TV-Series
Description
Apocryphos is a unique being within the world of D.Gray-man Hallow, as it is not a human nor a typical weapon. It is an independent, sentient piece of Innocence, the very substance used to fight the Millennium Earl and his Akuma. Having existed for an estimated seven thousand years, Apocryphos has a singular, overriding purpose: to protect the Heart of Innocence at all costs. For a very long time, it remained hidden and inactive, concealing itself within the Black Order under the unassuming guise of an unnamed Cardinal from the Central Vatican. In this human form, he appears as a friendly and amiable man with light brown hair and glasses, which he does not actually require, dressing in the black cassock of a high-ranking official. To those around him, he seems calm and reassuring, even comforting Allen Walker’s friends when they are worried about the exorcist’s fate.
This placid demeanor, however, is a complete fabrication. When Apocryphos reveals its true nature, it undergoes a terrifying physical transformation. Its body becomes tall, entirely white, and marked with a cracked appearance, losing all hair and facial features such as a nose. Its eyes shift dramatically, with the sclera turning dark red and the irises becoming a light green, marked by a glowing red slit. Most notably, a cross identical in shape and size to the one on Allen Walker’s left hand appears on its upper chest.
In this true form, Apocryphos’s personality shifts to match its inhuman purpose. It becomes ruthless, obsessive, and driven entirely by its mission to safeguard the Heart. It harbors a deep and abiding hatred for the Noah family, seeing them as a fundamental threat. Its primary motivation upon awakening is to absorb Allen Walker, as it perceives the Noah genes awakening within the young exorcist as a danger to the Heart that must be neutralized or eliminated. Apocryphos believes that merging with Allen is a form of salvation or assistance, and it becomes enraged when Allen expresses revulsion at the act. This goal frames its role in the story as a primary antagonist, one who drives Allen from the safety of the Order and into a life as a fugitive.
Apocryphos’s key relationships are defined by this obsession. It sees Allen Walker not as a person but as a vessel to be absorbed and a threat to be managed. It is revealed that Apocryphos was responsible for attacking Allen’s own master, Cross Marian, using Cross’s own Innocence against him. This act, along with its relentless pursuit, cements Apocryphos as a figure of hatred and fear for Allen. Its relationship with the Noah family is purely antagonistic; Tyki Mikk, a powerful Noah, confirms that his family has hunted for Apocryphos for millennia and directly engages it in battle, finding himself overpowered. Apocryphos also interacts with other exorcists, such as Howard Link and Yu Kanda, viewing them as obstacles to be removed or manipulated.
In terms of development, Apocryphos undergoes little personal change, as it is not a human character but a being driven by a hard-coded directive. Its evolution is more about revelation: it progresses from a trusted Cardinal within the Order to an exposed, autonomous weapon with its own terrifying agenda. Its actions directly force a major shift in the series' status quo, branding Allen a traitor and scattering the main characters. Apocryphos wields several notable abilities that make it an extraordinarily dangerous foe. It has complete control over other pieces of Innocence, allowing it to use them for its own purposes, track them, or even de-synchronize a weapon from its own exorcist, rendering the wielder helpless. It is also capable of manipulating the memories of humans, often erasing the memories of those who witness its true form, implanting false orders, or simply erasing the event from their minds. Physically, Apocryphos possesses extreme speed and strength, able to easily outmaneuver trained fighters like Link and Yu Kanda, and physically dominate a Noah as powerful as Tyki Mikk. Furthermore, it is nearly immortal, demonstrating a high resistance or immunity to attacks from both Innocence and Dark Matter. It has recovered almost instantly from a pierced skull and a snapped neck, showing no signs of aging over its seven-thousand-year existence.
This placid demeanor, however, is a complete fabrication. When Apocryphos reveals its true nature, it undergoes a terrifying physical transformation. Its body becomes tall, entirely white, and marked with a cracked appearance, losing all hair and facial features such as a nose. Its eyes shift dramatically, with the sclera turning dark red and the irises becoming a light green, marked by a glowing red slit. Most notably, a cross identical in shape and size to the one on Allen Walker’s left hand appears on its upper chest.
In this true form, Apocryphos’s personality shifts to match its inhuman purpose. It becomes ruthless, obsessive, and driven entirely by its mission to safeguard the Heart. It harbors a deep and abiding hatred for the Noah family, seeing them as a fundamental threat. Its primary motivation upon awakening is to absorb Allen Walker, as it perceives the Noah genes awakening within the young exorcist as a danger to the Heart that must be neutralized or eliminated. Apocryphos believes that merging with Allen is a form of salvation or assistance, and it becomes enraged when Allen expresses revulsion at the act. This goal frames its role in the story as a primary antagonist, one who drives Allen from the safety of the Order and into a life as a fugitive.
Apocryphos’s key relationships are defined by this obsession. It sees Allen Walker not as a person but as a vessel to be absorbed and a threat to be managed. It is revealed that Apocryphos was responsible for attacking Allen’s own master, Cross Marian, using Cross’s own Innocence against him. This act, along with its relentless pursuit, cements Apocryphos as a figure of hatred and fear for Allen. Its relationship with the Noah family is purely antagonistic; Tyki Mikk, a powerful Noah, confirms that his family has hunted for Apocryphos for millennia and directly engages it in battle, finding himself overpowered. Apocryphos also interacts with other exorcists, such as Howard Link and Yu Kanda, viewing them as obstacles to be removed or manipulated.
In terms of development, Apocryphos undergoes little personal change, as it is not a human character but a being driven by a hard-coded directive. Its evolution is more about revelation: it progresses from a trusted Cardinal within the Order to an exposed, autonomous weapon with its own terrifying agenda. Its actions directly force a major shift in the series' status quo, branding Allen a traitor and scattering the main characters. Apocryphos wields several notable abilities that make it an extraordinarily dangerous foe. It has complete control over other pieces of Innocence, allowing it to use them for its own purposes, track them, or even de-synchronize a weapon from its own exorcist, rendering the wielder helpless. It is also capable of manipulating the memories of humans, often erasing the memories of those who witness its true form, implanting false orders, or simply erasing the event from their minds. Physically, Apocryphos possesses extreme speed and strength, able to easily outmaneuver trained fighters like Link and Yu Kanda, and physically dominate a Noah as powerful as Tyki Mikk. Furthermore, it is nearly immortal, demonstrating a high resistance or immunity to attacks from both Innocence and Dark Matter. It has recovered almost instantly from a pierced skull and a snapped neck, showing no signs of aging over its seven-thousand-year existence.