WithMafia: The Old Countryset to introduce a new cast of characters in a prequel story set before the rest of the trilogy, it might not seem like there’s much room for established characters to make an appearance. Protagonists like Tommy Angelo fromMafia 1or Vito Scaletta fromMafia 2can’t realistically appear inMafia: The Old Countrydue to their age at the time the game takes place. However, that doesn’t mean the franchise is out of options for a potentialOld Countrycameo.
The legacy of theMafiaseries' crime families runs deeper than the main trilogy explores, even if each game’s protagonist starts out as a relatively new member of the underworld. However, as the earliest entry prior toThe Old Country, certain established characters from the originalMafiaare the only feasible ones that could appear to connect the prequel to the larger trilogy. Of all theMafiacharacters old enough to appear inThe Old Country,Mafia 1’s Don Salieriseems like the most likely candidate, and his presence would instantly add weight to the game’s story.
Don Salieri Would Be a Massive Mafia: The Old Country Cameo
As a Prequel, Mafia: The Old Country’s Cameos Are Limited
Mafia: The Old Countrytakes the series back to 1900s Sicilyin the fictional town of San Celeste, following a newcomer to the series, Enzo Favara, and his journey from indentured servitude to the Sicilian Mafia. With a focus on a brand-new protagonist, it’s unlikely thatThe Old Countrywill be too concerned with telling the story of an established series character. However, there’s still room for a familiar face or two to show up, given several characters' connections to the Sicilian Mafia at the turn of the century.
Why a Young Don Salieri Makes Sense for a Cameo in The Old Country
While the Salieri Family has a couple of characters who hail from the old country of Sicily, Don Salieri himself would be the most significant—and most likely—character to appear as a cameo inThe Old Country. Ennio Salieri grew up in Sicily in the late 19th century, putting him in a prime position to show up inThe Old Country. Salieri wouldn’t immigrate to the United States until 1908, when he settled in Lost Heaven and joined up withDon Peppone’s crime family.
If a youngDon Salieri does make a cameo inMafia: The Old Country, it is possible that he is joined by his childhood friend and eventual right-hand, Frank Colletti. InMafia 1, Frank recalls a story of betting on dog races with Salieri back in the old country, which would be the perfect event to reference in the prequel. Perhaps Enzo could encounter a young Salieri and Colletti at the local dog track as a call back for fans who remember Frank’s tale from the original game.
It’s also possible thatMafia: The Old Countryfeatures Marcu Morello in a cameorole, given the rivalry he would form with Salieri years later in Lost Heaven. Like Salieri, Morello was also born in Sicily and has connections to the Sicilian Mafia. However, he is not nearly as significant a character to the greaterMafiafranchise as Don Salieri, so a cameo from Morello inThe Old Countrymay not hit the same way as one from Salieri.
Don Salieri is also mentioned by name inMafia 2, despite not actually appearing, so it’s possibleMafia: The Old Countrywill make a similar reference to the character.
Mafia 2’s Vito Scalettais another character with ties to Sicily, being born there in 1925 before immigrating to the US. However, this would make him 25 years too young to appear inMafia: The Old Country, but there’s a chance his family is referenced. With asterisks attached to most of theMafiacharacters who could realistically appear as cameos inThe Old Country, Don Salieri stands out as the most likely choice, and his impact on the series as a whole would make this potential cameo carry a greater weight than any other possibly could.
