Mephisto

**Mephisto** is a major supporting protagonist in the *Divine Comedy*.

He is among the many powerful Overlords of Hell, ruling over the music business (specifically Jazz) while also being the figurehead of organized crime in the Inferno and thus the "chairman" of the Commission, a gathering of the Overlords.

Mephisto is known by many for his silver tongue, oozing with charisma and charm, he is what humans would envision as a demon that tempts them with false promises using his honey-laced voice. However, as he is also the figurehead of organized crime, Mephisto is by no means harmless as even his friends all warn his adversaries of the violent and bloody consequences of crossing him. Nevertheless, he would become a major supporting character to Charlie after being invited by Alastor to aid the princess with her hotel.

## History

### Background

Mephisto was known as Matthew Andolini and was the only child of a future powerful mob boss Sonny Andolini. Growing up, Matthew learned how to fight his way through the streets at a young age though his rage and penchant for violence would only create more trouble than its worth. Like many immigrants, Matthew was smuggled out of Italy with his family where he start a new life. Unbeknownst to him at the time, his father would slowly grow to become a feared gangster in the streets of New York and to keep his son in check, he would subject Matthew to hard labor by working in the mills of train stations all while his mother homeschooled him. The work in the mills, his father's advice, and his mother's love tempered his wrath, enough to learn how to pick his fights and grow into the man he would be known as in the future.

When he was twelve, he met an individual who would be his best friend and brother; Wilfred then known as Vincenzo Florentino Bergmann. Matthew saved Vincenzo from a gang of ruffians who nearly beat the young Vincenzo to a pulp and from Matthew, Vincenzo learned how to stand up for himself and be more confident in how he feels to speak it out loud from his thoughts. The two would hang out frequently until Matthew put in a good word for Vincenzo by having him work in a grocery store belonging to a friend of his father's where he was treated kindly.

### Rise to Stardom

At some point, Matthew became interested in getting into show business mainly due to Vincenzo's own interests in wanting to be enrolled in Broadway theatre, but according to Matthew his father insisted he finds a "real job" to avoid becoming a "bum" after leaving school. Encouraged by his mother's support, he performed in local social clubs and sang for free on radio stations. In New York he found jobs singing for his supper or for cigarettes. Over his teenage years, Matthew's rise to stardom was beginning to illuminate as began singing professionally as a teenager, but even though he never learned to read music, he learned music by ear. He sung in various clubs with many famous bands and composers, among whom was Tommy Dorsey who was a father figure to Matthew. His stardom peaked when he first performed in the Desert Inn in Las Vegas.

Though he initially did not wish to join the mob, Matthew's intellect and business-focused mind which aided him in landing several successful gigs with influential tycoons in the music business also benefited him in dealing with other crime families at his father's behalf. He only joined the "family business" to help get his father out of a bad situation and as a result became acquainted with many of the most infamous mobsters in history such as Charlie Luciano, Frank Costello, and Al Capone who he disliked greatly. Matthew soon became elevated into a made man and was given freedom to indulge in his own celebrity status on the condition that his activities pull in the "right kind of people" with the "fattest dough". Matthew would then use his power and influence from both sides to construct many popular nightclubs where not only the wealthy attend but also the mafia.

In the meantime, Matthew also remained close friends with Vincenzo, now going by Wilfred and also a titan in the film industry. They would often collaborate in films and duets with their latest edition being Alphonse Guidry, a popular radio talk show host who invited them on his show and develop a deep friendship between the three. The three would be dubbed in the headlines as the "Rat Pack" as they were dubbed in the papers. Matthew, alongside his cohorts, was eyed and adored by all; heiresses, broadway directors, news publishers, gossip columnists, and politicians. All while in the shadows he engaged in murderous acts with none being the wiser. Occasionally he would even be joined his companions Wilfred and Alphonse which also included Cameron, a popular model who was also the infamous Vamp of Chicago, and Mimzy a starlet flapper girl, Broadway performer, and their biggest fan.

### Death

At some point, Matthew engaged in a romantic relationship with Marilyn Monroe, however, due to his connection to the mob and his love for Marilyn, the starlet became a safe that housed all the mob's dirtiest secrets. In addition to Marilyn being a close associate of Wilfred who was also a serial killer, the mafia became increasingly paranoid over their secrets being leaked out by Marilyn or Wilfred and thus opted to take them out. This was during the height of the Colombo gang war and tensions were at an all time high.

Marilyn, however, was the biggest threat as the mafia did not like how she was acting due to her drug addiction and they knew that because of her affair with Matthew, the stress of her career, and the Kennedys who were helped by the mob to get elected, in her state of mind, she would become entirely unhinged and might say something she should not. As a result, they decided to kill her during the Red Carpet in a hit and run but unfortunately they shot Wilfred who got caught in the line of fire while Marilyn was not even there. Matthew was devastated upon receiving the news and understood that this was no longer business but personal. He began to take matters into his own hands by executing those who were involved in the hit and run, but it was not until he discovered that all this traced back to Marilyn that he snapped. Feigning being sent by JFK, Matthew was forced to kill his love out of sheer grief and rage for unknowingly taking part in the death of his best friend.

### Arrival to Hell

Matthew met his death in a car crash after he was intercepted and rammed by some of the remaining members of the Colombos who sought retribution for his killing of their men. Matthew laid in his car in a ditch, bleeding before the vehicle was set on fire. After his death, he was sent to Hell and condemned to the Greed and Pride Circles where he rose through the ranks using his charisma and charm.

Renaming himself as "Mephisto", he become the figurehead of organized crime in Hell as well as the one who founded the "Commission", an unofficial gathering of Overlords, becoming their "chairman" in a sense as he was more suited to conduct businesses in an Overlord's terf without instigating any unnecessary violence as well as becoming a powerful Overlord in his own right, holding reign over the music industry. Mephisto would also be promoted to vassal of the Greed Circle, nominated by Mammon himself and being the emperor's left hand man.

During his tenure as an Overlord, Mephisto would reunite with his two pals Alastor and Wilfred. Together with Rosie, another close friend of the three, they would inflict jolly musical chaos throughout the streets of Hell as the infamous "Rat Pack" while also developing a fierce and antagonistic relationship with the Vees, their archenemies.

## Trivia

* The name "Mephisto" is shortened for "Mephistopheles", a demon featured in German folklore.
* Mephisto's character traits are based on Frank Sinatra and Michael Corleone from *The Godfather* films.
* His theme songs would be "Mr. Pinstripe Suit" by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and "Roaring 20s" by Panic! At the Disco.
* Similar to Alastor, several characters would complain about Mephisto smelling like as if something is burning.
	+ Mephisto is also said to smell like wine and tobacco.
* Mephisto loves wine and cigars to the point where it borders on outright addiction. In terms of the wine, he strangely never gets intoxicated.
	+ It is later revealed by Wilfred that the reason why he drinks and smokes so much is that it tempers his more violent and wrathful side.
* Mephisto loves to cook and is quite proficient at making Italian food with his personal favorite being a Fettuccine negresco pasta.
* A running gag is that Mephisto becomes irritated when someone mishandles a record player and gets irrationally angry when they snap uncooked spaghetti in half.
* Charlie calls Mephisto the "tough love dad" as he is seen interacting with troubled youths like Crymini and guiding her in the right direction but in a way where a "slap on the wrist won't cut it."
	+ The writer says that Mephisto and Crymini's relationship is similar to the characters Sonny and C from the 1993 film *A Bronx Tale*.