Valentino

: "I own you, or have you forgotten that?"
: ―Valentino, reminding Angel Dust about his contract
Valentino Cruz is a sinner demon who is one of the many Overlords of Hell and a major antagonist of Hazbin Hotel.
He is the head of the porn studios within V Tower, and a close associate of Velvette and Vox. He is also the owner and boss of his films' main star, Angel Dust, whom he has under contractual obligation.
== Appearance ==
Valentino is a tall, slender, somewhat muscular moth demon with greyish-lavender skin and cerise-pink eyes, over which he is always depicted wearing gold-rimmed, heart-shaped sunglasses with cerise-pink lenses. His mouth full of sharp, cerise-pink colored teeth, with a single golden fang that sits to his far left of center, a feature he shares with his employee, Angel Dust. He also has a long, pointed, cerise tongue.
Valentino's stature is tall, estimated to be around 10 feet, which he emphasizes with long black heeled boots. He has fluffy white fur with small red love-hearts around his neck that plumes up from his coat's break-line. He is bald with moth-like antennae; the right appearing like a large white with black heart striped feather while the left appears smaller and lacking the white areas.
He has an extra set of arms just above his hips. His hands and forearms are black, while the upper halves are greyish-lavender. He wears gold arm bands on his lower wrists, each hand having one gold ring, and sometimes gold nail guards on his fingers.
He has a pair of large vivid-red moth wings that features white with black striped fur around the edges, while the interior is darker colored with several heart designs. These wings are usually wrapped around his body to form a floor-length coat with white fur at the wrists, as well as black and white striped fur trim down the center-front to the bottom hem and three white stripes on both hips. This coat is pinned with a gold chain and gold love-heart shaped broach fastenings at the breast.
He has dark purple, heart-shaped nipples that are seen with gold piercings and a chain hung from them.
Valentino wears a vivid-red top hat that has a wide, asymmetrical zebra-print hat-band. Under his coat he wears a dark grey jacket that shows his chest, held together with two gold buttons, and with the sleeves rolled up, alongside white pants with a black belt that has a golden love-heart shaped buckle, and a pair of high-heeled black shoes. He wears a gold chain necklace hung down to his chest.
According to Faustisse, Valentino wears fishnets under his coat. This was seen in "Welcome to Heaven".
== Personality ==
Valentino has been described as being charming and roughly as level-headed as his fellow Overlord, Vox. When he interacts with Charlie in his studio he acts cordial around her while struggling to hide his anger and irritation that he would prefer to take out on one of his employees instead, such as Angel Dust. He does, eventually, show off his real behavior after some time. Valentino uses his charming persona in order to lure other Demons into working for him, as shown in "Welcome to Heaven" where Valentino admitted spending much of his time in nightclubs, picking up demons and offering them "jobs" at his studios, with him hiding his more violent and psychotic behavior in order to convince them to willingly "work" for him.
Valentino is depicted as being controlling, abusive, and narcissistic, specifically towards one of his star employees, Angel Dust. He also displays sadistic tendencies, appearing to take enjoyment in overriding Angel's consent, and remains seemingly unbothered by the trauma he is inflicting.
Valentino is frequently surrounded by a collection of the girls who work for him. He is ostentatious in displaying both his profession and status. Faustisse bluntly described him as "a huge fuckboi". Despite this, he is apparently in a romantic relationship with Vox.
Valentino has been described by Angel to be a "psychopathic freak". He has a temperamental side, throwing objects and ripping other demons apart when he is angry, and he doesn't think about how his actions affect his and the Vees' image to where Vox had to explain that "chasing whores around town" will "fuck up" their "image". Once he calms down, he is more pragmatic and fully aware of possible negatives to acting too rashly.
On the other hand, even he has his limits. He was visibly shocked when Vox uncharacteristically snapped at him for wanting to murder everyone at the hotel. He is also terrified by Niffty's creepy stalker-ish and homicidal behavior.
== Powers and Abilities ==
=== Natural Powers ===
* Immortality ― As he has already experienced death, Valentino lives eternally as an undead soul. He does not age, nor can he be killed without divine intervention.
** Nigh-Invulnerability ― Valentino's demonic physiology renders him extremely resilient to nearly all forms of assault, from bullets, dismemberment, and explosives. Only the power of primordial entities or holy weaponry are capable of doing serious or permanent harm to him.
** Regeneration ― As a sinner, Valentino has the ability to almost instantly regenerate and recover from life-threatening wounds and injuries, this includes losing his limbs, and he can respawn back to normal in the occasion that his physical body is completely destroyed.
* Demonic Transformation ― Valentino has the ability to transform into a more powerful and demonic form at will or whenever he becomes extremely enraged, and then effortlessly transform back to his default form.
=== Unique Powers ===
* Demonic Power ― Although he tends to overinflate how powerful he actually is, Valentino is still physically far more powerful than the majority of sinners or Hellborn demons, and has power that allows him to overpower lower demons with little to no effort.
** Flight ― Valentino possesses a pair of large, moth-like wings from his back that grant him the ability to levitate and fly through the air. These wings can retreat by wrapping around him to form an organic.
** Enhanced Strength ― Valentino's strength appears to be greater than the average demon, being able to slam a door so hard a cupboard got knocked down in "Masquerade", and was able to tear demons into pieces with his bare hands in "Radio Killed the Video Star", when Velvette recounts how he "tore up her best model", despite presumably not having any weapons on him. One display of his strength is when he ruthlessly abuses Angel Dust by choking him and slamming him around with a single hand.
** Typhokinesis ― In the "ADDICT" music video, Valentino exhales a red, heart shaped, smoke from his cigarettes that has the ability to twist and form different shapes, entering the bodies of other demons, as Valentino directs it. However, a similar smoke is also present in a cigarette Angel smokes indicating that this is both from a specific cigarette he own and also a natural ability of Valentino, since, in "Masquerade," he smokes a cigarette Angel was smoking and the color of the smoke changes when he blows it into Angel's face.
*** Smoke Constructs ― Valentino can manipulate his pink smoke into specific shapes that are physically solid, as shown in "Masquerade" where he formed a chain and manacles to bind Angel Dust and show his dominance over him.
*** Hypnotic Smoke ― Valentino's smoke is capable of temporarily intoxicating others if inhaled excessively, allowing him to control the victim's mind and actions. When freed from his hypnosis, his victims often cough up smoke before losing consciousness.
*** Poisonous Gas Generation ― Valentino can produce a toxic cloud of smoke by tossing his cigarette on the ground, making them explode into a room-sized, suffocating cloud of smoke. These clouds are extremely difficult to escape as once someone is trapped inside, tangible arms will appear from the cloud and subdue the victim, preventing them from merely running away. This also forces the target to struggle, which only hastens their death.
*** Smoke Speed ― By blending into the smoke, Valentino can enhance his speed, reflexes and agility.
*** Smoke Teleportation ― Valentino can teleport himself and others to a desired location via his smoke, merging into smoke and appearing anywhere else from the same element.
** Soul Manipulation ― Being a control freak who desires power over other people's existence, Valentino forces all of his workers to sign unbreakable soul contracts that makes them his property. Once signed, he is granted complete control over the clients' soul. He can use these contracts to torture his workers spiritually, causing them unbearable, debilitating agony, or outright erase their existence - no matter how far away they are from him - in order to force them to do what he wants. However, Valentino's contracts are not completely unbreakable; it is possible to rend them null and void through the power of deal-making (which is how Alastor was able to eventually free Angel from Valentino's control) or if Valentino willingly releases his employee (which has never happened).
* Toxin Immunity ― Valentino is immune to chemical agents and the intoxicating effects of his own smoke.
* Enhanced Senses ― As a result of being a moth demon, Valentino has overly sensitive hearing, able to hear miles away. its antennae jigot up each time it senses a potential client or an enemy.
=== Abilities ===
* Authority ― As an Overlord, Valentino possesses great authority over his workers, servants, gang members, and the denizens of Pentagram City.
* Bilingualism ― Valentino is fluent in both English and Spanish.
* Charisma ― Valentino possesses a flamboyant, lascivious, and at times eerily comforting charm that has enabled him to persuade hundreds, if not thousands, to his authority over his years in Hell.
* Expert Marksmanship ― Valentino has demonstrated impressive skill with firearms. This was seen when he shot Bruce through the head, all the way from the backseat of his limousine.
* Intimidation ― Valentino commands an extremely intimidating and unsettling presence, enough to make even the infamously snarky Angel Dust become docile. Be it through physical abuse, reputation, or his violent outbursts, he strikes fear and revulsion into allies and enemies alike.
* Manipulation ― Valentino is, without a doubt, a master manipulator, with his words and psychological grip on others being his strongest weapon. Using his charm and keen intelligence, he is capable of manipulating and controlling his workers and employees, as well as other Overlords such as Vox and Velvette, swaying all of them under his command. While selecting new workers, he prefers to target those who are poor, struggling, or down-trodden, promising to give them protection, fame, and drugs as long as they agreed to work for him and remain loyal to him. This often left his targets feeling as if they had no purpose until he found them, establishing a strong sense of loyalty within his workers, which he would then exploit and manipulate to keep them working for him, despite episodes of extreme verbal and physical abuse. Often times, whenever Valentino fears that he is losing control over others, he occasionally employs subtle jabs and guilt trips to make others do what he wants or to keep them under his influence, before firmly, and darkly punishing them for believing they could accomplish anything without his help.
* Natural Weaponry ― Valentino possesses sharp teeth and claws which he can utilize as offensive weapons.
* Ocular Illumination ― Valentino's eyes glow a bright red color in dark environments, which allows him to see in the dark.
* Wealth and Resources ― Valentino possesses vast connections throughout Pentagram City, with several criminal organization and the corrupt police department of Pentagram City answering to him. He also holds a vast collection of powerful firearms that use angelic bullets as ammo, and he leads a powerful gang that almost rivals that of Vox's gang. As a result of being allies with Vox and Velvette, they are able to consolidate their power and use their respective armies to their advantage. As the owner of Hell's porn industry, he also possesses a great sum of wealth.
* Artistic Talent ― According to the "Clocktower Countdown to Premiere" livestream, Valentino is actually a talented artist.
* Musical and Dancing Talent ― Valentino has shown to be a good singer and exceptional dancer, being able to performing a duet and dance with Vox.
=== Weapons ===
* Cane ― Valentino carries an assortment of flashy canes with him. While initially seeming like ostentatious accessories, he often uses his canes to correct his disobedient employees and sometimes he uses it as a sword.
* Guns ― Valentino has a collection of guns, such as a gold and black half pistol, and a pink and zebra print revolver. He sometimes decorates them with glue, gemstones, and glitter.
=== Weaknesses ===
* Bright Light ― Due to being a moth demon, Valentino is able to be distracted using any sort of bright light.
* Angelic Weaponry ― Like all demons, Valentino is capable of being killed using angelic weaponry.
* Divine Intervention ― Like all beings, Valentino is capable of being killed by higher beings.
== Songs ==
=== Season 0 ===
* Get Hooked ― Solo; Before "That's Entertainment!"
=== Season 1 ===
* Finale ― Group Song with Charlie, Vaggie, Ara, Kahlani, Vox, Alastor, Husk, Niffty, Cherri, and Angel; Season 1, Episode 9 - "The Show Must Go On"
== Trivia ==
* Valentino is an Italian name that means "brave" and/or "strong". It can also mean "a ladies' man", which is fitting given his position as a sugar daddy.
* His theme song would be "Hey, Little Songbird" from Hadestown.
* He is one of few sinners that goes by his original human name even after being reborn in Hell.
* He doesn't like cheese.
* He named his primary revolver Moneyshot.
* Valentino is surprisingly a talented artist and enjoys painting and making sculptures - of himself, of course.
* The license plate on Valentino's limo reads "$EXXXY".
* Valentino is very attracted to bright lights, as shown by all of the neon lights and signs displayed in the Porn Studios and his nightclubs, and his implied obsession with lamps. This is obviously in part due to his motif as a moth demon.
* As shown on his Sinstagram account, Valentino used to own a Queef lazily named Queef, before killing it mere hours after acquiring it as it was supposedly annoying him.
* One of Velvette's Voxtagram stories implies that whenever Valentino gets drunk, he makes out with lamps and tries to have sex with them. Given the way said story was worded, it is possible that she was only saying this to tease him.
* As shown in "Radio Killed the Video Star" Valentino owns a customized Robo Fizz that he calls "Kitty".
* Valentino's Godly Parent is Eros.
* Valentino's Hogwarts House is Slytherin.
* Valentino was born on December 1st, 1932.
** This makes him 45 years old by the time of his death.
** This also makes his zodiac sign a Sagittarius, and makes his Chinese zodiac sign a Monkey.
* Sometimes while Valentino speaks, he makes squeaking sounds like a moth.
* He sometimes switches between an American and a Hispanic accent when he is in the middle of a mood swing.
* According to Angel Dust, Valentino's eyesight is so bad that he once spent a half hour counting a "stack" of bills, unaware there were only three in his hand. This is in reference to him looking at three bills in the ADDICT music video.
* Valentino has a hatred for Ara due to their tendancy to stand up for Angel and the fact that they're not afraid of him.
* The fur collar around Valentino's neck is an actual part of his body. This was previously implied in some of Valentino's Sinstagram posts, while this was officially confirmed in "Masquerade". He can feel from his collar, as shown in "Welcome to Heaven" when Niffty rips some fur off for her collection he screams in pain.
* Within the characters' Sinstagram accounts, Valentino was depicted in a romantic on-again off-again relationship with fellow Overlord, Vox. One that appeared, at times, to be physically and psychologically abusive.
** In "The Show Must Go On", the two were dancing in a provocative and romantic nature, along with making out at the end implies they are dating.
* Prior to the series' release, Faustisse was not of the opinion that Valentino cares about Angel Dust being at the Hazbin Hotel. This however is not canon in the series as shown in the episode "Radio Killed the Video Star" Valentino was greatly enraged that Angel started living at the Hotel.
** As revealed in "Welcome to Heaven", while the exact details are unknown, according to the contract Angel Dust has signed that gave Valentino ownership of his soul, Valentino can only "Do whatever he wants" to Angel within his porn studio, giving Angel some measure of freedom when he is outside of it. Given that Angel formerly lived in the studio with Valentino, this can possibly be the real reason to Valentino's anger of the former moving into the Hazbin Hotel, as this allowed Angel to escape Valentino's full control.
* Valentino's symbol was made by Sam Miller and is an elevated design of the one she made for the ADDICT music video; it has a subtle XXX within a moth design, and is also a bit skull-like.
* Valentino appears to really like fast food, as he, Vox, and Velvette frequently eat at WackDonald's (Hell's answer to McDonald's that is owned by Wally Wackford), and in one episode, he storms off to eat there when he's angry.
== Other Links ==
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Category:Characters Voiced by Joel Perez