Zorro – Season 1 Episode 4 Recap & Review

Episode 4

Episode 4 of Zorro begins with Nah-Lin dressed as the masked vigilante wreaking havoc on Ramirez’s estate. Almost all of the men are murdered in brutal fashion, as if Nah-Lin was massacring them for treating her people (The Natives) like slaves. Ramirez isn’t spared either and finds himself on the other end of Nah-Lin’s sword and dies. Nah-Lin also finds Diego strung above in one of the rooms and threatens him to stop pretending to be the masked vigilante. I’m Zorro now, Nah-Lin says. 

When Diego refuses, Nah-Lin stabs him with a dagger and leaves him there to die. Mei has seen everything; she helps Zorro escape the estate and rushes to fetch Bernardo for help. As expected, the blame for Ramirez’s death and his men falls on Zorro. The Governor doesn’t waste a minute and capitalizes on the situation. He portrays Zorro as a hardened criminal and warns of executing and putting the noose around anyone’s neck if they aid Zorro. 

The Governor goes the extra mile and torches the homes of the natives when they don’t disclose Zorro’s hideout. However, Captain Monasterio finds it too severe a punishment, and tries to convince the Governor for the latter, but it is all in vain. In response, Nah-Lin wages a war against the city, killing anyone with a police uniform. Nah-Lin is determined to destroy everything that Zorro, the symbol of rebellion against oppression and champion of justice, stands for.

Diego survives but is currently in no condition to battle Nah-Lin. The tribal chief pays Diego a visit, and Diego asks him to stop Nah-Lin since he’s not in a condition to do so. However, the chief states that Zorro must fight his own battle and prove why he deserves to carry on the mask and sword of Zorro. The chief also advises him to go to the mountain and see the truth with his own eyes.

The next morning, Lolita and her father, Tadeo, are attacked by Nah-Lin, but Diego and Bernardo arrive just in time and rescue the father-daughter duo. However, Diego soon faints after his stitches open.  She tends to Diego’s wounds at his ranch, but Diego ruins the moment when he confesses his love for Lolita and tries to kiss her. This annoys Lolita, and she leaves abruptly. 

As the show goes on, we meet Samuel, a highly skilled outlaw and criminal who’s summoned by Mr. Vanderveen.  But why? It appears that Vanderveen needs someone with a special set of skills to carry out an important job. Samuel is to travel to Alta, California, to collect an inheritance for Vanderveen. For that, you must prepare to kill at least one person, Vanderveen makes it clear. Vanderveen offers to pay a huge sum, and Samuel agrees. 

Back in town, Zorro (Diego) sneaks into the Governor’s home and asks him to cease the injustice his soldiers are subjecting innocents to. Diego also threatens to kill the Governor if he keeps murdering innocent people. Thanks to the chief’s help, Zorro figures out where Nah-Lin has been hiding. Once there, he challenges Nah-Lin to a duel, stating that he’ll voluntarily give up the title if she defeats him.

Unfortunately, the fights end midway when the soldiers arrive at the spot. They try to capture both Nah-Lin and Zorro, but they disappear into the darkness of the night.

The Episode Review

Episode 4 introduces fresh faces, and not all are friendly. We meet Samuel, a highly skilled gunfighter with a rule to kill anyone who crosses his path. He’s hired by Vanderveen to collect some sort of inheritance. But what?

The hunch is ambitious, but it might be possible that Vanderveen is Zorro’s (Diego) half-brother, who has sent his men to collect his father’s inheritance. Perhaps Senor De La Vega had a second wife that his friend’s son didn’t know about.