Does Dante have depression?

[Cosmefulanito94]

Hello, first of all, sorry for my grammar. I am still learning English

Recently I saw(in social media) a lot of people that acclaim that Dante has depression or a depressed mood. Is there any info or confirmation in DMC5, interviews or book to validate it?.

I remember the popular theory where DMC2 Dante wasn't a jokester like his homologous(3 and 4) because was depressed for the dead of Lady or Trish or with the anime the reason with his poker-face (though does joke in the entire show) should be for the dead of Vergil (when the anime had two opportunities to does a reference of him in chapter 2 and 10).

Suprise Surprise, with DMC5 we know that nobody die and Dante continues making jokes.



In the actually, the people say that Dante has depression but not for his interpretation in second game but for the dead of Nell,Eva and Grue (something that existed since 15 years before the 5 and nobody talked about this characters and the novel isn't a lost media).

Funny thing: Everybody talks about the first novel but no one talks about CD-Drama where Dante cut-off Enzo's arm.



So, Dante is depressed canonically?

 

[V's patron]

It's more headcanon than canonical fact. Mental health awareness is more common in the 2020s than it was when Dante was concieved. So it's an interesting but unintentional interpretation.

If Dante had mental health issues, it probably stems from Eva's death when he was a child. That event is likely to leave its mark on Dante and Vergil. Trauma isn't something you cure but something you manage. So he would've learned how to cope with it by the time the series started.

Alot of that would depend on his upbringing. Before 3 retconned his past, he was amnesiac mercenary named Tony Redgrave. So it's possible he has some degree on undiagnosed mental health issues.

His flippant personality could work as a coping mechanism. Humor is a way to disarm tragedy.

Plus depressed people can have a sense of humor. One wouldn't negate the other. Some of his other traits like his laziness and general messiness of his office could also be symptoms of depression.

But the answer is that the creative team toyed around with an introverted Dante and his messiness and laziness were established early on and just overdone as a trait.

A missed opportunity with the reboot was that it could've explored Dante's mental health further. NT did interesting work with Hellblade as that game's protagonist has schizophrenia. So it would've been interesting if they did something similar with Dante.

It's something the series could deal with in future entries or not touch with a ten foot pole.

 

[ef9dante_oSsshea]

The anime could be put down to him putting down nelo angelo and thinking he has lost his brother all over again, that would effect anyone and he has human emotions after all.

As for 2, there is no good explanation

 

[V's patron]

DMC2 was made as a cash grab by Capcom. It was started before DMC1 finished and had a different director before Itsuno came on the project.

Dante's shift was the original DMC2 director wanted a quiet protagonist similar to Vampire Hunter D. It would've been better if that was a seperate character than incorporated into Dante's personality.

They ignored referencing 2 till 5's release and just put it after 1. So a potential remake could just followup on that thread or write Dante out completely.

 

[Taramafor]

In regards to 2, perhaps. He's struggling there.

In 1? Dunno much about 1. I know he faces Virgil though. Probably felt like he failed him.

In 3 he's using humor to cope. Lady sets him straight there. I can garuntee that life and death situations like that can get things to sink in. Since I've played with armed people myself.

In 4 Dante is a too quick to kill when it's about the ideals. Agnus proves this. Dante's good intentions backfire. He's going to have to pay the price for that at some point.

In 5 Nico is surely Agnus's daughter. Dante tried to stop Nero facing his own father. The IDIOT. If Nero had fled like a coward then he'd be living with regrets. Good job Nero went "**** this."

Virgil was able to pull himself back together because he knows what it's like to suffer on your own. He's forged not just through hell, but also apathy and nothing. Dante doesn't know what that's like. So he's, as Virgil states, "Incompetent". Virgil isn't joking. He's very serious, even if in humor at times.

If there's a DMC6 I'd like to see dante get challenged and called out more. V sort of does it in 5. Now that Dante is with Virgil perhaps he'll have some contrast to help even him out a bit. His good intentions are bound to circle back at some point.

Imagine what Nico goes through. "Asshole daddy". Yea. And now he's dead. Killed when desperate for answers trying to learn when he spoke the truth about humans. Dante just wanted to be "in the right". He could have done better there. Perhaps his desperation to get to Yamato caused him to act in haste. Which helps explain why he gives it to Nero. even Dante knows he can't handle it.

It's pretty good stuff. And Nero knocking sense into him like that? That's bound to hit home. That face smack. Hahahahaa. "You listen here deadweight." I love it.