Victor Branco

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"We have always been targets, We all know that."

―Victor Branco to his brothers and bodyguards, 2012.

Victor Branco is a local politician, the brother of Rodrigo Branco and Marcelo Branco and the main antagonist in Max Payne 3. He is the middle brother.

Originally thought to be a kind-hearted politician who tries to clean up the crime from his city, Victor is revealed to be the mastermind behind a plan of selling human organs through the city by kidnapping people from the favelas and stealing their organs. Victor is also the true leader and the "behind of scenes" boss of the Unidade de Forças Especiais, a law enforcement group that he uses for his own plans, alongside his right-hand man and the commander of the UFE, Armando Becker and the employer of the Cracha Preto, a ruthless freelance death squad. His purpose is later revealed by Max Payne, the same man he has hired to protect his family. Payne hunts down Victor and Becker, while the two try to escape via airport. Payne crashes Victor's plane, who survives. Victor is then arrested by the police, and waits for his trial. A week later, Victor is found dead in his prison cell.

Biography

Background

Not much is known about Victor's early life, except that he graduated in 1985. He was described as a "local politician" of São Paulo. At some point, he and his brothers had lost their father, who died because of a heart attack in while he was visiting a brothel.

The organs harvesting scandal

"Guy was smoother than an oil slick on an iceberg and about as toxic."

―Max Payne on Victor's character

Hiring Max Payne

In 2012, Victor's brother Rodrigo hires former NYPD detective, Max Payne, to work as the family's bodyguard, alongside Raul Passos. Victor has actually paid Passos to find and bring Payne, after Victor heard about Max Payne and investigated into his life; his wife & daughter, Mona, the Valkyr Case, the Mafia vendetta, the Inner Circle power struggle, etc. and decided Max would be the perfect fall guy, figuring out Max's history and assuming he had nothing else to live for afterwards.

At some point in that year, Victor's sister-in law, Fabiana Branco, is kidnapped by the Commando Sombra.

True face

Victor is later revealed to be the one behind the deaths of his family members, and also the one behind the UFE, working with a high-ranking officer named Armando Becker . It is also revealed that he makes deals with the Crachá Preto (through the UFE), and use both groups to "clean up" São Paulo from crime, in order to be favored by citizens. After Max breaks into the UFE base and begins to choke Becker, Victor arrives and holds Max at gun point. Max, however, disarms and attacks Victor, who is saved and carried away by Becker.

Airport shootout

"You know I'll walk..."
"You'll walk...with a limp!"

―Victor and Max's last talk.

Later, Victor and Becker try to escape via planes, but Max soon arrives at the airport and makes his way through Becker's men. Max finds Becker and mortally wounds him using Becker's own launched grenade. Victor is already on the plane and is about to escape, but Max manages to kill Becker's last men, and blow up the plane. Victor, however, survives, and is about to be excecuted by Payne, who is stopped by Wilson Da Silva.

Victor then laughs and states the "you know I'll walk", meaning he can clean all the charges against him, leading Max saying that "he'll walk with a limp", and breaks Victor's leg.

Death

"Local justice..."

―A Bahian bartender on Victor's death.

Victor is captured by the police and taken to prison. A week later, it is revealed in the news that he is found hanged in his prison cell though it is unknown if his death was a suicide or retaliation for his part in the organ harvesting scandal.

Personality and traits

Despite his outward charm and friendliness, Victor was a cold, calculating, manipulative sociopath who was willing to murder hundreds of people, including his own family, to get what he wanted. He was also willing to eliminate his allies when they ceased to be useful, as with the Cracha Preto. He was also somewhat cowardly, fleeing in his private jet from Max Payne while leaving Becker and the UFE to fight off Payne. He was also arrogant, believing he would beat the charges against him when he was arrested, not realizing that while awaiting trial many of the cellmates and guards would have reason to want him dead. He is also hinted as a fascist as his marks involved the poor as well as left wing politicians.

Appearances

• Max Payne 3
  • Something Rotten In The Air
  • Nothing But The Second Best (Appears in a newspaper)
  • Just Another Day at the Office
  • Alive if Not Exactly Well (Appears in both Photo and TV)
  • A Dame, a Dork, and a Drunk
  • A Hangover Sent Direct From Mother Nature
  • The Great American Savior Of the Poor (Appears in a newspaper)
  • A Fat Bald Dude With A Bad Temper
  • One Card Left to Play

Behind the scenes

• Victor is the main antagonists in Max Payne 3, along with Becker. He is one of the very few antagonists to not be killed by the player.