A Protagonist is the main character of a story, and the main playable character in the Mafia Series.

Traditionally, a protagonist is the main figure of a piece of literature or drama and has the main part or role. Alternatively, the phrase denotes a primary advocate of or proponent for a cause or movement. The main character can be a hero or a villain in a story - it is just the character with the lead role. In literature, the protagonist is characterized by his/her ability to change or evolve.

It should be pointed out that the protagonist is not always the hero of the story, as implied in the Mafia games. They may commit crimes of some sort, (which the protagonists of the Mafia games certainly do) but he/she is still considered the lead character, and is known to help out his/her friends, allies or close associates.

The opposite of a protagonist is an antagonist, which is the main enemy of the protagonist and works against the protagonist and his actions. Again, this can be a villain or a hero, though usually a villain.

Current list of Mafia protagonistsEdit

Thomas Angelo	Thomas "Tommy" Angelo is the protagonist of Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven. Originally a cab driver, he is forced to join the Mafia due to a combination of unpleasant circumstances. He later became a soldato for the Salieri crime family. By the end of the game, he betrayed Salieri and testified against him in order to protect his family. He was then murdered 13 years later after his betrayal.
Vito Scaletta	Vittorio "Vito" Antonio Scaletta is the protagonist of Mafia II. He is an up-and-coming gangster in the Empire Bay criminal underworld, he was caught in a botched robbery and was force to join the army during World War II. During his return, he rejoins his childhood friend Joe Barbaro and the two eventually became made members of the Falcone crime family.
Jimmy	Jimmy is the protagonist of the DLC The Betrayal of Jimmy and Jimmy's Vendetta. He is a contract killer and enforcer who will accept any job for money. From trashing cars to shooting up buildings he does it all. He was betrayed by his employers and was sentenced to 15 years in prison, however he escaped during a prison riot and succeeded in taking revenge on the ones who betrayed him.
Joe Barbaro	Joe Barbaro is the secondary protagonist of Mafia II, and the protagonist of the DLC Joe's Adventures. He is Vito's childhood friend and together they try to live the life of the criminal underworld.
Marco	Marco is the Protagonist of Mafia II Mobile. He is a member of the Salieri crime family and after Thomas Angelo agreed to testify against the Salieri crime family he fled to Empire Bay. His only known relative is his Uncle Vincenzo.