Characters who appear in the video game Dante's Inferno. Beware of unmarked spoilers.

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Main Characters

Dante Alighieri

Voiced by: Graham McTavish (ENG), Masashi Ebara (JAP)

"At the midpoint on the journey of life, I found myself in a dark forest - for the clear path was lost..."

The main character. Directly based off the real-life poet as well as his avatar in the Divine Comedy, this version of Dante is a former Crusader known for his violent temper and sinful conduct despite supposedly serving God. Due to his temptations, he ends up on a perilous journey into Hell itself in order to save his beloved wife Beatrice.

Abusive Parents: His father constantly berated him when he was growing up and actually drove his mother to suicide, after which dear ol' Dad lied and told Dante she died of a fever.
Adaptational Angst Upgrade: Dante here struggles to atone for being unfaithful to his wife, his bloodthirsty demeanor during the Crusades and his hatred towards his father, whose abuse scarred Dante in his childhood and led his mother to suicide. Needless to say, that didn't happen neither in real-life or in the Divine Comedy.
Adaptational Badass: Especially in regards to his literary counterpart, who was easily spooked by the horrors of Hell and, of course, never slaughtered demons by the droves with a scythe. Though the real life Dante had some military service, the game's Dante was already a One-Man Army even during his times at the Crusades.
Adaptational Relationship Overhaul: In his literary works (and in real-life, to a notorious extent), Dante regards Beatrice with pure Courtly Love, and he never gets to be in a relationship with her. In the game, she is his betrothed and the two have a sexual relationship prior to Dante joining the Crusades.
Adaptational Villainy: The real-life Dante Alighieri was a respected poet and scholar with decent military expertise, having fought during the battle of Campaldino in 1289, while his avatar in the Divine Comedy was merely a wanderer afraid to see the afterlife. The game incarnation of Dante makes him a member of the Third Crusade (1189), a man who gleefully slaughtered and indulged in several other sins under the misguided belief he was already absolved from them for being a "holy warrior". The plot of the game is all about shattering his earlier views as he works his way to save the one being he showed any humanity towards.
The Atoner: When Death tells him that not only is he damned, but also everyone he loved, he goes on a quest, not only to redeem himself, but everyone else he loves as well. Double Subverted at the end.
Ax-Crazy: Before the events of the game proper, he slaughtered 300 prisoners in a fit of rage.
Blood Knight: To the point even his fellow crusaders are unnerved by just how little hesitation he shows in killing "heathens." Francesco even tries to stop Dante at one point; it ends poorly for him.
Dante: Fight with me, crusaders! Spill the blood of the heretics! There is no shame! Their souls are already lost!
Calling the Old Man Out: Zigzagged. Dante's father taunts him to do it, and Dante gives him a scathing condemnation about his character, but Dante absolves him instead of punishing him. Though this is completely played straight in the Animated Epic, where he kicks Alighiero into a vat of molten gold instead.
Church Militant: He is a Crusader in this game, and during the flashback sequences he was very much a negative portrayal of this trope (see his Blood Knight entry).
Dead All Along: Subverted when after being stabbed in the back by the assassin and is confronted by Death to take him to Hell, Dante instead fights back, takes his Scythe from the Grim Reaper himself and kills him with it. Double Subverted in that the ending reveals that Dante didn't survive getting stabbed in the back at the beginning of the game.
- The situation he finds himself in can be reinterpreted perhaps as an instance of Not Quite Dead, with Dante simply being trapped within a state between life and death, which could even be supported by his statement of how he, "Did not die, and did not live." This in of itself could serve as a possible explanation as to why Dante is now seemingly imbued with superhuman strength, as in The Dark Forest, which occurs just after the opening massacre at Acre, he was able to at one point move a very large statue with little effort in addition to being able to engage Damned Souls in combat along with perceiving Beatrice's Spirit.
- Possibly averted in the Animated Epic, as Dante was never shown getting stabbed in the back by the Assassin and the plot points revolving around this have been omitted. Notably, in his conversation with his mother in the Wood of the Suicides, Bella doesn't say that it's too late for both of them, instead encouraging her son that he can still save himself while only she herself is doomed.
Determinator: Dante starts out his quest by killing Death, then proceeds to bring a one man holy war down upon all of the legions of hell that dare to stand in his way, up to and including the Devil himself.
Even Bad Men Love Their Mamas: Dante is clearly shown to love his mom very much.
Even Evil Has Standards: He may have been an asshole during the Crusades, to put it mildly, but he does honor his bargain with the slave woman to release her and her husband once they sleep together.
Expy: Of the Florentine poet Dante Alighieri himself as a knight who served in the Third Crusade.
Freudian Excuse Is No Excuse: Alighiero, Minos, and Dante himself has pointed out that the abuse from his father does not excuse the abuse and harm Dante brought to others.
Helmets Are Hardly Heroic: Averted, he wears a mail cowl with a combined helmet/crown on top of it. Then again, he's not exactly a hero throughout most of the game.
Heroic BSoD: Dante experiences this when he finds his mother in the Forest of Suicides, since he always thought she had died from a fever when he was a child.
Historical Badass Upgrade: The real Dante Alighieri had some military service, having fought in the Battle of Campaldino when he was 24 years old, but was essentially a scholar and historian. This Dante is a muscle-bound crusader that kills demons and monsters by himself using Death's Scythe and a holy cross. Doubles as Historical Villain Upgrade, considering how much more evil he is in this game.
Holy Hand Grenade: His trusty crucifix acts as this, where it can be used to either fire out anti-air flashes of energy, or more dramatically, it can be used as a finisher where Dante smashes it into demonic foes' faces to burn the life out of them.
I Gave My Word: He honors his bargain to let the slave woman and her husband go once they sleep together.
- Averted with Beatrice, to his shame. He promised to forsake all pleasures of the flesh until his return.
In Name Only: He is nothing like the 14th Century poet he's named after, or his representation within the Comedy. For starters, this incarnation lives in the 12th Century, and is a crusader.
I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: Upon completing the Eighth Circle, Dante is told to face his sins of betrayal by the Queen of Hell, Beatrice. Believing himself eternally damned and Beatrice worthy of Heaven, Dante asks for forgiveness and places Beatrice's cross on the ground. This results in the restoration of Beatrice and her rescue by the archangel Gabriel, leaving Dante to face his final challenge.
Mark of Shame: At the beginning of the game, he sews a cross-shaped tapestry, depicting his various sins, onto his chest as a reminder of what he has done and his hope to be redeemed.
Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Two big examples:
- First, he makes a deal with a female prisoner and sleeps with her, thus causing Beatrice to lose her bet with Lucifer and be taken to Hell.
- Throughout the game, as he progresses through the nine circles, he also breaks the Chains of Judecca that were keeping Lucifer imprisoned.
Rescued from the Underworld: Dante's mission is to plumb the depths of Hell, find Beatrice, and fight his way back out. He succeeds. Sort of.
Say My Name: Especially in the movie.
Dante: BEATRIIIIIIICE!!!
Sinister Scythe: Death's Scythe, his primary weapon. Though its revealed to only be an illusionary replica of Death's Scythe following the battle against Lucifer.
Through the Eyes of Madness: When he demands to know why he has seen none of the Saracen's he killed, who were just as guilty of violence as he, in Hell, Lucifer lifts him by the throat, and pointedly tells him "Because this isn't their Hell, Dante. It's yours." Implying everything he's witnessed during his descent, and even the rings of Hell themselves, are the result of Dante's own expectations and belief.
Turn Out Like His Father: Having done so, one of Dante's side purposes in his journey is to avoid meeting the same fate that his father did. Made creepily evident by some combat and aesthetic similarities, like using the cross as a ranged weapon and a cross on the chest.
Villain Protagonist: Toyed with. While he is certainly this during his time serving in the Third Crusade, he subverts this for the rest of the game after doing a Heel–Face Turn upon completion of his tour of duty and seeks to atone for his actions during that war.
Walking Shirtless Scene: After the first level, Dante spends the rest of the game without a shirt so that the cross sewn into his chest is on full display.
What Have I Done: Says this very phrase after breaking his promise to Beatrice by sleeping with the slave woman.

Beatrice Portinari

Voiced by: Vanessa Branch (ENG), Ayako Kawasumi (JAP)

"Dante, don't give up. If you love me, you won't give up."

Dante's wife, who vowed alongside him to forsake the pleasures of the flesh as long as he was out on the Crusades. When Dante broke the vow, Beatrice's soul was condemned and, through her death at the hands of an assassin, cast down to Hell so Lucifer would have her. Dante's mission is to prevent this from happening.

Arranged Marriage: Has this with Lucifer as result of losing a wager with him in regard to Dante remaining faithful while on duty in the Third Crusade.
Baby Factory: In the Animated Epic, Lucifer flat out declares that he will make a Mother of a Thousand Young out of Beatrice.
Lucifer: Yes! Such passion! You have a fire inside you! After we are properly married, you will give me a brood to carry on my legacy. You will be birthing my children for eternity, sweet soul.
The Bait: She was but a pawn in order to get Dante to destroy the chains that held Lucifer in the process of rescuing her.
Breast Expansion: Likely unintentional and as a result of a stylistic choice (although analysts might note that the progress does correlate interestingly to the degree of her corruption by Satan), but it's been noted than in the Animated Epic, each style transition inevitably causes Beatrice' breasts to grow. She starts off merely (somewhat) well-endowed, but in a fully realistic fashion. By the end of it, she looks like a fetish hentai character.
Chickification: In the Comedy itself, Beatrice was a mind-reading immortal so beautiful that she could cause a man's mind to crack like a thunderstruck twig. Virgil goes out of his way when introducing her to mention how hellfire cannot damage her, yet in the video game all of her God-given powers are stripped (along with her clothes) and replaced with a passive submission to the Devil that forces her idiot lover to rescue her.
Damsel in Distress: Whom Dante is driven to fight his way through hell to rescue. Though arguably subverted in that she becomes a demon of her own free will via the consuming of the seeds of the fruit given to her from Lucifer. She remains by Lucifer's side until the corruption is cleansed from her via her own cross.
Deal with the Devil: Beatrice made a wager against Lucifer betting her soul that Dante would remain faithful. She lost and ultimately honored her terms of the bet.
Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Beatrice is beautiful, pure, virtuous, and blonde.
Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: The assassin killed her by throwing a sword through her back from behind.
Innocent Fanservice Girl: She is naked for most of the game, but no attention is brought about it.
The Lost Lenore: She dies before the game starts.
Ms. Fanservice: Beatrice is always nude whenever she puts in an appearance throughout the game, and she is actually appealing to look at unlike Cleopatra or the Lust Demons. She was also subject to a Playboy promo in January 2010.
Rerouted from Heaven: Beatrice has this happen to her as a result of losing the aforementioned wager. The whole plot is about fixing that.
Walking Spoiler: In large part due to her becoming Lucifer's consort.
What the Hell, Hero?: Beatrice spends a good chunk of the game berating Dante for his breach of trust, especially after she temporarily joins with Lucifer.

Virgil

Voiced by: Bart McCarthy (ENG-Videogame), Peter Jessop (ENG-Animated Movie)

"A lady called. I prayed for her to command me."

Publius Vergilius Maro, more commonly known as Virgil, is a famous poet from Ancient Rome, known for his famous works such as The Aeneid, and popularly serves as the poet Dante's guide through his journey through Hell and Purgatory. He serves the same purpose in the game by acting as Dante's guide and aide throughout the Circles.

Depending on the Artist: While many characters have different designs throughout the animated movie, Virgil has the most drastic changes in appearance each time. Some of Virgil's character designs can be seen here.
Expy: In contrast to many of the other main characters of the cast who are more loosely-based off of their original counterparts in The Divine Comedy, he is an aversion in that he is a more faithful depiction of the Roman Poet as portrayed in the original poem.
Mr. Exposition: Virgil provides some information via quotations, with some minor changes, from the poem about the new areas Dante will have to go through.
Only Known by Their Nickname: Well, not exactly a nickname, but in the Video Game, he is always referred to as his alternate name, "Virgil." This is later averted in The Animated Epic, where he mentions his full name to Dante.
O.O.C. Is Serious Business: For most of the story, Virgil, true to his poem counterpart, delivers his dialogue to Dante in a authoritative and sagely manner, only occasionally raising his voice. However, when Dante approaches the Wood of the Suicides in Violence, Virgil describes the area in a slow and eerily soft tone; this is the ONLY time he acts this way in regards to an area of Hell.
- Even later on when Dante discovers his mother in the circle, Virgil becomes rather emotional when describing the process of how a soul arrives there, and expresses anger and frustration at the idea of someone claiming their own life; it's a really telling moment for when someone like VIRGIL responds in such a manner to sin, showing that, in the face of everything else, suicide is NEVER an easy subject to talk about.
Spirit Advisor: He serves this role for Dante in this game as he did in the poem.
The Spock: In keeping with his portrayal in Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy. The Florentine poet regarded him as the pinnacle of human reason but also as the limitations of human reason.
Sympathy for the Devil: Defied. During the second of Virgil's conversations with Dante, when the latter remarks that the punishment for those who refused to commit to a position in life was harsh, Virgil replied that it was an appropriate sentence for they were, to quote Star Trek: The Next Generation, "good men who let evil happen" and ends with a commanding "move on!".

St. Lucia

Voiced by: Rosalind Drury (ENG)

"I will be your protector, Dante, as you seek to find light from your dark past. And I will prepare you for the challenge ahead. These are the Trials of St. Lucia."

Patron Saint of the blind and Dante's guardian angel, who also appeared in the original poem as part of the events leading to Virgil's summoning. She appears as a playable character in the "Trials of St. Lucia" DLC, as well as offering some advice in the main game, albeit never seen there.

Action Girl: One of only two in the game, with the other being Cleopatra.
Eye Beams: Which operate very similar to Dante's cross attacks.
Flight: A key defining difference of her play style to that of Dante's.
Gold and White Are Divine: With some Heavenly Blue (her eyes and dress) as well.
Guardian Entity: The developers have described her as being like a guardian angel for Dante.
Hero of Another Story: Averted. She is a playable character in the Trials of St. Lucia DLC but it has no side story whatsoever.
Light 'em Up: Her elemental power, naturally.
Light Is Good: She is an Angel who is assigned to protect Dante.
Monochromatic Eyes: As a result of her original eyes being plucked out just before she was murdered. She was rewarded with a new set of eyes said to be more beautiful than any others in existence.
Mystical White Hair: Her hair is actually platinum blonde, but fits the trope for the most part.
Our Angels Are Different: In this game, just as some Humans can be turned into demons after death, some particularly virtuous Humans get to become angels.
Sinister Scythe: She wields a Holy Sickle that handles in the same way as the scythe.
True Blue Femininity: Represented with her blue dress and eyes.
Winged Humanoid: As she got to be transformed into an angel post-death.

Antagonists

Lucifer

Voiced by: John Vickery (ENG-Videogame), Steve Blum (ENG-Animated Movie), Atsuki Tani (JAP)

"I will reclaim my rightful place in Paradise! My path will be paved by the sins of Man, and yours, Dante, shall be the bedrock of my return."

Satan. The rebellious angel, both the ruler of Hell and its biggest prisoner, trapped by the frozen waters of Lake Cocytus and the Chains of Judecca in the final Circle. Dante's journey through Hell in the poem ends with merely a glance and observation at the original Fallen, while here it is all to save his beloved Beatrice and perhaps stop a bigger plan in the works.

Adaptational Badass:
- In the original poem, he was the epitome of The Devil Is a Loser, being stuck at the bottom of the lake, unable to free himself and worse, his attempts to get free only worsen his situation. In the actual game, he is free to go anywhere in Hell, kidnaps the heavenly Beatrice, and is revealed to have been using her as a bait to lure him further into Hell so he can be freed.
- The animated adaptation makes him more badass compared to his game counterpart. While the game Lucifer throws several brief but very noticeable temper tantrums, the anime has those same lines, but voiced in a more composed yet rage-fueled manner, only raising his voice when in the middle of combat. The anime even has him more or less defeat Dante. Giving him a Near-Villain Victory only thwarted by Dante facing his own damnation and forsake any chance of redemption or reunion with Beatrice. The biggest difference between the two versions is how they face defeat; while both undergo a Villainous Breakdown, game Lucifer is reduced to trying to bargain with and tempt Dante to join him despite having tried to kill him moments earlier, while anime Lucifer yells at Dante to stop his repentance while making a last ditch lunging attempt.
Adaptational Modesty: In the animated adaptation, he wears clothes that cover his crotch, and lacks a big floppy dong as well.
Batman Gambit: Beatrice is just Lucifer's bait to get Dante to destroy the chains holding him in Hell, as they are in Dante's way as he traverses Hell.
Big Bad: He drives the plot by forcing Beatrice to marrying him which forces Dante to fight his way through Hell to rescue his beloved. His plan turns out to be even more sinister than merely making Beatrice his bride, but he wants to be freed from Hell too.
Bishōnen Line: Lucifer starts out as a giant demon but partway through the fight shows his "true" form that erupts from his greater body, which is only a bit taller than Dante.
Break Them by Talking: Lucifer and the rest of Hell spend the entire game doing this to Dante.
Composite Character: Lucifer having to "bow down" to humans is not something ever stated in Judeochristian teachings about the devil or the fallen angels. This is a trait of Iblis in Islam, who is not even an angel but a Djinn.
Dark Is Evil: For starters, he is depicted as a Living Shadow for much of the game and when confronted, he looks like a tall demon with charred black skin.
Even Evil Has Standards: Easy to miss, but in the comic adaptation he briefly remarks that he doesn't understand why such a loving god would condemn children to hell for the sole sin of not being baptized.
Fan Disservice: Is hung like a moose, but considering he's the literal Devil and has the monstrous appearance to match, you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who's aroused.
Faux Affably Evil: Lucifer is polite and soft-spoken, if somewhat sarcastic. It's just an act; once you start really putting the screws to him he goes full Large Ham.
Flipping the Bird: When telling Dante that God forbids anyone who lives in Hell to leave it, he points towards the sky with the back of his hand facing Dante's face and his middle finger raised. Is he flipping Dante off or flipping off God? Who knows?
Full-Frontal Assault: Lucifer's big floppy dong is in full display, though with the lighting and the angles, you'd have to actually be looking for it to notice it most of the time, Averted in the animated adaptation.
God Is Evil: He proclaims this in Dante's Inferno: An Animated Epic based on God choosing to create humans and their free will. Then again, he is an Unreliable Narrator.
Humans Are the Real Monsters: During the final battle against him, he goes into a tirade about how Humans are evil creatures in contrast to him and his Angel brethren who believe in only Justice and Reason without compromise and should not have been replaced by such flawed creatures. Taken further in An Animated Epic when he goes so far as to call the physical world "Another Hell" and that "humans are its demons".
Lucifer: You dare assault ME?! YOU, who have done far worse then I! I stood for my fellow angels, for reason and justice. And then He made you, in His "image". You, the flawed creation! And I was to bow down to you!?
Large Ham: He gives plenty of long winded speeches throughout and he really starts Chewing the Scenery after Dante has unwittingly freed him. Averted in the animated adaptation, which goes for the other approach most of the time.
Manipulative Bastard: Considering he's literally Satan, this shouldn't be a surprise, but his motivation for taking Beatrice's soul wasn't because he wanted a bride. It was to lure Dante into Hell and free him from his prison; Beatrice was only the bait.
Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: He thanks Dante for having "a soul as black as mine" in being able to break the gigantic chains that kept him imprisoned and subsequently break the Titan outer shell that he was held in.
No Celebrities Were Harmed: Whenever Lucifer slips into Large Ham mode, John Vickery (the actor voicing him) seems to be channeling Tim Curry. Appropriate, considering Curry once portrayed another version of The Devil as well as the actual Devil.
Oh, Crap!: When he realises Dante, thanks to the absolved souls he's collected on his journey through Hell, has the power to reimprison him.
One-Winged Angel: Inverted. Lucifer starts the fight as a gigantic three faced demon trapped in a bed of ice. However, it's revealed that his giant form is actually a prison for his true body, a fallen angel/satyr like creature that while still twice as tall as Dante is far faster and more agile.
Post-Rape Taunt: During his boss fight, Lucifer can be heard gloating to Dante about how he "enjoyed plundering [his] woman".
Satan: Well, obviously.
Sealed Evil in a Can: Just like in the original poem, he is trapped in the lowest circle of Hell in a lake of ice. That said, he is not completely helpless and can project a shadow version of himself all across his world and use it to kidnap Beatrice. His gigantic form is actually a prison in its own right, which his true form emerges after Dante beats it.
The Sociopath: Lucifer invented evil by rebelling against God, and has decided to spend his eternal imprisonment trapping any soul he can in eternal torture. He uses his shadow to corrupt people on Earth, sadistically taunting anybody who opposes him. The ending reveals that he has learned nothing from his imprisonment, and simply wants the entire universe gripped in his wretched claws.
Stupid Evil: In keeping with the original "Inferno" by Alighieri, this is how Lucifer is portrayed in this game. This shows pretty much everything wrong with modern Lucifer portrayals in media: the stereotypical pride and manipulative traits are so mixed up that, instead of an imposing figure, he ends up a raving melodramatic lunatic that only a moron would ever be fooled by.
Unholy Matrimony: Seeks to establish this with Beatrice which he has briefly, but even then she was merely bait to get Dante to go through Hell to break his bonds. According to the Animated Epic, he also took Cleopatra, Salome and Helen of Troy as brides.
We Can Rule Together: Lucifer proposes this to Dante due to being able to gather Human souls and thus now having the power to reimprison him. Dante refuses to hear it.

Lucifer: I will reclaim my rightful place in paradise. My path will be paved with the sins of man, and yours, Dante, shall be the bedrock of my return. And all that is good will be gone from the universe forever!

Dante: Not yet. I have collected many souls on this pilgrimage. Souls that I have freed from this inferno. And together, they now possess the power to free me! Father, mother, brothers: ABSOLVE ME!.

Lucifer: This power, Dante... we can use it together. You and I, friend! Just think what we could achieve!

Dante: I would rather not.

Lucifer: Dante, I can reunite you with your Beatrice! Together, we will rule the three kingdoms of the afterlife!

Dante: It's not going to happen.

What the Hell, Hero?: He repeatedly reminds Dante of just how the whole thing is his fault.

Charon

Voiced by: Bart McCarthy (ENG), Norio Wakamoto (JAP)

"Through me the way to the city of woe. Through me the way to everlasting pain. Abandon all hope, ye who enter here."

The ferryman of the dead from Greek mythology, charged with boating the souls from Hell's entrance into Limbo for their judgement to the Circles below. Dante confronts him on his own way to the first Circle.

Anti-Villain: He only escorts victims to Hell, and doesn't seem take great joy in it.
Bald of Evil: He has no hair on his burning head.
Body Horror: The usual depiction of Charon is as an old man conducting a canoe through the Acheron. In this game, he is the boat.
Death Glare: He stares down Dante when he catches him stowing away on him.
Evil Sounds Deep: His voice is almost as deep as Lucifer's.
The Ferryman: Though in the case of this game, he is a rather literal combination of a ferry and man.
Flunky Boss: Since Charon is a boat himself, he requires minions to fight Dante for him.
Losing Your Head: This happens to him by way of Dante taking control of an Asterian Beast and ripping his head off the boat (his body).
Off with His Head!: Dante commands a Hell beast to rip Charon's head off and send it into the abyss below.
Red Eyes, Take Warning: He gives Dante a death Glare with his demonic lava eyes.
Stock Quotes: Delivers the famous "Abandon all hope" warning to the souls entering him, instead of it being on the Gates of Hell as usually depicted.
Tempting Fate: When he's seen again at the citadel in Limbo detached from the boat, he boasts that he will never die just before Dante gets the opportunity to push him off into the Acheron. Perhaps he should have stopped while he was a head.
Welcome to Hell: The quote above, which also includes the famous line usually written as being on the Gates of Hell.

King Minos

Voiced by: Richard Moll (ENG-Videogame), Kevin Michael Richardson (ENG-Animated Movie)

"How dare you presume to speak with the Judge of the Dead!"

The former king of Crete, made into the Judge of the Dead who sends the tortured souls down to the depths so they will be punished for their respective sins. Dante confronts Minos as a boss on his way out of Limbo.

Adaptational Ugliness: Being a demon, he doesn't look anything like the human (technically demigod) king he was in life.
Anti-Villain: Arguably qualifies as this as he is only doing his ordained job of judging the appropriate punishments of the damned.
Attack of the 50-Foot Whatever: As a result of being turned into a demon after his death.
Beware My Stinger Tail: Minos has two of them.
Body Horror: If him being a literally unholy fusion with a serpent wasn't enough, his crown, which also looks more like a tower, seems to literally be fused to his head.
Combat Tentacles: He has some weird tentacles he uses to assault Dante in their fight.
Creepily Long Arms: He has some huge, disfigured arms that he uses to grab as many souls as possible from the gallery around him. He also utilizes them in his fight with Dante.
Establishing Character Moment: While we see him in the background, he is properly introduced before his boss fight with him nonchalantly condemning a recent suicide to the Seventh Circle and impaling him on a wheel even while said soul is pleading with him.
Facial Horror: Minos' boss fight ends with his face sliced wide open on his own torture wheel.
Freudian Excuse Is No Excuse: He's pitiless towards the condemned souls and flat out ignores their pleas. As a judge of the underworld; he's heard all the excuses and just does his job because God is the one who condemned those souls to Hell, not Minos. He also throws this at Dante; pointing out that Dante has still committed those sins, no matter what excuse he can give to Minos.
Gate Guardian: Serves this role in preventing any living being from being able to continue onward.
Handicapped Badass: He has no eyes, but he fights Dante on his own.
Hanging Judge: It doesn't matter if you have a case against him, all who stand before him are counted as guilty. Justified in that all of the souls in Hell have already been condemned by God Himself, and Minos is merely sorting out the details of their crimes and punishments as opposed to determining whether they are guilty or innocent.
Hoist by His Own Petard: King Minos has his face split in half by his own spiked wheel.
Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: Gets his skull impaled on his own torture wheel by Dante.
Karmic Death: He punishes Hell's damned by needlessly throwing them onto a torture wheel on the way down. He ultimately ends up getting his face brutalized by being killed on said wheel.
Kick the Dog: He allows anyone to plead their case, but it doesn't matter since he sees all as guilty. Fair enough, since God was the one to actually condemn them to Hell. What really seals this trope is that he unnecessarily impales them on a torture wheel on the way down.
Large Ham: Arguably only beaten out in this role by Lucifer and the Bishop.
Make Me Wanna Shout: He can attack using loud roars across his battle stage.
Never Bareheaded: He wears a rather bizarre hat that's melded into his head.
No Sympathy: A man who's sole crime is suicide pleads for his life, but Minos just tosses him down the pain wheel.
Punch-Clock Villain: He only judges the souls of the damned, he takes no more joy in what he does than Charon does in their crossing.
Reptiles Are Abhorrent/Snake People: True to illustrative depictions of Minos in the Divine Comedy, he has several snake and reptile-like traits in this depiction.
What the Hell, Hero?: During the fight against him, Minos will repeatedly remind Dante of some of the crimes he has committed during his time at Acre and why he does not deserve to achieve any sort of happiness.

Cleopatra

Voiced by: Alison Lees-Taylor (ENG)

"You just gave up the keys to the Kingdom, and for what? The tits of a slave girl?"

The deceased Empress of Egypt, Cleopatra VII was merely a shade Dante notices as he and Virgil cross the circle of Lust. Here, Lucifer has made a deal with her so she and her lover Marc Antony will no longer suffer the violent winds, as long as they stop Dante's progress. This resulted in her becoming a towering succubus-like demon with moderate control over the Storms of Lust.

Adaptational Ugliness: The most beautiful woman in all of Egypt is probably the last thing you'd think when viewing her in the game.
Amazing Technicolor Population: Her skin is light purple as a result of her demonic figure.
Ascended Extra: Both she and Antony were merely souls Dante identified as he walked through the circle of Lust in the original Comedy. The game ascends her to a demonic seductress who faces you in a boss battle with one of her many lovers aiding her.
Attack of the 50-Foot Whatever: Though she can switch to an average Human size such as when she attempts to seduce Dante.
Avenging the Villain: After her beloved Antony dies, she tries taking on Dante herself in a cutscene.
The Baroness: Cleopatra doubles with The Vamp (she is a succubus, after all).
Blow You Away: Has a decent amount of control over the Storms of Lust that torture the souls of the second circle. She uses them to surround the main tower so Dante can't get in easily and later weaponizes it against him during the boss fight with Antony.
Demoted to Extra: In the movie, she's just a random soul that blows by when Dante reaches the Circle of Lust.
Does This Remind You of Anything?: Her final fight with Dante involves pouncing on top of him and trying to bite into his neck. However, Dante gains the upper hand, rolls her over, and penetrates her body with his weapon as she moans.
Dual Boss: You fight Marc Antony and Cleopatra together.
Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Cleopatra is genuinely grief-stricken when Dante kills Antony. They did damn themselves to be together forever, after all.
Fan Disservice: She goes topless all the time, but her breasts have tongues instead of nipples and constantly spawn unbaptized babies.
Fingore: Dante has to attack her hands while she unleashes minions at him. The same must be done later to stop her from healing Antony.
Historical Villain Upgrade: The historical Cleopatra was a tactical mastermind and Greek descendant who controlled Egypt after organizing a successful invasion while having quite a number of men interested in her for her beauty and intelligence. While otherwise as "evil" as an absolute monarch in the vein of Ptolomy was meant to be, the game focuses on her seduction aspect and makes it the key reason she's become the dominant force of the second circle.
Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: She ends up jabbed by Dante's scythe.
Load-Bearing Boss: After Dante kills both Antony and her, the Tower of Lust comes crumbling down.
Mook Maker: She can breed Unbaptized Infants from her bosom when you first encounter her in combat. Even as the boss of the second circle, most of the attacks come from her lover Marc Antony, while Cleopatra herself providing only the occasional help and trying to heal him when he's damaged enough.
No Cure for Evil: Averted, as she uses actual Healing Hands to cure Antony during his boss fight. When she does, she must be stopped immediately before he's fully healed.
Obligatory Swearing: Cleopatra is the only character who uses swear words other than "damn". It comes off as forced and unnatural.
Orgasmic Combat: She gives off a lot moans and disturbing noises when fighting Dante. Since she is the guardian of Lust, it's only natural.
Succubi and Incubi: Though instead of being attractive, she is extremely disturbing.
Together in Death: Not only in their first death, since they are together in the circle of Lust, but Dante also kills them one after the other.
Unholy Matrimony: Has this with Marc Antony. She was also said to have been Lucifer's bride long before Beatrice in the Animated Epic.
The Vamp: Also doubles as The Baroness.
Villain Ball: Instead of finishing off Dante in her giant form, she shrinks down to his size to have a fair fight. This results in her death.
Villain Has a Point: She calls out Dante for cheating on his wife.
What the Hell, Hero?: She repeatedly taunts Dante about his lapse in his faithfulness in giving to his lust that brought about his ordeal.

Marc Antony

Voiced by: Lewis Macleod (ENG)

"Mistress, let me have him."

Marcus Antonius, former Roman politician, general, and a key figure to Rome's transition into an Empire under Caesar. One of Cleopatra's lovers, he was damned to the second circle with her, and is sent against Dante as he reaches the end of Lust.

Adaptational Villainy: The original poem had him be just another shade alongside Cleopatra. Here, he's the boss of Lust alongside her, and looks properly demonic to match.
Alas, Poor Villain: All he wanted was to be with his beloved forever, but Dante's quest causes him to die in battle.
Ascended Extra: Both he and Cleopatra were only shades Dante identified in the circle of Lust as he and Virgil passed by. Here he's the Lust guardian standing in Dante's way towards Gluttony.
Body Horror: His armor is fused to his body and seems to be made of other Shades, the collar having hands that reach up to his face and pull down on his lower lip so his gums are visibly exposed. He also has discolored skin, blank bloodshot eyes and a deformed bulge where a codpiece would be.
The Brute: He's one of the few physically-involved fighters encountered in the game.
The Dragon: To Cleopatra.
Dual Boss: You fight Marc Antony and Cleopatra together. Though the former is the one who fights Dante directly with the latter providing assistance.
Facial Horror: Unlike his beloved's, his face is more noticeably disfigured, with no lower lip and exposed gums just to name one of the deformities.
Historical Villain Upgrade: Downplayed. The historical Marc Antony was known for being a ruthless warrior in the battlefield, not to mention his reputation as a ladies' man among Roman citizens, but he did have a sense of nobility and honor, and was valued by the Roman Republic (by Caesar especially) as a strong and loyal defender. The game chooses to focus on his violent and lustful tendencies so he'd be a better fit as a boss for the second circle.
Humanoid Abomination: Out of all of Hell's demons, he's the closest to looking humanish.
Lady and Knight: Implied that he views his relationship with Cleopatra as being something along the lines of the Dark Lady and Black Knight variant.
Unholy Matrimony: With Cleopatra.

Cerberus

The three-headed beast from Greek myth, which Alighieri made guard the entrance to the circle of Gluttony in the Comedy. The game depicts it as a horrifying worm-like creature ready to eat the damned that come across it, Dante included.

Adaptational Ugliness: Instead of a three-headed dog, Cerberus is a worm with Too Many Mouths.
Anti-Villain: It is not evil, just a monstrous beast that eats the damned of the third circle and happens to stand in the way of Dante.
Eat Me: How Dante manages to kill it.
Eldritch Abomination: This game's depiction is a three-headed worm with multiple mouths per head.
Hellhound: Averted in that it is depicted as a three-headed worm rather than a three-headed dog as in Classical Mythology, but nonetheless serves the same purpose. Though it should be noted that was in keeping with the way it was portrayed in the poem.
Kill It with Fire: Fire by itself will not kill it, but it will stun the creature's heads and give you an opportunity to inflict some damage on it.
Off with His Head!: Gets all three heads cut of by Dante.
Too Many Mouths: Fitting with the theme of Gluttony, Cerberus has four mouths on its middle head and five mouths on the other heads, equaling fourteen in total.

Alighiero

Voiced by: JB Blanc (ENG-Videogame), Mark Hamill (ENG-Animated Movie), Chikao Ōtsuka (JAP)

"So! You think you're a better man than your father?"

Dante's father. Adapted into the game's story as a cruel, greedy businessman, his death at the hands of the assassin who also killed Beatrice gave Lucifer another good opportunity to torture Dante, placing Alighiero as the guardian of the circle of Greed.

Abusive Parents: Dante's father Alighiero constantly berated him and drove his mother to suicide.
Asshole Victim: Considering how he treated his son, living a sinful life, and driving his wife to suicide. Hardly any tears were shed.
Adaptational Heroism: Downplayed in the anime. While he is still a villainous character who abused his family, he never made any attempts to seduce Beatrice, expressed concern for her well-being during a flashback scene in Gluttony, and even tried to fend off the Assassin in a futile attempt to save her (as opposed to attacking the Assassin out of outrage for him breaking into his house).
Attempted Rape: During the scene where he attempts to console Beatrice over his son's supposed death, he attempts to undress her and it was implied he was going to attempt to rape her if the Assassin hadn't interfered. Averted in the animated version.
Canon Foreigner: Alighero di Bellincione, the historical Dante Aligheri's father, was not featured in the poem.
Deal with the Devil: Lucifer said he promised Alighiero a thousand years free of pain and suffering if he succeeds in killing his son. However, given that Dante has been Dead All Along, this would be impossible for Alighiero to achieve, thus his battle was likely for the purpose of giving Lucifer a chance to observe and test Dante's skill.
Dirty Old Man: As evident when he attempted to seduce his own future daughter-in-law and later makes various lewd comments about Beatrice during his boss fight. Averted in the animated adaptation.
Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: During the fight against him, he frequently decries his son "wasting his time" to rescue Beatrice when there are numerous other women left for him to fornicate with, showing that Alighiero is unable to understand that people can form intimate relationships out of genuine love for each other and not just for base carnal desires.
Eye Scream: Dante's father is murdered with a cross through his eye.
Fat Bastard: He was portrayed as this in life and is exacerbated when he becomes a demon.
Hate Sink: Given how much of a scumbag he is, we are likely not supposed to really like or have sympathy for him.
Historical Villain Upgrade: From the surviving documents of the time, Alighiero di Bellincione was said to be an overall decent parent to Dante, not to mention a skilled banker, accountant and merchant. The character of Alighiero presented in this game is an avaricious, lecherous and abusive bastard who becomes the guardian for the circle of Greed, standing in Dante's way once again.
Humanoid Abomination: One that has a resemblance to the Gluttons with some differences (including hair, a pig-like hoof replacing his right hand, and retaining some, though shredded, clothing) but keeping his sentience.
Ignored Epiphany: In the animated film, Lucifer promises him a mountain of gold on top of time free of torture if he kills Dante. This shows that, despite literally having molten gold poured over him, Alighiero has failed to learn the incredibly obvious and on-the-nose lesson about the pointlessness of pursuing wealth.
Improbable Weapon User: He fights with a gigantic golden bejewelled cross as a weapon. The same cross the assassin killed him with.
Pet the Dog: In the Animated Epic, he protected Beatrice and orders her to run, though it's unknown if it's for a selfish reason or not. Nonetheless, it wasn't enough to save him from eternal damnation though.
Red Right Hand: In his case, his right hand is that of swine hoof.
Villain Has a Point: In the Animated Epic, the mocking speech about the Bishop's ability to absolve sins is given to him (in Greed) instead of to Lucifer (in Gluttony).
Villainous Valor: Even before the full reveal of his unsavory nature, Alighiero comes across as an aggressive and predatory man; but when the assassin comes for him he puts up a fairly impressive fight, even getting the better of him at one point.

Phlegyas

Voiced by: Kevin Michael Richardson (ENG-Animated Movie)

The former king of the Lapiths, now Hell's second ferryman who carries the souls condemned to the circle of Anger towards the City of Dis.

Attack of the 50-Foot Whatever: The one of the two largest beings in the game rivaled only by Lucifer in his shell. Phlegyas is so large that the Asterian Beasts, which are roughly three stories tall, barely reach his knees.
Breath Weapon: Which comes in the form of a beam of fire.
The Ferry Man: He carries souls bound for the lower circles on his head, the top of which is just barely above the Styx.
Magma Man: His body is shown to be at least covered in lava as shown in the scene when Dante commandeers Phlegyas in order assault the City of Dis.
Non-Dubbed Grunts: Phlegyas vocal effects are based on recycled sound clips of the Hive Mind from the Dead Space games (also created by Visceral Games, the developers of Dante's Inferno). Averted in the Animated movie in which Kevin Michael Richardson does the vocal effects for him.
Our Titans Are Different: A positively gigantic Titan with a head shaped like a massive boat.
That's No Moon: How Phlegyas reveals himself in the Styx River.
The Unfought: While he does make some swipes at Dante by swiping him with his fists or fire breath, there is never any sort of boss battle against him, though you do get to use him to break into the city of Dis.

Francesco Portinari

Voiced by: Tom Tate (ENG), Jin Yamanoi (JAP)

"You don't deserve to be my sister's slave, let alone her lord."

Dante's partner during the siege of Acre, and Beatrice's brother. Like a brother to Dante in life, his execution for the atrocities committed and Dante's complete ignoring of his sacrifice resulted in his spirit becoming a vengeful warrior sentenced to the third inner ring of the circle of Violence along with the other Crusaders.

Anti-Villain: Francesco is not evil like Alighiero or cruel like Minos, but he was still a part of the Third Crusade along with Dante, meaning he was responsible for several atrocities and gruesome deaths. Nevertheless, he took the blame and died in his brother's place while Dante raised no objections, merely making the promise that he'd protect Beatrice. Now a monster sentenced to the circle of Violence, Francesco is understandably pissed with his former comradee about his situation.
Canon Foreigner: Not just in terms of the poem, but also in the annals of History, since there are no records of the real Beatrice Portinari having a brother. Though it is interesting to note that Dante Alighieri had a half-brother of the same name, which this character is likely to have been based upon.
Expy: More so in terms of appearance, post-demon-transformation Francesco has been noted as being similar to that of the Barbarian King Alrik.
Flunky Boss: He summons Damned Crusaders during his boss fight.
King Mook: He's a much larger version of the Damned Crusaders and fights similarly to them with some new tricks up his sleeve.
Ironic Hell: He got sent to the Abominable Sands with the other Crusaders after he died for killing in the name of God.
Plant Person: He appears to have been mixed with a tree after becoming a demon.
Protectorate: Was one for Dante as part of a promise to Beatrice, Francesco's sister, that he would protect him as if he were his own. Dante ultimately fails in this not because of lack of skill or strength, but because of a lack of integrity in clarifying the details about the massacre at Acre that would have saved his life.
Throwing Your Sword Always Works: He will do this throughout the battle against him in the Abominable Sands at the end of the Seventh Circle.
What the Hell, Hero?: During your fight with him, Francesco condemns Dante for betraying him by refusing to tell the truth about the massacre of prisoners at Acre for which he was executed in Dante's place.

Others

Death

Voiced by: Dee Bradley Baker and Richard Moll (ENG), Naomi Kusumi (JAP)

"Dante, your fate is decided: everlasting damnation for your sins."

The natural end of all mortal life, in the form of a Grim Reaper who charters the recently deceased to their final resting places. Dante's first oponent in the afterlife.

Adapted Out: He makes no appearance in Dante's Inferno: An Animated Epic and has Dante taking a scythe from a winged demon Mook instead.
Affably Evil: Genuinely offers Dante a chance to come peacefully with him before being forced to fight.
Ain't Too Proud to Beg: He starts begging for his life(?) after Dante gets his sycthe. Not like it does him any good, of course. It's an odd thing for the usually unflappable concept of death to do, which arguably is a major hint that the "fight" is little more than a Dying Power Fantasy on Dante's part.
Canon Foreigner: While the concept of death is openly explored in the Divine Comedy, there are no mentions of any entity that physically embodies it in the poem.
Dark Is Not Evil: He has nothing against Dante, he is someone is simply doing his job and happens to be obstructing Dante's mission of surviving.
Go into the Light: His battlefield is suspended in dark fog with a bright light in the distance. The light looms ever closer as you whittle his health down.
The Grim Reaper: Obviously. And Dante decides to hang up on him.
Hoist by His Own Petard: Dante kills Death with his own scythe. However, it is later revealed that his fight with and slaying of Death was a delusion Dante is having.
Horned Humanoid: He has this appearance in the promotional tie-in comic. Also worth noting that prior designs before settling on the one he would have were to include horns and wings in order to make him look like a black angel (of which there is a passing reference to one in Canto XXVII of the poem).
Killed Off for Real: He is the very first boss encountered in the game and killed shortly after his introduction. However, this is revealed to be a subversion. He was never killed and the battle itself was only an illusion that Dante experienced.
Punch-Clock Villain: He's not a monster, but he does have a job to carry out.
Sinister Scythe: The one that Dante would take his scythe from. Though it is revealed at the end that Dante has used throughout his journey is an illusionary replica of the real one.
Starter Villain: Though starter antagonist might be a more fitting name for him given that he has no connection to Satan or any of Hell's other inhabitants and was simply doing his job of sending the souls of the deceased to their appropriate destinations.
Warmup Boss: He's the very first boss fight you'll encounter in the game and gives the player a warning with what other type of bosses they'll have to go up against...

The Assassin

Voiced by: Daniel Curshen (ENG-Videogame), John Paul Karliak (ENG-Animated Movie)

"She wasn't my sister - she was my wife!"

A Kurdish prisoner in Acre whose "sister" sold her own body to Dante in exchange for their freedom. Angered at this, he sought Dante in order to kill him and those dear to him.

Ascended Extra: In Canto XIX of "the Inferno", there was a passing mention of an individual who Alighieri called lo perfido assassin ("the treacherous assassin"). In this videogame adaptation, the assassin becomes a more prominent character in which he kills Beatrice and Alighiero, and later revealed to have killed Dante.
Disproportionate Retribution: The nameless assassin, in retaliation for Dante sleeping with his wife as part of a deal for freedom which Dante honored, kills Dante, travels all the way to Europe to find Dante's home and kills Dante's father and his love Beatrice. His determination is nearly on Dante's level.
Hate Sink: given that he murders Dante and Beatrice over something as petty as Dante sleeping with his wife, which was not even Beatrice's fault at all, we are definitely supposed to hate him.
Karma Houdini: The unnamed assassin never receives punishment for his killing spree, though he will implicitly end up in Hell for his revenge.
No Name Given: Though he is sometimes referred to as "The Avenger" in some supplemental material.
Ungrateful Bastard: In a way. His wife, the Slave woman, by offering herself to Dante in exchange for his release, achieved his freedom. His response was to have her killed for committing adultery despite her act of seduction having a good intention.
Would Hit a Girl: He had his wife killed for sleeping with Dante, and he throws a sword into Beatrice's back.

The Slave Woman

Voiced by: Charlie Norfolk (ENG-Videogame), Nika Futterman (ENG-Animated Movie)

"Let me comfort you."

A prisoner at Acre who promised to pleasure Dante in exchange for her and her "brother"'s freedom.

Blatant Lies: She is really the assassin's wife, not his sister as she claimed.
Ms. Fanservice: She seduces Dante and is seen nude with her bare boobs out in a flashback cutscene.
No Name Given: "Slave woman" is the closest thing she has to a name.
Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Her act of seduction ended up putting the plot in motion by angering her husband, the Assassin, who killed Dante, Alighiero, and Beatrice and also cause Beatrice to lose her wager with Lucifer.
What Happened to the Mouse?: Her fate following the Third Crusade is never specified. Though An Animated Epic does imply that the Assassin, her husband, would have her killed for her act of adultery even despite it achieving his freedom in addition with Dante and his loved ones.

The Bishop of Florence

Voiced by: Peter Egan (ENG)

"Mercenaries of Florentina! In payment for taking the cross to reclaim the Holy Land, your immaculate father hereby absolves you of all sins!"

The officiant of the church who falsely promised the Crusaders their sins would be absolved as a result of their mass genocide of the Kurdish people in Acre.

Large Ham: Only beaten out by Lucifer.
Laser-Guided Karma: In the comic by Diego Latorre, he's revealed to have been executed for his selling of salvation and cast down to the third Malebolge in Fraud, belonging to the Simonists. After another attempt to trick Dante into pitying him, he's Punished by the scythe.
Manipulative Bastard: "Your immaculate Father hereby absolves you of your sins!"
No Name Given: He only appears during the flashback cutscenes.
Sinister Minister: Naturally given that the church is portrayed here as being corrupt.

Richard I of England

Voiced by: Peter Egan (ENG-Videogame), H. Richard Greene (ENG-Animated Movie)

"God in Heaven, who is responsible for this?"

King of England from 1189 to 1199, nicknamed "Richard the Lionheart" for his reputation as a great warrior.

Historical Hero Upgrade: Somewhat, as Richard was the one who indeed put an end to the Third Crusade by signing a peace treaty with Saladin without Jerusalem being retaken, but only after having participated in several of the battles himself despite severe illness, including taking many Muslims as prisoners. The game focuses on his participation by displaying him as a Reasonable Authority Figure who is horrified at the extremes the Crusaders took their "duty" towards; you know the Massacre at Acre depicted in the game? In reality, he signed off on it.
Reasonable Authority Figure: In contrast to some other Crusaders (namely Dante, who committed the Massacre at Acre), he was willing to treat his enemies with respect and not assume that they were soulless sub-human beings for simply following another religion and looking different from them.

Saladin

Salah ad-Din, Sultan of Egypt and leader of the Muslim forces who fought against the Third Crusade.

Noble Demon: At least from the perspective of the Crusaders, thus he gets to be in Limbo in the Hall of Virtuous Heathens.

Bella

Voiced by: Pollyanna McIntosh (ENG-Videogame), Victoria Tennant (ENG-Animated Movie)

"Why do you break me? Have you no pity?"

Dante's mother, supposedly long dead from a fever. He meets her in the second ring of Violence, in the Wood of the Suicides.

Canon Foreigner: Bella Abati, the historical Dante Aligheri's mother, was not featured in the poem.
Driven to Suicide: As Dante finds out the hard way when going through the Wood of the Suicides.
Foreshadowing: During her conversation with her living son, she informs him that it is too late for them to change their ways, which provides a vague hint of the reveal that Dante has been Dead All Along.
Plant Person: She looks like she was fused to the woods where she will hang for eternity.

The Messenger/Gabriel

"Your redemption is near."

One of God's messengers.

Light Is Good: He comes to help Dante by bringing Beatrice's soul to Heaven as it would have had she not made her wager with Lucifer.
Mercury's Wings: Which are on his head with the tips pointed forwards... and just so happen to make them look like horns when seen at a certain angle. Make of that what you will.
Our Angels Are Different: Gabriel's design follows closely to the "winged humanoid" representation of angels in popular culture, likely to make it clear who he's supposed to be.
Telepathy: Seems to have this ability as he doesn't move his lips when communicating with Dante.
Teleportation: Gabriel was able to travel to Hell in order to retrieve Beatrice. He then ascends with her soul so Dante can face Lucifer.
Vagueness Is Coming: His scene with Dante when taking Beatrice to Heaven suggests that Dante's actions will play a role in the ongoing war between God and Lucifer.
Winged Humanoid: As would be expected of the traditional image of an angel.

The Legions of Hell

Minion

Damned souls corrupted so thoroughly that their original selves are now lost, serving blindly under Lucifer. They come in different variations that are revealed the deeper Dante is within Hell, namely the standard and Fire varieties, as well as the ones belonging to the circles of Anger, Gluttony and Greed.

Action Bomb: Anger Minions will set themselves on fire and lumber towards Dante in an attempt to damage him when they explode. Grabbing them with the scythe will have him throw them right back at the horde so they'll explode near their own back-ups, which can even create a nice chain reaction if more Anger Minions are present.
Body Horror: They're souls so utterly corrupted that their original selves are long gone, now replaced by corpse-like creatures that growl and hiss like beasts. Their appearance only gets worse depending on the type you're facing: Gluttony Minions are bloated and covered in disgusting mud, and Greed minions seem to have gold melted into their bodies.
Evil Living Flames: The Fire Minions are made of fire and are immune to scythe attacks until they get frozen by the cross.
Fragile Speedster: Greed Minions are the most nimble and agile of the variants, with one of their favorite attacks being a surprise slash at Dante after they try to confuse him by hopping all over the place. They're still nowhere near a credible threat unless the player lets their guard down too much.
Invincible Minor Minion: The Fire Minions will No-Sell any of Dante's normal attacks at first. The only way to defeat them is to first put out the fire with a Cross attack, leaving them petrified and wide open for punishment with the Scythe.
Mook: Hell's cannon-fodder, nothing more than mere annoyances in Dante's path that can be killed easily.
Our Zombies Are Different: Disgusting corpses that live in the place where the damned suffer for eternity. The first encounter with the Minions in the human world also reflects this trope by having them rise from graves near a local church.

Pest & Fiend

Small flying creatures resembling bugs that are found all throughout Hell, able to throw fireballs from their stingers. In the circle of Heresy, Dante faces a stronger version called a Fiend, which are creatures that can shoot streams of ice from their long reptilian tails.

Airborne Mook: Both varieties can fly, being tiny airborne annoyances that can be dangerous in a swarm.
Catch and Return: With the right upgrade, Dante can parry the fireballs thrown by Pests and fling them right back, killing them in one blow.
Elite Mook: Fiends, in comparison to Pests, not that they're all that more resilent.
Fire/Ice Duo: In terms of enemy type. Pests shoot fireballs while Fiends shoot blasts of ice.
Puzzle Boss: There's an encounter with a swarm of Fiends in the Wood of the Suicides that has them placed high up in the arena too far from Dante's reach. Conveniently, there are two trees in the same arena that can produce a blast of sound that sends them crashing towards the ground for an easy access.
The Swarm: The two enemies are small flying creatures that tend to appear in larger numbers to attack Dante, but neither is all that durable and will go down with a few aereal swings from the Scythe.

Asterian Beast & Tamer

Towering monstrosities that serve as beasts of burden in the Inferno. On certain parts of his journey, Dante can face these monsters and weaken them just enough for him to ride them towards a destination, but only if he can kill the Tamers riding them, Demons part of the Fallen hierachy.

The Beastmaster: The Tamers are part of the Elite Mook hierarchy of demons that ride these beasts to make them carry out certain duties in the Circles of Hell, like pushing blocks of gold around Greed.
Beast of Battle: Usually they're made to do labor around the Circles, but they can certainly be used in battle or as a form of defense. The first Asterian Beast is introduced guarding the Gates of Hell, after all.
Cutscene Boss: You'll never really fight a Beast Tamer by themselves. Either Dante kills them in the process of taking control of an Asterian Beast (which is a quick-time event sequence) or he'll smash them into bloody paste using the beast itself. And if a Tamer does manage to sneak up and climb onto a Beast, a simple button-mashing sequence is all it takes to throw them back down.
Power Up Mount: Riding an Asterian Beast provides Dante with a powerful creature capable of slamming and crushing enemies like ants under its feet, as well as fire breath for a lot of damage in a small amount of time. Beasts also provide help by moving giant objects in Dante's path or climbing certain walls.
Suspicious Video-Game Generosity: Any part of the game where a Beast appears is a level where their brute strength will usually be necessary to proceed.

Demon Hierarchy

Essentially the lieutenants and high-ranking officers of Lucifer's forces, these are actual fallen angels now made into demons who protect the Circles of Hell, standing in Dante's way. Not counting the Tamers, there are three types fought throughout the story: the basic Guardians, the armored Throne Demons met in Greed, and the winged Arch Demons seen in the first ring of Violence.

Airborne Mook: Arch Demons have kept their wings, except they're naturally demonic now. Defeating them requires cutting them off and grounding them first.
Elite Mook: Compared to the usual Minion, Demons are a tougher challenge from the outset because of their power and some actually-unblockable attacks (to the point there's a Relic specifically meant to block these). Battles become a lot harder to go through if one of these is present, and the game likes to throw more than one of these at Dante at a time.
Foe-Tossing Charge: Throne Demons can charge towards Dante, dealing a lot of damage if the hit connects.
Karma Meter: While you can use the Minions and such for this, dealing enough damage to a Demon so there is a chance for a finisher move is one of the best ways to amount Holy and Unholy points for level progression.
Sword Beam: Throne Demons can fire off an energy blast from their axes.

Unbaptized Infant

The tarnished souls of babies who tragically died before baptism. Because they died without sin but also without being shown faith, their young selves were cast down to Limbo, where they've become another enemy in Dante's way.

Blade Below the Shoulder: Their little arms have become sharp blades they use to walk and attack Dante with.
Body Horror: These babies have been turned into horrifying abominations with blades instead of hands, dessicated bodies with fully white eyes and even more bulbous heads. "Limbo shows no mercy for these babes" indeed.
Creepy Child: The souls of babies who weren't given baptism, corrupted by Hell into another kind of servant to attack Dante.
Mythology Gag: Not the first game in Visceral's library where babies are given horrifying fleshy forms and fought as enemies.
The Swarm: They're weak and can't deal too much damage, but they're numerous.

Temptress & Seductress of Lust

Women who lived lives full of Lust, so utterly consumed by it that they were corrupted into demonic creatures with a huge tendril emerging from their sternum and nethers. The Temptresses are introduced in the circle of Lust as Cleopatra's servants, while the blue-colored Seductresses appear later in Greed as a stronger variation.

Absurdly Sharp Claws: Long, metal-like claws on their hands that they can quickly slash at Dante with.
Animal Motifs: Almost a case of "Mix-and-Match Critter motif" from just how many animalistic traits they embody: they growl and hiss like cats on occasion (not to mention attacking with sharp claws), their "tendrils" are like a scorpion's stinger minus the poison, while also bringing to mind snakes due to the women's Middle Eastern-inspired clothing (thus bringing to mind snake charming).
Bedlah Babe: A corruption of this trope played for horror. It's hinted that these women were followers of either Cleopatra or Queen Semiramis of Babylon in real life, but the fact that the track associated with them is called "Whores of Babylon" insinuates the latter is the case.
Body Horror: Besides the obvious tentacle and the gangrened skin, they wear golden bracelets that are fused to their skin.
Chromatic Superiority: The blue-colored Seductresses are far more dangerous and crafty than the orange-tinted Temptresses.
Combat Tentacles: Their defining combat trait. A fleshy, gangrenous appendage with a pointed stinger coming from a bloody hole in their torsos that stretches all the way down to their vaginas, which they use to stab at Dante or try to pull him in closer with it. Resisting them with a button mashing event will make Dante spin them around and toss them at other foes.
Distracted by the Sexy: Seductresses can weaponize this by releasing a cloud of pheromones aimed right at Dante. If the player doesn't button mash to make him snap out of it, he'll be drawn in closer to them for a lot of punishment.
Drop Dead Gorgeous: The animated film briefly shows a couple of the naked demonesses lying dead and bloody up close to the screen once Dante is done with a group of them.
Fan Disservice: These creatures exist to embody this trope as punishment for their lustful lives, turned into disgusting abominations that make the mere idea of eroticism look ugly and sickly.
Honey Trap: Used for combat purposes. Their whole purpose is to lure men in closer to suffer at their hands.
Humanoid Abomination: If they were actual human women before, they've long been twisted into monsters that embody the Lust they devoted themselves to in life.
Lust: The physical embodiment of this sin within Hell. They're lustful women twisted into a creature that does nothing but moan sexually and attack with a tendril coming from a hole that leads to their vagina.
Vagina Dentata: They attack by transforming their genitalia and spawning a tentacle out of it.

Gorger Worm

Large worm-like creatures fought in the circle of Gluttony, having only human-like mouths as a feature. Their duty is to eat away at the muck of the Third Circle and torture the souls under the heavy rain in the process.

Antlion Monster: They'll sometimes be seen lying in wait on the ground with dust clouds signaling their spot.
Helpful Mook: As you enter Gluttony, two worms will attack Minions on the background and give you a few free souls. If you lure an enemy into their trap radius, you can also trick the Worms into biting at them.
Just Eat Him: They're monsters of Gluttony with only mouths on their frontal end, so this is their one way of attacking Dante if he wanders into their attack area.
Sand Worm: Mud worm, but same principle.

Glutton

Horrifying monstrosities found at the very end of Gluttony, fully embodying the sin by eating the souls tortured in the Third Circle. They resemble bloated humanoids with mouths everywhere on them.

Breath Weapon: Their vomit is acidic enough to deal damage even when it's still on the floor.
Dung Fu: If Dante tries to attack from behind for too long, they'll use a projectile diarrhea attack in his general direction to damage him.
Elite Mook: They're similar to the Demons in that they have more health than other enemies and can be stunned for a finishing move that grants extra Holy or Unholy experience depending on which side needs it the most, but they last longer than even the Throne Demons in terms of health.
One-Hit Kill: If they grab Dante and he fails to break free through a quick-time event, they will devour him and instantly kill him.
Squick: Invoked by their design. They're utterly disgusting to look at because of their slimy dead-looking bodies, eating away at damned souls in a pool of their own filth, and will actively use their own excrement and vomit as weapons against Dante. It's telling that there's a Relic meant exclusively to deal with these creatures and their particular brand of "attacking".
Too Many Mouths: They're creatures that fully embody the sin of Gluttony, so this is in effect. They have mouths instead of hands and eyes, and even have mouths on each side of their actual heads.
Villainous Glutton: They embody Gluttony and torture the souls cast down to the mire of the Third Circle. Their introduction even shows one of them munching away at a damned shade.

Hoarder/Waster

A pair of souls forcefully conjoined at the waist, one having lived as a vicious hoarder, while the other lived as a callous waster. In Hell, they're now repeatedly wasting and clinging to their gold while they attack Dante with a large golden mace as he traverses the circle of Greed.

Body Horror: They're two former humans whose souls-made-flesh in the Inferno are now forcefully merged at the hip while some of their limbs are missing. The Hoarder side of the monster also has gold coins visibly stuffed inside him.
Carry a Big Stick: Their weapon is a huge crown-like mace that they use to slam the ground with, as well as spin it around like a top to ram onto Dante.
Greed: They embody the sin of the Fourth Circle. One side of the monster continously tries to gather pieces of gold around itself, while the other wastes it away by attacking with their weapon. This in part due to the original Comedy's interpretation of the two extremes of Greed, sins that are different yet still united by the same deadly sin.
Mythology Gag: The conjoined design and the large golden "appendage" makes them look a little like an Exploder Necromorph.
Spin Attack: Their trademark attack is to spin themselves around the arena with their mace outstretched so they'll ram right at Dante and deal a good amount of damage. Thankfully it can be blocked and parried, the latter of which also interrupts them.

Fire Guardian

Enemies met in the circle of Anger. These creatures are invisible, usually only appearing as wisps of smoke and embers before attacking Dante with their fiery wrath.

Evil Living Flames: Their default state is Super Smoke but they have to fully ignite themselves to attack, which leaves them just as vulnerable to being frozen by the cross as the Fire Minions.
Elite Mook: Stronger versions of the Fire Minions that deal more damage and now have brief periods where even the Cross can't freeze them.
Invincible Minor Minion: Like the Fire Minions, only the Cross can freeze them and leave them open for punishment with the Scythe, but they ramp up the difficulty by being invisble and immune to even THAT until they decide to attack, making themselves visible.
Invisible Monsters: Their invincible state has them appear only as walking puffs of smoke and embers, making it harder to know where they'll be when they strike.
Playing with Fire: They're made of flames and smoke, and their attacks will usually be followed by a wave of fire on the floor.
Taken for Granite: Like their weaker counterparts, you can only destroy them when they leave themselves open for a Cross attack, which turns them to stone where they stand.
Super Smoke: Their natural state is an invicible puff of smoke an embers.

Heretic & Pagan

"OADRIAX!"

Ancient warlocks who followed the Old Gods, condemned to the circle of Heresy for their cults. Heretics can invoke magical abilities that keep them protected from Cross attacks, extending the protection to all enemies present until they're killed by the Scythe.

Barrier Warrior: Heretics emerge with a barrier already present that protects them from Dante's Cross moves, which also extends to all other enemies present. This makes killing them a priority, especially if they're paired with Fire Guardians or a Throne Demon.
Elite Mook: Oddly, the Heretics are a much bigger threat than the Pagans but are introduced first. While the Pagans are a little faster, they're not that different from each other outside of the lack of the protective barriers that Heretics have.
Genius Bonus: Their chants are actual Enochian terms.
Light Is Not Good: One of the few creatures in the Inferno that make use of religious imagery and allusions to light in their magic, but they're still damned and vicious souls out for Dante's blood.
Loophole Abuse: While the Heretics' barrier can protect enemies around them from the Cross, they are still vulnerable to Holy Magic. A particularly notable example of this is Fire Minions or Guardians summoned near a Heretic, as they can still be frozen with Righteous Path even if they are protected by a Heretic's barrier.
- Additionally, an Absolution finisher will still work on an enemy even if they are protected by the barrier, although this weakness is less exploitable since a player will generally prioritize a Heretic over any enemy that isn't a minion.
Logical Weakness: Heretics can't be killed by the Cross, so the Scythe becomes preferrable in dealing with them. Keeping them on the air is also a great way to stunlock them out of casting their spells or teleporting away.
Magic Staff: They both use one to cast their spells and attack. Knock them down and they might retaliate by spinning it around them as they get back up.
Rule of Symbolism: While they're followers of Pagan sects, their robes look very much like a Christian priest's or cardinal, alluding to the Bishop that sent the Crusaders on their quest with false promises of redemption and absolution.

Damned Crusader & Captain

The damned souls of the Crusaders who followed Dante in his massacre, promised salvation when all it did was cast them down into Hell, to the last of the three rings of Violence for their brutality against God Himself. They come in two variants, Crusaders and Captains, the latter of which can light their shields on fire.

Knight Templar: The final destiny for the Crusaders who followed this mentality along with their superior, damned for their violence against the deity and sentenced to cross the Abominable Sands for eternity.
Knightly Sword and Shield: They carry these as a memento of their position in life, able to block the majority of Dante's attacks. Captains can also ignite their shields for a damage boost.
Luckily, My Shield Will Protect Me: Both variants carry broken, fragmented shields with them that can block a large portion of Dante's moves with the Scythe, with the Captains being able to set theirs on fire for extra damage. Cross attacks can easily break through these defenses.
Mook: In Violence, they now follow Francesco as their new commander and attack Dante under his orders. When Francesco is dealt with, they serve Lucifer instead.
Our Zombies Are Different: These are warriors who let themselves be driven purely by bloodlust and a desire to do harm while acting through a perceived "holy" mission. Now they're just walking corpses with swords and shields.

Malacoda

The leader of the demons of the Eighth Circle, a corrupted Beatrice summons this creature as an obstacle for Dante in the rings of Fraud. The top of the Demon hierarchy, these beings are covered in flames and cannot be harmed until the flames are put out.

Adaptational Badass: The Malebranche, led by their single leader Malacoda, were basically comic relief characters who made fools of themselves and proved to be lackluster guides when Dante and Virgil enlisted their aid in traversing through Fraud in the poem. Here, while there's more than one Malacoda, they're now formidable warriors who are far more serious and dangerous than their poem counterpart.
Barbie Doll Anatomy: The Malacodas are just as naked as Lucifer with the exception that in their case, there's nothing to see down there.
Darker and Edgier: A far cry from the Malacoda who led a march through the Eighth Circle that was signaled by him farting. This version is a fierce warrior covered in flames that has no lines and no humor.
Demoted to Extra: The whole Malebranche group were characters that earned some small time in the spotlight in the Comedy as dark comic relief for their section, the Bolgia dedicated to the Grafters, which they couldn't leave. Malacoda, their leader, is now just the apex species of demon in this game, and is only met twice in combat-only encounters.
Evil Living Flames: The Malacodas can go from emitting flames from their bodies to being made of fire like the Fire Minions. Hitting them with cross attacks breaks them out of it but unlike the Fire Minions, it just makes them vulnerable rather than freezing them.
Invincible Minor Minion: Like the Fire Minions and Guardians, they're invincible until they get hit with Cross attacks. Unlike them, this doesn't turn them into stone, just leaves them open for attack.
King Mook: He's the top of the Demon line of enemies, as well as a combination of their fighting style and the Fire Minions/Guardians' gimmick of being shielded by flames until the Cross subdues them. Tellingly, you only fight two of him in the main story.
Meaningful Name: "Evil tail" in Italian.
Playing with Fire: Their very beings are wreathed in flames and use fire for their standard attacks. Dante can put out their "armor" with the Cross, but that won't stop them from still trying to set him on fire.

The Damned

General tropes

The shades of the deceased, condemned to Hell and eternal damnation for their sins. But on occasion, Dante will come across named souls who still repeat words from what they did in life, alluding to their sins and occupations.

Interacting with these shades allows the player to either Punish them for Unholy level points, or Absolve them for Holy level points (as well as extra Souls), making them an important collectible for level progression.

Adaptation Explanation Extrication: Due to the game's setting being changed to around the time of the Third Crusade (1189 - 1192), some of the Damned shown in this game - taken from the original poem - shouldn't be present in Hell yet, causing a minor case of Anachronism Stew.
Artistic License – Traditional Christianity: In Christian dogma, damnation is permanent and irreversible once the souls reach the afterlife, due to their own choosing of a life of vice and sin. In this game, Dante can use his Cross to Absolve them and send them to a higher plane, out of Hell.
Barbie Doll Anatomy: Shades are completely devoid of any physical attributes that differentiate them, only having the barest minimum features that identify them as male or female, and that's without having their genitals or nipples visible.
Karma Meter: Absolving or Punishing these shades is the single most lucrative way of earning Holy or Unholy points to expand the upgrade tree and unlock new combos or abilities. Coupling that with certain Relics increases the earnings even further and allows for much faster level progression (provided you have enough levels already).
Madness Mantra: To help the player with their decision of whether to Punish or Absolve them, the Damned spout lines of dialogue associated with who they were in life, which might ingraciate them to the player or cement how utterly rotten they are. A good way to know there is one around when you can't see them is to stop and wait until you hear them begin their dialogue.

Pontius Pilate

"Messiah, forgive me!"

Fifth governor of Judea under Emperor Tiberius Augustus, and the man responsible for Jesus Christ's trial and crucifixion. Dante finds him right at the shores of the Acheron, on his way to Charon.

Ascended Extra: Downplayed. The poem's original text makes it ambiguous whether or not Pilate was one of the shades present at the Shores of Acheron, while the game chooses to place him there as the first Damned.
Dirty Coward: Despite his power and his dialogue indicating he knew the accusations against Jesus were founded on envy and fear, he still went through with the trial and crucifixion due to peer pressure from both the public and his superiors.
Historical Hero Upgrade: The different scripture interpretations clash in their analyses of Pilate's character, with the one constant being that he presided over Jesus' trial as a leading judge. The game seems to take the Gospels' approach, ie making Pilate clearly conflicted on the matter and having Him honorably buried after His death.

Orpheus

"Gods who rule the earth below, I seek Eurydice!"

The ancient Greek poet known for his musical abilities, who ventured into the Underworld in search of his wife Eurydice's soul to bring her back with him. Cast down to Hell after his death for "impeding the fulfillment of God's will", Dante finds him within Charon during the crossing over the Acheron.

Failed a Spot Check: He still firmly believes in the Ancient Greek pantheon despite being sent to the very Christian-inspired Hell. Should Dante absolve him, he'll even mistake the vision of Heaven for the Elysian Fields.
Mirror Character: His quest to find and rescue his wife mirrors Dante's quest to save Beatrice.
Rescued from the Underworld: Orpheus being the Trope Codifier must be mentioned, despite his attempted rescue of Eurydice being naturally unsuccessful. Not only that, in this version it also got him sent to Hell for his trouble. Ironically, Dante can do this to him should he be absolved.

Electra

"Foolish is the child who forgets a parent's murder!"

Mythological princess of Mycenae and daughter of King Agamemnon and Queen Clytemnestra. After her mother conspired with her lover Aegisthus to kill Agamemnon, Electra conspired with her brother Orestes, sent by an Oracle, to kill Clytemnestra in revenge. Dante finds her in Limbo, behind a door on a branching path within the temple that leads to King Minos' court.

Abusive Parents: Both Agamemnon and Clytemnestra are described in myth as being abusive, albeit in different ways each; the former openly offered one of his eldest daughters as sacrifice for the goddess Artemis before he left for the Trojan War, and the latter abused Electra after her husband's murder while also having her co-conspirator start living with them. It should be noted that part of Electra's devotion to her father is the fact he's not often described as being abusive towards her or Orestes.
Adaptational Villainy: This version of Electra emphasizes her desire for revenge against her mother and the joy she felt from the act, to the point she follows the take on the myth that has her help Orestes with killing Clytemnestra directly. When Dante grabs her, it's possible she'll exclaim she is to be remembered as an assassin.
Daddy's Girl: She repeatedly laments her father's murder and starts begging for him when Dante grabs her, thinking she's seeing him.
Revenge: One of Greek Mythology's biggest stories about the subject and its effects. Electra will flip-flop in her dialogue about how happy killing her mother made her, while also sob about how this makes her no better than her father's murderers.

Francesca da Polenta and Paolo Malatesta

Francesca: "My longing for Paolo will never abandon me..."

Paolo: "There's no greater sorrow than to recall the happy time."

A pair of lovers from Ravena, Italy. Francesca was part of an arranged marriage with Giovanni Malatesta, nobleman of Rimini, but ended up falling in love with his younger brother Paolo, himself a married man. When Giovanni discovered the affair, he surprised them both at her bedroom and killed them.

Dante finds Francesca upon first entering the circle of Lust, with Paolo hidden in an alcove after the first ascesion up the Carnal Tower. Finding and Absolving both lovers earns an achievement of its own, separate from the one for finding all the Damned.

Anachronism Stew: The two were present in the original poem, but their presence here makes them fall into this trope due to the differences in time period; namely, there are souls in Hell in 1192 that would only end up killed circa 1283 - 1286.
A Deadly Affair: Francesca's marriage was an attempt from her family to settle an old conflict between the Polenta and Malatesta families, yet she preferred the company of Giovanni's younger brother Paolo and started seeing him behind her husband's back. Discovering the affair, the nobleman killed them both, and their souls were sentenced to the circle of Lust for their adultery.
Demoted to Extra: Francesca has a special portion of Canto V dedicated to her and Paolo's tragedy where she talks to Dante directly about it. Here, she and Paolo are just another pair of Damned Souls Dante can come across and either Punish or Absolve.
Foreshadowing: Paolo mentions that "Caina" awaits Giovanni for killing them. "Caina" is one of the rounds of the circle of Treachery, the last circle, where Lucifer himself is trapped (albeit the different sections of that circle were Adapted Out).
Forgiveness: The two are one of the few examples of Damned Souls that earn a separate achievement should they be found and absolved by Dante.

Semiramis

"I gave the troops their reward... in my bedchamber."

Former queen of the Assyrians, described as a woman so given to the sin of Lust that she made lawful that very same lust and caused widespread sexual hedonism throughout her lands. Dante finds her near the top of the Carnal Tower, right before the fight with Cleopatra and Marc Antony.

Five-Second Foreshadowing: Virgil talks about Semiramis as soon as Dante reaches the Carnal Tower's ground floor. She is found at the top not too long after.
Historical Villain Upgrade: The name "Semiramis" is attributed to a fictional depiction of the real-life Shammuramat, queen of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. As a legendary character, Semiramis was often represented in a positive (if sometimes flawed or fierce) light and attributed plenty of historical accolades (one of which being essentially the founding of Babylon). In later centuries, however, more negative representations started showing, starting with the Armenians (who once lost a war led by her) and eventually leading to the Christian take on her legend, in which she tried to rape her own son and made Parental Incest legal in her empire.
Lust: The shade who represents the sin of the second circle the most, having led her whole kingdom to ruin because of it. Her comments often cite how she'd gather her soldiers in her bedchambers for orgies, and go to war against kingdoms whose rulers denied her satisfaction.

Ciacco

"The city is filled with abstainers. Such idiots..."

A nameless citizen of Florence known for his insatiable appetite and messy eating habits. Dante finds him as he crosses the mire of the third circle.

Ascended Extra: In the Animated Epic, Dante finds Ciacco inside Cerberus' stomach along with other shades. After a brief conversation, Dante chooses to absolve him and frees him from torment before attacking Cerberus' innards.
- Demoted to Extra: Compared to the poem, however, Ciacco is once again demoted from an active speaker who greets Dante in Gluttony and talks to him about his plight to a mere Damned who can be Punished or Absolved.
Big Eater: He was called a "pig" for his gluttonous lifestyle, since that's all Florence knew of him. He's also a damned soul suffering in the circle of Gluttony.
Meaningful Name: "Ciacco" meant "pig" in the Old Florentine vernacular used by Real Life Dante (the modern equivalent being "maiale" or "porco"). The delivery of his name in the poem means he has no name of his own, with the writing leaving it ambiguous whether or not "Ciacco" is just a public nickname.

Clodia

"I'm ravenous! Have the servants prepare another banquet..."

A former Roman noblewoman whose life was marked by scandal, denounced as a harlot and a drunkard by her family's enemies. Dante encounters her tucked away inside a huge mouth-like structure in Gluttony, not too far from Ciacco.

Aristocrats Are Evil: A noblewoman who married a man trying to help the lower social classes of Rome, who instead cheated on him repeatedly and used her position to drink copiously.
Historical Villain Upgrade: A variation; Cicero had her called a drunkard and squanderer during her adultery trial, but Clodia's more notorious registered crimes were her many affairs, which would make her more of a fit for the circle of Lust. Instead, the game focuses on her as a drunkard and how she used her lavish lifestyle to gorge herself on food.

Tarpeia

"I will unlock the city gate and let you in. Only if you give me what I want..."

A mythological Vestal virgin and daughter of Roman commander Spurius Tarpeius, she betrayed the city to the Sabine men who came to rescue their women in exchange for their gold and jewelry, only to be crushed to death instead. Dante finds her at the entrance to the circle of Greed high above a set of iron gears.

Exact Words: Fell victim to this trope when she asked the Sabines for "what was worn around their left arm" in exchange for opening the city gates of Rome. She meant for them to give her the golden bracelets on their arms, but they instead crushed her to death with what they traditionally carried on their left arm (their heavy shields).
Pure Is Not Good: She was a Vestal virgin, chaste and pure, but not without greed. Said greed ended up killing her.
Rewarded as a Traitor Deserves: In a Death by Irony manner. Her betrayal of Rome cost Tarpeia her very life when the Sabine men pelted her with their heavy shields.

Gessius Florus

"Thank you for your payment. By Roman decree, your petition is denied..."

The 7th Roman procurator of Judea from 64 to 66, a controversial figure who openly abused his position to take money from the Jewish and Judeans. Dante can find his Shade in an alcove on the same room as the spinning torture device in Greed.

Card-Carrying Villain: One of the few Damned souls with very little arguments in their favor, instead just spouting reason after reason for why the Scythe is more applicable in his case.
Historical Villain Upgrade: Averted, all of the crimes he lists are things the real Gessius Florus actually did. He really was known for being corrupt and greedy.
Large Ham: Delivers his quotes loudly and bombastically, gloating about his crimes from his corner of the room.
Sleazy Politician: He tormented the Jewish population of Judea for their gold talents and harassed them with military power to get more, going as far as imprisoning some and storming a religious temple after they started publicly mocking him.

Fulvia

"I won't be married to any man who doesn't have great ambition..."

A Roman aristocrat who lived during the time of the Republic. Known for her marriages to powerful men that ended with their deaths and her increasing hoarding of assets, she became ambitious and power-hungry once she married Marc Antony. Dante finds her deep in his journey through Greed, not long before he begins his path towards Alighiero.

Ambition Is Evil: Each marriage made Fulvia of Tusculum become greedier for power and riches, to the point she used Marc Antony's influence to condemn the statesman Cicero and behead him for decrying her and her family.
Artistic License – History: In one of her lamentations, she refers to Octavian as "emperor" when talking about offering Clodia as his bride. In reality, the marriage was arranged long before Octavian was made Emperor Augustus Caesar.
Evil Is Petty: Not content with ordering Cicero's beheading, she stabbed his tongue with her golden hairpins post-mortem, symbolically punishing him for his talent of speech.
Historical Villain Upgrade: Again averted, since very little of her crimes were exaggerated.
Irony: She was rumored to already have had a previous affair with Marc Antony even while she was married to Scribonius Curio. After being in love with the Triumvirate member for so long, she herself was left behind when Antony also had an affair of his own. Said affair is the succubus Dante defeated in the circle of Lust.
Off with His Head!: She ordered Cicero to be killed and his head cut off by her then-husband Marc Antony. Not satisfied with that, she then pierced his tongue with her golden hairpins.

Boudica

"We have been stripped and despoiled like a murderer's victims."

The queen of the Iceni tribe who led a bloody, brutal revolt against the Roman empire after they betrayed her trust and had her flogged and her daughters raped before trying to invade the British territory. Dante meets her shade at a corner of the main path in Anger, on the other end of a small water hole.

All for Nothing: Despite gathering the Celtic tribes of Britain against the Romans and having legitimate cause to do so, the Boudican revolt ended with Boudica and her forces all dead.
Anti-Villain: While her methods of battle were brutal, she only rallied the Celtic tribes against the Romans after they betrayed her trust and violently assaulted her and her daughters.
Mama Bear: She started a vicious revolt against the Roman empire in retaliation to her daughters being brutally raped.
Pay Evil unto Evil: After her abuse at the hands of the Romans, she rallied up the Celtic tribes and started the Boudican revolt against the invading Romans. It didn't end well for her.
Shoot the Shaggy Dog: Ended up killed in her revolt, with no resolution to her plight besides being killed by the very people who wronged her before.

Hecuba

"My children are avenged; have I not cause for joy?"

The Queen of Troy during the Trojan War. Her children all dead or gone and with herself made a slave along with the remaining Trojan women, she gathered them in a tent and had them violently attack the murderer of her youngest son and his own children, killing them and blinding him. Dante finds her in the circle of Anger, sulking at the corner of the tower near the shores of the Styx.

Anti-Villain: Like with Boudica, Hecuba suffered greatly and ended up losing everything she had, only giving into Anger when it finally became too much and the opportunity appeared for retaliation, even if against an immediate target.
Best Served Cold: Only due to essentially never having any sort of opportunity to express her anger before being made a slave. Polymestor was just the closest person who wronged her.
Born Unlucky: Hecuba of Troy and her children are some of the most tragic figures of the narrative of the Trojan War. Not only did she lose the majority of her children in the conflict, she ended up deposed, disgraced and sold off as a slave along with other Trojan women. It's no wonder that she eventually snapped and attacked the murderer of her youngest child Polydorus, Polymestor, and his own sons, gouging out his eyes with her bare hands.

Filippo Argenti

"Yes, I was the one who exiled you from Florence... Yes... Then I confiscated your property out of spite..."

A Florentine politician known for his short temper. A member of the Black Guelphs, he was responsible for Dante's exile from Florence, seizing his properties afterwards. Dante finds him right before starting the Styx crossing towards the City of Dis.

Anachronism Stew: The poet Dante's exile from Florence, as well as the conflicts between the White and Black Guelphs, were events that only happened well into 1302, MANY years after the Third Crusade.
Demoted to Extra: Compared to the poem, where he does have a scene of dialog with Dante as Phlegyas helps him and Virgil cross the river Styx. Here he's just one of the Damned that can be punished or absolved.
Hair-Trigger Temper: Not much is known of the historical Argenti, but a few sources do claim he had a short temper for many matters, especially involving Dante.
Historical Villain Upgrade: Matching the poem, with Argenti suffering in the Styx because the poet Dante didn't like him for being part of his exile.
Take That!: Filippo Argenti was one of the people the historical Dante included in the Divine Comedy as a sinner damned to Hell due to personal grievances, namely how Argenti was similarly responsible for his exile from Florence along with the other Black Guelphs. The game maintains his presence in Anger but demotes him to a simple Damned.

Emperor Frederick II

"We will not be given over to Papal rule!"

Holy Roman Emperor known for his tirades and antagonism towards the Church's members and purported "Epicureanism". Dante finds him not far into the circle of Heresy, after dropping from a rope.

Anachronism Stew: Another soul misplaced due to the game's time period. Frederick's rule as Holy Roman Emperor would only begin in 1220, 28 years after the end of the Third Crusade (he would then get involved with the Fifth).
Badass Bookworm: A military tactician and warmonger with knowledge of six languages and known as a Renaissance man, enough to form his own ideological point-of-view against the clergy.
The Heretic: Branded one by Pope Innocent IV due to his numerous excommunications and continuous actions against the rule of the Church. The poet Dante also places him in Heresy due to "Epicureanism" (a form of hedonism that states the soul is mortal and dies with the body) along with his previous charges.

Cavalcante de' Cavalcanti

"Where is my son? Why is he not with you?"

Merchant banker of Florence and father of Guido Cavalcanti, both of them known atheists deemed heretics by the clergy and the aristocracy. Dante finds him among the fiery tombs, split from the rest before a wall he needs to climb.

Anachronism Stew: Cavalcante died in 1280, yet another soul who shouldn't be in Hell at the time of the game's events.
Good Parents: Like in the poem, Cavalcante's first quote upon seeing Dante is asking if his son is still alive. Despite being placed in Hell, his portrayal is more sympathetic due to Dante's friendship with his son.
The Heretic: Branded one by the aristocracy of Florence due to his atheist and Epicurean beliefs, which his son also followed, causing them both to be exiled.
Take That!: This is another case of the poet Dante placing a person he knew personally in Hell due to personal grievances. Despite the poet's immense respect and friendship towards Guido, he did not agree with his and his father's atheist beliefs, and it's in fact believed he placed a few counterpoints to Guido's Epicurean poetry in his work, such as in the Comedy.

Farinata Uberti

"I put my city above mere factions and what becomes of my good name?"

Italian aristocrat and military leader of the Ghibeline faction. Branded a Heretic due to his Epicurean views, his body was exumed post-mortem and burned after a Franciscan trial. Dante finds him deep in Heresy, on a hidden alcove high into a shaft with constant fire spewing amidst moving platforms.

Anachronism Stew: The historical Farinata died in 1264.
The Heretic: Branded one by the rest of the Florentine aristocracy due to following Epicurus' views that the soul dies with the body. The poet Dante himself abhorred him.
Take That!: He's placed as a neighbor to Cavalcante in the Fiery Tombs of Heresy, as a historical figure Dante has no respect towards. The game matches this by having Farinata be placed not too far from Cavalcante and be the next Damned to be met after him.

Attila

"Raze the city completely! Leave no trace of it behind!"

The self-proclaimed "Scourge of God", ruler of the Huns and a bloodthirsty conqueror responsible for violent attacks against the West Roman Empire. Dante finds him at the entrance to the first ring of Violence, tucked away at a far-off platform near the minotaur statue.

Ax-Crazy: Gleefully (yet also bitterly) proclaims his many brutalities in his lamentations, talking about how he killed his brother and made it look like a hunting accident, razed entire cities and massacred religious settlements in his warpath.
Bloody Horror: Killed many and spilled their blood, died by choking on his own blood, and now suffers in the boiling river of blood in the first ring of Violence.
Death by Irony: The bloodthirsty leader of the Huns died by rupturing an artery and choking on his own blood. In the poem and An Animated Epic, he's also shown suffering in the boiling blood of the Phlegethon.

Pietro della Vigna

"So great is my fidelity to Frederick, I am losing my sleep and strength."

Lawyer and chancellor to Frederick II during his time as Holy Roman Emperor, repeatedly the target of suffering from his leader's enemies. Unable to defend himself against a false accusation of Frederick's attempted murder, he was sentenced to prison, had his eyes gouged out and, in his suffering, killed himself. Dante finds him in the Wood of the Suicides.

Anachronism Stew: Died in 1249.
Driven to Suicide: He's in the second ring of Violence for this reason. After enduring so much suffering and having his eyes removed, the former chancellor bashed his head against the brick wall of his dungeon cell until it broke his skull.
Spared by the Adaptation: Downplayed, since he's already dead, but he's not one of the trees comprising the Wood of the Suicides in this version, when he was already transformed in the poem.
Undying Loyalty: To Frederick II, even as he was unable to defend himself against the false allegations. Having his own lord order his eyes gouged out was the final straw for Vigna.

Brunetto Latini

"Ah! I taught you how man makes himself eternal."

Florentine philospher and statesman, regarded historically as a mentor and legal guardian to Dante Alighieri in his youth, after the death of his birth parents. He's found in the third and final ring of Violence above a stone structure, suffering in the Abominable Sands for the sin of sodomy.

Anachronism Stew: Latini was born in 1220 (28 years after the Third Crusade) and died in 1294.
Cool Teacher: Dante speaks the world of him in the poem, and the game gives him his own achievement should Dante find and absolve him. The only sin he's cited for committing that sent him to Hell was sodomy, which in doctrine is seen as a very serious one regardless of a person's virtue.
Demoted to Extra: Dante dedicates a good part of Canto XV to speaking wonders about his former teacher even as a sinner condemned to Hell. The game instead treats him like any other shade, with the one exception of also having a separate achievement tied to him.
Forgiveness: Has a separate achievement for being found and absolved by the player, due to his personal connection to Dante.
Good Is Not Nice: Raised Dante on virtuous teachings and helped him be a better person, yet his soul now rests on one of the lowest circles of Hell for sodomy.

Guido Guerra

"...why do my thoughts keep me awake at night? Are they perverse?"

One of the Guelphs' military leaders and a Florentine politician, cast down to Hell's seventh circle for Sodomy. Dante finds him off the main path on a small alcove over the boiling blood of the Phlegethon as it courses through the Abominable Sands.

Anachronism Stew: Born in 1220, died in 1274.
Being Evil Sucks: His lamentations make it sound like he's aware of his "impulses", doesn't want to give into them, but feels he has to.
Church Militant: Guido was a Guelph, meaning he was affiliated with the Church as a defender. He fought in the Battle of Montaperti, one of the bloodiest battles of Medieval Italy, with Dante placing him in Violence for both this and the added accusation of sodomy.
Demoted to Extra: Dante also has a conversation with Guerra, along with two other sodomites (Tegghiaio Aldobrandi and Iacopo Rusticucci) as they suffer in the Abominable Sands. Despite a history of war, Guerra is portrayed sympathetically and given Dante's respects. The game has no such interaction and he's just another of the Damned.

Thais the Harlot

"I'm not a lowly concubine; I'm a hetaera!"

An Athenian hetaera (temple prostitute) who accompanied Alexander the Great during his conquest of Persia, known for her silver tongue that could inspire men to fight for her. Dante finds her on the Bolgia belonging to the Panderers and Seducers.

Gold Digger: Of sorts, but she was less worried about wealth and social standing, and more worried about using her power of speech to trick men into doing things for her, as well as fighting in her name.
Guile Hero: The "hero" part is questionable, but she used sweet words and flattery to convince men to do what she wanted because, in her words, it was one of the few ways she and other women knew to survive.
Let's You and Him Fight: She's been cast down to the Bolgia of the flatterers due to her own ability to inspire men to fight for her. Supposedly, this is the same Thais who used said speech to convince Alexander to burn down the Palace of Persepolis.

Tiresias

"How precious, above all wealth, is good counsel..."'

The mythological blind prophet of Thebes, blinded by the gods yet given the gift of prophecy as consolation, who also underwent change into a woman after striking two mating snakes, returning to manhood after doing it again some time after. Dante finds Tiresias, as a woman, on the Bolge belonging to the Simonists.

Blind Seer: One of the most famous examples in myth, having lost his eyesight but gaining the ability to look into the future from a goddess he accidentally looked at (either Hera or Athena). In the poem, however, Dante placed Tiresias on the 4th Bolge, belonging to the "Sorcerers", ie those who only pretend to see the future so they can profit off people's gullibility, making Tiresias a Phony Psychic.
Gender Bender: Tiresias became a woman after striking a pair of mating snakes with his staff, living a good portion of his life as such (even becoming a mother) before repeating the feat years later, becoming a man again. In the game, Tiresias' shade form is female and voiced by a woman, yet his image in the Damned folder should he be absolved is that of his original male self.

Myrrha

"Sweet nurse, why have you freed me from my noose?"

The mythological daughter of King Cinyras of Assyria, rocked by incestuous lust towards her own father, disguising herself as a prostitute and laying in bed with him in darkness for twelve long nights. Dante finds her soon after the trial for the 9th Bolge belonging to the Sowers of Discord.

Adaptation Personality Change: She was left stark raving mad in the poem because Hell punished her, as an Impostor, with disease (since Impostors are a disease on society), said disease being madness. In the game, as a Damned soul, she is sane enough to plead her case and recall her life.
Driven to Suicide: She struggled with the idea of loving her father the way she did, to the point she tried to hang herself so she wouldn't do it. Her nurse stopped her and, after asking her not to try it again, helped her quench her desire.
Parental Incest: In myth, Myrrha was cursed by Aphrodite to have incestuous love towards her father. One of her nurses gave her the idea to disguise herself as a prostitute and lay with Cinyras under cover of darkness, but to say her father was angry when he did finally find out is an understatement, since he tried to kill her for it.
Transflormation: She "died" in myth when she was transformed into a tree to escape Cinyras' wrath. This tree, the myrrh, split in half afterwards to reveal her son Adonis.

Fra Alberigo

"My brother Manfred and his son... They will taste death for treating their elders with such disregard..."

A Guelph friar of Faenza, Italy who ordered the killing of his own brother and nephew during a banquet. Dante finds him suffering at the last circle for his treachery against his guests, sulking right before the final Descent section of the game.

Anachronism Stew: Alberigo died in 1307.
Cain and Abel: He had his own brother and nephew murdered along with other dinner guests when he organized a banquet for them.
Sinister Minister: The "Fra" of his name is meant to be another word for "Friar", and yet this holy man ordered a mass execution of his dinner guests, including his own brother and nephew. For added points to the element of Treachery, his family was also aided back into Faenza by a traitor to the Ghibellines.

Mordred

"King Arthur is my true father? Mother, why did you keep this from me?"

King Arthur's illegitimate son and a former Knight of the Round Table, responsible for the massive decline of Arthur's rule until he was struck down by him in battle. Dante finds him rambling on an alcove hidden atop a body pole during the Descent, after the first section of frozen giants.

Ax-Crazy: His ramblings involve feasting on Arthur's food and even trying to convince him to outright beat Guinevere for "not being a good queen".
Related Differently in the Adaptation: Original interpretations of Arthurian myth have Mordred be Arthur's treacherous nephew, legitimate son of King Lot. It was only later when stories started depicting him as the king's bastard son with his half-sister Morgause, which the poem and this game both use as reference.
Self-Made Orphan: Attempted by him, wanting to take the crown of Britain for himself, as well as Guinevere as his queen. When Arthur returned from his battle against Rome, he fought and killed Mordred in battle instead.

Count Ugolino

"Marry my sister to Giovanni Visconti. An alliance with the Pope's Guelphs will strengthen my hand."

Ugolino della Gherardesca, Count of Donoratico, was a naval officer and nobleman from Pisa repeatedly accused of treason towards both Guelphs and Ghibellines, the latter of which he was a part of originally. Dante finds him to the left of the final Chain of Judecca holding Lucifer in place.

Anachronism Stew: He starved to death in 1289.
Rewarded as a Traitor Deserves: After several crimes and an incident where he killed the Archbishop's son, Ugolino was eventually captured, charged with treason against Italy and left in a cell with his own sons. The guards then literally threw the key into the river and left them to starve to death.
Turncoat: Historical accounts and Dante's poems cemented Ugolino as a repeated traitor who played both Guelphs and Ghibellines in his bid to obtain vast political power in Italy.

Characters / Dante's Inferno

Main Characters

Voiced by: Graham McTavish (ENG), Masashi Ebara (JAP)

Voiced by: Vanessa Branch (ENG), Ayako Kawasumi (JAP)

Voiced by: Bart McCarthy (ENG-Videogame), Peter Jessop (ENG-Animated Movie)

Voiced by: Rosalind Drury (ENG)

Antagonists

Voiced by: John Vickery (ENG-Videogame), Steve Blum (ENG-Animated Movie), Atsuki Tani (JAP)

Voiced by: Bart McCarthy (ENG), Norio Wakamoto (JAP)

Voiced by: Richard Moll (ENG-Videogame), Kevin Michael Richardson (ENG-Animated Movie)

Voiced by: Alison Lees-Taylor (ENG)

Voiced by: Lewis Macleod (ENG)

Voiced by: JB Blanc (ENG-Videogame), Mark Hamill (ENG-Animated Movie), Chikao Ōtsuka (JAP)

Voiced by: Kevin Michael Richardson (ENG-Animated Movie)

Voiced by: Tom Tate (ENG), Jin Yamanoi (JAP)

Others

Voiced by: Dee Bradley Baker and Richard Moll (ENG), Naomi Kusumi (JAP)

Voiced by: Daniel Curshen (ENG-Videogame), John Paul Karliak (ENG-Animated Movie)

Voiced by: Charlie Norfolk (ENG-Videogame), Nika Futterman (ENG-Animated Movie)

Voiced by: Peter Egan (ENG)

Voiced by: Peter Egan (ENG-Videogame), H. Richard Greene (ENG-Animated Movie)

Voiced by: Pollyanna McIntosh (ENG-Videogame), Victoria Tennant (ENG-Animated Movie)

The Legions of Hell

The Damned

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Characters / Dante's Inferno

Edit Locked

Main Characters

Voiced by: Graham McTavish (ENG), Masashi Ebara (JAP)

Voiced by: Vanessa Branch (ENG), Ayako Kawasumi (JAP)

Voiced by: Bart McCarthy (ENG-Videogame), Peter Jessop (ENG-Animated Movie)

Voiced by: Rosalind Drury (ENG)

Antagonists

Voiced by: John Vickery (ENG-Videogame), Steve Blum (ENG-Animated Movie), Atsuki Tani (JAP)

Voiced by: Bart McCarthy (ENG), Norio Wakamoto (JAP)

Voiced by: Richard Moll (ENG-Videogame), Kevin Michael Richardson (ENG-Animated Movie)

Voiced by: Alison Lees-Taylor (ENG)

Voiced by: Lewis Macleod (ENG)

Voiced by: JB Blanc (ENG-Videogame), Mark Hamill (ENG-Animated Movie), Chikao Ōtsuka (JAP)

Voiced by: Kevin Michael Richardson (ENG-Animated Movie)

Voiced by: Tom Tate (ENG), Jin Yamanoi (JAP)

Others

Voiced by: Dee Bradley Baker and Richard Moll (ENG), Naomi Kusumi (JAP)

Voiced by: Daniel Curshen (ENG-Videogame), John Paul Karliak (ENG-Animated Movie)

Voiced by: Charlie Norfolk (ENG-Videogame), Nika Futterman (ENG-Animated Movie)

Voiced by: Peter Egan (ENG)

Voiced by: Peter Egan (ENG-Videogame), H. Richard Greene (ENG-Animated Movie)

Voiced by: Pollyanna McIntosh (ENG-Videogame), Victoria Tennant (ENG-Animated Movie)

The Legions of Hell

The Damned

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Index

Next