Caray, Caray!

Montero tells Esme that she should be dead and in addition he now understands that why she stayed with him after the Marquesa tried to get their marriage annulled. She has betrayed him to free her mother and they will both pay dearly for it. Esme tries some explanations but Montero isn’t interested. Renzo, who should be keeping a low profile here, shoots off his mouth that Esme is innocent and didn’t know about the plan until her mother was freed. Predictably, Montero says that he will kill Renzo for defending Esme. Montero leaves and tells the guards that if they lose these prisoners, they will be shot.

Montero congratulates Pizarro on finding Esme. All they need to do is find the woman in the iron mask and he can relax. [It occurs to me here that neither Montero nor Pizarro know what SK looks like – all they’ve ever seen is the mask. Fernando knows but he’s not compos mentis right now. If the gypsies had taken advantage of this, they might have hidden her in plain sight. They would have to get rid of the old guy though.] Pizarro says not to worry, he’s going to torture Esme. Montero says don’t be silly, she’s preggers, you might kill her. ‘You care?’ asks Pizarro. Montero says that right now he needs her alive. He believes the de la Vegas are planning something and having Esme is the only card in his favor. Pizarro can terrorize her and make her cooperate for fear of losing her child.

Pizarro then asks Montero what should he do with the gypsy prisoners. Pizarro recommends executing them because they were told that they would be killed if they didn’t reveal where their queen was. They didn’t reveal where SK was so they should be killed. Montero says no, let them rot in prison. He wants the “lesser races” [raices inferiores] in LA to know what happens when they mess with him. Pizarro protests that not carrying through on the threat will be perceived as a sign of weakness.

Montero reacts badly to Pizarro’s questioning of his orders. He tells Pizarro that this game is about power – he, Montero, has never had so much power and he isn’t giving it up. Pizarro says that Montero has to respect the hierarchy above him. Montero says that he is going to run the city however he wants and no one will stop him not even the King or Queen of Spain!!! If anyone questions or disobeys him, they will pay with their lives. Montero leaves. Pizarro looks at the camera and says that it is just what he suspected, the power is driving his commandante crazy and he, Pizarro, will not permit it.
So, a rift among the bad guys. That’s a hopeful sign.

Back in prison, Esme says that Montero is crazy, completely crazy and is going to kill them. Esme says that everything that has happened has been her fault because she trusted Olmos. Renzo points out that they freed SK. He is sure that they will escape from prison and makes Esme swear that she will do everything she can to save herself and her child.

Back at the bat cave, Diego wants to leave. He knows that he isn’t a criminal and he wants to find out who he is. Bernardo tells [writes, actually] that he is in danger. Diego still wants to go and find out who he is but his wound isn’t healed yet and he will let Bernardo change the bandage.

I guess Agapito untied Fernando because he has taken him to where MP is. He says that Almudena went to get some holy oil and when he examined MP she had stopped hemorrhaging and her fever had gone down. It’s a miracle, says Agapito. Fernando approaches MP’s bed and their song starts.

The exorcism is in full swing – the exorcist is talking to God, NN is writhing and the nuns are praying.

The Cardinal tells PT about the exorcism and PT expresses his doubts about the necessity of the procedure but hopes it goes well.

Alej is in his military uniform and walking through the woods trailed by Yumalai. In spite of the dire situation that the whole town is in and the fact that only Alej can end the reign of terror, Yumalai wastes time by talking about their relationship. Since he spoke with White Buffalo Alej has been avoiding meeting Yuma’s eyes and his voice sounds like a hollow tree. Alej says that he loves Alumdena and doesn’t want to hurt her. Yuma says that her customs permit a man to have two wives. Alej says that his and Almudena’s customs are different. Alej tells Yuma that her love for him is different than his for Almudena and his for Regina, too. Then Alej says that they both know that no woman of Yuma’ race can give her body and soul like Almudena [this is not very politically correct and what about Regina?]. It isn’t fair to Almudena and he isn’t going to hurt her.

Almudena is in church praying for Fernando and all her loved ones and she asks where God is that all these terrible things are happening.

Fernando asks MP to speak to him and tell him that he isn’t crazy. She says he isn’t crazy but he has an empty space in his heart. He thought that she could fill it but she can’t. Fernando says not to worry. The most important thing is that she is alive. Some soldiers come and tell Fernando that Montero wants him at the prison. Fernando doesn’t want to leave but they insist.

Montero and Mangle and having some rough sex and Mangle doesn’t like it. Montero is drunk with power. Mangle reminds Montero of his promise not to harm Diego. Someone knocks on the door and Montero shows Mangle his surprise – Fernando under arrest. Mangle tells Montero that he can’t arrest her father and Montero goes into his ‘I can do anything spiel!’ and Mangle had better give him what he wants because she is alone now with no one to protect her.

NN, who now has a Satanic voice, accuses Aaron the exorcist of killing his parents and seems to be getting the upper hand because he drops his oil sprinkler. He prays again and she starts writhing again.

MP is apparently on the road to recovery. Agapito is amazed. He gives instructions to Almadena on what kind of food to give MP and says that he will call every day. [I thought MP was in Agapito’s house?] Almadena takes MP’s recovery as a sign that God is turning things around. MP asks about what happened to Fernando and Almadena says that she will find out.

Montero tells Fernando that he can’t have any power in LA anymore. He can stay as Governor under Montero’s orders. Fernando says, ‘sure, whatever’. Montero is surprised and Mangle is listening in another room. Fernando says that he resigns his position as Governor. All he wants to do is leave LA. Montero is pleased but surprised. Montero tells Fernando that he will kill SK. Fernando says that he doesn’t care but he warns Montero that if you have the power, you are responsible for what you do. Montero thanks him for the advice and asks Fernando why he is so detached since he had wanted to be Governor very much. Fernando says that, ‘he no longer owns anything, he is not interested in anything. He no longer owns his life.’

After Fernando leaves, Mangle comes out and tells Montero that she won’t let her father give up everything so easily. He won’t abandon her. She is his daughter. She will return her father to the way he was before.

Aguirre, the guard brings Esme some food. She tries to get him to help her but he is too afraid of Montero. When he leaves, Renzo says that the guards can only be influenced by money. Esme says that she no longer has any money. Olmos has her jewels. Renzo then gives her the message from her mother that all her mother’s fortune is in the pendant that Esme wears. Esme prays for her mother’s safety and Diego’s.

Honas brains the soldier who followed the gypsies and tells him not to underestimate the cleverness of the gypsies. [They don’t actually seem to have been that clever.]

Diego is impatient for Bernardo to return with some food. He opens the box where PT put the Zorro stuff, the medal, the mask, etc. Diego wonders who would wear a black mask?

Pizarro goes to see Olmos and threatens to arrest him as an accomplice to come crimes that the Governor committed. When Olmos says that the Governor will protect him, Pizarro tells Olmos that Fernando has resigned. Pizarro threatens Olmos with torture but says that if Olmos tells him everything, Pizarro will protect him. Olmos seems to be on the point of making a deal but he wants to know whether SK has been recaptured. Pizarro says not yet but her recapture is immanent. Olmos says that SK is very dangerous to the crown of Spain and Olmos will explain to Pizarro why.

In the prison, Esme tells Renzo that she has been thinking about what her mother meant about the pendant being her total fortune. The stone in the pendant is an emerald but it is small and probably wouldn’t interest the guards. Renzo says that SK must have meant that the pendant represented SK’s love for Esme. Esme is pondering this when Pizarro [a very busy guy] comes to take Esme to the torture chamber. Renzo says, ‘take me. I’ll tell you what you want,’ but Pizarro isn’t interested.

Back in the bat cave, Diego is playing dress up with the Zorro stuff.
Pizarro tells Esme that he knows the secret of her mother, that she could inherit the Spanish throne. He tells her that he could find SK, hide and get her out of California without anyone knowing. Esme asks why Pizarro, Montero’s chief henchman, would do this. Pizarro says that having Montero as military governor forever doesn’t suit his plans. He has ambitions. He needs a ‘letter of triumph’ and thinks that escorting SK back to Spain would get him one. Esme asks why she should trust him. Olmos betrayed her. One burned, twice shy. ‘Fine’, says Pizarro, ‘you want proof of my bona fides, I’ll bring you Olmos’ head today.’ Esme is impactada.

Mangle comes looking for Fernando and finds Olmos. Olmos tells her that FS just left. He asks her what is going on. Mangle tells him that FS has resigned as Governor. She is angry that he will leave her penniless. Olmos tells Mangle that FS put on his best suit and all his medals and gold chains and took his box of gold coins. ‘No puede ser,’ It can’t be, says Mangle. She assumes that he has left town and sends Olmos to find him and bring him back.

Pizarro wants Esme to write SK a letter explaining what he will do for her. He swears that he will not betray her. Not surprisingly, Esme doesn’t believe him. ‘Fine,’ says Pizarro, ‘but don’t wait too long to decide. Montero is searching the whole area and it is only a matter of time before he finds SK.’ Esme looks concerned as well she might be with her experience of the ability of the gypsies to hide people.

Diego, in the Zorro costume, gets on his horse and rides out of the cave.

Esme is brought back to her cell. Renzo is concerned that she has been tortured but Esme assures him that she is fine. She asks Renzo if there was a definite plan to take her mother to Spain. Renzo says that there was a plan that she was supposed to have made with the hunchback. She tells Renzo about her conversation with Pizarro. He is impactado.

FS has not left town. He is in the church telling God that he has been given a great sign of the Lord’s existence by MP’s life being saved. Now, he has come to fulfill the promise that he made. Holding up his box of money, he says that he is giving everything to the Lord, money, jewels, property deeds, his dreams and he gives his life as well because without the Lord, he is nothing. While speaking, he starts to take off his clothes and put them in front of the altar.

Back at the exorcism, we reach a climax. NN falls back and asks what happened to her. ‘You have been saved, child,’ says Brother Aaron. Meanwhile outside NN’s room, Camba gets a strange look and gets up and walks away like a zombie. I assume we’re meant to understand that the demon that left NN entered him.

Alej tells Yumalai that he didn’t mean to insult her but he can’t live two lives at once. He is married to Almudena under the laws of God. Yuma tells Alej that she is married to him under the laws of her tribe. She is reproaching Alej for his indifference to her when Almudena shows up.

FS is staggering around town naked while the townspeople say that the Governor has gone crazy (se enloqueció). Mangle and Olmos come up and are shocked.

Pizarro takes Esme and Renzo out of their cells and acts very menacing in front of the guards.

Diego is having trouble controlling his horse. [I guess he has lost his equestrian skill as well as his memory.] He falls off. He yells at the horse and says that he is going to rest. Then we see a sword pointed at Diego’s chest but not who is wielding it.

Pizarro takes Renzo and Esme to a room with a table of food. He apologizes for his act in front of the guards. Renzo asks if what he told Esme was a trap. ‘No,’ says Pizarro, ‘it was not a trap. The true Queen of Spain is in danger. The person who saves her will reap a big reward and he wants to be that person.’ He has dedicated his life to his military career. Now Esme and Renzo have to make a decision whether they are going to help him find SK or not.

The credits roll – wow, what an episode!

Labels: Zorro