The Major

The Major is a character in the manga and OVA series Hellsing. He is the main antagonist of the series and is the leader of Millennium. He's voiced in Japanese by Nobuo Tobita, and in English by Gildart Jackson. He appears briefly in the trailer for Gonzo's TV series, along with Doc and the Captain.

The Major is small, plump, unprepossessing, ruthless and psychopathic, his pleasant smile is the mask on a madman. He commands with a good-natured attitude, which can change any moment to cruelty or grandiose elation. In the manga, if the information given by the corrupt priest that was interrogated by Enrico Maxwell is correct, then the Major was between 26 and 27 years old in the year 1941 (just after participating in Operation Barbarossa), thus placing him chronologically in his late nineties during the Hellsing series.

History
A former first lieutenant of the SS, Adolf Hitler issued a special order (#666) placing him in charge of a top-secret project, the main focus of which was the perfection of an artificial vampirization process. The success of this project would allow the Nazis to utilize vampires in battle and turn the tide of the war in their favor. The operation was attacked and shut down by a young Walter Dornez and Alucard in Warsaw, Poland, in 1944. However, the defeat proved to be only a minor setback, as the Major and his subordinates managed to escape to South America unharmed. There they resumed their research.

Plot
Although other Nazi officers with higher ranks accompanied Millennium to their South American hideout and attempted to exert their authority, the vampire officers loyal to the Major quickly executed them. Depending on the translation used, the Major is variously a sub-commander or the founder of Millennium, as well as the leader of a Werwolf special force.

The original purpose of the Nazi vampire research was to ensure Germany's victory in World War II and to create a Reich that would last for a thousand years (hence the name "Millennium"), but the Major claims that he has "no purpose". He states that he simply wishes to start an endless war. In his famous "I Love War" speech, he elaborates on his love for all facets of war, regardless of which side is winning. While addressing Integra Hellsing's question as to his specific goal, he says that he has no goal. He explains that while others settle on no means in obtaining their goals, he will settle on no goals in obtaining his means.

Thus, he personally leads the Millennium invasion of England, priming the men by promising them the most glorious war, and was seen conducting music to the sounds of the carnage below, perched above the Deus Ex Machina, while patiently listening to the Doctor's details about Walter's conversion, and saw the results of the same firsthand as he was about to be attacked by a Vatican assault helicopter. Giving his apparent approval, he sent Walter to deal with Alucard.

In the final chapters, the Major and Integra Hellsing duel to the death. As the final battle starts, because of an attack by Seras, the Major's left side is blown off, revealing himself to be a cyborg. After this discovery, Integra debates whether he was a monster or not, since he wasn't literally human. The Major responds by saying that as long as his will existed he was human, no matter what has become of his body. His reason for despising Alucard is that, though the Major is a human who looks like a monster, the vampire is a monster who looks like a human, something that he can never forgive. In the end, Integra shoots the Major in the head to kill him; but the Major dies with a smile on his face. It appears that he has died a happy man with no regrets, having fulfilled his dream of a grand war.

Quotes
"My friends it has often been said that I like war.

Friends, I like war... No, friends, I love war! I love holocausts. I love blitzkriegs. I love defensive lines. I love sieges, charges, I love mop-up operations, and retreats.

Wars across prairies, in streets, in trenches, in grasslands, in frozen tundras, through deserts, on the sea, in the air, I love every act of war that can occur upon this earth.

I love blasting the enemy to smithereens with artillery salvos that thunder across the lines of battle. My heart leaps with joy whenever a soldier is tossed into the air and cut to pieces by well placed sniper rounds. And there is nothing like a tank operator using a Tiger 88 to destroy enemy tanks. And the feeling that comes when a soldier runs screaming from his blazing tank only to be mowed down by heavy machine gun fire, is such an exquisite feeling.

Like when ranks of infantry brandish their bayonets rushing into the enemy line. It moves me deep within my heart to watch a fresh recruit stabbing over and over into the bloated chest of a long-dead enemy.

The sight of deserters being strung up from a street lamp is an irresistible pleasure. And there is nothing more arousing, than the sounds made by prisoners of war dropping like flies, screaming in agony as they're mowed down by ear piercing schmeissers!

When a band of pitiful resistance fighters makes their final stand with nothing but small arms, only to have their city smashed to atoms block by block by 4.8 ton bombshells, I'm in ecstasy.

I love it when my forces are ravaged by a Russian armored division. It's so sad to see towns and villages that were supposed to be defended at all costs, being laid to waste, their women and children being raped, and killed.

I love to be squashed under the heel of the British and American war machines. The humiliation, as my men crawl around like vermin, ducking the yark bombers flying overhead.

Gentlemen... All I ask for is war, a war so grand as to make Hell itself tremble. Gentlemen, I ask you as fellow brothers in arms, what is it you really want? Do you wish for further war as I do? Do you wish for a merciless, bloody war? A war whose fury is built with iron, and lightning, and fire? Do you ask for war to sweep in like a tempest, leaving not even ravens to scavenge, from this Earth!?

Very well. Then war is what you shall have. We are a clenched fist, ready to strike down all who oppose us, with our might. But... After enduring over half a century wallowing in the darkness, for us, a simple "ordinary" war will no longer be sufficient. We need a MASSIVE war! A war beyond any other that man's history has ever known!

We are but a single battalion... The remnants of a defeated army numbering less than a thousand strong. However, I believe that each of you old warriors is worth a thousand of their sickly soft children! We represent a force that could easily defeat an army of a million and one men! It is time for us to awake the ones who sent us screaming into oblivion, and who now lie sleeping. Let's drag them out of bed by the hair, and remind them of what we are! We will remind them of what it feels like to live in fear. We will remind them of the sound our jackboots make against their throats. We will remind them, that there are more things between Heaven and Hell than are dreamt of in their philosophy.

Our Kampfgruppe of one thousand battle-hardened warriors will burn this world down to ash. Yes, my friends! Soon, Europe's charred remains will illuminate the night sky! I have brought you all back just as I promised I would. Back to our favorite battlefield. Back to our beloved war! At last the sea lion has crossed the ocean and is heading up the hill. Attention all soldiers of the Millennium Battalion this is a message from your commander… friends let’s bring them hell." - The Major Ova 4

Trivia

 * The Major's true name is never really given in the series. The Major's old name is placed in a few pieces of the Manga's art and in panels, but it's very inconsistent and is spelled differently almost every time.
 * The_Major_2.jpg the Major's first full appearance in volume three the Major appears to be much slimmer than the way he looks in future volumes. This is most likely because Kouta Hirano had not yet decided on a final look for the Major.
 * There are a few minor but noticeable inconsistencies in the artwork for the Major towards the end of volume 10. In one panel, he has clearly lost half of his left leg. However, in his very last appearance, it appears to be entirely intact. Also, his glasses (what's left of them) are shown falling to the floor after Integra shoots him, but they are back on his face right after that.
 * The Major did not first appear in Hellsing proper, his first appearance was actually in Hirano's earlier manga "Coyote". In Coyote, he was mostly the same character with a few slight differences including being a lot slimmer, and being referred to by the name "Montana Max,",Coyote also made him a "tragic villain", with his early childhood being told in the manga. Hellsing actually includes what appear to be nods to Coyote in that Fans have actually adopted "Montana Max" as the Major's name in Hellsing, but the name has never been written in any of the dialogue whatsoever, it is more likely than not just another in-joke from Hirano.