Who is the final figure Dante encounters in Hell?

The final figure Dante encounters in Hell is Lucifer, who represents the ultimate betrayal and the embodiment of evil in the narrative. Located in the very depths of Inferno, Lucifer is depicted as a colossal and horrifying figure trapped in ice, symbolizing the absolute absence of light and the severe consequences of sin.

Dante's choice to conclude his journey through Hell with an encounter with Lucifer underscores the gravity of betrayal, as Lucifer is the archetype of treachery, having betrayed God himself. Furthermore, the physical representation of Lucifer, with his three faces, each consuming a soul—Judas Iscariot, Brutus, and Cassius—serves to intensify the portrayal of the worst sins. This encounter encapsulates the theme of justice and the punishment fitting the crime, as those who betrayed their benefactor or leader receive a fittingly grotesque fate in the presence of Lucifer.

In contrast, figures like Virgil, Beatrice, or Brutus do not embody this culmination of Dante’s moral and theological exploration within Hell. While Virgil guides Dante through the circles, and Beatrice is a symbol of divine love leading him toward salvation later in the narrative, they do not represent the ultimate confrontation with evil that exists in the Inferno's core