"Everyone suffers. That's just how life is. But that doesn't mean we have to be cruel..."

pre-vento aureo

ricotta, like the other gang members, had a rough childhood. his mother neglected and manipulated him, and drove his father away when he was young due to her drug addiction. her addiction also meant that they lived in poverty, which she blamed on him, like she did the absence of his father. most of ricotta's formative years, when not at school, were spent locked in his room. school therefore grew to be his safe place, where teachers would, theoretically, protect him from bullies and where he could start to nurture his love of learning. being a quiet bookworm and a not very social child, however, ricotta was heavily bullied. as a result of this lack of love, neglect, and direct abuse, ricotta slowly became a cynical and cold person. he placed heavy blame on himself. he came to the conclusion that the world, and that the people in it, too, are inherently cruel.

he met fugo shortly after fugo himself had joined the gang. while he was cornered into an alley by bullies, fugo saw him— and in ricotta, he saw himself. a studious child, seemingly okay, but brimming with rage at the unfairness of the world. fugo stepped in and defended ricotta, which was the first act of kindness shown to him that he could remember. much like he did with narancia later, fugo fed and introduced ricotta to bruno bucciarati.

this single act of kindness completely shattered ricotta's worldview, and he thought that maybe, people weren't so bad, after all. maybe there is some good in the world. maybe, if there were enough people like fugo, the world isn't cruel and evil after all.

to repay the hopsitality fugo and bucciarati had shown him, and to join these strangers that seemed to understand him more than anyone else he had ever met before, ricotta took on polpo's test. black sabbath pierced him with its arrow, and ricotta gained the stand MK ULTRA.

vento aureo

when giorno joined the gang, ricotta distrusted him. nothing personal— it's just difficult to gain ricotta's trust. he wasn't hostile towards giorno, but he definitely wasn't kind either. he was wary of giorno and his intentions, so he kept a close watch on him. giorno only gained his trust after he heard from fugo about the fight with illuso and man in the mirror. when he learned that giorno had also used purple haze's abilities to his fullest, something that ricotta thought only he could do, he changed his mind about the newcomer and decided to trust him. he came to respect giorno's idealism, and though he never voiced nor showed any of his feelings, he did begin to grow fond of him. the two even shared some tired talks between fights, and ricotta realized that giorno wasn't so different from them. after all, he was a part of this same gang of outcasts and misfits, too.

but this respect and trust only went so far. when the gang learned that bucciarati had betrayed the boss, and giorno intended to do the same, ricotta's initial reaction was disbelief. he thought that maybe, he hadn't misjudged giorno after all, and the kid was really trying to get them killed. and though ricotta, too, was an idealist and a dreamer, he believed that he had enough sense in him to realize when a dream is just that— a dream. to him, the thought of defeating the boss was inconceivable. and as soon as fugo voiced this opinion, too, ricotta's mind was made. he'd follow the boy who first showed him that kindness was possible. the boy who saved and changed his life for the better, the boy who the gang trusted to be the most logical. so this must be the best and safest choice, right? to stay behind? ricotta was sure the others would stay, too.

but they followed giorno instead. even narancia, who ricotta knew to be a little naive, sure, but to the point of stumbling after this impossible dream? even abbachio, the man who disliked giorno the most and even harrassed him on his first day on the team?

when the boat was out of sight, ricotta finally thought that maybe, it was he that had made the wrong choice, after all. the boy who prided himself on his deep devotion and loyalty had been abandoned— no, had abandoned his own allies. of course, it was too late to change his mind. a couple of members of the boss' elite guard came to pick them up and escort them back to their hometown, promising a new position in the gang and praising them for their loyalty to the boss. but to ricotta— and to fugo, too— it didn't feel like loyalty at all. it was cowardice that rooted their feet to the ground.

purple haze feedback

in progress

parameters

abilities

MK ULTRA can separate the molecules of any medium ricotta directs it towards. in other words, it can make invisible walls in anything. this ability is useful for trapping or slowing enemies, for shielding allies, and, most notably, for utilizing purple haze's deadly double-edged virus. the walls can safely direct the virus away from ricotta's allies and towards enemies instead. ricotta can put up the walls for as long as he stays within MK ULTRA's 20 meter range. he can also, theoretically, put up an infinite number. the more walls he puts up, the more exhausted he becomes at a quicker rate.

in purple haze feedback, MK ULTRA learns a new ability: to make selectively permeable walls. it can let certain people through while still maintaining the barrier. this ability reflects how ricotta is beginning to open up to people more and be more trusting of his friends and allies. MK ULTRA will eventually come to teach him that he doesn't need to be so closed off and distant, and that he will benefit from making more meaningful connections with more people.

personality

reflective of ricotta's wariness towards strangers, but opposite of his emotional nature, MK ULTRA is a silent sentinel, stoic and watchful. it is protective of its user and his friends, and if ricotta or MK ULTRA perceives ill intent or a threat, the stand will hover around the threatened ally in a protective gesture.

MK ULTRA will panic and grow frantic if its helmet is ever removed. this insecurity reflects ricotta's fear to let people in. in its frenzy, it will be harder to control, but its raw power will also be greater than before. ricotta will feel much more exhausted after using a bare MK ULTRA, even if he hadn't put up many walls or stretched his range too far.