| “ | You are nothing. You do nothing. You mean nothing. You stand for nothing. Me? I run a city... and when the law catch up to you... you will die like nothing. I am this country. You... you... you are what people are running from. | „ |
| —Bronte to Dutch van der Linde. |
Angelo Bronte is a major character and a supporting antagonist featured in Red Dead Redemption 2. He serves as the main antagonist of the game's fourth chapter.
Quick Answers
What is the significance of Angelo Bronte in Red Dead Redemption 2?
What role does Angelo Bronte play in the fourth chapter of Red Dead Redemption 2?
How does Angelo Bronte's influence extend to the political scene in Saint Denis?
What is the nature of Angelo Bronte's relationship with mayor Henri Lemieux?
What is the meaning behind the name 'Bronte' in the context of Angelo Bronte's character?
History
Background
Born circa 1844,[1] Angelo Bronte is a wealthy Italian businessman and crimelord, mainly operating in the city of Saint Denis. He has been a long time supporter of law enforcement and frequently attends social events with Saint Denis politicians.[2] He also seems to be a major donor of the mayor Henri Lemieux [3] and have many connections to highly ranked state officials, as seen at the mayor's party. His criminal business consists of bribery and defrauding officials to raise their financing; Bronte has financial connections to many businesses in the city, as a document in his residence shows.
Bronte has been accused of being involved in a crime syndicate that deals in smuggling and racketeering. He may be responsible for the death of a Saint Denis policeman Henry Jenkins, who was investigating Bronte's alleged criminal activities.[4]
Events of Red Dead Redemption 2
Clemens Point chapter
Angelo Bronte is first mentioned by Catherine Braithwaite, who revealed under duress that her sons had sold Jack Marston to Bronte after abducting him.
Saint Denis chapter
Dutch, Arthur and Jack's father, John, eventually travel to Bronte's mansion in the city of Saint Denis. Once inside, Dutch asks Bronte why he kidnapped Jack, resulting in a short argument between the two. Bronte, however, abruptly stops arguing and exclaims his apparent fondness for how Dutch talks to make the three appear innocent, and Dutch introduces the other two to Bronte. The three ask if Jack can be returned, but Bronte proposes a deal instead: he promises to return Jack to them in exchange for Arthur and John eliminating a group of grave robbers at the nearby cemetery. The pair do so, and when they return, it is evident that Bronte kept his promise as Dutch is found outside the house with Jack at his side.
As they return to the camp, Jack informs the group on how kind Bronte was to him, even referring to him as "Papa Bronte". He talks of how he had his own room with a big box of toys, had baths every night, ate spaghetti and learned the Italian words for "horse" and "slipper".
Shortly after, Bronte also invites Dutch to a party at Mayor Henri Lemieux's residence. Van der Linde accepts, bringing Arthur, Bill, and Hosea with him. Bronte identifies many of the party's guests and offers his opinion on them in conversation with the four, while dismaying Dutch by making various snide and condescending comments about him. Before the gang members part company with him, Bronte tells them about a trolley station in the city and gives the gang his blessing to rob it.
Per Bronte's recommendation, Van der Linde decides to rob the aforementioned trolley station, taking Arthur and Lenny with him. However, the tip is revealed to have been a set-up, as the money stash turns out to be extremely minimal and numerous police descend on the scene, with Police Chief Lambert having been alerted by Bronte. The trio of outlaws narrowly manage to escape, after which Dutch vows revenge on Bronte for betraying him.
In spite of some opposition from Hosea, Dutch subsequently proceeds with his plan to kill Angelo Bronte. Dutch, Arthur, Bill, John, Lenny, with help from Thomas, ambush Bronte's residence at night, causing a skirmish with the Italian's henchmen. Bronte, who was hiding throughout, is eventually found inside the house by Arthur and John; the crimelord attempts to shoot them, but his pistol jams and he throws it at John before frantically attempting to negotiate. Instead, Bronte is knocked out by a punch from John and carried downstairs by Arthur, then into a boat in the swamp. When he regains consciousness, he insults Dutch, who soon flies into a rage and repeatedly submerges his head underwater, drowning him. Shortly thereafter, he tosses Bronte's body overboard to be consumed by an alligator, shocking the other gang members.
After his death, Bronte's crime syndicate is taken over by Guido Martelli, who was previously his right-hand man and underboss.[5]
Character
Personality
Under the mask of a respectable businessman, Angelo Bronte is a devious and ruthless crimelord who controls the city of Saint Denis from the shadows. He also can be very deceptive, capable of displaying a false friendliness toward people and secretly betraying them later. This behaviour would come back to bite him later as he is killed by Dutch van der Linde for betraying him. He seemed to have a kinder side when it came to children however, treating Jack Marston well by having him bathed every night, fed spaghetti and giving him a full room with toys and presumably taught him the Italian words for "horse" and "slipper" while the latter was under his captivity. He treated Jack well to the point where the latter even took a liking to him, calling him "Papa Bronte".
Similar to his business associate, Catherine Braithwaite, Bronte has a strong sense of superiority, considering Saint Denis to be "his city", and looks down on people without political power or wealth, like with Dutch van der Linde later on.
Appearance
Angelo Bronte is a middle-aged man with black hair and tanned skin. As a character of wealth and power, Bronte is well-dressed. During meetings with Bronte at his residence, he is seen in a crimson, gold-trimmed smoking jacket and a floral-pattern smoking cap over a white buttoned down shirt and black dress pants and dress shoe. Bronte is alternately dressed in a white tie-styled evening suit (with a black bow tie) during a party at Lemieux's residence.
Mission appearances
- Red Dead Redemption 2
Trivia
- His name may be a reference to the real-life mobster Angelo Bruno, the boss of the Philadelphia crime family.
- Bronte is a small city in Sicily, where, in the 19th Century, a riot happened in which local farmers killed many landlords. Since Dutch defines himself and his men as "simple country folk" during their first meeting, this foreshadows Angelo's demise at the hands of Van der Linde.
- In status and action, Bronte seems to be based primarily on New Orleans crime family founder Charles Matranga. The earliest reports of the Mafia’s presence in New Orleans date to the 1860s. Violence between rival families escalated during the 1880s. By the 1890s Matranga's operations had become a major criminal force in the city and remained so for much of the twentieth century.
- During "Revenge is a Dish Best Eaten", Arthur can loot his body for $155 after knocking him out, and it is also possible to pick up his Mauser Pistol before taking him to the boat.
- In his journal, Arthur describes Bronte as "a lizard in a suit".
Quotes
| “ | So, you walk into my city...stinking of shit and looking like this...and you come into my house, before you have a bath...and you tell me how to act? | „ |
| —Angelo Bronte to Dutch van der Linde |
| “ | You ask me to show compassion? Have I not shown you almost infinite compassion already...by simply allowing you to breathe in my presence? | „ |
| —Angelo Bronte arguing with Dutch van der Linde |
| “ | Yes, hand a letter to the mayor. Oh yeah, that will save you. | „ |
| —Bronte joking about the Wapiti Indians |
| “ | (In Italian) I look forward to watching you die! | „ |
| —Angelo Bronte taunting the guests of the Mayor's party |
| “ | You twist words. You lie shamelessly. You think you are better than everyone else... I love you! Give these men drinks! | „ |
| —Bronte to Dutch van der Linde |
| “ | You are nothing. You do nothing. You mean nothing. You stand for nothing. Me? I run a city! And when the law catch up to you you will die like nothing. | „ |
| —Bronte to the gang |
| “ | The law will find you! Already the dogs are on the way. | „ |
| —Bronte's last words |
Gallery
References
- ↑ Stated to be 55 years old in newspaper article "Lawman Found Dead", which was published in 1899.
- ↑ New Hanover Gazette No. 29
- ↑ Letter to Bronte from the Mayor
- ↑ Lawman Found Dead
- ↑ Earn Your Blood Money Across a Series of Daring Robberies
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