The Ubisoft Forward presentation at E3 2021 premiered a new cinematic trailer for its upcoming title Far Cry 6. The audience watched as a group of refugees attempted to escape Cuba, only to be found by Anton Castillo, leader of Yara, who was looking for his son Diego on the boat. After giving a metaphoric monologue about fishing lessons from his father, Castillo takes his son and leaves the rest of the group to be shot. The Far Cry franchise is renowned for its mesmerizing villains, and Castillo looks to be an excellent addition to such a cast of characters - but is he actually a villain?
During the presentation, Omar Bouali, Ubisoft game content director, spoke about crafting a Far Cry villain and what made Castillo an excellent addition to a colorful cast of characters from prior titles. Bouali described Castillo and other Far Cry villains as being memorable not for being evil or shocking, but for being someone who could sit across the table from players at dinner and make them believe in whatever they were saying, regardless of how twisted or immoral. He clearly delineates Castillo as the proverbial bad guy for Far Cry 6.
Giancarlo Esposito, who plays Castillo, has a different point of view. During a live interview on the Summer Game Fest 2021 kickoff event, Esposito pushed back on the idea that Castillo was a villain, claiming instead he was a man of the people, man with a big dream and love for his people. To prepare for the role, Esposito studied the antics of Fidel Castro, as his role in shaping Cuba mirrors what Castillo is attempting to do in Far Cry 6.
Far Cry 6 Trailer: Anton Castillo
Creator intentions aside, actual in-game content featuring Castillo does seem to place him as the villain in the story, setting Castillo up as the ruthless final boss. In the Ubisoft Forward trailer alone, there are countless actions and dialogue that point to exactly that. Castillo is the reason they are all fleeing, and his order to open fire on the group after he takes his son is not a commendable action by any definition. It's also worth noting Diego, 12-year-old heir to Yara, was attempting to flee as well, something he likely wouldn't do unless there was some serious bad stuff going on with his dad. There's also the pre-murder fishing monologue, which is a classic trope for the refined villain.
One constant in narratives, regardless of medium, is that the best villains are textured and complicated; they believe they are the hero in the story. From what we've seen so far, and from what we know of Esposito's preparation for the character, Castillo certainly fits this category. While Ubisoft and Esposito can disagree over Castillo's hero or villain status, ultimately all that matters is that the character provides an engaging narrative for Far Cry 6 players.