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numbugwritingblog · 3 months ago

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The Immortal Tale of Diego Sánchez (Chapter 1)

Index

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08/01/2009

Today was a celebration. Numerous people had all gathered up with one unified purpose, each greeting each other with a smile and pleasant talk all to catch up.

Today was the birthday of Diego Molinero Sánchez. His 497th birthday.

Among those attending was a girl, a hybrid between a rosy maple moth and a panda – ensuring her freshly pupated bright pink and yellow fluff was stylised similarly to a panda, and also her absolutely massive size compared to the other moth children, and even some of the adults. She was only coming up short in comparison to the few non-moth guests attending.

She was so big, in fact, that her fluffy wings couldn’t lift her off the ground, forcing her to walk around. This was the first time she had attended Diego’s party, on account of either being a baby caterpillar or stuck pupating in a tree.

“Dad?” She asked aloud, looking over to her father – whom she was already around the same height as.

He looked back to her, tilting his head. “Yes, little Mina?” Even though she was going to get taller than him any day now, he wasn’t ever going to stop calling her his “little” Mina.

“Is Diego-”

“Uh,” he quickly cut her off. “He’s your great, great, great… er, greatest grandpa.”

“… Right,” she said with a slow nod. “Is my ‘greatest’ grandpa the oldest person in the world?”

He nodded. “Uh… yes?”

She nodded, tilting her head. “How old’s the next oldest person?”

Her father paused, he needed a moment to think. “Uh… about a hundred? I think?”

Her moth eyes widened at the news. “How did he do that?!”

“How did- you mean living so long?”

“Yeah! How did greatest grandpa do that?”

He let out a sigh, scratching his head. “… How about you ask him yourself? I’m sure he has a better idea than me.”

That was when a rather large panda came walking right in, towering over absolutely everyone else in the party. “Mina! Maneul!” She scooped the both of them up in a big hug. “I found Diego, let’s give him our gift together!”

Before either of them could say anything she carried them off in her arms, straight up the stairs. “I got the gift nice and safe!”

She took a turn through the hallway, up to the balcony up top, where a butterfly was seated, playing a lute to the crowd of children surrounding him. The butterfly was what we’d call a Mexican blue wing butterfly, but is known in this world as a Cualitlek blue wing butterfly. Dressed in a shirt and jeans traditional to the country of his namesake species, he looked like a rather young adult.

Mina noticed that one of his four hands was different from the rest, looking grey and… fake. “What happened to your hand?” She asked aloud, the lute-playing butterfly ceasing at the question.

“Hm?” Looking over to Mina and her parents, his face lit up into a wide smile – passing the lute to a young girl in the front, another Cualitlek blue wing butterfly – as he made his way over to greet them and gave them both a hug. “Camilla! Maneul! Good to see you two!” He looked at Mina, smiling wide. “And you must be Mina, I’ve heard so much about you!”

Mina tilted her head, looking up to her mother. Did they know him?

“So sorry about our lovely Mina here, she didn’t mean anything by it, grandpa,” Mina’s dad spoke up.

Wait. “This is greatest grandpa?!” Mina looked up in confusion, turning to him and then back to her dad. “He’s younger than you, dad!”

Diego let out a hearty chuckle, smiling wide. “Yes, that’s right, soy el major abuelo, but you can always call me grandpa, or Diego if that’s what you’d prefer.”

Soy el major abuelo???

Diego held out an arm for a shake – his upper right arm, with the strange looking hand. “And as for your other question, this is a prosthetic, I lost my hand some time ago.”

Mina looked at the hand with curiosity, before reaching out to shake it. “So it’s like a new hand?”

Diego let out a hum. “In a way.”

“Diego-”

“It’s grandpa-” Mina’s dad didn’t get to say much before he, too, was interrupted.

“Diego’s fine,” Diego had a warm smile on his face, looking to Mina’s dad with a small nod. “She just met me, let her decide if and when to call me grandpa.” He then looked back to Mina – he would be kneeling down if she wasn’t already so tall. “Do you have another question for me?”

“Yeah!” Mina said with a nod. “How are you so old?”

Mina’s mother looked down to her with shock. “Mina!”

Diego chuckled. “No no, I get it. If you learn someone’s almost quinientos years old you’re going to want to know why too.”

Mina finally struggled free from her mother’s grasp, standing tall and curious. “Yeah, you get it! You’re… Quinientos?”

“Five hundred.” After answering, Diego made his way back to his chair and sat down. “Well the truth is, I wish I knew myself. Really, it took me a while just to learn that I wasn’t getting older like everyone else was.”

“How did you find out?” One of the various children asked curiously.

Diego closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath in before a wide smile formed on his face. “If you want to know, I’m happy to tell all of you kids about my early years.”

“It’s your party,” Mina’s dad stepped in, even as Mina sat down amongst the rest of the children. “I can get someone to look after the kids.”

Diego shook his head. “Nonsense, the party’s so that I can meet all of my family, and that includes the kids. Please.”

Mina’s dad sighed. “I… alright, grandpa, if this is what you want.”

Mina’s mom held up her gift, smiling wide. “This is for you!”

Diego let out a small chuckle. “Please, gifts are not required-”

“I insist!”

Diego put a hand on his chin. “Alright then, there’s a pile of gifts in the lounge from everyone else who also insisted, I can open it up with them later, after the party itself.”

“Okay then!” Mina’s mother rushed off to put the gift in its rightful place, all while Diego looked to the small crowd of children gathered, all waiting for his story.

Diego smiled wide. “Well, it was 497 years ago, today, that I was born...”

---

08/01/1512

I came to this world with a padre from Ibleñia, and a Mexican native madre, the two had met and fallen in love even amongst all the chaos of the war the two were united on, and they stayed even once the other men began seeking girlfriends and wives from their homes.

“¡Tengo un hijo...!” My father, from what I heard, was absolutely ecstatic at the sight of me. His rough exterior melted the moment he laid eyes upon me, even as my mother held me close to keep me warm.

To the two of them, this was the most important day of their lives. To the world at large, it was just a normal birth. As far as anyone could tell, I was an ordinary baby.

---

08/01/2009

“Excuse me?”

Diego blinked, looking over to Mina. “Yes, what is it?”

“What are those words you said?”

“¿Tengo un hijo?” Diego asked again.

“Yeah!” Mina called out. “What is that?”

“Oh!” Diego nodded. “It’s Spanish for ‘I have a son’, what I was told my father said.”

“Oh! Okay!” Mina called out.

Diego nodded, smiling wide as he took in a breath to continue.

“I don’t know Spanish.”

Diego let out a small, thoughtful sigh – not one of annoyance of frustration, but one of contemplation. “Right, right, most of you grew up only knowing English. I’ll try to keep everything in English – though I might throw in a word or two of Spanish.”

He cleared his throat, ready to continue.

---

16/07/1523

Growing up, Pa and Ma did everything in their power to take good care of me, making sure that I not only grew up safe, but with the knowledge both of them had. One big passion I had early on was for music, practising on pa’s lute. When Pa noticed, he bought me a lute of my own and began tutoring me himself.

Don’t let anyone tell you that learning to play music well is easy.

Why, I still remember one day where I was practising my lute in front of pa, and one of the strings snapped.

I wasn’t very good at music, and this in particular upset me quite a lot. I remember just dropping my instrument to the ground with anger.

My Pa immediately picked it back up and looked me in the eye. “You need to treat it with care.”

“I give up, I’ll never be good at this stupid thing!”

My dad gave a small chuckle. He took a spare string out, and began the process of replacing the broken string with a new string. “Maybe you’re right.” He strummed it for a moment to test the new string, before passing it back. “But maybe you’re not. You like playing, don’t you?”

I sighed. He had to be going somewhere with this. “Yes…”

“I know you won’t believe me if I said you were good, no matter how sincere I was. But the fact that you don’t think you are doesn’t change the fact you like playing, right?”

“… Right.” I was now looking him in the eye in turn, instead of on my lute.

He shoved it right back into my hands. “Keep practising.”

“But pa-”

“You only have one life! I want you to be the man who makes the most of it, instead of the man who looks back and wonders if he could have done things differently.”

I look back down, taking in a heavy breath. “But it won’t be good.”

“So?”

I didn’t say anything more, instead I continued practising. I hoped he was right.

---

08/01/2009

“And he was.” Diego gently picked the lute back up, mesmerising the kids by playing a short tune. “And I’m glad I kept at it, because it was only a few years before I met someone very special.”

He let out a slow, soft sigh, smiling wide as he thought back. “This was the day I met my first wife, Maria.”

---

03/10/1529

She was a lovely girl, always full of spirit, and a hauntingly beautiful singing voice that always put the angels to shame. In fact I was doing some errands for my Pa when I heard that voice ring out for the first time.

Her family recently moved in and set up the local flower shop, and she was vocalising to herself while watering the garden that lined the walls of the store.

I was supposed to just get something quick and then head right back, but her song, her words, they had captivated me so much. I was just there, no concerns in my mind besides that beautiful voice…

… Well, until she noticed me. When I realised how I must’ve looked, I took a step back. “You-”

“Don’t talk with any rich boys.” Maria’s father had also noticed me staring, and came out. “They’ll act like you’re their angel before dropping you for their traída.” Before he even gave her a chance to speak he ushered her straight inside, barely giving me the time to let out a quick wave.

I needed to focus, and I made my way in to purchase… I don’t remember what it was now. But I still remember that as I was talking to her father, I noticed her hear peeking out from the door frame to look at me.

I only looked at her once I knew her father was distracted, and only so she knew I wasn’t just ignoring her.

---

07/11/1529

It was the next day that I took my lute and sat a small distance away from the store. I sat on a chair and began playing. I knew my music wasn’t as good as her wonderful voice, but I hoped it would be enough to draw her out. After all, it was like Pa said – I only had one life.

I remember feeling sweat on my neck when I saw Maria emerge from the store, especially once she saw that it was me playing.

And I remember that my heart sank when she came back inside.

It was okay, though. I knew it wasn’t going to happen. I continued the song I had, not wanting to leave my song unfinished.

Then she came back out, walking up towards me. She sat down on one side of the path, and she immediately began singing.

She stole the show, and I was just trying to match her beautiful voice (and failing), but it was okay. It wasn’t about being as good as I could, it was about sharing our music with each other.

---

08/01/2009

“Maria must be wonderful,” Mina said softly, already captivated by the story. It sounded so magical, just getting close to someone without needing a single word.

Diego nodded, letting out a heavy sigh. “She really was…”

When the small butterfly in front of him raised an arm, he looked over to them. “Yes, Azulita?”

“Can I meet Maria?”

“…” Diego gently put a hand over his own chest, closing his eyes. “Bless her soul, but I’m the only one who ended up living so long.”

“So what happened to her?”

Diego stopped playing his lute, looking to Azulita. “You’ll... hear it soon.” He took a small breath, closing his eyes. Taking a moment before he composed himself enough to continue, music starting back up.

---

17/10/1530

Today was a day like any other, Maria and I met in secret, I was playing my lute to signal where I was to her, and she would begin singing to let me know she arrived. Today we chose to sit by this old tree that was half-bent – it’s still around last time I was in the country.

We had gotten the wonderful idea to work on making our own song together – not only did we both get to practice with other people, but it meant that if anyone spotted us, we had an excuse ready to go if someone spot us together.

And we had just finished another practise of our duet together, and I was sitting on the branch of the tree, idly strumming my lute. “Your voice is perfect.” Of course it was, she was an angel in disguise as far as I cared. “I wish I could keep my fingers strumming along fast enough to keep up.”

She let out a small giggle at that. Before I could ask what was so funny she spoke. “I was just thinking the opposite, your skill with that lute is so… mesmerising… but my voice is so shrill in comparison.”

That was nonsense, and I made sure to tell her. “Your voice, it’s as perfect and wonderful as your face, I could spend all day just appreciating you and I’d be happy.”

She lets out a small bow in response, a faint blush behind her smile. “Thank you, but I really do need to work on my voice…”

I wasn’t thinking straight anymore, I just wanted to show her how wonderful she was. “I wish you would hear what I do.” So I hopped off the branch and began walking towards her.

She knelt down, smiling wide as she put a hand on my shoulder. “I wish the same thing, for you to hear the magical lute that I can.”

I didn’t answer her. I’m not even sure I realised what she said in the moment. I just gave her a kiss. My first kiss. Her first kiss.

And when it was over, we stared into each other’s eyes. I wish that moment lasted forever.

But reality caught up with us, and we both backed away. As much as we both wanted it… I knew I just made a mistake.

“I’m sorry.” She was already backing up. “But we can’t… My father wouldn’t-”

I was already backing up too, shaking my head. “I know. I- I need to go.” I picked up my lute and left.

---

04/06/1532

I remember practising with ma, playing the lute while she played on her flute, and we were toying around with two very different styles of music. I spotted Maria from the corner of my eye, passing by our front window with some man.

Ma must have noticed, because she stopped playing her trumpet to look at me. “What’s gotten you feeling down?”

I put my lute down and turned to her. “I… You remember Maria?”

“Si.”

I put a hand on the table, I wasn’t sure how to bring it up yet. “Well… I liked her. And she liked me.”

“Then go to her,” Ma suggested with a warm smile.

“I can’t. Not only does her father not approve, but she’s with someone else now.”

Ma nodded slowly. “I’m sorry to hear, my little Diego…”

“I never should have kissed her. At least then we’d still be talking, and-”

“You only live once, Diego.” I had to stop and blink. “Go to her. Be her friend. Keep her in your life.”

I had to think, letting in a deep breath. “But…” I wanted to take her advice. “… I don’t want to just impose myself on her life again.”

“Do you want to be left thinking about what could be?” As Ma looked me in the eye, I knew. I knew she was right. Even if I didn’t realise it then, I could feel it.

“… Okay. I’ll go speak to her.”

My Ma smiled warmly before she continued playing on her trumpet. I picked up my lute, ready to start playing once again.

“… Tlazohcamati.” I made sure to thank her in her native tongue – our native tongue.

Ma smiled wide, gently ruffling the fluff on my head. “Ahmitla.”

---

27/9/1532

I did work up the nerve to speak with Maria, and as awkward as I was expecting things to be, she just… hugged me. Told me she was glad we could still be friends. We even began planning to pick back up on the song we were making. I thought that was that.

Until a few months later. I was running late to Maria’s home for practice. I came in just in time to hear Maria yelling out in anger.

Before I could even knock, the man Maria was with came rushing out, hair drenched with water.

Maria came out shortly after with an empty cup, and her voice letting out far less graceful screaming. “That’s right! Run off and meet with your traída!”

Even her father was speechless about just how intense she could be. She turned around to march inside, only to gasp at the sight of me. “Oh! Diego! How… How long were you standing there?”

“I just got here…”

She let out a sigh. “I’m sorry you had to see that. He…” She couldn’t find the words to use, letting out another, more frustrated sigh.

“I got the gist of it.”

Maria shook her head slowly. “I’m not in the mood to practice today.”

“That’s fine, I can come back another day.”

I didn’t know why at the time, but Maria grabbed my shoulder, pulling me towards her house. “I’d still like the company if you’re able.”

I wasn’t sure what the best response would be, but evidently my continued silence was affirmation enough for her as she brought me inside.

Her father was less eager about that. “What is he doing in here outside of practice?”

“Lay off of Diego.”

“…” he glares at me right in the eyes. It was enough to make my skin crawl. “Don’t try anything you’ll regret.”

“Padre!” Maria stood in front of me, as if to shield me from the verbal assault. “Diego’s been good to me! Better than any man you’ve approved of!”

“You know his type.” He didn’t raise his voice, even as he continued to glare past Maria at me. He wasn’t going to yell at his daughter under any circumstances.

I knew better than to defend myself, and so I just stood there quietly.

“You’re right, I do!” Maria yelled back. “You’re the one who can’t seem to figure it out!”

He let out a frustrated sigh. “Please, trust that-”

“I’ve trusted you my whole life, padre!” Maria yelled out. “Please, can you just trust me for once?!”

He closed his eyes, pinching his nose bridge as he slowly shook his head. Even he could tell he made a mistake with how he phrased it. “Fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.” With that he marched out of the room, grumbling under his breath to himself.

Maria let out a small sigh, kneeling down in front of me. “Diego. I know it’s not the best time, but…” She shook her head slowly. “I want to be with you.”

---

08/01/2009

“That’s so cute,” Mina said softly, eyes wide as she was listening. By this point she had forgotten it was about Diego’s immortality.

Diego let out a happy hum, closing his eyes. “It was. We got together, and things… went well. We had our hiccups, but slowly things changed. She went from being the prettiest woman I ever knew… to something more. It was only a few years until I knew that...”

---

16/04/1538

It was time. I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with Maria. I had gotten myself a special ring, and I was already on my way to her home.

But there was one thing I needed to do first.

My knock on the door was met by Maria’s father, who glared at me with vicious daggers. To say I got used to his disappointment is… an understatement. “What is it?”

“I needed to ask you something.” The door was slammed shut right in front of my face.

I knocked once again, the door swinging wide open. “Just hear me out. Please.”

I might have been used to it, but that didn’t change the fact that his glare was intimidating. “Make it quick.”

I dug into my pocket, peeking over to make sure Maria wasn’t listening. “I wanted to ask for your blessing for Maria’s hand in-”

SLAM!

Frankly, I was expecting that.

I knocked once more, and quickly dropped down onto my knees, wings fluttering behind myself.

When he swung the door open he was quick to anger. “You’re absolutely insane if you think I’ll ever-!” He stopped upon the sight of me.

“I swear on my life, I will treat Maria right, I will stay loyal to her, hasta que la muerte nos separe.” I lowered my head in front of him. “And if I ever break my oath, you can strike me where I stand. Please.”

The silence was suffocating. When I finally looked up, he continued to glare right at me, as if he was staring at my very soul. Just when I thought the worst was going to happen, he spoke.

“If you ever hurt my daughter, I will make sure you suffer a hundredfold in return. Are we crystal clear?”

“Yes, yes I understand!” I was already getting to my feet, wings fluttering in the sheer excitement. I’m going to propose to her. “Thank you so much, sir! I’m going to get ready right away!” With that my wings flutter some more, taking me off my feet and into the air. I had to get home, and quick!

---

17/04/1538

I knew exactly where to propose. It couldn’t be anywhere except the old, bent over tree – the same one we had our first kiss at. She was clueless as I brought her up there with me, eager to finish the date with a song I had written.

“Okay, okay, let’s hear what you’ve been working on.” Her giggle was sweet, perfectly matching the dress she had on as she sat down on the picnic blanket I laid out then and there for her.

Even though my voice wasn’t as perfect as hers, I knew it would be good enough for what I had. The lyrics were personal, for her ears and her ears alone. I played and played and played, but it was when I got to the last few lyrics did I start slowing down on my lute. I needed her to hear what I had to sing. One of my spare hands reached into my pocket, grabbing my special little gift in preparation.

“¡Oh María, nuestros corazones latiendo en sincronía!”

I then stop playing the lute entirely, holding out my hand for her. “¿Me harás el honor de casarte conmigo?” I opened up my hand to reveal the dazzling, sparkling ring, right in front of her eyes. The moment I proposed to her, I braced myself for both the best and the worst.

Fortunately, it took her no time to answer at all. “¡Sí, sí!” She immediately grabbed me and pulled me in for a close hug. She was already sobbing in joy as her grip against me was tighter than its ever been.

She was going to be my wife.

---

26/08/1538

We set it all up until it was perfect. Things went off without a hitch, and honestly? Even her father was happy to see her. She was beautiful, in an absolutely dazzling wedding dress. It was perfect.

“I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

I bring Maria in close, giving her a kiss on the lips as our families celebrated. When I slowly broke the kiss, I smiled wide. “Every day, I wake up thinking about just how angelic you are…”

Maria smiled back. “You’ve always looked just as handsome as the day I met you…” She closed her eyes, letting out a pleased sigh. “… And just as young, now that I think about it.”

I was grinning. “It’s all because of you.”

---

21/08/1539

Today was the day me and Maria got to meet the first special light of our life. I was completely overwhelmed with joy at the sight of her, Maria holding her close to keep her warm.

“¡Tengo una hija...!” I dropped to my knees at the sight of her, tears welling up in my eyes. “I have a daughter…!”

To the world at large, she was an ordinary baby, nothing special at all about her birth. To me, it was one of the most important moments of my life.

It lasted for many years, but it didn’t take long until it started getting obvious that I wasn’t looking any different. Still, we counted our blessings, and I continued to enjoy my every day with Maria.

Until one day...”

---

28/11/1561

I remember getting shook away, very gently. I slowly opened my eyes in the darkness, looking over at my wife. “Mnngh…?”

“Diego…” Hearing Maria’s voice as hoarse and rough, I quickly lifted my head. “Diego, I don’t… I don’t feel good…”

I sat up, holding Maria close as I put my hand on the back of her head. “You’ve got a temperature. Lay down, let me-”

“No…” Maria croaked out. “I think I need a doctor...”

---

02/12/1561

Medicine wasn’t as good back then as it is now. But waiting for that doctor to speak to us was the most stressful wait I’ve ever had in my life, as Maria could do nothing but lean against me for support. And the news was more confusing.

“Maria, we haven’t figured out what you have just yet, but we’re working on it. However, we can confirm that Diego hasn’t caught anything.”

“Gracias a Dios,” Maria whispered out under her breath.

“In fact, Diego’s in unusually good health. You’re 49, yes?”

I nodded.

“As far as I can tell, everything about you seems to still be in your 20s. So much so, I’m not sure you’re even getting any older.”

“Alright, be serious with me.” Yeah I looked young, but this doctor was obviously full of it. How could he know for certain that I just wasn’t getting older?

“This could be a medical revolution. You need to come back for more tests, maybe we could help other people with this.”

“Enough about me, what about Maria?”

The doctor let out a sigh. “We’re going to look after her while we continue to work on what she’s got. We’ll let you know which room she’s in.”

“Gracias,” Maria managed to get out, smiling wide despite what was going on.

I just shook my head. “Right. Please, help her.”

“It’s okay, Diego,” she said with a warm smile. “You’re going to be able to hear my lovely voice-” her attempt at a joke was cut off with a fit of coughs, and I held onto her to make sure she wouldn’t fall over again.

A part of me knew Maria wasn’t going to get better. But I couldn’t accept that. I just couldn’t.

Even if I believed the doctor about me not getting older, that just slipped by my focus entirely with Maria by my side.

---

08/01/2009

“It would take some time before I realised what a blessing an immortal life would be. Long after Maria’s time.” Diego put the lute down, standing up. “But I’ll have time to share that another day. For now, I think it’s time we bring you back to your parents.”

There were complaints and grumblings from across the crowd, as various children were engrossed in the story.

Mina, however, just looked at Diego with utter curiosity. He and Maria sounded so sweet together, but how was he not still upset about Maria getting sick? It was so… so strange.

Mina continued to think to herself as she watched Diego pick up the butterfly girl. “Starting with you, my little Azulita~” He followed that up with a quick peck on the cheek.

“But you’re my dad!” Azulita giggled out, gently leaning against him.

“Then we already found him!” Diego chuckled back, holding Azulita quite close.

So Mina followed Diego, not taking long until she met back up with her mother – who picked her up in a hug. “Did you have a good time with Diego?”

“Yeah!” Mina said happily. “He told us about Maria!”

Mina’s mother nodded. “Maria?”

“Yeah! He married her and everything!”

She nodded in understanding, smiling wide. “Ah, I see!” Mina didn’t notice that her mom avoided asking any specific questions, she was just enamoured with the romantic story.

Diego took a seat as various families gathered around him, giving gifts that he modestly accepted. “From Mina, Maneul, and Camila Sánchez.” Mina’s antennae perked when she heard her name mentioned.

She watched as Diego unwrapped the gift, smiling wide as he picked up a lute from the present. “Gracias.” He didn’t say much on it, but he didn’t say much on any of the gifts – still acting modest despite it being his birthday.

The remaining few hours of the party were a good time, Mina had a good time eating dinner and playing with the other kids.

But all parties came to an end, and Mina was picked up by her mother as she leaned against her.

“Thank you so much for coming,” Diego said with a warm smile. “And for introducing me to your adorable little daughter.”

Mina let out a small giggle, smiling wide. “Bye bye, Diego!”

Diego smiled wide. “Adios, Mina.”

That was the last thing he said to her before her parents left with her, ready to drive back home.

---

It was late at night, and Diego was looking over his home, cleaning up in peace. Every bit of confetti, every plate with leftovers to clean up, every bit of silence was a reminder of all the people he got to meet up with today, some of whom he hasn’t gotten a chance to visit since last year.

It was in the midst of cleaning that he reached the lute Manuel and his family had gifted him. He gently strummed it with a relaxed sigh, all while he closed his eyes.

He knew he should continue focusing on cleaning up. But…

He started playing on it, thinking back to the oldest tune he knew. “Madre…”

The tune he grew up playing. “Padre…”

The tune he played with Maria all the time. “Mi querida María...”

Tears had begun flowing through his eyes. Yet, despite that, his smile remained the same as ever. “Bless your hearts, our time together was a precious gift.”

#Diego Molinero Sánchez #Mina Sánchez #Manuel Sánchez #Camila Sánchez #Maria Sánchez #The Immortal Tale of Diego Sánchez #Buggyverse #Azulita Sánchez

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dalt0nyc0 · 8 months ago

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Sr. Ávila Season One Analysis

Word Count: 5,971

Warnings: There is a brief mention of necro and n0nc0n and a reference to suic1de, which is part of the plot. This section has a content warning, so you can skip past it!

Ávila season one starts with Roberto Ávila being already in the hitmen field. I will begin from Roberto’s childhood, at least what is known from Season One, and go from there. As a disclaimer, I am also going by what the English subtitles provided by HBO themselves have translated the show as. I know the Spanish dialogue may be slightly different for localization purposes; however, I am going by the English subtitles as I don't speak Spanish. I will post almost all the clips I mention or reference to my Tumblr blog, @Nachocheesevarga, for those interested. With all that out of the way, let's get started. Not much is shared about Roberto’s childhood in the entire series, regardless of season one. Yet here are things known about Roberto.

Roberto’s family is clouded in mystery, and there isn’t enough information given, but what is known is that he has a father and a mother. His mother will be brought up in my discussion on season three, as no information is known of her in season one. Roberto’s father seems to have respiratory issues, which an oxygen tank can see. He is seen smoking a cigarette, so it is to be assumed he most likely had gotten it from a long-time nicotine addiction. His father is also in a wheelchair however, this wasn’t always the case. In episode eleven, titled Freud and Ghosts, we get to see the first glimpse of Roberto’s father. His father is supposedly the one who got Roberto to kill first. This is because a man named Robledo shot his father, which is presumably why he is using a wheelchair and not able-bodied. Roberto claims his first kill was because of his father. His killer had his father's voice and drove him to murder Robledo with a baseball bat. The show later on contradicts this statement but I will get to that when I write my analysis on season three. Roberto claims he killed Robledo because “...he showed me in the worst possible way that my dad wasn’t immortal” (Freud and Ghosts 20:00-23:59). Roberto’s father had already paid for the hit so Roberto had gone to return the money which is how he met Moreira which there offered him a job. Once again the show later on has a different contrasting point on if this is all true, but I will mention that once we cross that bridge. Given that Roberto has been in the hitmen business for 15 years, it is assumed that 15 years ago, he killed Robledo, marking that as when Moreira hired him. Before I move on past Roberto’s biological family, I have to talk about Roberto’s sister. I don’t think this was anything more than a one-liner; however, as I am doing this analysis, it is crucial to mention it. In episode nine, titled The Child and the Spiderweb, there is a brief mention of a sister aspiring from a joke. Roberto and the man who works at the scrap yard speak and have playful banter. After this, he mentions that Roberto needs to tell his sister that he is coming over later. This sister is never once brought up again in the entire four seasons. I am chalking this up to be a one-liner, and since it was so early in the show, they didn’t think much about it. However, as it was mentioned, I had to at least talk about it. Next, I will discuss Roberto’s child Emiliano and his wife Maria.

Roberto and Maria’s meeting is talked about in season two so I will stick to season one only for now. Maria is forty years old confirmed in episode one titled Surprise Party. The episode confirms Maria is forty years old, starting season one. Roberto is confirmed to also be in his forties. While his age isn’t specified, it can be assumed that he is either exactly forty or in his very early forties. I think it’s more plausible that he is also forty, just a couple of months older than Maria. The Priest is who mentions this, stating that Roberto is already forty and should take the job as the Don (A Lousy Job 4:30). Emiliano is confirmed to be seventeen as well in episode six, Reliquaries and Vampires. This means that the youngest, Roberto and Maria had Emiliano when Maria was 23, and Roberto was at least 23, if not a few years older. Maria and Roberto’s marriage date is unknown. However, the day they got married was on August 11th, confirmed in episode thirteen, titled A Child's Gaze. Now, we will look at Roberto’s earlier life.

Roberto joined the hitman agency when he was at least twenty-five. This would make Emiliano two years old when Roberto started working for Moreira. However, Roberto worked as a police officer before his job as a hitman. In Mexico, the age to become a police officer is 18-35. This can mean that Roberto may have joined the police academy as soon as he graduated and left the police around when Emiliano was born or before Emiliano was two. Roberto worked on the police force with a man named Bermudez. Bermudez, in an altercation shown in a flashback, shot Roberto in the hand, leaving Roberto with a scar on one of his hands (A Lousy Job). Roberto, in this same episode, also seems to struggle with PTSD due to these experiences in the police force. He has a flashback while sleeping and can be seen thrashing in his sleep. He wakes up, and his hands end up on Maria’s neck. Maria isn’t freaking out, only worried about Maria, which has the undertone that this is something that has happened a few times, at least to the extent that Maria is not freaked out by what happens. She instantly calms down Maria holds him gently and tells him that it’s alright (A Lousy Job 33:00). This episode also showcases Roberto showing symptoms of a panic attack as well and when he is tasked with killing Bermudez he is visibly shaky and sweating. Roberto, as mentioned, joined the Hitmen agency around the time he was 25. He tells Ybarra that he is broke and doesn’t have a job at the moment and that is why he is joining the agency. Roberto seemed to initially join the agency because he needed money with a very young child to support and a wife (By the Book).

Ybarra, in this same episode, is also revealed to be Emilaino’s Godfather and is also the closest person Roberto had. Episode two, By the Book, has some of the most insightful information about Ybarra. Ybarra has been in the business for over twenty years, meaning he has been in the company five years longer than Roberto has. He was also Roberto’s mentor when he learned the ropes. Ybarra is revealed to have an eye problem, causing him to kill the wrong person. Ybarra claimed to have been all over the city and not a single doctor saw anything wrong with his eye (Surprise Party). This is later on in the series, so for those who are aware of what happens, I firmly believe the apostles had planned this and done something to Ybarra’s vision, which led to the mistake that pushed Roberto to kill Ybarra. Killing Ybarra is the first part in which we see Roberto’s mental health slip. When he is told to kill Ybarra, he fights it. Yet when he goes to the Priest, the Priest eggs Roberto into killing him. He also encourages Roberto to take the role of the Don. This pressure makes Roberto murder Ybarra for the rule he broke. Yet in episode one, Surprise Party, Ivan defends Ybarra’s mistake and tries to reason with Moreira on sparing Ybarra. This causes Moreira to snap at Ivan and remind him why they have rules. This is one of the more exciting points because it gets into the next section, the funeral parlor members.

Ivan was Moreira’s right-hand man. He was working there before both Ybarra and Roberto. Ivan’s relationship with Moreira is fascinating as Moreira was only in the first few episodes. However, it is clear that his death had a massive impact on Ivan. When Ivan finds Moreira’s suicide, he kisses him on the mouth. He is also seen in that episode snorting Moreira’s ashes. Whatever the relationship the two had, it was intense. Ivan becomes much more colder after this. He shows Roberto certain things but is also very reclusive about everything. He cares for the business and clarifies that Roberto is not above that. Roberto may be the Don but he is in no way above the organization. Ivan helps keep things running smoothly. He kills Roberto’s mistress, Maggie, who he is cheating on with Maria. He tortures Emilaino to find out how it will affect the organization. He threatens to put a stop to Maria in case she digs too far and Roberto quickly puts an end to the idea. Ivan is one of the most dangerous characters in the show because he stops at nothing to put the crime organization first. Ana is the mortuary cosmetologist for the funeral home business. She is close with Ivan to some extent. She is reticent in season one. She rarely speaks unless spoken to; when she does, it’s only a few words. Ana is focused on her work and loves to make people remember who they were when they were alive.

Next, I will be talking about Maggie. Maggie is who Roberto sees while he has his double life. Roberto uses sex as a coping mechanism. When things are stressful at work, and he's had a bad day, he can roughly fuck her. She is more of a vessel for Roberto, who can use her for sex when he is too overwhelmed. It’s not entirely clear when the affair started, but for a good part of Roberto’s life, he is faithful. When mentioned about whoring by Ybarra, Roberto quickly dismisses it by saying he has a wife. Roberto at some point, got into a relationship with Maggie. The affair had been going on for at least six months, as six months ago, Roberto gave Maggie the bracelet (Neither Borge’s nor God). This episode means it’s assumed that the moment he gave her the bracelet, the two officially started seeing each other and went from courting to starting their commitment to being friends with benefits. In episode one, it is also confirmed that Maggie is only thirty years old, a decade younger than Roberto and Maria. Roberto uses sex as a coping mechanism, and when Maggie mentions Maria and says she will tell her about their affair, Roberto is hostile. He threatens to hurt Maggie if she dares to touch and interfere with his family life. When Ivan kills Maggie, Roberto is distraught. He seems to show real emotions as benign distraught and calling her dozens of times. In episode six, Reliquaries and Vampires, Maria wants to engage in sex and asks Roberto as she thinks it might help her feel better, yet Roberto is too focused on Maggie’s whereabouts. He says he's too tired from work and leaves Maria alone. Later on in episode seven, titled To Kill an Immortal, Roberto and Maria engage in sex. It’s rough, and it is something he would have done with Maggie. While the sex scene plays out, Roberto imagines it as Maggie instead of Maria. He is rough with Maria, and afterward, Maria mentions they haven’t done anything that rough in ages. Maria and Roberto seemed to have an okay bedroom life. There were two scenes showcasing their bedroom life. It appears that Roberto uses sex as a coping mechanism and uses Maggie as an outlet for his rage. Roberto, later on in the show, continues these unhealthy trends of using sex as a coping mechanism, and it seems to be one of his most exciting vices. While on the topic of vices, Roberto is seen participating in a dog fight and betting on a dog, and while it is only seen in one episode, the act of violently participating and watching a dog getting torn to shreds when Maggie wasn’t available for him to have sex with is a point to mention.

Now, I wanna dwell on Sanchez. Sanchez is one of the most exciting characters in the show because of his fall from grace. In season one he starts as being very competent. He knows what to do and how to poke the hornet's nest. He can piss off Roberto just by simply being there, and he can pin out Emiliano as being a suspect very quickly. He applies pressure to Emiliano and causes Emiliano to mess up his story by mentioning how the girl is probably already dead. He also is the one who leaks Roberto’s affair with Maggie to Maria. He caused a ripple effect, and out of all the people to have caused Roberto to falter, Sanchez is one of the top characters in this category. Sanchez in A Child's Gaze, Sanchez has been bought out and becomes one of Roberto’s lap dogs after Roberto murders his partner on the police force. He is using a man on the inside of the Mexican police force and using it to his advantage. Since Emiliano is mentioned in Sanchez’s section, I wanna focus on Emiliano.

Emiliano is one of the more tragic characters as he longs for his father's approval and doesn’t have the proper guidance. Emilinao is seventeen years old. He seems to be a loner in the earlier episodes before he meets Ismael. He is seen getting made fun of and bullied. He sits alone at lunch. Emilino kicked the dog in episode two, By the Book. This was the first episode in which Emiliano clearly needed support. He needed a crutch of support for his anger issues that stemmed from Roberto. He needed a healthy outlet, but Maria’s own anxiety and fear hindered her from being that crutch Emiliano needed. Roberto is too concerned with Ybarra and the offer of becoming the next Don, which leaves him useless in his son's pleas for help. Emiliano was struggling, and he didn’t get that support. After Emiliano cuts a student's ankle with a box cutter, he is kicked out and forced to go to a rougher “delinquent” high school. This is where he meets Ismael. Yet Emiliano does get a talk from Roberto, which looks pretty heartfelt. He explained to Emiliano that holding in your anger can be dangerous. He also assures his son things will be okay. Roberto, for a split second, was human. Emiliano needed that. Yet Emiliano begins to fall into a darker path. Ismael helps him kill “the Beast” so he can date Juliana. Juliana is only playing with Emiliano, and after some pushback from Ismael, Emiliano murders her with a wooden stake. Content warning for the next section, I will be talking about the fictional rape that happens in this show. There will also be a brief mention of attempted suicide. Be warned and move to the next paragraph to avoid this. Stay safe. Emiliano reveals to Ismael that he raped Juliana after he killed her. This is one of the darkest aspects of the first season. This rape is something so dark that doesn’t have much else attached to it other than Emiliano does show to have remorse. He is seen breaking down when he tells Ismael and sobs into his jacket. I think while what Emiliano did was sickening and terrible, he needed serious help. Maria will be mentioned next, but the way she was of no help to Emiliano, and Roberto is so far away in his hitmen's work they leave Emiliano to drown. While his actions may be irredeemable, it is essential to look at how they stem. Emiliano needed to see an actual therapist and get real help when he was showing violent tendencies, but his mental health was neglected. Later on in the show, Emiliano attempts to kill himself. This isn’t a ploy for attention. Emiliano is in severe mental distress. He was abused and tortured by Ivan while being blindfolded. Maria calls Emiliano a monster like Roberto. He is deemed and cast out by his mother. Roberto isn’t much help either, as he and Maria fight, and it causes even more trauma to Emiliano. Emiliano ends up slitting his wrists, attempting to kill himself. Maria found him staring up at the ceiling, waiting to die. This is one of the heartbreaking moments. Maria accuses Roberto of being the reason and trying to get Emiliano to kill himself. Although Emiliano says, he’s alive because of his father. I take this as Roberto saving Emiliano from prison, which is why he says this. Roberto asks Doctor Montes to look after Emiliano. Doctor Montes explains to Roberto that Emiliano did try to end his life, and he wanted to die. He needed reassurance from his father. Montes mentions that Roberto needs to tuck him into bed, leave a light on, and ensure he knows he is safe. Roberto quickly failed Emiliano out of everyone else in his life. He needed that comfort and to feel protected and he didn’t have that. Emiliano dies not from Ismael but from Ivan. Ivan presses down, snaps Emilianos neck and lies to Roberto. This is the foundation of distrust Ivan and Roberto stand on. Emiliano died tragically and was dragged into this crime of life due to not having a support pillar around him.

Maria is the next person that Roberto fails. I think she has one of the most tragic stories. Maria develops anxiety in episode one. She is overwhelmed, and on the day she turns forty, Roberto has planned a surprise party for her, inviting over their friends. Maria is overcome with fear after having a rough day passes out. When she wakes up, Roberto is next to her, comforting her. His love for Maria seems strong, and he calls her loving names, like a princess, as he prepares her an excellent breakfast. Maria, however becomes more and more unwell in the episodes. In episode two, Roberto asks Maria to walk with him after he sees how stressed she is over Emiliano. The gesture is sweet and caring, but Maria declines his offer. This is the same episode where the two are not cuddling in bed. Roberto lays alone on his side of the bed and curls up alone. It is the beginning of the ending for the two. Roberto does try to reach out to Maria but she persists that she is okay. The most exciting thing is how Roberto shows concern yet never acts on it. He is worried about her. He mentions it to the Priest and Ivan, but he refuses to give any push. Roberto will be gentle with her and ask if she has gone out today, and Maria will say no and say she plans to go out tomorrow. Roberto is concerned but also doesn’t act on that. He is too busy with being the Don, and Maria falls deeper into her depressive episode and is consumed by anxiety about the outside world. What they do in the show is interesting because they use television as Maria’s fixation.

The television isn’t just a source of entertainment but a way for her to still be connected to the world. Maria uses media and the TV as a way for her to get lost away from the real world. Outside of the TV, she has a neglectful husband and a son who is unstable and getting into fights. Inside the TV, she can use it as an escape mechanism and can watch shows that make her laugh or cooking shows. This spirals from her having a panic attack and fainting at her surprise party to not going out for weeks. The television became her connection to other people. Multiple times during multiple episodes, Maria is seen breaking down and crying on the floor, isolated and without her family. They have no food in the pantry or fridge because Maria hasn’t been able to go grocery shopping. When Roberto gives up on trying to get Maria's help, he passively ignores her, with the two facing away from each other. Finally, their television service is shut off due to an issue with the autopayment not working. Maria is without the one thing helping her dissociate from reality. She panics and begins to search through the whole house and finds Roberto’s wad of cash shoved in one of his jackets. Maria ends up leaving the house to pay for the bill in person, but while there, due to the overestimation and anxiety, she breaks down and throws a trash can, attacking the clerk at the desk. That night Maria is quiet as Roberto goes to comfort her after Emilaino leaves to his room. Maria and Roberto begin to argue once she reveals she found the money. Roberto mentions that he had won it gambling on Emiliano’s birthday when he lied and said he was working. This is untrue, something Maria sees as Roberto never gambled and hasn’t in a long time. This is true as Roberto appears to gamble only in one episode throughout the show, and he does so at a dogfight.

Roberto encourages Maria to see Doctor Montes and Maria ends up agreeing. In episode eight, titled God's Whims, it is revealed Maria had seen a therapist in the past due to having postpartum depression when she had Emiliano. When Doctor Montes finally sees Maria, he is working under Roberto, focusing on making Roberto look good. He gaslights Maria into believing Roberto and trusting him again. I think how Maria is revealed to be manipulated over and over again in this show is something so profoundly tragic. When Detective Sanchez arrives to tell Maria about Emiliano’s potential involvement in the murder of Juliana. Sanchez then decides to poke the hornet's nest and reveals the bracelet Roberto gave to Maria was originally for Maggie. This throws Maria into a spiral as she slaps Roberto across the face and locks herself in their bedroom. Roberto tries to reason with her but Maria has no trust in Roberto anymore. He never told Maria about Ybarra’s death, which further puts a wedge in the couple. Roberto is sleeping on the couch, and Maria is deeply hurt.

Maria and Roberto repair their relationship somewhat when Emiliano nearly ends his life. The two reconcile at their house once Emiliano returns home from the hospital. While this should be something sweet, it is cut short when Roberto realizes Ismael is still alive. He requests that Maria go to her sister's house while they sort this out. Maria is hesitant and after a bit of pushback, she reluctantly agrees to go. As Emiliano and Roberto leave, Maria is left alone. As she gets in the car, it is revealed Ismael has been waiting for her. Maria instantly panics and reaches to take her prescribed medicine for her anxiety and panic attacks but isn’t able to. After following Ismael’s instructions, he stabs her with a tranquilizer, paralyzing her body temporarily. She is a limp doll, and Ismael decides to torture her. He first takes her to a food court, where he reveals everything. He tells Maria who Roberto is and how the funeral home is a front for the hitman business. Maria is horrified and can be seen with tears in her eyes as she is faced with the realization that the man she has been married to for over fifteen years has lied to her. Next, Ismael takes Maria to a soccer game. This game is filled with people cheering and hollering, which causes Maria distress. Her anxiety is at an all-time high with the realization that her husband has been hiding his true identity, and with her being in front of a crowd of hundreds, it is her own personal hell. When Ismael leaves to go to the bathroom she makes a break for it. She slowly begins to stumble as best as she can away from Ismael. Onlookers question her stumbling but when she sees Ismael in the corner of her eye, she begins to panic, running into the streets. There, a car accidentally hits her, leaving Maria with amnesia and unable to remember anything. When Roberto gets the call, he gets to the hospital as fast as he can, and when he sees her, Roberto decides to be genuine. He admits to his entire life. It is one of the few times Roberto seems genuine about anything. Yet there it is revealed Maria doesn’t remember who Roberto is. Roberto is distraught and hurt as he curls up with Maria holding her throughout the night.

When Maria can go home Roberto has Doctor Montes help look after her so she can regain back her memory. Maria instantly recognizes Emiliano's photo but cannot piece together who Roberto is. She becomes volatile and smashes a picture frame over Doctor Montes’ head, claiming that she will always be able to recognize her son. The next most significant moment is when Maria discovers Emiliano’s corpse posed as if he hung himself in their garage. Maria is panicked and frantic screaming at Montes and Roberto. Roberto tries to reassure her that Emiliano is sick and he killed himself, but Maria quickly grabs the gun next to her. While it is off-screen, it is revealed Maria shot Roberto and shot Montes in his left arm; thankfully, Montes is right-handed, unlike Roberto. Roberto tells the priest Maria has gone crazy and explains how he murdered Ismael. For this season, that is where Maria is left. She was deemed crazy and unstable, and living in a designated home, the trauma she went through and hurt wiped away as she seems to have a clean slate now. Now, with all these characters and episode-by-episode synopsizes out of the way, I want to talk about Roberto.

Roberto is one of the last characters I have decided to discuss because I have so much to say about him. As mentioned before, at the very beginning, Roberto joined the police academy, most likely right out of high school. Roberto was groomed into becoming a hitman and into becoming a don. I will talk about this more in-depth in seasons three and four, but it is something so important to me. His own father insinuates that Roberto is to kill Robledo. While Roberto does offer first, it doesn’t make sense why Roberto would offer this, assuming this is around the time he just left the police force. I think he does it because he looks up to his father. Roberto’s father isn’t talked about nearly enough, but Roberto claims that was the first time he was ever killed. He murdered someone because of his father, and when Roberto murders Robledo, it is so violent. He somehow got him into the trunk of his car and relentlessly bashes Robledo with a bat. When the camera next shows Roberto, he is soaked in blood, and his hands are shaking as he lights up a cigarette and dissociates. This is highly similar to Emiliano killing Juliana, covered in blood and shaking, dissociating. Roberto wasn’t always this way, and what made him this way was something shrouded in mystery and only seen in small slivers.

Roberto killing Ybarra was the first foundational stone of Roberto losing everything and would be the kickstarting point for him in his long fall from grace and descent into madness. Ybarra was more than a teacher to Roberto this is the man who was Emiliano’s Godfather and close family friend. Maria was allowed to meet and personally know Ybarra. He attended her fortieth surprise birthday party. Ybarra was close to Roberto, and whether or not that was a problem for the organization or not, they wanted to test Roberto to see if he was capable of killing someone he cared about. Roberto doesn’t deal with any trauma or grief he has. This is a recurring thing in the show where if Roberto is stressed or needs an outlet, he turns to sex.

HBO, while not ever being one to shy away from sexual content, makes it abundantly clear that Roberto uses sex as a coping mechanism. When he has to kill Ybarra, and when he does, he instantly turns to Maggie to fuck and have rough sex with. His facial expression isn’t one of love or compassion but one of anger. He uses Maggie. Roberto, in my opinion, never loved Maggie, but he loved what she stood for. Maggie was Roberto’s personal sex doll and was everything his fake life represented. Maggie is the door that stands between who Roberto is and who he pretends to be. He uses Maggie when he needs to release tension from what is happening. She is young, flirty, and cunning, a dangerous combination that Roberto soon realizes. Maggie does have feelings for Roberto. She wants Roberto to skip Maria’s party so the two can have a night together. She disregards Maria as the woman being cheated on and views her as an opponent. If she can’t have Roberto, then neither should Maria. When Maggie goes ‘missing,’ Roberto is increasingly distraught and irritable, and I think it’s because he realizes that what he had for the last six months is gone. The outlet he had for sex and the outlet that was his escape and a personification of his double life is gone. Roberto imagines while he is having sex with Maria that it is Maggie in her place. This sex is rough, and when Maria tries to take off the bracelet that was once Maggie's, he tells Maria to keep it on. He wants Maria to be just for a night, that same personification that Maggie was. A way for him to relieve his stress. Roberto and Maria’s sex life is something dying. When Maria implies that a night of love with Roberto might make her feel better, he instantly brushes it off because he is concerned about Maggie. He jeopardizes their sex life for Maggie. Roberto does love Maria but he is also a hypocrite.

Roberto and Maria have an interesting dynamic because Roberto will say some of the most breathtaking, heartwarming comments about her, and yet he still cheats. I am very biased as Maria is one of my favorite characters in the show so the way I feel so strongly about how poorly she is treated. Roberto refuses to do good pushback with Maria. He is so clearly concerned about her when she faints and, in the next scene, brings her a beautiful tray of fruits from the party and he calls her princess. He does love her. Yet when Maria refuses to see a doctor, Roberto doesn’t have much else to say and leaves Maria to deal with it on her own. Roberto gets so hyperfocused and swept up in the new position as a don, one he isn’t even sure he wants to take, that he shuts out Emiliano and Maria.

Roberto says, “And if something were to happen to her, anything, I would burn the world to the ground” (That Day). When Ivan pushes the idea of needing to take care of Maria if she becomes a problem Roberto instantly shuts it down, and he does multiple other times. Roberto loves Maria, but he is so focused on the double life he is living that he hurts and lies to Maria. He has lied to Maria for fifteen years and started cheating at least six months ago. Roberto is also distraught that killing can be an inherited trait. He talks about this multiple times with the Priest, and the Priest instantly shuts down the idea. Roberto treats the Priest's words very highly. He acts as a venting system for Roberto and it is something deeply personal to Roberto to have this outlet. Maria even mentioned that Roberto started sounding like the pope with optimism when she finally left the house. The Priest is someone intertwined with Roberto, and I wanna say more, but that gets into other seasons’ territories. However, when Roberto shares the most intimate details of his life, it is always with the Priest.

Roberto also has an interesting dynamic with Emiliano. Emiliano’s death leaves Roberto forever changed, and when he sees his son is dead, he is clearly pained. He doesn’t blame Ivan or Ana for what has happened. He is quiet, and I think it is another structure to Roberto that is being torn down. His son was taken away from him by who he thought was Ismael. Roberto trusts Ivan and has no clue about the horrors and lengths that Ivan will go through to keep the business running.

Roberto’s trauma isn’t something dwelled on much in the show, but it is a leading cause of his downfall and his spiral into insanity. He struggles with PTSD flashbacks from being shot in his right hand by his police partner. In a few months, Roberto loses his best friend, son, and the life he once knew. His wife no longer recognizes who he is and is deemed crazy after she shoots Roberto and Montes. He is alienated, and now all he has is the organization, as revealed, Ismael placed multiple hits on Roberto. I think this is clearly where we, as the audience, see that Roberto’s mental health is slipping. He isn’t sleeping much, and the role of the Don is taking a toll on him. Now, he has to face this new chapter of his life without his wife or his son.

Now, the last thing I want to do is quickly go through facts about characters that are known in the show:

Maria is 40

Roberto is at least 40, revealed by the Priest

Maria likes to garden and has roses she takes care of. There are also plants all over the Ávila household.

Roberto likes to do puzzles and has a shed in the backyard where he does them.

In the Ávila household, on their fridge, there is a Pumbaa magnet from the movie The Lion King, confirming that the movie exists in the world and Emiliano liked it as a kid or someone in the family did enough for there to be a magnet of him on the fridge.

Emiliano plays the guitar and claims Roberto isn’t supportive of him.

Emiliano is 17.

Ismael is 18.

Roberto has a scar on his right hand from getting shot by his old police partner.

Roberto was a former police officer

Roberto likes ice cream

Ivan likes ice cream, and his favorite flavor is Rum Raisin

Maria had postpartum depression after she gave birth to Emiliano

Ybarra is Emiliano’s Godfather

Brad Pitt canonically exists in the universe

The show starts in Spring

Ismael and Maria both have birthdays in the spring