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Corvo Attano is a fictional character and the main protagonist of Arkane Studios' Dishonored series. He is the lead protagonist in Dishonored, one of two playable protagonists in Dishonored 2, and has appeared in multiple Dishonored works, including a comic series, and the first published book of a trilogy of novels announced in 2016.
Corvo was initially not intended to be playable in Dishonored 2, but was included alongside his daughter, Emily Kaldwin, due to nostalgia for the character by the development team. When designing his outfit for Dishonored 2, developer Sergei Kolesov wanted it to make sense for his position in society while reflecting his return to being an assassin. (2016). 9781630087746, Dark Horse Comics. ISBN 9781630087746 They also gave him voice acting in the sequel, noting that they simply assumed aspects of the character in the first game. Corvo's personality was also made more assertive. Giving him a voice also creative narrative contrast, according to Harvey Smith, to Emily, explaining that they have different experiences due to multiple factors. He was voiced by Stephen Russell in Dishonored 2.
In the second game, where Corvo is one of two playable characters, he appears 15 years older than at the conclusion of the first, and the story progresses with the other playable character, Emily, having now grown into adulthood. Corvo now serves as Emily's Royal Protector and Spymaster. As creative director Harvey Smith addressed the dilemma posed by the interaction between the two, saying Corvo was "wondering how long he can keep protecting his daughter ... He knows that someday somebody's going to come for her, because she's the Empress, and she needs to be able to stand on her own". Jessamine's purported half-sister, Delilah, serves as the game's main antagonist.
Corvo appears repeatedly in The Graphic novel Dishonored: The Dunwall Archives, released by Dark Horse Comics. He also appears in the leading role in a comic mini-series by Gordon Rennie and Andrea Olimpieri, entitled Dishonored: The Wyrmwood Deceit, released August 3 through October 19, 2016. The full set was also released as a graphic novel collection on November 29 of the same year. The series is set twelve years after the conclusion of the events of the first game, and centers on his attempts to find an apprentice to serve as his heir. Dishonored: The Corroded Man, created by Adam Christopher, also features Corvo, who trains and fights alongside Emily while the gang responsible for Jessamine's assassination is reformed.
In their book, The Dark Side of Game Play, Mortensen, Linderoth, and Brown examine Corvo and his in-game actions as a motif revolving around vengeance. As they phrase the moral delimma posed by the character's actions: "Virtuous Corvo would not pursue personally motivated revenge but might find his actions justified due to the offenses committed". They continue, emphasizing that vengeance is, "connected to a dark emotion because it is associated with a negative and often powerful sensation about wanting and believing that retaliation will make up for the injustice caused".
Robert Rath, writing for The Escapist, saw Corvo as a man tested and tempted by a demonic figure (the Outsider). Corvo is provided by the Outsider the tools and, with the Heart, the justifications for killing, with the gameplay incentivizing taking a more violent approach. Rath sees a low chaos Corvo as "a good man who holds onto his morals as the world beats him down", in contrast to the higher chaos Corvo who gives into his "baser instincts".
In another article Rath, with contributions by Dr. Stephen Banks of the University of Reading, looked at Corvo's actions through the lens of British 18th and 19th century honor culture. They note that Corvo, despite being former Lord Protector, and the truth of his ousting being fully believed by Loyalist, is nonetheless referred to by first name even by servants, and in many ways treated like a servant, sent to run errands. His social status as an outcast was useful to the Loyalists initially. They continue: "Corvo does all the tasks the blue bloods of the Loyalist Conspiracy are unable to perform because it might sully their reputations". Finally they conclude that:
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