Lorenzo Montini

Physical traits and visual design: Slender and hunched build: His anatomy is fragile and lacks the rigidity of other characters. He is usually depicted with slumped shoulders, projecting a posture of constant submission or defeat in the face of his surroundings. Dull gaze: His eyes reflect a permanent state of tiredness and resignation. Throughout the series, his face often displays dark circles or shadows that accentuate his emotional exhaustion. Battered face: Due to the constant physical harassment and abuse he suffers at the hands of the bully Paturnia, it is common to see him with wounds, bruises, or marks from blows on his face at various points in the story. Unkempt hair: He has a casual, flat hairstyle, true to Zerocalcare's quick and expressive drawing style, which reinforces his lack of self-care. Clothing style: Generic and worn clothing: He dresses in an extremely sober manner, using common garments from the outskirts of the city such as baggy sweatshirts, plain t-shirts, and dark pants. Muted colors: His color palette consists of gray, dark, or neutral tones, which allows him to blend into the background and visually emphasize his desire to go unnoticed by his aggressors. Montini's overall design avoids any heroic or flashy elements, presenting him as the visual embodiment of someone invisible to society, trapped in an environment hostile that ends up consuming him.

Psychological and Personality Traits: Extreme Submissiveness and Resignation: From his childhood at school, Montini accepts the role of the "unpopular" kid. He becomes so accustomed to the physical and verbal abuse from neighborhood bullies (like Conrado and Paturnia) that he accepts violence as an inevitable condition of his existence, responding with complete passivity. Insecurity and Need for Validation: He carries a deep inferiority complex. This is heartbreakingly evident when he lies to his girlfriend, pretending to be the most popular boy in school so as not to lose her, forcing Zero, Sara, and Secco to go along with it out of pure pity. Isolation and Chronic Loneliness: Ignored by society or used as an easy target for ridicule, Montini takes refuge within himself. His social circle is practically nonexistent; however, he greatly values ​​small gestures, considering Zero a friend simply because he greets him in the mornings. Deep Loyalty to Animals: Faced with human rejection, Montini pours all his emotional capacity into his dog. His pet becomes his only emotional anchor to the real world, the only being that offers him unconditional love and whom he protects above all else. Accumulated Resentment (The Emotional Limit): Beneath his harmless and broken facade lies a "pressure cooker effect." Montini is not immune to pain; he silently accumulates years of trauma, abuse, and extreme humiliation. When the hostile environment attacks the only thing he loves—his dog—his submissiveness vanishes, detonating a violent and uncontrollable rage that changes the course of his life. Montini embodies the rawest face of the periphery: that of those who suffer in silence until the weight of the world breaks them.

Personal Tastes and Affinities: His dog Giulio: This is his greatest, deepest, and most absolute affinity. Montini pours all his love, time, and care into his pet, finding in the animal the loyal, genuine, and non-judgmental companionship that society and the neighborhood always denied him. Social Validation and Status (Popularity Fantasy): He has a frustrated desire to fit into popular circles. This is evident when he greatly enjoys impersonating and creating the facade of being the respected leader of the school in front of his girlfriend. Small Gestures of Courtesy: Due to his chronic isolation, Montini has a deep appreciation for basic kindness. He disproportionately values ​​Zero's cordial greeting in the mornings, treasuring that interaction as the equivalent of a real friendship. Simple and Informal Clothing: His clothing reflects a utilitarian and unpretentious taste, influenced by his parents' anti-capitalist upbringing. He prefers loose sweatshirts, plain T-shirts, and muted tones that allow him to blend completely into the outskirts of Rebibbia. The tranquility of routine in the neighborhood: Unlike other young people who dreamed of exchange programs like Erasmus or moving out of the city, Montini prefers the static and predictable comfort of his local environment, even if this ends up stagnating him. Lorenzo Montini's tastes reflect a man who only seeks everyday peace, a little unconditional affection, and to go unnoticed amidst the hostility of the outside world.

Defined Fears and Existential Traumas: The terror of physical reprisals (Fear of Paturnia): After a lifetime of being the school bully, as an adult he develops an absolute dread of local mafia figures like Paturnia. This paralyzing fear forces him to act against his own moral values, even going so far as to betray Zero by leaking his personal information under duress. Fear of rejection and social contempt: Montini lives in constant panic that the world will confirm his worthlessness. His inferiority complex leads him to put on a pathetic facade for his girlfriend, inventing the idea that he's the popular leader of the school simply because he can't bear the thought of her discovering his pathetic reality and leaving him. Panic at the loss of his only bond (Giulio): His dog Giulio is his only refuge of unconditional love. The fear of being completely alone in the world focuses all his attention on caring for his pet. When Paturnia attacks the animal, this fear of losing it instantly transforms into a desperate, homicidal rage. Fear of change and social exposure: Unlike his contemporaries who seek to leave Rebibbia, Lorenzo has an intrinsic fear of leaving the neighborhood. He clings to the static comfort of his precarious local routine because the outside world seems an even more hostile and uncontrollable stage, ultimately leading to his complete stagnation. Terror of confinement and absolute isolation: His final destination in prison materializes his worst phobia: total disconnection from the real world, trapped underground in a metaphorical "sewer" where there are no helping hands or visiting community, completely shattering his sanity.

Physical Appearance and Visual Design: A defenseless mixed-breed dog: Giulio is designed in Zerocalcare's characteristic style as a small, stray, or mixed-breed dog. Physically, he is neither a purebred nor imposing; he is an ordinary dog ​​from the urban periphery, small and visibly vulnerable. Expressive and noble features: The drawing emphasizes his expressive eyes, which convey deep loyalty and tenderness. Unlike the ferocious guard dogs often associated with neighborhood thugs, Giulio's design conveys absolute innocence. Reflection of his owner: Like Lorenzo, the dog has a somewhat simple, disheveled, and humble appearance, perfectly blending into the precarious atmosphere in which they both live. Conceptual role and personality: Unconditional love in solitude: Giulio is the only living being in the entire universe of the series who does not judge, ignore, or mistreat Montini. For a man who grew up being the target of school bullying and who lives in isolation as an adult, the dog represents his only refuge of genuine affection. Harmless protector: Despite his tiny size and fragility, Giulio demonstrates unwavering courage for his owner. His personality is docile, but he instinctively barks and tries to intervene when he sees Lorenzo being physically assaulted. The tragic turning point in the plot: Paturnia's attack: The cruelty of the series reaches its peak when the debt collector, Paturnia, unleashes his sadism by savagely kicking Giulio almost to death. The breaking of submission: Seeing his only companion moan in pain and on the verge of death triggers a metamorphosis in Lorenzo. His love for Giulio outweighs his chronic fear of the mafia: it is this act of animal violence that makes Montini's internal "pressure cooker" explode, leading him to murder the thug in an uncontrollable fit of rage to defend his pet

1. Childhood Events: The Origin of Marginalization: The Target of Bullying: From elementary school, Montini becomes the favorite victim of the bully Conrado, suffering beatings and systematic ridicule. The Humiliation by the Pigeons: In a school memory exaggerated by Zero's narrative, it is shown that Montini experienced such extreme marginalization that "even the pigeons defecated on him." The Stigma of Clothing: Due to his parents' anti-capitalist ideology, Lorenzo never wears designer clothes, which increases the rejection and ridicule from his classmates in Rebibbia. 2. Adolescent Events: The Mask of Popularity: The Creation of a Girlfriend and a Lie: To avoid being rejected by his girlfriend (who is not from the neighborhood), Montini invents that he is the most respected and popular student in the high school. The Set-Up by Zero's Group: When he is cornered and about to be exposed, he begs Zero, Sara, and Secco to pretend in front of his girlfriend. The group agrees out of pity and puts on an exaggerated "show" to confirm their false popularity. The birth of a one-sided friendship: Because Zero simply greets him every morning out of politeness at school, Lorenzo definitively assumes they are best friends due to his profound chronic loneliness. 3. Events in Adulthood: The criminal yoke and betrayal. Stagnation in the neighborhood: While his contemporaries are experiencing university life or traveling on Erasmus programs, Montini remains completely trapped and without resources in the outskirts of Rome. Coercion under Paturnia: Lorenzo is forcibly recruited by Paturnia, a local mobster who extorts the bar recently opened by Zero and Cinghiale. Betrayal out of fear: Under physical threats, Montini is forced to betray his only "friend," leaking Zero's personal information and data to Paturnia. The adoption of Giulio: He finds a mixed-breed dog he names Giulio, which becomes the only happy and affectionate event of his adult life.

4. Final Events: The Breakdown and the Tragic Outcome. The Attack on the Dog: Seeking to break what little willpower Lorenzo has left, Paturnia savagely kicks Giulio, leaving him on the brink of death. The Murder of Paturnia: The violence against his pet unleashes Montini's internal "pressure cooker." Losing control, Lorenzo attacks and murders the mafioso by stabbing him in the middle of a public square to defend his dog. The Arrest and Imprisonment: Montini is immediately arrested by the police and taken to prison.

The Yoke of Paturnia and the Betrayal for Survival: Slave to the Local Mafia: Growing up without resources, higher education (stuck in the neighborhood while others were experiencing university life), and carrying the trauma of bullying, Montini falls under the absolute control of Paturnia, a violent criminal dedicated to extortion. Debt Collection: Paturnia arrives in the neighborhood to demand money from the bar that Zero and Cinghiale have just opened. To facilitate his movements and pressure the protagonists, the mafioso uses Montini as his lackey and errand boy. The Betrayal: At a critical point in the story, Zero bitterly discovers that it was Montini himself who provided all his personal information to Paturnia. Although Zero initially reacts with rage, he soon grasps the heartbreaking reality: Montini acted out of pure fear, coerced by the violence of an environment that had always turned its back on him. The trigger: The attack on his only refuge. The dog as a lifeline: The only ray of light in Lorenzo's lonely adult life is his dog, the only living being that offers him unconditional affection and to whom he feels absolute loyalty. The breaking point of submission: Paturnia, seeking to psychologically break Montini so that he will obey her orders without question, crosses the final line and cruelly attacks the pet. This creates a "pressure cooker effect" in Lorenzo: years of accumulated humiliations explode in a second. Losing control, Montini responds with a savage and uncontrollable rage, attacking Paturnia in defense of his animal. The tragic outcome and collective guilt. Prison and abandonment: After the violent altercation with the mobster, Montini is arrested and imprisoned. The system and the neighborhood fail him again: he is completely isolated in prison, without visits from the community that once ignored him. The final blow in prison: Unable to endure the harshness of prison life, the chronic loneliness, and the inevitable repercussions of having defied the mafia.

The Yoke of Paturnia and the Betrayal for Survival: Slave to the Local Mafia: Growing up without resources, higher education (stuck in the neighborhood while others were experiencing university life), and carrying the trauma of bullying, Montini falls under the absolute control of Paturnia, a violent criminal dedicated to extortion. Debt Collection: Paturnia arrives in the neighborhood to demand money from the bar that Zero and Cinghiale have just opened. To facilitate his movements and pressure the protagonists, the mafioso uses Montini as his lackey and errand boy. The Betrayal: At a critical point in the story, Zero bitterly discovers that it was Montini himself who provided all his personal information to Paturnia. Although Zero initially reacts with rage, he soon grasps the heartbreaking reality: Montini acted out of pure fear, coerced by the violence of an environment that had always turned its back on him. The trigger: The attack on his only refuge. The dog as a lifeline: The only ray of light in Lorenzo's lonely adult life is his dog, the only living being that offers him unconditional affection and to whom he feels absolute loyalty. The breaking point of submission: Paturnia, seeking to psychologically break Montini so that he will obey her orders without question, crosses the final line and cruelly attacks the pet. This creates a "pressure cooker effect" in Lorenzo: years of accumulated humiliations explode in a second. Losing control, Montini responds with a savage and uncontrollable rage, attacking Paturnia in defense of his animal. The tragic outcome and collective guilt. Prison and abandonment: After the violent altercation with the mobster, Montini is arrested and imprisoned. The system and the neighborhood fail him again: he is completely isolated in prison, without visits from the community that once ignored him.

1. Childhood: The Origin of Bullying and the Ideological Home. School Marginalization: From Rebibbia public school, Montini becomes the ultimate symbol of "unpopularity." He is the systematic target of humiliations from Conrado (the most feared bully) and Eduardo (the rich kid). Anti-capitalist Parents: His family life is marked by a lack of resources and strong ideological customs. While he suffers bullying for not wearing designer clothes, his parents, with their anti-capitalist ideology, buy him cheap, informal clothing, accentuating his isolation. The Perspective of the Surroundings: No one intervenes to defend him. Zero recalls his own childhood, admitting that he was grateful with relief "not to be Montini," internalizing the collective indifference of the neighborhood. 2. Adolescence: Lying as Emotional Survival. A Fictitious Girlfriend: Upon entering high school, his need for validation leads him to invent a false reality for his girlfriend from out of town, assuring her that he is the most popular boy in school. The White Lie: When cornered, he asks Zero, Sara, and Secco for help. Moved by pity, they play along, pretending to the girl that he is a true student leader. This display of vulnerability touches Sara so much that it inspires her to swallow her pride and reconcile with her former enemy, Julia Cometis. A Friend Out of Politeness: Because Zero simply greets him every morning out of politeness, Lorenzo clings to this gesture and assumes they are on very good terms, considering him a true friend due to his chronic loneliness. Adulthood: Stagnation and the yoke of the mafia. No Erasmus or opportunities: While his generation moves forward, Montini remains completely stuck in Rebibbia without pursuing a degree, lacking the resources or family motivation to leave the neighborhood. Slave of Paturnia: He ends up falling under the total control of Paturnia, a violent neo-Nazi thug who extorts local businesses.

Paturnia makes him her errand boy and uses him to pressure Zero and Cinghiale (Wild Boar) about the debt from his new business. Driven by fear, Montini betrays Zero by leaking his personal information to the mobster. Giulio the dog, his only refuge: Montini's only emotional and pure anchor in the world is his dog Giulio. 4. The breaking point and the tragic outcome: Paturnia's attack: In a fit of sadism and seeking to break Montini's will, Paturnia kicks and almost kills the dog. This triggers a "pressure cooker effect" in Lorenzo; accumulating decades of trauma, humiliation, and abuse, he loses control and savagely attacks the mobster in defense of his pet, taking his life. Prison and oblivion: After the crime, Montini is arrested. Locked in a cell, suffering the harshness of prison life and knowing he has no one outside (no one from the community visits him).

1. Childhood: The Origin of Systematic Bullying. The Official Victim of the School: From elementary school onward, Montini is narratively defined as the absolute standard of "unpopularity." He becomes the favorite target of beatings and humiliations from Conrado, the school bully. The Stigma of Clothing: His parents, with their anti-capitalist ideology, refuse to buy him designer clothes. This causes Lorenzo to suffer double rejection from his classmates due to his humble appearance. The Indifference of the Environment: No one in the neighborhood intervenes to defend him. Zero himself recalls his childhood, admitting that his only daily consolation was giving thanks for "not being Montini," marking the beginning of his loneliness.
2. Adolescence: The Mask of Popularity. The Invention of a False Reality: Upon getting a girlfriend outside his social circle, Montini's fear of rejection leads him to invent a grand lie: he assures her that he is the most respected and popular student leader in school. Zero's Group's Staged Show: When the lie is about to be exposed, Lorenzo desperately turns to Zero, Sara, and Secco. Moved by pity, the three put on an exaggerated performance for the girl to validate his supposed fame. The Indirect Impact on Sara: This event so deeply affects Sara that it inspires her to swallow her pride and reconcile with her childhood enemy, Julia Cometis. A One-Sided Friendship: Because Zero simply greets him politely in the hallways every morning, Montini cherishes the gesture and definitively assumes they are best friends.
3. Adulthood: The criminal yoke and forced betrayal. Stagnation in Rebibbia: While his contemporaries experience university life or travel on Erasmus programs, Montini remains completely trapped, isolated and without resources in the neighborhood.

Forced Recruitment: He falls under the absolute control of Paturnia, a violent criminal dedicated to extortion who arrives to collect a debt from Zero and Cinghiale's new bar. Betrayal Out of Fear: Under extreme physical threats, Montini is forced to betray Zero, leaking all his information and personal data to Paturnia so the mobster can pressure him. Giulio's Rescue: In the midst of his precarious life, Lorenzo adopts a small mixed-breed dog he names Giulio, who becomes his only emotional refuge and the being he loves most in the world. 4. The Breaking Point and the Arrest: Paturnia's Attack: Seeking to break what little willpower Lorenzo has left, Paturnia savagely kicks Giulio, leaving him on the verge of death before his owner's eyes. The Pressure Cooker Exploding: Seeing his only companion suffer unleashes decades of accumulated traumas and humiliations. Montini completely loses control, abandoning his long-standing submissiveness, and fiercely attacks the mobster in the middle of the public square to defend his pet. The police arrest: Immediately after the violent altercation, patrols arrive at the scene and Montini is arrested, being permanently taken to prison.