He’s something of an enigma, but some think Gyro could become one of Hunter X Hunter’s biggest villains. Here’s his powers and future explained.

He’s a mysterious figure at present, but some viewers suspect that Gyro could become one of Hunter X Hunter’s biggest antagonists – here’s his powers and future explained. Hunter X Hunter protagonist Gon Freecs has encountered some pretty fearsome lifeforms and foes during his time in the manga and anime TV series, from the aggressive foxbears of Whale Island to the man-eating, six-legged flying beasts that roam the skies around Trick Tower. The Chimera Ants, however, are a different beast entirely and perhaps the most formidable species the series has ever introduced.

The Chimera Ants are a dangerous species of insect whose Queen reproduces by devouring other creatures and subsequently passing on their genetic traits to the next generation of ants she births. They’re the main antagonists of Hunter X Hunter’s Chimera Ants arc during which Gon and his friend Killua Zoldyck discover the insects have infested a neo-Luddite nation known as the Neo-Green Life Autonomous Region (or NGL, for short). In NGL, the Chimera Ant Queen found a new food source in the shape of its human population which resulted in a powerful army of human-Chimera ant hybrids that retained their human intelligence and inherited random animal genetics from the Queen’s previous meals.

In the process, the Chimera Ant Queen could’ve created a monster even more formidable than her own species in the form of NGL’s former leader Gyro, whose backstory is revealed in chapter 204 of the Hunter X Hunter manga and episode 80 of the Studio Madhouse anime. As a child, Gyro was neglected by his abusive father who forced him to slave away in a construction camp to fund his drinking habit. Gyro eventually realized how little his father cared for him and snapped, bludgeoning him to death with a hammer before running away from the camp. His formative years had a profound effect on Gyro who developed an intense hatred for humanity and vowed to spread evil throughout the world. To that end, Gyro established NGL which he used as a front to manufacture and distribute a dangerous and addictive drug known as D2.

Gyro’s plans were somewhat scuppered when he was devoured by the Chimera Ant Queen. However, after being reborn he retained not only his human intelligence but his personality, memories and contempt for humanity and left the NGL hive after defying the Queen’s orders. While the extent of Gyro’s powers in Hunter X Hunter is currently unknown the prevailing fan theory is that because he was a powerful ruler in his past, he could be uber-powerful as a human-Chimera Ant hybrid. There’s evidence to support the theory too as several other human NGL residents less powerful than Gyro – like Colt, for example – demonstrated incredible strength and intellect after becoming Chimera Ants.

Exactly what role Gyro will play in Hunter X Hunter in the future is likewise unknown. However, considering the sizable amount of time dedicated to detailing his backstory and the fact he could be incredibly powerful, it seems that Gyro is poised to play a big part in the series – perhaps even as the next big villain. Luckily, rumor has it that the manga’s creator Yoshihiro Togashi is returning to write new chapters after a four-year hiatus which means fans could be seeing more of Gyro in Hunter X Hunter very soon.

Next: Hunter X Hunter: Everything You Need to Know Before the Manga's Return