Hans (Trollhunter)

Hans is a major protagonist in the 2010 Norwegian dark fantasy film Trollhunter. He was played by Otto Jespersen.

History
When Hans became a troll-hunter is unknown, but at some point in his life he was recruited by the TSS(Troll-security-service) and given the task of killing the trolls in Norway who ventures to close to human settlements. He was also required to keep the existence of the creatures confidential, presumably to avoid mass-panic.

At one occasion, the TSS tried to prevent a tunnel-construction from leading into a troll-infested territory, but with no success. Left with no other option, Hans were forced to enter the territory and kill all of the trolls, including pregnant females and newborn cubs to prevent the construction-workers from discovering them. This experience left Hans feeling guilty and somewhat sympathetic towards the creatures.

A camera crew consisting of three university college students named Thomas, Johanna and Kalle tried to expose Hans as a bear-poacher, but one night as they follow him into the forest, their car is destroyed and Thomas gets bitten by an unseen animal. Hans leads them out of the forest, and reluctantly reveals that he's a troll-hunter. He offers to let them film his next hunt, believing that revealing his job to the public might improve his working-conditions. The crew remain skeptical, but decides to play along.

Their doubts are shattered however when Hans manage to petrify a three-headed troll ( or "Tusseladd") by exposing it to UV-lights right in front of their eyes. Later, they encounter Hans's superior Finn from the TSS who demands that they stop filming. Hans ignores Finn's orders and keeps on allowing the crew to document his work.

They are once again allowed to witness Hans's level of skill as he collects a blood-sample from a bridge-troll (or "Raglefant"). Hans then introduces them to a veterinary who also works for the TSS and is charged with studying the trolls.

But things takes a dark turn during another mission when Hans and the crew is trapped within a cave inhabited by a pack of cave-trolls (or "Dovregubbar"). Kalle finally reveals that he's Christian, which means that the troll's can smell his blood. The group is forced to leave the cave in great haste, but Kalle is captured and killed. The rest of the group is left distraught and now even more determined to expose the truth.

The crew recruits a new camera-woman named Malica and travels up north to the mountains to find a Jotun, or Jotnar, a massive mountain-troll with a height of roughly 625 ft that has been chasing other trolls out of their territories. Hans eventually finds out that the Jotun has been infected with rabies, and is forced to put it down by launching a rocket-like projectile that turns it into stone. He then tells the crew how to get to the highway and is not seen for the remainder of the the movie.

Later, Finn and his government agents arrive to confiscate the crew's tapes, but Thomas flees with the camera until he collapses by the side of a road. According to the epilogue, Thomas, Johanna and Malica were never heard from again, but the tape is eventually found and broadcasted. Hans's exact fate remains unknown.

Personality
Hans at first comes off as a bitter and antisocial man, shown to be visibly annoyed by the camera crew trying to interview him. He hates his occupation as a trollhunter and considers it to be a disqusting, tiring, dangerous and sometimes morally questionable line of work. Nevertheless, he is rarely if ever shown to be afraid and approaches even massive trolls like the jotun without hesitation. And even after taking a direct hit from the Raglefant which rendered him unconscious he recovered very quickly and immediately proceeded to finish the task, even though he was admittedly in a lot of pain. He hates his job, but is well aware that it needs to be done, and that he's the only one capable of doing it.

He has very little respect for his superior Finn, considering him a bureaucrat and often going against his orders. While he is instructed by Finn to keep the existence of the trolls confidential, he believes that revealing it to the public might improve his working-conditions. He allows to the camera crew to film and interview him, and is on occasion even seen to enjoy their company.

He seems to get along well with a veterinary who is charged with studying the trolls. They share a friendly hug before he departs, and both share certain sympathy for the creatures.