Manuel Castillo is the regional leader of the Pacific Southwest.
Biography[]
Before the Red Flu outbreak, Castillo owned a luxury limousine company based in Los Angeles, California. He eventually moved into a mansion belonging to someone else after the cure was discovered. When it came time to unify the United States under the leadership of Jeffrey Michener, Castillo was appointed the leader of Pacific Southwest Region. Castillo eventually conspired with Allison Shaw and the other regional leaders to usurp leadership of the American government.
Events of The Last Ship[]
Castillo is seen on video chat with President Michener and fellow regional leader William Beatty. Castillo denounces Michener's ration cards alongside Beatty but Michener holds true that these cards are necessary for the survival of the American people. (“Rising Sun”)
Michener video chats Castillo and the other regional leaders to ask for their support in helping him handle the hostage crisis with the Nathan James and give CNO Chandler the time he needs to asses the situation. Castillo tells Michener that people in his region are outraged at this hostage crisis and is one of two regional leaders not to verbally pledge their support to Michener. (“Devil May Care”)
When the regional leaders demand a meeting with Michener, he agrees and meets with them at the White House. After Michener explains the situation overseas and asks what he can do to help calm the American people, Castillo suggests canceling the ration cards while Albert Wilson suggests restoring the land grab rights and opening the markets. Castillo subtly threatens Michener by stating if he doesn't his drivers may quit and refuse to ship supplies to St. Louis, causing his own people to start rioting.
Michener addresses the regional leaders, saying they all agreed that everything they did was the best plan for the nation. Michener goes onto to say that congressional elections are happening next month and afterwards they can decide whether or not to retain his policies. Michener then says they need to control their people until then, otherwise he will use the military to control their people and tells them to do their job. (“Minefield”)
Castillo attends Michener's memorial service after he supposedly committed suicide with the other regional leaders save for Senator Beatty, newly sworn in President Howard Oliver, Allison, Alex and Kara. Afterwards they meet in Oliver's new office where Castillo joins everyone in criticizing Michener's job performance. Castillo specifically criticizes that the Nathan James can't get video of the rescued hostages. (“Sea Change”)
Castillo attends Oliver's latest press conference to witness Oliver dismantle the government alongside the other regional leaders. But before Oliver can he is interrupted and rescued by Kara Green and her allies as Castillo flees the gunfight. Castillo later stands behind Shaw as she makes the announcement instead and frames their enemies for the murders of Michener, Beatty, and Rivera. (“Legacy”)
After being given full control of his region, Castillo created the “California United Forces” from the US Armed Forces that were coerced into working for him to help him maintain control over this region. Castillo later meets with Shaw and the other regional leaders as they discuss what to do with Beatty's territory since his death. Castillo insists on being given control of the territory as it has gone ungoverned for a month and the resources are drying up taking over the region adding that his with his infrastructure and proximity he is the natural choice. Both Croft and Price strongly object to Castillo being given the territory and advantage over them and Castillo retorts that if he doesn't, chaos will spread to their regions and won't wait for their permission. When Price threatens to stop her oil shipments to Castillo's territory, Shaw interjects and proposes sharing the resources evenly as Castillo and Price provide the resources to do so, which Castillo agrees to do.
Later he follows Shaw to the war room where Colonel Witt is preparing to sink the Nathan James and kill Chandler once and for all. Castillo initially tries to step forward to help Allison Shaw activate the centralized weapons system before Croft insists on being the one to do it. After the system is armed and targets the "Nathan James", all of them celebrate their demise within a few hours. When a train carrying people to Price's territory to work in her power plants doesn't arrive, Castillo is on video chat with Shaw and Price to defend himself. Castillo tells them he doesn't know why it didn't arrive as he sent his people to guard and deliver the train but Shaw simply tells him to find that train or he will lose Beatty's territory. To this end Castillo calls the one in charge of the train, General Bradley, who tells him the cargo is intact but there was a problem and should meet him at the depot. When Castillo arrives he angrily asks Bradley where the train is but when he doesn't answer Castillo orders Bradley to be killed.
When Chandler steps in front of Castillo, revealing this to be a trap, Castillo orders his men to kill Chandler before a sniper shoots the ground with warning shots. Castillo's bodyguards drop their guns and surrender as Castillo is arrested by Lt. Carlton Burk while Castillo screams at his troops that he is the one feeding them and their families but Carlton tightens his wrist before he can say anything else. Castillo is taken aboard the Nathan James where Castillo smugly tells Chandler that the people's love for Chandler disappeared when they missed food and other home comforts and states the people will turn on him and Castillo will never help him. Castillo however changes his mind when Chandler points out he botched the opportunity to kill Chandler again, his army betrayed him so easily that the others will see him as too weak to govern the areas and cut ties with him and his people with kill him. (“Resistance”)
Chandler later tells his crew that Castillo was very forthcoming with vital information on the other regional leaders, allowing the Nathan James crew to plan their attack. (“Don't Look Back”)