Don Corneo

Don Corneo is a supporting character in the Final Fantasy VII series, serving as a supporting antagonist in Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake, and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and mentioned in Before Crisis -Final Fantasy VII-, and Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-. Corneo is a mafioso-style crime lord, the ruler of the Wall Market district in Sector 6, and the proprietor of the Corneo Colosseum. Shinra Electric Power Company cut a deal with him, willing to overlook his criminal lifestyle and offering him a piece of Neo Midgar should he provide them with slum knowledge. As such, he serves as the judge, jury, and executioner of his small empire. Corneo's lackeys scout out beautiful women and bring them to him for auditions, where he selects a nightly "bride". He also keeps monsters as pets, feeding his enemies and resistant "brides" to them.

Don Corneo is a middle-aged man with a short and portly build. He has fair skin, sports a thin mustache, and blond hair shaved on the sides. He has the word "Love" tattooed on the side of his head. Corneo wears a red, three-quarter length coat with fur trim on the collar and cuffs, an open white pocketed-buttoned shirt, blue jeans (brown in Remake), a dark brown buckled belt, and white dress shoes. He also wears an assortment of jewelry, including stud earrings, a medallion necklace, and several rings on his fingers. In Final Fantasy VII, he smokes a cigar.

Corneo is a lecherous crime lord with a foul mouth. He has his lackeys conduct his dirty work, gaining him a feared and respected reputation. He always gets what he wants and is quick to anger when things don't go his way, going as far as to feed his enemies to his monstrous pets, or discard them to his henchmen. Corneo is a highly perverted, uncanny, and manipulative man who negatively loves beautiful women. He takes any chance given to assert dominance and fear into his victimized candidates, forcing them to do things against their will. He seems drawn to those who challenge his dominance, as shown in the Remake when a cross-dressing Cloud insults him during the audition causing the Don to change his mind, and as seen when he enjoys Cloud's insults later.[2] According to his lackey Chocobo Sam, Tifa best fits his taste in women in terms of appearance,[3] and prior to changing his mind by Cloud, Corneo was about to choose her. She was also the only one visibly uncomfortable while he inspected the candidates, suggesting he is also drawn to weaker prey. Don Corneo is vain and greedy, his mansion a display of ostentatious wealth both within Wall Market and the slums more generally. The Don lines his mansion with gold and expensive commodities, with literal bars of gold on the floor, and he keeps stashes of belongings throughout the Sector 6 and 5 slums, as well as his hideout in the sewers. He does not share this wealth with his underlings, who are given sparser accommodations within his mansion. The Colosseum uses cartoon images of Don Corneo for him to make announcements during the Corneo Cup, and he keeps a vending machine fashioned after his own likeness within his basement/torture room.

In contrast to his outlandish persona, Don Corneo remains calm and calculating under pressure, as shown when Cloud, Tifa, and Aerith corner him and make him reveal Shinra's plan to collapse Sector 7; he positions his apprehenders over his trapdoor to the sewers and gloats before pulling the lever. The following day, he remains composed when Leslie betrays him, disarming him and turning the tables. He retains his composure when Cloud and Barret hold him up, with the Don simply waiting for his pet Abzu to show up and making his retreat. Despite Corneo's reputation, most of his lackeys dislike him, with the exception of Kotch and Scotch—two high-ranking henchmen— who are very obedient and follow the don's orders without question. Madam M—a member of the esteemed Trio—greatly despises him and his ways, as shown when he tacked on another match during the Corneo Cup, which led to her screaming obscenities about him. Andrea Rhodea—another member of the Trio—who is more reserved about his feelings, also seems to dislike him, helping Cloud and Aerith's plan of infiltrating the Don's audition.[4] Despite holding a high rank for a henchmen, Leslie Kyle secretly loathes Corneo for what he did to his fiancée; though Corneo seemed to have thought highly of Leslie, Leslie sought revenge. Chocobo Sam—another of the Trio—has neutrally ambiguous feelings toward Corneo, and didn't stop Cloud and Aerith from opposing him and rescuing Tifa.