Gehrman’s Legacy: Unraveling His Actions in Bloodborne
Gehrman, the First Hunter, is a pivotal and complex figure in Bloodborne. His actions are not confined to a single role, but rather span across the game’s narrative, fundamentally shaping the world and the player’s experience. In essence, Gehrman was the architect of the Hunter’s Dream, a caretaker for generations of hunters, and a tragic figure trapped by the machinations of cosmic entities. He was the first hunter to combat the beast scourge, a trainer, a mentor, and ultimately, an unwilling adversary, all while wrestling with his own inner demons stemming from past traumas and the burden of his pact. He designed the hunter’s role, equipped hunters to fight the beasts, and facilitated the cycle of the hunt, making him a central, yet tormented, cog in Bloodborne’s intricate narrative.
Gehrman’s Key Actions and Roles
The First Hunter and Beast Scourge Origins
Before the events of the game, Gehrman was a Yharnamite who witnessed the initial outbreak of the beast scourge. He took the initiative to adapt his everyday clothing and tools, effectively becoming the first hunter. His innovative approach formed the basis for the hunter archetype, setting the stage for the ongoing battle against the creatures. This signifies Gehrman’s proactive and adaptive nature in the face of existential crisis.
Creation and Maintenance of the Hunter’s Dream
Perhaps Gehrman’s most significant action was the creation of the Hunter’s Dream. In collaboration with the Moon Presence, he designed this otherworldly pocket dimension as a sanctuary and training ground for hunters. This was intended as a failsafe to ensure the ceaseless fight against the beasts. The Dream is a warped version of the Abandoned Old Workshop, revealing Gehrman’s deep connection to hunter’s origins.
Training and Guiding the Hunters
Within the Hunter’s Dream, Gehrman serves as the mentor and guide for the player. He provides advice, allows hunters to use the Dream’s resources, and prepares them for the challenges ahead. This role highlights his dedication to the cause of hunting and his desire to maintain the fight against the scourge. He essentially creates the cycle that ensures hunters can always fight.
The Tragic Figure in the Cycle of the Hunt
The most impactful of Gehrman’s actions is his pivotal role at the end of the game. He offers the player what he believes is freedom, by ending their life. He does this out of a paternal desire to spare them from his own fate, an eternity of servitude to the Moon Presence. However, the player has the option to resist, resulting in a final confrontation. This dual role, both mentor and final boss, showcases the tragic nature of his existence.
Gehrman and the Doll
Gehrman created the Doll to serve the hunters, but she also serves to replicate Lady Maria, a student of his that he held deep affection for. This act shows his deep sorrow and inability to let go of the past, showing a complex emotional side behind his stoic exterior.
Manipulation by the Moon Presence
Throughout the game, Gehrman is essentially a puppet of the Moon Presence. This cosmic entity has trapped him within the Hunter’s Dream, forcing him into servitude. His actions are not entirely his own, making him as much a victim as a facilitator of the hunt.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Why was Gehrman obsessed with Maria?
Gehrman harbored romantic feelings for Lady Maria, his student. While it’s uncertain whether these feelings were reciprocated, the creation of the Doll suggests a deep-seated infatuation and unresolved grief following Maria’s disappearance.
2. What is the true nature of the Hunter’s Dream?
The Hunter’s Dream is an otherworldly replica of the original hunter’s workshop, created by Gehrman and the Moon Presence. It serves as a training ground, safe haven, and a prison for hunters.
3. Is Gehrman a villain in Bloodborne?
Gehrman is a complex character. While he acts as the final boss if the player does not consume enough Umbilical Cords, he is not a villain in the traditional sense. He wants to save the player from the eternity of servitude he has suffered, even if that means taking their life. He is a product of the Moon Presence’s manipulation, making him both perpetrator and victim.
4. Why does Gehrman hesitate when stating his name?
This hesitation occurs because he is under the influence of the Moon Presence. The entity possesses him, blurring the line between Gehrman’s true self and the cosmic entity’s control. This is why the true Gehrman can only be heard when he is asleep.
5. What happens if you refuse Gehrman’s offer?
Refusing Gehrman’s offer triggers a final boss battle, where Gehrman is determined to end the cycle of the hunt. This fight represents the ultimate test of the player’s progression.
6. Who is the real antagonist of Bloodborne?
The Moon Presence is widely considered the primary antagonist. This Great One is the force that manipulates the Hunter’s Dream and traps Gehrman within its loop.
7. Why does Lady Maria fight the Hunter?
Lady Maria, now a corrupted entity, fights the hunter to prevent them from discovering the secrets of the Fishing Hamlet. She wishes to protect its dreadful truths from the outside world, even if that means destroying the hunter.
8. What is considered the “good” ending in Bloodborne?
The ending where the hunter accepts Gehrman’s offer, resulting in their death and release from the Dream, is considered the “good” or traditional ending. This ending brings closure by breaking the cycle and allowing the hunter to awake in a morning that is no longer consumed by the hunt.
9. Why is the hunter immortal in Bloodborne?
The hunter’s immortality is tied to the Moon Presence. This cosmic entity binds the hunter’s consciousness to the Hunter’s Dream, resurrecting them after every death until they submit to the end of the cycle by Gehrman’s hand.
10. Why is Gehrman crying in the Hunter’s Dream?
Gehrman cries out of the pain and despair of his imprisonment, calling out for liberation from the dream. He is a slave to the hunt as much as the hunter, consumed by grief over Lady Maria and the constant cycle of the beast scourge.
11. Was Lady Maria a corpse?
The corpse that Lady Maria is referencing is the washed-up Great One on the shores of the Fishing Hamlet. Her body is in the Astral Clocktower, but the “corpse” she speaks of is the Great One.
12. How did Lady Maria die?
Lady Maria committed suicide out of immense guilt over the Fishing Hamlet massacre and the suffering of the research patients that she treated.
13. Who is the Doll modeled after?
The Doll was created by Gehrman, modeled after his student, Lady Maria. He used the doll as a means to cope with his grief and loneliness.
14. What does killing Gehrman do in Bloodborne?
Killing Gehrman grants the player the Old Hunter Badge and access to his set in New Game+. If the player does not use 3 or 4 umbilical chords, this boss battle also ends the game.
15. What is the significance of the Blood Minister in the first cutscene?
The Blood Minister explains to the player that they have come to Yharnam seeking a cure to a disease. He provides context for the world and hints at the dangers that await.