Sandbox / The Night Unfurls The Hunter

The Hunter / The Good Hunter / Kyril Sutherland

The main protagonist of The Night Unfurls. The Player Character of Bloodborne. The Hunter is a foreigner who set foot in the kingdom of Eostia, a country engulfed in warfare against the North, in hopes of finding his worth in the real world.

He once travelled to a city, named Yharnam, for the sake of finding a cure for an unidentified illness. What awaited him, however, was a bloodbath that seemingly went on forever. He prevailed in the end, but not without being battered, bruised, and stained with the blood of countless foes.

Leaving Yharnam behind, the Hunter opts to steer clear of the ongoing war, as well as any unwanted attention, taking some small hunting jobs instead to earn coin. Attention finds its way to him anyways, for the Hunter is a man with a peculiar outfit, a huge bodycount, and a deranged fusion of saw and cleaver. He is then tasked to seek audience with the monarch of the country, to bring an end to the war that has plagued the land for centuries. Reluctantly, he accepts.

The Hunter is always dedicated to the task at hand. He has a mission to complete – to secure the Dark Queen, to bring her back to the capital, and to collect payment. Then he could go find a lonely place to live in peace, never to be involved in the country’s matters. The last part is obviously not happening, not when the Hunter is within a hentai world.

The Hunter’s journey in Yharnam, plus the character tropes that apply to him before the events of this story, are better explained in here and here respectively.

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In General

• Aloof Ally: When travelling with the Black Dogs to the Grim Up North, the Hunter opts to keep to himself, believing that there's no point in befriending anyone, and that the fates of other mercs don't matter to him. He subverts this trope after the Black Fortress is taken. Though his asocial and dispassionate attitude persists, the Hunter gains allies for a goal (e.g., travelling back to the South to bring Olga to Celestine with a few companions in tow, training apprentices, fighting against the Black Dogs with his Men of Sherwood, etc.^note the latter two are exclusive to the original version of the story) and proves to be invested in their safety rather than being dismissive of them.
• Always Someone Better: Kyril is the "someone better" than everyone else in the story in terms of combat. It is the source of much consternation of many a fighter like Claudia and Alicia, the latter especially so in the remastered version. The original version has Shamuhaza trying to close the gap by going One Wing Angel via Eldritch Transformation. His attempt turns out to be a Clipped-Wing Angel as Kyril proves to be a more powerful and experienced Eldritch Abomination than he is. Even in the scenario where he is "killed", which does happen at the end of Chapter 31 of the original, his Resurrective Immortality is guaranteed to render that "victory" moot.
• Anti-Hero: The Protagonist Kyril Sutherland defies standard morals, ethics, and philosophies. In a Standard Fantasy Setting that champions the ideal of noble, chivalrous Knights in Shining Armour, Kyril is swift, brutal, and merciless towards his enemies. His stoicism, asociality, deranged weaponry, sinister appearance, lack of remorse for morally ambiguous actions, and the tendency to decorate the ground with heaps of limbs and innards during his fights instil unease and wariness to the people around him. Impressing upon him stock values (e.g., optimism, hero worship, battlefield courtesy, etc.) is tantamount to banging one's head against a wall, for he often chooses his own values over those expected of him. Nevertheless, Kyril does heroic deeds, like ending a centuries-old war and protecting the innocent from legions of rapists, pillagers and slavers. Remarkably, unlike many characters of the same archetype, Kyril is neither a Deadpan Snarker nor a toxic asshole (though some people In-Universe think he is the latter).
• Appeal to Force: Kyril Sutherland isn't a bully who craves to possess, dominate, or impose his values on others, but he is definitely an Anti-Hero, since he has no qualms about explicitly or implicitly threatening people with force, either to achieve his objectives or get any belligerents out of the way. The fact that he is a nigh-unkillable individual of dreaded repute helps a lot. Consider this exchange in Chapter 13 of the original:
  Sharkov: Silence! How dare you! I carry a sacred office, and I demand that you apologise for your rudeness!
  Kyril: And I carry a blade.
• Asskicking Leads to Leadership:
  • Kyril's combat prowess is the reason why soldiers follow him and he has to lead them into battle. In particular, the original version has him earning the titles of knight and Lord Executioner respectively because of his asskicking.
  • Chapter 4 of the remastered version has a moment where Kyril lampshades how this trope makes no sense.
    "Kyril moved in silence. He fought and killed in silence, and the men who were nominally under his command knew that he was not to be messed with but followed him regardless of their feelings on the matter. Truth to be told, he was irritated at this situation. He did not lead men into battle, he was not a true soldier. Kyril was a killer, yes, but not a soldier. He did not know his flank from his foot, or the words required to rise men up.
    
    Hunters did not consider battle lines, the experience of the troops under their command, or what supplies they needed to wage war. Hunters killed, and that was it. What was Vault playing at, putting him in charge of these men? There were better options in his company for troop leaders."
• Atop a Mountain of Corpses: Celestine's depiction of the Good Hunter in one of her visions is a man in a dark coat standing on a field of corpses, an image that appears right after a vision of the same man standing on a hill surrounded by white flowers^note the place where the Hunter duelled his mentor Gehrman.
• Attack! Attack! Attack!: The Hunter's primary means of combat is highly aggressive, so relentless and aggressive that any scene that involves him slaying foe after foe with his serrated cleaver is synonymous with madness from an onlooker's perspective. He runs towards his prey rather than away from them, avoids damage via dodging and side-stepping, overwhelms them with extreme prejudice, and persists until all his enemies are reduced to mutilated piles of chunks on the floor. In the rare case where he does take damage, he can just restore health via injecting a Blood Vial and keep going. Contrary to his first impression, the Hunter isn't a reckless fighter, as he sometimes temporarily subverts the trope and opts for a stealthy approach. One thing is certain though: the Hunter ends fights regardless of the situation.
  Grace: You're hurt and you still killed all of those people. You won't stop will you?
• Ax-Crazy: Subverted. The Hunter is adept at carrying out savage butchery without a hint of emotion. No glee, no agitation, no rage, and no remorse. Justifiably, he is perceived as a walking hazard by the people around him, far too aware that he could simply decide that everyone should die and no one can stop him. Although the narrative often associates him with terms related to insane violence, like "murderous", "volatile", or "half-cut with blood", the Hunter's P.O.V. (which accounts for the majority of the story due to his status as The Protagonist) makes it clear that he is a lucid, level-headed individual who can discern between prey and innocent.
• Bad Powers, Good People: Downplayed. Kyril Sutherland is a Good Is Not Nice Knight in Sour Armor who uses blood-related, blood-powered arsenal yet fights against enemies who Rape, Pillage, and Burn. In the original version, he also has the ability to Mind Rape anyone to a Fate Worse than Death by tapping into his powers as a great one, but it is never used en masse, only reserving it for the Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique and the elimination of an Ax-Crazy foe who would cause an Apocalypse How should he be left alive.
• Badass Bandolier: The Good Hunter has a bandolier of throwing knives that hangs over his left shoulder. Goes on to show that he is capable of other forms of combat that isn't "hack with melee weapon".
• Beneath the Mask: Kyril is normally a stoic, brusque and aloof person. He is more relaxed whenever he returns to his Pocket Dimension and spends time with the Doll, like a man who comes home from a good hard day's work to a quiet house. From how the Doll sees him as someone who likes to keep to himself, even in private, his "public" self is a part of his "real" self after all.
• The Berserker:
  • Subverted. He fights aggressively, he feels no pain, his fights tend to end messily, and many people note how "crazy" he is. However, Kyril is not some Ax-Crazy, bloodthirsty buffoon with rage issues, but rather a stoic, pragmatic Consummate Professional who happens to be really strong. Besides, he typically kills in silence instead of yelling "rawr" all the time.
  • This trope is double subverted when Kyril eats a Beast Blood Pellet in Chapter 26 of the original. For a few moments, he behaves like an unfettered beast who howls and smashes into the enemy line like a meteor, clawing, biting, and rending terrified mooks into pieces of offal all the while.
• Beware the Quiet Ones: Kyril is a reserved introvert who doesn't talk much during social situations unless he is responding to others, or during specific situations where he plays a leader figure. The potency of his Death Glares is a warning on how this guy is not to be messed with. Anyone who underestimates him in any way (preferably accompanied with a "he's Just One Man" remark) is in for a rude awakening as they get lacerated by this silent killer and his Serrated Blade of Pain. The original version has a moment where he roars — that's when he is in full berserker mode like the beasts he slew, a far cry from his typical Consummate Professional self, ramping the Gorn up to the max.
• BFS: The Holy Moonlight Sword, in its transformed state, is noted to be a mighty greatsword that gleams with black-green energy. Kyril opts for this weapon whenever he faces a particularly strong opponent, or he needs to take out groups of enemies at once.
• Bounty Hunter: The beginning of the story reveals that one of Kyril's means of income is clearing out packs of greenskins, bandits and infamous orc warlords with ostentatious names. The remastered version adds a moment where he turns in a bounty at the bounty board, presents the head as proof, and gets his gold.
• Broken Bird: Gender-Inverted. He's a stoic, cynical One-Man Army who went through the nightmare that is Yharnam, a land of gore, illness, madness, tragedy, and depravity. Regardless, he has soldiered on, but the experience has left him shell-shocked and desensitised towards anything one considers unsettling. In the original version, Kyril also ticks off the box of filling a mentor role towards his four less experienced apprentices, eventually feeling pride towards their growth as hunters, akin to how a father feels towards his children Taking a Level in Badass. Ultimately, he doesn't have a high opinion on love and humanity, but his cynicism never stops him from doing good and empathising with other people.
• Brutal Honesty: Kyril is never a person who deceives, sugarcoats his words, or spares one's feelings, even if he tries. The instances where he plays this trope straight is portrayed both in a good way (e.g., his accurate assessment on his apprentices' progress, which shows that he is a well-meaning mentor) and in a troublesome way (e.g., him admitting to Olga that there's nothing she could do for the recovering, but battered Chloe, which comes off as unempathetic).
• Byronic Hero: He's a Tall, Dark, and Handsome guy; he's an adept One-Man Army; he's an enigmatic Outside-Context Problem; he's a jaded, brooding cynic with PTSD thanks to baggage from Yharnam. Often compared with a demon or similar dark, supernatural connotations. The only box that doesn't apply to him is emotional sensitivity, for he is a task-oriented stoic, not some moody, bipolar lunatic. Both versions of the story depict the conflict between his own philosophy and the values of the status quo in differing ways.
  • Original version: Utilising his talents as a mentor and flag officer, Kyril disparages honour and "battlefield courtesy" in his pursuit to put the Black Dogs plus all the traitors associated with them to the sword (or cleaver), nary a compunction to unsavoury methods like torture or killing surrendered prisoners. This, combined with his apathy towards privilege, as well as his tendency to stand by his decisions in order to do what must be done, puts him at odds with the nobility and the honourable. Not that the status quo could make him budge anyways, not when he's delivering results, and certainly not when he's ridiculously strong.
  • Remastered version: Kyril’s turmultuous relationship with the Seven Shields, the leading figures of the status quo, is further built upon compared to how it is portrayed in the original. Kyril is treated with fear and scorn, seen as an insufferable Jerkass (he isn’t), because of his sinister appearance, his apathy towards privilege, his uncanny effectiveness in combat to the point of brutality, and his Nay-Theist attitude towards the Goddess Reborn. Much to the consternation of his critics, he happens to be the Godzilla Threshold capable of lifting a huge burden off Eostia’s shoulders – to bring an end to the Forever War against Olga Discordia and achieve a decisive victory, the sole reason being that he’s ridiculously strong. Kyril later does exactly that, except he also kills Vault, Eostia’s greatest champion, after his ambitions of a Sex Empire come to light, ambitions that the Shields don’t get to hear due to them not being present. Consequentially, he is put under trial, which he responds with a Trial by Combat that goes entirely in his favour.
• Character Catchphrase: Whenever he shows indifference or dismissiveness, he often utters "so I have been told", "so I am", or "so he/she is". Claudia from the remastered version finds the former one very irritating.
• Choice of Two Weapons: The Good Hunter is able to carry two melee weapons and one firearm during combat. One instance in the remastered version has him overdoing himself by carrying the Saw Cleaver, the Holy Moonlight Sword, the Hunter's Pistol, the Hunter's Blunderbuss, and presumably a bandolier of throwing knives at the same time (though the sword is strapped to his horse's saddle). He also has the option to use magic-esque abilities like A Call Beyond, making him a multi-melee, multi-ranged Magic Knight.
• Coat, Hat, Mask: The Good Hunter's Hunter Set is a combination of a Badass Longcoat, a hat, and a bandana that obscures his facial features like a mask.
• Cold Ham: He's not into theatrics, yet his voice is occasionally described as filled with conviction and menace.
• Color Motif: Kyril has dark grey and dark red as his primary and secondary colours respectively. Grey, the colour of his Badass Longcoat, complements his humility, dourness, moral complexity, and him being a total enigma. The moments where the colour red is present, be it his eyes or his coat stained with blood, basically screams "don't mess with this guy". Befitting a '90s Anti-Hero, both colours are of darker shades instead of lighter ones.
• Conditioned to Accept Horror: Enduring the nightmarish hell of Yharnam, together with presumably experiencing countless deaths, has made the Good Hunter desensitised to death, violence or any sort of harsh environment or anything one would certainly find unsettling.
• The Confidant: Several named characters find it comfortable to talk to Kyril about their sensitive matters in private. Examples include Hugh, with his family issues; Olga, with the shenanigans during her reign as the Dark Queen; and Grace (remastered version), with her past in the North and the loss of her husband. In these occasions, Kyril gives time to listen, as well as keeping their words to himself if need be.
• Consummate Professional: Kyril Sutherland is a serious, pragmatic, and no-nonsense person concerned with getting the job done rather than being buddy-buddy with others, be it hunting down his prey, or wiping out the traitors. Uncannily effective, and unfazed to the bloodshed he causes in his wake. To him, this trope allows him to separate himself from the bloodlust, in order to avoid becoming as chaotic and bloodthirsty as the beasts he slew.
• Curb-Stomp Battle: EVERY encounter against the Good Hunter is bound to end in moments and be extremely one-sided in his favour. While there are some "lucky" ones that fare a bit better than the other quarry (i.e., they don't get wrecked in one hit, or they can withstand several of his strikes), the winner is still very obvious.
• Dark and Troubled Past: Kyril was just a guy who wanted to find a cure for his illness, only to find himself amidst a nightmarish city of bloodthirsty beasts and Ax-Crazy people. To the other P.O.V. characters, his past is shrouded in mystery. To the readers (if they had played Bloodborne before), however, they would know that he went through a cumulative ordeal of pain, loss, death, slaughter, deprivation, monstrosity, and lastly, dehumanization (metaphorically and literally; it befell not just the others, but himself as well). Being able to kill things by the thousands is all well and good, but being a shell-shocked mess with a battered psyche isn't.
• Dark Is Not Evil: The Good Hunter's gothic hunter attire sticks out like a sore thumb among the medieval world of Eostia. Despite constantly exuding a sinister vibe, he is a Knight in Sour Armour who can be a gentleman towards any decent person, and his main enemies in the story are rapists, pillagers and slavers.
• David Versus Goliath: Occasionally, the Good Hunter fights foes so massive that they loom over him, like ogres. Even so, from how the former has fought numerous hunters, beasts and abominations that are taller and larger before, it is very obvious to figure out who has the upper hand.
• Death Glare: The fact that Kyril's default look is a stoic, masked visage that only reveals his blank eyes (the remastered version even changes his eye colour to be perpetually red) means that he is capable of shutting people up by simply looking at them for a few seconds. Many a character are unnerved by his murderous visage that seemingly stares right into their souls. Case in point:
  Kyril: Lady Olga, Chloe. Help the others with setting up camp. I will sweep the area.
  Chloe: You dare order the Queen around as if she is some common scullery maid!? I should cut out your tongue for your rudeness!
  Kyril: *stares*
  Chloe: *blinks first, looks away, does as told*
• Disappointed by the Motive: Kyril's response to Vault's Motive Rant about his ambition for a Sex Slave Empire is to break character, drop the stoicism, and laugh out loud for how ridiculous the situation is.
• Dissonant Serenity: Whether it be mentioning how someone tried to kill him, describing how he's going to kill another, or actually doing the killing left and right, the Hunter is always the calm in the middle of horror, anxiety and carnage. The word "serenely" is often used in tandem with any bloodshed that involves him, as if he is not concerned in the slightest with being covered in viscera. Many of his allies find it disconcerting that someone could react with casual indifference or even be in a good mood during such situations.
• Domain Holder: It is confirmed that upon his ascension, the Hunter's Dream is tied to Kyril's will, and thus, he is the master of the Dream.
• Don't Call Me "Sir": Or rather, "Don't Call Me 'Milord'". Kyril gets perturbed whenever someone calls him a lord, or "milord". He doesn't mind being referred to as "Sir Kyril" or "master Kyril", though. Ironically, he eventually gets promoted to the rank of Lord Executioner in the original version.
• Don't Make Me Destroy You: The Hunter is guaranteed to win any fight he gets into due to his bewildering strength and speed. When he encounters potentially hostile people, there are times where he would rather not cause harm and decide to warn them not to mess with him. The warning may or may not be heeded.
  • Original version:
    • Chapter 3 has Kyril, Olga and Chloe reaching the gates of Ken, only to be stopped by two guards who are not happy with dark elves entering the gates. The Hunter grabs one of the guards' gorgets and warns them to get out of his way — should they draw their swords, they would be dead before they leave their scabbards. The two let the trio pass under threat of death.
    • The following exchange in Chapter 8 occurs when Kyril is faced with nine mooks who intend to block his way to Beasley, showcasing what happens when people don't heed his advice.
      Kyril: I will give you two choices: you let me through and I walk past you in peace... or you charge me, and I walk through what's left of you when I'm done.
      (Beat)
      Kyril: No? Well, then you're all braver than I thought. *shink*
    • Kyril doesn't explicitly warn Claudia when she intends to settle their accounts via Trial by Combat in Chapter 8. Instead, he asks, "Are you sure about this?". Given that the readers already know that Kyril is simply more powerful, his question carries an implicit message that she will lose if she fights him.
    • Kyril's company enters a confrontation with the Wild Ones in Chapter 21, because The Chief's Daughter is in the former's care. Kyril prefers the easy way, so he states that should the chieftain and his men are looking for fight, they will get one, but it won't end in their favour. The two parties end up negotiating.
  • Remastered version:
    • In Chapter 2, Alicia is not pleased with Kyril supposedly approaching her cousin Prim, so she threatens to cut him down. Kyril warns her, "You will die trying", leading to a suspenseful moment where either one of them is seemingly about to make a move. He then ends the conversation and leaves, much to the astonishment of others.
    • In Chapter 5, Kyril is ordered to capture, rather than kill, Olga. When the two meet, he tries to convince Olga to surrender, warning her not to mistake his warning for lack of resolve. She responds by burning him, thinking that will One-Hit Kill him. Unfortunately for her, Kyril is unharmed, and after giving her a chilling "I Warned You", he proceeds to kick her ass.
    • In Chapter 7, Chloe is not happy with Kyril disciplining her, so she puts a hand on the hilt of her dagger. Kyril would rather not harm her in order to get her liege lady to cooperate, but he warns Chloe against doing anything silly, lest she lose her hands. Chloe obliges.
    • In Chapter 8, Kyril and the Black Dogs enter a confrontation. Kyril warns the latter not to draw their swords, or else, he will cripple them permanently. The leader, Morgan, gets kicked across the room for not listening. He only manages to survive the chapter because of Kyril letting him retreat.
• The Dreaded: The anti-heroic Hunter is feared by his enemies, his allies, and even strangers seeing him for the first time due to his power, brutality and aura of lethality. Dread and wary stares are constants whenever he is nearby. In the original version, he is infamously known as "Sir Kyril the Bloody" among the populace that shows how much fear they have for him.
• The Drifter: Kyril Sutherland ticks off most, if not all of the attributes of this character archetype. He wanders around a particular place (Eostia); he doesn't talk and emote much; he's seen as a mysterious stranger/foreigner by the populace; he kicks a lot of ass; and most importantly, he eventually lends a hand to said place that frankly needs it, while resolving that the Dark Secret within him (his Dark and Troubled Past in Yharnam) dies with him.
• Dual Wielding: In true Bloodborne hunter fashion — melee weapon on the right, firearm on the left. He can also dual wield two trick weapons at once (Beast Cutter + Stake Driver) in the remastered version.
• Dull Surprise: Not only is he utterly unflappable, especially in situations where shock would be appropriate (e.g., witnessing a Body of Bodies crawling out of the sky in the original version), his visage is perpetually blank due to him wearing a bandanna almost all the time, even during indoors.
• Elemental Motifs: Kyril Sutherland is a rare example that is metaphorically associated with multiple elements as opposed to just one.
  • Water: Kyril is compared to water-related terms, like ocean, waves, and storm. The Terrible Ticking Celestine experiences whenever the Hunter is within her proximity is the roaring sound of the ocean, its waves crashing against the shore. Olga can see a storm brewing around the Hunter as she witnesses his Tranquil Fury. Kyril is an uncannily effective One-Man Army who is entirely capable of killing everyone if he so chooses, akin to the overwhelmingly destructive potential of large bodies of water. The Hunter is characterised as cool, patient, level-headed, and full of depth. Lastly, his hidden nature as a great one evokes the unfathomable nature of the Eldritch Ocean Abyss, for none could comprehend what he is truly capable of.
  • Darkness: This one is more obvious — the man who was once a Hunter of Monsters trying to survive the Night of the Hunt is dressed in dark grey and is associated with “dark” stuff (e.g., death, demon, secrets, shadows, masquerade, etc.). Overlapping with water above^note particularly the deeper part of the ocean — the abyss, Kyril has a dreaded reputation, a weapon he exploits to its fullest to demoralise anyone who crosses him. Darkness is a Primal Fear that makes people scared and vulnerable after all. Personality-wise, the Hunter is a gloomy, mangsty, and paranoid Broken Bird. Behind this metaphorical shroud of darkness is a nobler, more content side that he doesn't show openly.
  • Metal: A subtle one. Much of Kyril’s life is combat-related (as per his internal monologue in the remastered version, "every battle a blur of blood, screams, and steel"). Both his journey and arsenal revolve around blood, which contains iron and has a coppery scent. His Pocket Dimension features a workshop with metallic weapons left and right, a place for enhancing strength and fortifying weaponry. He’s a Multi-Melee Master and a Multi-Ranged Master, akin to the diverse nature of metals. Being The Spock and The Leader most of the time, Kyril's tendency to apply rules, reason, and the greater good to his decisions marks him as a cold, logical, efficient, and progressive figure. Determined, but not outright inflexible.
• Empathic Weapon: His Holy Moonlight Sword whispers to him about the prospect of battle whenever it glows. This trait is an expansion of the sword's in-game lore, where it is said to offer "a very private, elusive sort" of guidance to the wielder. The sword would be a bona-fide Blood Knight if it were a person.
• Establishing Character Moment: The Hunter's very first scene is a Batman Cold Open that depicts him finishing off his hunt of an orc war band. His calm demeanour plus the trail of corpses he leaves behind is enough to tell the readers that he's an adept, experienced killer. There's also how this protagonist uses a demented saw-cleaver hybrid, instead of a sword or any traditional weapon, which immediately marks him as sinister, dangerous, and anti-heroic.
• Flash Step: Whenever the Good Hunter is "blurring into motion", as per the narration, he takes a step forward and, from his opponent's perspective, instantly appears either behind or in front of them in a blink of an eye. The mechanics and limits of this ability are unclear^note we don't know whether it's the Art of Quickening from Bloodborne, an ability he gained from being a great one, or something else entirely, but from the looks of it, it cannot be used repeatedly (otherwise, it would become a Story-Breaker Power).
• Genius Bruiser: Just because he is a super strong Lightning Bruiser doesn't mean he goes for the aggressive route every time. From dismantling traps, selecting at most a group of three to take out, to his occasional usage of Shaman Bone Blades, it is evident that stealth and subtlety are also his strengths.
• Gloomy Gray: Stoic Shell-Shocked Veteran Kyril wears a grey tricorne hat and nondescript clothing, covered by a dark grey longcoat.
• Godzilla Threshold: To Celestine. Despite having a vision about the Good Hunter ends up either the saviour or destroyer of her land, the latter being the more likely outcome as he is a brutal killer, she has no choice but to call for his assistance, in order to end the war with Olga swiftly.
• Good Is Not Nice: Downplayed. Kyril saves people from the reprehensible, but he isn't the friendliest person around due to his polite, yet detached attitude. Aside from being content with his frightening reputation, he often prioritises his objectives over his relations with others, even using force if necessary. On the bright side, Kyril is neither obnoxious nor sociopathic, and he is less cold to people who prove to be genuinely affable or trustworthy.
• Handicapped Badass: The Hunter counts as a mental variant rather than the physical variant. He occasionally relieves unwanted memories of him fighting for survival, avoids anything that would trigger said memories (e.g., idleness), and is always on guard for danger, all of which are his struggles with PTSD thanks to his Dark and Troubled Past in Yharnam. The guy has no problem hunting beasts on his lonesome with a heavy serrated cleaver and, rather than being Ax-Crazy as commonly believed, is in fact a very patient, levelheaded man.
• Hates Small Talk: The task-oriented Kyril Sutherland isn't a conversationalist. He dislikes small talk, parties, or wasteful diffidence that have nothing to do with the current task at hand (though he would do it if the task requires him to). In the later parts of the original version, Character Development kicks in as he gets a bit more comfortable doing small talk with his employer Celestine and his retainer Grace after working together with them throughout the story.
• Heroic BSoD: Kyril is implied to have suffered from nervous breakdowns more than once during his time in Yharnam. Not only did he experience the violence and horrors that would drive a lesser person insane, but he also had to witness all the sane people he met die one by one until only himself remains. He eventually conditions himself to accept horror.
• Heroic Safe Mode: Kyril is capable of manifesting signs of this trope in a less extreme way, hardly surprising for an experienced Shell-Shocked Veteran who persevered the Night of the Hunt by being Conditioned to Accept Horror. The following are two of the best instances that showcase this.
  • Chapter 16, original version: As Kyril and his apprentices (minus Soren) are fending off the myriad of mutants, the readers get a glimpse of Kyril's P.O.V. regarding how he feels about killing these Elite Mooks who are Tortured Monsters at the same time. On one hand, he regrets having arrived late to spare them of such a fate. However, he opts to focus on the task at hand, leaving the Mangst after the fighting.
  • Chapter 2, remastered version: In the face of an orc ambush, Kyril is surprised, yet doesn't shrink from the sudden assault. Instead, he immediately extends his Saw Cleaver, not even thinking of drawing anything else, and surges forward in a lone counter charge to cut down the orcs. The action is so sudden that it looks like a Leeroy Jenkins from an outsider's perspective, except that he can react to sudden situations that fast. This is not getting to how he remains expressionless even when bodies around him are being mangled and maimed by his cleaver, as well as how he merely looks around for any remaining threats with a Death Glare after the ambush is over.
• Hidden Depths:
  • People in general see Kyril as a morose, brutal, ruthless, remorseless '90s Anti-Hero who only knows of dealing death. In reality, he's more of a Consummate Professional than a Blood Knight, and his numbness towards violence turns out to be a coping mechanism rather than sheer heartlessness. Just because violence is his speciality doesn't mean this is all that he cares about — he's also a Cultured Badass, a Genius Bruiser, and most astoundingly, a simple man who has his me time.
  • The original version gives him more attributes that seemingly contradict his "character type", such as being a Four-Star Badass of military acumen, and a Mentor in Sour Armor who manages to empower four random people with little combat experience. Last but not least, Kyril is a great one in secret. Despite believing himself to be a broken man, twisted into something unnatural, he's nonetheless committed to retaining his sense of reason, holding off the bulk of his power so that no innocents would be driven mad, and burying the secrets related to Yharnam so that none would suffer another Beast Plague ever again.
• Home Sweet Home: The Good Hunter has repeatedly expressed his desire to purchase a piece of farmland, lay down his blades and live the rest of his life in peace after the war is over. The remastered version takes this trope to another level: not only does he desire to live in peace, he also wants to bring the Workshop in the Hunter's Dream to life.
• Humanoid Abomination: The Good Hunter's appearance is that of a tired human male in his twenties, but underneath his lean frame is something repeatedly emphasised to be incomprehensible within the context of the setting (i.e., a Standard Fantasy Setting). Bewildered and brutalised, all of his foes fail to comprehend his insane strength and speed, let alone meaningfully engage him in battle. Combining both versions of the story, the Hunter demonstrates feats that defy the laws of reality. He resides in a place completely bound to his will, can strike down intangible wraiths without any sort of enchantment (the normal way of dealing with them), revives upon death while other beings only have one life, and outright warps the surrounding environment during his Unstoppable Rage. The trope is made more apparent in the original version, where his human appearance is in actuality a mask for something that bombards the minds of people if unveiled to the world. Celestine, the resident reincarnated Goddess of the setting, wisely concludes that prying into his items and secrets only results in madness. Thank goodness he is of good alignment.
• Hunter of Monsters:
  • Kyril used to be a Hunter in Yharnam, responsible for hunting down beasts, madmen, and all sorts of monstrosities, to purge those who lost themselves to bloodlust and transformed into beasts. After reaching Eostia, he puts down roving packs of orcs to earn some coin.
  • After Taking Up the Mantle as "First Hunter", Kyril invokes this trope in the original version by finding people well suited to become Hunters, his apprentices. He took a total of 4, and under his tutelage, all 4 will give up every earthly pleasure to hunt down beasts, the insane, and the impossibly horrifying.
• I Regret Nothing: Not alright said verbatim, but the context remains.
  • Kyril does not regret living his life as a Hunter of beasts who walks a lonely, bitter path instead of reciprocating the romantic affections of those who love him (i.e., being a Celibate Hero). He internally remarks, "He wouldn't have it any other way."^note i.e., he would not want the situation to be different, even though it may have problems connected with it.
  • When asked by Vault regarding his first kill in the remastered version, Kyril describes how the farmer that would become his first kill tried to kill him, only to be Gutted Like a Fish. Then he killed his friends as well. Ultimately, he feels nothing for the beasts he slew — they weren't the first, and certainly won't be the last.
• I'm Not Here to Make Friends: Focused on the mission to bringing Olga to Celestine, this is the Hunter's attitude during his journey to the Black Fortress alongside the Black Dogs. To him, the Black Dogs would either become corpses or potential enemies, so there's no point in befriending them.
• Knight in Sour Armor: The Night of the Hunt has shaped the Good Hunter into a scarred, jaded killer who is insensitive to any sort of carnage or suffering. Although he shuns heroism and idealism, it is evident that people are better off as a result of his deeds (e.g., hunting down marauding orc bands, saving his travelling companions from danger, etc.). Under his hard-killer exterior, he bears no ill will towards innocent people, respects anyone who is genuinely nice or demonstrates a conscience, honours his promises, and refuses to treat others with snobbery, even though his sheer power would allow him to get away with practically anything. The original version of the story, in particular, takes this trope to a literal level due to him being knighted. As much as Kyril desires a quiet, peaceful life and forget about the horrors of the Hunt, he still chooses to fight against the Black Dogs and their desire to rape, enslave and subjugate people under their Sex Empire, when he could have left those people to stand alone. He empathises with the young, the desperate, the starving, and the poor, as they remind him of his struggles. Ultimately, the Good Hunter acknowledges that there are times where he may fail to save everyone, or he may save none at all. He knows that feeling all too well, but he does his damnedest to salvage what he can, to stop the situation from getting worse, and to atone for failing those he tried to rescue during the Night of the Hunt.
• The Leader: The following are the leader figures Kyril Sutherland has played in both versions of the story:
  • In the original version, Kyril is the master of his four apprentices, as well as Four-Star Badass of his Men of Sherwood. As the former, Kyril is the most practical and experienced of the "Five-Hunter Band" (levelheaded). As the latter, Kyril inspires loyalty via Asskicking Leads to Leadership and dreaded reputation (charismatic). The "headstrong" trait is demonstrated in both roles from how he sticks with his subordinates through thick and thin, while understanding when to be flexible (e.g., ordering his men not to follow him for the sake of averting Redshirt Army).
  • In the remastered version, Kyril is the de facto leader of his Great Escape party. Has traits of "charismatic" (due to Asskicking Leads to Leadership) and "levelheaded" (due to him outright saying that his companions are his responsibility).
• Lean and Mean: The Hunter is an inverted example due to being a Good Is Not Nice Anti-Hero rather than a villain. His lean physique contrasts his inhuman strength and is one of the reasons why his appearance invokes a sinister figure.
• Lightning Bruiser: Kyril is the closest to an end-game hunter who has successfully mastered the ferocious fighting style that defines Bloodborne as a whole. Power-wise, beneath his lean build is an unstoppable eldritch force that overpowers any named fighters (Claudia, Vault, and the like) and one-shots orcs, greenskins who are unreasonably tough for one's blade to cut through. His Holy Moonlight Sword can also deal tons of damage for crowd control with its energy waves, arguably the most potent weapon out of all. Speed-wise, he is faster than any character in the fanfic bar none. Aside from dodges, strafes, and side-steps, he has also shown with the unique ability to Flash Step, though whether this is due to him using the Art of Quickening or part of his overworldly might is unclear. Whenever he fights, there will be at least one instance where his foe is surprised by not only his strength, but also how lightning fast he is. Toughness-wise, he does not tire easily, has high pain tolerance, and can shrug off attacks that would have been killing blows for regular combatants, including magical fire that would reduce others to ash. In case his injuries are serious enough, he always has a Blood Vial ready to heal himself back in tip-top shape. To top it off, all of the above attributes are cranked up to eleven when he eats a Beast Blood Pellet^note this one is yet to be featured in the remastered version.
• Magic Missile Storm: A Call Beyond is one of Kyril's non-melee weapons. It unleashes a small star that explodes into streaks of light that bombard anything in their vicinity, true to the game it is featured in. It is used in Chapter 20 of the original version to make a gap in a fortress wall, which allows Kyril and his company to infiltrate the Leaping Lizard stronghold. Chapter 6 of the remastered version ends with Kyril using it to insta-kill Vault and his men. Not only is this an "Oh Crap!" moment for the ones on the receiving end, but it is also one for Olga as well — even an experienced Black Magic user like her has never seen such a powerful spell before. That is the day she realised the power gap between the two has never been more apparent than before.
• Meaningful Name: Kyril is derived from the Greek name Κύριλλος (Kýrillos), meaning "lordly, masterful", while Sutherland is derived from Suðrland that means "southern land". The Strong and Skilled Kyril fights for Eostia, also known as "the South", eventually gaining the rank of Lord Executioner through his exploits in the original version.
• Mr. Vice Guy: Kyril Sutherland's several vices are tempered by his professionalism, hence his sense of right and reason. He's cynical, but driven to do good. He's brutal, but that's directed to his enemies, not innocent people. He's paranoid, but he has been Taught by Experience not to lower his guard, and he still has at least one person he can trust. Last but not least, he's very dispassionate to the point of being seemingly uncaring of anybody and anything, but he is capable of empathy.
• Multi-Melee Master: Kyril's most common setup is the Saw Cleaver for close range, and the Holy Moonlight Sword for long-ranged crowd control. Other weapons at his disposal include the Whirlgig Saw, the Stake Driver, and the Hunter's Axe.
• Multi-Ranged Master: Kyril has so far never missed a single time whenever he uses his pistol, blunderbuss, or throwing knives.
• Name That Unfolds Like Lotus Blossom: Kyril Sutherland's full name unfolds as "Lord / Master of the Southern Land".
• Nay-Theist:
  • Kyril is well aware of the existence of gods and similar entities in Eostia and beyond, even having a Goddess Incarnate as his employer. He just doesn't revere them. It's not that he has a grudge or anything like that, but rather, he has seen beings like that capable of scaring one's memories for an eternity. Oh, and he has also slain said beings before and ascended to become one of them as well.
  • Discussed in Chapter 2 of the remastered version. In response to Prim's question to Kyril on whether the Goddess makes him uncomfortable, he says, "No. I bear her no ill will. But I have learned that blind faith is lethal." Somehow, Prim concludes that Kyril doesn't believe in divinities (atheist) because of how he doesn't hold the Goddess in high esteem.
• '90s Anti-Hero: Reconstructed. The Hunter fulfils the basic requirements, being a dreaded, brooding, frosty, weary, and cynical Lightning Bruiser who mainly deals with irredeemable folk via three methods: a serrated cleaver to the face, a bullet to the head, and loads and loads of Gorn. Whereas deconstructions criticise this Character Archetype as laughable, destructive and unlikeable, The Night Unfurls asserts that the Hunter isn't purely defined by being an unrelenting onslaught that leaves behind mangled corpses in his wake. He can take a breather, he can feel contentment, and most astoundingly, he is capable of being a constructive influence in the setting.
• Not So Stoic: Kyril Sutherland is a Consummate Professional whose facial expression is perpetually nonchalant, even when butchering his foes, but there are moments where he expresses significant outward emotion. He always bounces back to normal after these moments, though.
  • During a flashback in Chapter 1 of the original, he remained stoic and solemn as he watched his mentor figure Eileen the Crow pass on as he stayed by her side. He didn't realize he had been crying.
  • The Hunter bursts into laughter after Vault reveals his Evil Plan to create a Sex Slave Empire, because it sounds ridiculous.
  • In Chapter 13 of the original, he keeps his annoyance towards the rumors claiming he slept with Maia inside, until he reaches his Rage Breaking Point due to a parchment alerting him that the refugees in the Church are getting kicked out. This is a downplayed example — he is visibly seething rather than exploding or yelling, but his display of anger, which differs from the calm menace he generally exudes, still comes across as extremely terrifying.
  • He outright ditches his professionalism for a while when he eats a Beast Blood Pellet in Chapter 26 of the original, which causes him to behave like a feral beast who roars and claws. And then he bellows to the fleeing rebels that he would come for them.
  • In Chapter 32 of the original, he gets really, really mad after experiencing his first death via assassination, so mad that he briefly distorts reality to pursue the assassin responsible.
• Older Than They Look: Implied. Whenever one notices Kyril lowering his bandanna, they are often surprised at how this world-weary badass actually has the appearance of a young man somewhere in the twenties. However, the story has not confirmed his real age. At one point during a conversation with Olga in the original version, Kyril tells her he's not over a hundred years old like her. If we consider the unknown Time Skip between the "Childhood's Beginning" ending and the beginning of the story, we can safely assume that he is in fact quite old. This is discussed in the remastered version during a conversation between Kyril and Olga.
  Kyril: You have a question?
  Olga: No, I just... did not expect someone so young.
  Kyril: I assure you, I am older than I look.
• One-Handed Zweihänder: Kyril downplays this when wielding his Holy Moonlight Sword. The transformed mode of this weapon (where it turns into a turquoise BFS and can shoot beams of light) is normally wielded in both hands, but he occasionally uses it one-handed either to cut down his foes, rid it of blood, or to lean it against its shoulder. The normal mode of this weapon can be wielded in one hand like a bastard sword, so he would have one hand free to wield a gun.
• One-Man Army: The Good Hunter made his name by slaughtering numerous orc bands all by himself, including high value targets that would be a pain to anyone who is not the Good Hunter. Deconstructed as the process of becoming one messes up his psyche, and he has to cope with the trauma by turning numb from the constant killing. Besides, the original version reveals that he cannot be everywhere at once, so he, a One-Man Army, fights with an army to achieve victory more effectively.
• Only in It for the Money:
  • In the beginning, he has been working as a freelance sellsword since arriving to Eostia, hunting down numerous orc war bands by himself not for heroics, but for a living. In fact, this trope is the sole reason why he gets involved in the quest of bringing Olga alive back to Ken. His insistence in the completion of his mission, hence getting paid, is made more prominent in the remastered version. Later chapters of the original has him growing out of this mentality when he gets more involved in the war against the Black Dogs. In particular, the moment where he decides to defy Bystander Syndrome marks his Character Development.
  • He exploits this trope in Chapter 25 of the original by claiming himself as someone who's getting paid while interrogating a clergyman who follows Grishom. Believing he wants gold, the clergyman takes the bait and frantically reveals that he knows where the archbishop is, bringing the hunt for Grishom to a climax.
• Outside-Context Problem:
  • From the perspective of others, the Hunter is a mysterious outsider clad in nondescript clothing and a weird hat. No one in the country knows where he comes from, and the stuff he uses are completely foreign. The awe, mystery, and suspicion only increases tenfold when compounded by his secrecy, as well as his talent for slaughter. On the other hand, readers who have played Bloodborne are familiar with his origins, his abilities, and his motives. Throughout the story, he is the Godzilla Threshold to Celestine, ruler of Eostia and leader of the Seven Shields, who has no choice but to find this elusive, yet dangerous agent in hopes of possibly ending the Forever War with his help, which it did. All of his enemies, be it monsters, dark elves, or the Black Dogs that go rogue, simply don't stand a chance against this blasted Nigh-Invulnerable Lightning Bruiser that came out of nowhere.
  • At one point in the original version, Kyril alludes to his "outside-context" status during a conversation with Grace. He exploits this trope to be an effective Terror Hero, noting that fear and deception are useful tools for him to move if everyone knew almost nothing about him.
• Perpetual Frowner: Subverted. He's a Consummate Professional who leans towards The Stoic with the emotionless visage, giving the impression of seriousness or mild annoyance all the time, but he does give a thin smile underneath his bandanna more than once.
• Pile Bunker: The Good Hunter pulls out the Stake Driver in two occasions in the original version — the attack on the Malys Estate, and the hunt for Mandeville. A heavy gauntlet with a large stake strapped to it, it is strong enough to reduce a mutant to Ludicrous Gibs. The resulting explosion from this trick weapon can also stagger nearby foes, making them vulnerable to any incoming attack.
• Pistol-Whipping: The Good Hunter bludgeons his prey with his pistol and blunderbuss just as often as he shoots them. This is necessary because his firearms need to be reloaded after firing a shot. Thanks to his very strength, a strike from his firearm used as a blunt instrument can kill as well.
• Pitiful Worms: A rare heroic example. Both versions of the story feature a few moments where the uber-powerful Hunter compares other people to insects.
  • In the original version, Kyril encounters Shamuhaza a second time and calls him, now as an insectoid Eldritch Abomination, "small and insignificant" in his Badass Boast, as if he is mocking Shamuhaza for turning into an actual bug to fight him. Not that it matters anyway, as Kyril himself is a great one with far more power and experience. The following narration says it all:
    And all the while, a great eye stared down upon him, watching his agony with callous disinterest. As if watching a bug pinned to the table by a needle.
  • Examples specific to the remastered version:
    • Kyril internally remarks that he doesn't bother sparing Hicks, one of Vault's compatriots, any attention because he sees him as an insect.
    • Upon witnessing a group of Black Dogs molesting Chloe, Kyril is reminded of vermin, their depravity being similar to how tainted Yharnam's people were.
• Power Fist: Kyril's Stake Driver is a heavy gauntlet that works like a Pile Bunker.
• Pragmatic Hero: While he is a brutal killer, The Good Hunter rarely takes things personally, justifying his morally questionable actions during the war against the Black Dogs as doing what must be done. He disparages honour and battlefield courtesy, but he never slams the nice idealists (e.g. Celestine, Prim) for simply being idealistic.
• The Quiet One: Downplayed. Disliking small talk aside, he is not an active speaker during social situations, and he often speaks in a neutral, whispery tone. Even when killing things, he is silent all the time instead of grunting. However, this doesn't apply when Kyril is playing a leader role, like a mentor or a Four-Star Badass, where the situation demands him to raise his voice and talk more.
• Red and Black and Evil All Over: Not evil, but Kyril is still an anti-heroic Terror Hero whose eyes blaze red occasionally (in the remastered version, they are always red), garbed in dark grey attire. The "red" part is more pronounced whenever he is covered in gore, head to toe (which often happens due to his inclination towards Gorn).
• Red Eyes, Take Warning: The Dreaded Anti-Hero Kyril is a hunter, a killer, an inhumanly fast and strong entity that constantly exudes Killing Intent, even when he's not holding his serrated cleaver. His originally-dark eyes turn crimson when he wants to visibly show others that he's deadly serious. The remastered version switches his eye colour to permanently claret red, like spilled blood, just to amplify the sinister vibe.
  Narration from the remastered version: His red eyes were dull, and yet they held a cruel light to them that shone with warning against all sentient life.
• Reputation Apathy: One of Kyril Sutherland's defining characteristics is that he is indifferent to how people in general think about him. In fact, he prefers being treated with apprehension while minding his own business instead of spending time trying to look good. Upon being knighted in the original version^note not featured in the remastered version as of now, Kyril makes it clear that he does not care about maintaining his reputation as a knight. He doesn't care if people see him as a violent, brutal, ruthless and unchivalrous killer, as long as they stay out of his way in achieving his objectives. His behaviour irks a lot of people, especially those from the nobility, but as the story progresses, more people gradually either respect his strength begrudgingly, or figure out that it is best to get on his good side if he has one.
• Resurrective Immortality: Just like in Bloodborne canon, the Good Hunter cannot be permanently killed. In the original version, this revelation shocks Perdita, the one who "succeeded" in assassinating him, and Celestine, a witness.
• Serrated Blade of Pain: Kyril has two.
  • Kyril's Saw Cleaver is infamous for its absurd design and brutal effectiveness. One of the many reasons why its user is The Dreaded. Luckily, its user is just not nice rather than outright evil.
    Luu-Luu: Well... that is a rather disturbing weapon. What kind of demented arsehole decides to forge something like that?
  • The Beast Cutter makes its debut in Chapter 12 of the remastered version. Another brutal, heavy and serrated cleaver under Kyril's possession. It is used to fend off Alicia and Maia's simultaneous attacks from their Force and Finesse dynamic. He severely overestimated them, however, for the duo struggles against the Hunter's uncompromising aggression.
• Shell-Shocked Veteran: The apparently quiet and dispassionate Hunter who keeps people at a distance is in fact a mentally scarred man with a Dark and Troubled Past that involved killing things by the hundred thousands as he endured the hell and nightmare that is Yharnam. He mangsts, constantly scans for danger, avoids anything that would allow repressed memories to surface, and occasionally hallucinates about the horrors of the Hunt with a Thousand-Yard Stare on his face. He also demonstrates other common characteristics of this archetype, such as the willingness to do what must be done, as well as stepping into the role of Mentor in Sour Armor by time he decides to train apprentices (original version exclusive).
• Shotguns Are Just Better: Compared with the Hunter's Pistol, the Hunter's Blunderbuss has the advantage of wider spread, meaning a higher chance to hit the targets in the front. Vera from the remastered version internally notes that it "looked more like a cannon than anything else".
• Silly Rabbit, Idealism Is for Kids!: Kyril plays with this trope like a juggler does with their balls. He firmly believes that victory triumphs honour in combat, while calling out anyone who believes otherwise. Not surprising for a shell-shocked, mangsty cynic like him, but all the more shocking when he notably refrains from mocking Princess Classic Prim for her idealism, together with his belief that Humans Are Flawed instead of Humans Are Bastards. Then again, he is the same hunter who lied to Ludwig, the Holy Blade about the fate of his Church Hunters as a final solace.
  Prim: I prayed for the comrades we lost on the road. I grieved but now that the Goddess has a plan to end the war, surely such sadness will cease? I certainly do hope so.
  Kyril: May it be so.
• Situational Sociability: Kyril is an example that doesn't involve shyness. During typical conversations (if he engages in them), he speaks in a serene, distant, and impassive tone. He is notably more commanding when playing the role of a leader.
• Soft-Spoken Sadist: Inverted. Kyril is an Anti-Hero rather than a villain. Cool, polite and serene, he barely raises his voice whenever he commits bloodshed. Sometimes, he can be affable to his foes, not that it stops him from killing them afterward. To him, killing anyone or anything is synonymous with talking to someone about the weather.
• Spell Blade: The Holy Moonlight Sword that Kyril wields, just like in Bloodborne, can channel arcane energy to enhance its slashing and thrusting power. Said energy can also be released in the form of waves or explosions, which makes this sword the most potent weapon amongst Kyril's arsenal of trick weaponry.
• Spell My Name with a "The": Combining both original and remastered versions, Kyril has a total of five of titles that start with "the": the Hunter, the Good Hunter, the First Hunter, the Saint of Killers, and the Reaper.
• The Spock: Kyril isn't some robot whose pet phrase is "logic this, logic that", but the decisions he makes in both versions of the story evokes the image of the pragmatist who prefers cold reason, commits to a task and does what he has to do without batting an eye.
  • Original version: During the war against the Black Dogs, Kyril always chooses to take as few prisoners as possible (i.e., killing those who surrendered) rather than adhering to "battlefield courtesy". Faced with a rebellion in Ken, he chooses to quell it with force rather than to discuss terms with the rebels (it doesn't help that they are supporters of an Army of Thieves and Whores). When playing the role of flag officer, he puts emphasis on mapping out plans large and small, maintaining discipline and achieving results. Not glory or "fighting with your heart and soul".
  • Remastered version: After finding a den in Chapter 1, Kyril is more interested in dispassionately reporting the amount of orcs to kill as well as how the killing will proceed, in contrast to Alicia's concern for the orc victims. After dealing with an ambush in Chapter 2, Kyril's decision is to tell the others to stop grieving for their dead^note his reasoning being that i) the orcs will return soon, so if they keep staying, they all die, and ii) the dead are dead anyway and nothing will change that, take the reins, and continue on heading to the desired destination. In later chapters, he emphasises the importance of getting the job done, rather than saying things like "I believe in my heart" or "I don't want these people to suffer" or "it's the right thing to do". Even though he gains allies due to a lingering Good Samaritan instinct that he thought he had lost, he has not forgotten about weighing his options^note For example, he believes his allies may have a part to play in the uncertain times ahead, so he sees the act of abandoning them a wasteful action. This differs from something like "I won't leave them no matter what! It's wrong / They are my friends!".
• Star Power: Kyril's A Call Beyond involves him shooting starlight at the enemy.
• The Stoic: The Hunter hardly emotes^note that is, to express emotion in an obvious way. He often speaks in a way that conveys disinterest and detachment. He often reacts with a blank look, a measured voice, minor irritation, and maybe a sigh or two in situations where it would be reasonable to behave more emotionally (e.g., in a stenchy place, in a festive party, in a fight against 300 people, finding someone who ended up in his private abode, getting kissed, etc.). Most of the time, his visage is obscured by a wide tricorn hat and a bandanna, making it even harder for people to discern how he truly feels. This, along with his talent for slaughter, invokes an image of a cold, merciless killer. The Hunter refuses to be ruled over by emotions in order to do his job better, always bouncing back to his normal, impassive self even after the rare occasion of briefly smiling or being Not So Stoic, but there are a few times where he blandly tells people how he feels to get his point across (because not showing emotion doesn't necessarily mean lying about one's feelings). The Hunter's stoicism complements his other characteristics, namely his uncanny effectiveness in combat, his status as a feared enigma, and his inclination for serene solitude.
• Story-Breaker Power: The Good Hunter is essentially unstoppable due to his unlimited revives and being head and shoulders above the rest in terms of speed, strength and durability. This guy is guaranteed to win any fight that he gets into while being hardly serious. As if he cannot get even more broken, the fact that he obtained the Childhood's Beginning ending from Bloodborne means he is a great one posing as a man^note though this is only implied in the remastered version. Both versions of the story go around this via the following methods: putting the Hunter in situations where he is disincentivised to use excessive force^note e.g., defeating Olga and bringing her back to the South unspoiled; putting him in situations where he demonstrates skills besides combat^note e.g., choosing to stealthily enter a building instead of wasting time killing things in order to complete his objective faster; making him Willfully Weak^note i.e., he uses his Combo Platter Powers as a great one sparingly because he wants to conceal everything related to Yharnam and prevent collateral damage; having him experience setbacks in spite of his sheer power^note e.g., the Good Hunter is able to stop the Arc Villain, but fails to save everyone in time, leading to a Pyrrhic Victory; giving the spotlight to other characters^note e.g., in Chapters 17-22 of the original version, the Hunter is in Scathlocke hunting down the current Arc Villain, while other characters like Lily and Soren are gaining intel to deal with a future Arc Villain; NOT making the story solely revolve around some Protagonist - Big Bad confrontation^note e.g., conflict is present due to the Hunter being an enigmatic, Good Is Not Nice Anti-Hero, characters learn about themselves and each other, etc.; and giving the Good Hunter Hidden Depths.
• Sugar-and-Ice Personality: Kyril Sutherland comes across as an apathetic and unfriendly person due to his brusque, impassive and brooding demeanour, something expected for a Hunter experienced with bloodshed from the Night of the Hunt. However, simply be a decent person instead of a jerk, and he will return the favour with kindness and, surprisingly, loyalty. The Hunter also appreciates those who show a useful skill or two (e.g., sneaking around, doing paperwork, or even making delicious food!) instead of picking a fight with him for no reason other than Underestimating Badassery. Towards his subordinates, he is a stern leader, but never callous. Starting out the story as a tight-lipped man who opens up to no one but his doll confidant (who sees the Hunter as kind even if he doesn't show it), he gradually develops sympathy towards the weak and the downtrodden, even providing solace to the traumatised. It is worth mentioning that in spite of the above "sugary" moments, Kyril does not become more expressive or buddy-buddy — the "ice" part is an integral, persisting part of his personality, neither a shell nor a facade.
• Super-Scream: Kyril's Beast Roar works like this, unleashing a roar that can repel nearby foes while damaging them internally if they get too close, as shown in Chapter 2 of the original. It makes a return in Chapter 5 of the remastered version, with Kyril deflecting Olga's fire attacks via this method.
• Swipe Your Blade Off: One of Kyril's habits is to swing his Saw Cleaver or the Holy Moonlight Sword down to flick the blood off of the blade.
• Sword and Gun: Kyril generally uses his Saw Cleaver and Hunter's Pistol together in combat.
• Sword Beam: Kyril's Holy Moonlight Sword is able to take out crowds of enemies at once from a distance by erupting beams of energy.
• Taking Up the Mantle: Kyril discusses this trope with the Doll, pondering on the decision to take up the mantle of First Hunter, once held by his mentor Gehrman, should the conflict in Eostia take a turn for the worst. Played Straight in the original version, where he accepts the mantle the moment he resolves to hunt down his enemies and save the people of Eostia from the Black Dogs. Taking a step forward, he starts training multiple apprentices at once instead of one at a time.
• Tall, Dark, and Handsome: Kyril is aloof, is taller than most, is dark-haired, and is seen as rather handsome due to his sharp, youthful features.
• There Is No Kill Like Overkill: There are times where Kyril uses more force than necessary to kill something.
  • He finishes Beasley off by pinning him down and systematically chopping his body up, instead of killing him in one hit like he usually does to his prey.
  • In the remastered version, Kyril needs to bring Olga back to the capital alive with Chloe in tow, only to find Vault, Kin and thirty men blocking his way. What does he do? Simply shoot the leader? No. Hack them one by one with his cleaver? No, no. He uses A Call Beyond to blow them all up to kingdom come.
• Think Nothing of It: Kyril often downplays his exploits when others take note of them. Unlike many others of similar prestige who put in much effort in building up their reputations, he dislikes fame, hero worship and generally being in the centre of attention.
• Thousand-Yard Stare: Being a Shell-Shocked Veteran Hunter, Kyril does this a lot in front of almost anyone or when in deep thought, something that disturbs the people around him.
• Tin Man: While Kyril really is The Stoic, there are times where he is out of touch with certain positive emotions.
  • In the original version, his P.O.V. professes to have forgotten a specific feeling — empathy. At the same time, he also regrets that he couldn't save anyone in Rad.
    He had long since forgotten empathy, but he was human enough to feel regret that he could not save anyone.
  • In the remastered version, Kyril thinks he has cast aside his human part in order to survive the Night of the Hunt, yet his actions, like helping out four Black Dog deserters instead of leaving them for dead, or simply basking in the tranquility of his quarters, clearly contradict this.
• Tranquil Fury: The Hunter is devoid of expression when he is swinging his heavy serrated cleaver in arcs meant to maim, sever, and kill on a daily basis.
• Undying Warrior: Kyril Sutherland has Resurrective Immortality and is heavily involved in martial careers, like beast-hunting, mercenary work, and the military (in the original version). Shell-shocked, he yearns for a day where he could get a farm, lay down his weapons, and fade away.
• Walking the Earth: The Good Hunter has been travelling the world before being granted an audience with Celestine, with mercenary work being his source of income.

Tropes related to him in the original

A-Z

• The Ace: Played With. Kyril gradually develops into a straight example not because he becomes better at doing something over time — he's already way up there in terms of strength, combat, and other eldritch tricks. Rather, it's his reputation that improves over time. At the beginning, he's a Terror Hero feared by all, but later on, he consistently brings results by culling the traitors in the country so effectively that his soldiery and the common folk lionise him. Several character POVs observe that Kyril is gradually gaining a legendary status as a result of earning authority via asskicking, stopping the Black Dogs from doing harm to the people, and getting rid of the traitorous aristocrats that extort said people. His status as The Dreaded doesn't change, of course.
• Adaptational Badass: In Bloodborne canon, the Good Hunter is an Empowered Badass Normal Hunter of Monsters skilled with a multitude of melee and ranged weapons. Here, the very same Good Hunter is many things aside from having all the abilities depicted in canon: a dreaded Terror Hero, a Badass Teacher who eventually takes four apprentices, a Four-Star Badass with military acumen, and a great one in a man's skin. Moreover, the Hunter died a lot in canon, whereas in the fanfic's original version, he only dies once.
• Alien Blood: Inverted. Kyril is no longer human due to the Eldritch Transformation that happened prior to the events of the story, yet he bleeds the same way a human would (i.e., bleeding red blood). Fittingly, he values his humanity and desires to conceal his true nature.
• All for Nothing: His backstory reveals that back in Yharnam, Kyril met several survivors, tried to keep them safe, and hoped to escape with them. It didn't matter in the end, for all of them lost their minds and, in turn, their lives.
• Ambiguously Trained: Other than being a Hunter of Monsters, nothing in Kyril's past explicitly suggests he had been in some form of military. Nevertheless, Kyril has displayed remarkable expertise in many tasks that involves the military, especially during situations where he is in charge in the battlefield. Said tasks include but not limited to: leading troops into battle, maintaining overall morale, instilling discipline, and knowing when and which places to deploy his company.
• And Show It to You: The one dishing out this trope. If anyone has the guts to face the Good Hunter who is silently enraged or has eaten some ball wrapped in cloth (it's the Beast Blood Pellet), they better pray that their insides are in one piece. And no, he doesn't even need to stab them in the back, or shoot them with a gun to perform a visceral attack. Give him an opening, and they shall kiss their guts goodbye.
• Anthropomorphic Personification: Discussed. Shalala claims that Kyril is the Goddess Incarnate's wrath made manifest, as well as a champion of light. Kyril, the Humble Hero he is, dismisses such claims, insisting that he's merely a killer who happens to be on the "good" side.
• Apocalyptic Log: Should anyone but the owner pick up Kyril's journal, they would find the contents incomplete and scrambled in no particular order, yet they document a tale about his experience in Yharnam, including: one of his deaths, his initial hopefulness, the deaths of all the people he befriended, and other mind-shattering ordeals and monstrosities.
• Artifact of Doom: Both Kyril's saw cleaver and journal are said to have an own will, that anybody who makes contact with it risk gaining Insight, which makes them susceptible from the madness within the nightmarish horrors of Yharnam. Hicks, Celestine and Olga almost learn it the hard way.
• Badass Teacher: Exaggerated. The teacher, Kyril, witnesses his students Sanakan and Hugh being incapacitated by Shamuhaza in battle. What does he do? He Mind Rapes the being responsible for this to a Fate Worse than Death.
• Bifurcated Weapon: Kyril's Whirlgig Saw is a mace that can be attached to three saw blades to form a long-handled mechanical saw. It makes its debut in Chapter 11 of the original.
• Black Knight: Sir Kyril Sutherland is strong, enigmatic, clad in dark grey, feared by many, and is knighted. What else?
• Blood Knight: The Good Hunter is a downplayed variant. There are several instances where he hopes for a greater challenge from his foes. Occasionally, he has thoughts of bloodlust, such as any time he eats a Beast Blood Pellet, or whenever he faces an enemy tougher than most, not to mention that the Old Blood that flows within him has an intoxicating effect. Nevertheless, Kyril neither relishes in bloodshed, nor actively seeks out people or things to kill for the sake of it, having a preference for peace and quiet. On the other hand, the entire populace see him as the most bloodthirsty knight in Eostia, believing that this trope is one of his primary traits.
• Body Motifs: Later on in the story, Kyril gains a title known as the Left Hand of the Goddess. Left-handedness used to symbolise unsavouriness, and Kyril himself is not nice.
• Bond One-Liner: Doubles as Mythology Gag. Kyril utters "Prey slaughtered" after killing Beasley and Shamuhaza as an Eldritch Abomination personally. At one point, he utters "Nightmare slain" after taking out one of Shamuhaza's creations that resembles The One Reborn. Who would've thought that the announcement the Player Character gets whenever a boss is slain in Bloodborne turns out to be Kyril's Post-Mortem One-Liner?
• Boring, but Practical: This trope is the reason why Kyril fights using the innate attributes of a Bloodborne Hunter of Monsters, rather than the Combo Platter Powers of his great one form. The former essentially boils down to "super-human mowing down mooks left and right while dodging to avoid damage", while the latter boils down to "resolving the plot in an instant while driving innocents insane just by perceiving his true form". Obviously, the former is less flashy but more reliable.
• Brown Note: Anyone who catches a glimpse of what's behind Kyril's mortal mask gets mind-raped to a Fate Worse than Death. He even says to his first two apprentices that this would do "very bad things" to their heads. The insect beast who was once Shamuhaza learns this in the worst way possible.
• Bystander Syndrome: Kyril's main reason for fighting against the Black Dogs is to defy this trope, reasoning that he bears the shame of doing nothing if he stood by allowing them to cause harm to a nation that has done nothing to deserve its fate.
• Call to Agriculture: Owning a farm to live out the rest of his life in peace is Kyril's wish. Justified, as Chapter 4 reveals that before Yharnam completely changed him, he was the son of a poor farmer. Hard to imagine Sir Kyril the Bloody toiling away in a farm, Claudia and Grace lampshade how unbelievable such a picture is.
• Cannot Talk to Women: Kyril sees himself as a man who is not very good with women, and he would rather face a gang of outlaws instead. Downplayed in practice, since he is able to talk to them normally. It's just that he, in Lily's words, is far too brusque in his mannerisms, not to mention how he is like this to everyone else.
• Celibate Hero: Whenever the topic of romance or sex comes up, Kyril's response is always an adamant refusal. Examples include confirmation from his internal P.O.V. (which says he won't even consider love due to his many burdens), shunning sexual encounters (e.g., the time where he is in a brothel seeking info or when Grace proposes to "warm his bed"), and his nonchalant mien when surrounded by physically attractive women.
  
  The story gives this trope a Decon-Recon Switch by challenging his preference, as well as exploring how it relates to Kyril's inner world. Kyril realises that many a woman is interested in him despite him killing on a daily basis, with 4 named suitresses (Celestine, Olga, Grace and Maia) making efforts to seek his affections regardless of his disinterest. While he has his reasons for avoiding romance or sex, he feels somewhat bitter about it. It's not because he secretly desires a romantic or sexual partner yet is unable to get one. Rather, he feels that way because those people are seeking the affections of a man who won't return them. He admits that, if only he was Kyril Sutherland the man, not Kyril Sutherland the Hunter and great one, he would have been very flattered, even happy, to do so. There's also how he feels that neither of those people deserve "being hitched up with a broken man or what's left of him", which reflects the mild bitterness as mentioned before.
  
  Despite this, Kyril has no regrets about avoiding romance and sex^note Best summed up by the quote from his P.O.V.: "But he was a Hunter of beasts, and because of that he walked a lonely and bitter path. He wouldn't had it any other way.". They are certainly off limits, but he ultimately appreciates their efforts in trying to make him feel comfortable, keeping a healthy and professional distance away with the women he worked with, instead of rebuking them by force^note Later chapters have both Olga and Celestine getting to kiss Kyril, but rather than the typical scenario where the guy reciprocates their feelings, it's a case where the guy simply wants to help the two feel better. His interactions with Grace and Maia show that Kyril isn't opposed to outings, but he neither falls for nor makes an effort to woo them. Last but not least, from his platonic relationship with Evetta, to his familial relationship with his four apprentice hunters, The Night Unfurls shows that this behaviour and other close yet non-romantic relationships are by no means mutually exclusive.
• Chick Magnet: Kyril is not some magnet for women right off the bat, but later on, he receives love letters from noblewomen on a daily basis. He had to politely ask some members of the nobility to stop sending potential marriage candidates and servant women who would attend to more "personal needs" (though he does hire them to assist Evetta in what she was doing to keep his office presentable). Double points for being a Celibate Hero who is not amused with all the attention.
• Combo Platter Powers: The Good Hunter's power set as a great one has no thematic element. His abilities include, but not limited to: Domain Holder, Partial Transformation, Touch Telepathy, Brainwashing, and Brown Note. That's not including the powers he has as a blood-empowered Hunter of Monsters, as well as his true form (yet to be shown for obvious reasons) that most likely takes the previous abilities up to eleven.
• Comfort the Dying: Kyril did this at least three times throughout his life. The first was when he had a final conversation with his mentor figure Eileen the Crow, staying with her until her breathing stopped. The second was when he told a white lie to Ludwig so the once great hunter would rest in peace. The third was during the events of the main story, where he Mercy Killed the Brainwashed and Crazy Luu-Luu, holding her in her last moments.
• Confirmed Bachelor: The Good Hunter eschews marriage. He is not interested in courtship, outright tells Grace he will never marry, and turns down multiple potential marriage candidates. It doesn't stop Grace and Celestine from having Imagine Spots about a betrothed Kyril, though.
• Cosmic Motifs: Kyril is associated with the moon. Like the moon, he is a cold, distant, mysterious and self-reflective person, yet Eostia becomes a less crappy place to live in due to his actions, just like how the moon reflects light under the dark night. Moreover, he wields the Holy Moonlight Sword, provides guidance (guiding moonlight, duh) to his apprentices, and smells like the moon (as in, moon-scented hunter). To mirror the moon's cycling phases, Kyril is somewhere in between the nature of man, beast, and great one.
• Curtains Match the Window: Has black hair and dark eyes. Played Straight as long as his eyes don't turn red all of a sudden.
• Dark Secret: The Night of the Hunt and The Good Hunter's true nature. The reason why he keeps his mouth shut is not because he fears that everyone would think ill of him, but rather he is sparing them from a more horrifying fate. While a select few (Celestine, Olga, and Kyril's four apprentices) eventually have the privilege of getting closer to his secrets than anyone else, and hence realizing what he had to endure to become the hardened killer he is today, they still don't understand the full picture. In particular, they only have an idea that he is far from human, but not exactly what he is. It is implied that the only person who has full knowledge about him is Evetta, who's been with him throughout the whole night.
• The Dead Have Names: Chapter 7 reveals that at some time before the events of the story, Kyril made a particular gravestone with the names of every person he met in Yharnam.
  Gehrman, First Hunter, a teacher who has earned his rest.
  Eileen the Crow, Hunter of Hunters, a mentor who no longer dreams.
  Gilbert, a man who deserved a better end.
  Alfred the Executioner, an unwitting martyr due to my actions.
  Sister Adella, a kind soul taken by madness.
  Arianna, Woman of Pleasure, a dear friend taken far too soon.
  
  Countless others covered the gravestone, a large list.
• Defrosting Ice King: Kyril is a stoic, brusque, and jaded Consummate Professional who is traumatised from his Dark and Troubled Past in Yharnam. The people that are in love with him certainly want this trope to occur, the ideal scenarios being him returning their affections and/or him genuinely smiling. The outcome is more nuanced than expected — he later shares a tender moment or two with each of his main suitors, yet he neither becomes more friendly nor makes an effort to gets closer to them, remaining a stoic, brusque, and jaded person throughout the story. It has never been a case where the Ice King turns into a Nice Guy or falls in love when some random Love Interests appear, but rather a case where the Ice King recognises his colleagues as decent, trustworthy people as he works with them for the war effort, and he will console them when they are in need of it. There's also how the people who seek to defrost Kyril never know the full extent of his Dark and Troubled Past, because said past involves Things Man Was Not Meant to Know and he wants to preserve their sanity.
• Did We Just Have Tea with Cthulhu?: More like "Cthulhu Chats With People", which happens frequently, because Kyril hides his nature as a great one under a man's skin, allowing him to interact with people with no issue. As for Kyril himself, he's more "Good Is Not Nice" than "benevolent".
• Didn't Think This Through: Kyril's decision to leave his journal, an Artifact of Doom, inside his unlocked quarters, instead of the Dream where only he and his trusted companions can enter. He doesn't consider that someone would just waltz in and take a peek at the journal due to curiosity, which is exactly what Celestine and Olga do. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the two gain Insight, suffer breakdowns, and unwittingly know of a fragment of Kyril's memories in Yharnam, all of them are scenarios Kyril wants to avoid in the first place. He lampshades this one chapter later.
• Do with Him as You Will: Kyril intends to leave Mandeville to his daughter Chloe, whom he tortured and had her mother murdered in the past.
• Dungeon Bypass: Invoked during the Liberation of Ansur Arc, when he is trying to find a shortcut to enter the mercenary compound where Maia is held captive. While it is true that he can steamroll anything in his way without dying, the more time he uses to kill things outside, the longer Maia is in trouble. His fears turn out to be well-founded — he did manage to find a shortcut with Grace's help, but he arrives a bit late to stop Michelle from violating Maia.
• Fairytale Motifs:
  • Kyril is a knight who attempts to rescue members of the Seven Shields (princesses). The first attempt (Alicia and Prim) is successful. The second attempt (Maia) is half-successful because the captive is raped. The third attempt (Luu-Luu) is a failure because the captive is Brainwashed and Crazy and has to be mercy-killed.
  • For a deliberate inversion, the narration in Chapter 10 emphasises how Kyril isn't a Knight In Shining Armour in the fairy tales. Later chapters have Kyril internally expressing the same sentiment.
    Kyril Sutherland was no noble knight in shining armor. He wasn't a hero in the fairy tales who saved the princess and slew the evil dragon. He was a killer through and through. He didn't see combat as glorious, in fact he knew more about combat than any noble knight or warrior. Combat was hell, and the only reward was your continuing survival.
• Feel No Pain: Kyril is not insensitive to pain, but the fact that he can shrug off debilitating injuries, as well as possessing Blood Vials that heal him completely speaks volumes regarding his pain threshold. It is then subverted in Chapter 14, where he gets struck by the tendrils of a mutated war chief. Chuckling to himself that it has been far too long since he felt pain like this, it marks the original story's Serial Escalation.
• Field Promotion: Gets promoted from knight to Lord Executioner for his efforts in the Rebel Scum Arc.
• Fights Like a Normal: Despite having the Combo Platter Powers that comes with being a great one, he fights like a Hunter of Monsters out of Bloodborne — a trick weapon on one hand, and a firearm on the other. There's a multitude of reasons for this: some of his abilities don't directly apply to combat (e.g. his Touch Telepathy and Brainwashing); his other abilities may cause unnecessary collateral damage if he is careless (e.g. his Brown Note and One Wing Angel), and; he wants to conceal the existence of anything related to Yharnam and the great ones, which includes said powers and his true nature.
• Fire-Breathing Weapon: Possesses the Flamesprayer as an offhand weapon for setting crowds of foes ablaze during his killing spree in the Mercenary Compound of Ansur. It is also used to burn prisoners alive during interrogation.
• A Form You Are Comfortable With: In order to avert Go Mad from the Revelation, together with concealing the existence of the Eldritch Truth and anything related to Yharnam, the Good Hunter takes the form of a youthful man. Ironically, said "form" is also quite scary and sinister to look at.
• Four-Star Badass: The Good Hunter is a One-Man Army who gets to lead his Men of Sherwood as a result of Asskicking Leads to Leadership, from minor skirmishes to major battles. Despite his introversion, he demonstrates a remarkable talent as a military commander, able to cooperate with the sergeants and the troops to achieve strategic victory.
• From Nobody to Nightmare: Chronologically, he manages to zig-zag this trope. At the beginning of it all, he was a son of a poor farmer. Then Bloodborne happened, and then Kyril was a squid. To keep this concise and more understandable, he went to a town named Yharnam in search for a cure for his illness, as an unarmed outsider. It is how he became an Empowered Badass Normal Hunter of Monsters, slaying beasts and other hunters by the dozens and hundreds, even to the point of punching out at least three great ones. After that, he was somehow transformed into a great one himself, but he managed to avert the Blue-and-Orange Morality that comes with his ascension. Taking a human form, he wandered around the world until his arrival to Eostia, again as a foreign outsider. There, he started out as a regular sellsword, only to kick tons of ass, spill tons of blood, and be knighted as The Dreaded Sir Kyril (the Bloody), infamous for his brutality in the battlefield. He later gets promoted to Lord Executioner after quelling a rebellion with steel and fire, being equivalent to the ruler's left-hand man. The kicker is that the people In-Universe believed that this trope is Played Straight for him once (because Kyril's true nature has yet to be common knowledge), but the readers who have played Bloodborne before will understand that it actually applies to him twice.
• Go Mad from the Revelation: To defy this trope is one of the Good Hunter's primary concerns, which explains a lot of the decisions he makes in the story: why he appears as a human, why he uses his powers as a great one sparingly, and why he would go to great lengths to conceal any knowledge about Yharnam and the Eldritch Truth. It also happens to be a reason why the Hunter is reluctant to interfere with Eostia's affairs at the beginning of the story, save for hunting down bands of greenskins and bandits. The trope is later invoked on Shamuhaza by releasing a bit of his eldritch might with a mere gaze. Seeing how Shamuhaza ended up, the Hunter has a very strong reason to fear the consequences from letting this trope happen.
• A God I Am Not: Kyril is secretly an Eldritch Abomination, and he once notes that many refugees sought blessings from him. Despite this, he is discomforted of the notion of being godlike, being more concerned about how these people have their once peaceful lives destroyed due to the uprising in the capital.
• He Who Fights Monsters: By the time the story reached the Rebel Scum Arc, a major point of discussion is whether Kyril's morally questionable methods in the war effort, such as executing prisoners who surrendered beforehand, and quelling the rebellion in Ken by force, makes him no different than the Black Dogs he is fighting against. Particularly, Claudia believes that not only does he play this trope straight, his actions would risk tarnishing Celestine's reputation as The High Queen. Even those who back Kyril's approach, like Alicia and Lily, have admitted that they would not defend his actions. Nonetheless, the narrative makes it clear why this trope will never happen to Kyril. Unlike the Black Dogs, Kyril and his followers have never raped, enslaved, or experimented on innocent bystanders. Instead, his objectives are to Make an Example of Them and to swiftly prevent the escalating war from continuing to devastate the populace, however questionable those methods may be. Furthermore, Kyril knows all too well what this trope entails during his Dark and Troubled Past, having witnessed his fellow Hunters gradually and literally becoming as bloodthirsty as the beasts they hunt. His conclusion? In face of an uncompromising threat, Violence is the Only Option, because the people who suffer because of said threat are the ones that matter. For a last touch of irony, Kyril Sutherland Was Once a Man, transformed into an eldritch entity, yet demonstrates such self-discipline that no inhuman being can ever reach.
• Hero with Bad Publicity:
  • Subverted. The Dreaded Anti-Hero Kyril believes himself to be an object of ill repute, often internally noting the way people stare at him and how his actions irk most of the nobility. In reality, he is lionised by the common folk and his soldiers. Moreover, his reputation among the knights and the nobility turns out to be more divisive than outright hated. Roland's narration sheds light on this.
    Kyril Sutherland was a divisive figure amongst the nobility, compared to the common folk who lionized the man. Some nobles thought him an upstart, a foreigner with the ear of the Goddess Reincarnated herself? That was unthinkable in and of itself. Especially since he was also a staunch ally of the former Dark Queen, Olga Discordia who was once the Goddess's greatest enemy and someone not to be trusted.
    
    His brutal countenance and refusal to uphold the ideals of Chivalry was also a contentious issue for many knights. Few dared to openly challenge him, for it was said that Kyril Sutherland could sense malice of any sort. The fact that he had also bested Claudia Levantine, who was Ken's strongest knights was also something that mitigated the nobility's ire towards the man. He got results, that was all that mattered to most of them.
  • Kyril briefly discusses this trope during his conversation with Shalala regarding his reputation.
    Shalala: Many look up to you as a savior, Sir Kyril.
    Kyril: And others look down upon me as a mad dog held to Celestine's side by a leash. I'd prefer it that way actually, it's easier to move.
• Heroism Motive Speech: When Kyril is telling his apprentices Sanakan and Hugh why he took the two of them in, he gives a speech about why he wants to help Eostia's people and fight the Black Dogs.
  Kyril: When I came here, I wanted nothing to do with the war. All I had wanted was to be left alone so I could suffer my memories in solitude. Until I learned what Vault planned for every single man, woman and child. The women and children slaves and men who resisted his regime dead or dying. Yharnam was dead long before I came here. Eostia is war torn but she still has a chance for peace.
  [Beat]
  Kyril: If I stood by and allowed an evil man to cause harm to a nation that has done nothing to deserve its fate then it is right that I bear the shame of doing nothing. I won't stand by and do nothing in Eostia. I will fight no matter the cost, so that others may live in peace. And when I do, maybe I shall finally lay down my blades and fade away.
  [Beat]
  Kyril: Perhaps I came here for a change. Perhaps I decided to lend my strength to those who needed it. But either way, I am your mentor and you are my students. I wish to give you power so you can do good.
• Hope Is Scary: The Hunter considers hope to be "the most fatal of poisons". Doesn't stop him from prosecuting his duty.
• Hot in Human Form: He is Tall, Dark, and Handsome in human form. His Brown Note-inducing true form, however...
• Humanity Is Superior: Defied. He doesn't care for the supposed "purity" of the human race. His P.O.V. notes, "That kind of talk had no place in his company. Anyone who believed otherwise was free to leave."
• Hungry Weapon: In a case of Shrouded in Myth, Kyril's Saw Cleaver drinks the blood of the traitors and faithless, as the legends say.
• I Am Not Left-Handed: The Good Hunter is an ultra-aggressive attacker that can heal up quickly, and he cannot die. How much stronger can this guy get? Aside from his Beast Blood Pellet power-up, it turns out that his human vessel is just a mask for his nature as a great one, which, like any horror found in a Cosmic Horror Story, is the harbinger of many horrible things. Thankfully, he manages to avert the Blue-and-Orange Morality that comes with it, but that would mean that he fears the consequences of going all out. The one time Kyril slips off his mortal mask just a tiny bit is when his two apprentices get injured from fighting One-Winged Angel Shamuhaza. The fight ends immediately because he gets Mind Raped by glimpsing what is behind Kyril's mask. There is a reason why he has yet to show off his full power or true form in the series. Never has holding back and then taking one's power up a notch this exaggerated before.
• "I Can't Look!" Gesture: After rescuing a group of nuns in the Feoh dungeons from their Prison Rape, Kyril's gaze avoids the victims, noting in his P.O.V. that he couldn't bear looking at them due to their current state. Subverted later as the leader of the nuns, Lily, limps her way towards him to thank him. Calm, yet furious, Kyril regards her with a blank look, and asks for Beasley's location so he can take care of him personally.
• I Gave My Word: Kyril in Chapter 2, when he promises Olga that as long as she surrenders her weapon, she will be imprisoned, but treated with utmost respect. Besides, she will also be brought to Celestine unharmed. Although this implies that the promise would expire as long as she is back to Ken, the "keep Olga unharmed" part persists for as long as Chapter 30, where Kyril even calls it an oath he would never rescind.
• Insecure Love Interest: Played With. He shuns romance, but he knows what his female admirers want from him (making him the Love Interest), as if they haven't made it clear to him. Yharnam has left him so broken that he would laugh at the possibility of having the affections of another good, or even better person. The "insecure" part also extends to non-romantic relationships as well, from how Kyril outright says the laconic version of this trope to the Doll, word for word.
• Intrigued by Humanity: Inverted. Once a man, he is now a great one who appears as a human to communicate with others normally. Rather than seeing humanity in general as fun, fascinating or admirable, Kyril believes that humans tend to have delusions of grandeur and invincibility, due to perceiving themselves as "pure" and special, in spite of the fact that they bleed like the rest. It's all the more surprising when he nevertheless decides to combat the people's own failings to help them.
• Irony:
  • Kyril fights against the Black Dogs, a PMC group that aims to subjugate the current regime to build a Sex Empire, where every man can "live like kings" while the women are enslaved, or metaphorically, "waiting to be used like dolls". Meanwhile, Kyril has a living doll who never strays from his side.
  • Kyril, who feels perturbed when anyone refers to him as a lord even though he isn't, eventually gets promoted to Lord Executioner.
  • Several characters, Kyril himself included, often note how tired and weary the man is. He is also The Sleepless and a workaholic, not to mention his incredible stamina.
• It's Personal: Kyril generally has a "Nothing Personal" attitude to the blood he spilt before and during the war, but there are two occasions where he attributes a personal reason to the conflict. The first occasion (where the plot starts escalating) is the elimination of Shamuhaza. Kyril's motive for his elimination goes beyond averting a major disaster — he considers this his duty to uphold the Masquerade, to make sure the shameful deeds of the Healing Church remain buried, so none would suffer like he did in his Dark and Troubled Past, like what happened to Yharnam and its citizenry. The second occasion is his first death in the fanfic. He finds it unacceptable that he lost an eye and Celestine is scarred due to his "assassination", sending him in an Unstoppable Rage and overkill the assassin responsible. He even lampshades how petty the second occasion is.
• Knighting: Kyril is knighted by The High Queen Celestine for his contribution to putting an end to the Forever War against Olga. As Sir Kyril Sutherland, he would be able to formally serve her kingdom and aid the people of Eostia.
• Love Hurts: One of the reasons why Kyril is unwilling to engage in courtship and romance is because he believes love only ends in pain for him and others. He once considered himself a good man and loved another during the Night of the Hunt, but it went awry. Kyril admits that had he were a normal guy instead of a Shell-Shocked Veteran Hunter of Monsters who is secretly a Humanoid Abomination, maybe he would consider. The story presents a benign deconstruction of this trope by showing how it needn't be as drama-laden or heart-wrenching as it is often assumed to be. Kyril doesn't deny feeling sad about his loss, despite being The Stoic, but he doesn't dwell on it. He decides not to find a romantic partner or fall for anyone precisely because he wants to prevent pain and further loss. The idea that "love is pain" is a signal. A signal that helps him make a pragmatic decision for the good of himself and others, not to set himself up for anguish and frustration. Furthermore, even though he believes this trope to be true, Kyril is still capable of opening up to his doll confidant and platonic friend, expressing pride to his apprentices, and providing consolation to his unwanted suitors. All in all, it's okay to feel that Love Hurts, because a) you can just choose not to fall in love, and b) it doesn't mean you are incapable of caring, helping, or feeling happy about others.
• The Magnificent: The title "Kyril the Bloody" is bestowed upon the Good Hunter for his merciless and brutal actions at the Nellos Watch Tower. He puts a lampshade on this by noting internally: such a nice title.
• Make an Example of Them: Kyril's reasoning for not taking any prisoners, or, if he did have any, killing them, as well as why he intends to put down the rebellion by force during the Rebel Scum Arc. He wants to send a message to the Black Dogs and the traitors, to let them know what he would do to them should they continue to pursue their goal of a Sex Empire.
• Mathematician's Answer: A brute is in shocked disbelief after Kyril lobs one of his arms off, saying that he wasn't supposed to do that. Kyril replies, "Aye"^note which means "yes", before beheading him.
• Mentor Archetype: The Good Hunter is the mentor to Sanakan, Hugh, Lily and Soren, training them into Strong and Skilled Hunters. A unique case where the mentor is an Experienced Protagonist with youthful features rather than some "wise, old sage who dies in the middle of the story".
• Mentor in Sour Armor: Kyril Sutherland may not have the esteem, the snarkiness, and the short height of this typical archetype, but he is still stoic and blunt to a fault. It goes without saying that Yharnam has scarred him a big deal, but he is still a literal Knight in Sour Armor. As apprentice hunters, their training is harsh but not to the point of being worse than hell, they get complimented if they show progress, and the entire reason why they are training under him is because they wanted to become stronger and improve their lives, which he did gave them the opportunity to do so. As for his badassery, he is the Good fucking Hunter.
  Perhaps the quality that makes him stand out from many a person of this archetype is that he is upfront to his apprentices about the requirements of being a hunter (particularly, any apprentice hunter would have Kyril's own blood coursing through their veins), and he would neither think any less of them should they wish to quit, nor force them to do anything against their wishes. Last but not least, the very fact that he can feel pride towards his four apprentices says a lot about his character.
• Never Gets Drunk: As showcased in Chapter 30, the utterly unflappable Kyril is capable of emptying a wine bottle with one long swig with nary a reaction. May or may not have something to do with him being a great one.
• Only a Flesh Wound: The closest instances of a major injury that Kyril sustains are a punctured lung from a crossbow shot, and a sword wound to an arm and a leg from his duel with Vault. Both of them are received in the Liberation of Ansur Arc. Being a Bloodborne hunter, it would not be surprising to see him shrug off said injuries without trouble.
• Partial Transformation: The Good Hunter can slightly shapeshift his arm into a mass of tendrils whenever he wants to pry out information from them as quick as possible. Anyone at the receiving end of his tendrils is also susceptible to being brainwashed.
• Pride: Discussed. The Hunter has faced many a person who think that they can one-up him or take him on despite knowing who he is, so many that it gets him to muse on the method to fight an arrogant enemy. He answers his own question while providing a piece of advice on how to deal with the prideful.
  When a man or woman thinks themselves invincible you show them how wrong they are. You destroy them without hesitation, without remorse or pity.
  
  Show them just how... "human" they are and the facade fades pretty quickly.
• Reality Warper: Implied. When Kyril goes into an Unstoppable Rage after his "assassination", he pursues the target responsible. As he walks, objects shake and bleed. Portraits shifted briefly into things out of a Surreal Horror movie. Darkness envelops the target, leaving a small circle of light around him. Makes sense, for Kyril is a great one. The narrative does not clarify how much control he has over reality, and whether the "warped" environment goes back to normal after a while.
• Red Baron: Kyril Sutherland is best known as (Sir) Kyril the Bloody due to his brutal actions in the battlefield, but different people have referred to him by a number of recognisable nicknames. "Hunter" is what he's known as and the one he preferred at the beginning, though it becomes less prevalent due to his increasing titles. "The Saint of Killers" is a name given by people deep in the red light district of Ken, for he is a man so terrifying that even the most cold blooded murderer on the streets stayed home if he was around. One Black Dog prisoner calls him "The Reaper", a new one Kyril hasn't heard of. He later hears talk about him being "the Left Hand of the Goddess" as he continues to bring results for the Goddess via brutal methods.
• The Rest Shall Pass: This is what Kyril does whenever a stronger threat suddenly appears, or whenever he senses that the Arc Villain is near. The reason is either because he puts a more personal stake on the act, or more pragmatically, he aims to quell the larger threat as quick as possible, for the sake of preventing unnecessary casualties in his company (defying the Redshirt Army trope).
• Sacred Hospitality: Kyril may not be a nice person to hang out with in general, nor does he give a crap about honour, but he is surely a hospitable host, as shown from his interactions in the Hunter's Dream with his guests, Celestine and Olga. This is despite that both have them have entered his abode without his permission, albeit unwittingly, due to them peeping in Kyril's journal.
• Screw Destiny: Implied. By becoming a Celibate Hero that rejects romance, marriage, and child-rearing, Kyril essentially gives the finger to the fate that befalls every great one: to lose their child and yearn for a surrogate.
• Sink or Swim Mentor: One of the assignments Kyril has given to his apprentice Kid Heroes Sanakan and Hugh is to hunt down a large hobgoblin, wipe out its band, and return with proof of the kills. The "sink" part is emphasised with Kyril internally stating that he has confidence in them, otherwise he'd "end up with two dead apprentices" and "that would be bad". The two succeed, but not without being bloodied and battered, their clothes torn up.
• The Sleepless: Thanks to the eldritch blood flowing in his veins, Kyril has no need for sleep. Since sleep never does anything for him, he would work all day instead.
• Smite Me, O Mighty Smiter: Briefly discussed. Olga falls ill during the journey back to Ken, and Chloe gives a Death Glare to Kyril as though it is his fault that her liege lady is sick. Kyril proceeds to mock this trope.
  "What else was he supposed to do? Yell at the gods to make them feel better? Like that ever worked."
• So Proud of You: After sparring with all four of his apprentices, Kyril says he is proud of all of them, clearly pleased with their progress. In response, Sanakan assures her mentor that the four of them are getting better every day.
• Sociopathic Hero: Kyril Sutherland is too brusque and frosty to be some superficially charming liar, but as the story progresses, he seems to be headed to this archetype due to him routinely dealing unusually cruel deaths, utilising the Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique, and killing prisoners with a callousness that blots out any shred of mercy or guilt. Capped off with how absolutely driven Kyril is in ridding the country of traitor influence, even if it means brutally quashing a Staged Populist Uprising while disregarding the shock that accompanies it, it looks like he would become a "murdering psychopath", as per Claudia's words. Come Chapter 26, where Kyril proceeds to disprove that claim in his campaign to deal with the Arc Villain Grishom. Contrary to the expectation where he would impulsively strike out on his own and torture the target to death, Kyril conducts a plan with his company (whom he is on good terms with) to bring Grishom to custody (i.e., dealing with him legitimately instead of killing him at the spot, because he will eventually die, with or without Kyril's blade), indicating that this man isn't one for impulsivity, stimulation, or irresponsibility.
• Stock Light-Novel Hero: Zig-zagged for the Good Hunter. Appearance-wise, he plays it straight: unkempt black hair flecked with grey; a face that would've been handsome had it held more expression; a lean build; and the dark grey Coat, Hat, Mask. He also plays it straight occupation-wise, starting out as a regular sellsword taking small jobs of cleaning up orcs and bandits (similar to an average blue-collar joe taking jobs at the Adventure Guild), eventually being promoted into knighthood and lordship (though he loathes the paperwork). As for anything else, however, it's zig-zagged: he made his way to the foreign land of Eostia, neither summoned nor reincarnated; he is an extraordinarily powerful fighter, but he got his power via going through a From Nobody to Nightmare ordeal throughout his Dark and Troubled Past, coming out a Shell-Shocked Veteran who is secretly an Eldritch Abomination; he's a '90s Anti-Hero instead of an all-loving one yet cares about doing good nonetheless; and he only becomes a Chick Magnet with a harem after 20+ chapters, not in the middle or the beginning of the story. The one aspect that really makes this protagonist stand out is his interpersonal relationships (not that kind of relationship, mind you), for the Good Hunter interacts with people other than a number of suitors, including his confidant, his apprentices, and his company, definitely not strictly limited to a number of female characters who only rotate around him. The harem in question? To the Hunter, it's a "problematic area".
• Stock Shōnen Hero: The Good Hunter flips the character archetype upside down. He's an adult man (or rather, he appears to be one), not a kid; is a Celibate Hero, not a Chaste Hero; is introverted instead of being extroverted; and is cynical rather than idealistic. While the shonen protagonist starts out as The Gift who trains like hell to unlock his true potential To Be a Master, the Good Hunter starts out as the World's Strongest Man that's Strong and Skilled who mentors others so they can obtain strength. A level-headed Pragmatic Hero who draws strength from his own might, he doesn't believe in friendship, but he's not averse to working with people either.
• Stopped Caring: The last page of Kyril's journal has the owner declaring that he's "honestly just too tired to care anymore" as dawn was coming in Yharnam, showing how thoroughly battered he is during the Night of the Hunt.
• Super Mode: Any time where Kyril eats a Beast Blood Pellet turns him into a Lightning Bruiser cranked up to eleven. As his blood sings and boils, so does his beast-like ferocity. Visceral attacks are used more often, and a swipe from the butt of his gun is enough to shatter a man's face. Of course, this is hardly his final form.
• Taking the Bullet: Or rather, "Taking the Arrow". The end of Chapter 31 has Kyril doing this for Celestine. Shot in the head by an assassin, he experienced his first death in the waking world. He's pissed.
• Team Dad: To his four apprentices (three of them are referred as "kid"), the Good Hunter is their stern Mentor in Sour Armor who keeps them well-fed and strives to train them so they can fight and protect themselves, even fighting alongside them if needed. Definitely a lead-by-example kind of character. Downplayed in practice as the Hunter doesn't really see himself as some sort of dad, and his apprentices call him "Boss" ("Master", in Lily's case). Regardless, he gradually feels a sense of pride and accomplishment towards their growth.
• Terrifying Rescuer: Kyril is a lean man in dark attire, has a saw-cleaver thing as a weapon, and a fearsome reputation. To his rescuees, he looks less like a saviour and more like a monster unleashed upon other monsters. The fact that Kyril's prey tend to be killed in a messy way further exacerbates this.
• Terror Hero: Kyril's fearsome reputation is one of the many weapons at his disposal to crush those sided with the treacherous, marauding Black Dogs. Demoralised prey make easy prey after all. Apart from doing the killing himself, he often travels to enemy territory personally so that any schemers would be forced to hasten their plans, hence increasing their chances of exposure.
• Token Immortal: Among the five Hunters, the Good Hunter is the only person to have Resurrective Immortality. Conveniently, he is also the mentor of his four apprentices, so no occupational hazard for him.
• The Unfettered: Kyril Sutherland fights the war against the Black Dogs for victory instead of honour. He will root them out without mercy, including any of their associates or anyone showing signs of being on their side. Numb to the blood on his hands, he is resolute on every decision he makes, even if he has every prisoner (and anyone who have surrendered, for that matter) executed. There's a rebellion in the capital? Slaughter every rebel, including the ruler's own subjects that choose to join the Black Dogs. There are people who cannot believe what levels Kyril is willing to sink to win the war, seeing him as a brutal killer or a monster who happens to be on the good side (as a bonus, Kyril himself would agree). All of these point towards a man who would do anything to achieve his goal... except that this is not true. If he were truly unfettered, then the very first thing he would do right off the bat, is to go all out, either by unleashing his true form, or harness the Combo Platter Powers he has as an Eldritch Abomination at will, driving innocents insane and disregarding the collateral damage he does all the way.
• Unscrupulous Hero: The Good Hunter is defined by his dark experience in Yharnam and tendency to Pay Evil unto Evil. He fights savagely and is willing to use unsavoury methods to rid of anyone affiliated with the Black Dogs, including torture, Mind Rape (though never en masse), leaving little to no prisoners, and cracking down a rebellion in the capital. Yet at the end of it all, he aims to end the war swiftly so the people of Eostia will not be threatened by an Army of Thieves and Whores who wants to take over the country, build a Sex Slave Empire, and Rape, Pillage, and Burn.
• Unstoppable Rage: Happens during the aftermath of the assassination attempt against Celestine Lucross. She goes through a Heroic BSoD after seeing Kyril taking an arrow meant for her, only to come Back from the Dead. What follows is a Not So Stoic moment from Kyril who goes on a relentless pursuit out for the assassin's blood.
  "Rage was one hell of a painkiller.
  Death didn't come for him. Not now, or ever. Instead all he felt was an all-consuming rage as he punched the stone floor hard enough for it to crack."
• Unwanted Harem: Towards the "unfortunate" end of the original story, Kyril has at least 4 women of high status who either has a crush on him, or is actively seeking for his affections. Soren has joked that, had Kyril knew that he would "end up with a string of women in front of his door", he would definitely get an aneurysm. Justified, as he is a brutal hunter from Yharnam, as well as a great one.
• Voluntary Shapeshifting: All it takes is a thought for the Good Hunter to alternate between his human and great one forms. As Chapter 8 and 10 would show, he is skilled enough to release tendrils from his arm while remaining mostly humanoid. Really shows how far he has come.
• What Is This Thing You Call "Love"?: Near the end of Chapter 31, Kyril comes to the conclusion that love is a frustrating concept to deal with. He truly believes he's better off slaughtering beasts in Yharnam than manoeuvring through the affections others want from him, for hunters like him are not supposed to love — they hunt, fight, and kill. Kyril's internal monologue reveals that he asked himself in private many times on whether he was in love with either Celestine or Olga. He admits that he came to care for the both of them^note it is worth mentioning that caring and being in love are not necessarily synonymous, but he considers himself too broken for having the affections of other good people.
• When He Smiles: Kyril is The Stoic, plus his face is covered by his hat and bandanna nigh-perpetually. It shouldn't be a surprise that a number of women who like him would like to see the Hunter smile towards them.
  • An inversion occurs in Chapter 8. When asked by Celestine about his Dark and Troubled Past (due to her peeking into his journal three chapters ago), Kyril smiles, in a way that conveys sadness instead of happiness. As he recounts how he tried in vain to keep his past companions safe, ultimately deciding to bear the memories of the dead as best as he can, Olga and Celestine see him as a woobie In-Universe.
  • Chapter 10 has a straight example. Grace notices Kyril smiling thinly as the Hunter talks about how he has the company of his apprentices and his dear companion who soothes his mind, thus he's never lonely. She internally notes that Kyril looks nice, though she quickly crushed that thought down.
  • Another inversion happens in Chapter 21, where Olga sees Kyril's solemn, yet warm expression on his face. Except that he is not currently showing this expression to her, but to his Not Love Interest Evetta. The later parts of Olga's P.O.V. describe how jealous she feels (because she's not the first/only one to witness this side of Kyril), admitting how "unfair" this line of thinking is (because Evetta knew Kyril way longer than she has), and reminiscing how Kyril had been the only man to show her and her servant Chloe kindness. And then Kyril gives Evetta a smile and let her go on her way, only for it to gradually fade into the stoic visage everyone is familiar with, hidden beneath his bandanna.
  • Another straight example occurs in Chapter 31, after Kyril reluctantly obliged Celestine's request to kiss her. He smiles, which causes Celestine to blush, internally noting that it is "the warmest expression" that he has given her. Contrary to many straight instances of this trope, there's no Love Epiphany, no Love Confession, for Kyril is a Celibate Hero who doesn't dwell on supposedly "warm" feelings.
• Willfully Weak: Played Straight for Kyril, which overlaps with Fights Like a Normal. He's an Eldritch Abomination in human form, but if he wants to prevent people around him from going insane AND conceal the Eldritch Truth, he has to fight using the skills as a Bloodborne Hunter of Monsters. This doesn't stop him from curb-stomping his opponents in battle, though.
• Workaholic: It says a lot about Kyril when he has to literally be ordered to rest, relax, or join a party, since he's very dedicated to the war effort, hunting in general, or doing paperwork (which he hates). Ironically, he often says he is tired, yet finds it difficult to rest (not that he needs sleep, but still).
  Maia: How have you been? You... look tired.
  Kyril: I am tired. But, I suppose I can wait for a bit while I am at it.
  Maia: [frowns] You should rest.
  Kyril: I will rest when the war is over.

Tropes related to him in the remastered version

A-Z

• Blood Iron: Implied. Kyril's Saw Cleaver is referred to as "blood-forged iron" by the narration.
• Disappointed in You: During the journey in the Badlands, Kyril, irritated at the infighting of the Great Escape group, tells Olga and Chloe, "I am most disappointed." Chloe attempts to talk back, only for Kyril to step into her personal space and give her a "Reason You Suck" Speech on why he is disappointed.
• Grievous Harm with a Body: Sometimes used as a tactic, whenever Kyril grabs a mook with his offhand to throw them into the path of the other mooks' weapons. Goes on to show that he fights unscrupulously.
• Human Shield: Or rather, "Mook Shield". There are a couple of moments where Kyril uses his enemies' bodies to block incoming attacks to show that he doesn't fight cleanly, in contrast to other combatants.
  • During the orc ambush in Chapter 2, Kyril grabs an orc's wrist, then swings it around, right into the path of an axe of another mook.
  • After killing an orc in Chapter 5, Kyril shoves the body forward to block the incoming spear points.
• Humans Are Flawed: Regarding the topic of human nature, something that's discussed in the remastered version, Kyril refrains from taking the two extremes, believing that humanity has the potential to commit both great good and deep evil.
• I Will Tear Your Arms Off: How Kyril calmly threatens Chloe to discipline her while trekking the Badlands, and to dissuade her from pulling a dagger to do something stupid.
  Kyril: I sincerely hope you don't try anything. Unless you would like me to relieve you of your hands...
• Imaginary Love Triangle: Kyril pulls off a Batman Gambit in order to invoke the trope in Chapter 8; he makes Morgan think that he wants to engage in a Cock Fight with Morgan over Grace by grabbing her by the forearm and pulling her to him close.
• Leeroy Jenkins: Justified.
  • In Chapter 1, Kyril brazenly walks into the clearing to face off the orc band in front of him, after giving Alicia and her two subordinates an offhand suggestion to "hit them from four sides". From Alicia's perspective, this is certainly suicidal, but as Kyril one-shots a pair of orcs with his throwing knives, and then taunts the bigger one, it is clear that Kyril has the strength and skill to back it up, and he is not going to have any problems whatsoever. Plus, there is no "thought-out" plan to screw up in the first place.
  • During the assault of the Black Fortress, Kyril initially sticks with Vault's plan of hitting the southern wall of the fortress. Striking directly at the chieftain of the orc encampment in front of him is not regarded as reckless, but rather an offensive tactic that's Crazy Enough to Work. Later on, the enemy forces use a Defensive Feint Trap to immolate a portion of the Black Dogs. Kyril's decision is to rush towards the mage responsible while disregarding Vault's command to regroup. Again, this is justified as another Attack! Attack! Attack! tactic that simply works because he's just that good and fast, not to mention the enemy forces Didn't See That Coming, thus scrambling to reform the line to no avail.
• Living Shadow: From Olga's point of view, Kyril is never alone — he is surrounded by countless shadows resembling those he killed, including other hunters and beasts. Even Kyril himself admits that the dead sometimes come to speak to him in his dreams.
• No-Nonsense Nemesis: Kyril Sutherland from the remastered version is a heroic example who prefers to-the-point conversations over beating around the bush. He never messes around when conducting a task or hunting down his prey, comfortable with striking when his enemies drop their guard, as well as flinging an exploding star to a villain's face as soon as said villain reveals his Evil Plan.
• Not Worth Killing: After ending his Trial by Combat in the remastered version (which is not even a fight to begin with), Kyril declares Alicia and Maia "not even worth killing" and leaves.
• A Real Man Is a Killer: No, Kyril does not adhere to this trope, as his conversation with Grace in Chapter 13 succinctly shows. Rather than a sacred calling or a way to prove one's manhood, to Kyril, killing is not something to be glorified, but a chore meant to be endured. Grace remarks that this sort of thinking is what separates him and her deceased husband, who plays this trope straight.
• Sympathetic Murder Backstory: In response to Vault's question regarding how his first kill was like, Kyril recounts the time he had to kill a farmer in self-defense, how he was stabbed by the farmer with a pitchfork, how he retaliated by spilling the farmer's guts out with his cleaver. The backstory is then subverted as Kyril admits that he felt nothing for killing him.
• Whip Sword: His Beast Cutter is able to switch from a heavy Serrated Blade of Pain into an exaggerated variant of this trope — a ponderous whip with bladed segments. Although there isn't a scene depicting him actually using this mode to hurt his foes, the fact that the whip creates a large gash when it hits the ground is enough to strike fear into Maia and Alicia's hearts.