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Pacific Rim

"Now tell me what you want...before I gut you like a pig and feed you to the skin louse."
—Hannibal Chau to Newton Geiszler [3]

Hannibal Chau is the alias of an anonymous Kaiju organ harvester and black marketeer operating in Hong Kong, China.

History[]

The man known as Hannibal Chau has been involved in black marketeering since before the emergence of the Kaiju in 2013.[1] He smuggled exotic animals and possibly drugs and weapons, and also has connections to organized crime in Asia, Russia, and Eastern Europe.[1] During the earliest tenure of the Kaiju War, Chau is officially contracted by the Pan Pacific Defense Corps to assist in the recovery of Kaiju remains in exchange for profits. However, in 2021, the Defense Corps suddenly ends their affiliation with him.[1]

Kaiju Remedies[]

Despite having lost his contract with the Defense Corps, Chau continues to harvest body parts from dead Kaiju and sell them on the black market via his organization "Kaiju Remedies" over the next three years. In 2024, after the United Nations decides to abandon the Jaeger Program, Chau agrees to a supplier contract with Stacker Pentecost. This arrangement provides the Marshal with the necessary funding for the war effort and any Kaiju body parts which have military value.[3]

Pacific Rim[]

By 2025, Chau has his base of operations set up in the Bone Slums of Hong Kong. In early January, Newton Geiszler approaches him to obtain a Kaiju brain to drift with. At first, Chau explains the difficulties to Newton on obtaining a Kaiju brain and then asks why he would want one to begin with. Despite the information being classified, Newton can't resist telling him how all the Kaiju brains are connected and that he intends to drift with one.[3]

Shocked, Chau checks Newton's eye and realizes that he really has drifted with a Kaiju brain before. Now infuriated at Newton's carelessness, he reminds the scientist that drifting is a two-way street, meaning that if all Kaiju are connected and Newton has entered that connection, then the Kaiju now know who he is and will come after him.[3]

Chau's theory is proven to be correct when two Category IV Kaiju, Otachi and Leatherback, emerge from the Breach and head straight for Hong Kong to kill Newton. As Otachi enters the city and closes in on Newton's location, Chau hides out in his own private Kaiju Shelter and forces Newton to go to a public one. After Gipsy Danger kills both Kaiju, Chau is quick to pounce on Otachi's remains in order to harvest the Kaiju's organs for his own gain. As he and his men move out, they are intercepted by Newton, who angrily demands the Kaiju brain he requested. Impressed that Newton survived, Chau agrees and takes him to the site of Otachi's corpse.[3]

Chau's men are able to locate the Otachi's secondary brain, but report that it sustained damage in the Kaiju's battle against Gipsy Danger. In a panic, Newton tries to relay to Chau the sound of a heartbeat coming over the dealer's walkie-talkie. Chau is the first to react to the sound of his men being eaten inside Otachi's body and is able to escape the Baby Kaiju's rampage before Newton can.[3]

The Baby Kaiju chases Newton, ignorant of the umbilical cord wrapped around its neck, and appears to choke itself to death. Chau comes out of hiding, quick to declare he knew the Baby Kaiju would die because of its underdeveloped lungs. He tosses his balisong at the Baby Kaiju's nose and retrieves his blade just as quickly. However, just as he wipes the blade clean, the Baby Kaiju springs back to life and swallows him whole before dying for good. Despite what appears to be an apparent death, Chau uses his balisong knife to eventually slice his way out of the Baby Kaiju's stomach and then angrily questions the whereabouts of his missing shoe, unaware that it was not swallowed with him.[3]

Personality[]

Hannibal Chau is a cynical and short tempered, but also wealthy and materialistic individual with strong beliefs. As a black market dealer, Chau provides the public with merchandise that is considered illegal by the Defense Corps and unattainable through conventional means. The Defense Corps appears to allow Chau to sell whatever Kaiju body parts he desires except for those that have research and military value.[4] In return, his contract with the Defense Corps, while unsanctioned and isolated to Stacker Pentecost, makes him a valued asset to their cause.[4]

The large profits he makes from selling Kaiju organs and body parts are manifested in the pride he takes in his appearance (gold-plated shoes and embroidered clothing). As a criminal, Chau cares little for the world around him or the people who work for him, and only associates with them at all for the purpose of making money.[4] He is also quick to mock the fears and personal beliefs of others despite their shared vulnerability to the Kaiju.[5][6]

Abilities[]

Compared to most K-Science officers, Hannibal's knowledge in Kaiju anatomy is quite extensive. For example, he knew how to keep Kaiju Skinmites alive by dipping them in ammonia, a detail that no one in the Defense Corps was aware of. Chau is a dangerous and skilled businessman, as he was able to maintain a massive (and lucrative) illegal operation for many years. He also possesses some practical skills, as seen by how he was skilled enough with his knife to cut his way out of the Baby Kaiju's stomach.

Trivia[]

  • Hannibal's eye was damaged when he went to a public Anti-Kaiju Shelter, which he hides it behind his shades.
  • During the theatrical run of Pacific Rim, many moviegoers misunderstood Hannibal Chau's reference to using a public Anti-Kaiju Shelter only one time. When asked if Chau was referring to Drifting with a Kaiju like Newton did, Beacham confirmed that no one before Newton had tried to Drift with a Kaiju.[7]
  • Hannibal Chau is an alias. He took Hannibal from the famous Carthaginian military commander Hannibal Barca and he took Chau from his second favorite Szechuan restaurant in Brooklyn, New York.
  • According to the original storyboards, Hannibal Chau was at one point planned to accompany Newton to a Anti-Kaiju Shelter.

Gallery[]

Pan Pacific Defense Corps Logo An image gallery is available for
Hannibal Chau

Notes[]

  1. The personnel dossier provided by Stacker Pentecost in the film states Hannibal Chau is 62 years old.

References[]

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