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| “ | People can become... whatever they want to be. | „ |
| ~ Franz Bonaparta to Nina. |
Klaus Poppe, otherwise known as Franz Bonaparta, is the overarching antagonist of the Monster franchise.
He is a psychologist, psychiatrist, neurosurgeon, and children's book author and illustrator. Serving as the pivotal force behind the unfolding events in the series, he played a significant role as a member of the Czech Secret Police. Within this capacity, he conducted unethical experiments on innocent children, manipulating their personalities. Additionally, he collaborated with another Petr Čapek, who had illicitly crossed the German border. Together, they orchestrated an eugenics experiment, ultimately resulting in the creation of the notorious twins Johan Liebert and Nina Fortner. Consequently, his actions contributed to Johan's transformation into a nihilistic mastermind and served as a main catalyst for the enthralling events that transpired in the series Monster.
Personality[]
Bonaparta is characterized as a reserved and formidable individual, as his editor elaborates on his demeanor, describing him as aloof, proud, and confidently assured. His literary works often delve into the depths of human darkness, consistently conveying the notion that the very monster we dread resides within ourselves, making it impossible to evade its clutches. Throughout his transformations and encounters with Věra, Bonaparta's unwavering desire for control remains a constant aspect of his personality. He goes to great lengths to conceal her true identity, ensuring that only he possesses this knowledge.
Biography[]
Past[]
Bonaparta, a German of Czech origin, hails from a unique background. In the aftermath of the momentous World War II, which saw numerous Germans being compelled to leave Bohemia, Bonaparta and his beloved family made the remarkable decision to stay put. Their unwavering determination to remain in this land was deeply rooted in their ancestral heritage, as they hailed from a tranquil village nestled amidst majestic mountains, affectionately known as Ruhenheim.
Bonaparta was born in the year 1930 in the quaint town of Jablonec, located in the Czech Republic. His parents were Terner Poppe and an unidentified woman. As Bonaparta grew into his early adult years, he experienced the powerful emotion of love for a remarkable girl who resided in his town. However, his own father unexpectedly intervened and snatched her away, leaving Bonaparta heartbroken. Tragically, the girl soon found herself with child and decided to marry a Czech-born German living in a neighboring town. In due time, she gave birth to a son, forever altering the course of Bonaparta's life. As their professional relationship developed, so too did an intimate bond between Bonaparta and the actress. In the year 1962, their connection culminated in the birth of a son, who would go on to be known as Jaromír Lipsky, forever linking their lives together. Consumed by anger and resentment towards his father's actions, Bonaparta embarked on a mission to exact revenge. He employed a method of brainwashing, gradually eroding his father's sense of self to the point where his own name became a distant memory. In 1950, Bonaparta made a definitive choice to leave his hometown behind, never to return again. Determined to forge his own path, he pursued higher education and diligently obtained degrees in the fields of psychology, psychiatry, and neurosurgery. During his academic pursuits, Bonaparta encountered a woman who captivated his attention. This woman possessed a unique talent for acting, effortlessly transforming herself into various characters on stage. Intrigued by her ability to seemingly possess multiple personalities, Bonaparta seized the opportunity to study her brainwaves as part of a government research project. In a bold move, he temporarily removed her from her acting position, enabling him to delve further into his investigations.
During a certain period, the woman whom his father had impregnated took the initiative to contact Bonaparta as her son had expressed a strong desire to pursue a career as a soldier. However, it came to her attention that in order for her son to be accepted into the military, he needed a recommendation from a Czech individual, and unfortunately, her German husband was unable to fulfill this requirement. Sensing an opportunity, Bonaparta willingly offered his assistance by providing the much-needed recommendation, all the while secretly harboring the thought of potentially utilizing the son as a subject for one of his experiments in the future.
During the 1960s, while serving as a member of the Czech Secret Police, he engaged in a series of intriguing personality reprogramming experiments. These experiments aimed at recreating individuals who had already been born, showcasing his fascination with the concept. Simultaneously, he embarked on his first collaboration with a book editor, resulting in the publication of his book titled The God of Peace in 1968. Additionally, he commenced conducting reading seminars at the prestigious Red Rose Mansion during this period.
However, destiny had a surprising twist in store. The birth of Věra's child, initially anticipated to be a solitary event, unexpectedly resulted in the arrival of not one, but two children. This unexpected development undoubtedly introduced a new layer of complexity to an already tumultuous situation, leaving the future uncertain for Věra and her newly expanded family. In a fascinating turn of events, Věra and Bonaparta's half-brother were brought together at a quaint café in Prague during the years of 1972 or '73. Fate intervened as the pair developed a deep affection for one another, eventually falling in love. Their bond grew stronger, and when Věra discovered that she was pregnant, her partner courageously disclosed the intricate details of the eugenics experiment to her. During the 1970s, an individual embarked on a deeply controversial venture centered on eugenics, aiming to bring forth what some may call the epitome of human perfection. This ambitious project involved meticulously selecting men and women from various regions across the country, taking into account their genetic attributes such as physical traits and intellectual capabilities. Among the chosen subjects were two individuals named Věra Černá and Bonaparta's younger half-brother, who had established a career as a soldier in Czechoslovakia. Determined to escape the clutches of this morally questionable endeavor, the couple made a desperate attempt to flee together. However, unbeknownst to them, Bonaparta had already foreseen such an act of rebellion, and their plans were swiftly thwarted. The consequences were dire, as the man faced a grim fate, enduring execution for his defiance. Meanwhile, Věra found herself forcibly abducted, subjected to constant surveillance, and held captive until the moment of her child's birth.
Present[]
During the time that Věra was held captive, Bonaparta developed intense feelings of love for her. However, his expression of love was distorted and involved erasing Věra's past and cutting off all connections with anyone who knew her. He desired to be the only one who acknowledged her existence. In response, Věra not only rejected him but also harbored a deep hatred towards him. Even when she became pregnant, Věra made a solemn vow to never forgive him and ensured that her children would seek revenge even if she were to die. After keeping Věra under surveillance at the Three Frogs for six or seven years, Bonaparta eventually began to feel guilty about his actions. In 1981, he decided to cancel the book readings at the Red Rose Mansion, and the following year, he poisoned the 42 individuals (consisting of 39 men and 3 women) who were involved in the eugenics experiment and knew about Věra's existence. The motives behind his actions - whether it was genuine repentance, a twisted display of love, or an attempt to maintain control and conceal his past deeds - remain a subject of debate. Despite his efforts, Bonaparta's actions were somewhat futile. Although Nina managed to recover from her trauma, Johan was deeply affected by Bonaparta's experiments, which likely played a significant role in shaping his personality and future actions.
He paid a final visit to his editor, Tomas Zobak, presenting him with a couple of story ideas. Initially, he proposed a tale of a lovelorn monster, whose affections went unrequited. Disappointingly, his suggestion was rejected, prompting him to depart. However, just as he was about to leave, he paused at the doorway and announced that he had another idea, this time involving a mysterious door that must remain closed at all costs. Intrigued, Zobak inquired about what lay behind the door – a paradise or perhaps another monstrous being? In response, he cryptically stated that the answer would forever remain unknown, as the door should never be opened. Consequently, he reasoned that it wouldn't offer much of a compelling story. With that, he bid farewell and vanished, leaving no trace of a man named Franz Bonaparta.
After embarking on a journey to Ruhenheim, the land of his ancestors, his intentions were to spend the remainder of his days in tranquility, adopting his true identity as Klaus Poppe. Contrary to his former self, he underwent a profound transformation, cultivating a compassionate heart and extending support to a young boy named Wim Knaup, who endured the torment of bullies and suffered at the hands of his alcoholic father. Klaus even made the effort to send his son a postcard and authored his final literary masterpiece, titled "Das Ruhenheim" (A Peaceful Home). This narrative recounted the tale of a thief who arrived in a secluded village nestled amidst mountains, initially intending to deceive the locals and amass wealth. However, fate took an unexpected turn, causing the thief to forget his nefarious ways and ultimately live a contented life, selflessly aiding the villagers. It seemed as though Klaus had entered a realm akin to a whimsical fairy tale, where dreams merge with reality. Yet, similar to the characters in his books, an idyllic conclusion was simply unattainable. In November of 1998, his paradise crumbled beneath him, as the entire town fell into ruins due to the arrival of Johan, driven by a vengeful mission his mother had vowed to fulfill years ago, promising that even in her death, her unborn children would exact retribution. Over the course of a harrowing three-day massacre, Poppe met his demise, succumbing to a fatal gunshot inflicted by Roberto. While Dr. Tenema had shown mercy towards him, the mother of the twins refused to let go of her thirst for justice, asserting that he had no redemption in her eyes.
Quotes[]
| “ | "Human beings...can become anything." | „ |
| “ | "I'm not afraid to die. However, I don't know how I can atone. That's why I've decided to accept whatever happens here." | „ |
| “ | "If only the rain would wash everything clean. Fear, hatred, sadness... But the truth is that it does exactly the opposite. It makes things swell up even larger." | „ |
| “ | "You two are beautiful treasures. That's why you mustn't become monsters." | „ |
Trivia[]
- While Johan is the main antagonist of the series and the overarching antagonist of the light novel, Franz can be considered the series-wide overarching antagonist due to seemingly being the leading cause of his half-nephew Johan's evil and instigating the events of the story; however, to what extent Franz's actions had truly impacted Johan is ambiguous as the latter had become far worse than Franz, was already extremely evil as a child prior to most of his hardships, and appears to be such purely of his own volition. Furthermore, Johan's sister, Anna—despite having suffered similarly and her too being the result of Franz's eugenics experiment—remained an upstanding member of society, thus leaving genetics out of the question. However, the ending implies that Bonaparta forcing Johan's mother to choose between her children is what truly created Johan's nihilism and made him think all life wasn't equal.
External Link[]
- Franz Bonaparta on the Monster Wiki
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- REDIRECT Template:Naoki Urasawa's Villains