Giacomo Botticelli

Giacomo in The Search for Blue September

Giacomo Botticelli is a main character in NATO: The Search for Blue September. Giacomo is an Italian Folgore Division paratrooper and a member of the Centurions. Born in Venice, Italy, Giacomo originally thought he would join the Italian navy, this changed when he saw a recruitment video for the Folgore that convinced him that being a paratrooper was the career he needed. Growing up with two parents in the Christian Democracy party, Giacomo also held a disdain for communists and desired to stop any Red encroachment onto the West. His excellent performance as a paratrooper and devotion led to his recruitment to the Centurions. Described as a daring airborne specialist, Giacomo has jumped into many dangerous missions with eccentric enthusiasm. Giacomo is well known for his exaggerated movements used in combat and to express himself. His preferred weapon is the Beretta M12S SMG due to its light weight and control.

## *In the Search for the Blue September*

Giacomo is first seen with the other Centurions in the briefing room as Commander Stanley Steelbrow gives them their mission. He asks no questions and is later seen talking to Richard Hammond about the importance of lighting fast punches, to which Hammond demonstrates his preferred punch by hitting Wilhelm Friedrichstein in the throat. After a confusing debrief from John Woods, Botticelli expresses his excitement before heading with the other Centurions to suit up. Upon landing Giacomo is not immediately seen, but he then jumps into frame and starts to head off. Giacomo takes point and seems to be over doing his part as he is actively scanning for enemies. When Russian soldiers come from behind the team, Giacomo orders the attack that annihilates them. On approaching the gate to the facility Giacomo orders the attack once again to kill the guards before he and Woods shoot the famed Leskopski Fenkovitch. Giacomo follows his team to set the charges on the nuclear reactor before they find the Blue September plans. Giacomo picks up a model of the Blue September which confuses him as he mistakes it for the actual robot. As he wonders why the robot is so small, Bill Letrex informs him that its just a model. When Wilhelm Friedrichstein reveals himself to be Friedrich Wilhelmstein, Giacomo is shocked exclaiming "Mamma-mia!". Once Friedrich reveals more of what he has done Giacomo states how they will stop him before the rest of the Chimera team emerges. In an exchange Giacomo references Chimera's defeat at a previous battle in Saigon forming up for battle. Giacomo fights with Friedrich in the ensuing brawl with neither getting the advantage over the other. eventually Zeb jumps on his back allowing Friedrich to make a run with the plans. Giacomo eventually breaks free and chases down Friedrich, kicking him in the bratwurst as he rambles on before knocking him out and recovering the plans. Giacomo informs the Centurions of his success as the others finish off Zeb, Istvan Toth and Mikhail Gossovitch. He leaves along with the team for evac from the successful mission.

## Trivia

- The idea of Giacomo's character led to the creation of NATO as a whole. Jack saw a video of Italian paratroopers during the Cold War and thought it was really funny how they were jumping around in their training. He then wanted to play such a character but needed a video for it leading to the creation of Giacomo Botticelli and NATO.

- Giacomo's beret is actually a German paratrooper beret. A German flag is present on the cap's badge so Michael made a little Italian flag sticker to replace it.