Millennium Earl

"I am the creator of the Akuma, the Earl of the Millenium! I am the one who will exorcise the filthy "gods", and with the Akuma lead the world to its end! ♥ The Order's priests, the exorcists... you can struggle all you want, but you won't be able to save the world! ♥ Never! ♥ HAHAHAHA! ♥"

- The Millennium Earl

The Millennium Earl (千年伯爵, Sennen Hakushaku?) is the leader of the Noah Family and the main antagonist of D.Gray-man.

He is voiced by Junpei Takiguchi in Japanese, and in English he is voiced by Jason Liebrecht.

Appearance and Personality
The Millennium Earl resembles a grotesque caricature of a Victorian gentleman: a rotund figure in cape and top hat, with a perpetual enormous grin and pince-nez spectacles. He has a set of large horns under his hat. This is merely the form he displays out in the open, however, as his true form looks more like a human wearing a cape and hat. Despite his intentions, he often displays a cheerful attitude, though in his true Noah form he comes across as more confident and malicious.

History
The Millennium Earl is the First Disciple of Noah, and supposedly the most powerful - his true name is Adam. 7000 years before the story, he battled an unnamed opponent wielding the Heart and won. Shortly after, the Great Flood wiped out all of humanity, and the remaining twelve Disciples founded the second generation of humanity. As a result, all humans possess Noah genes. Once every generation, the genes and Noah memories within thirteen people will awaken, transforming them into Noahs and compelling them to help the Earl in fighting the Innocence; the Earl comments on them "protecting" him.

Around 35 years before the series started, a Noah, known as " The 14th Noah" killed all but Road and the Earl, leaving the Earl crazed until the other Noah began to reappear. The 14th Noah betrayed the Noah and attempted to kill the Millennium Earl hoping to take his position. However, the attempt failed with the Earl killing the 14th.

When Mana, the 14th's older brother died, the Earl tricked his adopted son, Allen Walker, into turning him into an Akuma. Much to the Earl's surprise however, Allen had Innocence and it activated to kill the Mana's Akuma form. The Earl simply left as this happened instead of killing Allen, an act the Earl later came to regret and continually questioned himself about. It is implied that the Earl is still feeling the aftermath of his fight with "The 14th" as seen when he doubles over in pain or begins to cry from time to time.

The Millennium Earl deceives those who are in grief over dead relatives and friends into creating Akumas. He is a sorcerer from long ago, and he plans to lead the world to its death. In the anime he is shown to have a split personality - the first is his normal cheerful, friendly, and happy attitude, almost like a friendly old uncle. With the Noah, he's a member of the family, and is particularly playful and affectionate towards Road. His other personality is one of sheer, sadistic malice, capable of happily playing with people's lives. He also seems to invariably uses polite Japanese. In the manga, almost every one of his lines of dialog ends with a heart. During Cyril Kamelot's dinner party, the Earl in his human form appeared far more stern, addressing the issue of the Akuma Egg and the Heart in a serious manner; he appeared to be frowning, and he didn't end any of his sentences with a heart. Throughout the series, he also expresses regret that he didn't kill Allen when he had the chance.

Hoshino says she based the Millennium Earl off a legendary alchemist/preacher (most likely the Count of St Germain or Nicolas Flamel) whose tale even claims he still may be alive somewhere.

Trivia

 * "Hoshino says she based the Earl of Millennium off a legendary alchemist/preacher (most likely the Count of St Germain or Nicolas Flamel, though in many ways he also reminiscent of Dorian Gray, possibly referenced in "Dorian Grey man" and thus "D.Gray-Man", as adapted in the film The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen) whose tale even claims he still may be alive somewhere."