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Methuselah-group-picture

The Methuselah (メトセラ,Metosera), or "Long-Lived Race" (長生種,Chōsei-shu) as indicated in the original Japanese text, are vampire-like creatures that feed on human blood and have supernatural strength, speed, healing abilities, and a prolonged lifespan of over three-hundred years.[1] Normal humans refer to these creatures as "Vampires", a term most Methuselah find to be extremely offensive.

Methuselah are humans that have been infected by the Kudlak Bacillus, which were created by Krusnik nanomachines as their food. After their discovery, the Mars colonizers infected themselves, giving them the ability to live in the harsh Martian terrain. After Mars colonizers returned to Earth, however, due to Earth's closer proximity to the Sun, the Kudlak Bacillus mutated into something that consumes the red blood cells of their hosts, driving their hosts to feed on human blood.

The Methuselah must drink blood in order to replenish the blood they have lost to the bacillus. Unlike vampires of myth, the Methuselah of Trinity Blood can eat regular food and reproduce (albeit repressed). However, they must avoid sunlight, as it will cause the bacillus to rapidly devour the Methuselah's body instead of just their red blood cells. Silver can also cause their Methuselah powers to be temporarily dampened.

It should be noted that the origins of Methuselah are not known by most of the characters in the series, although it appears they do understand the mechanisms of the "bacillus". [2] A Vatican-approved book states that these people appeared after Armageddon, claiming they had come from Earth's second moon and were a completely different species than those found on Earth.[3]

History of Methuselah[]

Background of the Kudlak Bacillus[]

See main article: Krusnik.

The Kudlak Bacillus were created by the Crusniks to serve as their food. Crusnik Nanomachines were created by an intelligent life form several billion years ago, but destroyed the race that create them, eventually their spaceship, "The Ark," crash-landed onto Mars. Some time later, the Abel Nightroad, Lilith Sahl, and Red Mars Project colonizers discovered them, along with the Kudlak Bacillus.

Discovery and Integration of the Kudlak Bacillus[]

Upon examination of the alien bodies within The Ark, Seth Nightlord discovered the Kudlak Bacillus (バチルス・クドラク, Bachirusu kudoraku) and the Crusnik Bacillus (named after their cross-like shape). However, the Crusnik Bacillus proved to be difficult to grow, and attempts to reproduce more were unsuccessful.

Some time after the discovery of the bacilli, accident in a project left Cain and another colonizer near the brink of death. In an effort to save them, Seth injected the two with the Crusnik Bacillus. This initially killed them both, but after some time, Cain came back to life, suggesting that only the four genetically-enhanced individuals are capable of utilizing the Crusnik nanomachines. The Crusnik Bacillus was frozen and preserved, while the Kudlak Bacillus were replicated and distributed to the other colonizers.

Armageddon[]

See main article: Armageddon.

Every country wanted to gain possession of “The Ark.” Due to the fact that every country had a colonizer (now Methuselah) representative on Mars, war broke out on Mars, known as the Martian Civil War. The spaceship that the colonizers had used to travel from Earth, as well as the equipment used to communicate to Earth, were all destroyed in the process. At this time on Earth, there was a global nuclear war, known as Armageddon.

Return to Earth and The Dark Ages[]

See main article: The Dark Ages.

After eighty years, the colonizers (now Methuselah) were able to rebuild a spaceship and return to Earth. The colonizers (or "returners") were able to return to Earth, only to find the planet in a devastated state, with only Europe being one of the few continents left standing (as it was affected by biological weapons). The returners vowed to help the people on Earth.

Some time later, possibly due to Earth's closer proximity to the Sun, the Kudlak Bacillus in their blood caused the symptoms of vampirism. Many humans were killed by the returners, even against their will, and conflict soon broke out between the returners and people on Earth. Cain, Abel and Seth joined the war and took the side of the "returners," while Lilith also infused herself to help the humans.

After the Dark Ages[]

With the help of Lilith, the humans were able to defeat the Methuselah returners. The Methuselah were driven to Eastern Europe, while humans lived in Western Europe. The Methuselah returners who fought for the humans or were unable to flee to Eastern Europe stayed in Western Europe. Thus the Methuselah of the series mainly live in The New Human Empire, while some Methuselah remain in the Ghetto of The Kingdom of Albion.

Creation[]

Methuselah are created in two ways: from being born from Methuselah parents (or simply a Methuselah mother), or from a human being infected with the Kudlak bacillus. There have been successful experiments to create Methuselah using blood transfusions, but not all humans are compatible with the Kudlak Bacillus, and it is possible those bitten by a Methuselah bite will have no reaction at all, or die from brain damage. In "one tenth of a percent" of humans bitten will become vampires.[4] In Mark of a Lady Saint/ Imitation Star, the Vatican reports Esther Blanchett had died from a brain infection.

The children born to Methuselah parents initially age at the same rate as normal humans, are unaffected by the sunlight or silver, until they "awaken." This can be a fast or a gradual process. Once an "awakening" occurs, however, their aging slows, their reproductive system is repressed, and their skin burns under the sun and in contact with silver. For this reason, Ion Fortuna, who had gone through his awakening at a young age, appears significantly younger than Radu Barvon, even though they are similar in age.

Powers[]

The Kudlak Bacillus of a Methuselah can change into different forms and increase their host's strength. Methuselah also possess certain powers that vary for each individual. But this does not hold true for all Methuselah, as not all of their kind are born with some special powers. The power usually ends up allowing an Methuselah to create a blade from their his or her arm or claws, but some Methuselah have elemental powers. However, in return the consume their host's red blood cells, as the Kudlak bacillus cannot consume oxygen on it's own.[5]

  • Shape-shifting: When the Kudlak Bacillus enters the muscles of their hosts, they can assist with shape shifting. Often this is in the form of blades that comes out of the arm, claws, or even as sharp, prehensile hair. [6]
  • "Haste-mode:" Allows a Methuselah move twenty times faster than their normal speed for a short period of time. The state is activated by voluntary overstimulation of the host's nervous system, and use of this ability is very draining.
  • Flight: Astharoshe Asran demonstrates this ability when possessed by another Methuselah in the anime, but it is not seen anywhere else.
  • Elemental Forces: Rare subspecies of Methuselah such as Efreet/ Ifrit can create fire.
  • Regeneration and healing: Methuselah are able to regenerate lost body parts like the vampires of certain myths. Lost fingers, for example, grow back overnight.[7] It is implied that they are able to continue living as long as the heart is not destroyed. After Alfred Duke of Meinz has sustained horrific dismemberment, he carries on living, but screams and dies as his heart is destroyed.[8] If a limb or some other piece of their body is severed but not destroyed, a Methuselah can simply re-attach it by pressing the two edges of the cut together and allowing it to heal. This process can occur within seconds. The Kudlak bacillus can close wounds in the place of platelets.[9]

Weaknesses[]

Methuselah are vulnerable to a few things that can actually kill or weaken them:

  • Sunlight:
    Act
    Causes the Bacillus to rapidly devour the Methuselah's body instead of just their red blood cells. This is because UV light increases the activity of the Kudlak Bacillus, casing them to consume everything in it's path; flesh, bone, and then each other. The "smoke" that arises during this process comes from water vapor, resulting in the appearance of "burning" skin.
  • Silver/silver nitrate: Stops the activity of Kudlak Bacillus, rendering the Methuselah to become more of a normal human, but does not kill them. Because it disables their Methuselah powers, however, it makes them vulnerable to death (such as being stabbed in a fatal organ). Methuselah can also drink diluted silver to temporarily walk under the sun.
  • Vital areas: Are the head/neck/brain stem and heart. Destroying any of these (through decapitation, for instance) will kill a Methuselah.[10]
  • Reproduction: If a Methuselah and human reproduce, the child will be the same species as the mother. If a human mother becomes a Methuselah through the exchange of body fluids, her child will also be a Methuselah. Reproduction in Methusalah is significantly repressed compared with normal humans.

Subspecies[]

Efreet[]

Efreet (イフリート; Category F), also known as Ifrit are extremely rare and dangerous Methuselah with pyrokinetic abilities. Radu Barvon is one of them.

Act

Radu displaying his Efreet powers.

Instead of sweat glands they have two kinds of secretion glands in their hands. These open through their keratinized skin to secrete the glycerides and high-purity naphthenic acid they can produce inside their bodies. Inside the napthene are germs that die when exposed to oxygen. Their dead bodies then emit heat that causes the potassium chlorate in the glycerides to catch fire. The resulting weapon of naphthene-glyceride surrounding the burning potassium chlorate can reach up to 80% napalm.[11] Some rare individuals such as Radu Barvon also possess flammable blood which burns even hotter than their normal flames, though using it as a form of attack is typically impractical as a great deal of blood must be lost for the flames to be significantly large.

Fairies[]

Fairies (妖精) are a rare subspecies of child-like vampires with thin wings that can emit supersonic waves.[12] With the ventilation through the secondary lungs on their backs they can achieve high-speed flight.[13]

Professor James Barrie, former department head of the Londinium Integrated University Medical faculty, kidnapped children and succeeded in converting some into fairies, among them Curly and Wendy.

Others[]

  • Doppelgänger can change their appearance by converting the cellular arrangement of their body's surface to look like an exact replica of another person. Kaspar is one of them.
  • Mermaids (Category F) can transform underwater. In the case of Angelina, her lower body becomes that of a shark.
  • Dryad (Category F) have the ability to control plants.

Etymology[]

"Methuselah" is biblical figure who was said to have lived for 969 years. He was also the grandfather of Noah.

In Croatian and Slovenian mythology, a person born with a caul was destined to become either a Kudlak or a Kresnik. A person so destined to become a Kudlak would already begin a career of evil while still alive - at night, his soul would leave his body, taking the form of animal, fly, and attack or harm people. After his death, he will become an undead vampire. But if a person born with a caul became a Kresnik, he became a champion of the community. While he lived, his soul would leave his body at night in the form of an animal to fight against both living and undead Kudlaks.

In the anime DVD booklets, the Kudlak Bacillus are just referred to as "Bacillus." In the English translation of the novels, "Kudlak" was romanticized into "Kudrak."

Read More[]

References[]

  1. Act. 24 Good Morning Babilonia.
  2. "No one could explain where they came from, nor why they existed. One theory was that they were a forgotten breed, resurrected from the darkness. Another said a group of people had been afflicted with a certain disease, which caused the changes that created them." -- Trinity Blood: Reborn on the Mars. Volume I: The Star of Sorrow. Chapter IV.
  3. Trinity Blood: Reborn on the Mars. Volume I: The Star of Sorrow. Chapter IV.
  4. Trinity Blood: Rage Against Moons. Volume II: Neverland.
  5. Trinity Blood: Reborn on the Mars III: Empress of the Night.
  6. Trinity Blood: Reborn on the Mars III: Empress of the Night.
  7. Trinity Blood: Reborn on the Mars I: The Star of Sorrow: The Hunter's Banquet (pg. 66)
  8. Episode 1: Flight Night
  9. Trinity Blood: Reborn on the Mars III: Empress of the Night.
  10. Trinity Blood: Reborn on the Mars II: The Iblis.
  11. Trinity Blood: Reborn on the Mars II: The Visitor's Evening, pt. II (pg. 38f)
  12. Trinity Blood: Rage Against Moons II: Silent Noise: Never Land, pt. III
  13. Trinity Blood: Reborn on the Mars II: The Iblis: The Visitor's Evening, pt. II (pg. 38)

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