Plot: Zorro rides furiously into the town late one night, and hurls a rock through the window of Sgt. Garcia's room. Tied to the rock is a note, which states Zorro will surrender to Garcia if she comes alone to a deserted rock formation tomorrow night. However, if wasn't really Zorro, but a man with a scar working with Jack Elam's character from last week. The next day, Garcia obliquely asks Diego what he thinks would happen if Garcia caught Zorro, and Diego sings him a song about how he'd probably be made permanent Comandante, and all the ladies would swoon over Garcia, his fine mustache, and white horse. Which is enough for the Sergeant, so he rides out, where Elam hides behind a rock and orders the sergeant to throw down his sword and ride on, the wait for instructions. Which he does. All night.
The next morning a man rides into the pueblo and falls off his horse. Everyone rushes over, and the Magistrado pulls a note from the man's vest. It says - or so he claims - this man is the King's Messenger, bringing the garrison its pay, and he was severely beaten and robbed last night, by one of the soldiers. They even broke their sword on his back, and he was able to recover the hilt. As each soldier is paraded in front of the victim, Garcia comes ambling in wearily, and is immediately fingered as the culprit, since he identifies the sword the messenger had as his. So he orders himself locked up, and place under guard. The Magistrado sets up a trial, and refuses to believe Garcia's story. He brings Maria, the waitress from last episode, and asks if she heard Garcia say he expected his pay to arrive the night the messenger was attacked. She confirms this. Then Diego rises, and asks her if this was the first time Garcia said that, and she replied no, he had done so hundreds of times, whenever she inquired about his paying his bill. The Magistrado declares this line of questioning pointless, and sentences Garcia to death.
Back at the jail, Diego tries to keep Garcia's hopes up, and eventually pieces together that the messenger was in on the robbery. When he learns the man has already begun his ride back to Monterrey, Diego rushes home and off rides Zorro. He quickly tracks the man down and pulls him off his horse, but in the ensuing fall, Zorro hits his head on a rock. Fortunately, Tornado rushes up and keeps the messenger from escaping until Zorro regains consciousness. He's just able to get back to the cuartel before Garcia is shot, and even throws them the bag with their pay before fleeing. Magistrado orders Garcia to pursue him, but Garcia hems, first claiming he's under arrest, then stating they must first arrest the real thief. He confides to Corporal Reyes that he thinks it fair to give Zorro a head start. It's not all wonderful news, as the messenger had on him another eagle feather, one he was delivering for the Magistrado. And Diego notices the feather is notched in places, differently from the first one, suggesting some sort of code.
Quote of the Episode: Garcia - 'Put me in cell #1. And post a double-guard. I think I am a very dangerous man.'
Times Zorro marks a "Z": 1 (9 overall).
Other: It's kind of mean for Diego to sing a song about how grand Garcia's life will be if he captures Zorro, considering Diego is Zorro, and knows full well it would take a miracle for Garcia to capture him.
I like that the Magistrado described 'assault upon the King's messenger on the King's highway' as among their most serious crimes. It's so over the top. Either their priorities are skewed, or they live in a very wonderful world. Probably the former.
I like those moments where Diego almost blows his cover. This time, he was trying to argue on Garcia's behalf, speaking of law and justice when he requested the chance to question to messenger, and the Magistrado dropped some crap about how Diego knows nothing of either, and is concerned only with guitar strings and clothing. Diego did that little thing he does, where he straightens up, and you can tell how badly he wants to make the Magistrado eat those words.
Still, what was the plan here for the bad guys? OK, fine, you get Garcia executed, which leaves, I guess Corporal Reyes in charge. The garrison is close to leaderless, and unlikely to mount and real resistance to whatever the ne'er-do wells have planned. But Garcia isn't exactly a huge impediment, either. He means well, he's basically honest, but he's not the sharpest, or he wouldn't have fallen for their stupid plan in the first place. Jack Elam himself said it best: Garcia is stupid and ambitious, which makes him easy to manipulate. And even if that weren't the case, I doubt a sergeant, even one acting as temporary commander, can ignore the orders of the King's magistrate. Couldn't the Magistrado just order Garcia to do what they wanted, or order him out on some wild-goose chase?
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