Zorro 1.18 - Zorro Fights His Father

Plot: The Magistrado is interrupted by a commotion outside his window. It’s a gathering of the working class, led by Paco, an intelligent young man, asking for the rightful return of their falsely taken tax dollars two issues ago. The Magistrado demands Garcia run them off, but the Sergeant speaks on their behalf, pointing out they are correct, and aren’t being unruly at all. As the Magistrado turns, one fellow hurls a rock, and Corporal Reyes asks for permission to fire as the crowd scatters. Garcia gives permission, after he wrenches Reyes’ barrel into the air, then points out he’s dispersed the crowd, as ordered. Inside his office, the Magistrado – with the help of Don Barca - is trying to convince Don Alejandro to help form a committee of vigilance composed of the dons to keep these unruly peons in line, since the soldiers will not. Proving his worth as a possible commentator for Fox News 200 years from then, he warns that these greedy peasants will try to take all the dons’ hard “earned” land (not to mention their wives). Alejandro is unconvinced but agrees to attend Barca’s meeting with the other dons that night.

After they depart, the rock thrower comes in, and receives payment for his services from the Magistrado, along with orders to assault and rob one of the dons that night, an attempt Alejandro comes upon as he rides to the meeting. This convinces Alejandro, and he pushes for the committee to form that night. Barca shows he, too could get a job on Fox News, by accusing Zorro of fomenting class warfare, leading Diego to speak up. He rightly points out it’s silly to blame Zorro, when the soldiers are mad because they haven’t been paid, and the peons have not had their tax dollars returned to them, as was ordered by the Governor (though it appears Don Barca does not share that woe). Alejandro basically tells Diego to butt out, and frustrated, Diego leaves. The committee is formed, with Alejandro in charge, and they rush out to arrest Paco for rebellion. Diego is in the tavern with Garcia when they ride up, and learns Paco is to be executed at dawn tomorrow, without a trial. Diego has some harsh words for his father, who assures Diego this is just a trap for Zorro. Diego is unconvinced (the Magistrado’s bullshit doesn’t help there), and this turns out to be a wise decision, because after Alejandro departs, Diego overhears the Magistrado order Paco executed at midnight. So Zorro better get his butt in gear.

As the time approaches, the lancers are set around the walls of the cuartel, but Alejandro has remained, which will make executing Paco somewhat tricky. Barca fakes a fainting spell to get Alejandro to haul him away, and the Magistrado orders the execution performed immediately. Garcia tries everything he can to delay it, arguing they need a priest among other things, but the Magistrado is unmoved. But somehow, none of the muskets for the firing squad are loaded, which gives Alejandro time to return, and for Reyes to notice Zorro riding in circles outside the cuartel. Garcia takes his men out, and even tries to send half around the other way to flank Zorro. Of course, it’s actually Bernardo, who hops off Tornado onto a balcony, which the lancers have some difficulty reaching (because they’re trying to get Garcia up there first). Meanwhile, Tornado has run to the doors of the cuartel, where Zorro leaps on, rides in rescuing Paco, and handily defeating his father and Barca. After all this, Alejandro reconsiders and says the committee should be disbanded, and while Garcia gets chewed out by the Magistrado, the sergeant's spirits are raised when Diego appears and asks him to come to the tavern for another drink.

Quote of the Episode: Diego – ‘I see the committee has been quite busy since I left the meeting. With only seven armed men, you’ve succeeded in capturing one unarmed boy!’

Times Zorro marks a “Z”: 0 (9 overall). Personally, I think Alejandro needed one in the seat of his trousers. Or the Magistrado could use one in his liver.

Other: Corporal Reyes looked pretty disappointed he didn’t get to go to the tavern to have drinks on Diego’s tab at the end of the episode, and I started to feel bad for him. Then I remembered he was all set to kill those peasants at the beginning of the episode, so screw him.

Paco’s last words were “Death to tyranny!” Which is better than Garcia’s “I wish I never joined the army,” from three episodes ago.  Neither one accepted a blindfold, though. I was generally impressed with Garcia in this episode. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t have authority to refuse orders from the Magistrado (or if he does, no one told him so), so he does the best he can to resist within boundaries. Pointing out the peasants are being respectful, and that they are hungry. Keep Reyes from shooting anyone, then point out the shot fired into the air has dispersed the crowd, as ordered. Try to delay the execution any way he can. I know it was probably Zorro who unloaded all those muskets – after the attempted execution, there’s a shot of him laughing from the bushes – but part of me really wants it to have been Garcia who did it. I’d be curious to see how things would run in Los Angeles if Garcia was in sole command, or at least not under the authority of a crook.

The Magistrado tried to sway Alejandro with his own “there are 2 kinds of people speech”, those who lead, and those who are driven, complete with chess piece props. Clint Eastwood’s version, about loaded guns and digging, was much better. I’m sure the Magistrado would merely insist he was speaking the truth, as he resides in a No-Spin Zone (which doesn’t mean it’s a No-Outright Bullshit Zone, which is totally different).

I don’t get Alejandro. He’s been on Diego’s ass since episode one to be more concerned with what goes on in the pueblo, to get involved, to be a gentleman and care about something other than music, poetry, and wine. When Diego does so, and points out perfectly logical reasons for unrest, and the extremely simply solution that could solve at least some of the trouble (giving back the tax money as they’re supposed to), he’s told to butt out. When he expresses disgust with arresting and frightening a young man, just to use him as bait for Zorro, he gets berated. To Alejandro, being a gentleman means believing exactly what your father does, not what you actually believe. Yeah, I think Tornado should have at least clipped the old man upside the head with a hoof. I know fathers being frustrated their sons don’t grow up to be mirror images of them, despite their claims they want their kids to be their own men isn’t a new thing, but it’s still maddening.

Isn’t it interesting how the Dons were all OK with Zorro when he was protecting them and their land from Monastario (who was a soldier, and therefore the Other and beneath them), but now they’re quick to blame him for problems that he had nothing to do with, when the real issue is the Magistrado’s (who is an aristocrat like them) reluctance to return the taxes (again, as he was ordered to do)? least the magistrate has an excuse, he’s evil, and deliberately trying to cause a breakdown of society there. Alejandro and his buddies are just being shitheads. Though they are consistent. When Monastario was trying to arrest Don Torres to steal his land (and his daughter), they took up open rebellion against him. Now they form another band of vigilantes because they’re convinced their land is endangered again.

For that matter, why hasn’t Zorro at least threatened the Magistrado? Certainly after last week’s mess with Magdalena and the eagle feather he knows the King’s magistrate is crooked, at least as much as Monastario ever was. I understand running the guy through without first completely exposing him would be risky - though he’s already wanted, so what’s one more crime - but that hardly precludes putting a sword to his throat and asking some questions. I’m pretty sure the Magistrado is the type who will betray anyone to save his own skin.