| Gannen Harst | |
|---|---|
| |
| Gender | Male |
| Species | Vampaneze |
| Age | 300 |
| Relatives | Vancha March (brother) Evanna (adoptive mother) Unnamed vampaneze (sire) Unnamed twin sons with Evanna |
| Status | Alive |
| Background Information | |
| Book Universe | The Saga of Darren Shan |
| First Book Appearance | Hunters of the Dusk |
Gannen Harst (ガネン・ハースト Ganen Hasuto) is Vancha March's brother. Originally the two were vampaneze, but Vancha left the clan and was reblooded as a vampire. Years later, Gannen is working for Steve Leonard as his personal protector and remains at his master's side whenever possible.
It is clear that Gannen strongly disagrees with many of his master's decisions, but remains loyal to him out of his devotion to the vampaneze.
Appearance[]
He's described as a man with yellow eyes and long red hair that reaches down his back. Like most vampaneze, he has purple skin.
Personality[]
Gannen is more calm and stoic compared to the loud, outgoing Vancha. Despite this, the two were very close and did everything together. Gannen was even willing to plead for his brother's life after he decides to leave the vampaneze clan.
Years later, Gannen is loyal to the vampaneze and won't hesitate to kill his brother in battle, even though he doesn't want to. Gannen strongly adheres to the vampaneze code of honor, as he never tells lies and only kills when neccesary. He dislikes Steve's sadism and cruelty, but has no choice to follow him because of the prophecy of the Lord of the Vampaneze and because Desmond Tiny told him to. As soon as Steve dies, he immediately makes peace with his brother and works to unite vampires and vampaneze.
Role[]
The Saga of Larten Crepsley[]
Ocean of Blood[]
It's revealed that Vancha and Gannen's parents died when they were young and they were adopted by Evanna. They lived with her for most of their childhood until she sent them to live with a vampaneze.
Vancha tells this story to Larten Crepsley and Wester Flack, but decides to omit Gannen's name and the part about the vampaneze. Evanna tries to correct him about this, but decides not to.
The Saga of Darren Shan[]
Hunters of the Dusk[]
Darren Shan spots a group of vampaneze while trailing after Evanna. Together with Larten and Vancha, the three massacre the group, only leaving two vampaneze alive. Vancha tries to kill them, but backs down upon realizing one of them is Gannen. It's later revealed the other one was the Lord of the Vampaneze and Gannen is protecting him.
Vancha apologizes to his friends for letting the Lord of the Vampaneze escape and tells them about his past. After being adopted by a vampaneze in their youth, Vancha and Gannen became vampaneze. However, Vancha didn't get used to killing people and decided to leave the clan. Due to the vampaneze laws, Vancha should have been executed, but Gannen pleaded for his life. They never saw each other again afterwards.
With the War of the Scars upcoming, Vancha is aware he'll have to fight against Gannen in the future. He doesn't want this, but puts these feelings aside for the sake of the vampire clan.
Allies of the Night[]
|
« I don't lie. The odds are still in our favour - we know these tunnels better than you do, and will probably catch you before you make it to freedom. But this way you have hope - and I won't have to bury any more of my friends. » |
| (Gannen trying to bargain with the vampires) |
When Darren, Larten, Steve, Debbie Hemlock and Vancha go to the tunnels, they're ambushed by a group of vampaneze. Steve takes Debbie hostage and reveals he is a half-vampaneze, having manipulated Darren and his allies the whole time. In the following battle, Debbie is taken by the vampaneze, but Darren's group manages to take Steve hostage.
Knowing that the vampires are outnumbered, Gannen tries to strike a deal with them so that they would release Steve, but Darren refuses, not wanting to leave Debbie behind. In the end they accept and Gannen gives them an advantage of fiftenn minutes to flee before the vampaneze go after them again. Before they leave, he gives them the death touch sign in silent approval.
Killers of the Dawn[]
|
« "Wise words, brother. There's been enough killing. » |
| (Gannen telling the vampires to retreat after Larten's death) |
Steve remains hostage of the vampires briefly, but manages to escape and return to the cavern. In order to stop the War of the Scars, Larten decides to protect Darren and his friends by fighting against the Lord of the Vampaneze, Steve and Gannen all by himself.
He knocks down Gannen and kills the Lord of the Vampaneze, but is pushed to his death by Steve into a pit of fiery stakes. Darren and his friends are devastated by this, but believe that the War of the Scars is already over. However it's revealed that Larten's death had been for nothing and Steve himself is the true Vampaneze Lord, the vampaneze that Larten had killed being only a decoy. He mockingly states that the War of the Scars has begun and leaves with Gannen.
It's revealed Steve is the true Lord of the Vampaneze. Apparently Gannen urged Steve to try the Coffin of Fire, from which Steve emerged unscathed. Gannen was elected as his personal protector by Mr. Tiny.
Lord of the Shadows[]
|
« "I have no say in it, brother.... » |
| (Gannen to Vancha, as Steve prepares to execute Shancus Von) |
Steve returns again with R.V., Gannen, Morgan James and Darius Shan, who is revealed to be his son. They take Shancus Von as hostage in order to lure Darren to a trap.
Vancha angrily calls out Gannen for allowing an innocent child to be hurt for the sake of Steve's revenge. Gannen is disgusted about Steve's actions, but can't do anything about it due to his vampaneze code of honor. In the end Steve kills Shancus, much to the horror and disgust of the vampires and vampaneze. Enraged, Vancha tries to attack Steve, but Gannen knocks him down and escapes with Steve.
Sons of Destiny[]
|
« Honour will be shared by all here tonight, both the living and the dead. » |
| (Gannen before his final fight against Vancha) |
Gannen and Vancha have a final fight, before the confrontation between Darren and Steve. During the battle, Gannen stabs and wounds Vancha. Just as he prepares to deliver the final blow, he's knocked unconscious by R.V., who had a change of heart after seeing the ruthless way Steve killed Shancus.
After the deaths of Darren and Steve, the war still continues. Now that he doesn't have a tyrannical lord ordering him around, Gannen is working for peace between vampires and vampaneze with the help of Vancha and Harkat. Also him and Vancha impregnated Evanna, with her becoming pregnant with twins.
Cirque du Freak Manga[]
Gannen and Vancha reconciling after the War of the Scars
In the manga, Vancha and Gannen are more conflicted about being in opposite sides of the war, but have no choice but to fight each other due to their respective allegiances.
During their final fight, Vancha actually takes the upper hand, but hesitates, not wanting to kill his brother. Gannen takes the opportunity to attack Vancha, mockingly stating that his brother chose him over his clan and he doesn't deserve to be a Vampire Prince, but he's crying as he says this, not wanting to kill his brother either. After the deaths of Darren and Steve, Gannen reconciles with Vancha and together with Harkat, start working for peace between vampires and vampaneze.
Gannen is shown to be alive in the new timeline, wandering alone at the other side of the mountain Vancha is.
Trivia[]
- Vancha claims in Hunters of the Dusk that he doesn't remember who's the older of the two brothers, but believes Gannen is the younger one by a couple of years. Ocean of Blood implies it's the other way around and Vancha is actually the younger, as Evanna states she and Gannen raised him.
- According to the author, his relationship with Steve was similar to the one Larten and Darren have; being a mentor assigned by Mr. Tiny who teaches the boy about the ways of vampires. The difference is that Gannen dislikes Steve for his cruelty and pettiness and never develops the father-son bond Larten and Darren have.
- Gannen doesn't appear in the 2009 film, but Murlaugh is a composite character of Gannen and the Murlough from the novels.