Vaas Montenegro and Antón Castillo make exceptional Far Cry villains, yet they could not be more different from one another. Ubisoft’s long-running, character driven Far Cry series is made up of first-person shooters where the playable character must bring down a tyrannical leader. Commonly, these antagonists will overshadow the playable character, and this is especially true in Far Cry 3 and 6. Predominantly, this is due to Micheal Mando and Giancarlo Esposito’s iconic performances that make each character larger than life.
In Far Cry 3, Vaas Montenegro, although not the main antagonist, is regarded as such by fans due to his captivating and unpredictable personality. Vaas captures Jason Brody (the playable character) and his friends, taunts, and attempts to kill them. With his spine-chilling dialogue, which veers through philosophical, comedic, and enraged in quick succession, Vaas is one of Far Cry‘s greatest villains. Antón Castillo, on the other hand, leaves an opposite but equally frightening impression in Far Cry 6. As El Presidente of the fictional country Yara, Castillo rules his subjects with an iron grip. During the game, he tries to crush a revolution made against him, one of which main character Dani Rojas is a part of. Being more stoic and cultured than Vaas, his scariness comes from his ability to manipulate other people.
It is easy to see Vaas and Castillo as opposite sides of the same coin. Ubisoft has labeled Vaas as stereotypically unstable, going as far as to name his unique VR experience as Far Cry VR: Dive Into Insanity. Meanwhile, Castillo seems more refined and in control of himself. He wants Yara to prosper and to help his people, just as he wants to help his son. While their personalities may seem opposite, both Vaas and Castillo are brutal to their enemies, stopping at nothing to achieve their goals. Whenever a player watches a cutscene with them, there are always casualties.
Why Vaas Is Still Far Cry’s Most Memorable Villain
Castillo has achieved more than Vaas. After having his father executed in front of him and sentenced to 15 years of hard labor, Castillo has gained back all the power and status his family lost. As the Yaran dictator, he has caused mass death and destruction, seeing it as an essential cost. This way, Far Cry 6 continues the series villain streak with another memorable antagonist. In 3, Vaas operates on a smaller scale. As leader of the Pirates on the Rook Islands, Vaas kidnaps and sells native inhabitants into slavery. He’s also not the main person in charge, working for slave and drug trafficker Hoyt Volker. Although very frightening, Vaas fails to eliminate Jason multiple times and is supposedly killed off during the story’s midpoint. This might not sound impressive, which is why Vaas’ dialogue and Mando’s performance are a testament to how he became such a revered character.
In terms of their commercial success, Ubisoft might have already indicated which villain it believes has come out on top. Both the Far Cry VR: Dive Into Insanity and Far Cry 6 DLC, Vaas: Insanity, show that the love for the killed-off character can bring him back to life. Additionally, the post-credits audio in Far Cry 6 could suggest Vaas may return for Far Cry 7. If each Far Cry title is about its antagonist, then Vaas overshadows Castillo in his fame (despite Giancarlo Esposito’s star status).
While Castillo may be a somewhat sympathetic villain, Vaas’ popularity still is undefeatable. The difference comes down to the fact that Castillo is a realistic opponent, and a player can understand his motives and ambitions. Vaas is just entertaining to watch. He is scary and compelling because he doesn’t make any sense (although the recent DLC has fleshed out his character). While for some, this makes him unbelievable, to others, it is precisely what makes him so terrifying. This is why Vaas will remain as Far Cry’s most iconic villain.
