When we think of a stereotypical 'hitman', we imagine a taciturn thug with a cold heart. And indeed, this is how Hitman's Agent 47 was initially depicted: a clinical killer so precise in approach that he can't even afford to have a hair on his head. Yet, by the end of the rebooted trilogy, Agent 47 has become far more sympathetic. He exudes charm and coolness, and his targets are uncaring billionaires and diabolical scientists; he kills to bring down a nefarious shadow government. How did 47 become an iconic anti-hero?
Since its release in 2000 with Hitman: Codename 47, the series established and strengthened a reputation for pioneering level design and increasingly convoluted assassinations for players to carry out. Likewise, 47 and the plots in which he is embroiled have matured, revealing a little more about his personality with each new entry and driving away from the unfeeling killer we meet in the first game. From the start, 47's targets have tended to be bad people - his debut sees him dispatching mobsters, drug traffickers, and gun runners - but he doesn't express any moral opinions one way or the other about their removal from the world. The presence of 47's creator, or 'father', Ort-Meyer is also much more keenly felt here than later in the series.
Spoiler warning: this piece contains plot spoilers for pretty much every game in the series.
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