Zoldyck Family

The Zoldyck family.

The Zoldyck Family are a family that features in Hunter x Hunter.

History

The Zoldyck Family (Japanese: ゾルディック家, Hepburn: Zorudikku-ke) were a family of assassins that operated in the world.

At some point, Silva had killed member #8 of the Phantom Troupe and fought their leader Chrollo Lucilfer.

Both Killua and Illumi under the alias 'Gittarackur' participated in the 287th Hunter Exam. Nevertheless, Killua was shown to be uninterested in becoming a Hunter where he only entered to have some fun because he heard the exam was tough. Killua then befriended Gon and the others there. During the flight to Trick Tower, Killua tells Gon about his family. He says that the main activity of his family is assassination. They put a lot of pressure on him but he didn't want anyone to tell him what to do. Killua said that his mother lectured him while crying, subsequently he beat her up and his brother and ran away. He said that if he ever becomes a Hunter, the first thing he would do is to arrest all of his family presuming he would get a good reward. On the other hand Illumi entered the Hunter Exam in order to complete a contract. At the final round of the exam, Killua faces Illumi in a one on one fight. Killua was shocked upon seeing his brother showing up from nowhere. Illumi then eagerly talks about Killua's attack on their mother and brother. He also mentions that their mother is proud yet confused as to why Killua ran away. She feared that Killua would like to become a Hunter so she sent Illumi over. Killua tells his brother that he never wanted to become a Hunter, which makes Illumi feel assured.

Illumi then started to psychologically manipulate his younger brother by making him think that he was only a mere killer. He continued to tell Killua that he has neither passion nor desire. Killua replies that he does want something, to become friends with Gon. He doesn't want to kill anymore; he just wants to have fun like a normal kid. Yet, Illumi found it impossible. He is bothered by the fact that he and Gon are already friends, so he decides to kill Gon. As Illumi tries to leave the room, Killua freezes on the spot, clearly intimidated by his brother. The other examinees stand by the door so Illumi won't be able to kill Gon. Illumi then decides to defeat Killua first before killing Gon. Illumi approaches Killua and tried to touch him. The latter tenses more and tries to escape but Illumi threatens him that if he moves an inch, their match will begin. But if Killua did not fight him, Gon will surely die. Killua admits his defeat, to everyone's surprise. Illumi smiles at Killua and pats his shoulder. He claims that he never intended to kill Gon. He then instructs Killua that he should continue on following his orders. After that, Killua did not do anything and distances himself from the others. And during the next match, Killua appears behind Bodoro and kills him, which led to Killua's disqualification. Gon confronted Illumi and demanded him to apologize to Killua, but Illumi believes there is no reason for him to apologize. Gon grabs Illumi's hand and tightens his grip and tosses Illumi from his chair. Then he asks Illumi about Killua's location in order to bring him back. And when Illumi was about to do something to him, Gon retreated quickly. Later on, Gon once again approached Illumi and kept on asking about Killua's whereabouts. Illumi finally revealed Killua's location which was in Kukuroo Mountain.

Simultaneously, the family patriarch, Silva Zoldyck, and the elder, Zeno Zoldyck, remained at the family estate on Kukuroo Mountain, overseeing the grounds and managing the household’s security protocols. Following the exam's conclusion, Killua returned home, where he was subjected to physical punishment and confinement by his brother Milluki and his mother Kikyo as a consequence for his desertion. Silva eventually summoned Killua for a formal discussion, released him from his chains, and secured a blood promise that he would never betray his friends before allowing him to depart the mountain. Throughout this period, the family utilized their network of highly trained butlers, including Canary and Gotoh, to obstruct external visitors and manage the estate’s massive Testing Gates.

Inside the Zoldyck estate, Kikyo and Kalluto meet with Gon's group. She informed them she overheard everything about Gon from Illumi. She also claims to have told Killua that his friends are in the domain about three weeks ago. She had come in order to deliver a message from Killua—he cannot see Gon and the others. Killua is seen inside an isolation chamber, his arms chained up. His older brother Milluki holds a whip and tortures him but to his annoyance, Killua simply sleeps him off. When he woke up, he playfully greets his brother, but Milluki only continues to hit him. Killua did not seem to be bothered so Milluki tries to call their mother so that she can order the servants to take Gon and the others out. Killua then breaks his arm free from one of the confinements and threatens Milluki that if he ever touches those three, he would kill him. Their grandfather Zeno Zoldyck enters the room and tells Killua that he may leave. He also tells him that his father wants to see him in his room. After Killua left, Milluki asks Zeno why he is so tolerant to Killua's actions, thus making him rebel. Instead of answering, Zeno asks him about his thoughts on Killua's ability. He replies that Killua is the most gifted in the entire Zoldyck Family yet he is a failure for letting his emotions go first, to which Zeno agrees.

At some point, Chrollo had hired the Zoldyck Family to eliminate the Ten Mafia Dons with Illumi Zoldyck accepting the assignment. At the same time, the Mafia who were unaware of this had hired the Zoldycks who were among the band of assassins gathered at their second auction when a bounty was placed on the Phantom Troupe. This saw Zeno and Silva both attend the gathering where they stated that they intended to act in their own manner rather than cooperate with the other assassins. The pair later discovered Chrollo Lucilfer at the auction building and engaged him where they combined their efforts in order to eliminate him. During the battle, Illumi had completed his assignment which meant that the existing bounty on Chrollo was now void and thus they decided to end their efforts. Instead, they decided to depart as there was no benefit for killing Chrollo who had proved to be a skilled opponent.

Later, Hisoka asked Illumi if the latter could do a job for him. Kalluto acts as a decoy in order to gain Franklin and Bonolenov's attention while Hisoka switches places with Illumi, who is disguised as Hisoka who goes out to battle Chrollo. Once Hisoka confirms that all is over, Illumi leaves the Spider's hideout.

Killua alongside Gon enters Greed Island[30] and meet Biscuit Krueger, a master and experienced teacher of Nen who trained them. Later on, Killua exited the game in order to take the Hunter Exam for the second time. He cruised through the exam by knocking out all the other applicants and obtains a Hunter License easily. During the time the Phantom Troupe was on Greed Island in search of an exorcist, Kalluto appears again and is introduced this time as Hisoka's replacement. With the help of his abilities, the Troupe managed to find the exorcist, Abengane. While confronting one of the Bombers in combat, Killua shows off his Nen ability for the first time.

Kalluto helped the Phantom Troupe during the extermination mission of the Chimera Ants that were being lead by the self-proclaimed Queen Zazan whom invaded their home base Meteor City. When the Troupe enter the Chimera Ant base, Kalluto gets excited when he hears that whomever kills the Queen will become the de facto leader. While Kalluto is successful in taking out one of the Chimera Ants, he is completely shocked at Feitan's fighting skills as he faces against Zazan. Kalluto, at first, thought he could rise to the number 2 spot in no time, but this thought is over turned when he sees Feitan fighting. Kalluto is last seen fleeing the base where the Chimera Ants have made there base in and later helping the other Troupe members exterminate the once citizens of Meteor City turned into Chimera Ants. Later, Zeno arrives in the Republic of East Gorteau and is hired by Netero to help him kill the Chimera Ant King. However, after using his Nen technique Dragon Dive on the Meruem's Royal Palace, he quits the job seeing as he harmed an innocent bystander, and when he quits, he states it is the closest feeling of death he's ever felt in his entire life just being near Meruem. Zeno leaves the castle with Cheetu annoying him to fight him so he could try out his new special move. Before Cheetu could show it off, he is crushed to death by Silva leaving behind a massive crater. Zeno and Silva proceed to leave East Gorteau on their pet dragon. He tells Silva that Killua removed Illumi's needle and that he had the most exciting experience, much to Silva's dismay.

Overview

In appearance, the Zoldyck family were a clan of assassins that were considered by far the most deadly in the world. The appearances of the members of the family were unknown to the public at large, and a single photo of any of the members can be sold for millions as the identity of a single member was only known by a few individuals. Their family name alone can strike fear and terror in the underworld even more than the presence of the whole Phantom Troupe. The family was a multi-generational dynasty of professional assassins who operated as a high-end corporate entity rather than a standard criminal gang. They were a cohesive and extremely formal team that treated their lethal trade as a business, maintaining a public residence on Kukuroo Mountain while keeping their individual identities and physical traits shrouded in secrecy to avoid law enforcement. Their goals and objectives were centered on the preservation of their lineage and the execution of high-risk assassination contracts for the world's most powerful clients. They operated with a philosophy that prioritized mission completion and self-preservation, explicitly forbidding members from engaging in fights they were not guaranteed to win. Regarding their clothing and costume, the family members typically adopted formal or traditional attire that reflected their elite status and varied roles. The patriarchs, Silva and Zeno, often wore loose-fitting martial arts tunics or formal robes, with Zeno frequently displaying a 'One Kill a Day' banner on his chest. The children's clothing ranged from Killua's casual streetwear to Illumi's pin-covered suits and Kalluto's intricate, dark-colored kimono. This formal aesthetic, combined with the matching liveries of their butler staff, served to project an image of an aristocratic household while masking their capacity for extreme violence.

The members of the Zoldyck Family displayed a specialized array of biological and combat-oriented abilities derived from a lifetime of intense conditioning and training. Their basic skills included superhuman physical traits such as immunity to lethal poisons, a high tolerance for high-voltage electricity, and immense physical strength that allowed them to open the multi-ton Testing Gates. In combat, they exhibited advanced assassination techniques like the 'Rhythm Echo', which created multiple afterimages to disorient opponents, and the 'Claws' technique, where they adjusted their anatomy to sharpen their fingernails into blades capable of severing limbs. Some members demonstrated the ability to manipulate their own body structure, such as dislocating joints for escape or altering facial features through needle-based Nen manipulation. Furthermore, the family showed a mastery of psychological warfare, using specialized 'assassin's intent' to paralyze enemies with fear or employing coercive hypnosis to control the actions of younger siblings. Beyond individual combat, the organization utilized complex surveillance networks and high-tech equipment, including thermal tracking and hacking, to monitor targets and maintain the security of their mountain estate.

Zoldyck butlers received their training and education within the family's estate. They had a classroom, teacher, and instructors. Butlers were executed if they had lovers, inside or outside of the Zoldyck estate.

Assassination was the Zoldyck Family's traditional trade going back at least a few generations in the family, their fame and fortune coming from this activity. With rare exceptions, all family members were professional assassins for hire. Despite being labeled as wanted criminals, none of the authorities in the world seemed to do anything about them. This included the Hunter Association, whose 12th Chairman hired Zeno on at least one occasion and was friends with Zigg Zoldyck; the sole known exception was Seaquant once in the past. However, this did not stop bounty hunters and hoodlums to come at their estate to kill them to gain fame and money rewards.

Children in the family are trained from birth in the art of assassination, although each member of the family has the privilege to choose the specialty of their forte and liking as they grow up. For example, the oldest child Illumi seems to be a master of disguise; where as the next oldest, Milluki, was a computer wizard and expert hacker. In every generation, there appears to be a prodigy child whom would be named as their heir. Currently, the heir to the Zoldyck business was Killua though he had stated that he had no desire to inherit his family's occupation.

It was believed that each member of Zoldyck's family begun their training from their date of birth. They possess a unique set of talents: resistance to almost all types of poison, the ability to tolerate high amounts of electricity, and immense strength. During an intra-mission, when family members have conflicting ideals and principles, it is against the rules for them to kill each other.

Assassination is the Zoldyck Family's traditional trade going back at least a few generations in the family, their fame and fortune coming from this activity. With rare exceptions, all family members are professional assassins for hire.

The Zoldyck Family owns and lives at the Kukuroo Mountain, a dormant volcano in the Dentora region of the Republic of Padokea, which stands at 3,722 meters (approx. 12,211 feet). Their estate is surrounded by huge stone walls guarded by a giant hunting beast named Mike and attendants highly skilled in martial arts. Only few people unrelated to the family have any information about what was within the estate.

The staff that served the Zoldyck family operated within a rigid, high-stakes hierarchy where absolute obedience was the primary requirement. These employees lived exclusively on the Kukuroo Mountain estate and underwent grueling daily conditioning, which included using weighted household items—such as 20kg slippers and 40kg teapots—to maintain superhuman physical strength. The workforce was divided into distinct roles: external gatekeepers acted as cleaners for the remains of intruders, while internal butlers managed the household and provided specialized protection for individual family members. A central butler room served as the hub for these operations, overseen by senior staff who reported directly to the family head. Loyalty was enforced through extreme regulations, including a total ban on romantic relationships, the violation of which resulted in immediate execution. Despite these lethal conditions, many staff members originated from Meteor City and viewed their service as a lifelong commitment, often developing deep, albeit strictly professional, protective bonds with the Zoldyck children they were assigned to supervise. The apprentice system for the Zoldyck estate functioned as a rigorous screening and training phase for individuals aiming to join the formal butler hierarchy. These trainees lived in a separate dormitory and were subjected to constant surveillance to ensure they adhered to the family’s strict code of conduct. The daily routine revolved around physical conditioning designed to acclimatize their bodies to the extreme weights of the household's tools and furniture. Candidates were required to demonstrate absolute emotional detachment, as any sign of personal sentiment or disobedience resulted in immediate dismissal or death. This phase of service served to filter out those who lacked the necessary mental fortitude or physical potential to handle the high-pressure environment of the inner estate. Only those who proved their total submission to the family's authority and successfully mastered the baseline physical requirements were eventually promoted into the ranks of the official butlers.

In order to live in the estate, they are in constant training everyday. Zoldyck butlers receive their training and education within the family's estate. They have a classroom, teacher, and instructors. Butlers are executed if they have lovers, inside or outside of the Zoldyck estate. They also use weighed objects daily to enhance their strength. The servants have no real value for the family rather than plain servitude, or they did not show further feelings openly. Despite of this many of the servants are fiercely loyal to the family and have a soft spot for them, even to the point of taking sides with one member of the family shall conflict between them arise. Butlers were provided with headquarters, large enough to be mistaken as the main residence itself.

The servants have no real value for the family rather than plain servitude, or they don't show further feelings openly. Despite of this many of the servants are fiercely loyal to the family and have a soft spot for them, even to the point of taking sides with one member of the family shall conflict between them arise.

Members

Family Members

• Maha :
• Zeno :
• Grandmother :
• Silva :
• Kikyō :
• Illumi :
• Milluki :
• Killua :
• Alluka :
• Kalluto :

Family Servants

• Zebro :
• Canary :
• Gotoh :
• Amane :
• Mitsuba :
• Tsubone :

Notes

• The Zoldyck Family were created by Yoshihiro Togashi where they featured in the setting of the Hunter x Hunter universe.

Appearances

• Hunter x Hunter:

External Links

• Hunter x Hunter Wiki Entry
• Comicvine Entry

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