Vanessa Helstad

Vanessa Helstad is a recurring minor antagonist in North Park. 
== Background ==
Vanessa Helstad, originally known as Van Helstad, was once a prominent monster hunter in the late 1800s to early 1900s. As a member of the Helstad clan, renowned for their ambition to eradicate all supernatural entities, Van participated in numerous hunts to fulfill their mission. However, their downfall came when they attempted to target Vera, one of the last remaining vampires from the Thompson's clan vampire Massacre, whom they sought to eliminate to boost their reputation. Vera, concealed within the mystical underground catacombs of North Park, gradually diminished the Helstad clan's numbers until only a few remained. Despite a harrowing encounter with Vera, Van miraculously survived, harboring a deep-seated desire for vengeance against her.
Afterward, Van embarked on a lifelong journey across the globe, continuing to hunt monsters until old age caught up with him. In a bid to extend his life and pursue his vendetta against Vera, Van devised a machine capable of transferring his consciousness into other bodies. Utilizing this technology, he traversed from one host to another, ultimately reaching the modern day. Upon discovering news of Vera's continued existence, Van resolved to stalk her, ultimately uncovering her affection for the phantom girl, Les. Seizing upon this opportunity, he would steal the body of an the body of a young girl, and she would assumed the identity of Vanessa, adopting the guise of an immortal child to infiltrate Vera's circle under the pretense of a relationship. However, her plans were thwarted by Les, prompting a shift in her strategy as he resolved to remain in town, biding his time for another opportunity to confront Vera and remain a nuisance to the paranormal side of North park
== Appearance ==
Van Helstad's original appearance was that of a middle aged man with short dark brown hair, sideburns and a curled moustache. He had a scar over his left eye which was covered by an eyepatch, and had a noticeable single gold tooth. 
Vanessa's current appearance is that of a young freckled girl, with dark brown hair with straight bangs and two ponytails that have the same shape as her original self's moustache tied with red bows. She wears a grey-brown Edwardian style girl's dress and boots. After revealing her true self, she started wearing an eyepatch, gold tooth and brown bowler hat in order to better resemble how she used to dress as the original monster hunter Van Helstad. 
== Personality ==
Vanessa Helstad embodies the epitome of a Saturday morning cartoon villain, exuding a delightful blend of fun, hammy theatrics, and unabashed scenery-chewing. With a penchant for showcasing her cultured nature through verbose vocabulary and superior intellect, she revels in the grandiosity of her schemes.
Petty, vindictive, and single-minded in her pursuit of eradicating supernatural entities, Vanessa believes fervently that her actions serve the greater good, often resorting to heinous means to achieve her goals. However, her volatile temper frequently proves to be her own undoing, particularly when her inventions and plans are insulted or her ego is bruised.
== Family ==
== Relationships ==
==== Carmen ====
Vanessa's relationship with Carmen is severely strained, to put it mildly. After stealing Carmen's body and reducing her consciousness to that of an old-timey Roomba, Carmen harbors an intense animosity towards Vanessa. However, Vanessa remains convinced that Carmen will eventually come to appreciate her actions once she succeeds in eradicating all the monsters.
==== Vera ====
Vanessa views Vera as her archenemy, holding her responsible for the demise of her clan. She harbors a deep-seated hatred towards Vera and is determined to exact revenge. Vanessa makes it her mission to ruin Vera's day whenever possible. On the other hand, Vera finds Vanessa incredibly annoying and sees her as a persistent nuisance.
==== Leš Fantasma ====
Vanessa harbors even more animosity towards Les than she does towards Vera. This intense hatred stems from the fact that Les saved Vanessa's life during their first encounter, despite Vanessa's initial protests. Les, initially confused by Vanessa's animosity, grew to despise her after witnessing her pettiness and vindictiveness towards her.
==== Nightmare Guy ====
Vanessa frequently targets Nightmare Guy, but her attempts to hunt him down always backfire, leading to a deep resentment towards him. Nightmare Guy, on the other hand, doesn't understand why Vanessa harbors such intense animosity towards him.
== Powers and abilities ==
== Gallery ==
Vanessa T28-01.png|Van Helstad's original appearance on the right.
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Vanessa T28-02.png
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Vanessa-Atticus T28-01.png
Vanessa-Vera T28-01.png
Category:Female Characters
Category:Villains