Iscariot (Vatican Section XIII)

The Iscariot Organization (イスカリオテ機関,), also known as Vatican Section XIII (ヴァチカン第13課,), is an organization in the Hellsing series that is operated by the Roman Catholic Church. It is a top-secret section of the Vatican's operations, and officially, it doesn't exist.

They are a primary foil to the Hellsing Organisation. Given that the Hellsing Organisation not only employs vampires but runs on the principles of staunch Protestantism, Iscariot is their natural rival, despite their similar aims. They do however work together when necessary. Named after Judas Iscariot, the apostle who betrayed Jesus Christ, Iscariot is a top-secret wing of the Vatican, charged with the active pursuit and extermination of all things vile and unholy.

Vatican Section XIII, Iscariot
The existence of Alexander Anderson suggests that Iscariot has perhaps engaged in genetic engineering and other advanced technologies to fulfill its purpose and to create greater weapons with which to combat its enemies. Iscariot has a sacred duty to do battle with the "7,405,926 demons of hell".

Iscariot is a Roman Catholic organization, and see it in their interest to kill vampires because they are naturally evil and are an abomination before God. However, Hellsing kills vampires if their actions are evil or wrong, especially if they kill humans. Hellsing will not attack a vampire unless it poses a threat to Great Britain, the Church of England or to the British Crown. Iscariot, on the other hand, kills vampires because of what they "are". Unlike the rest of the modern day Catholic Church, Iscariot is vehemently opposed to the Idea of Ecumenism, as implied in the first OVA when Alexander Anderson tells two young orphans that they should only engage in violence against "monsters and non-believers." Also throughout the manga and its adaptations, its members (Anderson and Maxwell in particular) display a strong hatred for Protestants. This hatred can even cause Iscariot to attack Hellsing in its own territory; during the memorable Badrick-incident, Alexander Anderson attacked Alucard, Seras Victoria and Integra Hellsing, and killed two of Hellsing's agents.

Considering that Badrick is most probably in Northern Ireland (since Hellsing didn't want to the break the ceasefire), it can be said that the management of Iscariot doesn't really care about contracts and agreements; they want to be the only power protecting and ruling Catholic territories on the world.

Background
Little is known about the history of the Iscariot Organization. However, it is revealed by various characters that Iscariot has existed for a very long time, possibly as long as the Roman Catholic Church itself. It is implied that Iscariot is a decent amount older than the Hellsing Organisation.

During the first part of the story, Alexander Anderson was scolding children for fighting. Later, Renaldo appeared to inform that vampires are attacking and is sent there to kill the vampire in Badrick where he also came across Hellsing. Later after the attack of the Valentine brothers, Enrico Maxwell accompanied by Renaldo and Anderson to discuss Millennium. Under the order of Enrico Maxwell, Iscariot began a massive attack on London upon when Millennium made its move, determined to destroy both Millennium and Hellsing.

Battle of London
The attack initially started off with Alexander and his escort of priests until an army of some 3,000+ knights in helicopters and gunships were deployed. The arrival of this force caught the Millennium forces initially off-guard and relieved the surviving population until an order from Enrico Maxwell came to eliminate civilians as well. Most of the Iscariot Organization's troops were killed during the Nazi invasion of London. Some were initially killed fighting the vampire SS troops; the rest died fighting against Alucard's familiars alongside Alexander Anderson. Those who weren't killed outright committed suicide by detonating explosives strapped to their bodies as they were overwhelmed by the undead. A very small group of priests remained alive, along with Heinkel Wulf. Enrico Maxwell, who led the organization and the invasion himself was killed during the course of battle as well, with Anderson condemning his former pupil for murdering innocent civilians alongside the SS vampires.

Anderson then confronted Alucard, convinced he was now vulnerable with all his familiars released; when Alucard withstood his attacks easily, Anderson empowered himself with the Nail of Helena, turning him into a "Monster of God" and enhancing his powers to the same level as Alucard's. Although he nearly managed to kill Alucard, the vampire, aided by his progeny Seras, managed to overcome Anderson's attack and tear out both the Nail of Helena and Anderson's heart, destroying him. Anderson died peacefully, hearing the voices of the children he had cared for at the orphanage. Yumie was killed by Walter while Heinkel was scarred and injured with a few remaining soldiers manage to survive.

In the manga's epilogue, decades later, they reveal being too weak to rival Hellsing until they had a few centuries to regrow their strength and gathering far more advanced technology and magic to stand a chance against Helsing. Makube replaces Maxwell as the new leader of Iscariot and Heinkel has taken over Anderson's position as main enforcer, showing having the same rivalry with Seras Victoria as Anderson did with Alucard.

Bishop

 * Makube
 * Makube succeeds Maxwell as the Bureau Director of the Iscariot Organization in the final chapter. He seems to be much more level-headed than Maxwell was, although he is equally fanatical, as he says that Iscariot is willing to wait another century or two before beginning the 10th Crusade. He is definitely ordained, but it is unclear as to whether he is a priest or a bishop. He has a scar on his face, but it is unclear as to how he got it. Little else is known about him.

Trump Card

 * Heinkel Wulf
 * Succeeding Anderson as Iscariot's new Trump Card, Heinkel goes on to have a rivalry relationship with Seras Victoria, similar to each's mentors relationship perhaps. Transformed into a Regenerator very late, her scars from the Battle of London is still visible, clearly; which she got from The Captain's Luger. Her hatred for the Hellsing Organisation remains unchanged; planning to sacrifice herself for the sake of crippling Hellsing during a somewhat, peaceful meeting between the two.

Personnel and Equipment
The Iscariot 'paladins' are the elite fighting force of the Iscariot Organization. They wear long cassocks and crosses, in the manner of their most prominent member, Alexander Anderson. They are known to fight with a wide variety of weapons, usually as necessitated by the situation - for example, Alexander Anderson wields blessed bayonets that are especially effective against vampires, Yumie Takagi uses a katana, while Heinkel Wulf and many other members of the Armed Priest Vanguard is armed with simple pistols loaded with silver bullets, effective against their human and supernatural targets. One of the members wielded a Dragunov SVD Sniper Rifle during the battle of London, which was later used by Heinkel Wulf.

Subsidaries
The Iscariot is associated with the following Vatican paramilitary divisions:


 * The Holy Relics group that equips the Iscariot members to hunt and kill their targets
 * Armed Priest Vanguard
 * Papal Knights

Trivia

 * If Matthew is Section III, and Iscariot is Section XIII, then it is probably safe to assume that there are eleven other sections of the Vatican, each of them named after an apostle of Jesus (12 original apostles plus, the replacement of Judas Iscariot, Matthias), and each of them existing with a different purpose.
 * With the exception of Yumiko Takagi and Makube, all members of Iscariot are portrayed wearing glasses.
 * The Iscariot Organization is extremely prejudiced against any non-Catholics almost as if they are still following the ways of the Catholic Church during the Protestant Reformation.
 * The Iscariot Organization's real counterpart is likely the Vatican's Society of Jesus, or 'Jesuits' -- especially when they used to play a more active militant role than the present-day ones do -- they are also known as the soldiers of God, and are under direct authority of the Pope, much like Iscariot is.
 * It is believed that the Vatican has a real-life organization called the Entity or Holy Alliance. It is unknown, however, if the organization is real. And if it is real, then the organization dates back to the 1500's rather than 2000 years ago.