QUEEN OF SWORDS SYNOPSIS
101 DESTINY: The Series Premiere

The pilot episode starts off in Spain 1817 where a young woman is fencing against her instructor. The scene shifts to California and a lone rider is being chased on horseback by several soldiers. While the young woman in Spain is practicing her best moves and defending herself from her opponent, the man in California tries to escape his followers and rides like the wind to avoid from being shot at and forced to surrender. The lead soldier on a white stallion calls out his name to stop - Don Alvarado.

An older woman interrupts the lesson by calling the young one by her name - Tessa. Upon hearing her name, Tessa looks at her with surprise and happiness. She finishes her lesson and gracefully salutes her instructor with the blade of her sword. She greets the older woman by name - Marta and scolds her for not giving her fair warning or more time. She must now hurry and change in order to be ready to receive and greet the arrival of her father Don Rafael Alvarado whom she has not seen in five years. Tessa tells Marta that she will wait to inform her father about the fencing lessons, which she believes he will not approve of.

A single shot hits its mark and Don Alvarado is shot in the back as he reaches up to his left shoulder, agony and pain very expressive on his face.

While Tessa washes her hands, Marta says nothing and hands Tessa a letter. The soldiers slow down and stop as they watch their victim riding further away slumped over the neck of his horse. The lead soldier pulls out a long neck rifle and points, taking aim within his sights and marking his target by firing another shot. Tessa reads the letter and can not believe the news. She is adamant in accepting the information. Marta explains that her father Don Alvarado died from a fall off a horse. With tears in her eyes and heartbroken, Tessa is heard telling Marta, "its time to go home".

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This is the prologue scene of the episode "Destiny", the series premiere. The show introduces the lead actress and new talent Tessie Santiago in the dual roles of Maria Teresa Alvarado and the Queen of Swords. Joining her as supporting cast members and experienced season actors and actresses in the profession are Valentine Pelka as Colonel Luis Ramirez Montoya, Paulina Galvez as Marta, Anthony Lemke as Captain Marcus Grisham, Elsa Pataky as Señora Vera Hidalgo, and Tacho Gonzalez as Don Gaspar Hidalgo. The series premiere also introduces Jose Sancho in the role of Tessa's father Don Rafael Alvarado. The episode was written by James Thorpe, Produced by Tony Thatcher and Directed by Jon Cassar.

The writer provided an excellent introduction to the story and characters, giving the viewers an understanding of the time period in which it takes place and the unknown circumstances that surround the mystery of the killing. The main character is Tessa Alvarado, a young woman with two very different sides to her personality. As Tessa, she is a Spanish lady of nobility, who is a spoiled rich aristocrat, shallow, vain and self-centered. Then there' s the Tessa that only Marta knows, the Queen of Swords, who is strong, intelligent and an excellent swordsman. She is the people's heroine, who hides behind a lace mask to fight for justice. She defends and assists the innocent by using her sword to battle her enemies and punish the guilty. The lead role is accompanied by a very important character named Marta. She is a gypsy with mystical ability, a loyal servant, guardian and mentor to Tessa. She is a seemingly ageless woman in her forties who is curt, smart and often brutally honest. She lives by her own code of honor and she has a moral center that is rooted in her eclectic gypsy background. Using the tarot cards, she has the ability to envision the future and guides Tessa in her quest to fulfill her destiny. Marta is the only person who truly knows Tessa and the secret double life she lives. Tessa's alter ego the Queen of Swords has an archenemy and rival in the character of Colonel Luis Montoya. He is a local military commander, who is a corrupt and villainous officer. He is the dictator who rules the community of Santa Helena as the appointed Governor of the Spanish Royal Court from Spain. His personal mission is to capture his adversary and worst enemy, the Queen of Swords. Through his authority and deadly reprisals, he imposes his power and manages to always ensure his position of control is never jeopardized. Other characters which add richness and effectiveness who help shaped the "Destiny" episode are the roles of Vera Hidalgo and Captain Marcus Grisham. Vera Hidalgo is the unfaithful wife of Don Gaspar Hidalgo. She is a young woman married to a much older man, who maintains a secret adulteress affair with Captain Grisham. She is very beautiful and loves to seduce her man with her charms while her poor husband is kept in the dark about her extracurricular flings. Another important character that is introduced in the storyline and will be a crucial personality is the role of Captain Marcus Grisham. He is a soldier with excellent fighting skills. He is the Colonel's mercenary and superb horseman. He follows orders and is diligent in getting the work done. He will be a valuable asset and sidekick to Colonel Montoya. Last but certainly not the least is the character of Don Gaspar Hidalgo, a rich and powerful Don who uses his influences to maintain his position and social standing. He adores his wife, but is unsuspecting of her flings of infidelity. He befriended Tessa and tried to offer her advice. He will certainly be an important personality who could challenge Colonel Montoya.

In the first act, the scene takes Tessa and Marta back to California so that she can claim her inheritance, the wealthy land owned by her father. Riding in a carriage towards her hacienda, Tessa is befriended by a robber, who turns out to be her father's man servant and trusted friend Carlos. Tessa doesn't understand why has he succumbed to robbing. He informs her that much has changed since the death of her father. Soldiers approach and within seconds they arrive to capture Carlos and imprison him for being a thief. The lead soldier, a man in uniform sitting on top of his white stallion, approaches and introduces himself to her as Captain Marcus Grisham. He volunteers to escort Tessa and Marta to her hacienda. Upon arrival, Tessa is confused and shocked to learn that her home has been abandoned and in the custody of the local governor and military dictator Colonel Luis Montoya. Tessa learns she has to pay the back taxes on the hacienda or it will be forfeited back to the Royal Court of Spain. Captain Grisham informs Tessa that she has been invited to join Colonel Montoya for a celebration in town and she accepts. Tessa's homecoming is a surprise to everyone, especially Colonel Montoya. Tessa meets Don Gaspar Hidalgo, a powerful and wealthy man who knew her father well. Colonel Montoya greets Tessa and is impressed by the lovely young noble woman with beauty and grace. Tessa believes that she can help her father's man servant and pleads with the Colonel to release him. Unbeknownst to Tessa, he has arranged to have him executed in the town square as a example for all to see. His method of justice is to uphold the law and rule the community through fear and deadly reprisals, thus enforcing his power upon the citizens of Santa Helena. Tessa is unable to save Carlos and he is killed. Seeing the injustice bestowed upon her father's man servant, Tessa returns to her hacienda not knowing how she will recover her family home. In the comfort of her living room, Tessa works with her sword and practices many different moves to help suppress the anger she has built up inside. She tells Marta that she will send a message back to Spain informing the Royal Court about the unfairness happening to the little pueblo. Marta doesn't believe it will make a difference or if Spain would even be concerned over what is happening in California. Marta gives Tessa a hint and informs her that how could Don Alvarado, who was the finest horseman in California, fall from a horse and die. She mentions that people talk, especially servants who work for rich Don's. Marta tells Tessa that she read in the cards about her father dying by the hands of many people. These sequence of events begin to shape the mystery of what is going on in the town of Santa Helena. The writer manages to add pieces to the large puzzle.

The writer provided the viewer with a clue and a little background history on Captain Grisham. We learn from Colonel Montoya the reasons why Captain Grisham left the Army and became his second in command. Through blackmail, Colonel Montoya is able to manage and keep Grisham on a leash, thus enabling him to maintain a hold on Grisham and manipulate the soldier to his will. This authority displayed by Colonel Montoya could cause many confrontations between him and Captain Grisham.

In the storyline, Tessa is determined to learn the truth about her father's death and seeks information by talking to Rubia, the wife of Carlos. Rubia is scared to talk for fear of reprisal or getting killed herself, but directs Tessa to speak with the Don's who might know what happened. Tessa takes Rubia's advice and goes to see Gaspar Hidalgo, who only skirts the issue and doesn't provide Tessa much information. He only advises Tessa to stop asking questions or she will make enemies. This does not stop her. Tessa is invited to an unexpected lunch hosted by Grisham, who tries to court her with his charms. Tessa confronts Grisham by announcing that her father was murdered. Grisham explains that it was an accident and if he was murdered no one has come forward to speak. Tessa lets him know that the people who might know are afraid and won't speak for fear of being killed also.

Rubia's son is chased by soldiers in the market square for stealing and arrested. Captain Grisham and Tessa see the commotion. The young man explains that the money he had was not stolen. Tessa confirms his story by informing Grisham that she had given it to his mother. Grisham taunts the young man with a sly remark and in return the young man spits on him. Grisham reacts and knows that insulting the Colonel's Army and disfacing a military uniform in public is an offense and punishable by death. Grisham is about to have the young man executed, but Tessa intercedes and saves him. Grisham orders the young man receive a lashing instead and the soldiers take him to jail.

While Tessa sleeps, Marta sits at a table dealing and reading the tarot cards learning what their meanings imply. Troubled and not knowing what to do, Tessa in a dream is visited by the spirit of her father, who provides her with a vision and important information. In this dream Don Alvarado tells his daughter to visit his wine cellar and there she will find a bottle which will open up to a hidden room. Tessa feels that her father was murdered and his spirit informs her that one man held the gun, but there were many fingers on the trigger. Don Alvarado tells Tessa that his murderers will not go unpunished and shows her a lone rider on a horse. He tells Tessa that she is his avenging angel who will see justice is done. Tessa awakens and goes to see Marta, who knows Tessa was visited by the spirit of her father. Marta shows Tessa a single card faced down on the table that would explain everything about her destiny. Tessa turns over the card and looks at it. It is the picture of the Queen of Swords. Tessa does as her father instructed and looks for the wine bottle. She finds it and opens the hidden door to a room where inside she sees many items of family value. She finds her mother's favorite black lace shawl, a bag of gold reales which contained enough money that would pay the back taxes, and also discovers the her father's sword that has been in her family for generations. Peering at herself in a mirror, Tessa hears her father saying she will never be alone and never be afraid. She sees the same previous vision of a woman wearing dark clothing and riding a horse only this time the face that she sees is her own. Tessa starts to think about what her father called the figure, his avenging angel, and remembers the tarot card of the Queen of Swords. She begins to piece it together and believes that her destiny is to become the Queen of Swords and avenge his murder. Marta wonders what Tessa sees and she responds "my destiny". This is the beginning of how Tessa learns where her future will take her and what she will make of her destiny. The writer had a great way of telling the viewers how she came to be known. Tessa wears the black clothing and using her mother's black lace shawl she dons a mask and becomes the Queen of Swords.

Tessa makes her first appearance as the Queen of Swords when she tries to rescue Rubia's son from the jail. As she exits the jail she is confronted by Grisham, who is intrigued by the masked woman and challenges her to a sword duel. Both combatants cross swords. Grisham is impressed with her abilities, but the Queen manages to overtake her opponent and Grisham is left unconscious from a blow to the head. The Queen escapes with Rubia's son and while she flees she flips over her shoulder what becomes her trademark signature - a tarot card with the picture of the Queen of Swords. Colonel Montoya watches the bandit escape and asks Grisham who was that person. He spots the card and picks it up to see the image. Everyone learns about the Queen's deed. Unfortunately the young man's rescue turns out to be in vain for Tessa learns that he was recaptured and will be hung.

Tessa visits Colonel Montoya and presents to him with a bag of gold reales to pay the taxes on her property. He confesses to her how amazed he is that she managed to have so much money, but Tessa gives him an excuse that he accepts reluctantly. He hands over the papers to her hacienda as Tessa watches the preparations for the hanging. As she is about to leave his office followed by Colonel Montoya, she fakes a faint spell and asks to lie down to recover. She uses the ruse to give her time to make another appearance as the Queen. Before the execution takes place Colonel Montoya makes a public announcement that the Queen refutes as she makes her presence known. He orders his soldiers to kill her and she immediately takes action to protect herself fighting off the soldiers while the citizens of the town cheer her on by calling out her name. With a group of stampeding horses, the Queen rides up to the hangman's platform and rescues the young man making her escape once again. Colonel Montoya is furious and orders Grisham to find her. He returns to his office to discover Tessa lying on his wooden lounge covered up to her neck with a blanket while Marta sits by her side applying a wet cloth to her face. Tessa wonders what all the commotion was outside his office and he tells her that the execution was postponed. Colonel Montoya requests that Tessa return his office to him and leaves. Tessa gets up and pulls the blanket off to reveal that she is still wearing the Queen's clothing. Tessa visits her father's grave and speaks to him asking him what she should do. She narrates that there is much wrong and so much injustice. She knows that she is only one person and Colonel Montoya is not a stupid man and wonders how long could the Queen's mask fool him. Marta joins her to inform Tessa that Grisham is out looking for the Queen and the people are praying that the Queen returns. It is apparent that no one is able to recognize who is the woman that hides behind the mask. This faade will only deceive the characters of the show but not the viewers. For the fans, it will be pure fantasy and make-believe.

The concept of the show is different and unique. It combines a multitude of elements, which blend well together. The settings of the locality are magnificent and the scenarios of Almeria, Spain make awesome backdrops. The wardrobe, hairstyle and other props used on the series will definitely enhance the shows concept of the 1800's. Besides the action, adventure, and swashbuckling scenes using a sword, it adds mystery, suspense, drama, humor, thrill, intrigue, plus shows mysticism, corruption, manipulation, and power. The music adds great support to the scenes and the title song "Behind the Mask" sung by Jose Feliciano in the opening credits is a wonderful contribution. If the other plots are just as good as the premiere, then they will make this series a great entertainment to watch. Let's hope the series is a success.

~~By Margie