Allelujah Haptism is a kind-hearted young boy, with a peaceful spirit. But the other side of him is not so kind. Not at all. I’m talking about Hallelujah, the crazy and sadistic personality that is hidden within the depths of Allelujah’s psyche, and acts like a horror film villain. In this scary head lies two personalities, tied together with one name – Allelujah Haptism. Now, it’s time to find out what that name means! Join me in this journey, as I explain what the name Allelujah Haptism truly means. Here’s my name analysis of Allelujah Haptism of Gundam 00!
Want to know what Tieria Erde’s name means? Find out HERE!
Allelujah Name Explained
First and foremost, it’s extremely important to note that while Allelujah Haptism is indeed the character’s name, the Super Soldier side of him is officially named Hallelujah. Below, I will try to explain both Allelujah and Hallelujah, respectively.
“I’ll give you a name. Let’s see… a good name for you would be Allelujah! It’s the word you use when you give thanks to God”. – Marie Parfacy
Allelujah: This name is easy to analyse, considering that we get an explanation in Gundam 00. In season 2, episode 4 (A Reason to Fight), Allelujah thinks back to the time Marie gave him his name in the HRL’s Super Soldier Institute when they were children. When Marie was laying in a room, removed of her five senses, she called out with her Quantum Brainwaves. The only one to answer was a happy young boy, with two different colored eyes, who came to talk with her. When the two became friends, and Marie found out that the boy didn’t have a name, she gave him one. She named him Allelujah, explaining that it’s what you say when you “give thanks to God”. In this moment, according to Allelujah himself, Marie “baptised” him.
Allelujah refers to the word “Hallelujah”, just without the letter “H”. It means “Praise the Lord” in Hebrew. It’s used to, just like Marie said, give thanks to God. The origins of the word can be traced back to the Bible where it was first used.
Why doesn’t Allelujah have the “H” in Hallelujah?
I’m sure many of you are wondering why Allelujah isn’t named Hallelujah, with an H? After all, Marie specifically states that you use the word to “give thanks to God”. She’s without a doubt in mind referring to the biblical word of “Hallelujah”. So what’s the deal? Well, you see, there are different spellings for the word “Hallelujah”, with one of them being “Alleluia”.
Hallelujah & Alleluia = Praise the Lord
The name is from the latin form and not the more popular Hebrew form: While most of us recognize “Hallelujah”, not many will know about “Alleluia“. The words mean the same thing, but the latter is the latin form of the word, based on an alternative Greek transliteration. Thus, Allelujah’s name is based on the latin form of “Hallelujah”, which is “Alleluia”.
Allelujah didn’t know how to spell Hallelujah: While this is an unlikely theory, it’s possible that Allelujah didn’t know how to spell “Hallelujah” and simply spelled his name wrong. And he didn’t change it afterwards. It does hold some merit, considering that he was very young when he got his name, and likely didn’t know how to spell.
Hallelujah = Alleluia
Hallelujah formed after Allelujah received his Quantum Brainwaves surgery at the HRL’s Super Soldier Institute. It’s the side of him that helped him survive, but also committ atrocities. One great example is when Hallelujah emerged, killing and eating all of his comrades, just so that he would survive in their escape pod. It’s what Hallelujah does; takes control when Allelujah is too “weak” to assure their survival. In this case “their” refers to both Allelujah and Hallelujah, as they are in the same body, but different people.
The word Hallelujah means “Praise the Lord”: Both Hallelujah and Alleluia mean the exact same thing, just like previously mentioned.
Two sides of the same coin – Hallelujah & Alleluia: The difference between Hallelujah and Alleluia is that one is in Hebrew and the other is in latin form. Thus, the names are the same, but still a little bit different.
Haptism = Baptism
Haptism: Allelujah explains how Marie “baptised” him when she gave him his name. In turn, the name is a variation of the word “baptism”.
I’m sure that many are wondering, why Allelujah’s surname (last name) isn’t “Baptism”, if he felt that Marie “baptised” her when naming him. Down below, I will explain it thoroughly, as the last name Haptism is much deeper than you’d expect.
Sumeragi Lee Noriega gave Allelujah the name Haptism
Sumeragi and Allelujah have a close relationship, and I’m sure that Sumeragi had an inkling, or full knowledge, of his past. Thus, she’s aware of the meaning of his first name, and simply decided to add the “Haptism” part.
The question is, why did Sumeragi choose the name “Haptism” instead of “Baptism”? Well, if you actually break down the former, you’ll see that it fits Allelujah much better than the latter.
“Haptic” & “Haupt” Breakdown
Haptic is a word that refers to the sense of touch: Sumeragi was likely aware of Allelujah’s backstory, knowing that he felt “baptised” by Marie when he was named “Allelujah”. If that’s the case, then she probably knew that Allelujah new got to physically touch Marie. Therefore, Sumeragi included this part into his name, as it’s something he could not do when he got his name from Marie Parfacy.
In german, the word Haupt means “head”: When you consider what’s going on inside of Allelujah’s head, Sumeragi could’ve thought of the german word “Haupt” that means “head”.
Haupt can also refer to a “main person” or “the most important person” in a place or region. In turn, it could mean that Sumeragi likes Allelujah the most out of all the Gundam Meisters, and thus gave him this word as a part of his last name. It’s not a bad theory, considering how Allelujah only ever talks to Sumeragi about his life and problems. He never shares anything with his fellow Gundam Meisters or members of Celestial Being.
“Ism” & “-ism” as a suffix
Ism means a set of beliefs, especially ones that you disapprove of: Allelujah disapproves of Hallelujah, and is constantly trying to suppress his “evil side”. In turn, the “ism” part of his last most likely refers to this.
Ism as a suffix, as in “-ism” ending the word, is used to form nouns for beliefs and ways of living/behaving (eg. feminism, sexism, Buddhism): If applied to the word Haptic, the “-ism” could mean that he believes in “touching” (communicating) with people, but not with his physical body, but with his Quantum Brainwaves.
Allelujah has a very strong set of morals and beliefs, which also means he acts a certain type of way to comply with his values. It’s the reason he went against direct orders and saved the Gravity Block, and the people in it. He doesn’t care about the repercussions if he does what he believes to be the right way to act. In turn, you could say, that his strong set of beliefs changes his way of acting and behaving, as if it’s a religious side of him.
Sumeragi’s favorite pilot is Allelujah, and the name Haptism reflects it. But also describes Allelujah in a beautiful way.
Considering that Sumeragi Lee Noriega gave Allelujah the Haptism part of his code name, it makes sense for the name to have many different meanings and interpretations. She’s smart. She’s a Tactical Forecaster, so there’s no way in hell that she’d give Allelujah the last name of Haptism without thoroughly thinking of it. And do you know what? The name Haptism makes perfect sense.
Out of all the Gundam Meisters, Sumeragi has the best relationship with Allelujah. They drink alcohol together and have deep conversatons. In turn, she named Allelujah Haptism for being her favorite Gundam Meister, the “main person” to her. And also took into consideration what was going on inside of Allelujah’s head; the split personality. She tied in Allelujah’s past, and how he felt “baptised” by Marie when he was named Allelujah, and that he could not touch Marie. Not only that, but she added the “ism”, which works both ways. It shows that he has sides of him he doesn’t like, while also making the word work as a suffix. This means that he believes in “touching” people, but with his Quantum Brainwaves, and not physically.
Allelujah Haptism Name Analysis: Conclusion
Hallelujah and Allelujah refer to the Hebrew and latin form of “Praise the Lord”, respectively. It is well-explained in Gundam 00, and is a name given to him by Marie Parfacy.
Haptism is very similar to Baptism, which makes perfect sense considering that Allelujah said that Marie baptised him when she gave him his name; Allelujah. However, the name Haptism was given by Sumeragi Lee Noriega, once the young man became a Gundam Meister.
Haptism includes the word “haupt”, which in german means “head”. It refers to Allelujah’s big struggles with his mental health, as his Super Soldier side named Hallelujah, often makes his presence known in extremely sadistic and toxic ways. In addition, the name Haptism also has ties to the word “haptic”, which refers to “touching” in the physical sense. It’s something that fits Allelujah, as he couldn’t touch the person who baptised him, Marie Parfacy. But thanks to their Quantum Brainwaves, they were able to “touch” each other. This means that Quantum Brainwaves help Allelujah “touch” others, when he can’t do it physically.
The “ism” in Haptism most likely refers to the ism he hates about himself; Hallelujah. The side that’s egotistical, violent, self-preserving, hateful and extremely terrifying. But if “ism” is used as a suffix, it takes on an even deeper meaning of a belief system. A way of acting, if you will. It means that Allelujah has strong core beliefs in his head, where his Quantum Brainwaves lie. In turn, it’s a way of acting, a way of believing, that his strong sense of justice is the right way to move forward.
This concludes the name analysis of Allelujah Haptism of Mobile Suit Gundam 00. I hope you learned something new and enjoyed the read!