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"We're not going anywhere! Now, you and I are the only thing standing between that ugly bastard and a city of ten million people. Now we have a choice here: we either sit and wait, or we take these flare guns and do something really stupid!"
—Herc Hansen[1]

Hercules "Herc" Hansen is the father of Chuck Hansen and the brother of Scott Hansen. He was a Ranger in the Pan Pacific Defense Corps and one of the pilots of Striker Eureka before its destruction in 2025. In the aftermath of Stacker Pentecost's death, he is promoted to the rank of Marshal.

Biography[]

Early Life[]

Herc Hansen was born November 10, 1980 in Sydney, Australia. Prior to the events that trigger the Kaiju War, Herc was a Royal Australian Air Force pilot. At some point, he marries a woman named Angela, who later gives birth to their son Chuck in 2003.[2]

Scissure attack[]

On August 10, 2013, the Kaiju Trespasser attacks San Francisco, marking the beginning of the Kaiju War. A year later, on September 2, 2014, Sydney is attacked by the Kaiju Scissure. Although Herc, Chuck, and Scott all survive, Angela is killed during the military's attempt to kill Scissure with nuclear weapons.

Pan Pacific Defense Corps.[]

Following Scissure's attack on Sydney, Herc and Scott join the Jaeger Academy [2][4] and are among the first generation of Rangers trained to fight the Kaiju. During that time, he raises his son Chuck on his own. The lifestyle of the Rangers instills a desire to become a Jaeger pilot in his son at a very young age.

Herc's first Jaeger assignment is Lucky Seven with Scott. During one of their deployments, Herc glimpses something in his brother's mind through the Drift that's strong enough to rattle their connection and their Jaeger is almost destroyed in combat.[4][6] Herc chooses to later report his brother to the Defense Corps higher-ups and they ultimately choose to dismiss Scott from the Jaeger Program on grounds of misconduct. The Hansen brothers part ways and Herc is left feeling guilty about the entire situation. Shortly after his brother's departure from the Jaeger Program, he is assigned to the Mark-5 Jaeger Striker Eureka alongside his son Chuck as it is deployed for active duty.[4]

At some point during the early years of the Kaiju War, Herc fights alongside the likes of Stacker Pentecost. He also eventually becomes the only Ranger in the history of the Defense Corps to have piloted every Jaeger series ever produced.[note 1]

In 2019, Herc is deployed in Manila alongside Gipsy Danger, piloted by the Becket brothers Yancy and Raleigh, and Horizon Brave to fight a Kaiju.[note 2]

Pacific Rim[]

The aftermath of the increase of Kaiju attacks after the year 2020 leaves the structure of the Jaeger Program devastated; with only four Jaegers left by 2025, the United Nations began losing hope in the program and shut down over seven Shatterdomes, Sydney's chief among them. Striker Eureka is retired from active duty until Mutavore attacks the Anti-Kaiju Wall. Herc and his son use Striker to fight and kill Mutavore. The incident brings into the question the effectiveness of the wall and the wisdom of ending the Jaeger Program.

Herc and Chuck are relocated to the last remaining Shatterdome in Hong Kong, China. There, Pentecost recruits them for the assault on the Breach at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. Herc and Chuck would be responsible for carrying the thermonuclear bomb into the Breach while the Jaeger's Cherno Alpha and Crimson Typhoon would act as back up. He reunites with likes of Raleigh Becket, to whom he expresses his condolences in regards to his brother Yancy's death. Herc continues to extend his generosity to Raleigh, but Chuck is quick to dismiss him with derisive comments.

Chuck vs Herc

Herc deals with his disobedient son, Chuck.

Herc accompanied Pentecost to K-Science Lab, where Dr. Hermann Gottlieb voiced his theory over the increased frequency of Kaiju attacks. He believed that the increased traffic would force the Breach to stabilize so they could drop the bomb to destroy it. However, his colleague Dr. Newton Geiszler suggested that they try to Drift with a Kaiju brain to find exactly how to enter the Breach, but Herc believed that the neural surge would overwhelm his brain, a sentiment Pentecost shared.

Tensions between his son and Raleigh come to a head when Pentecost's daughter, Mako Mori, attempts to Drift with Raleigh during a test run in Gipsy Danger and latches onto the memory of Onibaba's attack in Tokyo in 2016. Herc and Pentecost break up the fight between Chuck and Raleigh after his son provokes Raleigh by insulting both him and Mako.

When the Double Event occurs in Hong Kong, Herc and Chuck are sent out in the Striker Eureka with Cherno Alpha and Crimson Typhoon. The two are given orders to protect the coastline while the Mark-1 and Mark-4 Jaeger teams fight Otachi and Leatherback. When Otachi kills Crimson Typhoon's pilots and Cherno Alpha is ambushed by Leatherback, the two disregard Pentecost's orders and engage the Kaiju. Herc and Chuck manage to do well against Otachi until Leatherback disables Striker Eureka with its EMP organ.

Gipsy vs Sydney

Herc and Check watch as Gipsy Danger prepares to fight Leatherback.

Herc's arm is broken during the attack after he disconnects from his Conn-Pod harness. They decide as a last-ditch effort to shoot flares at the Kaiju to keep it distracted and away from the city for as long as possible. As Leatherback prepares to smash the Striker Eureka, Gipsy Danger arrives on the scene to fight it and Otachi.

Given Herc's injuries, he is unable to pilot the Jaeger for the mission to destroy the Breach. His replacement is Pentecost, who is confident that he'll able to Drift with Chuck in spite of his ego because he is related to Herc. He manages to say a farewell to his son before they leave, doubtful he'll survive should the mission either succeed or fail.

He monitors the progress of the mission at LOCCENT. When Striker and Gipsy arrive at the Breach, Pentecost hesitates to jump while Scunner and Raiju hold their position near the Breach. Herc orders Striker Eureka to "take the leap" and deploy the bomb, however, Newton and Hermann arrive at the LOCCENT and reveal that only something with the DNA of a Kaiju can enter the Breach as the Category V Kaiju emerges.

Herc announces victory

Herc announces humanity's victory over the Kaiju.

Herc is able to pass a warning to a damaged Gipsy Danger that Raiju was bearing on them at full speed, prompting Gipsy Danger to cleave the Kaiju in half. As Striker Eureka was left incapable of delivering the nuclear payload, they decide to sacrifice themselves to destroy the two remaining Kaiju. Herc is able to hear his son's final words before he and Pentecost detonate the thermonuclear bomb.

Their efforts buy Gipsy Danger time to get the Jaeger into the Breach and detonate its nuclear reactor. He sends helicopters to retrieve Raleigh and Mako. After confirming that both Rangers were alive, Herc announces to the Shatterdome personnel the end of the Kaiju War and orders the War Clock to stopped as everyone celebrates. Despite losing his son, Herc takes over as the new Marshal of the Shatterdome.

Personality[]

Herc is described as fearless, a born fighter, and a career soldier. Of all the surviving pilots left by 2025, Herc has the longest service record in the Defense Corps as its most experienced Jaeger pilot.

Partnered with his son, Herc and Chuck work together seamlessly when engaged in combat. Outside of the Conn-Podd, however, their relationship is tumultuous. Where Chuck thinks of pilots like Raleigh Becket as liabilities, Herc respects all his fellow Rangers, which causes him to butt heads with his son, whose competitive nature and short temper causes problems. Herc struggles to keep his son's temper reigned in at the same time he works to be a better father.

Skills[]

Like Stacker Pentecost, Herc's previous history as an Air Force pilot makes him both an experienced pilot and soldier among the many who've trained to become Rangers. His status as the most experienced Jaeger pilot in all of the Defense Corps also makes him one of the most skilled. While in the field, Herc is willing to concede to the orders of his superiors, but is prone to breaking them when he feels it is necessary, regardless of the dangers it poses to the mission at hand.

As a lifelong soldier, Herc is highly skilled in hand-to-hand combat, utilizing his background in mixed martial arts to his own advantage while battling against the Kaiju. Striker Eureka's status as a dirty boxer suggests that he is also trained in traditional boxing or kickboxing.

Trivia[]

  • According to Robert Kazinsky, Herc was a retiring soldier prior to the events of the film.[7]
  • According to the novelization, Herc broke his collarbone before playing football when he was younger.
  • According to the novelization of Pacific Rim, Herc's first Jaeger assignment was the Lucky Seven.
  • Herc's Japanese voice actor, Shuuichi Ikeda, provided the voice of Char Aznable in the original Mobile Suit Gundam series.[5]
  • The crowned and winged seven on Herc's vest is believed to be the decal of Lucky Seven.[8]
  • Ron Perlman was initially cast to play Herc Hansen, however, Guillermo del Toro eventually decided against it, feeling that scenes between Raleigh and Herc would invoke a feeling of "Sons of Anarchy 2.0".[9]

Gallery[]

Pan Pacific Defense Corps Logo An image gallery is available for
Herc Hansen

Notes[]

  1. Ticket Reader: “Herc Hansen has piloted every generation of Jaeger and remains one of the most successful pilots in record. In recent years he started piloting with his son, Ch—"
  2. Herc Hansen: I know you, mate. We rode together before.
    Raleigh Becket: We did, sir. Six years ago. My brother and I. It was a three Jaeger team drop.
    Herc Hansen: That’s right, Manila.

References[]

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