try it, while Gon wants to try his skateboard. Halfway up the stairs, Gon and Killua reach the front of the group, with Killua claiming the reason is the slow pace. Gon enquires why Killua wants to be a Hunter. Killua answers that he doesn't, only that he is interested in taking the exam because he it has been described as really tough, although for the time being, he finds it tedious and boring. He returns the question to Gon, who explains that his father is a Hunter and that he wants to follow in his footsteps. Laughing, Killua comments he is weird for not knowing how he is. Moments later, the applicants emerge in the wetlands.



After the failed attempt of two Man-faced Apes to trick them, Satotz leads the applicants across the Numere Wetlands and warns them not to fall to the numerous wild animals living in the swamp. Killua invites Gon to get in the front of the group, as he thinks it would get them away from Hisoka Morow, who would use the fog as cover to kill someone. He explains that he could feel it because he is like him. When the applicants behind them start falling prey to the endemic floar and fauna, Killua warns Gon to remain focused on the runners in front of him, as he it would be easy to fall into the animals' traps if they are separated. When he hears Leorio scream, however, Gon rushes to him against Killua's advice, leaving him to continue the run alone.

Second Phase


Killua makes it to the Visca Forest Reserve, the site of the second trial, which the applicants reach five minutes before noon. He is pleasantly surprised to see that Gon got there, and stumped by his declaration that he followed his friend's cologne. The rumbling sounds come from inside the building cause Killua to assume there is some kind of beast inside, but, when the doors open, it turns out to be Buhara's stomach. The examinees meet Gourmet Hunters and proctors Menchi and Buhara, who reveal the second phase entails cooking. Buhara requests a whole roast pig from each applicant, but the only one in the preserve is the world's most dangerous pig. Nonetheless, Killua and Gon's friends easily complete the task along with 66 other applicants. However, Menchi baffles the examinees when she requests they make sushi, as none of them knows what it is. He almost fails the trial, but passes the amended phase when Chairman Netero intervenes. The test is taken to Mt. Split-in-Half where examinees hunt for Spider Eagle eggs. At the end of this stage, there are 42 applicants left, among whom is Killua.

A Game At Midnight


The 42 remaining applicants board the Selection Committee's airship, where Netero announces the next phase of the exam will begin at 8:00 A.M. the following day. Killua and Gon excitedly explore the airship before admiring the view from a window. Gon enquires about Killua's parents, who states they are boss assassins before passing it off as a joke, but Gon believes it to be true. He states he refuses to take over the family business and would like to turn them in and reveals he escaped from home. While the two chat, Netero shoots his blood lust at them and dashes past them, pretending to have just arrived from the opposite direction. Killua concedes he is fast, and his nonchalance irritates him. Killua hopes the exam will become more challenging, so Netero challenges them to a ball game, promising to issue their licenses on the spot if they win. Killua goes first, approaching him with Rhythm Echo, but dodges all his offenses. Killua attempts to cripple him, only to be the one hurt from the kick. He switches with Gon, criticizing him when he bumps his head on the ceiling while jumping too high. Time passes and when it seems Killua and Gon have tried every possible tactic, Netero suggests the two boys attack together. Gon manages to distract Netero long enough for Killua to kick him in the back of the head, but Netero kicks the ball away before he can grab it. Gon redirects it and they almost succeed in catching it, but the Chairman rockets between them and takes it. Killua calls it quits, having realized that Netero did not resort to his right hand or left leg at all. He leaves without Gon, who is determined to force him to use his right hand. In the hallway, he bumps into two other applicants, and, frustrated, tears them to shreds.

Third Phase


In a sullen mood, he does not sleep all night. At 9:30 A.M., the airship lands on the top of Trick Tower. The forty applicants are informed that the objective of their trial is to get down from the tower alive within 72 hours. An examinee with experience in rock climbing begins his descent from the side, but is devoured by a flock of flying beasts under gon's and Killua's eyes. The two catch sight of another applicant entering the tower through a trap door, but are unable to open it. They find five more close together, which they point to Kurapika and Leorio. Unexpectedly, they end up in the same room, where they discover their test requires one more applicant to start. After 50 more minutes, Tonpa drops into the room. They are forced to vote before opening every door on their path, until they come to an arena. Bendot informs them they must win three out of five matches against his group of five prisoners to advance. Tonpa goes first, and, to everyone's astonishment, surrenders immediately. After learning the prisoners want to stall them, Killua comments that Tonpa actually made the right choice, since Bendot would have probably crushed his larynx to prevent him from surrendering and then tortured him until time ran out.

Gon excitedly volunteers to go next, his eagerness baffling Killua, who sizes Sedokan up and declares him not to be a threat. He challenges Gon to a match to see whose candle can burn the longest, allowing the group to choose between a long and a short one. Kurapika tells Gon to pick and that they will vote accordingly. He selects the long one, on the basis that it will last the longest. Though flabbergasted by his rationale, his teammates accept his pick. After Gon won his match, Kurapika engages in a death match with Majtani. Leorio judges him to be dangerous, but to Killua it is obvious that he has never killed anyone. He smiles when Gon has the same impression. He is favorably impressed when Kurapika one-shots his opponent. Leroute however points out that the match is not over, since neither contestant surrendered or died. When Kurapika refuses to finish off the unconscious Majtani, Killua offers to do so, but Kurapika declines. Killua accuses him of being selfish, but Kurapika does not budge, causing Killua to withdraw his support of Leorio's proposition. A few hours later, he remarks that it seems likely Majtani will not get up. By making a ten-hour bet, Leorio gets the chance to verify his condition. He certifies Majtani is alive, which prompts Killua to suspect he may be only pretending to be unconscious. His bluff is discovered, but Leorio loses a total of 50 hours in a bet and in a rock-papers-scissors game with Leroute.



Seeing Killua is their last chance, Leorio despairs, to the boy's irritation. Leorio's attitude changes when he recognizes his adversary as the serial killer Johness the Dissector. His criminal record piques Killua's interest, who steps forward. As soon as Johness consents to a death match, Killua plucks out his heart in an instant, smiling and him and crushing it in front of his eyes. The five applicants are declared victorious, and Killua invites Bendot to fight to pass the time, an offer the convict fearfully declines. The examinees are forced to spend the next 50 hours inside a locked room, where Kurapika questions Killua about his feat. Killua responds he modified his hand to make it easier, and that he used to be a pro, whereas Johness was an amateur.



When the door opens, the five face more trials and choices. The last test consists in one big decision: choosing between a long path, which the whole group can take but requires 45 hours to clear, and a short one, which requires only three but which can be walked by only three out of the five examinees. With less than one hour left, Killua declares that, like Leorio, he intends to continue, and is willing to fight for that right. Gon comes up with the idea of selecting the longest path and breaking down the wall separating it from the short one with the weapons provided by the examiners. The short path turns out to be a slide that takes all five of them to the goal mere moments before the deadline.

Fourth Phase


The fourth phase is a manhunt on Zevil Island, wherein the 25 remaining competitors are required to target and acquire their prey's tag. After a few moments of hesitation, Gon and Killua disclose the numbers of their respective targets to each other. Killua comments Gon has a terrible luck for ending up with Hisoka. After Gon declares he feels both scared and excited, Killua wishes him good luck. Killua is the 21st to disembark. On the third day, he invites his pursuer to come out. When he doesn't, Killua walks to him, but Imori umps out of the bushes when his brothers Amori and Umori arrive. He kicks Killua in the gut, who is unaffected by the blow and pickpockets his tag. Since it is only one number off from his target, he asks the two other brothers if either of them has it. The Amori brothers get into formation, but Killua runs up a tree and reappears behind Amori, pointing his nails to his throat. When it turns out Umori is his target, he takes his tag and throws the other two away, switching them before the throw to trick Hanzo. One hour before the deadline, he leaves his hiding spot and reaches the landing site.

Final Phase


Netero summons all the nine remaining examinees, asking them what fellow applicants has their most attention and who they would be opposed to fighting. Killua replies Gon to the former question, and Pokkle to the latter, as it would make for a boring confrontation. Three days later, the last trial begins at a committee-run hotel. It is revealed to be a tournament in which a single win results in clearing the exam. Netero explains that the number of matches at one's disposal reflect their scores, which befuddles Killua, who demands to know more about the scoring system. Netero refuses to disclose the specifics, but from what he says Killua gleans that despite his physical superiority, the examiners see more potential in Gon than in him. Hanzo and Gon are scheduled to duel first. Gon is immediately outmatched by Hanzo, who, after beating him up for three hours, breaks his arm. Gon refuses to give up, so Hanzo threatens to slice his leg off. Gon's unwillingness to have his limb cut off as well as to surrender causes the other examinees to start laughing, with Killua being left astonished by the sudden shift. Hanzo throws the match and knocks a protesting Gon unconscious.



Killua asks him why he did that, confident that Hanzo could tortured him into submission if he had wanted to, to which Hanzo replies that Gon's lack of hatred caused him to like the boy, furthering Killua's envy. In the fifth match, Killua faces Pokkle and immediately concedes, believing his opponent not to be worth his time. This ends up putting him up against Gittarackur, who removes his needles and reveals himself to be Killua's older brother Illumi. Killua becomes afraid as Illumi proceeds to question his motives, with Killua admitting he does not want to become a Hunter, but only challenge himself with the trials. Illumi expresses relief, stating Killua would not make a good one, as he has been molded from birth to be an assassin. Killua objects there are other things he wants, above all being friends with Gon and living like a normal kid, without killing.



Killua is paralyzed by fear when Illumi threatens to kill Gon after Leorio states he already thinks of Killua as his friend. The older brother states that if Killua can defeat him, he will allow Gon to live, but he claims he already knows what Killua will choose, since he trained him to never fight a stronger opponent. He orders Killua not to move as he extends his hand towards him, declaring their fight will begin the moment his fingers touch him or he moves. Distraught but unable to defy his brother, Killua surrenders. Illumi then declares he did not seriously intend to harm Gon and that he was just testing Killua, which allowed him to ascertain he is not fit for making friends. He tells Killua to go back home, and the boy becomes unresponsive to what Leorio and Kurapika tell him. The following match is intended to be Leorio vs. Bodoro, but Killua impales Bodoro from behind, thereby failing the Hunter Exam for his murder. Killua leaves the hotel and heads home to Kukuroo Mountain.

Zoldyck Family arc


When he arrives in front of the Testing Gate, he opens it up to the third door, weighing 16 tons. He lets himself be tortured by his brother Milluki for three weeks, until he tells him Gon, Kurapika and Leorio are awaiting him at the butlers' quarters and threatens to have them kill the three. Killua snaps one of his handcuffs and threatens Milluki back. Zeno arrives and tells Killua that he is free to go, and that his father would like to speak with him.



Killua is initially intimidated by Silva, but slowly opens up. He then asks his son about the Hunter Exam, the people he met, how he felt, and more. Killua recounts his adventures, after which Silva enquires if he would like to see his friends. Killua hesitates, but after Silva acknowledges that he is his own person, and not a mere extension of him, Killua responds affirmatively. Silva has him promise that he will never betray his friends and lets him go. Kikyo attempts to stop him, but his glare causes her to desist. He reunites with Gon, Kurapika and Leorio at the butlers' quarters, where he laughs at Gon's beaten-up appearance. He orders Gotoh not to follow him and leaves the Zoldyck estate behind.



He confirms Kurapika has guessed the butler's coin trick correctly, and criticizes Gon for requesting a tourist visa instead of relying on his Hunter license, who states he will not use it until he punches Hisoka in the face, although he does not know where he is. Kurapika reveals to the three what Hisoka told him during the Hunter Exam. They agree to meet again in six months, on September 1st, in Yorknew City. Kurapika and Leorio depart that same day, while Gon and Killua stay together.

Heaven's Arena arc


Killua and Gon went to Heaven's Arena, where they will train and earn money at the same time. They meet a fellow fighter, a young boy named Zushi. He eventually became Killua's opponent. While Zushi was on the edge of losing, he suddenly released an amount of aura which made Killua wary and back off. It reminded him of his older brother Illumi, who seems to be using the same technique. After Zushi lost, Killua overheard Zushi's conversation with his master Wing. He was apologizing because he did not control his ability.



Killua then wondered out loud what Zushi was talking about. Gon suggested that they ask Zushi but they barely understood a word he said. Wing approached the three and volunteered to teach Killua and Gon a technique called Nen. In Wing's room, he was discussing the 4 main principles of Nen. He demonstrated how it works and Killua felt the strong power. After they lesson, Killua told Gon that everything Wing said was a lie.

They finally arrived to the 200th floor. They tried to pass a hallway but to no avail. As they tried to move forward, an employee shows herself. She informed them that they only have until midnight to register for the fight. Hisoka then shows himself. He told them they are not ready to set foot on the floor. Killua tried to fight back but Hisoka used from aura on him. Wing appears behind them and offered to teach them the real Nen. Before they left, the employee also informed them if Killua will not be able to register at the given time, he will never be able to register again.



Back in Wing's room, he demonstrated the real Nen and made Gon and Killua feel the pressure. Then Killua questioned Wing why he decided to teach them and he answered that it would be a big problem if they arrive at the 200th floor without knowing anything. Participants in the 200th floor are all capable of using Nen. After two hours, they went back to the hallway that Hisoka was guarding. While releasing some aura, Gon and Killua finally passed. After Hisoka left, they are confronted by three fighters, namely Gido, Sadaso, and Riehlvelt. While registering, Sadaso handed out a contract that both Gon and Killua agree on fighting them.



When Zushi was about to be kidnapped by Sadaso, Killua appeared and assured them that Killua will let them win their match. Sadaso then carries an unconscious Zushi back to his room. Before the match starts, Killua enters Sadaso's room and threatens him. After that, Killua is declared winner by withdrawal. When Riehlvelt called Sadaso, he informed them that he will leave Heaven's Arena. Riehlvelt claimed that Killua will never threaten him. Killua is then seen in their room and informed them to respect the rules.



Killua's fight with Riehlvelt begins. The latter confidently attacks Killua with his electricity, but it failed. It is revealed that Killua developed a strong tolerance of electricity during his training against torture. He wins the match easily. Their training with Wing continues, and Killua found out he is from the Transmutation group. After Gon's fight with Hisoka, Gon invited Killua to come back home with him in Whale Island. Killua agreed and they next set off to Gon's home.

Yorknew City arc


Killua, Gon, and Leorio regroup in Yorknew City and try different methods to make enough money to buy Greed Island, a video game that could help Gon find his father.

Soon after the Phantom Troupe's attack and a price is put in some of the Spider's head, Gon and Killua decide to capture them and claim the reward. A couple gives information about them and Gon and Killua starts tracking Machi and Nobunaga. Both of them use Zetsu to avoid being noticed and follow them to a desert building. Killua tells Gon not to confront them and if they notice them, to run at full speed.



While watching, Nobunaga receives a call from someone and suddenly, both Machi and Nobunaga notices where Killua and Gon were hiding. Killua instantly runs but is stopped by Phinks, who was side-tracking them as they tracked the other Spiders. Killua tries to escape using incredible speed and brute force but he is rendered useless against Phinks' strength and ultimately surrenders.

As both Killua and Gon were captured, they were brought and interrogated by Pakunoda to see if they knew the Chain Guy. As they arrive, they noticed Hisoka being a member but Killua plays indifferent so that they don't get in trouble. Gon messes up and screams at Hisoka's presence but Killua fixes it noticing that they have confronted a girl in the arm wrestling, meaning Shizuku. Nobunaga makes Gon to arm wrestle against him to the point of bleeding and when he tried to stop him, Hisoka threatens to kill him if he moves.

As they soon discover they don't have any connection to the Chain Guy, Killua suddenly realizes that this guy was in fact Kurapika. They are restrained and watched by Nobunaga because he wanted them to join the Phantom Troupe. They found the way to escape against Nobunaga and run, as they knew they wouldn't be able to defeat him.



They suddenly make contact with Kurapika and explain him the situation. They make a plan to stop them and Killua goes again to their hideout with Melody to inform Kurapika of their movements. Kurapika and Gon starts chasing them recklessly and as Chrollo Lucilfer, Shizuku, and Machi realizes it, Killua replaces Kurapika before being captured again.

At the hotel, Killua and Gon overhears Kurapika's plan to escape and when the lights turned off, they quickly attacked Pakunoda and Machi but weren't able to escape them at the end. Kurapika instead captures their leader and order the other Spiders not to harm them and follow his orders so they make an exchange between the hostages. At the end, Kurapika recovers his friends and thanks them for their help and apologizes for making them risk their lives.

Greed Island arc


Killua and Gon participate in an elimination test in which only the passing examinees can enter Greed Island under the supervision of the Jackpot Hunter Tsezguerra. At first, Tsezguerra denies Killua and Gon as they "cannot survive in the game". Killua and Gon leave the auction and proceed to their training. Within the remaining four days, Killua is able to develop his Hatsu by triggering his immunity in electricity using a stun gun. Taking Tsezguerra's qualifying exam, Killua easily passes the test as he shows off his new ability which surprises Tsezguerra.

As soon as Killua and Gon enter Greed Island, they are faced by Latarza who preys on newcomers. Latarza casts the Trace (G.I card) on Killua in order to track them down. Killua, who is unaware of the consequences of the card, immediately reveals his blood thirst which scared Latarza, prompting him to return to Masadora.



Killua and Gon are soon joined by Biscuit Krueger, a master and experienced teacher of Nen who trains them. During their training period, Killua exits the game in order to take part in the 288th Hunter Exam. He cruised through the exam by knocking out all of the other applicants and obtained a Hunter License. He then goes back to Greed Island and shortly returns to the real world to call Kurapika regarding Chrollo's state. After gaining some cards, Killua and the others are recruited by Kazsule to get the Patch of Shore (G.I card). When they entered the pirate's base in Soufrabi, Killua defeated Bopobo easily. Alongside Gon, he also practiced for the games with Razor's Devils. He also participated in Razor's dodge ball tournament. He and Hisoka were the only ones who were not hit by the ball and stayed in the game for the longest time.

When Gon uses "back" to return to the infield, they made an offensive moves to beat Razor. Gon charges for his Nen-enhanced punch twice, while Killua holds the ball. The impact does major damage to Killua's hands. In the end, they win the game using the same technique but combined with Hisoka's Bungee Gum. While the Bombers chase Tsezguerra's team, Killua develops fighting strategies for Gon and Bisky, since his hands were injured.



Upon confronting the bombers, Killua battles Sub. First he uses his Nen ability on Sub but it isn't enough to stop him. Then he shows his yo-yo. In the end, he was able to land a hit on Sub's head. When Sub was lying on the ground, he combined his Nen ability to electrocute the yo-yos. After Gon beats Genthru, they use Breath of Archangel to heal their injuries. Gon ends up being the first person to clear the game and as part of his reward, he is allowed to take three cards to be used in the real world. Using the card 'Accompany', Killua and Gon travel to a player under the user name 'Nigg', who they believe to be Ging. However, it ends up bringing them to Kite instead.

Chimera Ant arc


Alongside Kite, Killua and Gon briefly work as biological researchers in the country of Kakin. As they investigate a giant insect limb found on the country's shores, the group discover it came from a man-sized Chimera Ant Queen—an insect that devours other insects and animals, and then gives birth to progeny that inherit the characteristics of the different species it has eaten. The queen Chimera Ant washes up onto an autonomous nation called Neo-Green Life inhabited by a neo-luddite culture. The queen quickly develops a taste for humans and builds a colony in order to conceive both an army of offspring and a Chimera Ant King, Meruem. The Chimera Ants proceed to wipe out most of the population out before Killua, Gon, and Kite reach the nest. They are quickly thwarted by Neferpitou, one of the Queen's Royal Guards, who forces Killua and Gon to retreat out of the country.



As Ants formerly under the Queen's rule rejoin the King, the Hunter Association mobilizes quickly to stop the oncoming genocide by sending in an extermination team of Hunters to East Gorteau. Distraught over the murder of Kite at the hands of the Royal Guards, Killua and Gon join the extermination team in order to take revenge for their friend. Along the way, they meet the Hunters Knov and Morel Mackernasey, Morel's students Knuckle Bine and Shoot McMahon and Knov's student Palm Siberia. Biscuit also returns to overlook Killua and Gon's training in hopes of beating Knuckle and Shoot when the students of Morel challenged them. During their training, Biscuit notices Killua's cautiousness during a battle. She tried to help him get over this fear and concludes to herself that Killua's cautiousness is a product of a smothering love from whoever who raised him. Killua faces Shoot while trying to suppress his fear, but eventually the combination of his conditioning, the effects of his foe's unknown Hatsu ability and his correctly guessing the nature of Killua's cause him to surrender.



The Queen dies during labor, and the Chimera Ant King and his Chimera Ants flee the N.G.L., secretly overthrowing the government of the nearby Republic of East Gorteau soon thereafter. Under the guise of the former king of the Republic, the Chimera Ant King initiates the process of forcibly awakening Nen in the civilians of East Gorteau in order to form his own personal army to conquer the world—resulting in the deaths of millions unable to awaken Nen.

Within the thirty days that Gon cannot use Nen, Gon dates Palm while Killua keeps a close eye on them. He confronts Rammot in the woods and battles him. During the first half of the fight, Rammot kicked and trashed Killua around as Killua cannot fight back. He keeps struggling about his curse, when his brother Illumi's voice keeps echoing in his head. Illumi's voice tells him to retreat as Killua cannot defeat stronger opponents than him. Just as Rammot prepares his final blow, Killua pulls out a needle from his head and instantly kills Rammot. He realizes that Illumi indeed placed a needle to keep him from danger.



Gon and Killua split up in order to stop the selection. While Gon is confronted with various Chimera Ants, Killua takes out Neferpitou's puppets and convinces some people that Diego has fallen. However, due to Neferpitou's plans, the odds go against him. Killua is then forced to retreat and stick back to the original plan of taking out the puppets. Neferpitou sends Leol, Flutter, and Hina to go after Killua. Flutter tails Killua above and orders several insect-like Chimera Ants against him. Killua takes them out with ease but gets in trouble when faced with a sniper. The sniper uses a gun and fleas as his bullets. These fleas hit various parts of Killua's body which makes him lose blood. Killua deduces the situation and immediately runs after the sniper. The sniper lets Killua follow him until they arrive into an entrance of a cave. The sniper warns Killua that it is a trap, but in frustration, Killua quickly kills the sniper by sticking a finger on the man's head.



Ikalgo reveals himself and is attacked by Killua. When asked about Flutter's ability, Ikalgo refuses to answer and instead, planning to fall to his death underwater, breaks free from Killua's grip. Killua saves him using his yo-yo and remarks that they could have been friends under different circumstances. After saving Ikalgo, the Ortho Siblings take charge of the fight and asks Remora to stick a badge behind Killua. Once ashore, Killua gets attacked by multiple fish darts that seem to come out of nowhere. Using telepathy, the Ortho siblings inform Killua about their Nen ability which revolves around the game of darts. The siblings take their time to mock Killua and call themselves invincible. Their darts are unstoppable and don't materialize until it hits the target, making it impossible to dodge. Killua gets severely injured from the darts as they pierce him through every part of his body, and suffers from extreme blood loss. As the death game intensifies, Killua finally disregards the idea of conserving stamina and uses the last of his strength to use his Hatsu. Just as the final dart hits him (which was supposedly aiming for his head), he manages to grab it with the help of his newfound ability, a mini-version of his to-be Godspeed, and replaces the tip of it with a suction cup. He fakes death by lying still on the ground and waits for the siblings to come out.

The siblings delight in Killua's supposed death, and swims out of the water to look at his corpse. Killua uses their vulnerability to his advantage and decapitates them. As he tries to leave the cave, he collapses from his multiple injuries and nearly dies from blood loss until Ikalgo arrives and saves him.



Killua wakes up in an underground hospital two days later. To pay the hospital bill he contacts Gon, who was tremendously relieved of finding out Killua's condition and ends up screaming through the phone. As Killua leaves the hospital, he finds Ikalgo in an alley, casually telling him to go with him. Ikalgo is touched by Killua's actions as he considers an octopus like him as a friend, and decides to go with him.

Gon, Killua, Knuckle, Shoot, and Meleoron begin to strategize for the infiltration. Their plan is to make it seem as though a rebel would be merged with the crowd. When the Royal Guards focused on the crowd on the Selection Day, the group would intrude the palace and eliminate the King. However, Killua has doubts.



Debriefing on the facts, Killua reveals that the En that Knov came into contact with was that of Pouf's, not Pitou's. Since it had a window in which Knov could infiltrate without being noticed, Killua theorizes that Pitou's healing ability had to be solely concentrated on, which leads him to believe that one of the Royal Guards or King was injured. Ikalgo asserts that Pitou would only do such a thing in the King was injured. Since no one that they knew could do it, Killua concludes that the King injured himself.

As the citizens of Republic of East Gorteau begin their march to the palace, Gon, Killua, and Ikalgo arrive in Knov's dimension. The combatants are ready. Killua is still unsure about the third party, believing that it could ruin all their plans.



At Morel's signal, the invasion squad infiltrates the palace via the door that Knov set by the staircase. Everyone, but Ikalgo heads towards the stairs. There, they unexpectedly encounter Youpi. Youpi immediately goes into attack mode. At that moment, Zeno's dragons break through the roof. When the group realized that if Knuckle and Meleoron, who were both invisible and undetectable, were killed by the dragons, they could stay invisible forever, Knuckle reassures them by punching Youpi. Gon and Killua rush past him on the stairs. While the two look for Pitou, they see Isaac Netero, who sees them in return at points at the room he just left. On the way in, Zeno tells Killua to judge what is happening inside for himself. They enter to see Pitou healing Komugi. At first, Gon assumes he is killing her, but Pitou's behavior leads Killua to believe he is actually trying to save her. Gon is enraged at the fact that Pitou so heartlessly murdered Kite but is healing this girl. Pitou, being unable to fight back, begs Gon to allow it to heal Komugi before doing what he wanted, going as far as to break its own arm. Killua reminds Gon that only Pitou can heal Kite, which causes Gon to hurt his feelings, although ultimately he gives Pitou one hour to heal Komugi's major wounds.



As they wait, Killua is approached by Meleoron, who informs him that Shoot has been taken out and Knuckle is fighting Youpi alone. Killua accepts to help him. Using Meleoron's invisibility, he manages to paralyze Youpi with Thunderbolt right when he is about to kill Knuckle. Knuckle flees, and Killua, proclaiming he will strike only eight times, begins his attack on Youpi with Godspeed, a Hatsu he had developed after his battle with the Ortho siblings. Youpi is completely overpowered by Killua's speed and is unable to fight back. Killua soon runs out of electricity, and is forced to flee. Youpi pursues him, but Killua escapes with Meleoron's ability, enlightening Youpi about the opponent's possible ability of invisibility or teleportation.



Killua and Meleoron, still invisible, see Shaiapouf splitting up. Killua finds a plug and starts recharging his electric supply. He states he will go back to where Gon is once he is done, and instructs Meleoron to discuss what to do next with Knuckle. Once he is finished, he starts heading back, but senses someone watching him. He discovers it's Palm, who has been mutated into a Chimera Ant. Reflecting that seeing her like that could lead Gon to a mental breakdown, he steps out of hiding to intercept her. Pondering that perhaps she came to him thanks to her clairvoyance, and thus remembers him, he starts to believe she might still be the same. The two speak for a bit, but when Palm asks him where Gon is, he becomes increasingly suspicious, ultimately calling her an enemy and preparing to fight her. She activates Black Widow and immediately crushes one of his yo-yos. Killua is forced on the defensive by her sheer attack power. As he defends himself, he asks Palm why she wants to meet Gon, stating that depending on her answer, he might tell her, as Gon's mind risks to shatter. Although he had no intention of letting the two meet, he ends up bursting in tears, lamenting he cannot do anything for his friend. Palm manages to recover her senses and destroys Pouf's clone, who was ordering her to kill Killua. Palm relieves his emotional pain, telling him it's thanks to his words she freed herself from the Ant's control and that he is the only one who can really help Gon.

Palm and Killua reunite with Ikalgo. He asks Killua whether they would help Gon fight Pitou, but Killua notes that they wouldn't be sufficient. They regroup with Meleoron and Knuckle, and Knuckle is insistent on helping Gon. The group returns to the palace.



Time is up and Gon demands to leave, threatening to kill Komugi. Neferpitou is forced to obey. The group arrives, and Knuckle offers to use APR on Pitou, but Gon refuses. He orders them to watch Komugi as a hostage. He and Pitou head to Peijin alone to fix Kite. Killua takes charge of Komugi. Pouf's clone spots Killua, who is running away with Komugi. However, Killua's Godspeed allows him to dodge the guard's attack. When Pouf's clone tries to kill Komugi, Killua understands she is his target and knocks her out to prevent her from struggling further. He takes on Pouf's clones, burning off part of his cells with electricity. The clone leaves soon afterwards. With Pouf gone, Killua takes Komugi to Palm, who tells him that Gon and Pitou are in Peijin, explaining her ability.

Confused, she informs Killua that Pitou is healing its own arm instead of Kite. A clone of Pouf's appears before them and reveals it is his doing. If Komugi is not returned to him, Pitou will kill Gon. Activating Godspeed, Killua crushes the clone. He leaves Komugi to Palm and heads to Peijin.



While getting nearer to the castle, he feels an incredible aura, and mistakes it for Pitou's at first. He finally meets Gon, who has somehow grown up and achieved an immense power, crushing Pitou. Worried by what his friend will have to pay, Killua tries to stop Gon from going any further. He manages to save him from a fatal attack by Neferpitou's corpse. Telling him he is happy, Gon goes back to fight Pitou and delivers the final blow. Palm later sees Killua carrying an unconscious Gon.

13th Hunter Chairman Election arc
With Gon in the hospital in critical condition, Killua returns home to seek help from his younger sibling Alluka, whose Nen ability can help save his friend from death. After convincing his father, Killua finally gets to see Alluka. The two siblings are happy to be reunited with each other. Killua remembers the time when he was young and Alluka displayed wish-granting abilities to their servants. Silva and Kikyo asked Killua about this, and Killua informed them of Alluka's powers.



Back to present, Alluka's three requests are granted and Killua has to make a wish. Silva, Kikyo, and Milluki are watching through a surveillance camera in Alluka's room. Milluki regrets the computer wish because it was so easy. Silva glares at him and Milluki apologizes. Killua asks Silva to open the door for him and Alluka. His father refuses, saying that he has to make a wish inside. Killua, revealing to Silva the existence of "another Alluka" who he calls Nanika, makes a request to Nanika that if they are not able to leave the mountain together within thirty minutes, Nanika will kill their mother Kikyo. Nanika agrees, and Silva has no other choice but to open the door. Kikyo slumps on the floor, thinking that because Killua could say something so cruel, he has already grown and she is proud of him.



Killua calls his friends back at the hospital and tells them that he's going to take care of things. He calls Gotoh and asks him about the Restriction Movements. After a while, Gotoh and Canary accompanies Killua and Alluka. Gotoh asks Killua if it is necessary to take Canary with them, he replies that Alluka is a girl and Gotoh will not be able to take delicate care of her. However, Silva ordered Tsubone and Amane to come with them as well. But before they could go, Alluka requested for Tsubone's pinky fingernail. She gladly fulfills the request and tells Killua that she will conceal herself for now. In that way, Alluka will be unable to make a request to other people.

On their way to meet Gon, Killua's butler Gotoh receives a call from Leorio, asking to speak with Killua. After they have an argument, Gotoh lets Killua on the phone to tell Leorio to listen. Gotoh then tells Leorio to make it so that when they arrive Gon is the only one in the hospital. Leorio can't agree with these conditions so he hands the phone over to Morel. He agrees to these conditions and says he will construct a private room for them in the hospital's enormous parking lot.



As Killua, Alluka and their butlers are on their way to Gon, Illumi calls him using a phone and asks him if had already taken out the needle in his brain. Killua verified it and his brother told him that "he will beat him at his own game". Soon after, a truck crashed into their car which causes them to fall off a cliff. Killua protects Alluka as Illumi and Hisoka watch from afar. When they decided to split up, Hisoka asked Illumi if he could kill Killua. Illumi gets angered, and warns Hisoka. In the dense forest, Killua sensed his brother's terrifying murderous aura. Amane suggests to stay away from Illumi as possible and they ran off. Killua suspects Amane as Illumi's cohort, but the latter assured him that she and Tsubone are not his enemies. She also told Killua that Silva and Zeno are not the enemies, their mission is to keep Killua safe. But Killua counters that as long as Alluka's safety is not one of their mission's priorities, they will remain as his enemies.



Killua uses his Godspeed ability to escape their butlers with Alluka. While running away, Tsubone is seen following them. When they stopped, Alluka asks him, "Am I a hindrance?" and "If it weren't for me, you'd be able to get along better with everyone in the family, right?" Killua reassures Alluka that everything will be well and he will always be with her. After sensing that someone is actually watching them, Killua and Alluka leave the scene.

As the two Zoldycks continue to escape, Killua uses Godspeed to escape Tsubone. But she uses her Nen ability that is fast enough to keep up with Killua. Tsubone, Amane and Canary follow them by a motorcycle but Killua escapes them by jumping off the cliff where the motorcycle can not follow them. He later reaches an airport and rides an airship in order to escape Illumi who is probably watching them from afar. Killua calls Morel about his plan on "selling" off Illumi. Morel thinks Teradein Neutral and Bushidora Ambitious will consent to it and many other Hunters would like to lend a hand. They plan on capturing Illumi's Needle People first. The other Hunters agree on this plan and whoever comes close to the airship will be captured. And Illumi makes his first move by using his Needle People.



Killua then contacts Canary while still inside the airship. He asks her to tell Hishita, another Zoldyck butler to send out cars to three locations as well as near the hospital where Gon is. Killua and Alluka land where Hishita is waiting with a car. Killua tells Hishita to drive them to the hospital but then Needle People appear and surround the car. Killua is surprised at how his brother could have possibly known where they will land. He orders Hishita to continue driving, but the latter informs him that he cannot do it unless Master Illumi tells him so, revealing that he has come under Illumi's control.



Killua finds Alluka and himself surrounded by Illumi's manipulated people. Killua, out of concern of Alluka's safety, has become hesitant on the idea on fighting or escaping. He is puzzled on how they were followed, a question which was answered by Tsubone. She revealed that it was due to a hidden camera that was placed on her that was being watched by their Mother and Milluki, where the latter was sending the feed to Illumi's phone. After Tsubone completed the last two requests, Alluka has entered the wish granting state. Killua used the wish to heal Tsubone's hand instead to show Illumi that there is no harsh consequence later on when asking Nanika for a wish that requires healing and threatens Illumi that if he keeps referring Alluka as an object then he will disown his eldest brother. Hearing his explanation that there would be no risk for the family, Illumi agreed that he will now allow them to continue on their quest to save Gon but warned him that the entity called Nanika is still very dangerous and will never allow Alluka to be fully free until Killua tells him why he is the only one that can make consecutive wishes on Alluka's ability (first was the kiss after they left the mountain and the second was healing Tsubone's hand making it two wishes in a row).

Finally, Killua is able to reach the hospital. While he waits for Alluka to wake by herself, the two of them stay in Gon's room. After Alluka wakes up, Killua tells Alluka that they are in the hospital and that his friend is sick and wants to make him feel better. Alluka responds by expressing disappointment towards having to turn into Nanika again and says she wants to stay with Killua. Killua manages to convince Alluka by saying they will always be together Killua wishes for Gon to return to normal, Alluka goes into wish granting mode to heal Gon.



After Alluka switches to Nanika, Nanika requests Gon's hand to touch it. When Killua grabbed Gon's hand, he was shocked to see it so damaged, and he begged Nanika to save Gon. Upon starting to heal Gon, a huge surge of energy is emitted from Nanika, which is so powerful that everyone in the vicinity can feel it. It is shown later that Nanika succeeded in healing Gon. Subsequently, Killua was seen still in the hospital with the unconscious Alluka in his arms with Illumi approaching. Illumi hypothesizes the conditions to activate Alluka's ability and tells Killua that if he is able to control Alluka's ability as well as Killua can, he can guarantee a minimum level of freedom for Alluka, instead of being locked in a room. However, Killua states that he is going to protect Alluka no matter what, and he wakes Nanika up and tells Nanika to make Illumi go home and Illumi is immediately teleported back to the Zoldyck's residence. Killua then requests Amane and Tsubone to leave the room too or he will ask Nanika to do the same for them. Both of them leave voluntarily. Nanika then asks Killua for a pat on the head. Killua tells Nanika not to come out anymore. Nanika seems not to understand, stating instead that Nanika likes Killua.



After a brief argument which culminated in Killua yelling at Nanika not to come out anymore, Nanika finally and tearfully complies. Killua embraces Alluka while apologizing to Nanika and stating that now Alluka can be free. Alluka resurfaces, but is furious at Killua for making Nanika cry. She says that if Killua wants to protect Alluka, he should also protect Nanika. Killua regains his senses and thanks Alluka for 'waking' him up. He then asks Alluka to call Nanika out and he apologizes, stating that he was afraid of the idea of Illumi controlling Alluka and doing evil things. He states that he will protect both of them and tells Nanika not to grant any more wishes. Nanika forgives Killua and both of them embrace with tears in their eyes. Tsubone is told by Kikyo Zoldyck that the movement restriction order on Killua has been cancelled.



Killua, along with Alluka later accompany Gon to the World Tree. He informs Gon that Alluka was the who healed him, when asked why he wasn't told sooner Killua responded with "it's complicated". After he declined the offer to climb the World Tree with Gon, he tells Gon that he will be going to travel to many places around the world with Alluka and will do anything to protect both Alluka and Nanika. Alluka assures Gon that when they're done, Gon should definitely play with him again, to which Killua responds that Alluka's "a great little sister" and light-heartedly states that Gon has become number two now. Promising to keep in touch and to stay friends no matter what, Killua tells Gon send his regards to Ging for him, and then part ways.

Dark Continent Expedition arc
Killua has a phone conversation with Kurapika in which, after being told about Kurapika's project of having trusted Hunters get close to the princes as bodyguards, he recommends Biscuit. He also warns Kurapika that if they get into a fight, as it is likely, the best way to calm and manipulate Biscuit is to flatter her, although he finds it so disgusting he cannot bring himself to do it.

Equipment
Skateboard: The first time he faced the Hunter Exam, Killua brought a skateboard with him. It was able to bear the weight of five people and a wooden shelf without breaking, although it was damaged in the process. The skateboard is yellow with red wheels and a red arrow painted in the middle, reaching almost to the curved end of the deck (dark blue-green with a yellow arrow in the 1999 anime). The skateboard is also briefly seen in the beginning of Hunter × Hunter: The Last Mission.



Yo-Yos: After passing the Hunter Exam, Killua was given by Milluki two yo-yos made of a special metal alloy that he began using as a secret weapon. The yo-yos are extremely durable and heavy, each weighing 50 kilograms. Their reflective surface allows them to be used as mirrors to stealthily look behind a corner. Biscuit noted that they work well with Killua's ability to turn his aura into electricity.

Abilities & Powers
Killua has all the benefits granted by his status as a Hunter. Furthermore, as a member of the Zoldyck Family, he has vast wealth at his disposal, although he needs his father's or his grandfather's permission to use them. His family name alone is enough to scare the ones that know what it is associated to. Killua has been trained since birth to become a human weapon, and is recognized by his family to be the most talented assassin in the entire history of the Zoldycks. When he took the Hunter Exam the first time, he was the fourth most powerful applicant (after Gittarackur, and, by his own admission, Hisoka and Hanzo, although that was without entering his "assassin mode"), and the one that Satotz believed would pass. Up until the Hunter Exam, he did not hesitate a second to kill, but after meeting Gon, this tendency subsided; still, he is not afraid to resort to extreme means when circumstances demand it. Like his friend Gon, Killua has an astounding natural talent that enables him to learn at a fast rate and allegedly ad infinitum, a characteristic that piqued Hisoka's interest. His potential extends to Nen as well, as noted by Wing and Bisky. Although he primarily fights with his bare hands, Killua is able to use any kind of weapons, but the only one he employs consistently are his custom-made yo-yos. When he tried to prevent the Selection, he was so confident in his strength that he claimed that tanks and fighter jets would be useless against him, and in fact he was able to effortlessly subdue a military unit containing at least four tanks.



His training endowed him with near immunity to poison, high tolerance to electricity, great agility and physical strength, advanced armed and unarmed combat and stealth techniques, which he acquired at a very young age. His intellect and exceptional analytical skills are equally remarkable, and it is often through strategy that he can defeat opponents who are stronger or more experienced than him. He is also able to walk without making a sound and sleep with a larger part of his brain awake than normal, so he can avoid attacks even in his sleep, even if they come from an armed, albeit weaker, fellow Hunter. After leaving Greed Island, due to his prowess in Nen, Killua became able to blend with nature more easily, which allowed him to find multiple new species of animals at a rate that astounded Kite's companions.

Killua's main weakness used to be an inferiority complex that paralyzed him with fear and prevented him from fighting opponents that could pose a threat to him, even if their overall strength was lower than his own. Although it was originally believed to be a product of his training, it is later revealed that it was actually due to a Nen-imbued needle that Illumi had implanted in his brain. Its removal caused Killua to snap free of his brother's conditioning, thus regaining the full control of his mental capabilities in battle. This also had the effect of making his overall movements better, increasing his speed.

Preternatural Perception: Killua has proven multiple times to be extremely perceptive, whether by gauging a person's approximate power or by detecting their aura or gaze. He first demonstrated this by sensing Hisoka's blood lust when it was still subtle. He could tell at a glance that Majtani was not as strong as he pretended to be, and offered Gon an estimation of how he stacked up against Hisoka, Hanzo and himself in terms of combat ability. He could also tell at a glance that Machi and Nobunaga were way out of his and Gon's league, unlike Leorio and Gon himself. His corollary that the stronger the opponent, the better they are at hiding their power turned out to be true, occasionally causing Killua to severely underestimate his adversary. However, as he honed his Nen abilities, his guesses became more accurate, and he notably sensed Netero's power, whereas he had downplayed it in the past. He is extremely aware of his surroundings, as he managed to detect Meleoron's presence in spite of the latter specializing in erasing it. He is also able to sense the gaze of others even if their aura is hidden.

Enhanced Strength: Killua has displayed his strength on several occasions. Before he learned Nen, he was able to open a 16-ton gate and after he learned Nen, he opened the 64-ton gate. He can easily lift boulders several times his own weight and bisect massive trees with a single strike. He was able to rip off Rammot's head with one swift motion and crush it in his hand, as well as to pierce the exoskeletons of two Chimera Ants with his bare hands and minimum aura expenditure.

Immense Speed and Reflexes: Killua is extremely quick on his feet. He was able to pluck out Johness' heart without the serial killer noticing until he saw his own heart. However, his speed was no match for Phinks, who could follow and anticipate his every movement. At the beginning of his training with Biscuit, he cold run 70 km in about 3 hours without breaking a sweat, unlike Gon. He was subsequently able to outrun Biscuit in her younger form once, although that might have been partly due to a difference in motivation. When he retried the Hunter Exam, he knocked out more than one hundred of applicants in a matter of minutes, his speed being such that the ones who managed to catch a glimpse of him only saw a shadow. Upon removing the needle, possibly due to becoming capable of devolving his full abilities to offense, Killua's speed increased to the point he was able to cover the distance between himself and Rammot and sever the upset Chimera Ant's head without him being able to react, whereas previously Rammot managed to hold his own against both Killua and Gon at the same time. He was able to cut a massive tree in two and twist off the arms and head of another soldier Ant in the blink of an eye, as well as to dispatch two more by inflicting two lethal wounds to each within a ridiculously short time frame. As impressive as Killua's attack and movement speed, if not even more so, are his reactions: he can dodge a bullet moving at extrem velocity even if it is fired within 57 cm of his body.

Immense Agility: Killua's mobility allows him to attack from every position, move in the enemy's blind spot, and fight on any kind of terrain. In terms of defense, Killua takes full advantage of his agility to jump out of reach or dodge the enemy's attacks without losing his foothold. He has an excellent sense of balance, as seen when he was shown standing with nonchalance on the back of a horse, and exceptional coordination. He managed to dispatch a small squadron of Chimera Ants that had drawn him in the treetops and surrounded him in a few seconds, not only avoiding their attacks, but also turning them against his assailants.

Enhanced Stamina: Killua was able to complete a long-distance run more than 80 kilometers long, and taking place on uneven terrains such as ascending stairs and a swamp, and was the only non-user among the applicants not to exhibit the slightest sign of fatigue. He fought Binolt for 10 days straight while keeping his guard up even as he slept. Not even thirty hours of continuous traveling NGL by foot and battling the armed forces could wear him down significantly.

Advanced Durability: Killua was unscathed after being kicked in the belly by Imori. He also stated that a blow to the neck that Hanzo used to knock out Gon would only leave him stunned. Even being electrocuted with 1,000,000 volts of electricity only causes him to feel pain, but no physical damage. Far more remarkably, he held the ball for Gon three times when the latter punched it with Rock, and, despite the feat being compared to forming the barrel of a cannon with one's naked hands, he used no aura to protect them,  although he suffered grievous injuries which he was unable to recover from in nearly a month.

Enhanced Endurance: Killua can bear very intense physical pain without his physical or mental abilities being impaired.An excellent example is provided by his confrontation with the Ortho Siblings, in which he had his body punctured by several darts and still managed to make calculations and prepare a strategy, even coming up with an idea for a new ability. He fell asleep (or pretended to) while his brother Milluki was whipping him, and did not react when the latter burned him with a cigar. He can instantaneously dislodge his joints without seeming to suffer any drawback.




 * Resistance to Electricity: Killua has been trained to endure large amounts of electricity since he was a baby. As a result, he is able to withstand high-voltage electrical currents while retaining his full mental and physical faculties, although he still feels the pain. He is unfazed by shocks capable of stunning Sub, a superior Nen user at the time, as well as by those capable of paralyzing and causing tremendous pain to the powerful Menthuthuyoupi. This form of training also allowed him to develop electricity-oriented Hatsu techniques.

Immense Poison Resistance: Due to his assassin training, Killua became resistant to a great number of poisons, toxins and chemicals. He first displayed this ability when he drank five cans of Tonpa's juice during the Hunter Exam without experiencing any side effects, despite the beverage containing a laxative that, in that dose, should have completely dehydrated him. When he was stung by Mosquito, he revealed that her toxin had absolutely no effect on his body.

Muscle and Joint Control: Killua can dislodge his joints at will in less than a second. He demonstrated this ability by dislocating his shoulders, elbows, wrists and fingers to free himself from Machi's strings.




 * Claws: One of the several assassination arts passed down to Killua through his family consists in adjusting the anatomy of his hand; his fingernails turn into claws that are sharper than knives, with which Killua can tear humans apart as well as rip out a heart with frightening ease. He is capable of altering both hands at the same time.

Healing Factor: Killua can recover from injury faster than normal, as demonstrated when the multiple wounds inflicted to him by the Ortho siblings healed completely in only two days.

Genius-Level Intellect: Killua's intelligence far exceeds that of any boy his age and is exceptional also for adults. He is knowledgeable about a wide variety of topics, and is endowed with prodigious intuition and analytical skills. His deductive abilities have allowed him to make accurate predictions on multiple occasions. He can also bear severe mental strain and still think clearly. To match all of these impressive intellectual capacities, Killua is also an extremely quick thinker who can adapt to completely unforeseen developments. Although he normally relies on logic, sometimes to a fault, he is capable of creative thought, which allowed him to devise the basics of Godspeed in the heat of combat. He is also tremendously observant, and he believed he could notice the slightest change in the expression of two Spiders. His terrific intellect allows him to pick up on details that would ordinarily go unnoticed on a subconscious level, which results in him feeling a sense of unease towards a certain course of action before realizing why.

Master Strategist: Killua is capable of devising complex tactics as well as run accurate simulations and evaluate the success rate of each of them, even in the middle of a fight. His skills in evaluating the assets at his disposal and making the most of them are such that Gon and Biscuit were completely dependent on him to organize their Greed Island cards. Despite Knuckle being his senior, Killua also presided the strategic meeting before the invasion of the palace.

Master Hand-to-Hand Combatant: In spite of his young age, Killua is an exceptional melee fighter and master of innumerable unarmed combat techniques. The difference in experience between assassination and a proper fight initially prevented him from making the most of them, but he soon improved to an astounding degree. He countered Sub's assault despite the latter having a superior output and his own hands being unusable. During their duel, he goaded Sub into striking him in a certain way by pretending to have an imperfect guard. His fighting style, which is extremely versatile, aims at dealing the maximum amount of damage in the shortest time possible, striking critical points and making ample use of lightning-fast submission holds to incapacitate or kill the opponent. He can knock out a person by striking a sensitive spot on their neck while moving at high speed, a feat which requires superhuman levels of precision. Killua is particularly skilled at finding patterns in the fighting style of his adversary and at figuring out their weak spots, and at using them to exploit or create openings. He rarely resorts to combos, preferring to land single, critical strikes or to maintain a safe distance from more powerful opponents. After the removal of Illumi's needle, he became more assertive and prone to deadly blitzes, making the most of an opponent's distraction of vulnerability even if it means chasing them. Due to the Zoldyck philosophy of never putting their lives at risk while fighting, he was also taught a wide array of defensive and escape tactics. He seems to prefer to dodge attacks rather than block them, sometimes using the foe's charge to reposition himself in their blind spot, but he also has a solid guard.




 * Assassin Mode: Killua can enter a state of heightened concentration in which he focuses fully on killing the enemy, preventing himself from hesitating. According to him, there is a sensible difference between his power in this state and with his normal mindset.


 * The Snake Awakens (蛇活 (だかつ), Dakatsu): Killua whips his arms with incredible fluidity and speed, cleaving anything that comes in contact with them.

Master Weapon Specialist: Killua is capable of wielding a great number of weapons proficiently as well as of turning any object into a lethal one. He won Bopobo’s challenge by drenching him in liquor and setting it ablaze, and killed multiple soldier Chimera Ants with the arms they wielded. Killua is also adept at using projectile-type weapons, although he has never employed any in combat. His weapon of choice are two yo-yos weighing 50 kilograms each, which he can wield with great dexterity, amazing pro Hunter Shoot McMahon. He can use them as lightning-fast long-ranged weapons, as a grapple, or swing them around himself to counter incoming attacks. He can also use the environment to alter their trajectory, causing them to hit the target from their blind spots. His electric aura can also be channeled through them to shock a target from a distance. Killua is reluctant to use them in battle if he is unable to prevent the information from being leaked to other enemies, preferring to resort to his raw physical abilities and combat skills in order for his opponent to know as little about him as possible.

Master of Stealth: Killua is very proficient in hiding, spying and infiltration. Melody, a Hunter renowned for her hearing, commented that she could hardly hear Killua's footsteps even when he was running alongside her.


 * Shadow Step (暗歩 (あんぽ), Anpo): Due to his training, Killua has learned how to walk and run without making a sound.




 * Rhythm Echo (肢曲 (しきょく), Shikyoku): An assassination art, the Rhythm Echo is a motion that creates an afterimage of the body through a varying cadence of steps. There is a total absence of noise during the movement, and multiple phantoms appear. It utilizes the Shadow Step technique; In the Nippon Animation adaptation of the anime, Rhythm Echo is changed into an ability that allows Killua to disappear into darkness. According to Netero, it is the advanced version of the "Silent Gaits" technique.


 * Expert in Tailing: Killua tailed Nobunaga and Machi around a town with the two of them failing to spot him (although they clearly sensed his presence).

Masterful Skater: Killua is extremely dexterous with his skateboard, performing acrobatic tricks with ease. He has also been shown to use his skateboard to kill a Great Stamp.

Masterful Darts Player: Killua mastered the game when he was six or seven, with a count of 1440 points. This skill came in handy against the Ortho siblings, when he recognized the rules the brother was playing with.

Nen


As a Transmuter, Killua's most efficient in changing the properties and shape of his aura. Just like Gon's, Killua's talent is said to be absolutely astounding, found only in one out of ten million people. Thanks to Biscuit's training he has honed his skills in at least two Nen types other than his own, namely Enhancement and Conjuration. He has also mastered the four basic techniques and at least five of the advanced ones (the exceptions being possibly In and En, although he is able to extend his Ren to a radius of 57 cm to sense incoming attacks). He performed Ten successfully with next to no instructions, a feat which Wing described as both "amazing" and "terrifying", and learned Ren and Gyo in only one night. He is able to maintain Ren for three hours outside of combat without the slightest difficulty. His Zetsu earned him the praise of the Phantom Troupe, although they were able to sense him. He can form Ko in an instant, as shown when he used it to knock Gon out while the latter was going to fight Neferpitou. While Gon can release a bigger amount of aura, Killua is generally hailed as the one with the best control, to the point in Greed Island he was already capable of distributing his aura with a margin of error lower than 1%, which caused Biscuit to comment that she reached his degree of mastery only in her late twenties. In spite of his lack of experience, he can measure with accuracy how much aura he should employ and in which area in a split second, relying solely on the instinctive knowledge granted by his fearsome potential. He easily got ahead of Gon during their training on Greed Island, overcoming his inexperience with sheer insight.



Killua developed a series of Nen abilities in which he alters the properties of his aura to make it similar to electricity. This was inspired and made possible by the years of electric shocks he received as a child, both as training against torture and as punishment. Biscuit was very impressed that he could create such a complex Nen ability at his age. He can shock the opponent either through physical contact or while keeping his distance, channeling his aura through his yo-yos or throwing it in the form of a lightning strike. Although most Nen users receive no damage from the electricity itself, they are still hurt and paralyzed for a few instants. The peak of Killua's Nen abilities are two Hatsu collectively referred to as , both of which use Killua's electric aura to vastly enhance his speed by allowing him to transcend the limits of his physical potential: Whirlwind makes his movements automatic, while Speed of Lightning allows him to remain in control his body. Regardless of which core function he employs, he can regulate the discharge of electricity outside of his body, making it so an ally touching him will only feel a mild stinging sensation, whereas an enemy being struck by one of his blows will be painfully electrocuted and even suffer burns if unprotected. Both applications can also be used to carry others, both to displace them and to protect them from enemy attacks.

In order to generate electric aura, Killua needs to "charge" himself by letting electricity run through his body, such as by tasering himself or holding onto a plug, although, by his own admission, it is not very potent and he runs out of it rather quickly. Another inconvenience is that Killua is not aware of exactly how much electric aura he produces, which can result in him depleting his reserves unexpectedly.

In the second film and the 2011 anime respectively, Killua was able to use the electric aura to activate simple machines or burn sturdy objects, such as Rhino's exoskeleton, to make them frailer and subsequently break them.

Quotes

 * (To Tonpa) "I'm doing fine, really. I've built up my resistance... No poison will kill me."
 * (To Gon) "I'm just interested in the exam. I heard it was really tough. So far it ain't."
 * (To Gon) "He's killed, and wants to kill again. You're wondering how I know. Fact is, I'm like him. I can smell it in him."
 * (To Gon) "My 'cute kid' routine is about never letting on if I'm serious or not."
 * (To Gon) "Assassination—It's the family trade. We all take it up. My folks see me as an exceptional prospect. But I don't see that I should have to live up to their expectations."
 * "If I 'd kept going, I would've wanted that ball enough to kill for it."
 * (To Kurapika) "If that's how you feel, I'll kill him for you. It's no big deal, y'know."
 * (To Amori) "Keep still. My nails are razor sharp."
 * (To Sadaso) "Move, and you die. Use Nen, or utter one word, and you die. Now close you eyes... You see what happens when you break promises? Open your eyes again and look at me in the mirror. Listen. Don't you ever show your scummy face to us ever again. This is a promise you will keep."
 * (To Riehlvelt) "Electricity won't work on me. But that only means I can tolerate it. It still hurts. And sure it doesn't make me happy."
 * "I've had to play life-or-death games of "shadow" since I was three. I would feel their heart skip a beat!! I would never be dumb enough to miss it!!"
 * "Gon, I'm the one. I'm glad to have you as a friend."
 * "We were complacent. Too confident of our powers. Both of us combined were worth less than a one-armed Kite. That was his assessment... That's the reality. If Kite was by himself, this wouldn't have happened. We were fools."
 * (To Chairman Netero, Morel, and Knov) "One of them could use Nen. His aura was creepy more than anyone I've ever met. More than my brother or Hisoka. Now that I've learned Nen, I can tell. You guys are powerful, too. And still, I don't think you can take him."
 * "Gon, you are light itself. Sometimes you're too bright and I can't look at you... But can I still stay by your side...?"
 * (To Ikalgo) "Because I thought you were cool. If we'd met another way, maybe we could've even been friends."
 * (To Ikalgo) "The next time stuff like this happens I won't thank you for it. So if I save your life some time in the future don't thank me either. It goes without saying for friends to save each other."
 * (To Ikalgo) "Risking your life and throwing away your life seem alike, but are two totally different things. People who live at the brink of death never think of throwing their lives away."
 * (To Menthuthuyoupi) "Sorry but I'm a little ticked off right now. So I'm just gonna take it out on you."
 * (To Palm) "Gon's suffering right now!!! Someone who meant a lot to him was ruthlessly altered!! Even his mind was changed. As we speak, Gon's facing against the person responsible!! If you up without warning, looking like that, he won't be able to hold it together. So you have to promise to call him by his name first!! That's my one condition! Let him know you're okay. He was so worried about you, up to the minute we came in here. Give him some peace of mind. Please. Put his mind at ease. Only you, Palm, can do that right now. Nobody else can reach him. Not me. I can't help him anymore!!"
 * (To Shaiapouf) "I don't know what you're deal is, but I do know that you piss me off."
 * (To Palm) "Don't worry. I won't say it again. After all, we're friends. I don't need to thank my pals every time."
 * (To Silva) "If I leave my friend to die, isn't that the same thing as betraying him?"
 * (To Illumi) "Bring it on. I'll show you what I can do!!"
 * (To Illumi) "The one who's cursed is the one making wishes!!"

Trivia

 * The Official Hunter × Hunter Character and World Databook spelled Killua's full name as "Killua Zaoldyeck".
 * Out of the four main protagonists, Killua is the youngest; during the first phase of the Hunter Exam, he confirms that his age is almost 12, just like Gon. Gon's birthday is May 5, while Killua's birthday is July 7, making Killua younger than Gon.
 * Out of the main characters Killua is the only one with siblings.
 * Killua is the 3rd Transmuter in the Zoldyck family, after Zeno and Silva. All have silver hair as well, a trait found in all known Transmuters in the Zoldyck family.
 * Of the four main protagonists, Killua is the only one to have failed a Hunter Exam.
 * Killua is reported to be four centimeters (about one inch) taller than Gon, but the two are often seen being the same height.
 * His favorite food are ChocoRobo-kun chocolate balls.
 * He is nicknamed Kil or Killu by his family. However, neither the Zoldyck's employees nor Gon and his friends use this name.
 * According to the "Hunter × Hunter Manual" section found in the Yu ☆ Yu ☆ Hakusho official character book (Shueisha Jump remix), Killua's stats are:

Anime and Manga Differences

 * Killua's eye color shifted in the 1999 series; though initially dark blue, his irises became green in the OVA series. In 2011 series, his eyes are back to dark blue.
 * In the 2011 anime, instead of destroying Johness' heart, Killua gives it back to Johness after he faints and dies.
 * He once stated that he does not know how to write letters, but he had written a "death notice, Zoldyck style" before.
 * He hates red peppers. At Gon's house, Mito forced Killua to eat them, but he spat them out.
 * In the 1999 series, Killua enjoys exploring cockpits and drinking tea.
 * Still in the 1999 series, Killua was slapped two times by two different women: Mito Freecss and Biscuit Krueger.
 * In the 1999 anime, he watched a porn movie in a hotel in Yorknew City.
 * The 2011 series added some scenes where Killua and Canary first met as children. He also tried to make friends with Canary, but he never tried to offer her an animal skull.

Intertextuality and References



 * Killua is occasionally drawn with catlike features (paws, ears, mouth) in humorous situations, much like Botan of YuYu Hakusho (a previous work by the same mangaka) was.
 * Hiei, one of the main characters from YuYu Hakusho, bears some similarities to Killua:
 * both of them have gone through a tragic childhood, killing people at a young age and being submitted to torture;
 * just as Hiei can conjure up fire and manipulate it, so does Killua replicate the characteristics of electricity with his aura. This ability was based on the immunity Killua had developed during a long childhood of electrical torture;
 * both are extremely fast;
 * both tend to kill their opponents in the most brutal ways and lack remorse when doing so;
 * Hiei was ranked on first place for most popular character in the YuYu Hakusho manga, Killua had also won first place in the Hunter × Hunter popularity votes;
 * just like how Hiei is the last person Yusuke meets out of the main team, Killua is the last person on the main team that Gon meets;
 * both can use sharp objects as weapons, Hiei his sword and Killua his fingernails, but are also exceptional hand-to-hand combatants;
 * just like Hiei has black spiky hair and same colored clothing, Killua has white spiky hair and same colored clothing;
 * one of the differences between Killua and Hiei is that he actually smiles in contrast to his YuYu Hakusho counterpart who is never seen smiling;
 * and another difference is that Killua quickly befriends with Gon on their first meeting, unlike Hiei and Yusuke who start off as enemies.
 * Killua's yo-yo's may have been derived from Rinku, a secondary character of Togashi's other series YuYu Hakusho.
 * The Japanese name of Killua's Thunderbolt ability, Narukami, comes from the famous kabuki play Narukami Fudô Kitayama Zakura, in which the character Narukami transforms into a thunder god at the end of the fourth act.
 * Godspeed closely resembles the real-life martial art concept of Mushin (無心, "Empty Mind"), a mental state that highly-trained martial artists are said to be capable of entering during combat. It is essentially a moment where their body reacts without the need of having any specific intentions or plans in mind, having refined their instincts and intuition to a level where they can respond to any threat without the need for thought.
 * There is a castle in Ireland named Killua Castle.

Miscellaneous

 * Killua's name in Japanese is written as "Kirua" in katakana. It combines the Japanese transliterations of the English words "kill" (kiru) and "killer" (kira).
 * Killua ranked first in all of the three character popularity polls that have been conducted so far by Weekly Shonen Jump.
 * Fans stated that his changing moods gave him a lot of points and Killua looks strong. Fans also wanted Killua as their little brother.
 * In the French version of Hunter × Hunter, Killua is nicknamed "Lukia" by Leorio.
 * Killua's birthday falls on Tanabata, a Japanese festival holiday centering around a folklore tale of star-crossed lovers. Killua and the character of Orihime share some similarities, and the beginning of the Tanabata myth also shares some themes with the beginning of Killua's character arc:
 * both Killua and Orihime are employed by their fathers;
 * both Killua and Orihime are unhappy in their lives and wish for connections with others that their work prevents;
 * both Killua and Orihime eventually abandon their work entirely after meeting another person, which displeases their fathers;
 * both Silva and Orihime's father allow their children to pursue their important bond, but expect that their children will return to their roles in time;
 * and additionally, the number of the month and day of Killua's birthday are the same: he shares this characteristic with the other three protagonists and Hisoka.

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كيلوا_زولديك Kirua Zoldik 奇犽•揍敵客 Киллуа Золдик