Saturday, September 04, 2010

El Clon Friday September 3: Summary for Discussion

Capítulo 142: Love and the Single Clone
In which Daniel fears that no woman could truly love a clone; Mohamed makes his MTV debut and performs impressively in a cruelty contest with his brother; Rania and Jadiya hold a Swooning Contest; Alí hustles Jade out of Miami; and Natalia asks Andrea for help.

Tonight’s episode opens at Salamandra where Fernando, with a nice buzz going, finds a pretty girl to dance with -- and all in celebration of sobriety! Clara and Rogelio are dancing too – and with obvious affection -- and chatting about what a great kid Fernando is. If they feel something burning, it must be the hatred coming at them from Malicia. She glares at them so pointedly that Zein asks her if there’s a problem. No, para nada, she answers.

Jade and Zoraida are at Mohamed’s place. They are trying to make sense of the existence of two Lucases and Jade wants to know what it means that shadow Lucas has her jade necklace. Maybe, suggests Zoraida, it means you are going to meet up with him again.

Daniel is on his bed in Dora’s apartment, gazing at Jade’s necklace and smiling.
Dora tells Estela she’s going to ask Vicki to help her find a lawyer to look after her interests. Estela can’t understand why Osvaldo isn’t around to help. Dora finally admits that Osvaldo is in jail.

At Mohamed’s place, Samira protests her punishment: it’s not fair to keep her confined to her room. And she can’t understand why her cousin Jadiya is allowed to have male friends. It’s true, pipes up Zumaya: she's friends with Jamil! Latifa explains that it’s because Said has a more western outlook than Mohamed. She’ll talk to Mohamed, she says, but she can’t promise more than that.

Dora explains to her mother that as much as she loved Osvaldo, his lies and betrayals finally became too much to bear:
Aunque me duela, aunque a veces quisiera salir corriendo a sus brazos para que me de su apoyo y su comprensión, yo ya cerré este capítulo en mi vida.
Although it hurts me, although at times I’d like to go running into his arms so he’d give me his support and understanding, I’ve now closed that chapter in my life.
And Miguel? asks Estela. Miguel, says Dora is a great friend, always ready with a smile, always there to lend a hand.

Cris and Vicki are at the bar going over accounts when Dora arrives. Cris, still angry at Dora, tells Vicki: Go ahead and talk to your friend, that shameless traitor (esa sinverguenza y traidora). But Cris’s attitude changes quickly when Dora tells Vicki why she’s crying:
El Señor Leonardo quiere llevarme a la corte para quitarme a mi hijo.
Mr. Leonardo wants to take me to court to take my son away from me.
Enter Cristina the Avenging Angel! Over my dead body! (sobre mi cadaver), she tells her old friend. [Cristina is still mad at Dora for her supposed fling with Leo twenty years ago, but she has her moral priorities in order: First you stand up for mother and child; later you can worry about who cheated on whom.]

Mohamed thinks a sojourn in Fez with Tío Abdul is exactly what his wayward daughter needs. Latifa tells him she couldn't bear to be separated from her daughter. (Yo no soy capaz!). Well, then what about this, smiles Mohamed: I’ve been thinking about building a house in Fez for you and the children; I can stay here in Miami and look after the store.

You would stay here alone in Miami? Latifa asks incredulously. And Mohamed’s eyes bug out so far, they really look like they’re gonna pop.
MTV interlude: Latifa imagines Daddy Mo in shades, rocking it out, surrounded by hot babes…
Latifa is so overwrought, she talks about herself in the third person:
¡No no no no no! Latifa no se mueve de Miami y Mohamed no se queda solo en Miami. No y no y no y no!
Latifa’s not moving from Miami and Mohamed’s not staying alone in Miami!

The Naz joins the party and thinks it’s a swell idea. She’d be glad to take care of the house in Miami. Latifa tells her not to meddle in her marriage and turns to Mohamed to support her. The Naz escalates the insult level as well as the decibel level and also appeals to her brother for support. Their shouts bring Abdul lumbering out of of his cave. He silences the women and sends them to their rooms. [This might be an interesting time for Anita to ask Latifa her thoughts on the role of women in an Islamic society].

It’s Gloria’s birthday and they are having a party at the bar. Amin, Ramón, Hilda and Karla gather ‘round. Hilda asks what the word ‘haram’ means and Amin explains it to her. [Funny how Mohamed uses that word so often in her presence.]

Alejandro is in his apartment. He tells Ramón over the phone that he’s on his way to the party. Just then, Natalia walks in. She has been gone for over 24 hours. But when Alej asks her where she has been, her answer is a careless fabric of lies; and when confronted with them, she turns defiant. She denies any responsibility for the missing DVD player. She just gets mouthier and more aggressive. Finally Alejandro says:
Ay, Natalia, es muy difícil aguantarte.
Oh, Natalia, it’s very hard to put up with you.
And she answers:
Si es tan difícil aguantarme, ¿qué haces conmigo?
If it’s so hard to put up with me, why are you with me?
In frustration, he pounds in fist into the wall. He tells her how much he is contributing to the relationship and how she does nothing for either of them, how he feels unprepared for his fight in Chicago because he wastes all his time worrying about her… and then he realizes he is talking to himself. She has fallen asleep -- or passed out.

So how are Said’s girls getting along these days?
As Rania struggles to get a candle into a candlestick, Jadiya calls her name loudly, startling her into dropping both. We hear the ceramic candlestick shatter.
Jadiya is a kid who knows how to push buttons:
Rania tú sí que no sabes hacer nada, no?. ... Rania, mi mama sabe hacer todo mejor que tú.
Rania, you can’t do anything, can you?...Rania, my mother does everything better than you.
Jadiya stands smugly with arms crossed. Rania tries to fire back. (After all, Jade was the one who got thrown to the wind.) But Jadiya just keeps taunting her: Said says bad things about you behind your back. He says my mom is a better dancer than you… Rania gets physical, grabs Jadiya’s face roughly and says:
No te creo nada, cosa malcriada.
I don’t believe any of it, you spoiled thing!
But they keep at it, with nastier and lower insults and curses. Too bad there’s no grownup in the room to teach these children to manage conflict in a less hurtful way.

Said walks in the front door and discovers them en plena batalla.
He roars: Silencio, silencio! Qué significa esto? (What’s the meaning of this?)
The kids blame each other. Said tells them they have to learn to get along with one another. He expects to come home to peace and harmony. [Hah!]
Suddenly, Rania is taken with one of her convenient spells: Me siento mal! (I don’t feel well). Jadiya watches her carefully and right on cue, puts a hand to her head and says: Yo también, yo me siento mal! (I don’t feel well either.) She begins to swoon and Said supports her with one arm while he says: No no no, the two of you can’t faint at the same time! Rania has arranged herself artfully on the couch. Said calls out for help. The girls each allow themselves a small smirk when they are sure he isn’t looking.

Cristina the Avenger marches into Lucas’s office at Empresas Ferrer. She tells him that Leo is trying to take Dora’s son from her. Lucas assures her that he will do all that he can to prevent that. He agrees to go to Dora’s house with her. He needs to meet his “supposed” brother.

Mama, ¿Tú te enamorías de un clon? (Mama, would you fall in love with a clone?)
Daniel greets Dora with this question when she comes into his room. He continues to study the jade necklace, twisting the chain around his fingers. She refuses to take the question seriously or talk about clones at all. Albieri phones Daniel but he won’t take the call. Daniel tells Dora:
Quiero encontrar la dueña de este collar. Yo sé que ella nunca va a pensar que yo soy un clon; tampoco va a pensar que yo soy un espíritu; ella me va a ver a los ojos y me va a decir ‘Daniel’.
I want to find the owner of this necklace. I know she’ll never think I’m a clone; and she won’t think I’m a spirit either; she’ll look me in the eye and she’ll say ‘Daniel’.

Alí has come to Albieri’s house and announces that he and Jade are returning to Morocco the next day. The doorbell sounds. It’s Daniel.

Dora’s doorbell sounds, too. Estela opens the door. What she sees takes her breath away. As Lucas and Cristina enter the apartment, she gasps, sways, appears on the verge of collapse. She stares uncomprehendingly at Lucas, eyes filled with tears, and says: Son idénticos, son idénticos!

Luisa ushers Daniel into the house. Albieri can’t break through Daniel’s icy demeanor. Then Alí greets Daniel. The memory of Jade’s dance at Alí’s house brings a dreamy smile to Daniel’s face and Ali reflects:
Ala, Jade entró en su corazón. Es la misma historia ocurriendo otra vez.
Allah, Jade entered into his heart. It’s the same story happening again.
Daniel asks him about the woman he saw in Fez:
Era Jade, verdad. ¿Dónde está ella? (It was Jade, wasn’t it? Where is she?)
Alí tells him she is in Morocco and Albieri and Luisa promptly offer to take Daniel there.
It is clear that tonight Daniel is focused on matters of the heart. He asks Albieri:
Si una persona es un clon, una mujer se puede enamorar de el?
If a person is a clone, could a woman fall in love with him?
Of course, answers Albieri. A clone is like everyone else except for the way he was born.
That’s not true, says Daniel:
Porque un clon es una copia ...
Because a clone is a copy...
...And?
Y si una mujer se enamora de mí, es porque soy único. Y si se da cuenta que soy una copia, se va a querer enamorar del original. No?
And if a woman falls in love with me, it’s because I’m unique. And if she realizes that I’m a copy, she’ll want to fall in love with the original, won’t she?
Alí swallows hard.

Zoraida and Jade speculate about the sombra, whether he remembers her, whether he has the same feelings as Lucas. Zoraida tells her not to think about him. But he has her piedra (stone) which carries her suerte (luck, destiny). How can she not think about him?
Alí enters abruptly and announces they are leaving right away. They are flying to New York so he can visit a sheik there; then they’ll catch a flight to Fez.

Dora comes home and finds Cristina and Lucas waiting for her. Estela hasn’t yet recovered from her shock at seeing Lucas. Lucas tells Dora that he’s not going to let Leo take away her parental rights.

Daniel continues his conversation with Luisa. He wants to travel far away because of the way people are treating him. Even Luisa, who used to be so affectionate, now acts like she’s afraid of him.
Albieri, realizing that Daniel is hungry for answers, comes back to the room with huge books about cloning. Unfortunately these tomes are unlikely to hold the answers to Daniel’s most pressing concerns. [I doubt they have chapters like “Clones in Love” or “Fear of Clones” – or even “Lifespan of a Human Clone”]

Latifa and Jade don’t understand why Tío Alí is in such a hurry to leave, why he seems so nervous. When Jade hears that Alí is at Said’s house saying goodbye to Jadiya, she rushes to phone Said and ask his permission to say goodbye too. No, he says gruffly. You go on with your life and we’ll go on with ours.

His decision leaves Jade grieving and Jadiya feeling betrayed.
Alí guesses that Said is treating Jade so cruelly because he still loves her and he wants to force her to pay attention to him and respect him. And Said admits as much. He still has hopes that one day she will love him. When that day comes, (that is to say, when hell freezes over) he will ask her to come back. It’s destiny, he says.
And Alí surprises him when he responds: Don’t talk to me about destiny today. I thought I knew how to interpret it, but I don’t. No one does, Said.

Mohamed and Amin deliver a birthday gift to Gloria (You’ll look more beautiful with a veil, says Mohamed). Karla boasts to Ramón that her baby’s father is part of the Miami Jet Set. Alej shows up with a gift and a birthday kiss for his mother. He fibs that Natalia is on her way.

In the final scene, Nati wakes up to find Andrea sitting in the apartment. Alejandro is at his mother’s birthday party, explains Andrea. Natalia had forgotten about it even though Alejandro had been talking about it all week. Andrea looks at her friend very gravely and says: You’re going to lose Alejandro.

Natalia denies that she and Alejandro have problems. Andrea bravely persists. She tells Natalia that she is out of control. Natalia shouts that it’s not true, she has limits. When challenged to name them in the face of everything she has damaged or destroyed, Nati finally breaks down. She sinks to the floor. Andrea crouches down beside her and puts her arms around her. Natalia admits she is in hell and asks her friend for help.

Credits roll.

Labels:


Comments:
Great recap as alwasys! Needs more screenshots, i like to see what they are wearing too :)
 

NovelaMaven, I greatly appreciate the time, effort and love you put into these excellent recaps and Spanish lessons week after week.

Anon 8:43, You can find other resources to see what the actors are wearing, for example: YouTube.
You can also wait for


Prinny
 

Ooops, sent the previous comment without finishing it.

Wanted to say that some recappers do have the equipment to do screenshots but I feel that the importance of this blog is the translations of the episode, the sharing of ideas and the camaraderie.

Prinny
 

Thanks so much for another superb recap, NovelaMaven. I was impressed with how well you summed things up even in your introductory passage.

As always, I'm most grateful for the Spanish. As for photos, though I enjoy them when they're included, for me they are usually the least important part of a recap. First is the recap itself--the account of what happened--and second is the Spanish vocabulary. If photos are included, fine, but I don't miss them when they're not included, and I don't think anyone should expect them.

A few days ago (I think), someone suggested that Malicia's next target will be Rogelio. I was hoping that wouldn't be the case, but last night's episode seemed to point in that direction. She was clearly so irritated at seeing Clara and Rogelio enjoying each other's company. Apparently Malicia's mission in life is to make sure that no one else is happy. Her malevolence knows no bounds. What's really interesting and frustrating is that we understand what motivates other characters' nastiness, but not hers. I wonder whether we ever will.

I was amused to see both Mohamed and Said trying to deal with disputes between women in their houses. I loved Latifa's resorting to the third person to express her adamant opposition to Mohamed's plan to build a house in Fez for her and the children, and her imagining a hot dancing Mohamed was priceless.

I also enjoyed Said's trying to deal with Rania and Jadiyah fainting (and feinting) at the same time.

I was a little surprised at how taken aback Estela was at seeing Lucas. Mauricio Ochmann (and the makeup crew) has done such a convincing job of portraying Daniel and Lucas differently that I don't think they look "identical," as Estela claimed. The only people who should think they look identical are those who knew Lucas when he was Daniel's age, since Daniel does look identical to the younger Lucas. There's certainly a strong resemblance between the 40-year-old Lucas and Daniel, but not enough, I think, to justify Estela's reaction.

I loved the look on Alej's face after he told his mother the lie about Natalia's coming soon to the party and Gloria's responding "Oh baby." He knew she wasn't buying that.

Por fin, Natalia says the magic words "ayudame," and to someone who knows what kind of ayuda Natalia needs. However, I fear that means we're about to be subjected to episode after painful episode at the rehab center. Arrrgh.
 

Super recap, NovelaMaven and an interesting episode.

I loved: 'their shouts bring Abdul lumbering out of his cave..'
What is still doing in Miami except making it possible for Zumaya to be in Miami; and

'I doubt they have chapters like “Clones in Love” or “Fear of Clones” – or even “Lifespan of a Human Clone”'

I was waiting for Daniel to say that he already had a book on genetics that he was reading when Leo came into his room earlier in the week.

I was so hoping that Nati would let Andrea take her to the rehab place after she asked for help but the previews for Monday's episode indicate that is not going to happen.

I don't see how this story can be wrapped up in three weeks and 2 days.

The contrasting women problems of the two brothers was very funny.
 

Thanks everyone! This was a rich episode with some great comic moments (Think of pimp daddy Mo) and some very credibly poignant ones as well, most of these involving Daniel.

Prinny, your words mean a lot. Thank you so much.

Juanita, Thanks for everything you wrote. You are right about Alej's expression when he was talking to his mother at her party. He is becoming a master at showing subtle shades of anguish and shame.

I confess that I was the one who predicted Malicia would go after Rogelio next. Even after stealing her husband and her money, she is still envious of Clara and wants to keep punishing her.

PS: I hope you don't mind that I tidied up the blog-splatter using my magic blogger powers:)

Yes, Jean, it looks like Andrea might have let the opportunity to keep Natalia safe slip right by. I absolutely hate where this is going, according to the previews.

Anon 8:43, you are right that Jean's screenshots, chosen as they are with a superb editing eye, liven up the summarcap. Sorry to be such a technophobe, but I have neither the equipment nor the know-how to post photos here. What can I tell you? I'm doing the best I can.
 

I'd like to add to the outpour of respect for our recappers, whose arduous work is greatly valued. (coming from a tech savvy person that'd still take forever to learn how to add/format photos) Without your help, I'd either be unsure about a lot,or constantly
volviendo mi Carlos loco con preguntas/cuestiones.

Ojalá que alguien points out to Sam that Jadiya isn't engaged, and that Jamil is Muslim. That Sam is engaged and in love with a Westerner may be part of the differential treatment...

Hmm, how long can Samira continue to avoid The Veil?

Doesn't look good for Nati next week, but perhaps she'll learn from the dilemma? (insert more realistic novela-cology here) Being so sensitive, I think I'd rather watch her rehab sessions (if any) than actual withdrawal symptoms. Quizás, la próxima semana dirá.
 

NovelaMaven, thank you for great recap and morning Spanish Lesson.

Shame on Anon 8:43! A very unkind comment and totally uncalled for.

I wish I could see where Malicia is coming from. Why does she hate Clara so much?

The scenes with Raina and Jadiya fainting was really funny. If Said cannot handle the two women now, just wait, he hasn't seen anything yet.

Nati's future looks grim from the advances. Her family is so absorbed in their own obessions that they cannot see Nati's.

Rosemary
 

Wow, NovelaMaven, such a great recap, full of one liners. Are you sure you're not a comedy writer for a living?

Hmmmm. I'm not sure about Malicia's setting her cap for Rogelio. I could be wrong, but I think she really does have a thing for Pablo. Her hatred of Clara is irrational. She's won every battle, but she still hates the person she victimized. I think they will tell us the truth about Malicia's envy at some point. The one thing I think may have been a change in direction was the fact that her burning interest in Leonardo expressed when she was living with Luisa and Albieri has never been pursued.

Mohammed is a complete idiot, plus what he suggested doesn't make sense. These two are supposed to be very much in love, but he's willing to live apart from her for 11 months a year! I also loved Abdul lumbering out of his cave. Nice! And the Mohamed MTV episode was SO funny.

I was SO glad to see the reappearance of the warm-hearted Cristina.

I thought Estela's reaction to Lucas, while overacted a bit, was fairly logical. If you just try to imagine a young person who is close to you, a relative, and then to have that same face, aged 20 years, appear before you. It would completely shock anyone.

They've been teasing us for weeks about a face-to-face confrontation between Lucas and his clone. They always just miss each other. I wonder if it's ever going to happen. I've seen movies with camera angles where it seems as if twins are meeting, so it's certainly possible.
 

Thanks again my friends! Erin, Rosemary, Novelera -- I do appreciate the esprit de clon!

Novelera, if I remember right, it was Abdul who first whispered in Mohamed's ear about Latifa and the children living in one house in Fez and Mohamed living in another in Miami. The idea was for M to take a second wife and start a new family far away from Latifa's sight and objections. I wonder if the second wife deal is the other shoe waiting to be dropped...

I didn't really question the plausibility of Estela's reaction to Lucas. Perception of age is not static. If you are 18, you see a 40-year-old as middle-aged or old. But if you're 70, you see a 20-year-old and a 40-year-old as young. The similarities are far more striking than the differences. I thought the scene was well-played and consistent withe the character.

I'm no comedy writer, Novelera, though I'm flattered by the suggestion. I find that if you just describe what happens in a novela, it often turns out to be pretty funny:)

Good question about the veil, Erin. That's how and where Samira is holding the line. It has huge significance to her. So when she's forced to use a veil, she'll either be pushed into open rebellion or crushed into submission (or maybe there's a third option: the powerless person's rebellion -- the appearance of compliance and lots and lots of lies.)
 

NovelaMaven you had me ROFL from this recap from start to finish great work amiga and thank you so much.

Some of my favorite lines were Enter Cristina the Avenging Angel!Over my dead body.First you stand up for mother and child;later you can worry about who cheated on whom.Latifa imagines Daddy Mo in shades, rocking it out, surrounded by hot babes.:)OMG that scene was so MTV spoof like funny. Their shouts bring Abdul lumbering out from his cave.

This episode was so good Samira not realizing how lightly she is getting off with her punishment.

To Alejandro lying to his mother and realizing she knows he's lying.

To Malicia and her evil glare towards Clara being happy with Rogelio. Is it possible that Zein will be the one to connect the dots about this evil heifer.

Estella seeing Lucas and her reaction.Daniel asking if a human can fall in love with a clone.

Nati finally asking for help but we all know it's short lived from the previews.
 

Thanks for another wonderful recap NovelaMaven! Your asides were especially good in this one, like about Albieri's book chapters.

Juanita: I also hope we'll find out what motivates Alicia's nastiness. I'd hate for her to be the one cardboard villain in a show full of complex characters.

I also loved Latifa's lapse into third person. It must have rubbed off from Mohamed.

Like Novelera, I'm happy to see Cristina (mostly) back. She's a superhero.

Although I found Estela's reaction credible, I found the double-fainting scene incredible (although Rania was convincing). "You can't both faint at once!" I felt a bit like I was watching a different show. Said can be so cold and calculating, especially with Rania, but sometimes he falls for these lame gags? Too much for me.

Why does Daniel think a woman who falls in love with a clone would prefer the original? Maybe she would be attracted to him, but he's a different person (older, somewhat different personality, etc.). I would understand better if he were worried that she would fall in love with him because he is someone's clone, not because of who he is. (That's a bit like what happened with Lucas after Diego died: everyone wanted to make him a replacement for Diego, the one they really loved.)

Also, Novelera, about the upcoming double-Mauricio scenes, Lucas and Diego were together a lot for the first week or two of the series. I think they did a good job with the twin scenes, though it was nothing fancy. You know the TV/movie cliche where someone is confronted with two indistinguishable people and has to ask, "Which one do I shoot?" I'm patiently awaiting a similar scene where Jade must ask, "Which one do I love?"
 

NovelaMaven; once again, an incredible recap with lots of snark. The MTV scene with Mo in his shades was too much!
And as for the scene with Rania and Jadiyah both "fainting" at once, I think this was intended not to be taken seriously, but rather to show how women can manipulate a man to get what they want. Even a powerful, unbending man like Said. That made it even funnier.
As far as the screenshots: I enjoy them when they are there, but don't miss them when they are not.
:o)
Joan
 

Anon 8:43am i really don't understand why you criticize something that you are getting for free. Unfortunately sometimes we have people coming on here voicing their dissatisfaction over these recaps, when it's something you're not contributing by paying for this service. I have during my time on here after finding this site have seen many pop in like yourself whether you are anonymous or leave a name with your complaints. All i can say is if you're not happy with the recap what most of these dedicated recappers are giving us who enjoy these novelas with their spare time go elsewhere then. If you think you can do better then email Melinama, it's people like yourself. That are one of the reason why some of the past recappers have quit. I have always appreciated the work and efforts from all of the recappers here on Caray. As Prinny said the importance of this blog is the translation of the episode and the sharing of ideas and the camaraderie here.
 

Jean, NovelaMaven y todos,
This is another great summary, and the comments, too. I agree that having the Spanish with explanations is so good, even though it highlights how much I miss. At times I get whole paragraphs of speech and with others just words here and there, although the actors’ body language helps.

When you have had time to include links they are always of interest. Here’s one for those who, like me, are still working on learning Spanish:

http://blog.wellreadlife.com/my_weblog/2010/06/to-learn-your-second-language-it-helps-to-do-the-math.html

The first paragraph may pique your interest: “When people hear I’m studying Spanish, they often are bemused. Seeing the middle-aged man that I am, they ask, Why? And then, How?”

Elizabeth
 

In response to Novelera’s comment re. one actor playing two parts in the same scene, some may remember a very good telenovela “La Usurpadora” in which Graciela Spanic expertly portrayed twin sisters. Both women appeared together in several scenes, and in only one was it necessary to enlist the help of her actual twin sister, Daniela. At other times the problem was convincingly solved using clever photography. I have been waiting to see how the eventual meeting of Lucas and Daniel will be handled – I wonder if perhaps more advanced technology is available now for this kind of situation?

Chris
 

Thanks for the interesting link, Elizabeth.

I don't know what technique they use to duplicate Mauricio, but here's a short sample: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hU1Jodn3_U

It looks like it's all filmed with a stationary camera, so probably they're using old-fashioned techniques like filming the left half of the shot, then filming the right half. It takes pretty sophisticated effects work to shoot it with a moving camera. (The 2003-2009 series Battlestar Galactica is a good example, where they even used handheld cameras, sometimes with many duplicates.)
 

Once again, thank you all for the generous words and interesting comments!

Blusamurai, I love the idea of Zein being the one "to connect the dots" about Malicia. Wouldn't it be great if he rescued Cristina's professional reputation? I still can't resist thinking Zein and Cristina would be great together...

Joan, I'm with you on the success of the double-fainting scene. It was hilarious precisely because it played on the weakness of our characters.

Luke, I find Daniel's litany of anxieties interesting and logical, and easy to empathize with too -- does he really have a mother and father? Is he going to die soon? Can any woman love him, knowing that he is just a copy of someone else? (I also wonder if the writers are playing with us -- in a way 'El Clon' is a clone of 'O Clon' and there are a lot of folks saying it compares unfavorably with the original.)

Elizabeth, thanks for the link. It looks interesting!
 

My commputer was not getting this site for several days, so I've lots of thank yous and kudos to give recappers and commenters. This is a WONDERFUL and very helpful site.

Really liked Friday's episode. For once, I didn't feel the need to FF any part of it. Remembering how tentative one's late teens and early twenties can be, it's hard to imagine how finding out during the other changes and questions that one is a clone. Poor, poor Daniel. How does this story end for him? Lois
 

Luke: Thanks for the YouTube link showing Lucas and Diego. We were out of the country at the beginning of this novela so missed these scenes. It was also great to see, in the related YouTube videos shown in the panel, the beautiful and memorable sword dance that Jade performed for Zein (Capitulo 114).

Chris
 

I found the conversation between Said and Ali about destiny interesting. Are they both beginning to doubt their religion?

Rosemary
 

Rosemary: I think Said was never especially pious. He's the sort of religious man who uses religious principles only as rationalizations, and mostly ignores them when they conflict with his desires. For Tío Alí, it's a more philosophical issue. The principle in question is fatalism through divine foreknowledge/predetermination: Allah knows (or determines) in advance what will happen, so we cannot affect our future (we have no free will). Of course, one needn't accept fatalism to accept that Allah knows or determines what happens. For example, Catholic dogma is that we have free will despite God's foreknowledge of our actions. And many philosophers deny that there is any incompatibility between free will and foreknowledge or predetermination. But Alí does accept fatalism, and has been wrestling with it throughout the series. I think his doubts in this episode were about whether he could predict his fate and that of others. He used to think he could tell where things were headed, and would use that conviction to advise people not to resist their fate. Now he has lost faith, not in Allah, but in his own ability to see where things are headed, and so is not confident to advise people the way he used to. All he can say now is the standard "have faith in Allah and follow the rules."
 

Luke, your comment on predestination was very interesting.

We have seen some change in Ali's views. For most of the novela he's been rock solid in his faith. I remember his insisting that Jade memorize sections of the Quran early in the novela.

Some doubts have crept in more recently. For one thing, he sees the harm of the fanatical aspect of his religion, represented by Abdul. And he always was willing to be tolerant of "Occidentals". He is willing to concede that they can be good persons, despite following different religious precepts.

It seems to me that his real soul searching began with the discovery of Albieri's creation of a clone. He seems to have difficulty reconciling the reality of the clone with what he thought he knew about Allah.

And I agree with you, Luke, about Said. He grew up within his religion, but doesn't hesitate to do whatever suits him. For example, his relationship with Marisa doesn't seem to cause him any guilt at all.

The guy borders on just plain nuts. He also borders on being abusive. He thinks that if he's cruel to Jade, respect will grow from that, and then eventually love from that respect. How screwed up is that?

For me he crossed a major line in refusing to let Jade say goodbye to Jadiya before she left for Morocco. If she were leaving the country for good, what possible harm could it do to have her say goodbye to her child? I want major karma and a big pie cart to hit him, and soon.

His obsession with Jade will not permit any half measures. He won't have her back as he had her before, knowing she doesn't love him. He won't allow occasional visits with her child. The only terms have to be his terms, that she fall in love with him in the way he wants. Ugh!
 

I agree, Novelera. I also noticed that while Alí is very tolerant of Westerners when he's around them, in private he still tends to distrust them. He is one of several people who told Jade (even recently) that she could never trust Lucas, on no greater evidence than that he was a Westerner.

Also, yes, Said is blatantly irrational. His straight-faced confession of his plan to win Jade's love "the hard way" was right up there with Natalia's excuses on the stupidity chart. Hey guys, do you realize what you just said? Do you understand the words that are coming out of your own mouth? But one thing I like about Said though is that we understand why he's such a terrible person, even if we can't excuse it.
 

Luke, your insight into Ali and Said was very good. I do think that Ali is now doubting himself about his faith and destiny. He is one that tried to change Jade's destiny by marrying her off to Said. If he had done as he had promised early on and let Jade go to medical school and then find her a suitable husband, her destiny might have been different. As with all rules, they are open to interpretation and I think he is now doubting himself.

Novelera is right, all of this self-doubt start with Alberi and the clon.

Yes, Said needs a pie cart and soon. He is just plain mean. There is no excuse for some of things he has done.

Rosemary
 

Anyone:
Is a pie cart just a lesser version of an anvil? Less deadly, but still meting out punishment?
I ask because many years ago a runaway hot-dog vendor cart almost ran me over. Was that a message from the TN fates?
:o)
Joan
 

Joan, I'm not 100% sure of the difference in severity, if any, of a pie cart versus an anvil.

The anvil is explained in the sidebar; it's what hits Wiley Coyote after being dropped from way, way up by that cagey Roadrunner. In the cartoon, it's his just desserts for having chosen the unwise course of action of pursuing that bird with the presumed intent of devouring it.

I understand the pie cart only in context from this blog. I don't know who was the first person to use that analogy. In my imagination the villain or villainess is standing in a piazza in México, perhaps with a nice little fountain burbling. From one of the side streets thunders a good sized cart loaded with boysenberry pies and hits the villain/ess square on, completely flattening them.

If anyone else has a better explanation, please chime in.
 

Thanks Novelera--That helps.
Sounds like the pie cart is like a galaxy-sized pie in the face, but not as much fun. I can picture that happening to the oh-so-smug Said.
Joan
 

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