Zorro: La espada y la rosa
Capítulos 1-5

In Barcelona, Spain, Esmeralda Sánchez de Moncada is to be married to a wealthy old man at the insistence of her father, Fernando Sánchez de Moncada, who wants to get rid of his troublesome daughter.  Esmeralda flees the church before the end of the ceremony.  During her flight, Esmeralda collides with the gypsy, Azucena, who tells her that she will soon be reunited with her mother.  She gives Esmeralda a medallion and tells her that it will lead her to her mother, Sara Kalí.  Esmeralda tells the woman that her mother died in childbirth.  Esmeralda continues her flight with little regard for the woman's words and is soon caught by her father.  Esmeralda's marriage is completed, but the groom dies at the altar.

Now a wealthy widow, Esmeralda sells off her husband's possessions and leaves for Los Angeles with her father, Don Fernando; her sister, Mariángel; her aunt, Almudena; and her father's accountant, Olmos.  Don Fernando has been appointed the new governor of California.  Azucena and her son, Renzo, as well as the other gypsies in their tribe, also make the journey on the same ship.

Meanwhile, Don Diego de la Vega spends the night with Catalina, daughter of Judge Quintana, in order to get a chance to look in the judge's journals.  Catalina wishes that Diego were the man chosen to be her husband by her father.

Diego manages to leave with one of Judge Quintana'a journals and learns that a new governor, Don Fernando Sánchez de Moncada is to arrive in California and that he wants the gypsy Miguel's lands.  Miguel has been arrested, and Diego hopes to get him acquitted of the charges against him.

María Pía de la Vega is horrified to learn that Fernando is returning to California as the new governor.  María Pía was once engaged to Don Fernando and broke the engagement.  Only María Pía, Padre Tomás, and Diego's nanny, Dolores, know the truth—that María Pía broke the engagement because Fernando killed Diego's mother, a native Indian, in a raid.

Zorro visits the judge in his office and persuades the judge to dismiss the charges against Miguel.  During a hearing the next day, Judge Quintana drops the charges, but Comandante Montero insists that Miguel remain in custody for a few more months.

Several months later, the Sánchez de Moncada family arrives in Los Angeles.  While many of the townspeople attend a party welcoming the new governor, Montero orders Sergeant García to free Miguel.  Bernardo overhears Montero's order and warns Diego, who senses that Montero may use the opportunity to kill Miguel.  As Diego prepares for his appearance as Zorro, he is heard saying:

I wear the black mask to hide my identity.  I cover myself with the black cape that protects me from the enemy.  And I clutch my sword to do justice.

Zorro fights off the soldiers, all the while tangled up with Esmeralda.  Zorro is forced to take Esmeralda with him when he jumps on his horse.  After Zorro evades his pursuers, he separates himself from Esmeralda.  Zorro leaves Esmeralda on a road, and Esmeralda notices right after Zorro rides away that she has his medallion instead of her own.

María Pía worries about Fernando's arrival and how she can deal with it.  Padre Tomás forces María Pía to attend the party for Fernando.

At the reception for Fernando Sánchez de Moncada, Alejandro and Almudena become reacquainted.  Meanwhile, Montero and Mariángel are introduced and are instantly attracted to each other.  In an awkward moment, Fernando and María Pía come face to face.

Two Indians, Yumalay and her brother, Jacó, notice that the new governor is a man with one eye.  They wonder whether he is the same man who murdered their parents and their sister many years previously.  Jacó scales the building in which the reception is being held and returns with the news that the governor is indeed the man they remember.

Zorro returns to his secret cave and discovers that he has the wrong medallion.  He leaves as Diego to search for the beautiful woman, in whom he is most intrigued.  Soon, he reaches the place where Zorro left Esmeralda and introduces himself to her.  He performs a few slight of hand tricks, but Esmeralda is not impressed.  Diego prepares to drive Esmeralda home, but he and Esmeralda are held up by Miguel and Laisha.  The two gypsies force Diego and Esmeralda to exchange clothing with them so that they can escape.

María Pía and Almudena revive their old friendship.  Almudena declares that she is thrilled to be back in America with her old friends.

Pizarro informs Montero that Miguel escaped from the prison.  Pizarro and Montero also discuss an inspection of a prison that will occur the next day.

Jonás, Azucena, and Renzo discuss Esmeralda and her mother, Sara Kalí.  It is a problem that Esmeralda has no idea that her mother is still alive.  Additionally, Esmeralda’s father, Fernando Sánchez de Moncada, is the same person who is responsible for imprisoning Sara Kalí.

Sara Kalí is removed from her cell in the prison so that she will not be discovered in the upcoming inspection.

Mariángel and Montero go to Mariángel's home for a rendezvous on the patio.

While Esmeralda takes a bath, she tells Almudena about that night's adventures.  Shortly after Almudena leaves Esmeralda's chamber, Zorro appears on her balcony.

Zorro and Esmeralda share a passionate kiss and exchange medallions.

Fernando visits María Pía at the mission to find out why she refused to marry him years before.  María Pía will not reveal her reason.  Fernando cries out to María Pía as she flees from him.  Sister Suplicios hears Fernando's voice and questions María Pía about it later.  María Pía acts as though nothing happened, and Sister Suplicios dwells on it, hearing Fernando's voice over and over.

Diego returns home, feeling that he has failed the oath of Zorro, for he has allowed himself to fall in love.  He wonders why he has fallen so hard for Esmeralda.  Diego does not believe that it is her beauty or her youthful mischievousness.  He feels drawn to her because her eyes hold the same loneliness that his do.

Esmeralda wonders why Zorro hides his face.  She hopes that she will see him again.

Fernando arrives home, disturbing Mariángel and Montero, who are locked in a passionate embrace.  Montero flees in time to avoid being recognized.  Mariángel also flees, but Olmos sees her.  Mariángel warns Olmos to say nothing to her father.  Since Olmos is in love with Mariángel, he lies to Fernando and casts suspicion upon Esmeralda.  Fernando goes to Esmeralda's room and cruelly beats her.

Pizarro reports that the woman in the iron mask has been hidden where no one can find her.  He asks Montero who the woman is.  Montero replies that even he does not know.  The orders came from high up and with the warning that the woman must not be allowed to die.

Azucena and Jonás use a rat named Lucrecia to take a message to Sara Kalí.  Sara Kalí reads the message and learns that the gypsies have found her daughter.

Dolores asks Diego when he will finally find a woman he likes.  Diego admits that the time may have come.  He has met a woman he likes, and he knows that she has arrived to change everything.

Almudena doctors the wounds that Esmeralda received from Fernando's beating.  Esmeralda reflects that her father has inflicted deep emotional scars over the years.  She does not understand why he hates her so much.  Almudena explains that Fernando has suffered a lot over the years, but Esmeralda replies that if it were so, he would treat Mariángel the same way.  Almudena is the only person who cares about her.

Lucrecia returns with a reply from Sara Kalí.  Jonás learns that Sara Kalí is hidden in the dungeons of the prison.

Esmeralda overhears Almudena and Fernando arguing about what happened that night.  Almudena protests that Esmeralda was not with a man, but Fernando insists that he saw a woman who was nude with a man in the garden.  He is certain that Esmeralda is capable of anything, since their blood does not run through her veins.  He declares that Esmeralda is not his daughter.  Esmeralda is shocked about this revelation and begins to cry.  She returns to her room, now understanding why he hates her so much.  Esmeralda picks up her medallion and remembers what she was told about her destiny.  She realizes that her mother may still be alive.

Padre Tomás warns María Pía that Suplicios could cause trouble.  She idolizes María Pía in a way that is not good, and if anything should change her image of María Pía, she will begin to hate her.

Fernando informs Montero that he is the one person, aside from Montero, who may speak to the female prisoner.  Montero tries to get Fernando to tell him who she is, but Fernando refuses to explain.

Jacó and Yumalay watch Fernando ride away from the prison, and Jacó declares that today will be the day that the vultures eat him.

Esmeralda takes a walk in the garden and is approached by Azucena and Renzo.  Azucena announces that Esmeralda must come with them.

Azucena and Renzo kidnap Esmeralda.  Esmeralda is angry and fearful until she arrives at the gypsy camp and is presented with flowers.  When Diego learns of Esmeralda's plight, he sets out to rescue her as Zorro.

Yumalay and Jacó try to kill Fernando, but instead Jacó is killed.  Yumalay swears to carry on the revenge on behalf of her fallen family members.  The man with the one eye must die.

Fernando chases after Yumalay and briefly catches up with her.  She spooks his horse with magic and flees.  Fernando swears that they must find her so that he can find out why she wants to kill him.  He declares that he will kill all of those savages.

Olmos tells Mariángel that he feels guilty about blaming Esmeralda for what Mariángel did in the garden.  Mariángel reminds Olmos that she is aware that he steals money from her father, and she will tell her father should Olmos say anything about what happened.

Fernando is furious that Esmeralda has been abducted—furious with Esmeralda.  Since Esmeralda has done nothing but give money to the poor since they arrived, he feels that she brought this upon herself.  Alejandro arrives and suggests that they form a search party.  Fernando is less than enthusiastic.

Jonás explains that Esmeralda's grandmother came to them with her baby and asked for help.  He never found out from what she was fleeing.  The gypsies were going through a difficult period in which many were dying of starvation.  Esmeralda's grandmother sold her jewelry and helped them.  After she died, the gypsies raised Esmeralda's mother and made her their Queen in honor of her mother, which means that Esmeralda is their Princess.  Jonás tells Esmeralda that her mother is still alive.  She asked for them to give Esmeralda her medallion.  Esmeralda is the only person who can help them rescue her mother.

When Zorro arrives at the gypsy camp, he sees Esmeralda having a good time and decides that it would be foolish for Zorro to rescue Esmeralda.  He decides to reappear as Diego.

Esmeralda asks Jonás who her real father is.  Jonás replies that only her mother knows the answer.  Jonás asks Esmeralda to take advantage of her relationship with the governor so that she can find her mother.  Esmeralda wonders why Fernando said her mother was dead and locked her up.  Jonás thinks it might have been done to hurt the gypsies.  Esmeralda promises to do everything she can to find her mother and help the gypsies.

The Viceroy's inspector visits the prison to find out if the rumors are true that a women is illegally held captive.  This woman is somebody who is a threat to the Crown.  Montero firmly denies the presence of a woman in the prison.  The inspector promises to search every inch of the prison to make certain.

Yumalay is shot by one of the soldiers and is seriously wounded.

Suplicios tells María Pía that she cannot stop thinking about the voice that she heard last night.  The voice belonged to a man and was calling María Pía's name.  Suplicios wants an explanation, but Maria Pia is evasive.  Shortly, the Mother Superior tells the sisters that she will soon be leaving to be with the Lord and that María Pía will carry on her work.

The Viceroy's inspector discovers the blocked passage that leads to where Sara Kalí is imprisoned and demands that Montero unblock it.

As Javier and José return Esmeralda home, Diego confronts them.  He forces them to leave Esmeralda with him.  Diego shoots in the air to make sure he has scared off the gypsies, and the horses gallop away with Esmeralda and the wagon.  Diego reflects that nothing goes right unless he is dressed in black.  Diego races after the runaway wagon.

The wagon carrying Esmeralda plunges into the river.  Diego jumps into the river to save Esmeralda and finds that he, too, is in deadly danger. 

Despite Montero's efforts, the Viceroy's inspector discovers the woman in the iron mask.  To protect himself, Montero takes the inspector prisoner and has Pizarro torture him in order to find out who the woman is.

Suplicios tells María Pía that she has been having doubts about her, even though everyone says that María Pía is impeccable.  Suplicios has been thinking that a man came to see María Pía and was calling her name.  Since no one else heard the voice, Suplicios believes that she heard the voice of the devil, who wants her to doubt María Pía.  Suplicios begs for her forgiveness.

Fernando enters Montero's office and complains that his security is a disaster:  someone broke into his home last night; he was attacked by Indians, and his daughter, Esmeralda, has been abducted.  He accuses Montero of not fulfilling his duties as a commander.  Montero protests that they have a greater problem; the viceroy's inspector has seen the prisoner.

Mariángel requests that Olmos find out everything he can about Diego de la Vega.

Diego helps Esmeralda stay afloat in the river until she is able to grab onto something.  However, Diego loses his grip on Esmeralda's hand and is swept down the river.  Esmeralda reaches shore and walks downstream.  She discovers Diego unconscious and bleeding at the side of the river.

Azucena warns Renzo to forget his feelings for Esmeralda.  She does not want Renzo to suffer.  Esmeralda is their Princess, and she has a strange destiny.

Alejandro learns that Diego went after Esmeralda and is surprised.  Diego does not know how to handle weapons.  Almudena is afraid that Diego is in danger.

Fernando goes to the torture chamber and kills the inspector, making Montero furious.  Fernando warns Montero and Pizarro that they are accomplices to the inspector's murder, and what he says cannot leave the room.  Fernando reveals that the woman is his wife.

Sister Suplicios tortures herself for her sins by dripping hot wax on herself.

Tobías challenges Manuel de Salavedra to a duel in Death Canyon when Manuel insinuates that his wife, Catalina, had intimate relations with Don Diego before they were married.

Alejandro finds Yumalay, who is unconscious from her gunshot wound, and takes her home with him.

Fernando explains that the woman's name was Mercedes.  She married him so that she would have access to the Royal Court.  Fernando states that she was Queen of the Gypsies, and she wanted to kill the King.  Montero does not completely believe Fernando's story, since gypsies are usually not ambitious.  Also, there would be no reason to make an assassin wear a mask.  Fernando claims that he placed a mask on her to protect the integrity of their wonderful daughter, Esmeralda.

Esmeralda tries to revive Diego and rips open his shirt.  She is surprised to see that he is wearing a medallion.  She wonders why Diego is wearing Zorro's medallion.