Hunter x Hunter's "Chimera Ant" arc is rich with symbolism. Understanding Meruem and Neferpitou’s relationship helps the audience better understand Gon and Killua’s relationship. The dynamic between the king and royal guard highlights the more extreme and unhealthy aspects of Gon and Killua’s friendship. It foreshadows what could become of the protagonist and deuteragonist. By learning from the ants' mistakes, the boys could build a healthier relationship.
Gon and Killua’s friendship lays the foundation for much of Hunter x Hunter. During the "Chimera Ant" arc, Killua delivers a beautiful monologue, saying, "Gon, you are light. But sometimes you shine so brightly, I must look away. Even so, is it still okay if I stay at your side?" To Killua, Gon illuminates the darkness in his life. It may surprise the audience that the antagonist Meruem also has a connection to being light. As the Queen Ant lay dying, she tells a soldier ant that Meruem means "the light that illuminates all." Both Gon and Meruem are deeply beloved characters who influence others, acting as the driving forces of this arc.
Gon mirrors Meruem in many ways. They are both incredibly stubborn characters driven by their desire for power. Even before Meruem is born, he refuses to listen to anyone. Still pregnant, the Queen Ant tells him it’s not time to be born yet, and his response is an angry, "Shut up." He then rips himself from her womb, crushing several of her organs. Similarly, Gon’s naiveté causes the death of his father figure, Kite.
Their reactions are quite different: Gon becomes obsessed with saving Kite while Meruem never acknowledges his mother and leaves her to die. However, it triggers both of them to seek more power, which is further enabled by Meruem’s royal guards and Gon’s friend Killua. Meruem begins his story as a monster that slowly becomes human while Gon loses his humanity and turns into a monster.
Killua is Gon’s best friend while Pitou is Gon’s worst enemy. It is interesting that these polar characters have many parallels. There are physical similarities: white hair, blue clothes and feline features. They also possess very sharp fingers and use their hands as weapons. Most importantly, both are introduced as extremely confident in their abilities only to slowly begin doubting themselves.
Pitou is one of Meruem’s royal guards, whose only purpose is servitude. It can be inferred that Pitou represents Killua’s fear of being Gon’s subordinate. During the "York New" arc, Gon makes a telling remark to Killua saying, "It's my job to say crazy stuff. It's your job to stay cool and stop me." Throughout the series Killua enables Gon to act recklessly since he willingly cleans up his mess.
This becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy as Killua follows Gon down a self-destructive path. Gon’s actions become increasingly erratic and instead of saying something, Killua focuses on protecting Gon in silence. His actions begin to mirror that of a royal guard. Killua knows he can't tell Gon what to do, similar to how Pitou cannot make a suggestion to the king. The one time Pitou did this, the king struck them with the intention to kill. During the battle, Killua tries to knock some sense into Gon, but he retaliates with a nasty comeback. It's a metaphorical slap in the face, breaking Killua's heart.
Both boys appear to suffer from low self-esteem with a tendency towards codependence. Because of his upbringing, Killua believes he is unworthy of love. He often struggles to articulate his feelings and constantly doubts and rebuffs Gon’s affections. Towards the end of the arc, Killua suffers a breakdown, and Palm has to reassure him that he is the one person Gon needs most.
Fans are quick to call Gon’s actions selfish or evil, but understanding his trauma sheds new light on his thought process. Gon appears to suffer from severe abandonment issues. His father Ging left him as a baby, and the loss of Kite sends him over the deep end. Gon is abandoned by a father for a second time, and he blames himself. He reacts by pushing his best friend away and carelessly putting himself in danger. Like Killua, Gon feels unworthy of love.
As heartbreaking as it is to see Gon and Killua go their separate ways, the "Chimera Ant" arc exposes many problems with their relationship. When considering the parallels between the four characters, the negative aspects of Gon and Killua's relationship become abundantly clear. Killua is too eager to do anything for Gon, and he starts acting more like a servant than a friend. Gon, on the other hand, is so consumed by his guilt and rage that he is unable to think of anything or anyone else. The boys need time apart to mature, and when they reunite in the future, their relationship will be in a much healthier place.