Hans Gruber

### Goals

Steal $640 million dollars dollars of negotiable bearer bonds from the Nakotomi Plaza vault. (Succeeded)
Flee the scene with the money and Holly McClane as a hostage.
Kill John McClane.
(Both Failed)

## Miscellaneous Information

### Type of Villain

Charismatic Mastermind

> ***"TBA"** - TBA*
>
>

**Hans Gruber**, also known by the stolen identity of **Bill Clay** or as **Mr. Gruber**, is the main antagonist of the 1988 thriller action film, *Die Hard*.

He is an extremely cunning and intelligent German terrorist leader, responsible for taking the entirety of Nakotomi Plaza hostage in order to steal $640 million dollars of negotiable bearer bonds from the Nakotomi Plaza vault. His plans are assisted with the help of his fellow terrorist allies and members. He is John McClane's archenemy and nemesis.

He is portrayed by the late British actor, Alan Rickman.

## Story

### Background

Hans Gruber was born in Germany to a high status family, raised with high class and high wealth. This would carry with him throughout the rest of his life, maintaining a sophisticated and elegant demeanour.

Prior to the events of *Die Hard*, Hans was a member of the radical West German Volksfrei Movement where he participated and engaged in several related activities. However, he was expelled and kicked from the organisation for undetermined reasons but it can be assumed that he was kicked because of his overly radical and erratic behaviour.

Having been expelled from the group, Hans creates his own terrorist group consisting of twelve others, primarily German. Hans intricately plans to steal $640 million dollars of negotiable bearer bonds from the Nakotomi Plaza vault in the Nakotomi Plaza building in Los Angeles of the United States. On the evening of December 24th, 1988, Christmas Eve, Hans enacts his plan, leading to the events that take place in *Die Hard*.

### Die Hard (1988)

Hans Gruber, accompanied by his henchmen, travel to Nakatomi Plaza in the back of a truck, making their way to the underground parking lot. Successfully infiltrating the building, Hans and his men make their way towards the elevator while a couple of henchmen disable all security measures.

Hans Gruber, accompanied by his henchmen, travel to the underground parking lot of Nakotomi Plaza in a truck while a couple of his other henchmen go to the front entrance of the building to neutralise the guards. Successfully infiltrating the building, Hans and his men exit the truck and make their way towards the elevator.

Arriving at the 30th floor, Hans' men open fire, causing chaos and calamity among everyone. Soon, the group takes all the employees hostage, including Holly Gennaro (the wife of John McClane). Hans makes a public announcement, asking where Joe Takagi is. He begins leisurely walking through the crowd while talking about Takagi's past, including his family, birth, education, etc. Once Takagi reveals himself, Hans politely greets him and shakes his hand before having him taken away by one of his henchmen.

Hans, accompanied by a few of his men and Takagi, go to Takagi's office where Hans sees various models, including a model of Nakotomi Plaza. Hans expresses his awe and astonishment in the models, stating that he enjoyed creating models when he was a young boy because of the meticulous details and care placed in creating them. Hans takes Takagi to his office where he threatens and extorts the latter for the code required to unlock the locks for the vault however when Takagi refuses, Hans mercilessly shoots him in the head. Hans calmly leaves the scene, ordering for the disposal of the body.

Hans returns to the 30th floor with the captive hostages and reveals Takagi's murder and death, causing a murmur among the crowd. Hans is interrupted when one of the hostages screams in terror upon seeing the deceased corpse of one of Hans' henchmen, Tony. Hans goes to investigate, realising that there is someone else in the building unaccounted for that could alter the plan. Nonetheless, Hans remains calm and tells the others to inform Tony's brother, Karl, to return downstairs to hear the news of his brother's death.

For the remainder of the heist, Hans uses Holly Gennaro's office as a base for operations and as his temporary office. Hans often communicates with his henchmen over the radio, inquiring about their whereabouts, actions, etc.

Soon after the police arrive at the scene, Hans hears a voice over the radio who he mistakes for one of his henchmen however is soon revealed to be McClane who taunts and jokes around with Hans. The latter expresses annoyance and confusion in his archenemy. Flustered that McClane could alter the plan, he immediately orders Karl and a few others to confirm if his claims are true. After finishing talking with McClane, Hans sits in the office, confused.

Following this ordeal, a cat and mouse game between Hans and McClane commences as their rivalry slowly increases as the film progresses, becoming their very own archnemeses.

While working in his office, Hans and Holly officially meet each other however the former, currently, has no knowledge that she is the wife of his archnemesis. Holly negotiates with Hans, particularly about the comfort of a pregnant woman and bathroom breaks of the hostages. Hans agrees to her requests and Holly leaves while Hans sits in confusion as a news report about the heist plays quietly in the background.

Upon noticing that the authorities plan to storm the building, Hans orders his henchmen to perform their respective roles. Hans grows increasingly angry when McClane interferes with his plan once again.

While talking with Karl about McClane, Ellis, one of the hostages, arrives in his office, negotiating with Hans while the latter sarcastically brushes him off until Ellis reveals the true identity of McClane where he's revealed to be an officer of the New York Police Department. Hans contacts McClane with this newfound information where the latter responds in an aggressive and hostile tone. Hans then instructs Ellis to persuade McClane to turn himself into the terrorists with the detonators otherwise Ellis will be killed. Despite McClane's attempts to save Ellis' life, it fails and Ellis is shot dead by Hans, causing more panic and stir by the hostages and authorities alike. Hans angrily asks for the location for his detonators otherwise he'll have to kill someone "he really cares about". In response, McClane bluntly tells Hans to "go fuck yourself".

To initiate the next segment of the plan, Hans contacts the authorities on the outside where he relays his demands to release his fellow "terrorist brother and sisters" from various prisons all around the world. He then states that the hostages will then be transported to the roof of the building and taken to the Los Angeles International Airport with helicopters where they'll await for "further instructions". He gives the authorities a few hours to comply and ends transmission.

Hans meets McClane; Bill Clay scene. (1:30:00)

Hans and Theo sees the FBI. (1:41:00)

Hans enters the vault. (1:43:00)

Holly discovers Holly's relation to McClane. (1:50:00)

Hans introduces Holly to McClane. (1:52:00)

Hans Gruber's Death.