Caray, Caray!

Thanks NovelaMaven!

I'm ready for another exciting week of Reina. Tonight should good. Can't wait.
 

Thanks Jean!!! I'll let you know tomorrow if I can do Wed! Keep fingers crossed that they don't go! I just got back from vacation and the last thing I need is to go right into a trial!!
 

Thanks NovelaMaven!
 

As I watch with my beanie suit on. RIP to my hat, I do have a question. Why hasn't Reina gone to a hypnotist to see if she can recover her memories? Nia
 

Nia I was just thinking that I'm kind of ready for Reina to start getting her memory back.
 

Oh.

My.

Gawd.
 

Sara -

I.
T.
A.

I never saw that plot twist coming!
 

Nia - can a hypnotist really help an amnesiac?
 

Sara - Reina did have that dream about someone (Victor?) threatening to kill(?) her daughter. So that's a good sign that it might start to come back.
 

Doris: Honestly I don't know. From what I have read, some doctors thinks it helps, some think it doesn't. I am ready for her to remember something, anything. -- Nia
 

People don't really get amnesia like they do on novelas. Real amnesia is when you forget what happened yesterday, then the next day you forget that day. It doesn't get better.

Look for recap tomorrow morning. Thanks, Caroline. I got a good one.
 

I'm hoping Reina wakes up from the dead with her memory intact, but doesn't tell anyone. So many people have been lying to her!

To be fair, there is such a thing as retrograde amnesia, though I don't think anybody should use this show to study for their neuro finals.

How 'bout that putz? What a putz! Susana should call pervy Christian and have him arrest the putz and maybe work him over a little.
 

Tonight was awesome.

That putz needs a diamond mark on his neck!

Victor channeling Juliette? Boy is he in for a surprise.

Christian falling for Connie? Oh no!
 

Christian falls for anything in a skirt. At least Greata is safe for now.
 

Reina de Corazones – Lunes – Parte Una

While they sit totally alone in the living room of a house full of people drinking the poisoned coffee, Navier and Reina have a very intense converation. Navier asks why she confessed to her husband that she was hopelessly pierdamentein love with him. Why did she put herself in danger? Reina replies that she can't take any more. She can't lie. Her love is choking her, it's burning her inside. It's a cure and an illness. It's good and bad at the same time. It's a miracle and a poison.

Bettina tells someone on the phone that it is done.

Reina continues with her ironic [for us] choice of words. It's a poison because I know this love will end up killing me. What she feels for him is much stronger than the person who is trying to kill her. The assassin can trap and hold her but can't do anything to her love.

Navier says that he is concerned about her exposing herself and becoming a target. She replies that she can be a target but not him. She says that she told Victor that she loved Navier but that Navier doesn't love her [like that would make a difference to Victor]. “You lied?” asks Navier. “Did I?” responds Reina, “you tell me.”

We see Betina washing out the vial.

Navier tells Reina that she shouldn't have done that. She replies that she did it to take care of him. If something happened to him, she would die.

Juanjo and Susana are waiting for Christián in his office. JJ tells Susana that he is upset that she was duped about something that is so important to her. He jokes that the $50K must have a lot of money for her since she never paid him the reward she promised after he kept her from committing suicide. JJ goes on to tell her that while he is around, he will do the impossible to see that no one does anything bad to her agan. Susana is touched – he's the only person in the world who is concerned about her.

Navier tells Reina that he should be protecting her no matter what. Reina says that they have been through so much [that's an understatement]. She would anything to go back and start from zero – like they were before – not what he remembers but different so that she could repent for all the pain she caused him.

Vic gives Stefi a choice: her crown or her daughter. Stefi is angry but she asks what good the crown, a fortune, diamonds and power are to her without her daughter. Victor asks if he should send the message. Stefi tells him to erase the message. Vic composes a message saying that he loves Greta and signs it, “papa.” He says that he has done his part for now. He wants to find the crown.

We see that the message was sent to Izzy. He texts back, “I love you too, papa,” and mutters, “The things you have to do.” We see that Lopez 2.0 tied and gagged in car. Izzy asks if he has a wife and children. Since Lopez is gagged, he can't answer. Izzy tells Lopez that he never wanted to get married. He considered that to be like Russian roulette. How could anyone be such an idiot? Now he wants to get married and he can't believe it. He flashes back to making love to Connie. For her he has lost his cordura, his sanity and because of that he can't kill her even though the boss has ordered that he kill Connie Leiva. He says her name out loud. [Let's hope López 2.0 is paying attention.]

Connie is walking along a street lined with grafitti. She is talking to Reina or Reina's voice mail about why she is late to the bridal shop. It involves problems with Miriam who shouldn't have been released from rehab. Absorbed in her converation, she is nearly run down by Christián's car. They have a little your fault, no your fault, conversation. [What does this mean- is Christián going to be attracted to Connie?]
 

Reina de Corazones – Lunes – Parte Dos

Navier says to Reina, “What do you want to ask me?” She asks him how he knows that she wanted to ask him something. He replies that it is easy for him to read her. Well, she wants to ask him about Stefi. What does she mean to him? How did he meet her? Does he know who she is? Nav replies that he does know who she is. Eight years ago, he was her employee at the casino. She helped him when he has shot. It was she who told Reina that he was dying and Reina told her that she didn't care. It was she who stayed by his side like no one else, unconditionally.

Reina gets down on her knees, crying. Navier pulls her to her feet and warns her not to do that here. She asks him to forgive her. He replies that it hurts him to tell her this but Stefi deserves his affection. She is the woman who helped and consoled him all this time. She embraced him when Reina turned her back on me. She is the woman that he should love but damn it, he loves her!

Stefi has stashed the crown in the doll room. She gives it to Victor saying that this is the price for having a relationship with his daughter. Vic replies that his daughter doesn't have a price. She will always have to do something else. Stefi is rather annoyed as you might imagine. She asks what else he wants. Vic tells her to relax. It won't cost her anything and she'll like it.

Christián tells Connie that he is a policeman. He has been at her house. Does she remember? She does. It's not a good memory. He warns her against walking in this area alone – it's dangerous. He gives her his card if she needs it.

Back to our lovers. Reina tells Navier that he shouldn't stay at the house. She is afraid for him. Navier replies that he has to meet with Victor. He tells her that she doesn't need to be afraid for him. He sees that she is wearing his cross, mentions that she is wearing it. “I'll always wear it,” says Reina. [I never really realized that “always” and “forever” are the same word in Spanish (siempre) but they are subtly different in English. “I'll wear it forever,” doesn't seem right but “always” is not the right word for Navier's reply. You need to use “forever.”] Navier replies, “forever is is too big a word. Forever is too long. I thought our love would last forever.”

Their phones tweet in unision. They both get a series of text messages:
R- How does your last coffee taste?
N-What did you drink before you died?
R- How does a heart that is breaking sound?
N- When you have a heart attack.
They look at each other and at the cups.

Rocky tells Esmeeth that Navier is gone. She says that he needs to rest but she isn't surprised.
She orders her agents to find out what Fico has been doing during his last missions, who has been contacting, etc. [She hasn't already ordered this?] Navier calls and tells her that he and Reina have been poisoned, just like Andrés. They will have heart attacks in a few hours. She asks where he is and he tells her not to dilly dally. Navier and Reina are in the kitchen. Asunción comes in. She admits to making the coffee but Reina tells Navier that Asunción is above suspicion. Navier asks if anyone else was in the kitchen. Only the nurse, Betina, replies Asunción.

Greta is with Lázaro. She is saying how much she dislikes Betina. She says that she could say worse about him but doesn't want to. Nav and Reina burst in. Where is Betina? Greta says that she sent to make her a smoothie. Navier states the obvious – she's gone. He and Reina leave the uncomprehending couple.

Christián arrives back at his office where Susana and JJ are waiting. Susana wants JJ to stay to hear what Christián has to say. He tells her that the guy who took her money is Damián, Greta's novio. Susana is impactada.

Victor tells Stefi that she is someone who knows how to seduce and manipulate. He says that he wants her to seduce a guy and make him lose his head for her and the guy is [wait for it] Javier Bolivar! Stefi is good at hiding her reactions.
 

Reina de Corazones – Lunes – Parte Tres

Navier and Reina are in a hospital emergency room side by side on gurneys. Smith comes in and reassures them that the doctors are on top of the situation and will give them something to stop the heart attacks [Tamaflu?]. Rocky comes in and tells her that they have lost Betina. She took out her chip. Nav tells Reina that they will be ok. Fico made a mistake in warning them. He was arrogant. He tells her again that everything will be all right – word of the dragon. [dangerous words on a novela].

Reina asks Navier, “If we get out of this, if you accept my daughter as if she were yours, if you will abandon your vengeance and all the hate you have for me, if you love me like I know you love me, as I see in your eyes, your body and your skin...” They take hands, “could you escape with me to some other place in the world, would you go away from all this, would you go with me, my dragon?” Navier replies that nothing would please him more [and because this is only episode 31, we know that this ain't gonna happen for about another 100 episodes.]

The monitors go crazy, Navier's chest heaves and he passes out and lets go of Reina's hand. Smith calls for the doctor.

“No puede ser!” “It can't be!” cries Susana. She says that she had confidence in Damián. JJ says that he never liked the guy. Poor Susana. It's another blow. She asks herself how she could have been such an idiot. Everyone she puts her trust in betrays her. JJ exempts himself and Christián [wrongly] from that group. Christián tells her that if she wants to file charges against Damián, they can do it right now. Susana refuses. She wants to talk to Damián personally. [You could talk to him personally after he's been arrested but novela people never do this.]

Smith asks what is happening. The doctors order everyone out. Reina's gurney is wheeled away. Nav protests, tries to hold her hand but he can't.

Stefi asks Victor who Navier is. He replies that he is young and attracive and she shouldn't have any trouble seducing him. Stefi says that the sounds like a guy any woman would want in her bed, like his wife, for example. She says that was an easy deduction. Vic tells her that she is right. Either Stefi seduces the guy or Victor will kill him. He says that Nav has been good to him and he has “codigos,” “scruples.” Stefi says, “You don't kill him for that. You kill him for other reasons. Because you don't want to confront a fantasma, a ghost. You want to confront a living person with your weapons, fair or foul and beat him.” [I'm not sure what that means. It seems that Victor will kill anybody for whatever reason but it impresses Victor.] Victor replies that sometimes it scares him how well she knows him. Stefi says that he is going to have to fight this fantasma and win because she isn't going to help him.

Vic gets a phone call. “What happened to my wife?

Betina comes to wherever Fico is hanging out and tells him that she succeeded. She wasn't followed. She took out her chip. She says that she took advantage of Navier being in the house. “They took their last coffee, a deadly brebaje, an upleasant brew. It was like Romeo and Juliet – a tragic finale to a “linda historia de amor,” “a sweet love story.” She says that her only regret is that she didn't kill Greta, too but her current condition is suffering enough. She asks what the plan is. Are they going to ask for money? Fico replies that he is contracted to incredibly powerful people. She can't imagine what is behind all this. She wants to learn from him but unfortunately for her, he doesn't have time. He shoots and kills her and leaves something in the cleavage of her uniform. He calls someone and says that he is finishing the plan.
 

Reina de Corazones – Lunes – Parte Cinco

Rocky confesses to Esmeeth that he had a relationship with Betina. Esmeeth replies that she knows about it. There are no secrets from her. She tells him that agents can't have relationships. They are married to their jobs in service to the country. Rocky asks has she never fallen in love? What is her real name? Who is Smith, really?

Navier is fighting the doctor; he needs to find Reina. He knocks the doctor down and staggers out – stop him!

Fico is driving in the all-purpose ball-cap disguise. He flashes back to some fun joshing around in the CIA control room. Navier is the only one who can make him laugh. Nav asks if he wants to out for a drink. He knows a great bar. Fico can't go. He has a date with a woman who is crazy in love with him. Navier says that he has foresworn love. He will never love again. He leaves. Fico looks at a pic of the woman on his phone. He goes to the locker room and Nav is kissing the same woman!! They fight. They are separated. Fico swears to Navier that one day he will pay for this. [That's it? The reason he has betrayed his country and killed people is because Navier stole his girlfriend? Really?]

Navier staggers through the hall. He asks a nurse about Reina and then collapses. Victor sees him. Navier is wheeled away. Victor wants to see his wife. Rocky tells him that she and Navier were given a virus that causes a heart attack. They got advance notice and are being treated. Victor will have to wait to see Reina. Vic asks where this happened. In your house, replies Rocky. Victor gives Izzy a dirty look and Izzy adjusts his tie – the universal sign of discomfiture. Rocky goes on to say the poison was administered by Greta's nurse who has some relation with Nicolás Nuñez. Victor turns on Izzy,
“There was a killer in my own house and you didn't see?” he asks. Rocky says that no one is infallible in these situations [which is certainly true since she was an agent, too] not even you. Rocky leaves and Vic tells Izzy that now more than ever he wants NN dead. Izzy understands.

Navier has been sedated again. He appears to be unconscious but we hear him says that he doesn't want to be there, he wants to be with Reina.

Reina is in another room with doctor who gets phone call [uh oh]. He says, “yes she's here with me. The doctor takes out a syringe. A choir is singing dramatically so we know something important is going to happen. He injects the contents of the syringe into Reina's IV line.

Greta and Laz don't know what happened with Reina and Navier. She says that being stuck immobile in her chair, she is a good observer and he is the best that she has for observing. She tells Laz that she didn't mean it that way. Laz tells her that she didn't think that way about him before. She replies that she has always thought that way.

Susana and JJ come back to the house. Susana doesn't say anything about what she found out to Greta. Laz takes Greta away for her medicine. JJ asks Susana if she is going to tell Greta. Is this another of their secrets because in his family everyone tells everything. Susana says that she isn't going to tell Greta. The Putz doesn't care about her anyway. JJ agrees that he was only in it for the money. Susana tells him that the Putz comes from a rich family. “Porque el más tiene, más quiere,” “Because the more you have, the more you want,” says JJ. The Putz comes in. Susana hits him. She tells him that she knows it was he who scammed her. She wants him out of her house and their lives right away. The Putz replies that before he goes he will tell Greta that she isn't her mother and that her real mother is Estefania Perez Hidalgo. JJ is impactado.
 

Reina de Corazones – Lunes – Parte Seis

Victor comes into Reina's room. Flatline. The doctor says that there was nothing he could do. Victor doesn't immediately kill the doctor, which is what you'd think he would do. He says, “this is the end. The end of everything.” He leaves. The doctor makes a call. “It's done. Please let my daughter go.” We see Fico going to a train car. He tells the blindfolded woman inside that her dad did we what he had to doto save her. He wishes he had had a dad like that. [Do all Esmeeth's agents have some kind of parental issue?]

López 2.0 apologizes to Stefi for letting Izzy take him by surprise. [What was the point of Izzy kidnapping López? To hear Izzy says that he loves Connie? Was some deal made that we don't know about yet?] She says that she is thinking of replacing him. He begs her to change her mind. It won't happen again. She replies that she will give him one more opportunity for the love of his brother. She has to practice stealing the diamond.

Esmeeth comes into Nav's room. He seems to be unconscious. Rocky is there. Esmeeth asks Rocky how Navier is. Rocky says that he is resting. He was given a double dose of sedatives. We hear Nav's voice: “I'm not resting. Sedatives don't work on me. I can hear but not speak or move. I am not the master of my body but I am the master of my heart. My heart is with Reina.” Esmeeth says to Rocky, “Good, then he won't hear the bad news. Reina is dead.” Silently Navier screams, “Nooooooo!!”
Nav opens his eyes. I heard everything. Tell me it was a nightmare. Smith says that he is strong. Reina - not so much. She didn't make it. Navier asks about Fico. Smith tells him that they are looking for him. Navier asks for a favor. He wants Esmeeth to let him kill Fico.

Stef is going to go through with diamond theft. She has lost the crown, at least for now, but the diamond will be hers. López gives her an envelope. [That's about all López does is deliver envelopes.] The letter inside says, “You need an entertainment and I will give you one tonight. Meet me at the galpon [large shed] on Reynolds Street.”

Susana says that the Putz couldn't be so cruel. She told him about Greta's bio mom to help her. The Putz replies that this is his defense. She attacks. He defends. JJ hits him. Putz tells them that they don't know who he is. He is staying in the house. Greta comes back in and asks what is going on. Nothing, lies Susana.

Miriam is trashing the house looking for drugs. Connie asks what is she doing. Her child is there. Miriam attacks Connie. Izzy materializes out of nowhere and subdues her.

Stef comes into the galpon. A voice says, “Welcome to your your first lesson.”

Izzy has materialized back at Vic's. Victor asks what he is doing there. Izzy replies that he is waiting for him. Victor says that he wants to be alone. Izzy leaves. Victor flashes back to seeing Reina dead. He gets some virus out of the fridge. He says, “Too much desolation, too much pain, so much love,” he pours the vial into the flask, “so much love that didn't amount to anything.” He drinks from the flask.
 

Reina de Corazones – Lunes – Parte Siete

Stefi asks the voice, “what is this game?” The voice [why do I think this is Vic's father? Would Stefi recognize his voice?] says that it is a game she will like. Stefi asks what he wants. The voice says that he is training her to see if she is capable of stealing the diamond. He directs her to a bag with clothes that are more suitable for robbery than what Stefi is wearing. Stefi asks why she should believe someone who won't show his face. The voice replies that he will save her $50 million in return for very little. Let's start.

Navier is looking through a window at Reina's body on a gurney. Esmeeth is with him. He says, “I want to be with her.” Smith says that he can't. Navier repeats that he wants to be with her. “You have to let go (soltar) of Reina,” says Esmeeth, “This story is over. The autopsy will be tomorrow. You have to let her go, resign yourself and go on with your life.” She gives him back the cross. Navier says, “I only want to be with her. My mother abandoned me with this cross.”

We see Reina being put into those body-storage compartments in a morgue. [The ones on CSI have shelves that slide out for easier body loading. In this morgue, they have to shove Reina in.] We see the label on her big toe. The door closes. Navier sobs. Inside the compartment, Reina wakes up. Smith says to Navier, “Use me, use me to support you, sustain you, to look forward and leave the past behind.” Navier replies that it is more than his past in there. His life in there. So cold. So cold like her.

Reina tries to get out of the compartment. Esmeeth leads Navier away. Reina coughs. She calls for help. We see the back of a cleaning person with a big mat of red hair. It has to be Carmina. A guard comes in to the morgue and runs out terrified when he hears the noises coming from a body compartment.

 

Thanks Jean! Wonderful recap!

This was an exciting episode.

One little thing - it was actually Christian who came to the rescue when Miriam was attacking Connie.

I'm glad Reina survived. I was afraid they had actually killed her off. How will she get out of the cooler?

Yes. I too thought of Carmen when we saw the woman with the red hair.

Poor Betina. Fico has no time to teach her so bam she's dead! They are right when they say betrayal is paid for in blood.
 

Jean,

Thank you so much for another amazing recap! Reina in the morgue — but not dead! — and Victor spiking his mescal with…what? This was a great episode and you had some great lines:

“He says her name out loud. [Let’s hope Lopez 2.0 is paying attention.]”

I know! The way Izzy was running his mouth in front of him, I was sure Lopez was a goner.

“Is Christian going to be attracted to Connie?”

He looked pretty interested to me. [If it wasn’t for bad luck, Connie Leiva would have no luck at all. Twang!!!]

“And because this is only episode 31…”
hahahaha

I don’t know what the fantasma stuff means either!

Who is Evil Fico’s contact? Could it be the invisible voice in the warehouse?

I love your amazement here at the flimsy motivation for Fico breaking bad: “[That’s it? the reason he has betrayed his country and killed people is because Navier stole his girlfriend?] “
I’d take it a step further — Navier didn’t still her; she was a facilota, who threw herself at Navier!

“Izzy adjusts his tie — the universal sign of discomfiture.”
hahaha

Question: Wasn’t it Christian who materialized out of nowhere to save Connie from nasty little Miriam’s attack? Oh, I see Mauricio agrees so I'm guessing you just typed the wrong name there (I do that all the time!)

Oh wow, I didn’t see the Carmen head! I’ll have to look back later!
 

Thanks for the correction, Mauricio. It was sort of dark and I assumed it was Izzy. So Christian is really moving on Connie.

At least, worst-cop Christian was able to solve the mystery of who scammed Susana. He had a personal interest, though, since the scammer fingered him for making the video. Not that finding out it was the Putz is going to do much good when he can threaten Susana with telling Greta about her bio mother. So many people know about their relationship that it would only make sense to tell Greta but that is an iron rule of telenovelas - secrets can only be told when they do the most harm.
 

In fact, if Navier weren't so darned irresistible, his life would be a lot easier:

Estefy wouldn't be stuck on him and wouldn't have lied to Reina and Navier after he was shot.

Camila wouldn't have thrown herself at him and Victor wouldn't have blamed him for Camila's suicide.

And now we find out that Fico's girlfriend also threw herself at Navier, souring Fico forever and making him Navier's mortal enemy.

And that's not even mentioning all the trouble that Reina's TRUE LOVE has occasioned for him!

Those of us with faces made for radio should count our blessings, I guess.
 

"Those of us with faces made for radio should count our blessings, I guess" Ha. LOL. It does save a lot of trouble.

The way the story has reversed the initial plotline - first Reina thinks Navier is dead. Now he thinks she is dead.

And the call out to Romeo and Juliet with the fake death drug except that it is Victor who decides that he can't live without Reina. I'm sure Navier wants to die, too but he has to get Fico first. It seems pretty obvious that Navier is going to hook up with Stefi. She can do a lot of consoling and then there is Vic's request.

I assumed that Victor put the heart attack drug in his flask. Why didn't he use the Injecto-Death 3000? Because deep down he wants to be rescued?
 

Jean, I also assumed that Victor put the slow-acting heart attack drug in his drink...and yet it seems so unlike him.


 

tremendous recap Jean!
and thanks for filling in.

is this show 31 or 26?

I think Isidro kidnapped López 2, just to get him out of the house while Victor recovered his crown.

I kept waiting for Juanjo to tell Lazaro about the putz.

I totally missed the part where Frank has the doctors daughter,

It seems like Betina included Navier in the kill, which wasn't part of the original plan, but I'm thinking Frank is no dummy as he had the hospital doctors all set up, I think he wants Reina alive because he is not through with her yet, especially since she smashed him over the head and got away, and Frank figured that they would live anyway, and he wants to torment Nicolas, not kill him for now.

Victor can't die.

btw, I heard at TW that filming is complete.

 

Fantastic recap Jean! I love your detail to all those conversations.

Seeing Victor say phrases like "this is the end" & "all that love for nothing" before committing what appeared as suicide, kind of surprised me about the depth of his feelings for Reina. I saw her more as as a possession or a pride aspect for him. He probably does feel something for Reina after all those years, but to apparently commit suicide because she died?? Didn't see him doing that.

I think what Stefi meant about the fantasma was that Victor didn't want to make Javier into some type of lost love. By dying, Javier would become a perfect but unreachable love to Reina, someone to always pine for. If he keeps him alive, Victor thinks he has more of a chance of fighting for her. It looks like he going to try to turn Javier's head & discredit him by having Stefi seduce him.

Good catch on the Carmina sighting, just saw that frizzy curly hair, but never made the connection.

In fact, if Navier weren't so darned irresistible, his life would be a lot easier Haha, NovelaMaven, the burden of beautiful tn people!

Deb, I think it's episode 26.

jlk
 

Thanks for all the nice words. This was a real fun one to recap for which I thank Caroline.

You are right, Deb, this was episode 26. I can't count either.

Thanks for the guess on the meaning of the "fantasma" exchange, jlk. I'm sure you are right.

It should be Carmen, not Carmina.
 

ooh yes, jlk, I agree with Jean about your interpretation of the 'fantasma' exchange. Maybe you should try your hand at writing romances?
:D
 

Hey Jean!!

Thanks for covering. My trials were a wash so I will be able to do the recap on Wednesday. I have refrained from reading your recap until I watch the episode tonight but I did see you had fun doing it! I missed a good one! Hopefully Wed will be entertaining!
 

Caroline: I'm glad you weren't swamped with work right after vacation. It was pleasure to fill in for you and if you are ok with doing Wed.'s capitulo, that would be great. If there is a problem, I can certainly do it.


 

Great recap, Jean! It was a delight to read, and it cleared up several points I hadn't understood. And, of course, I appreciate your including some of the Spanish.

When Reina and Navier are talking before being done in by the coffee, Reina asks Navier about Stefi. I have lots of problems with Spanish, but I thought that she asked him whether Stefi knew who he is, and he replies that yes, she does. I.e., she knows that he's really Nicolas Nuñez. That's what I thought as I watched the show, and to me it seems to make more sense than Reina's asking whether Navier knows who Stefi is. ???

So Navier assures Reina that all weill be well--word of the dragon. It's so thoughtful of him to keep providing so many gems for Anita's Wisdom of the Dragon list!

I enjoyed your observation that "[and because this is only episode 31, we know that this ain't gonna happen for about another 100 episodes.]" I fear you're right, though I keep remembering that the last "Reina" novela I watched, "La Reina del Sur," had only 63 episodes. I love it when a novela surprises us by ending so soon rather than dragging on seemingly forever, a la "En Otra Piel."

I was fully expecting Navier's heart to sense that Reina was still alive at the end of last night's episode. Sort of una llamada del corazón, like the lllamada de la sangre that TN mothers feel for their children. But apparently it didn't happen, though I'm hoping it will happen tonight.

I liked NovelaMaven's suggestion/hope that this near-death experience restores Reina's memory, and that she doesn't tell anyone. Nothing seems impossible in this novela.

Count me among those who totally missed seeing Carmen's red hair at the end of last night's episode. Her being around isn't a hopeful sign.

 

NovelaMaven, I burst out laughing at your "Those of us with faces made for radio should count our blessings, I guess."
 

Jean, thanks a million for the masterful recap. I think many of the good lines have been quoted, but I liked your saying that Fico had the usual baseball cap disguise.

I also loved "Tamaflu?"

They need to reconsider where they implant those CIA "chips". They seem to cut them out with very little harm done.

One small correction: The mysterious voice told Stefi she needed to show up for entrenamiento which means training, not entertainment.

Like NovelaMaven, I loved your astonished reaction to the reason why Fico hates Navier so much. But we have to remember that all guys in telenovelas suffer from excess testosterone and cannot bear the thought that any woman upon whom they have the slightest claim might EVER do the deed or even canoodle with another guy.

Fico suffers from this ailment, as does Victor, who told her she'd never, ever have sex with anyone except him if she lived to 110.
 

Jean--Terrific recap for such a complicating episode. My DVR always cuts off before the last minute (and I always get an extra minute of Caso Cerrado). Sure was a lot happening last night at the end.

I KNEW Reina couldn't die--although all I saw was her being shoved into the morgue cold storage locker. I thought it was going to be a ruse on Smeeth's part to get him to re-focus on his mission. Glad I was wrong on that front. That would have been colder than the cold-storage locker.

Oh, and Tamaflu for heart attack prevention. Who knew. Lots easier than One-a-Day Baby Aspirin.

Be back later.
 

Thanks for all the corrections. I guess I heard "entretenimiento" rather than "entrenamiento."

Juanita, I'll have to back and look but you are probably right about the subject and pronoun being, "does she know who you are?" rather than, "do you know who she is?" That makes more sense, too.

Yes, there don't seem to be any psychic calls, presentimientos, etc. on this novela. Of course, we do have a 4th Wise Man (Rey Mago) and some enormous cursed red diamonds to strain our credulity, among other things.

Since I watch En Otra Piel as well, I get the last minute or two of Reina on there. Telemundo's time shifting is very annoying. They used to do it a lot. Then they stopped and now they are doing it again.

Now how are they going to keep Navier from finding out that Reina is alive?

Tamaflu- The idea that a flu virus could a) kill you in seconds, or b) give a healthy person a heart attack is very bizarre. The only Stephen King novel I ever read (and I couldn't put it down) was The Stand, where a modified flu virus kills 95% of the population but not in seconds.

 

If Smeeth is so smart and knows all about everybody's past personal relationships, why oh why did she not know about Fico and Betina? Hmmmmm?

I just adore Lazaro. He couldn't be more obvious that he's already fallen hard for Greta the Talking Head. She's softening, too. Can't wait for some feeling to return to her hands and arms.

At this point in the story, I don't think Greta will go into deep depression and try to kill herself to find out Estefie is her bio-mom (she's already said she can't physically do it).

Everybody can use an extra mom (in telenovelas at any rate).

 

Thanks so much Jean. I have fallen behind in my daily viewing of the Adventures of the Dragon, so these detailed recaps have been essential for keeping up. This looks like it was an exciting episode, so I'm looking forward to seeing it.

Like the rest of you, I am ready for Reina to come out of the dark (storage fridge) and get her memories back. It would be fantastic if she didn't let on to anybody that she remembered! I'm also ready for Navier to start suspecting that maybe Stefi isn't the innocent angel he somehow believes her to be.
 

Jean – Thank you for the recap! Great job!

”[and because this is only episode 31, we know that this ain't gonna happen for about another 100 episodes.]”
So TRUE!!!

”I'm hoping Reina wakes up from the dead with her memory intact, but doesn't tell anyone.”
Great idea, NovelaMaven!

It’s too early for Reina to be killed off, and the heroine never is killed in a telenovela (is she?), so I wasn’t really worried. I figured she was in a deep coma, and took my beanie hat off to let my head get some fresh air. And some oxygen to my brain.

Such a shame that Javier & Reina’s 1980s-Nescafe moment was spoiled by the poison.

JuanJo and Susana are such great comic relief.


It was just like old times, to hear the Greek-xican chorus singing the chorus of doom. Aaawwwww....

Victor said, “this is the end. The end of everything.”
Perhaps he was referring to whatever knowledge Reina has that is causing snipers on the roof of her wedding chapel and other people wanting to kill her.

I think Victor is hiding his booze/tequila stash in those vials. it is too early for Victor to die.

Did abuela say her recipe has the worm? If so, it’s eating his brain cells. This guy is an alcoholic, always sipping from his flask, and really needs to go to rehab. And room with Miriam, because we know she’ll be back there sooner or later, if she is not killed off.


I’m not so sure that matted hair was Carmen’s. It was just too nasty. Red herring?.

Anita - Can you program your DVR to record an extra five minutes? The one we had with Comcast, and the current one with AT&T both have that option.
 

"Can't wait for some feeling to return to her (Greta's) hands and arms"
And her heart.
So, if Laz is her only attendant, he's got to be doing some up close & personal things for her, if you know what I mean. :-P

 

Doris--I have been wondering about those up close and personal things Greta needs ever since he was hired on. Maybe it will have to be Asuncion or Susana. Reina is temporarily out of the picture and probably feeling a bit cold.

I forgot about recording a few extra minutes. I'll have to read the handbook again. It's as thick as a Congressional report. I mean to watch those last few minutes and then forget because I'm catching up on some of my other non-Caray tns.


 

Reina de Corazones is so good...as a fast-paced comedy, heist, action-flick, horror, romance, mystery, suspense, and drama, all rolled into one. All that is missing (from TV Guide categories) is war—-take it back, war is in there, too, the one between Victor and Estefanía.
 

Forgot .... fantasy....who could forget We the 4 Kings of Orient Are, Red Diamond curses and Magic Horseshoes?
 

Anita - yep, the magic horseshoes. If I bury my golf clubs that way, I wonder if it would help my game?
 

Doris--Only if you get the full set of instructions stuffed in a flimsy #10 envelope purchased at the local Las Vegas Staples (with privacy lining) handed to you by an Old Leonard Nimoy.
 

Anita - LOL


I keep hoping we'll get to see the Pawn Stars guys make a cameo appearance. Really.
 

Thank you, Jean!
 

Laz and Betina appeared to alternate nights with Greta and were together sometimes during the day. For sure, Laz would have to bathe, dress and toilet Greta. I'm sure they won't mention that but that's what the nurse does. No way Asunción or much less Susana is capable of that.
 

Doris, you just made my day with the comment about burying your golf clubs!
 

I'd like to hit some people on this novela, like the Putz, with a golf club or a horseshoe. That would make it lucky for me!
 

Nia,
"As I watch with my beanie suit on. RIP to my hat, I do have a question. Why hasn't Reina gone to a hypnotist to see if she can recover her memories? Nia"

Amnesia in novelas (Spanish, American, whatever) is almost always misrepresented.

When we lose memories as the result of brain damage, they are gone for good. The most common form resulting from a minor injury is that one loses the memories immediately prior to the accident.

More serious injuries can destroy one's past completely, so that one can form new memories but has no ability to recover memories prior to the accident.

Another type of brain damage makes it impossible to form new memories, so one's past is recallable but what happened 30 seconds or a minute or an hour before is gone for good. (The memory never gets transferred from short term to long term.)

Most stories ignore the biology and usually focus on some kind of traumatic, emotional cause for the loss of memory. I think there is considerable debate about the reality of this type of loss and even more debate about the ability to recover these lost memories via hypnosis. The problem is that memories are not static, not written in concrete. They are malleable, extremely so - so hypnosis i could create false memories.

I've read Memory Distortion, ed. by Daniel L. Schacter and Eyewitness Testimony by Elizabeth Loftus - two books that have monumentally changed how I think about my memories or anybody else's memories.

There are some in the tech field who have taken to recording their entire lives via cameras, audio equipment. I find it bizarre but it is probably the only way to verify that what one thinks happened actually did.

Sorry for the tech stuff but the treatment of amnesia in entertainment is just so, so, so unrealistic that it bugs me.


 

Thanks for the info, Anonymous 7:52. Amnesia, paralysis and blindness from an accident are so ingrained in soap operas of all kinds that I'm afraid no amount of actual scientific information can change it.

If someone has more than the general level of knowledge about a subject, the distortion of that subject on an entertainment program is extremely irritating. For me it's the law and to some extent - birds.

The Colombian novelas that Telemundo used to show before they started making their own frequently added bird song to the ambient sounds but it was often the song of a bird that would never be where the action was taking place. That kind of thing drives me nuts.
 

"LUKE.....I AM YOUR FATHER"

What an episode!!!
 

Thank you Jean for the great recap, the snark, and for clearing up several things that I totally missed. I have a question though; does this mean Fico is responsible for more than one attempt on Reina's life?
 

Smith being Nicolas'/Javier's mom was a given.
 

Wow! Another exciting episode!

I Was Shocked.
 

But the other revelation? The one about Asuncion? I'm totally flabbergasted!
 

Yes! It was the Asuncion revelation that left me shocked. I was not expecting that at all.
 

Reina de Corazones -- martes

Part One

Reina gasps. She is alive in the place for the dead. She calls for help from inside her steel drawer in the morgue.

Victor sits at his desk, looks at a photo of Reina, and writes a letter:

My dear Greta,
I always suspected that at the last moment even the most brilliant imposter could become pathetic and honest. You have to know that your real mother, the one who carried you in her belly and from whom I stole you is Estefanía Pérez Hidalgo.

Izzy tells Susana, JJ, Greta and Laz that Reina has died. It's too soon to tell the cause. They're doing an autopsy. And yes, she was murdered. They tried to murder Navier too.

Victor takes a swig from his enriched mescal and puts pen to paper again:

Clara,
In life you have to be strong. The weak end up badly. I know what I'm talking about. You have to know that you're not my daughter. You're the child of your mother with another man. The name of your real father is Nicolas Núñez.

Victor slips the notes in envelopes.

Izzy says Navier is alive -- he seems to have 9 lives! And the murderer was the nurse, Bettina. She was NN's accomplice. [Caras de furrowed brows.]

Rocky, Esmeeth and Navier are at the scene with Bettina's dead body. Two of their own were traitors, says Esmeeth, and heads will roll -- most certainly hers. Navier puts a glove on his left and retrieves the note Fico tucked into Bettina's uniform top, (touching the note with his right, so what's the point?) He reads:

This time I warned you, Javier Bolívar. It wasn't a mistake. I knew you were stronger. I wanted you to survive so you would experience her death and suffer. The next time, I won't warn you. You'll find out what it means to live with death on your heels. Everything you drink, every step you take, every street you cross, every detail you miss, every error, every distraction might be your end.

Navier crumples up the note.

Christian forces Miriam to swallow a pill, presumably one of those magical TN calmantes. Then he begs Connie to accept a new phone to replace the one that broke during their last encounter. While he's there, Laz calls with the news about Reina...

To which the OBD and the AMOBC (Aún Más Odious Bitch Carmen) do a cross-arm toast to Reina, hoping she is now with her father, a man who spent his life humiliating the AMOBC, cheating on her, and in the end, choosing Reina over her. But not anymore! Bwahahaha!

The Voice guides Estefi, now in standard comfy cat burglar black, through her moves to elude the lasers around the targeted diamond, using an elaborate network of cords as proxies for the laser beams. The dance is a challenge, even to someone as flexible as Estefi. Just as she's getting into it, she gets a phone message: Reina is dead.

JJ and Laz break the news of Reina's death to Asunción and Susana stays to comfort the woman, who is obviously deeply affected by the news. "You can imagine how I feel," says Asunción through her tears, "because you know what it feels like to lose a daughter." [Cara de qué? ¿Que qué?]

Greta tells Victor he has to be strong. He rejects her solace. She's the one who'll have to be strong. Greta reminds him that Clara needs him more than ever.

Rocky arrives at the de Rosas home with two uniformed cops. He has to talk to Victor about Reina's murder.

Esmeeth and Navier return to his place. She tells him he's lucky to be alive, but he needs to rest. His heart isn't well. He says the only thing keeping him on his feet is his desire for revenge. He holds up Fico's note (oddly, it is smooth and neatly folded now). He wants Fico alive and he wants to kill him himself, even if it's the last thing he does.
 

Part 2

Fico calls Esmeeth from the empty train and taunts her. "Did you tell him you're his mother yet? That you're the bitch who abandoned him at the door of the church? Did you tell him who his father is?" Esmeeth listens in silence. "I guess I'll have to tell poor suffering Bolivar myself. Before I kill him, I'm going to tell him everything."

"It was him, wasn't it?" asks Navier. "What did that bastard say? Tell me! Aren't we a team? Or is there something I'm not supposed to know?"

Victor seems to be fighting off a feeling of drowsiness.

AMOBC, on the other hand, is feeling no pain. Connie busts up her celebration and demands that she respect Reina's memory. She takes Reina's sewing machine and leaves.

Navier guesses that Fico is threatening Esmeeth. He wants to know what she's hiding. A knock on the door interrupts their conversation. Both of them reach for their guns. But it's only Juanjo, who lets out a little high-pitched yelp at the sight of the heavy artillery aimed right at him. Esmeeth leaves, assuring Navier that Fico is his to take down.

Navier tells Juanjo about the Marino problem.

Estefi is back home. She calls Navier and says she has heard about Reina. He doesn't want to talk about it. All he'll say is that someone poisoned them. He wants to be alone. Estefi says she accepts that. She reminds him of her unconditional love. But after the call, she looks angry and she throws the phone to the floor.
 

Part 3

Asunción begs Susana not to tell anyone her story. "I abandoned Reina when she was a child -- it's not important why. I wanted to come back, but Reina's father wouldn't allow it. He was a very "special" man. For Reina, he was a saint."

Reina was innocent and good and her life was a living hell, says Asunción. Susana says any woman would suffer if she lived with Victor. Besides, it was her own fault. Asunción sets her straight: "Reina fell into a trap and she couldn't escape."

"Did Reina know you were her mother?"

Asunción nods. She remembers how Reina found her one day, gun in hand, prepared to kill Victor before he killed Reina because of everything she knew. Reina took the gun from her and assured her: "I'll be able to stand up to him, to the organization, to everything -- because I'm not afraid. My daughter gives me strength. You don't have to do anything for me."

"For once in my life," Asunción told her, "let me do something for you, daughter!"

Back in the present, Asunción tells Susana that Reina found out she was her mother the night before she got married, just before she lost her memory.

Alone again, Asunción opens her locket and kisses the photo of the baby girl inside it.

Connie and Laz reminisce about Reina. Miriam comes in and offers an insincere apology. Laz rejects it. Izzy shows up. Connie throws herself into Izzy's arms. Laz and Izzy give each other the stinkeye. If Izzy is staying, then Laz is leaving.

Laz ends up at Navier's place where Juanjo is already hanging out. The boys want to stay there, at least for a while. Navier says it's too dangerous. They insist. He takes them into his confidence -- he has to find Marino. Hours pass as pizza is eaten, naps are taken (not by the Dragon, of course), and Navier stays focused on his laptop.

Then a message in HUGE TYPE appears on Navier's screen: GOOD NEWS... SMITH KNOWS EVERYTHING ABOUT YOUR FAMILY.
 

Part 4 -- The Morning After

OBD finds Victor unconscious on his bed. She tells Christian that Vic is dead.

Navier thanks Laz and Juanjo and tells them they should get back to their lives. He's glad JJ told him about Christian being Camila's lover and about the unlucky 13 people in the scandalous video. Juanjo blurts out that he's especially upset that the putz is blackmailing Susana by threatening to tell Greta she's not her real mother. This is news to Laz. Navier thinks all these things are somehow intertwined.

Victor stirs. "Huh? I'm not dead?" he asks weakly.

Susana reassures Asunción that she did not betray her secret to the police. Asunción is worried about Clara. No one has told her anything about her mother. She rejects Susana's offer to tell her -- she'll do it herself; she is her grandmother, even if Clarita doesn't know it. And maybe she'll tell her more than that. Reina was murdered, and Asunción knows who did it.

Victor is on his feet. He sends Christian and Izzy away. OBD clings. He tells her to leave too, to respect his wife's memory. "You didn't respect her in her lifetime," retorts OBD. "I just decided to respect her death," says Victor. "So get out."

Esmeeth joins Navier at the window into the morgue. He tells her about the email. Is it true that she knows about his family? "Yes," she says. "Do you want to know?" "No..."

But before the conversation can continue, they see two doctors approach an empty space in the wall of corpses. Reina's body is missing! All that remains is a single playing card: The Queen of Hearts!
 

Part 5

Esmeeth and Navier are distraught. Esmeeth will have the security footage reviewed. "Can't they let her rest in peace?" cries Navier. His phone rings. It's Marino, hobbling down the train aisle: "I woke up with an urge to kill you today, Bolivar." "Me too," says Navier. "Just you or do you need the troops?" Marino asks, baiting him to be sure he comes alone.

Navier lies to Esmeeth about the call, saying it was Juanjo. She doesn't believe him. He's obviously very upset. Of course he's upset, he says. Now he has nothing left -- the only woman he ever loved is dead, and now even her body is missing! She wouldn't understand -- she never mixes the personal with the professional. But he's leaving. He can't take it anymore.

Outside the morgue, Navier gets another call and arranges the meet with Marino.

Victor tells Izzy that he doesn't understand why he's not dead yet -- the poison should have caused a fatal heart attack hours ago. "Maybe it wasn't your time, sir."

"Isidro, did you have something to do with this?"

Izzy admits he replaced the vial of poison with a strong sedative. He thought Victor might do something like this.

Why did Izzy do it? asks Victor. He never loved anyone so much that he wanted to take his own life because of their death.

Izzy clears his throat. "Not because of a death, sir; for a murder, yes. And I think you killed Reina...sir."

Estefi combs out her doll's hair. Victor can't be the Voice, she tells Lopez 2.0. He wouldn't have been working with her while Reina was dying.

Lopez says she shouldn't go back to that place. It's too dangerous. She's determined to return. She needs to know who knows her so well, who wants her to rob the diamond, and why.

Lopez watches as Estefi pins a diamond tiara on the doll "so you can be the Doll Queen -- though I'm the only Queen."

Izzy offers Victor his resignation. He knows he failed him, but he's not sorry. He'd do the same thing a thousand and one times over -- but if that's what Victor wants, he'll leave.

Victor tells Izzy to stay.

A woman calls out for Victor de Rosas. "I need to talk to him." It's Connie! She confronts Victor and accuses him of being responsible for Reina's death. She was her only friend. She was a good person and Victor tried to change her. Victor is the devil himself! And now Reina is gone, just when she and Connie had found each other again. How is she going to live with the loss?

Laz brings Miriam back to the rehab clinic. He tells the doctor she suffered a crisis and asks him to examine her. He promises to come back for her later. As soon as Laz leaves, Miriam gets hysterical. She wants out! The putz must have been lurking in the background because now he comes in and says he won't let anyone lock her up. The greedy doctor scuttles out, leaving the putz and Miriam alone. "Wanna be friends?" asks the putz, holding out a handful of small baggies. She grins and reaches out an arm.

Victor glowers at Connie. He's the only one who is bereft here! With Reina's death, his life has lost its meaning. He tried to take his own life because of Reina. And Connie dares to talk to him about loss!

"Sir, that's not love -- it's obsession," says Connie. As Victor's men are leading her out of the house, she turns to OBD: "And she and her mother were partying over Reina's death. Who knows what they did!"

Christian, alone with Victor, wants to know if Connie's accusations are true. [Although all she accused him of was being a bad person. Duh.] Victor says that the only truth is that his life has lost meaning with Reina's death.
 

Part 6

Estefi phones someone (Navier?) from within the diamond vault [which has surprisingly good reception] and leaves a message that she is there for him whenever he needs her. She continues to puzzle over the identity of the Voice.

Esmeeth is frustrated. How can it be that the cameras aren't working? Someone disconnected them! Rocky tells her they're working them up for prints. Esmeeth expects to be held accountable for the screw-up. "Imagine how happy your cousin is going to be, the arrogant SOB!" [Did she really talk about Rocky's cousin? Or did I hear that wrong?]

"Bad news," says Rocky, only half tuning in to Esmeeth's rant. "Navier isn't at home. He lied." Esmeeth races out of CIA headquarters.

Navier drives up to a railroad station. He finds a crudely painted sign with an arrow: "Follow this if you dare." Navier proceeds warily. Suddenly Marino jumps down from a train. The match is on.

Clarita asks Victor why everyone is acting so funny today. "Your mommy died," he says, and then he takes another pull on his flask.

Estefi stands before the network of cords. She is clad in her cat burglar ballet outfit. "I know who you are now," she says. "Come out and show your face."

"How did you know I'd be here?" asks the Voice. She deduced it, she says. "Come out."

"Who am I?"

"No more games, Octavio de Rosas!"

"You got it right!" A heavyset, gray-haired man in a gray three-piece suit emerges from the shadows. He faces Estefanía. "Queen of Diamonds," he says.
 

Part 7

The two wounded machos growl and thrash. Marino plays dirty, hoisting a chair and throwing it at Navier, knocking him to the ground. Marino pulls out his gun and takes aim. A shot sounds, but it is Marino who is hit. He falls to his knees...

Esmeeth -- for it is Agent Esmeeth who has shot Marino and once again saved Navier's life -- comes out from her hiding place in the train, kicks the gun away from Marino and runs to Navier's side.

"Reina is alive," Marino tells them, weak but exuding venom right up until the end, "but you'll never find her." Navier raises his head and shoulders up from the ground. "I won," says Marino. Then he collapses. Is he dead?

"What do you mean my mommy died?" asks Clarita. "She died just as we're all going to die, only in her case, it happened earlier," answers Victor. [That's why they call him Mr. Sensitivity, I guess.] "Now don't ask me any more questions. Out!"

"You mean I'm never going to see her again?" asks Clarita, not sure she is hearing him right.

"No. Never again. Now get out!"

"Don't die, you fool!" screams Navier, shaking Marino's body. "You have to tell me where Reina is!"

"He's dead!" says Esmeeth.

"I know!" shouts Navier. "But I can't accept it because even if he's dead, he still beat me! He said Reina was alive and now I'll never find her."

"Look at me -- we're going to find Reina," says Esmeeth forcefully.

Estefi tells Octavio de Rosas that she'll never work for him. He says that, as usual, she's making a mistake, just as she did when she decided to fall in love with his son.

She accuses him of helping Victor steal her daughter. But he isn't here to discuss the past. It's the present and the future that interest him, and the future is the diamond she's going to steal.

Why is he doing it? For the sake of his son, who, he imagines, must be feeling very bad about that seamstress's death. That's what he came for -- to see him suffer like one condemned. Because of that seamstress who never loved him -- that's why he came.

Octavio chuckles.

Esmeeth and Navier search for clues to Reina's whereabouts. Esmeeth finds a cache of cash hidden behind the backing of a framed painting -- Marino must have been planning to use it for his escape. Esmeeth is still sure they'll find Reina. But Navier is filled with doubt. Esmeeth has kept too many secrets from him. She's no longer someone he can trust.

Sirens sound. The police arrive at the railroad station. Rocky looks down at Marino's body.
 

Part 8

Asunción confronts the Aún Más Odious Bitch Carmen as the latter makes joyful decorating plans for the de Rosas mansion now that she and "mi niña" are going to be living there. "I've heard that you and 'su niña' celebrated Reina's death." The AMOBC says she didn't exactly party down, but she was glad...yeah. "Shut up!" shouts Asunción. "You have no right."

"So now I'm supposed to feel compassion for you? Who are you?"

"¡Yo soy la madre de Reina!" says Asunción.

"You? You're the one who abandoned my useless husband and left him with that girl? And you have the nerve to complain about me? You should have stayed with him! Then he wouldn't have ruined my life!"

"Don't meddle with my daughter!"

"What daughter? The daughter you abandoned? Please, you should be happy that she died!" The AMOBC cackles.

"I hate you so much," says Asunción. "I hate you more," says OBC. "I've always hated you!"

But Asunción knows all OBC's secrets; if she dares to betray her past, Asunción will reveal terrible things...

OBC grabs Asunción's throat and begins to choke her. OBD has to pull OBC away from Asunción. What if Victor saw her like that?

Rocky tells Navier that the police are searching for Reina's body. He reminds Navier that Marino may have been lying when he said Reina was still alive. Navier is determined to get at the truth.

He turns to leave. Esmeeth tells him he needs to trust her. She's willing to tell him about his family, if that's what it takes. What secret does he want to know?

And here endeth a much longer and more complicated summary than I was counting on. Lo siento.
 

NovelaMaven-This was a great recap. I really don't see how it could have been shorter or less complicated. It was an action-packed, revelation-filled episode and that tends to make longer recaps.

I am still reeling. I woke up early to watch...wow this episode woke me up. Is it time for the next episode yet???
 

Great recap, NovelaMaven. It was snarky - I particulary liked:
[That's why they call him Mr. Sensitivity, I guess.].

I totally missed the reference to Rocky's primo but I watched it again and that is what she said.

So Asunción is Reina's mother. I didn't expect that but it's not too surprising except that Reina hasn't been mooning around wishing her mother hadn't abandoned her, unlike some.

I guess we can conclude that Reina's supposed death cancels Izzy's order to kill Connie since she and Reina can't get together.

Both Izzy and Asunción think that it was Victor who murdered Reina. This is weird because Victor didn't know who Fico was and ordered Izzy to kill him. But in the flashback where Asunción tells Reina that she is her mother, Reina refers to Victor and his organization. Could this mysterious organization be doing things that Victor doesn't know the details of? Beats me.

I will make a prediction - I think Fico will return. I know he's supposed to be dead but I have seen a supposedly dead villain return before and in a novela written by the same person who is writing this one (Corazón Valiente).
 

FYI - According to the promo, Eugenio Siller, our Navier, is supposed to be on Suelta la Sopa today. On the east coast, it is on at 3pm.
 

Fabulous, NovelaMaven! There was a lot to cover this episode. We had all figured Smith was Navier's mom, but the Asuncion reveal was surprising. I'm ready for some more revealing flashbacks, like the one we got last night.

And now Vic's dad is on the scene too. And he and his son hate each other. Good times ahead.

I'm glad Connie called Vic out on his obsession with Reina, not love. I'm still shocked he tried to commit suicide and I'm not buying it. Victor de Rosas doesn't try to off himself when someone takes what is his. He gets even, and he kills whoever took his possession.
 

Wow! What an amazing recap of an incredible episode. Muchísimas gracias, NovelaMaven.

It's now the morning after the episode, and my head is still spinning from all the twists and revelations. There's so much I don't (yet?) understand. For example, Asunción's flashback to the scene with Reina and the gun. Asunción was going to kill Victor before he killed Reina? And this was one day before Reina married him, in spite of knowing enough to make him want to kill her? (My extra strength beanie totally disintegrated last night, leaving me even more helpless than usual.)

Anyway, I loved all your helpful detail and delightful snark (Mr. Sensitivity, the smoothed and folded crumpled note, etc.). And from now on Carmen is AMOBC. That's a lot more descriptive and a bit shorter than "Carmen" (though I keep wanting to type AMOEBA).

I also loved your describing Stefi's outfit as "standard comfy cat burglar black." I'm not sure why; it's just such a neat phrase.
 

NovelaMaven - This recap had to be long because so much happened! Thank you for snark, recapping and covering it so thoroughly.

Personal confession time here ---This telenovela is so good, that I’ve got the CC3s enabled so I can read the subtitles in English. I don’t want to miss a word or nuance. My Spanish comprehension skills will have to wait for a lesser telenovela.

Victor’s notes to his daughters confused me. It looked like he started a second note, to Clara, where he told her that NN is her father, but the final camera shot was on an envelope that said “Para Greta.” That was confusing. Did I see it wrong? Are we supposed to be a bit confused?

I wasn’t buying Victor’s suicide, but the notes were written. He seemed to want to die. Which lends the question --- where are those notes right now? Anything can happen in this telenovela!

When Connie was giving Victor “what-for” I wondered if he realized that this is the girl he told Izzy to kill.

Jean – Reina was supposed to be dead, too, and she’s alive. It’s only fair that Fico can return, too. Bobby Ewing will wake up, and it will have all been a bad dream.

”And he and his son hate each other. Good times ahead.”
Vivi – LOL

Juanita - AMOEBA works for me (although she is more of a blood-sucking parasite, like ... a tick). If she wears Juanjo's paramecium shirt, it would be perfect camouflage.
 

Here is a list of reasons why Esmeeth SHOULD be fired:

1. Three double agents in her organziation: Fico, Betina and Torres, the ambulance driver;

2. One rogue agent, our hero, Navier, who does not follow orders and does exactly as he pleases so much so that he had to be forcibly sedated on one occasion and when he does do what he is told, Esmeeth compliments him.

3. Having such poor internal security that said rogue agent can get access to her computer.

4. Arresting the wrong guy on suspicion of trying to kill Reina. [Remember that the photo of Andres and Reina in Paris that prompted his arrest was not taken by Esmeeth's people, the police had it and Navier found it in Stefi's house.]

5. Totally failing to protect targeted individuals by securing a location. These locations include: Reina's fashion show; the hospital after Navier was shot; the hospital after Navier and Reina were poisoned; and Reina's house when she and Navier were in the shower and probably others.

6. Getting information on the whereabouts of some place or wanted person but always arriving too late so that the person is either dead or has escaped.

7. Not making any progress on the actual investigation, which was supposed to be about diamond trafficking with ties to terrorism.

Did I miss any?
 

Anonymous 12:09 asked:
..does this mean Fico is responsible for more than one attempt on Reina's life?

And the answer is that we don't know. All the other attempts on Reina's life that I can recall, there were so many, were by unknown persons (the shower shooting, for example or the hit and run, if it was an attempt to kill Reina) or by "hired killers," the fashion show, for example, employer unknown. OBD was hinted at as the shooter in the shower attempt but I don't think that was confirmed.
 

My thoughts on Victor's attempted suicide are that it was real, if totally out of character. Characters sometimes do things on novelas that really make no sense or are out of character and appear to be just to tease us.
 

Jean- Yes. Totally out of character and just a way for the writers to get our attention. I do wonder who will get their hands on the letters.
 

Thanks for putting up with my verbosity, guys! I kept cutting and cutting and I still ended up with a monster of a recap!

Sara
Is it time for the next episode yet???
hehehehe, I know, I know!

Jean, it's true that "that Reina hasn't been mooning around wishing her mother hadn't abandoned her, unlike some."

...but does Reina KNOW that her mother abandoned or? Or does she think that she died?

Asunción says she knows who murdered Reina but I didn't hear her say it was Victor. [She DID say in the flashback that Victor was going to kill Reina, so maybe it's the same thing.]

I hope you're wrong about Marino's return from the dead -- though I suspect you are not!
 

Vivi
As Jean said, Victor's suicide attempt was out of character, but like her, I also think it was real. His feelings for Reina may be more complicated than we thought.

And yes, "Good times ahead" with the father and son locked in battle!

Juanita
I like AMOEBA too, though perhaps AMOB would work nicely. Maybe I'll reserve AMOEBA for the days that Juanjo wears his paramecium shirt (and surely, we'll see it again; his wardrobe can't be that big).

Doris
I'd have to look back at the episode, but I thought there were a couple of envelopes. We saw "Para Greta" on one; I assumed the other said "Para Clara," even if we didn't see it. There were definitely two notes (see Part 1 of the recap of this remarkably epistolary episode).

I see that Vivi had the same thought as you: Who will get their hands on those letters?
 

NovelaMaven asked:

...but does Reina KNOW that her mother abandoned or? Or does she think that she died?

We don't know. I don't believe Reina has ever so much as mentioned her mother. BUT, when Asuncion told (what are we calling her?) AMOBC that she was Reina's mother, Carmen didn't say - I thought you were dead. She said (from yr recap): "What daughter? The daughter you abandoned?" Would someone as odious and bitchy as Carmen have missed the opportunity to tell Reina that her mother abandoned her instead of being dead?

True, I may made a leap in saying that Asuncion accused Victor of murdering Reina.

 

Jean,

"Would someone as odious and bitchy as Carmen have missed the opportunity to tell Reina that her mother abandoned her instead of being dead?"

Great question! It would be the strategic thing for AMOB to keep her mouth shut, though. If Reina knew her mother was alive, she might be tempted to go looking for her, if only to find out why she had abandoned her.
 

Oh, NM--What a story, and what a retelling. I didn't want your recap to end. Nothing is too long when it comes to Reina, unbelievable though it might be.

I'm so glad we're getting the secrets out on the table. New mystery. Why does Papa de Rosas hate his son and want to see him suffer.

Victor trying to commit suicide was completely out of character. He was too calm when he took the vial from the fridge. He should have been remembering the diamond crown he so recently acquired and the danger and the challenge of stealing the red diamond and reforming the Black Falcon gang. Extreme robbery is what he really loves, anyway.

We have yet to see how his obsession with Reina figured in all of this (I think it has something to do with the above mentioned red diamonds) when he says so pathetically that all is lost.

Since we knew Victor couldn't die so early, I thought maybe he got Granny's magical worm.
 

wow, such a wonderful recap NovelaMaven!
a long and detailed recap is really a bonus for me.

one of my chuckle moments was when Smith kicked over a chair and ran out the door to try to catch up with the Navier/Fico confrontation, and a fellow agent jumped up to follow, and smooth Rocky, snatched him by the collar, spun him around, and calmly sent him back to his desk. Rocky does have this certain presence.

 

Wonderful recap! Thanks NovelaMaven!

What could have Asuncion meant when she referred to Reina's dad as "special"? And what reasons could she have had for abandoning Reina?

I also heard Esmeeth say "primo" during her rant.

I loved that little bit of the agent trying to leave and Rocky grabbing him and making him go back to work.

I hope Fico is really dead. He is one character I won't miss.

Who could Navier's father be? I guess it was asking too much for the to be revealed last night too.
 

*for it to be revealed last night too.
 

Burning questions du jour---
1. Has Victor ever laid eyes on Esmeeth? (The answer is “no”, as far as I can remember.)
2. So….. perhaps Victor is Navier’s father…. or
3. perhaps Octavio de Rosas is Navier’s father?
4. WHY the heck did Asunción abandon Reina?

I caught Smith’s reference to Rocky’s “primo” , and immediately wondered if Fico and Rocky are cousins. Then it would be no coincidence, either, that Fico was also chosen from the local prison to serve in the C-I-Agents’R’Us.

That was funny when Rocky collared that agent and whipped him back into his chair. It’s the little things like that, and Estefy’s maid sipping her liquor, etc., which make a telenovela fun to watch.
 

Jean--this is a minor character for your list, but for #1, we could add a 4th "double" agent, or at least suborned. The one Fico got to act as the sniper on the roof when Fico was going to "pretend" to be shot. He identified himself as an agent when Navier caught up to him. Maybe he was innocent and was told this was part of the operation to keep Frank safe.
 

doris- most recently Victor saw Smith and Rocky at the hospital, as the agents in charge of the Navier/Reina poisoning.

 

Doris--Your choices for fathering Navier are both en juego. Esmeeth could have bedded either at one time or another. She is so hell-bent on "getting" Victor, my pesos are on him. But, if Octavio were head of the organization before Vic took over, Esmeeth probably believes in the sins of the father being passed on to the son. Maybe she doesn't know Octavio has only been incommunicado and not dead.

 

Smith already made some cryptic comments about losing ones head because of love while on the case, which made it seem like she was referring to Victor. That's why I originally thought Victor was Navier's dad. But she and Victor have now been in the same room together a few times, with no reaction, so I definitely put Octavio in there as a contender for Navier's dad. That would make him and Victor brothers, and tns love brothers in competition for the same lady's love. It still wouldn't solve the incest problem of Navier and Camila though...but what's a little incest among family? :)
 

Thanks for your excellent recap NovelaMaven! I agree having more to read is always a bonus.

naps are taken (not by the Dragon, of course) Haha, that made me chuckle, & it's true! He's always going from one crisis to the next. It makes me tired just thinking about it.

Count me in on wondering who's going to find those letter's that Victor wrote. Greta's letter not so much, but Clare's should be a game changer.

7. Not making any progress on the actual investigation, which was supposed to be about diamond trafficking with ties to terrorism. LOL, yep Jean that has totally taken a back burner

If Victor and Navier are brothers, talk about putting oil to the fire, should lead to interesting and fun to watch showdowns!

One thing that confused me during yesterday's episode though was why did Izzy say that Victor murdered Reina? And it almost seemed like he cared.

jlk
 

This comment has been removed by the author.
 

Thanks to Anonymous for the information about the hypnotist. Here is another question to be added. Who has Fico (I always think of my credit score when I see this) really working for? Besides taking order from Esmeeth, he was also taking order from someone one else. Could it have been Octavio?
 

Oops I mean was..
 

Thanks for reminding me that Victor has seen Esmeeth, and with no recognition on his part. That makes me think that he could not be Navier's bio-dad, but perhaps Octavio is, or even Leonard Nimoy.

Greata's sweatshirt is cracking me up; those big panda bear eyes that, due to their location, look like, ummm, headlights. Wardrobe dept. is having fun.
 

hmm, I'm not really getting this "organization" thingy, but from everyone's comments it seems, Victor has or works with an "organization", (is this the bigger thing Smith is after) and it turns out Frank (NN to Victor) was also connected to an "organization" and he, in Victor's eyes killed Reina, so is this a round about way that Victor killed Reina?

and why Isidro says he did and why Victor was so remorse, rather than taking action.


 

deb - I'm guessing the "organization" is sort of like a Mafia type group. When Isidro said Victor killed Reina, my take on it was that Victor's involvement with that group, etc., put Reina in jeopardy and that he indirectly caused her murder somehow, some way, via information she probably came across or acquired.
 

I think that you are on the right track, Doris concerning Victor and the "organization." His involvement with this organization has put Reina's life in jeopardy.

Still unknown is if there is one organization that both Victor and Fico (I always think credit score, too, Nia)were working for or are there two organizations, Victor's and the one that Fico was working for.

I was going to say that I would vote for two organizations since Victor apparently knew nothing about Fico but I realize that isn't necessarily true. Victor didn't know that Frank Marino was posing as Nicolas Nunez.

Another fact in support of two organizations is that somebody stole Victor's supply of virus, which would indicate some other organization at work.

I can't believe that I'm doing all this analysis fora silly novela and at work, too.
 

Jean--
At least at work you don't have extraneous bird songs to listen to in the background...or do you, bwahhaaaa.
 

Anita: the agent who did the fake assasination could have been in league with Fico but I doubt it since Esmeeth knew about the operation.
I probably should have included Rocky, who went against Esmeeth's orders and sprung Navier from his cell as well as giving him the surveillance tapes from Reina's wedding.
 

Nope. No birdsong here at work.

The other day I "woke up" my big computer at home that I hardly ever use and I heard the weirdest noise that I wasn't sure at first was coming from the computer. It turned out that the computer had started playing the song of some bird in Ecuador that was on my iTunes playlist. It was not a melodious song. It sounded like a squealing tire and gave me quite a start.
 

Watch it, Jean, or someone will start a list about you!
[snort]

I really want Rocky to be a good guy, but I fear he, too, will turn out to be a double agent

Deb
What if it's a terrorist organization that finances its activities with huge jewel heists?

Doris and

" When Isidro said Victor killed Reina, my take on it was that Victor's involvement with that group, etc., put Reina in jeopardy and that he indirectly caused her murder somehow, some way, via information she probably came across or acquired."

That actually sounds plausible. (so I guess we should discard it as a working hypothesis, huh?)

Loved the panda shirt comment!
 

Mauricio--ITA with you I hope Fico is really dead. He is one character I won't miss.

Didn't someone say awhile back that maybe Gabriel was only signed on for 5 episodes? (Give or take a few.)

With Esmeeth taking the shot and now in charge of the body, it's anybody's guess. Her track record, as we have noticed, isn't too good.

If he's really dead, all we can hope for is that he left little clues behind as to where Reina is, maybe some videos or voice recordings.

Coming back from the dead has been happening over on Siempre Tuya Acapulco, with both brothers coming back after their funerals. One with a rigor-mortis producing paralysis that then wore off, sort of like Reina's.

I don't think Frank wanted to die so I'm sure he figured Nicolas would have back-up. Maybe he was wearing a bullet-proof vest. If he is alive, it will be either Rocky's or Esmeeth's fault. Dang.

 

Anita

"Why does Papa de Rosas hate his son and want to see him suffer?"

Gosh, do we need a reason other than that he's a mean old SOB? But papa's character will go a long way to explaining Victor's. (Good thing he had Granny and the magical worm, huh?)

Deb
Thanks for reminding us of that little bit of physical comedy (the chair kick/agent snatch by Esmeeth and Rocky)! Funny stuff!

Mauricio
I was wondering about the word 'especial' too. What could Asunción have been getting at? It's often not exactly a compliment to call someone 'especial.' AMOBC had some choice words for Reina's father too. I hope we get some illuminating flashbacks...

Vivi
No incest problem if Victor isn't Camila's father. I suspect Susana got around a bit in the past. :D

jlk

One thing that confused me during yesterday's episode though was why did Izzy say that Victor murdered Reina? And it almost seemed like he cared."

Well we've had some smart theories on why Izzy would say Victor had done it.

It seems to me that the Black Falcon & Izzy bond is going to be one of the strongest in the story!

Nia
so maybe we should start calling him "Frico"? :)
 

Wow, fantastic recap, NovelaMaven! And we certainly have some fine minds here percolating on all the mysteries. If some of you guys worked for the CIA, the novela would be over by now. All cases solved.

I don't think I've ever seen a novela before where BOTH the protagonists were abandoned babies. That's almost overkill, isn't it? Maybe they'll turn out to be switched babies, even better.

The guy who plays Octavio was a very similar character in Pasión Prohibida. Evil, snobby dad who was awful to his only son.
 

"That actually sounds plausible. (so I guess we should discard""
Absolutely!!! We've watched enough telenovelas here at Caray to know,m without a doubt, that any theory I come up with will be the exact opposite of how the story turns out.

So, to further hypothesize, WHAT IF Navier's father is actually someone whom we have not yet even been given a clue exists?
Might Victor have a brother? Maybe one that Esmeeth was madly in love with and Victor killed him? (the old Cain & Abel story) That would be more in line with the writing of this "novela loca" to quote Esmeeth in the cast karaoke.

 

Well, and my theory would have to say that if Victor had said brother, he wouldn't have known about Esmeeth.
 

Greata's sweatshirt is cracking me up; those big panda bear eyes that, due to their location, look like, ummm, headlights. Wardrobe dept. is having fun.

Since I don't have a mind for mystery and can't come up with any theories (seriously, my head is swimming after scanning the comments) I just wanted to say that I'm glad I'm not the only one who finds Greata's shirt hilarious.
 

Thanks so much, Novelera!

And thanks to all for the wonderful comments today. It wasn't so long ago that all the Telemundo fans could have held meetings in a phone booth and still had room for an hors d'oeuvres table -- well, if there were phone booths...uh...so maybe it was a LONG TIME AGO.

Anyhow, it's nice to hear from you all!

And Doris, it's not that it's YOUR theory that makes it unlikely; it's the LOGICAL NATURE of the theory that makes me doubt it.

I think I'll hang out with Sara and pretend these characters are all contestants on Project Runway.
 

Watching now. OBD is a heifer.
 

Paging Vincent Price...

I'm not pleased with Izzy right now.
 

I just realized there are NO commercials during this novela!! My hand hurts from writing so much. Recap will be up shortly!
 

Vincent Price, indeed.

So Reina is The Woman Who Knew Too Much. Bless her heart.

The plot thickens!

Must see TV!!!
 

Sorry for any mistakes or omissions. Feel free to add or correct!
 

Wednesday PART 1

We pick up where we left off yesterday. Marino is dead and Reina is missing, but alive. Smith yells to Naiver “ What secret do you want to know? “ None” he screams and walks off. Balboa shows up “Problems?” he asks. Yes….many….the higher ups want answers and results. For the first time in her career, Smith doesn’t know what to tell them. She doesn’t know if she is trying to find a woman who is dead or alive. The only thing she does know is that Reina needs to appear!

Victor flashes back to seamstress Reina. He tries to take her dinner. She declines. He asks her if there is someone in her life-no she is by herself. Her only family is her daughter. Her mate is dead and her heart is closed. She only has room for him-Nikolas! Flash back to present day-all Reina had to do was love Victor and she would still be alive! Victor takes a swig out of his flask.

Cut to Susana and Juancho. She wants Damian out of Greta’s life and needs his help. She wants Putz to disappear!

Laz is sad about Reina. He didn’t want her dead. Greta asks if they were dating. No-she was the type to have a steady guy. He was not the type to fall in love. Has he never been in love, she asks. Not really, until now! Maybe what he feels for her is love! She smiles!! (Yay!!)

Juancho is insulted-just because he is poor doesn’t mean he is a criminal. Susana is shocked-why do you think she wants to kill the Putz? Does she have the face of a killer? No she has the face of an angel but he overheard her say she tried to kill someone.

OBD is talking crap about Reina upsetting Clarita. Asuncion defends her and OBD tells her that she never liked her and that soon she is going to be the new lady of the house. Asuncion comforts Clarita and tells her she won’t be alone because she has her and she loved her very much.

Laz and Greta tell each other a bunch of lovely things basically admitted their love for each other. But she doesn’t want to kiss him for fear of eventually losing him.

Smith tells Victor that Reina’s body is missing. Octavio shows up and Victor says he is busy with the CIA. Smith turns around and says he is busy with her! Octavio looks shocked!

Navier tries to locate Dr. Anderson and finds out he has cancelled all his appointments!

Octavio says he knows about Reina and that is why he is there. So he doesn’t show up after Greta’s accident but he shows up for a person he never loved? “That’s how I am” Octavio says! Smith tells Victor that Nunez is dead. What’s going on Octavio asks? Well Reina’s body is missing and doesn’t understand how that could be. Smith asks if Victor knows anyone that would hate Reina so much that would make her corpse disappear? Why yes, my father!!

Estfy tells Lopez he doesn’t trust Octavio and wants more bodyguards! She believes there is more to this. But she is not going to give up the red diamond or her daughter or Navier!

Navier threatens Anderson and forces him to meet.

Susana doesn’t understand. If Juancho heard this, why he didn’t say anything or why he accepted to work for her. This was a one-time impulse. Juancho wants to know who made her so mad. FLASHBACK!!! Susana confronts Seamstress Reina-she is blaming Reina for Victor sending Greta to London. She is going to London to be with her. Now she has both of them out of her way. Reina tries to tell her that she doesn’t have anything against them but Susana doesn’t want to listen. She swears revenge and that Reina will wish she was never born. Back to the present: That story is over for good! Why, Juancho asks. Is it because Reina is dead?

Victor is going through a bad time and the last person he needed to see was his dad. That’s the advantage of having a son, Octavio says, so they can have some loving communication. Octavio never liked Reina, Victor says. Yes but it’s a good thing that Reina lost her memory or they both would have been in prison.


 

Wednesday PART 2

Smith cannot believe that there is no video of what happened to Reina. It’s been such a bad day she should have never gotten out of bed! Balboa informs Smith that Octavio is back in the country. She knows. Well he has been here for 48 hours-before Reina died.

Back to Octavio and Victor. Reina knew about the diamond trafficking. Why wouldn’t he be happy about the person who wanted him to rot in prison. I didn’t kill her. Someone beat me to it. But I thought about it! (I see where Victor gets it from!)
Victor: You are always so cold. You didn’t love me, or my mother or your grandkids. Did you ever love anyone? Yes. Once. It was enough…(Geez wonder who that was!!)

Navier confronts Dr Anderson. He admits that a woman called him to give Reina a “ catalepsia. “ (Translation please? )

Estfy goes to see Greta. They talk about Reina. Greta tells her how her nurse killed Reina.

Navier tells Smith what the doctor told him. Smith believes it could be either 2 women-Estfy or OBD. Navier feels like there is something missing. Smith gets a call. Its Octavio, ” Sarita I need to see you!” Ok!
Was that about the case, Navier asks? No it’s personal. Personal..Smith has a personal life? Yes she has a past, present and future. We all have a past. Navier then goes on and on and ON about his past. His mother isn’t his mother because she abandoned him. She doesn’t exist for him. She denied him, so he will deny her. He has no tears for her and walks out. Smith IS in tears and says, “ Forgive me son!!”

Octavio meets Laz. Estfy is putting makeup on Greta and gives her motherly advice. She has to use all the weapons at her disposal to fight! Beauty is a powerful weapon-she can get any man. Greta wonders why Estfy is so good to her. Octavio comes to see her and Greta sarcastically announces that her grandfather is the best. Octavio comments that she is just like Victor!

Izzy brings Connie home. Why did she have to confront Victor? Reina wasn’t happy with him, was she? Of course she was! Connie doesn’t believe him. She starts having doubts about him because he is defending Victor so vehemently.

Susana tells Juancho that he misunderstood what she said about the Putz. But their business relationship must end. She gives him a check, which is more than what she owes. He accuses her of trying to buy him. They then get into a hilarious sequence of Juancho ripping up the check. He is acting childish! Why because he doesn’t want to kill anyone? Leave she says. Think what you want! What do you want from me? You’d be surprised what I want he says as he leaves.

Navier is in Estfy’s house. He acts cold to her. What’s wrong, she asks. Everything!! He needed Reina to hate him for his revenge. He needed her alive. He has no meaning now that she is dead! What does he want her to do? Pray so that her body reappears..alive! He hugs her and we see a smile! He is manipulating her!

Clara goes into Greta’s room upset. Laz comforts her Putz comes in and asks when’s the funeral! (Ugh can he die already!!)

Christian passes by Connie’s apartment with a rose. He was worried after seeing her at Victor’s. Was he investigating something about Reina’s case? No, he is Victor’s friend. Victor is devastated over her-he really loved her. She never reciprocated and that can poison someone’s soul! (You too Christian?)

OBD is yelling at her mom. She had info to share!! What info OBD asks? Wads of money fall out of her mom’s purse-her boyfriend gave it to her. He takes care of her! OBD needs to take care of Victor so she can be the queen on the house!!

 

Wednesday Part 3

Victor is in bed again! With his flask. Victor tells Izzy that he doesn’t understand-he has never been in love with someone like he loved Reina. Clarita comes in upset but Victor throws her out of the room. He is going to send her to boarding school in London. Izzy tells Victor that he is being too harsh with Clarita. Victor tells him not to get involved. She isn’t his daughter- he will treat her like he wants! Victor chides him for not killing Connie. When Izzy tries to make excuses, Victor stops him and reveals that he knows Izzy is in love with her! He doesn’t care anymore whether she lives or dies because Reina is dead. But he doesn’t want Izzy to see her anymore!

Connie thanks Christian for worrying about her. He tells her that she is pretty and that he is upset about Reina too. Christian than grabs her faces as if to kiss her but Connie stops him. She has a boyfriend and is very much in love. Call me when he disappoints you, Christian says. It’s never going to happen Connie says. (FORESHADOWING!) (I think Christian is soo scummy . )

Susana warmly greets Octavio. He can’t believe Victor let her go. He then tells Susanna that Reina’s body is missing.

Laz takes Greta into the pool. She is scared. She needs to relax and trust him. While in the pool, they kiss!!Laz wanted to kiss her since the first time he saw her. He means he wanted to kill her! She fascinated him. Reina’s death affected Laz-he doesn't want to spend the rest of his life with someone he doesn’t love. He just wants to love her. He wants her to let him love her..Awwwww!

Navier shows up at Victor’s house. Reina is alive!

Cut to Reina in a spooky place, in a coffin. She opens her eyes and starts screaming!

Why is Navier saying that Reina is alive? He overheard the police saying that she might still be alive and had to tell him. If she is alive Victor has the resources to be able to find her. We then find out that it was Victor who called Navier over to his house to tell him something. It’s not important anymore Victor tells him.

Smith meets Octavio. Hope I wasn't too late, she says. You were late a lifetime..you were 30 years too late!

Miriam acts too happy at home. Juancho suspects she is back on drugs and goes to snoop and confirm his suspicions. Izzy shows up and gives Connie a tender kiss. He is there to say goodbye!

Octavio reveals that he was crazy about “ Sara” but for Smith she was just working undercover. She tells him not to call her Sara, she stopped being Sara when he tried to kill her!

Reina seems to be in a funeral home. She gets out of the coffin. She remembers the poisoned coffee and the text message. She remembers the hospital. She starts screaming and bangs on the door for someone to let her out!!

Connie is crying-why is he leaving her? Right when her best fiend died? She will change if she did something wrong! Why are you leaving me? I’m sorry, Izzy says. This is finished. They won’t see each other again. Connie is devastated. Izzy looks pretty upset too.

Last scene is Reina on the floor by the coffin crying!!!

 

thanks so much Caroline,
stellar recap!

Victor sure gets a lot of drinks out of that little flask, maybe he has one in every pocket.

wow, must be dump on Clarita day (or is it just another day in the de Rosas household)

Greta (Geraldine Galván) sure can act even though she only has a face, was her reply to Laz, that if her body could tremble, it would be.

we didn't see much of Laura Flores (agent Sarita Smith) in "En Otra Piel", but wow, now I see why people have such nice things to say about her, and if you have heard the theme song for "En Otra Piel", that's her too.

I think Christian goes from one obsession to another, and why is Connie so desperate?


catalepsy- "a trancelike state with loss of voluntary motion and failure to react to stimuli".

there is a period novela on this, "La Tracion", a disorder the main character had that caused him to appear dead, (and of course he had a fear of being buried alive, and he was)

 

Caroline – Thank you for the recap! and snark! Another night with so much to cover and you did it very well.

Poor Clarita! Victor and OBD should burn in hell for the way they’ve treated her. This child will need years of counseling, or she's going to end up on the Dr. Phil Show.

Yes, cara impactada de Octavio. Interesting that they did not show any recognition of each other in front of Victor

How does Octavio know about Reina already? How do all these people always know the latest novedades??? Do they have police scanners? Facebook?

Catalepsy, a new word for me, too! --- Wiki link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalepsy
The things I learn from telenovelas! Which is, of course, why I watch them.
*I can quit anytime.*


Hhhmm…. who is Carmen’s “boyfriend”? (I hope he’s had all his shots)

Finally! Greata is finally out of the Panda Headlights shirt!

Where the heck is that funeral home in which Reina is incarcerated? There were other tombstones & caskets, etc.. Paola did a good job in that scene, looking like a crazy woman on the verge of a breakdown, in our nightly installment of The Perils of Paoline.

deb – Laura Flores is one of my favorite actresses. She has talent. If you ever get the chance to see Piel de Otoño, be sure to watch it.
 

Great recap, Caroline. Thanks for being able to switch with me.

A nice calm episode - no one was shot, poisoned or beaten up but we got lots of info.

So Ocatvio is Navier's father. That was not a big surprise. Navier did lay it on a bit thick about how much he hated his mother for abandoning him. When you are 30 years old - that was when Esmeeth last saw Octavio - you ought to be able to get past these things.

Ah yes, catalepsy - you appear to be dead but you really aren't. I'm not sure that modern medical instruments could be fooled but whatever. The first 50 capitulos or so of La Traícion is my absolute favorite novela but then they ruined it. Sigh. It was like this novela, I couldn't wait for it to come on every night.

I agree, Deb, about the actress playing Greta's acting abilities. In addition to acting, it must be so hard not to move her arms or legs. I wonder how many times they have to re-shoot her scenes because she moves inadvertently.

I liked it when Christián told Connie that he was friends with Victor, she threw away the rose he had brought her.

So Reina knew about Victor and Dad's diamond trafficking - what about the virus stuff?

Something that Reina said in Tuesday's capitulo during Asunción's flashback to telling Reina that she is her mother keeps niggling at me. Reina said that her daughter made her strong and able to denounce Victor. It seems like it ought to have been the opposite - her daughter, living in Victor's house, was the perfect hostage to make sure she didn't reveal Victor's crimes.

 

Doris:

LOL - who is Carmen’s “boyfriend”? (I hope he’s had all his shots)
 

Jean - ITA with you about Clara being the perfect candidate for hostage, instead of Reina's "strength." I had the same reaction as you, when I heard her say that. Telenovela heroins aren't generally known for their common sense, though.
 

The title of this novela should be: Let's Drive Reina Crazy! First she lost her memory, then there were all the attempts on her life, then she falls in love with Navier and he tells her that 8 years ago she betrayed him and tried to have him killed, then she wakes in a morgue and then in a coffin and is trapped in what looks like the set of a horror movie. Yikes!!
 

Caroline,

Thanks so much for a great recap of Wednesday's episode. I read it last night (what a luxury -- thanks for that!) even though I was too groggy to comment at that point.

So I see that what I heard (and the treacherous cc's showed) as "su primo" on Tuesday was actually "supremo", which you rendered nicely as "the higher ups." Doh.

"Let's Drive Reina Crazy" -- not bad, Jean. But I still favor "The Boy with the Dragon Tattoo."
 

Thanks Caroline!

Poor Reina. How will she get out of the funeral home? That was such a creepy place.

BTW, near the coffin where Reina woke up in there was a tombstone in the back that read "Manuel Blanco 1972-2012". There was a character on Relaciones Peligrosas with the same name who was killed. Did Telemundo recycle the tombstone?
 

Of course - supremo - Esmeeth has referred to her boss that way before. I didn't make the connection. Doh indeed!
 

I'm sure they did recycle the tombstone, Mauricio. How many people would recognize the name?
 

Really enjoyed the recap, Caroline. There was so much information dished out last night. Glad you were there to listen and interpret what was going on.

(For my part, I will have to rewatch to get all the convos between Laz and Greta. I knew it was coming sooner or later, but the pool scene was great, the way he was holding her.)

Poor Reina--The Woman in White, dressed in a shroud--at least that see-through outfit is gone.

The circle of family members is getting smaller and smaller. Good call on Octavio being Navier's dad (as if we hadn't been given any hints).

Boy, won't Victor be surprised he has a little brother and of all people, his rival! Instead of OBD wanting to know what "she" has that "I" don't have, it will be Victor saying, what does "he" have that "I" don't have. Mmmm, could it be curly blonde locks cascading around your face, a really buff body and a huge dragon tattoo on your back.
 

but will the funeral director be wearing a cape?

Reina's look-of-horror was amazing, (Paola Núñez sells me on everything she does),
if only we could reach into the tv and help her.

 

Maybe it wasn't a funeral home that Reina woke up in. Maybe it was just the Telemundo Props Room. I bet if we looked closely, we'd find a lot of old friends there.

I've been wondering if Esmeeth had a first name. I got all excited when the 8th (Octavio) called her Sarita -- but then I realized that was just her undercover cover.

Re the bond between Victor and Izzy --
This is apparently stronger than SuperGlue, certainly stronger than Izzy's feelings for Connie or Victor's High Standards for his staff. How nice.
 

Hi Romy

I'm sorry, but I had to delete your last comment because it discussed stuff that may have been in the previews, but wasn't in the actual episode.

I know it's confusing because over on the Univision side, we discuss previews quite freely. But here, we decided a long time ago that we wouldn't talk about previews because Telemundo has a tendency to tell us more than many people want to know.
 

After watching Stefy's "string" dance, I'm more convinced than ever that I and the author of this novella watch the same TV shows and movies, ergo, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, the Maltese Falcon, Lie to Me, Oceans 12, etc. Part of the fun of this novella is picking up on all the references!

Penny
 

No problem. Trust me I am all for rules. But what the people who don't want to know too much do? Turn off the tv before the end of the episode? I am completely serious. How do you not see previews? I see commercials for upcoming episodes all week long while watching other shows so that why I am wondering. It's not about posting spoilers here because I get it.
Romy
 

"Maybe it wasn't a funeral home that Reina woke up in. Maybe it was just the Telemundo Props Room"
LOL!!!
 

With the way this show goes over by 1-2 minutes every night, I always miss the end of the actual episode, much less the previews. LOL!

Thanks so much Caroline! Well, we all get a prize for suspecting Smith and Octavio had a thing back in the day, and that Navier is probably the fruit of that. Navier is a bit too whiney about being abandoned by his mom, for my taste. And hey, what about his father? How does he know it wasn't his dad who abandoned him? Why does the mom always get the bad rap?

Poor Reina. Something has to start going right for her soon, right? But Clarita was definitely having the worst day with everyone's callous reactions to her mom's death, and her "dad's" rejection.
 

Romy,

Thanks for being such a good sport. Everything you say is true -- Telemundo makes it very hard to avoid their previews. Personally, I'm only watching this one show on Telemundo, so I don't get bombarded with previews in other programs. I can just turn off the tv when the episode is over or switch to another channel.

You are right -- we're not talking about spoilers. It's just something that matters to a few members of the community. It's easy enough to keep everyone happy, no?

Thanks again for understanding.
 

Thanks so much, Caroline. Very fine recap!

Hmmm. I realize that Christian has done some scummy things. But Izzy is 100% loyal to an out and out criminal and has done criminal things himself. Maybe Christian will get the girl in the end.

I agree. Die, Putz, die!! I was SO pleased he wasn't lurking around poolside to see Laz and Greta's tender scene.

Based on Octavio and Victor's conversation last night about Reina knowing enough to put them both in prison, I have a theory. We've already had a hint that Reina was going through with marrying Victor because of a threat to Clara. Maybe a good part, if not all, of Victor's determination to marry Reina was so she would be the wife who could not testify against her husband. Jean, as our poorly paid legal consultant, is this still true?
 

Novelera,

"Maybe a good part, if not all, of Victor's determination to marry Reina was so she would be the wife who could not testify against her husband."

That crossed my mind too! Jean? Caroline?
 

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