Synopsis of 3×08: Santanico returns with a new secret – and a potential new ally – leading the Geckos to Lord Venganza, who is hiding out in a bloody culebra prison.
It’s about time someone brought back Eiza Gonzalez. I was starting to wonder if they’d brought her back for one episode only to write her completely out. To be honest, this episode
To be honest, other than the welcomed reappearance of Santanico, this episode definitely broke some of the momentum that they had going last episode. Freddie, Tanner, Burt, and Scott all basically played a backseat to the other half of the cast as they went to break into a prison. I do appreciate another classic movie trope of the prison that’s basically a fighting ring run by the inmates.
I’m not really sure why they brought back Wilmer Valderrama as Carlos, other than the fact that it’s clear they just love having him around, but it’s never really explained why Santanico thinks that Carlitos will be the one that they need to find answers they need. Then again, he might just be the only person she can think of since she was basically kept around as a figurehead and bait for the last few centuries. I don’t
I don’t love Carlos and Santanico together. It’s a problematic relationship at best and abusive at worst. While Valderrama and Gonzalez have great chemistry, it’s not exactly the fictional relationship I want to root for.
Thankfully Santanico can always be counted on — sass and badassery on point with a great outfit to boot.
Anyways, with all the pieces set, Amaru only needs Venganza before she can complete the ritual to get her body back. Carlitos (I will continue to call him this, because it’s hilariously condescending to me whenever anyone calls him that) finds out through one of Venganza’s favorite side pieces that she’s holed up in a culebra/human prison called Rio Sangre.
They bust up into Seth and company’s clique and basically bring the team back together. Also, god bless whoever green lit Richie laughing at the word “penetrating”. You’ve really captured the humor of all of our inner 15-year-old boys.
Seth and Carlos go directly to Rio Sangre, while Richie and Santanico pose as guards and infiltrate from the outside. Their plan is to get Venganza so that Amaru can’t get to her. The plan goes sour as Carlos realizes that Brava has sent a Xibalban general after them. General Tattoo (I think his actual name is something like Daduaje?) can manipulate people by touching them and transferring the tattoo ink from his body onto them, turning them into his puppets. It’s a little gimmicky, but okay.
As Richie and Santanico take Seth and Carlos to Venganza, Carlos immediately outs them and their plan to come and kidnap Venganza. She keeps Carlos with her before sending the three into the prison as punishment. It doesn’t take long for Santanico to realize that Carlos saw Gen. Tattoo coming. The general reveals himself and an all out prison riot begins with the team taking on prisoners being controlled by the general. Kudos to the music director who decided to put Fanglorious’s song on during the prison riot.
During the riot, Santanico gets hit by a Xibalban blade, and surprisingly Seth lets her feed on him in order to heal. Oh, Seth Gecko, how you’ve grown. We’ve seen little signs here and there for Seth’s changing relationship with culebras, but this is one of the biggest steps he’s taken so far. Not only that but his actions are what inspired Santanico to come back after thinking about running away. She realized, watching him fight for culebras, that she needs to fight for her people. This is basically what they’ve needed since the beginning, since the culebras will all rally behind La Diosa, and her seeing this is a huge step in the right direction.
Scott steps in — was he tired of waiting in the car or something? — and takes out a huge chunk of the guards single-handedly, and Carlitos and Santanico take down General Tattoo together. It’s actually an awesome fight sequence. Like I said, the two of them work great together, I just hate the implications of their past.
Finally Freddie shows up, having found out through the episode where Amaru is holed up. Their next destination is a town called Matanzes. While originally they came to try and find out where Amaru’s bones are from Venganza, we find out that the lords consumed Amaru and in order for Amaru to get her body back she needs all of the ashes of the lords. Freddie then decides to kidnap her and use Venganza as a bartering tool to get his wife and kid back.
Now who saw that coming?
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