Aside from the Souls series, Bloodborne is widely considered to be FromSoftware’s magnum opus. Even though it plays and feels like FromSoftware’s Dark Souls series, there’s an air of individuality about Bloodborne. It’s familiar, yet unique at the same time. All in all, those who loved the studio’s prior games fell in love with Bloodborne as well.
One of the most amazing aspects of a game like Bloodborne is its unconventional way of telling stories. While playing the game, you will also meet a lot of enigmatic characters. Gehrman is one such character. Gehrman is arguably one of the game’s most important and interesting characters, and there is a ton of information about the man that makes him so much more incredible.
10 Inventor Of The Trick Weapon
The trick weapons in Bloodborne are absolute works of art. Every single weapon in the game comes with two functions, technically giving you two weapons in one item. If you enjoyed this aspect of the game, you can thank dear old Gehrman for that.
During the rise of the beast plague, Gehrman, an already formidable fighter, would rise to the occasion. To get rid of the beasts effectively, Gehrman invented the Burial Blade, a weapon that can be both a short-ranged or a long-ranged weapon. This came to be known as the first trick weapon, and every single one created moving forward used to cull beasts followed the same principle.
9 A Hunter’s Fighting Style
For a hunter to be effective, not only do they need to be brave and strong, but they also need to be highly agile. The beasts that roam the world of Bloodborne don’t exactly take their time in taking down anything that stands in their way.
Gehrman, the first hunter, knew this fact well. His cunning and reflexes were highly effective in dealing with the beast infestation. In fact, agility became a prerequisite for one to become a hunter. Gehrman’s fighting style essentially became the one all hunters after him employed.
8 Gehrman Is The Moon Presence’s Surrogate Child
According to the description of the Umbilical Cord, every Great One loses their child and then yearns for a surrogate. The reason why a Great One will always lose its child is unknown, but this information hints that the Great Ones are, at least, emotional in nature.
Taking this information into consideration, the Moon Presence seems to consider Gehrman as its surrogate child. Otherwise, he’s just using Gehrman, the very first hunter, to train other hunters in order to get rid of Mergo. Whatever the case, if Great Ones indeed yearn for a surrogate child, Gehrman is the Moon Presence’s closest thing for that.
7 Gehrman Is Suffering From Depression
Poor old Gehrman. If you speak to him while he’s awake. He will do his best to keep an optimistic and helpful demeanor. However, judging by the things Gehrman utters in his sleep, the Moon Presence is keeping him in Hunter’s Dream against his wishes, and he hates every single moment of it.
You can spot him sleeping in his chair behind the workshop in the Hunter’s Dream, on random occasions. If you do manage to spot him during these occasions, Gehrman will utter things like “I’m too old for this” or “help me”. He will also call for his former companions, urging them to wake him up from this “nightmare”.
6 Attacking Prematurely
In case your heart hardens and turns to ice for a day, and you want to attack a man in a wheelchair, granted, a very quick and powerful man in a wheelchair, you absolutely can.
In case you didn’t know, or you haven’t finished the game yet, then you shouldn’t be reading this next part. Before you can fight Gehrman during the final stage of the game, you can attack him while he’s in the workshop. He will disappear and simply reappear when you return to the workshop, but that’s something you can do if you want to satisfy your sadistic nature.
5 Gehrman’s Missing Right Leg
One of Gehrman’s most distinctive features is his right leg. Better yet, the absence of his right leg. Gehrman’s right leg seems to have been severed, most probably during his days as a hunter, and replaced with a peg leg.
There’s actually a very good explanation as to why Gehrman’s right leg is missing. According to the Old Hunter Trousers description, it was a widespread belief in the past that “beast blood crept up the right leg”. Perhaps Gehrman severed his right leg after being attacked in the past, in fear of turning into a beast himself.
4 Gehrman’s Connection With The Orphan Of Kos
The Orphan of Kos is a boss fight you can encounter at the end of The Old Hunters DLC. If you’ve had the privilege, then you are aware that this boss fight is, without a doubt, the toughest boss fight in the entire game, and arguably one of the hardest in the Soulsborne franchise.
Interestingly, there are things about the Orphan that seems to tie him with Gehrman. First of all, the way the Orphan cries when you first encounter him is the exact same sound file of Gehrman’s cries. When you defeat him, the doll will comment that Gehrman is sleeping soundly for the first time in a long time. Finally, the trailer for the Old Hunters DLC shows Gehrman himself walking towards the Lighthouse Hut in the Fishing Hamlet. Their exact connection is unknown, but its existence is undoubtful.
3 Gehrman And Lady Maria
Gehrman and Lady Maria had a very close relationship, right up to Lady Maria’s death. Lady Maria was one of Gehrman’s many students, and it seems she grew to be Gehrman’s favorite. Eventually, thanks to Gehrman’s training, Lady Maria became an established and highly skilled hunter.
Lady Maria eventually decided to end her own life for what she and Gehrman did at the Fishing Hamlet. Stricken by grief, Gehrman fashioned the Doll from Lady Maria’s image.
2 Gehrman’s Clothing
A hunter’s efficiency doesn’t only rely on their weapon, they should also take their clothing into account. A hunter’s clothing set must always remain light as to not hinder speed and movement. This too can be traced from Gehrman’s combat style and clothing preference.
Gehrman’s hunter attire was made by making adjustments to everyday clothing. Although, Gehrman’s personal set has been torn and withered, perhaps from his previous various engagements with beasts.
1 Gehrman The Ladies’ Man
Gehrman’s life as a full-fledged hunter may have tainted his romantic life. There is evidence that Gehrman may have had romantic feelings towards Lady Maria, someone who was once his student. It is, however, unclear whether or not Lady Maria reciprocated this feeling.
In the Bloodborne comic series, it is also implied that Gehrman had a history with Iosefka. If you look around the workshop at the Hunter’s Dream, you’ll find that Gehrman keeps a book titled “How to pick up fair maidens.” Perhaps Gehrman wanted more to life than just being alone as an old hunter.
NEXT: Bloodborne: 10 Terrifyingly Terrific Pieces Of Fan Art
