Hitman: No One Is Untouchable | A Video Essay

[@conorryan4019]

Seems like KZbin is recommending this video to people all of a sudden, so thats cool. If you enjoyed it and want to help out with algorithim nonsense, commenting, liking, sharing etc. is much appreciated. Thanks for watching!

[@SomeRageHard]

I'm late to this video, but speaking as someone who has logged hundreds of hours in each game, you've done a magnificent analysis mate. Well done.

[@stevenheston7598]

First video of yours I've seen - great analysis and editing, but your sound mixing is a little off. You have a quiet speaking voice but had really loud chapter transitions/gameplay interludes. Thanks for the content!

[@FaeTheMf]

Good video ong

[@quietdignityandgrace]

I like how your calm subtle voice gives way to a GRENDADE TO THE FACE at 25:43. Laughing so hard. Thank you, I needed that.

[@miles_tails0511]

The Stupendium made a rap that captures just about everything you described here, thought you’d enjoy it. My favorite line: I.C.A. (I see a) hole in the ark kzbin.info/www/bejne/aGazaH2YZcljqLc

[@frankwest5388]

I feel like you missed one element of the “no one is untouchable” idea, which has to do with 47s character arc. Since he has no emotional attachments, he can’t be hurt. You can not point a gun at his wife and daughter to get him to do what you want. He is thought to be untouchable. But as the game reveals he isn’t untouchable. He has memories that scar him and despite having trouble making meaningful relationships, he feels a deep attachment to his handler Diane its the only intimate, if purely platonic, relationship he has

[@TheMelvinV]

Absolution disagrees with you

[@chuckled125]

​@@TheMelvinV World of Assassination trilogy disagrees with Absolution so who cares

[@tinpan6052]

Did you perhaps cover wars, ya know?

[@TheMelvinV]

@@chuckled125 suffering from tunnelvision seems so stupid to me.

[@thebadplayer2615]

Man I love this. An agent, created for the purpose of being absolutely untouchable. So much so to be used to reach the powerful "untouchables." But in the end, *No one is truly untouchable.*

[@Cyrus_T_Laserpunch]

One thing in Hitman I find fun personally is that Diana Burnwood is the best handler 47 could have had for this series about power and control. She helps with opportunities, never telling him he should do something, just giving ideas from her own skill in assassination, no matter what silly things you do she never tells you to stop and instead watches to see what your plan is, putting faith in your choices. In a way, she's part of why 47 is growing into his own person. She could say "47, disguise as this person and head to where the target is, I will tell you what to do next when you get there", but she doesn't direct you like that. Diana could order you around and achieve a silent assassin rank every mission easily, she's a very talented handler, but she values your autonomy. Freelancer is an extension on this as Diana finds intel on a bunch of syndicates, but now is letting 47 himself choose which one to pursue, trusting his judgement. As 47 grows as a person, he makes more choices for himself. Note: I have personally come to the conclusion that Diana genuinely cares about 47's growth and wants him to have more autonomy, I could be entirely wrong about my assessment. Unless the developers say "Now that Cyrus T. Laserpunch, he knows exactly what the story is, he's 100% correct", don't think my comment is truth.

[@Wtf_is_this_sht_]

A well written comment. Also this is at 47 likes XD

[@ExcellentToo]

47 was always alone on his missions. Before the WOA, Diana would only talk about the location and targets of the contract, occasionally giving a few hints.

[@Niobesnuppa]

Like Diana herself says at the end of the Mendoza level "All I saw was a blank slate, a weapon to wield. I told myself it was what you needed, but people aren't meant to be controlled."

[@77professional]

I would have to disagree about the idea of monsters replacing other monsters being underutilized. Watch the the legacy cutscene from Hitman 2016 and listen to Lucas Grey's words. "You were always the best. Nobody ever came close. You defined the art and it defines you. Your actions have changed the world. Powerful men have fallen by your hand, but by the same token, others have risen. Do you realize what kind of world you've been shaping? Does the ICA? Does your Handler? I live in that world. I have seen the consequences. I have felt the cost. That's what defines me."

[@feckoslovakia]

I really want to like this but I won't because the like count is 47 lol

[@Kirbyte1]

@@feckoslovakia same because its 470 now

[@feckoslovakia]

@@Kirbyte1 ok now I can like the comment, thanks for the reminder :D

[@furioussherman7265]

Excellent point. Everyone creates their own demons and the consequences of our actions often outlive us. The difference between 47 at the beginning and at the end of the trilogy is that he's taking responsibility for his own actions for the first time. He's becoming fully cognizant of what kind of world he creates. He will likely create new monsters by his own hand again, but this time he and Diana are actively looking to make sure they can't cause the sort of damage Providence did. I think it's quite interesting to consider; there are certain things about people that will never change, but people can still change the way they go about, react, and make choices for the future based on those unchanging things. It may not be a sweeping, cinematic change like what you might expect in a sweeping, cinematic story, but continuing with the idea of the Hitman trilogy pulling from the state of the modern world for inspiration most major changes for the better are structured the same sort of way: The initial approach remains largely intact, but this time they take what happens as the result of their actions into account and are more careful about it. It may not be perfect, but it's a step in the right direction and it does net better results. I dare say that 47 and Diana doing this in the epilogue is a small piece of subtlety in a game that otherwise uses a sledgehammer to get its points across.

[@Tactical_Tailgater]

This is also an important part of why not every solution is not the adequate, while we got a Swedish bank CEO stealing Morrocco of its future, ending economic freedom will only give us another guy with the same plots and damages. While we take emmotional choices (Like we all do), we will always have either the same problems, or things turn even worse

[@PanMan47]

As a huge hitman fan I can safely say I love this video, it’s sad most people don’t pay attention to the story

[@lobaandrade7172]

Especially because it was told episodically per map (at least at first), pretty unique for a 2016 game before the now normal “games as a service” with season updates. Since it was slowly told, many players ignored it until they just didn’t care for it in 2 and 3. It’s an interesting story akin to a spy flick

[@Battle_mista]

47 likes ✌🏻

[@Bale4Bond]

The current trilogy's story is cliché dog shit, though,

[@yahc2041]

if instead of targets we had to defeat bosses with surreal powers and instead of Diana talking to us in real time we would have been stopped at each codec ringing for a face to face of 2 to 20min in cinematic, people would have proclaimed the genius of the screenwriter and the artistic vision of the project director

[@stickyman3786]

@@Bale4Bond i prefer blood moneys or silent assassins

[@SupercharizardEx]

The purpose of 47 having his conversation with the girl in the rain is meant to show how much he has changed throughout the story, especially after having met Lucas Grey. Grey helped to set 47 free by reminding him of their past and by helping him to get an antidote for the memories that he had wiped previously. With the level being centralized around the downfall of the ICA, this dialogue along with 47's final conversation with Olivia Hall show that he no longer is a simple killing machine for the ICA anymore and that 47 has grown to become a bit more human again due to his interactions with Grey, Diana, and Olivia.

[@vksasdgaming9472]

Agent 47 was failure because he has independent spirit, empathy and knows right and wrong. Those traits made him best at his work and also made him turn against his employers. Several times. There is hint of tragedy in him.

[@elvingearmasterirma7241]

​@@vksasdgaming9472 dont forget his dry biting humour. It is a hint to the fact he is human underneath the veneer

[@vksasdgaming9472]

@@elvingearmasterirma7241 Most of Agent 47's comic potential is not with him being funny. It is his stiff, matter-of-fact and utterly stoic and unfzaeable demeanour placed in utterly bizarre situations that makes him funny. Without Diana Burnwood's guidance he is horrifyingly brutal and merciless. Just ask Lenny Dexter who got ride in vintage-car's trunk and had to dig his own grave in desert and in the end 47 didn't even kill him. 47 did kill his gang whose only crime was being part of gang of morons lead by even bigger moron.

[@elvingearmasterirma7241]

@@vksasdgaming9472 I never said it made him good or kind now did I? He has a personality. Its just Sandpaper

[@ShiroRiya]

He also can have a pretty long conversation in the winery level with a woman near the entrance serving drinks. It was the first time I saw him just sit and talk with someone like that, as I missed the girl in Chongqing. He really has softened up by the end.

[@logarhythmic6859]

19:40 The only target I feel bad about is Penelope Graves. She was a very intelligent analyst for Interpol, actually trying to take down Sean Rose. She saw corruption in the UN and tried to report it, and got shut down by her superiors. This caused her to switch sides, struggling to find the "righteous" path. And regarding the ending of the trilogy, it's probably because IOI didn't want to end in a place where they write themselves into a corner for a future game. It does kind of make for a weak ending though.

[@derlesende]

Yes, I totally agree. I always try to make it quick for her, but ,if I’m not wrong, it’s the only contract ordered by Soders with no way of declining. So here even Diana isn’t in control. But luckily we got revenge quickly…

[@VenetusAlpha]

Same. She was so similar to my best friend in terms of personality and appearance that it was genuinely painful taking her out.

[@wesleygriffiths8748]

I feel sorry for Silvio as well. Granted, he’s a monster by the time you kill him, but if you pick up on his backstory in the level, he only became that way after a lifetime of horrific abuse from just about everyone around him.

[@ladywaffle2210]

I actually completely disagree. 47 is forced to become an assassin at first, targets chosen for him. By the end of the game, he's still an assassin, but now on his own terms. He's choosing to do what he's good at. There's nothing mandating this choice or forcing him to do this. He could just retire; he has a seven digit bank account, after all, and there will rise another person to take his place if he retires. He chooses to continue proving that no one is untouchable because he wants to. This is, effectively, a first. At long last, 47 has seen the consequences and felt the cost of what world he's shaped, and now, he's turning the tables to shape the world for good--or, at least, to keep the world from being shaped for bad.

[@andyhx2]

I also felt a bit bad for Washington twins - they genuinely tried to make world dodge spiraling to apocalypse even if they were also working on a backup plan for their rich sponsors and were part of the Providence.

[@FlamingLily]

I actually quite like the ending, it strikes an interesting notion of "Now that he has control, he can decide where he goes, but he has decided to stay, because despite everything, that is who he is. Now, he just does it on his own terms, not anyone else's." And I think the recent addition of the freelancer mode (which isn't really part of the main story but I'm mentioning it anyway) which shows 47's personal life slowly develop from being only about murder into what seems to be a rather fulfilling life of hobbies.

[@ButMadNNW626]

Agreed on what you said. And just a couple days ago, I hit the Freelancer Mastery level where you can update the kitchen to show bread baking in progress. And next to the sink, it went from one plate, one fork, one knife… to a sink full of dirty dishes. At first, i tsk’d at 47 for letting his dishes pile up. 😂 But then I had one of those quiet “ohh 😮” moments, as it hit me that each thing unlocked in the safehouse evolves the scene in a way that, to me, says that he’s settling in, feeling safe, not feeling like he has to constantly be on the move with one eye over his shoulder. He’s home. IOI really are amazing at environmental storytelling.

[@ladywaffle2210]

I completely agree. He could've retired, but he's staying in the game, not because he must--because if he doesn't, someone else will--but because he wants to define the art of contract killing. He defines the art as it defines him, and if he can define the art, he's defining it as Justice, and therefore it defines him as Nemesis.

[@LDaemontus]

It makes narrative sense with the other games within the franchise, too. He's already tried to get out of the life of being a Hitman in Sicilly and as a consequence, he was dragged back into being a contract assassin. It wouldn't have made sense for 47 to try again because he knows he cannot. He is what he is. He doesn't have a family. He doesn't have children. He's been witness to so many atrocities, himself being a victim of them, that any chance of a normal life was stripped from him. Even the creation of him wasn't birthed from a place of natural pregnancy. He was robbed of a personhood and made to be stuck memoryless, with anyone he made contact with being murdered to keep him within his puppeteer's control. Diana geniunely believed in him and was trying to help him find himself, despite everything they were doing for the ICA. It's why Diana's betrayal broke 47 psychologically, spiralling him into questioning his own existence, every contract he fulfilled for her and for the rest of them. He ends up drowning in the blood of his sins and inevitably reliving the moment he had killed her parents, about ready to accept that her betrayal was just for a tool like him, a monster like himself. Even Lucas Grey, the psyche version, agrees that Diana had every right to stab him in the back for what 47 had done to her as a child. But, it's Diana. The one person who had his back when others' did not and their life has not been kind, with them both being united to survive it together for a reason. She's one of the few humans who understood: "Nobody is Untouchable". And since she picks the contracts, she made sure to vet them enough to know that who they were killing were unrepentently evil people. So, knowing in the end he cannot have a life of peace, Agent 47 takes a break and returns, understanding truly who he is and what he's gifted at, knowing he is needed in the world to do what other people refuse to and he knows he can only do it with someone like Diana because Diana actually has a moral compass. She doesn't kill for the sake of it. She's not interested in power and she's proven she can resist it. Thus, he's able to be his own boss rather than a tool of an agency that can easily be corrupted from within. Together, they broke the cycle that the very early games of Hitman had begun to spin while acknowledging the reality that, yeah, there is no escape for people like them.

[@Niobesnuppa]

@@ButMadNNW626 That's a really good observation. I never thought I would find a pile of dirty dishes heartwarming, but here we are, haha

[@markuskoivisto]

He must always have had time for hobbies. It’s not like he was born with the skills to pass a rock drummer audition

[@FailcopterWes]

Fantastic essay, very well presented, but one thing you said got me thinking: While 47 himself isn't a revolutionary, it is interesting as to where some of the his contracts come from. The side missions (particularly A Silver Tongue and the Hokkaido Snow Festival) show the clients to be common people taking their control back in the only way they can, pooling resources to buy 47's services. Sort of like how Providence was a few people coming together for a common goal. Now that Freelancer mode has come out, we see victims striking back again. All the clients in that mode are people who have been hurt by the Syndicates you now hunt, and Diana is exclusively putting you on the path of helping people, not just those that can afford to fling money away. But, as you say, there's always another one popping up to fill the power vacuum.

[@lieutenantlettuce8306]

The mode just kind of turns you into an exterminator, just because you kill some roaches doesn't mean they won't move in again.

[@vksasdgaming9472]

Diana Burnwood wants justice instead of money. That's why Agent 47 doesn't kill journalists or honest police officers or arrange terrorist attacks.

[@negative6442]

@@lieutenantlettuce8306 Kill enough roaches and the problem goes away

[@kunstlermann]

@@lieutenantlettuce8306 but they have to adapt. They have to give up part of their power to appease because they know now they are touchable. So it isn’t a solution but it’s still better then acceptance

[@OhNoTheFace]

@@lieutenantlettuce8306 Sounds like an excuse to just be complacent

[@LDaemontus]

One comment that needs to be made is the choice of ambience we got in the Chongqing mission. In earlier Hitman games within the franchise, there was extensive narrative choices surrounding Agent 47 being Catholic as he attempted to try living a life away from that of being an assassin, the iconic theme song of the Hitman games being Ave Maria. The Hitman III team cleverly ensured that they used an ambient soundtrack that invoked the sorrowful and human nature of Agent 47 through the use of choir/hymn music mixed with the rain that the player can hear as they go about exploring. It's legitmately titled "Chingqing Requiem" otherwise known as "Repose of the Souls of the Dead", a type of Roman Catholic Mass. It's also used to mean "a token of remembrance". The nature of the music that accompanies the player as they come face to face with the atrocities of medical abuse upon the homeless, the all seeing eyes of technology upon its people as an abuse of their privacy and overarching power structure that this international collective rules over their everyday lives and that over other countries just brings back that sense that these villains are godless people. They're empty of a moral system. Which creates comparison to Agent 47, who does have a moral code. Agent 47, for all his own actions, is capable of admitting them for what they are and even confesses them to a priest, Father Vittorio. He's capable of admitting to himself of what he is and is able to take it to God. The other villains don't care to self-reflect on their own actions, let alone shed any guilt for committing them. They think of themselves as "just" and above the law. Sometimes, even as a God when it comes to manipulating the medical industry to develop inhumane technologies, which Agent 47 himself was a victim of. This is reflected in how Agent 47 confronts Jordon Cross. Of all the ways you can kill a spoiled rich kid, the one that takes focus is 47's confrontation where Jordon is presented with the reality of his crime and the sole choice you're given as a player is to simply put a single bullet into the man's flesh. It's one of the main deaths that felt more like Agent 47 than it did the player's choice. The difference between 47 and Cross is where it highlights that Cross doesn't actually fathom the consequences of his actions and presumes he can simply pay off 47 like he does everyone else. When begging and bribing doesn't work, he just becomes this pathetic mess at the feet of an almost mythological killer who simply sits and dispenses quiet justice. It's merciful. There is no fanfare, there is nobody to witness the corpse. For all his fame, his money, the power his father owns, Agent 47 disposes of him alone, empty, with the tape of his crime echoing about the room. It's a reminder that everything comes to an end and that one's sins eventually return to remind us of our past crimes and when confronted with the reality that death stood in front of him, Jordon Cross died an unrepentent failure of a human being. He thought money and power could buy off death but one's immortality isn't purchaseable; a theme that's rampant in other missions, like Chingqing's target being obsessed with transhumanist ideals or Robert Knox's obsession with robotic war crimes. These people don't just have power. They also think of themselves as untouchable by the rules of nature, of death. In the last mission when you awake in the train, you can listen in on a conversation between a scientist and one of the guards as they discuss being able to erase painful memories from peoples' lives, of being able to rid anything a patient desired from their known conscious. In other words, the ability to never remember (or live with) painful consequences of life. This is why the Constant's ending, with his memories being erased, is poetic. He's not murdered in the stereotypical manner that Agent 47 would have every right to achieve but the Constant's entire personhood is taken from him. He exists as nothing more than a husk of a person and has to suffer for the crimes that he doesn't even remember committing. Agent 47 gave the Constant the worst death imaginable; the inability to repent. Ever. There is no good life for the Constant; not in the material and certainly not in the spiritual.

[@lonepylon]

This analysis goes crazy. Kudos 👍 The inability to repent never crossed my mind but oh my god, it hits so much harder now

[@noah_body_cares]

35:31 I really enjoy the Constant's line during this scene. That little laugh he does mid-sentence sounded so genuine that I like to think the voice actor truly laughed at the ridiculousness of that man's attitude.

[@archivist_13]

Same here

[@NEBE_THEFIRST]

another cool line from the constant is the 'We won a long time ago. This is maintenance'

[@Hammerhead547]

If you take some time to listen to the conversations that some of the non target npc's have in some of the levels it becomes clear that the targets themselves aren't the only terrible people in the game world. This is particularly noticeable in the haven island level.

[@debuff_collector]

this is is also pretty noticeable in isle of sgail

[@Sssneksss]

@@debuff_collector Isle of Sgail is literally a congregation of paranoid millionaires ofc theyre all going to be horrible people

[@anon9469]

Or if you hang out upstairs in Paris.

[@ZqTi0]

Even if their story may be a little dull but their dialogues NPC conversations and the portrayal theme of the hitman world and all the mini details in the maps is the best in any game imo.

[@bungiecrimes7247]

Most of us can live with ourselves because others are willing to be worse than us.

[@DuctTapeJake]

The thing I remember striking me even playing the original game back in the day was that the 'genetically enhanced super assassin' basically just made him a standard video game protagonist. He walks faster than everyone else, he never gets tired even while climbing things, he can take multiple gunshot wounds without dying and so on. The comment about him being the perfect game protagonist also applies in-universe as well.

[@TigonIII]

His super human intelligence is also why it seems like he can predict outcomes, which is why when we as a player knows how to trigger stuff to get the outcome we want, in-universe it is just because his mind works on a super human level. Like he's playing 4D chess while everyone else is only playing regular 2D chess.

[@grimlockgreg3063]

I think freelancer shows his true goal, he now works by himself, not tethers to anyone, but instead of going out and becoming a killer, he now work to make the world a better place, one syndicate at a time.

[@korvo3427]

He still takes jobs Diana has chosen for him.

[@whitezombie10]

@@korvo3427yeah but they’re partners

[@korvo3427]

@@whitezombie10 They always kinda were. She provided the jobs he could either take on or refuse, provided mission intel etc. so what really changed?

[@totallynotabot6003]

@@korvo3427 independence.

[@ShadowKestrel]

Came for the funny bald guy game, stayed for the deep and hard hitting socioeconomic analysis

[@Tactical_Tailgater]

Social** Socioeconomic is more annoying

[@randomcoloradan2878]

@@Tactical_Tailgater socioeconomic is the correct term though

[@Tactical_Tailgater]

@@randomcoloradan2878 Nah, the bro on the video went full on sociology view and ignored the rest

[@andyhx2]

12:38 I think that one detail you missed about this encounter is that it takes place just after Lucas Grey aka Subject 6 - the childhood bestie of 47 just died as she talks to this woman about her childhood bestie. Even a slight bit of sense of grief from 47 can be felt soaking through as he basically says to her - don't ever give up on your friendship, only true friends like that stick around.

[@GodsBadAssBlade]

The mission apex predator was a real gut punch to my senses and even emotions. Starting at a empty dinner that feels like a place of purgatory, being totally blind and unaware who your targets are, unsure of olivias safety and well being due to the event, as well as dianas seemingly gone with hints she may turn bad and even more than that.. being left completely alone. that is one of the few if any missions i WISH i could experience for the first time again.

[@ButMadNNW626]

Some friends wanted to watch me play through the trilogy’s story and I’ve been doing so on a fresh save file so I’d have no tempting shortcuts: none of the gear I’ve accumulated since 2016, no shortcut starting spawns, I start almost all missions with the default loadout. It’s been a fun experience. We just hit Berlin a couple nights ago and I alerted them to be quiet before starting the level, so they could fully appreciate that first time there. No music, no Diana, no minimap… I even felt unsettled myself when I instinctively (heh) hit the Instinct button and it didn’t work - I’d completely forgotten that part. It truly was a masterful way to communicate the situation and emotions involved, really put the player in 47’s shoes. And then the call with Olivia. 47 being the calming influence. The supremely confident way he assures her, “I’ll handle this.” And THAT’S when the mission title appears: “Apex Predator”. Chills.

[@krkngd-wn6xj]

The more I think about Hitman the series, and replay levels in both the modern trilogy, and Blood Money, the more I think Apex Predator is the peak of Hitman. Maybe not in level design, but certainly in that feel and atmosphere, and how creatively it changes the usual formula,

[@noco-pf3vj]

The first mission in Hitman (2016) is memorable to me, your mission to kill Viktor and when you enter the first room, he is there in the spotlight by the crowd. You saw him, your prey, he seems untouchable, but no one is untouchable.

[@UnnecessaryEyeViewingGarbage]

Shut up corny

[@khloeg1649]

that conversation you showed with the girl in the rain is probably one of my favorite moments in the whole franchise. it's so simple, so mundane. so normal. it makes 47 seem so... human. what he says to her, the way the line is delivered... it genuinely seems like he cares about this random woman. not on a deep level, necessarily, she's a stranger to him, but he at least wants to reassure her and give her advice and help her stop worrying about whether her friend is gonna come meet her. it really is such a beautiful and impactful scene. especially since this is one of the mission starting points, like as you said, the player doesn't even start this -- they just choose not to stop it. no one tells him to do this. he makes that decision himself. which is just so wonderful to see, considering how before this, he was always being controlled. he's finally starting to take his life into his own hands. and he deserves to. "she agreed to meet you in the middle of the night. in the rain. nobody does that if they don't care." it's just such a subtlety emotional and meaningful moment. I genuinely love it so much.

[@TheSpyder49]

something thats not entirely touched on is that 47 also has a compulsion to be the funniest person in the room with nothing but dramatic irony. he literally cant help himself. why is he like this.

[@woodneel]

13:33 goodness, I just now realized that this conversation is a parallel between 47 and Diana's own relationship and that's why it matters that 47 is engaging in such a (for a non target) lengthy dialogue!

[@Tactical_Tailgater]

Explain please, I am stupid

[@Niobesnuppa]

@@Tactical_Tailgater Late reply, but basically this mission is set after Diana has gone silent for a while and 47 hasn't heard an update from her regarding her plans with Providence. Much like the woman chatting to him, 47 is worried that Diana is outgrowing him as she becomes more powerful, that she no longer needs him. He's worried that she's changing and growing as a person, while he's just staying the same, and that she'll drop him like dead weight eventually.

[@Tactical_Tailgater]

@@Niobesnuppa Makes sense, a lot of sense

[@flavafee]

oh shit you're so right! i like that interpretation

[@lobaandrade7172]

I like how you end the video in the same place as you began it but with a full suit rather than as a clown 47. A perfect example of how a player’s view of Hitman changes if they focus on the story

[@angelinasurzhyk6655]

There are a few lines in The Stupendium’s songs on Hitman 2 and 3 on KZbin that came to my mind and I think resonate just perfectly with the theme of the video: “In a palace or a manor, manned with killers at your care If you’re penciled in his planner, chance is he’s already there” “So till your hour chimes, you hide inside your ivory monuments Built your tower too high, don’t be surprised when there’s no oxygen Where that power lies, yes, there’s a price behind predominance” “Grip around the populace while sitting in your opulence You built your own sarcophagus - now *that’s* what I call providence” Great songs and also play really well on the theme of “no one is untouchable”!

[@cookiebombcasualemail5284]

The Apex is basically the culmination of the No One is Untouchable vibe. Every single lyric is a carefully constructed and unique way of saying, in the words of Gandalf, "You have no power here!"

[@SYKRAL1]

As far as I (someone who never played the game) can tell, none of the targets’ power is physical or personal. It’s all social power. It’s all what they can make other people do. Oh, I’m a general who can move armies. Oh, im a fashion designer who can decide what people wear for the next decade. None of them are able to fight back once you actually get to them. They are herd animals, and unfortunately for them 47 is an Apex predator. The songs just drive that point home. It’s easy for him to take you out. “If you’re penciled in his planner”. No matter who you are, to him you are just another item checked off his todo list.

[@ladywaffle2210]

@@SYKRAL1 I've put in hundreds of hours into the games, to the point where I have SASO (Silent Assassin, Suit Only, arguably the most difficult accomplishment you can do) on every single level. You're absolutely right. There is not a single target you cannot just punch out. Soldiers and guards, when melee attacked, will give you a quick-time event series where you have to press certain buttons, otherwise they punch you. Press the right buttons, you punch them. However, non-guards don't have this. You can just punch out a waiter in one hit. The targets can also be punched out in one hit. Their entire basis of power is social; both in "I have immense sway over the populace thanks to X Y and Z" and "I am surrounded by guards under my command". Both of these give social power. Neither of them save them once 47 is behind them with a fibre wire or a Silverballer.

[@agoofyahhchannel6870]

THE STUPENDIUM MENTIONED GRAAAAAAAH 🔥🔥🔥

[@yurinakamura1827]

21:36 It feels like the cathartic revenge genre is something that kicked off in the last decade. Shows like Leverage, "Steal from the rich and powerful thieves and give to their victims and Person of interest "let's save the life of the person being threatened". Its really great and I hope we see more stuff like this.

[@ErzengelDesLichtes]

You’re describing Robin Hood, which dates back to the 13th century. We still haven’t solved the problem.

[@Tactical_Tailgater]

@@ErzengelDesLichtes The problem is that when we take action, we fuck up

[@chriscormac231]

@@Tactical_Tailgater because humans are inherently fuck ups, it's a miracle we even *can* survive

[@primary2630]

"He's a master of seemingly every skill" *cuts to Masseus 47 and DJ 47* LMAO I always thought it was hilarious in Bangkok and Berlin how 47 is a pro sound mixer

[@fl2terer]

That skill wasn't taught, he learned it himself

[@BrendanHead]

This channel is extremely underrated, I don't understand how this video only has 47 views (nice) when it is so well made and has such a cool unique perspective on the narrative of these games. Loved your analysis of Ocean's movies too, keep up the amazing videos and you'll go far!

[@comfylung]

You've said so much I've what I've tried to express about the trilogy. It's very easy to dismiss the plot as paint-by-numbers spy thriller, but IO did a great job of pulling it deeply into the game, its characters, and its mechanics. There's a handful of spots I think NPCs reference, unknowingly, the state of the world and a reminder of what 47/Diana are working to tear down. Notably I can think of Sato's speech at the end of the fashion show, where he explains his new fashion line explores duress and the suggestion that "we are all preyed upon by sinister forces". Another is Aiden Kelly in Whittleton Creek, extolling the virtues of Charles Blake III by saying he has no ties to shadowy organizations "pulling the strings". In terms of unequivocally evil targets, I feel the most sympathy for Penelope Graves and Wazir Kale, who I don't think are portrayed as such. Kale especially, through his manifestos and his conversation with Neha, shows a softness and a similar set of goals to 47-to tear down the walls of oppression that plague the world. This video is an instant sub for me. Keep it up!

[@zerotakis]

Agent 47's character growth being the ability to resist a death pun in hilarious. Now if there were any wine present, we would for sure still be told it was to die for.

[@Lummox874]

Whenever I hear the words “No one is untouchable” I see the meaning as being this: no one is untouchable, from the most ordinary of people to the most powerful to ever live, invincibility is a myth, death is always there.

[@thaliasaytransrights8118]

One interesting intersection of gameplay and story I've noticed is the Colorado mission. IOI goes to great pains to make sure that it is abundantly clear that everyone you kill deserves it, with one exception: Penelope Graves. Killing her makes you feel uncomfortable because it should. You're killing an innocent woman and aiding the shadowy cabal that control the world

[@Kai-hf5wt]

This Video Essay was an amazing deep dive into Hitman’s story, and I usually don’t see that as much when people review games. Top-Notch Stuff!

[@MrBrumbo74]

I'm just echoing everyone else, but this video is excellently made and very underrated. I never even thought to look at the view count until I read the comments. I'm flabbergasted that you don't have thousands of views. Great video, content, and production!

[@dudeman1983]

A small but somewhat impactful addition: while Hitman has stealth elements, it is largely a _puzzle-solving_ game. The puzzles aren't easy to see as puzzles, but they absolutely aren't your typical stealth mission fodder, either. Like you said, Hitman is blunt, and while he can dress up easily very little of what he can do has to be stealthy. Looking at your analysis from this perspective, it shifts the whole idea of "what do we need to do to defeat this broken system". It is absolutely a power fantasy, but it is also ostensibly a school-playground, where students go to learn to analyze, deconstruct, and navigate these same massive, complex, and unique scenarios out in the wide world. You begin to get the idea that the devs are saying "we feel this pain, so we made a tool others can use. Practice, learn, and use."

[@rabidfish]

I'm so happy that 47 it's getting so much love. I've been a fan since Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, and it brings a smile to see constant new content. Come to think of it, Hitman is the only one standing from the classic stealth videogame era. MGS is gone, so is Splinter Cell, Tenchu, Commandos, and Thief.

[@ryannixon4138]

This aged like fine CEO wine

[@scytheslash]

You did a very good job in analyzing a game which a lot of people care about only for it's aesthetics, but it always had a solid design underpinning each and every one of its games throughout it's history. Hitman is primarily seen as a murder simulator but it has always been aware of its commentary on shifting allegiances within power dynamics and tries to stay neutral and above it, simply to market itself i feel (except for Hitman: Absolution). The game has always had a very strong feeling tied to its central character, 47 and his relationship with Diana was always meant to be a reflection on how human he was in each version. Personally Hitman 2: Silent Assassin is my favourite because it actually tries to explore Agent 47's humanity but it does so in very brief touches and broad strokes. The franchise is not very captivating to be honest but it has always been aware that people keep coming back to it because of the thrill of control it offers to the player, unlike many other games.

[@saints4025]

Whenever I play the hitman games, I always try to put myself in the mind of Agent 47. Instead of doing the easy routes, or the big boom, tanking my way to my target, I try and do the strategies that the game offers. It makes the cutscenes and the game much more fun and makes much more sense in my opinion. Plus it always makes me feel like i watched an action film, or a horror flick. Seeing him stalk down the targets.

[@DTLamia]

As someone studying Game Design atm I can't wrap my head around all the effort that went into each level Map, Characters and especially all the character routines and reactions are planed to such a high detail

[@w1q2e3r4t5]

oh my god an explanation of the plot of the Hitman series that actually explains what's going on in a way that's (sort of) easy to follow. THANK YOU. The first 5 minutes are better than like... 20 minute explainers

[@videocrowsnest5251]

While the temptation might be there, I would personally caution against labeling even the worst humanity has to offer as monsters. Because it can make it easy to forget they are just human beings, albeit very nasty ones, who choose to be horrid. The problem with labeling such people as monsters and dehumanizing them is that this easily makes one forget that they are just people, and thus we can never learn to keep an eye out for the warning signs to stop such people from developing into the end point when there is still a chance to intervene. As well, it washes the hands of the people in question a bit too much to call them monsters, because it implies that it isn't down to the fact they are choosing to be horrid, but somehow a matter of "destiny" or as if being a jerk is akin to an illness they got no control over. It's all a choice. They are people who choose to be absolute menaces, and that people component is best kept firmly in mind...you never know when you might cross paths with a person fast on their way to becoming this kind of person, and be in the position to intervene to alter the trajectory of their life path to not end up like this.

[@tomtomhrair8158]

well i'll be damned if this isn't one of the most wonderfully constructed and elegantly put video essays on hitman i've seen! your pacing is on point, the visuals are appropriate yet not distracting, and it's just an all-around delight seeing someone talk more at length about the plot and message of the games (: looking forward to more stuff from you whenever you make a comeback!

[@caaltbleck6144]

Loved the transition at 16:18

[@MrFuzzwuzzle]

Most people think its an action/stealth shooter When its actually a puzzle game disguised as a stealth shooter

[@The-S-H3lf-Eater]

It's a comedy slapstick game.

[@MrFuzzwuzzle]

@@The-S-H3lf-Eater yeah its mousetrap for the 21st century

[@zephels]

While the story and all that is certainly good and makes a great point, I'd like to acknowledge how damn good the dialogue is between characters. I genuinely believe that these games have some of the best random encounter dialogue in any game or movie. They managed to litter the game with heaps of subtle jokes without making it feel like a marvel movie.

[@atroxiv]

16:33 Is amazing, great editing and dramatic swell in the music at a timely moment. I always loved that track from Hitman as well.

[@broshutup56]

ive always wanted a critical analysis of hitman’s narrative thank u so much

[@Swadiy]

The Chongquing conversation is such a fun insight into 47’s character

[@towerbunga]

FINALLY SOMEBODY WHO APPREICIATES THE GAMES STORY! THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS AND AMAZING VIDEO!

[@ugaboga9829]

The fact that the Danish game company made a Swedish person a villain in their game is hillarius as a Norwegian😂

[@spinningredchair8092]

It's worth noting that despite 47 being a cold blooded killer, he always tries to minimize collateral. Whether or not that's because he has a moral compass or just wants to minimize how much attention he draws to himself is up for debate, but he tries not to kill non targets, even those trying to kill him. It's also worth noting that he had a bit of a lapse of faith in one of the past games so Diana specifically vets his contracts so that she can prove they're irredeemable bastards. One because she wants 47 to not have any doubts about who he's killing, and two like you said, she wants to prove to the world's elite that nobody is untouchable.

[@KaitouKaiju]

Real life billionaires may not have an Arctic base but there sure are a lot of parties on private islands

[@Kuso319]

Firstly, this is wonderful. The part about the random conversation moved me lmao. This was very well done!

[@X-SPONGED]

I think The Constant's conversation with Block illustrates a good point. All they truly have for power is cash. Without it, they're just like you and me, ordinary people just with fatter wallets. They can order people around, command monuments built for them, make bioweapons, play chess with entire nations. But at the end of the day, strip them from everything they have and put them in a pit. They're as pitiful as a stray dog with no home to go to. When all the money in the world is meaningless, what do you have to offer? 99% of the ark society has nothing to offer if the world ends. Everyone will have to work in the end, no amount of throwing money at the problem can fix it if money doesn't have value anymore. That's why the solution is ridiculously simple in the Hitman games. A bad guy does bad stuff? Well, kill him then! Because it's seriously that simple. They're not superhuman even those that believe they are. In the end of the day, a speedy silverball to the back of the head is equal to both the poor and the rich no matter how you slice it. No matter how high you stand, no matter what power you command. No matter how many goons you pay, empires you've built, money you own, influence you have, you are NOT untouchable. Nothing in this universe is untouchable. Not the stars, nor the planets, and especially not you.

[@rosemarythedrow]

First off -- the madlad's made a 20 minute info to state that killing the rich feels good. I mean same. And otherwise, that was a bloody well made piece. Thank you for the time and effort. Love your wide angle and nice delivery

[@megabuilder15]

This is a wonderfully made video, with impressive pacing and a unique take on a game that means a lot to me. Thank you, I really enjoyed what you’ve made!

[@Idkoscar1]

Underrated as hell, Good job dude! Had a moment of shock when i saw the view count.

[@jackofallartforms]

This was a very well done episode, I love long form content that's as dense as this

[@thibaultl1956]

This is the best review of hitman’s character and story by far.

[@enbybunny9940]

This essay is S-tier for many reasons, but my favorite part was the fact that you talked about the bridge dialogue in Chonqing. It’s one of my favorite pieces of dialogue in the entire trilogy, and I often find myself listening to the whole thing any time I’m put in that starting location. Being able to hear the subtle compassion in his voice is something that is so riveting and unique to hear from 47.

[@STANDARDISSUE_]

I love how you have the option to treat this as a fun murder simulator or a serious and dangerous task you meticulously trudge through as an emotionless machine, it really changes the mood a lot.

[@nuv2987]

hitman has always had a lot love for me as it’s been one of the most fun and funny games i’ve ever played, but i started paying more attention to the story in this past game and fell in love even mote

[@CooperBradley-j8u]

Luigi Mangionge is the real life Agent 47, except he goes to McDonalds

[@pumpkingpie2938]

I love the way this video seems like it's made by the Hitman Devs. Amazing work, Connor!

[@jakeg7581]

With freelancer, 47 is truly his own man now.

[@_x3o_]

this was incredibly written and very eloquently spoken, amazing work man

[@Niobesnuppa]

Very good video. I'm glad to see others giving this story some love, because it's a lot more well written than many people give it credit for. I really started appreciating it more after replaying the game for a second time and playing through each level much more quickly than I did the first time, so it felt more coherent.

[@Samv769]

The philosophy of this game is very cool !

[@lonepylon]

THANK YOU FOR THIS!! It pains me how much this trilogy's underlying themes and overarching story are glossed over by impatient players. I have a degree in film studies, so I tend to over-analyze narratives and pay close attention to even the most microscopic details of media that intrigues me. It's been frustrating trying to find analyses that actually pay attention to the story in WoA, so this was really refreshing to hear. I especially enjoyed how you went into detail about the actual commentaries of the trilogy, which isn't something I've heard people talk about. Even though I disagree with your conclusion on the ending, this was still a fascinating watch. Excellent work!

[@WeAreAlexandra]

Absolutely love this video!! Finally, someone gives this plot the respect it deserves!

[@throwscats]

First off--great essay, I watched all of it and I loved it. Second, I have a few takes that I think will be very unpopular about Hitman's story, in particular, and I wanna type them into the void of the internet. The first take is that, when I first started playing the game, I was disappointed with how derivative the plot was--and I hated Diana. I thought she was the typical pretty garnish that is meant to ornament 47, who is the main character and also a power fantasy for the player. However... In my opinion, Diana is the true protagonist of the Hitman trilogy. In my opinion, the story is almost entirely about her and also mostly propelled forward by her--even in the end, as you point out, Diana is a central character in truly understanding who 47 is. 47 is more of a blunt instrument (again, as you point out)--he does have character development, but it is nuanced and subtle (though very satisfying). Diana's story, however, is really what the game is about--in the end, she is the one who says, "No one is untouchable," and "untouchable" is a central theme of the game as well as the name of the final mission--it's also a phrase that comes from her father. I think Hitman is largely about justice, how justice is inevitable, and really about closure for Diana. When viewed from this lens, I actually find the ending to be extremely satisfying, and a nice ending for Diana's story. Even the final pivotal moment for 47 is about coming to terms for what he did to Diana--and I believe that moment is, indeed, more pivotal than him killing the constant. Even him killing the constant, at the end of the game, is something I think you could argue as 47 being motivated to do for Diana (albeit not fully). I love Diana, she's one of my favorite characters ever--and she is wonderfully nuanced and developed through the trilogy (and they immediately aged her, after the tutorial, which right away subverted what I thought they were doing with her). She's so complicated, as a character, that I was not sure if she would actually betray 47 or not. Not because she is evil, but because she is perpetually seeking justice for what happened to her family. Her relationship with 47 is also one of my favorite relationships in any media--there is also a lot of nuance and elegance to how those two are written for each other. 47 also has an important arc that is completed, and that's also satisfying, but I don't think it's the central arc of the overall story. I was also wrong, in my initial impression of Diana, obviously. I love watching the first cut scene again, knowing what I know about her. They knew what they were doing, in the writing, when it comes to her--she is immediately pulling the strings and, once you complete the trilogy, you fully know why. Last point--Diana is definitely also not just a faceless part of the ICA, and is never fully complicit with them. This is illustrated when they talk about how Diana was always careful to pick targets who she felt should be assassinated--yet another reason I think Diana is the true protag, because she is even the one who is initially picking the targets. It seems almost arbitrary, at first, but you learn that Diana is always motivated to go after people like that--she continues to be on board with who 47 goes after because she believes it's just. She wants to take down Providence because of what they did to her family. Edit: Also, the final mission has Diana outsmarting Edwards, which Lucas remarks to 47. This is mirroring the tutorial mission, where Diana outsmarts Soders. The trilogy is very poetic like that, with her character.

[@luminus8187]

“They’re will be no shortage of people to replace the hole that 47 create” Queue in freelancer BABYYY

[@dodgethis5290]

Really great video mate! I love the chapter about power. It's true that the storytelling takes a back seat in these games (that I also love), but your thoughts on the matter really hit home with how the story made me feel.

[@AtebitAcorn]

Your audio is so good. Top quality. Actually soothing to listen to. I’ve noticed that a lot in various hitman KZbinrs. It’s a very good community.

[@caioaugusto3138]

"Stranburg is cartoonishly evil" Bro doesnt know about the brazilian supreme court lmao

[@burritosforlater]

this deserves more likes. shame on all you that watched it without hitting that thumbs up

[@lobaandrade7172]

Finally someone who focuses on the underrated story if this trilogy rather than the over analyzed (but still genius) gameplay

[@K4g4m1]

I'm glad I clicked on this video. Many video essays turn out to be a lot less interesting than they appear at a glance but this was fascinating.

[@fischyfischy7532]

i can never have enough hitman essays

[@dingusmaximus4492]

16:29 nice edit. Simple and effective like Agent 47. You earned yourself a subscriber.

[@FSG-Cat]

I would say that the conclusion to the story doesnt make as much sense until you realise it was not finished. Its more fair to say the story is finished with Freelancer as the directors commentary for Untouchable or The Fearwell makes a comment about Agent 47s own agency and his own comments about his work with Diana. Freelancer after all takes 47 and dependent on how you look as it makes him the primary controller with Diana only providing minimal assistance in the form of information of who is the target and how to identify said target in the case of Showdowns. (Plus as far as i remember the timeline is that freelancer takes place about a year after edwards is taken care of so that does align with the time skip that the new deal cutscene mentions.)

[@MrTobiasRieper]

damn, I thought this was a pretty big channel by that prod value! A pretty good video!

[@spacedragon1453]

I love how you said neutrality is a political stance. Drives home that everything is political.

[@smartfella13]

it’s true

[@h4n.mp3]

Im kinda late, but your channel is soo underrated

[@ShadowOfMoria]

cool analysis bro. I only now realized why the villain in morocco mission is a swede. Io interactive is danish

[@andreasottohansen7338]

I would like to present something about this point here at 15:29, though I intentionally go beyond the scope of the video, by dealing with parts of Contracts, and Absolution. Specifically, Contracts' "Asylum Aftermath", and "Hunter and Hunted", and Absolution's "Run for your Life", because these are missions where things have gone south, and 47 is the one on the backfoot. Asylum Aftermath takes place right after the end of Codename 47, and sees 47 leave the Asylum he was created in for the last time after putting an end to his creator, slipping past the Romanian police sent in force to investigate. Hunter and Hunted has 47 be ambushed by the french GIGN after carrying out a hit on 2 targets (depicted in Blood Money's "Curtain Call"), with a third one evading him at the site, but leading the GIGN in attempting to kill 47. Lastly, Run for your Life has 47 underestimate his target's bodyguard, left to die and be framed for murder, and therefore on the run from Chicago police. With the scene set, I want to point out a commonality here. Each of these, as mentioned, has 47 dealing with an ambush, a police raid, or generally alert and aware enemies, but with no actual targets for the mission. The exception is the target in Hunter and Hunted, Albert Fournier ,but as mentioned, he was already marked out for execution by the ICA. In all these missions, if you take Silent Assassin rating as the canon completion for 47, even when pushed the farthest, he kills no one that isn't marked for death by the ICA. Which loops us back to my favorite mission in all of Hitman, the mission depicted at the time stamp, "Apex Predator". While in this video, it is presented as an ambush, I would argue that it isn't. It is a squad that has already lost their chance at 47, had he stuck to his old ways and just slipped away like he has done before, but not in this mission. Because this mission isn't about 47 on the backfoot, but him reminding the ICA that he isn't just a weapon, but an apex predator. Unlike the other ambushes, he isn't slipping away, but taking control of the situation. Lastly, unlike the other ambushes, targets are added because of this scenario, not just the already approved leftovers like Fournier. While in the scope of his mission against Providence, he was definitely on the backfoot at this point, the moment he decided to get involved with the ICA agents, it wasn't an ambush. It was work.

[@ActionScripter]

I've come back to rewatch this a couple of times and it's a banger each time. Nice work.

[@lightninbolt986]

This deserves far more appreciation and interaction that it has

[@rexesshadow8628]

A great essay and and even better video in total.

[@SANTAtheGREY]

always a good day when I find a new video essayist that knows what he's doing. This was great! I've honestly never thought twice about the plot of Hitman, I realize now that I didn't even understand it, disjointed as it is 😅

[@ryansmith1794]

This video made me appreciate the Hitman story so much more

[@smoothcheese470]

how the hell does this guy have only 139 subs !!! GET THIS MAN MORE SUBS !

[@GothBear]

this is a wonderful examination which put a finger I didn't know I was holding a pulse I was not truly looking for. thank you.

[@Tuzsuz12]

Nice essay, Agent Ryan. The money will be transacted to your bank account.

[@FirstLast-cg2nk]

The idea that, in the end, 47's campaign didn't change much makes sense when you consider one simple truth about capitalism: There will always be another new group of rich people to replace the old. If the CEO of a corporation dies, the corporation just selects a new CEO. A billionaire dies, his fortune gets passed on to whoever they chose in their will, usually their own offspring. The wealth of the wealthy never goes back to the people who were exploited to gain it, it just goes to other wealthy people. That's the end message, I think. As cathartic as it would be to be able to just wipe out the 1% who use their wealth and power to exploit people and perpetuate human suffering, the truth is, those people are as replaceable as the lowly mail clerk at the bottom rung of the CEO's corporation, or the guy who walks the billionaire's dog. This is because both are produced by the same capitalist system, one that has been rigged to keep the wealth of the rich with the rich and to keep making the rich richer, while keeping the poor in poverty and all the while making them poorer. Elon Musk is just as replaceable as Joe Schmoe the garbage man: When he dies, someone else will take over his duties as CEO, and his wealth will pass on to someone else. He's just another link in a long chain of rich people. The end message here is that, even if you really could just do what 47 did in real life, it won't change anything because the system that created people like this keeps chugging along, an engine powered by human suffering and broken dreams. The world won't change by putting bullets into rich people, as satisfying and cathartic as it might feel to do so in the game, because the system that creates people like the members of Providence still exists and keeps creating new ones as fast you remove them. Real change isn't going to happen by sniping rich people or blowing them up with explosive rubber ducks. It's only when a new, better system is made that prevents groups like Providence from existing, replacing a world where all someone needs to harm others, manipulate governments, or control the world is a large enough pile of money... that the world can really be changed for the better.

[@aturchomicz821]

Now aint that that the truth...

[@holstatt6896]

*communism intensifies*

[@liz5100]

I know this video is only about the newer trilogy, but I have to say that at 18:00 when you talk about the core fantasy of Hitman is I could suddenly viscerally remember what it was like to make the first kill in the Hitman game First Blood I think. As someone who grew up right before the 2008 recession I was getting that catharsis.

[@marioformicadae6637]

It's sad how underrated this franchise is, most people just think its mindless murder simulator, lol

[@Ikcatcher]

I always enjoy when people analyse game stories when the plot isn’t exactly why people played it in the first place

[@CortexHistory]

This is the third time watching this video and it never fails to amaze me every time I watch it and this truly deserves all the praise it has gotten and more love this and I thank you ❤

[@Tedi652]

The only thing I'd say is that the world it illustrates and the powerful people in it are not cartoonish at all; rather accurate illustrations. Scary accurate. Minus the bondesque secret society/illuminati themes, these people who are your targets are spot on people from irl. I guess we can dismiss them as cartoonish because it's a good coping mechanism but I wouldn't take comfort in that. Apart from that, really good video; thoroughly enjoyed it.

[@Iceman4096]

Phenomenal video. Definitely worth the watch.