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Revision as of 08:00, 16 December 2018
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| “ | You'd do better to tell us everything. But to make sure it happens, I brought along a few tools. Just things you pick up along the way. At first I won't be able to trust you, but after I use this, you'll own up to a few things. When we get to these we'll have developed a... how can I put this? A closer bond, much like brothers. You'll see. And when we get this one, I'll believe anything you tell me. | „ |
| ~ Captain Vidal torturing his prisoners. |
Captain Vidal (simply known as Vidal) is the main antagonist of the 2006 epic fantasy hit film Pan's Labyrinth.
He was portrayed by Sergi López.
History
Captain Vidal, Ofelia's new stepfather and father of Carmen's unborn child, is the son of a famed commander with the same name who died in Morocco, who believes strongly in fascism and was assigned to root out any anti-fascist rebels.
When Ofelia met Captain Vidal after she and her mother Carmen arrived at the mill, she tried to greet him nicely with a simple handshake. But Vidal firmly grabbed her left hand and tells her that she'd always give out a left handshake. From that moment on, he shows severe dislike for the girl.
Later one night, Vidal's cruelty and sociopathic nature is revealed when he brutally and mercilessly murders two innocent farmers, a father and son, who had been detained on suspicion of being rebellious allies. In truth the men were hunting rabbits but Vidal refused to allow them to finish their story, instead mercilessly beating the son's face in before killing the father and almost killing one of his own men in the process.
Ofelia becomes worried about her mother, whose condition is worsening. The faun gives Ofelia a mandrake root, which instantly begins to cure her mother's illness.
Meanwhile, Vidal becomes increasingly vicious and aggressive, torturing a captured rebel and then killing the doctor who euthanized the tortured prisoner to stop his pain. Vidal catches Ofelia tending to the mandrake root, and Carmen throws it into the fireplace, where it then begins to writhe and scream in agony. Instantly, Carmen develops painful contractions and dies giving birth to a son. Vidal eventually discovers that his maid, Mercedes, is a spy, and he captures her and Ofelia as they attempt to escape. Ofelia is locked in her bedroom, and Mercedes is taken to be tortured; however, she frees herself, badly injures Vidal with a knife, and flees into the woods, where her brother Pedro and his fellow rebels rescue her.
The faun returns to Ofelia and gives her one more chance to prove herself. He tells her to take her baby brother into the labyrinth. Ofelia steals the baby after sedating Vidal; although enduring massive blood loss and disoriented, the evil and treacherous man continues to chase her through the labyrinth while the rebels attack the mill. The faun tells Ofelia that the portal to the underworld will open only with an innocent's blood, so he needs a drop of her brother's blood. Ofelia refuses to harm her brother, and eventually Vidal finds her, seemingly talking to herself as the faun is not visible through his eyes. The faun leaves Ofelia to her choice. As a result, Vidal takes the baby away from her, then pulls his gun and shoots her immediately, killing her.
When he leaves the labyrinth, the armed rebels and Mercedes are waiting for him. Knowing that he will die as he is completely outnumbered, he calmly hands Mercedes his son. He takes out his pocket watch, ready to break it, and tells Mercedes to tell his son about his exploits, reflecting on his own father's death. Mercedes refuses, telling him that his son will never even know his name. Pedro draws his gun and fatally shoots Vidal in the right cheek, killing him. Vidal died in a ruthless and cold retribution of not only the safety of the boy, but also avenging the murder of his loving sister, Ofelia.
Personality
Captain Vidal was an authoritarian, tyrannical, and despotic facist with a strong belief that all men are not born equal. Over the course of the film, multiple interactions with other characters show that Vidal exherts dominance over everyone he interacts with and inforces it with brutal violence.
He was a sadistic, cruel, unsympathetic, ruthless, and treacherous madman who killed, tortured, and defiled for sheer enjoyment or revenge. He cared little for nearly anyone or anything, having no compassion for human life and was rarely depicted as anything other than a force of great evil. In fact, his speech regarding his growing trust of his victims as he tortures them implies that he best relates to others when he is influcting agony on them and his power is absolute.
Vidal only seemed to care about his authority and his son. While he did display a charming and concerned side towards his wife, Carmen, there are many implications that he only cared about his wife because she was carrying his son. He grew extremely threatening and aggressive when his enchantment's doctor suggested his, then unborn son, might be born a girl.
Vidal immediately dislikes Ofelia, possibly because she is a girl or because she is not his child. As the Ofelia acts as a free spirit outside of his authority, Vidal's dislike of her grows. This dislike finally turns to murderous intent when Ofelia trys to take her brother away from Vidal.
Captain Vidal is also obessed with military culture and ethics. He took to heart that his own father, a general of the same name, died bravely and broke a watch so that Vidal might knew the exact time his father died. He tried to repeat the gesture for his own son when he found himself at the mercey of his rebel enemies. When he was told by Mercedes that his son would never know his name, Vidal despaired and died in fear. Vidal died as a cruel and oppressive tyrant with his worst fear being realized: he would leave no legacy for his son.
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