Far Cry 6's antagonist Anton Castillo is the newest addition to the series' iconic roster of villains that often define the games they appear in. While each villain brings their own goals, personalities, and performances to their respective games, there are some similarities that frequently pop up. They usually don't care much about killing innocents, have a lack of perspective outside of their own tunnel-visioned approach to their goals, and often believe that they are serving some greater purpose. Despite this, there are still many ways that Far Cry 6's Anton differs from previous antagonists in the series, such as his predecessor Joseph Seed. This article contains spoilers for Far Cry 6.
Both of the characters are in very different situations with Anton Castillo being the authoritarian leader of a Caribbean island while Joseph Seed is the charismatic head of a religious cult in the United States. Despite the differences, there are still some similarities between the two, and more than just Far Cry 5's bliss flower appearing in Far Cry 6. They both have their families involved with their grand schemes, believe they are acting on a greater purpose, and have grand plans that they see everyone else as getting in the way of. While they may have those aspects in common, their personalities heavily differ from one another as well.
How Anton's Beliefs Differ from Joseph's
One of the most defining aspects of any antagonist is their motivation. Anton and Joseph are similar in that they both believe they are serving a greater purpose, but the nature of that belief also sets the two apart. Joseph believes that he is a blessed messenger that has communicated with God to protect his people from a needed apocalypse that is just around the corner. He justifies his terrible deeds by claiming them as God's will and even accepts the actions of the player as a necessary part of the divine plan. Even as the Deputy kills Joseph's family members in Far Cry 5, he shows them empathy and gives them the option of walking away from the conflict.
Instead of thinking he serves a divine purpose, Anton Castillo believes that he is doing a job that only he is able to. After his father was killed during a rebellion while president of the island of Yara, Anton was enslaved and watched his beloved home economically decay. This lead Anton to the belief that only a Castillo had what it took to save Yara and return it to its rightful status on a global scale. To do so, Anton ran for president before slowly drifting into authoritarianism out of the belief that Yara and its people desperately needed him. This also motivated the villain to drag his son Diego into his plans in Far Cry 6.
How Anton's Familial Ties Differ from Joseph's
Anton's relationship with Diego is quite different from Joseph's relationship with his family. Throughout Far Cry 6, players are shown that Anton is doing everything he can to prepare Diego to rule Yara after his imminent death from incurable leukemia. However, Diego does not want to follow in Anton's footsteps and not only tries to escape the island to get away from his father and destiny but also goes behind his back to help people on a couple of occasions throughout the game. Diego plays a large role in Far Cry 6's narrative, and functions as both a way to show the more human side of Anton while also representing an opportunity for Yara's future to not be filled with cruelty and unending war.
Joseph Seed's family, on the other hand, is comprised of his two brothers and adoptive sister. Joseph's siblings act as generals in his cult, with each one ruling a different part of his territory and overseeing different aspects of his private military operations. The siblings all act as bosses for the player to disrupt and eventually takedown, and many players found that they even overshadowed Joseph in Far Cry 5 thanks to their interesting personalities and unique methods of operation. This family of Joseph's is invested in his plan in a way directly opposite to Diego, so much so that they are more than willing to follow any order of his.
How Anton's Plans Differ from Joseph's
The plans of Joseph and Anton are another large divide between the two characters. While they both are in positions of power and aim to use their influence and resources to force their will on the greater population, the scope of their aims is drastically different. This is because Joseph literally wants the apocalypse. He aims to acquire nuclear warheads to kickstart a fallout all over Earth. Believing this is his purpose, he helps his followers prepare themselves for their arrival in the afterlife. Of course, Joseph was even eventually successful, with his apocalypse being the setting for the spin-off Far Cry New Dawn.
Anton's machinations are less about destruction and more about the rebuilding of Yara's power and restriction of its cancer treatment Viviro. He knows that he will die soon as a consequence of his battle with cancer, and hopes to leave behind a suitable leader that is capable of taking his place and continuing his work and vision. Anton is as vicious and ruthless as Joseph in the pursuit of his goals, but still ultimately fails.
Far Cry 6 is available now on Luna, PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.