Summary
Santana was unearthed from a Mexican pyramid in 1938 and subsequently awakened by a Nazi vampire research unit operating within an underground base. Under the command of Major Stroheim, this group subjected him to live human experiments involving the Stone Mask in an effort to bolster the strength of the Nazi Army. The researchers conducted behavioral tests on Santana inside a heavily fortified isolation chamber lined with steel plates. They quickly discovered that he feeds on other vampires and can absorb nutrients directly through the surface of his body. The team was stunned when Santana escaped the sealed room by deliberately breaking his own bones to contort into a ventilation shaft measuring only 4 by 20 cm, executing the feat at a speed imperceptible to human vision. Although the Nazis opened fire with machine guns, Santana had already learned their language and weapon mechanics after just minutes of observation. He swiftly eliminated the personnel who disturbed his slumber, surviving even after being exposed to sunlight and blown up. His name references the long-running rock band Santana. As the sole surviving member of the Pillar Men, he is theoretically alive throughout every arc, though his vastly enhanced Ripple power suggests that Joseph may have killed him after returning to America.
