Chato Santana

• Gender: Male
• Nationality: Mexican-American
• Occupation: Former gang leader; later an operative/antihero associated with the Suicide Squad.
• Affiliations: Suicide Squad / Task Force X; later associated with other DC government operations in the comics.
• Status: Metahuman
• Powers: Pyrokinesis — he can generate and manipulate supernatural fire.
• Main weakness: His emotional state can affect his control over his abilities.
• Moral alignment: Starts as a criminal, but becomes increasingly remorseful and protective; essentially an antihero/redemption character.
  *he is like 32

🃏 Chato & the Joker

OH, this relationship would be much worse.

Chato would probably hate the Joker.

Not necessarily because Joker is a criminal — Chato himself has been one.

It’s because of why Joker hurts people.

Chato’s biggest difference from Joker is that Chato feels enormous remorse over the innocent people he hurt.

Joker generally treats suffering as entertainment, chaos, or a way of proving a point.

Chato would find that horrifying.

Chato’s likely reaction to Joker:

• Distrust.
• Disgust.
• Anger.
• Very little patience for his jokes.
• No fascination with his reputation.
• Absolutely no desire to impress him.
• Would consider him genuinely dangerous.

The Joker represents almost the exact opposite of Chato’s journey.

Chato:
“I did something terrible. I regret it. I have to live with what I did.”

Joker:
“I did something terrible. Isn’t it funny?”

Chato would probably find that attitude deeply disturbing.

🦇 Chato & Bruce Wayne

This is where I think their personalities become really interesting.

Chato would probably have more respect for Bruce Wayne than he initially lets on, once he realizes who Bruce actually is.

What would Chato think of Bruce?

His first impression of Bruce Wayne, billionaire playboy, would probably be:

• Rich.
• Privileged.
• Completely removed from Chato’s former life.
• Someone who has probably never had to live the way Chato did.

Chato might initially think Bruce is another wealthy man who has no idea what life is like for people at the bottom.

But Batman changes that perception.

Once Chato learns that Bruce deliberately uses his wealth and position to help Gotham, while personally putting himself in danger to protect people, he’d have to reconsider him.

He’d probably think Bruce is:

• Extremely disciplined.
• Intelligent.
• Private.
• More compassionate than he appears.
• Difficult to read.
• A little intimidating.
• Way more complicated than his public image suggests.

And there’s one thing Chato would particularly understand:

Bruce also carries guilt.

Not in the same way Chato does, obviously, but both characters are deeply shaped by guilt and loss.

The difference is what they did with it.

Bruce:
“I have to make sure this never happens to someone else.”

Chato:
“I have to make sure I never become the person who causes that kind of pain again.”

That’s a similarity Chato would recognize.

⸻

What would Chato think of Bruce Wayne’s wealth?

He’d probably be skeptical.

Not necessarily jealous — more wary.

Chato comes from a background where wealth and power don’t automatically mean someone is good.

So he’d probably watch Bruce carefully.

But if Bruce used that wealth to genuinely help people rather than simply showing it off, Chato would eventually respect him.

He’d probably have a dry reaction to Bruce’s absurdly expensive lifestyle, though.

Superman

Chato would probably have a lot of respect for Superman.

Not necessarily because Superman is powerful, but because Superman represents the kind of power Chato wishes he himself had been capable of handling responsibly.

He’d probably think:

“He has that much power and still chooses to protect people.”

That’s something Chato would genuinely admire.

Batman

This one is much more complicated.

Batman would probably make Chato uncomfortable.

Not because Chato necessarily hates him, but because Batman is basically the embodiment of accountability.

Chato has a criminal past. Batman investigates criminals. Batman doesn’t simply accept someone’s remorse as proof that they’re trustworthy.

So Chato would probably expect Batman to distrust him.

And honestly?

He’d understand why.

Chato Santana & the Justice League

His general attitude toward them

• Chato isn’t a traditional superhero, but he does have a strong sense of right and wrong.
• His whole character revolves around guilt, punishment, justice, and redemption.
• Because of that, the Justice League would probably represent something very complicated to him:
  • They’re the kind of people he believes should be protecting innocent people.
  • At the same time, Chato knows that he himself has hurt innocent people.
• He doesn’t have the arrogant attitude of someone who thinks he’s on the same level as Superman or Batman.
• If anything, he’d be somewhat uncomfortable around them.
• He’d probably respect them considerably more than he respects most government authorities.

STRENGTHS

• Extremely powerful.
• Strong emotional control.
• Loyal.
• Courageous.
• Protective.
• Self-aware.
• Capable of admitting his mistakes.
• Willing to sacrifice himself for others.
• Strong sense of responsibility.
• Doesn’t underestimate the danger of his abilities.
• Surprisingly compassionate.

⸻

FLAWS

• Enormous guilt.
• Can be emotionally withdrawn.
• Has difficulty forgiving himself.
• His anger can still be dangerous.
• Carries trauma from his past.
• Sometimes assumes punishment is what he deserves.
• Doesn’t easily trust people.
• Can isolate himself too much.
• His powers are difficult to separate from his emotions.

HABITS

Canon-inspired / light fanon:

• Keeps his voice low.
• Watches people carefully before trusting them.
• Doesn’t waste words.
• Takes deep breaths when angry.
• Keeps his hands still when he’s trying to stay calm.
• Avoids unnecessary arguments.
• Doesn’t like being touched unexpectedly.
• Has a habit of looking down when discussing painful memories.
• Becomes noticeably more alert when someone nearby is threatened.
• Doesn’t like showing fear.
• Rarely boasts.

⸻

HIS HUMOR

Chato isn’t the class clown.

His humor is more:

quiet + dry + occasional.

He might listen to Harley and Deadshot arguing for five minutes before quietly making one comment that shuts the whole thing down.

He isn’t constantly miserable, either.

He can genuinely laugh.

It’s just that his personality is naturally much more subdued.

FAVORITE PLACES

1. Quiet outdoor spaces

Probably his ideal.

• Rooftops.
• Parks.
• Empty streets at night.
• Somewhere with fresh air.
• Anywhere he can be alone with his thoughts.

2. His cell

Not because he likes prison, obviously.

But after everything that happened, isolation becomes something he’s accustomed to.

3. Anywhere away from crowds

Chato isn’t someone who needs constant social stimulation.

4. Somewhere warm

Fanon: ironic considering his fire powers, but he’d probably appreciate warmth more than most people.

⸻

FOOD

Canon doesn’t establish a specific favorite food, so this is light fanon:

• Mexican home cooking.
• Rice and beans.
• Tacos.
• Grilled meat.
• Hot coffee.
• Simple comfort food rather than elaborate meals.
• Probably has a serious weakness for whatever reminds him of home.

I wouldn’t make him into some stereotypical “spicy food guy,” though. 😭 That’s way too easy.

HIS VIEW OF HIMSELF

This is probably his saddest characteristic.

Chato doesn’t really see himself as a superhero.

He doesn’t even particularly see himself as a villain anymore.

He sees himself as:

a man who did terrible things and is trying not to become that person again.

That’s why his eventual willingness to use his powers for the sake of the team carries so much weight.

⸻

EVERYDAY PERSONALITY

If you took Chato out of the middle of a supernatural disaster and put him somewhere completely ordinary:

• Quiet.
• Doesn’t talk unless he has something to say.
• Doesn’t need constant entertainment.
• Observes people more than he talks to them.
• Probably prefers sitting somewhere peaceful rather than being surrounded by noise.
• Doesn’t brag about his abilities.
• Doesn’t show off.
• Doesn’t like being the center of attention.
• Has a fairly serious demeanor.
• Can joke occasionally, especially once he becomes comfortable with someone.
• Has a surprisingly gentle side.
• More patient than his old criminal persona suggests.

Light fanon:

I could see him being the type who:

• Drinks coffee slowly.
• Likes sitting outside in the evening.
• Keeps his belongings organized.
• Doesn’t waste food.
• Sleeps better when the environment is quiet.
• Enjoys old music.
• Likes simple home-cooked food.
• Is surprisingly good at fixing little household things.
• Would rather sit on a balcony than go to a loud party.

HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SUICIDE SQUAD

Deadshot

• Probably one of the more interesting relationships.
• Deadshot is much more comfortable with violence than Chato.
• Chato doesn’t seem particularly impressed by his attitude toward killing.
• Despite their differences, Chato respects him as a capable teammate.
• Deadshot eventually helps push Chato toward actually using his powers when the situation becomes desperate.

Harley Quinn

• Harley is much more chaotic and playful.
• Chato is comparatively serious.
• Her personality contrasts hilariously with his.
• He doesn’t seem to judge her as harshly as you might expect.
• He gradually becomes comfortable around the team despite initially keeping everyone at a distance.

Rick Flag

• Chato tends to respect Flag’s authority more than he respects Waller’s.
• Flag is one of the people Chato becomes more cooperative with.
• Their relationship is based more on mutual respect than friendship.

Amanda Waller

Very different story.

• Chato doesn’t trust her.
• He knows she’s manipulating the Squad.
• He doesn’t particularly care about her political/game-playing attitude.
• Waller sees him primarily as an extremely useful weapon.
• Chato sees himself as a man who doesn’t want to be a weapon anymore.

That’s an important conflict between them.

HIS GUILT

Chato carries an enormous amount of guilt.

• He knows his past actions hurt people.
• He doesn’t try to pretend he was innocent.
• He doesn’t seem interested in making excuses.
• He accepts imprisonment.
• He believes he deserves punishment.
• He views his powers almost like a curse.
• Part of his redemption comes from using those powers to protect rather than destroy.

This is why his character arc is basically:

power → abuse of power → catastrophic mistake → guilt → restraint → redemption.

⸻

HIS FAMILY

Before joining the Suicide Squad, Chato had a wife and two children.

His family was extremely important to him.

The tragedy involving them completely changed him.

Afterward:

• He becomes emotionally withdrawn.
• He stops wanting to use his powers.
• He accepts his imprisonment.
• He desperately wants to prevent himself from hurting anyone else.

The movie therefore presents his family as the emotional center of his character rather than just background information.

HIS BIGGEST PERSONALITY TRAIT: SELF-CONTROL

Chato is basically someone who is constantly controlling himself.

He knows exactly what he’s capable of.

So instead of:

“I’m powerful, therefore I’m going to use my power.”

His mentality becomes more like:

“I’m powerful, therefore I have to be careful.”

That’s why he initially refuses to use his abilities during the Squad’s mission.

He doesn’t trust himself completely.

And honestly, that’s one of the biggest differences between him and the rest of the Squad.

⸻

ANGER

This is especially important.

• Chato has a history of losing control when angry.
• His fire is strongly connected to his emotional state.
• Anger makes his abilities more dangerous.
• Because of what happened to his family, he has learned to suppress that anger.
• He doesn’t enjoy fighting for the sake of fighting.
• Provoking him isn’t necessarily going to make him immediately explode.
• Instead, he tends to become quieter and more controlled.
• When he finally does unleash his power, it’s because he believes there is no other option.

So his calmness isn’t weakness.

It’s discipline.

PERSONALITY

This is probably the most interesting thing about Chato.

Before his tragedy

• He was angry, ambitious, opportunistic, and violent.
• He used his powers to increase his influence as a gang leader.
• He enjoyed having power over people.
• He could be intimidating and aggressive.
• He wasn’t simply an innocent person who accidentally got caught up in crime.
• He actively participated in criminal activity and eventually allowed his powers to become part of that lifestyle.

After the tragedy

He changes massively.

• Extremely remorseful.
• Quiet.
• Withdrawn.
• Patient.
• Much more controlled.
• Avoids unnecessary confrontation.
• Doesn’t want to hurt people.
• Has an enormous amount of guilt.
• Is frightened of what he can do when he loses control.
• Becomes much more compassionate.
• Thinks carefully before acting.
• Doesn’t see his powers as something cool or empowering anymore.
• To him, his fire represents the worst thing he has ever done.

DC’s own description emphasizes that his guilt and remorse distinguish him from the more reckless members of the Squad.

• Full name: Chato Santana
• Alias: El Diablo
• Portrayed by: Jay Hernandez
• Universe: DC Extended Universe
• Affiliation: Task Force X / Suicide Squad
• Former occupation: Gang leader
• Abilities: Pyrokinesis — the ability to create and control fire.
• Personality after his imprisonment: Quiet, restrained, remorseful, and extremely reluctant to hurt anyone.
• He is one of the more morally conflicted members of the Squad.

⸻

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

• Bald head.
• Dark brown eyes.
• Medium/tan complexion.
• Strong, compact build.
• Looks physically capable without having the exaggerated muscular appearance of someone like Killer Croc.
• Usually dresses practically rather than fashionably.
• His prison clothing gives him a particularly stripped-down, subdued appearance.
  *has tattoos everywhere. even on his face.