Zorro 1.9 - A Fair Trial

Plot: Diego is at the cuartel, visiting his father and Don Nacho Torres, who are awaiting their trial. On the plus side, Monastario is treating them well, and he released Elena and Dona Louisa. Diego's concerned about the impending trial, but his father is not. The governor has Judge Vasca on his way, who is renown for his fairness and integrity. Not that Monastario seems concerned. He's sending Sergeant Garcia out to meet to the judge at a tavern and delay him. Garcia thinks it's so they have time to prepare a proper greeting for the judge, but it's really so Monastario's lawyer crony, Licenciado, can step in as judge when Vasca doesn't arrive. But when Diego hears Garcia's going to meet the judge, he grabs Bernardo and trails Garcia.

At the tavern, Vasca is initially determined to continue on to Los Angeles, but Garcia speaks highly enough of the food to convince Vasca to say. Unfortunately for the sergeant, when it comes to eating, the judge is in a class all his own. But Monastario sent along enough gold the tavern keeper is fully invested in helping delay the judge, and drugs a mug of wine. With some difficulty, they get the judge upstairs to a room, where Zorro and Bernardo are hiding. Our heroes need to get Vasca to the carriage, but how? Well apparently, Zorro has super-mimicry powers, so first he lures Garcia back upstairs by imitating the judge. Garcia brought another dose of sleeping drug laced wine, which Zorro makes him drink. Then Bernardo dresses up as Garcia and lugs Vasca downstairs. The soldiers start to notice, but Zorro gets them standing at attention by imitating the sergeant, and off they go. Garcia awakens eventually, but is unable to recapture the judge.

Even so, it seems like everything is coming up Monastario. He's started the trial as early as possible, and gotten Licenciado in as judge. He presents no evidence, just accusations, and Alejandro is too proud and indignant to stall for time. But Zorro rode ahead of Bernardo and the carriage, and from a hidden position behind a curtain, threatens to kill Licenciado unless he rules "not guilty". Not wishing to be impaled, the lawyer does so, to Monastario's consternation. Zorro slips away during the celebration, and Vasca arrives before Monastario can try and declare a mistrial. So Alejandro and Torres are free, I think.

Quote of the Episode: Diego - 'I'm worried about that trial. You know what justice you can expect from Monastario!'

Times Zorro marks a "Z": 0 (5 overall).

Other: No "babosos" this week, but my guess is there'll be plenty next week after Garcia screwed up Monastario's big scheme.

I have to give Monastario credit, this was a pretty good plan. He was ordered to hold a trial on the 14th, and was told Vasca would be arriving to preside. But if Vasca doesn't arrive, Monastario still has to go through the trial. After all, if he didn't, he would look like he was delaying Alejandro and Don Nacho's chance at a fair trial. So he'll just have to carry on with whatever judge he can find, and oh, what a fortunate coincidence he has a friend who is a lawyer. Yep, Monastario's not too bad a schemer, and this time, he didn't even undermine himself by getting fixated on the wrong problem.  How could he realize that draping a curtain over that entrance to the storage area, to give the judge an appropriate backdrop, would be his undoing?

I was not expecting Zorro to triumph by being able to so easily mimic two different men, each of whom have very different voices from him, because they're big, fat guys. Go figure.