Helter-Skelter

Helter-Skelter
kana	へルター・スケルター
romaji	Herutaa Sukerutaa
Also known as	The Drifter
Family	Skelter Helter (Younger Brother)
Occupation	Eleventh rank in the United Assassins Association
Weapon	Dual revolvers and gauntlets housing missiles, mini-guns and blades
First appearance	No More Heroes (2007)
Voiced by	Dee Bradley Baker

Helter-Skelter (へルター・スケルター, Herutaa Sukerutaa) is a character in the video game No More Heroes. He is a cigar-smoking albino garbed in the manner of a cowboy and ranked eleventh in the United Assassins Association until he is killed by Travis Touchdown before gameplay begins. His age and nationality, as well as whether or not Helter-Skelter is his real name are unknown, though he seems to also go by the title of "the Drifter." Despite his large arsenal of weaponry which included dual revolvers and a special set of gauntlets that housed missiles, mini-guns and blades, he was unable to stop Travis from decapitating him. He is named after the Beatles song "Helter Skelter". Three years later, Helter-Skelter's death is avenged in an elaborate plot schemed by his brother Skelter Helter, and Jasper Batt Jr..

History

According to the Hopper's Edition Erotica Comic, Helter was an estranged yet doting brother towards Skelter (who was then known as "Vincent"). He was paying for his brother's college education with funds he had raised through assassination gigs, and the two would meet once a year at a bar to exchange the money. Helter expressed a desire for Vincent to live a decent life and not become "like mother and I", implying that their mother had also been an assassin. Before taking his leave, he warned his brother not to associate with Sylvia Christel.

Helter as seen in No More Losers.

A year later, he is slain during a duel with Travis Touchdown, an event which kickstarts the series.

Trading cards

Helter-Skelter appears on two trading cards in the Design Materials set of No More Heroes. These are Trading Card No. 124 and Trading Card No. 125.

Quotes

• "Hear the lullaby? Well, rest in peace, baby."

Cultural reference

• Judging by his clothing and hair, Skelter's appearance may be a homage to Sephiroth of Final Fantasy VII, similar to how his brother's design has much in common with Cloud Strife from the same game.

Trivia

• In British English, the term "helter-skelter" means "in disorderly haste or confusion." While Helter-Skelter was named after the Beatles song "Helter Skelter", which refers symbolically to a spiraling amusement park slide, the dash in his name appears to have been lifted from the spelling of the dictionary term. It should however be noted that in the teaser trailer for No More Heroes, the assassin's name was spelled without the dash. Additionally, it can also refer to the term of Charles Manson's apocalyptic prophecy.
• His name appears on a username online in The Silver Case.