Da Vinci's Demons: A New Look Into The Man Who Defined The Renaissance

            Leonardo Da Vinci, known throughout the world as one of the greatest minds in human history, along with being the most revered person during the renaissance. His genius and intellect spread to numerous interests including painting, sculpting, architecture, mathematics, Engineer, inventor, and geologist. He has been portrayed in various other forms of media including Assassins Creed II and its sequel, Assassins Creed Brotherhood, where he made equipment for the games main character. In the Starz TV series, Da Vinci’s Demons, elevates Leonardo Da Vinci from supporting character to full-fledged action hero, who uses his superior thinking to overcome any obstacle.

            The series portrays Leonardo Da Vinci, Played by Tom Riley, when he lived in the city of Florence and was busy working as a painter as well as an inventor. The show mainly focuses on not only Da Vinci’s life but the political and social happenings surrounding the renaissance. The episode features such powerful figures of the renaissance such as Pope Sixtus IV who seems to be concerned with Leonardo. This is due to Leonardo being contracted by the Medici family to rival the Vatican’s growing power in Italy. During this time Italy was divided with numerous kingdoms and city-states fighting for power including Florence, Venice, and the Vatican.

            The scenery of the sets and the city itself are stunning with great CG affects that make Florence come to life. In my honest opinion, the show resembles the video game Assassins Creed II with so many famous landmarks that can be seen throughout the show. The programs portrayal of Da Vinci’s thought process itself is incredible as it just doesn’t reveal the genius but also sometimes the madness that people like Da Vinci inspire from. There are many people that describe him as a heretic or as deviant, but that what makes him so unlike any other person at the time. Though the greatest quality was not letting this stop him from expanding his knowledge to point where he far beyond his time and it’s still hard to fathom what he was capable of.

            As a character Leonardo, is quite similar in many aspects but different in other compared to other forms of media. Such as in Assassins Creed II and Brotherhood, where Leonardo is often doing numerous tasks at once while helping the Main Character. Now that he has become the Main Protagonist, he uses his understanding of the current situation to be able to take action. His willingness to fight a battle, regardless of the circumstances, is impressive and shows that one must use his mind to overcome any obstacle set forth. Leonardo himself, I feel, is a combination of numerous qualities that can be seen regularly in television shows, movies, and video games.  This includes Doctors Who’s, Jack Harkness’s willingness to fight and sexual appetite, Tony Stark’s superior intelligence, inventive skill and flash, even The Doctors ability to analyze any scenario. Da Vinci’s Demons is quite the conspiracy laden program that draws viewers deeper into the plot and also offers the action, sex, and drunken debauchery that we all enjoy to watch.