New World Zorro - Don Alejandro de la Vega (Henry Darrow)

Don Alejandro (Henry Darrow)
Don Alejandro is an outspoken man with a spirited personality. He is easily angered, especially when an injustice has been committed. He is also an impulsive and adventure-seeking person. As a young man, he was probably mischievious. Don Alejandro has trouble understanding his son, Diego, who is very different from him. Diego is not at all adventure-seeking or spirited. His personality is completely opposite from Don Alejandro's personality in every way.
	At times, Don Alejandro is somewhat disappointed in Diego. He wishes Diego were more like himself and doesn't understand how he could raise a son who could turn out to be so different from himself. He feels like Diego wastes his time on foolish scientific experiments and has little faith in his son's ability to take care of himself. At times, Don Alejandro's feelings cause conflict between him and Diego. In spite of their differences, Don Alejandro does love Diego unconditionally and trusts him completely. He and Diego are very close; they are good friends and spend a lot of time together.

From the episode "The Word". . .
	Don Alejandro is wounded, and Felipe is being chased by bandits. Sgt. Mendoza states, "We should get help."
	Diego adds, "He's right, Father." Don Alejandro agrees. "All right. I'll follow them, and you go for help."
	Diego disagrees. "No, be reasonable. You've already lost a good deal of blood. Go to the cuartel with the Sergeant and get help. I'll stay here in case they return."
	"Will you act like a de la Vega for once in your life!" "But Father, you don't know. . ."
	"Don't 'But Father' me! Felipe's in danger of being gunned down, and you can only muster enough courage to say 'I'll stay here!'"
	"Father, you don't know the whole situation!" "I know enough. I know that my only son is a coward."
	Don Alejandro and Sgt. Mendoza leave. Diego slams the door behind them.
From the episode "It's a Wonderful Zorro". . .
	"Diego. You should have been there! Single-handedly, Zorro rescued citizen Frias from a flogging." "Oh, if Zorro had a cold like mine, he probably would have stayed home, too."
	"No, I didn't mean that, that you would have been there to do Zorro's work for him. Heaven forbid! I mean that you should have been there with us, protesting the Alcalde's cruelty.
	"But no! You're always painting or playing the piano or fiddling with one of those pointless experiments!" "Pointless! One day, I will discover. . ."
	"One day you will discover that to be a good citizen and a good de la Vega means you have to go on, even with a cold!"
	Diego sneezes. "Aahh!" Don Alejandro stalks off.
From the episode "Conundrum". . .
	"Uh, Don Alejandro. . ." "Talk to me sir," breaks in Don Alejandro impatiently. ". . .this was on the floor, señor." Resendo holds a piece of paper. "Does it belong to you?" "Hmmm. . .I don't think so, but. . ." Don Alejandro takes the paper and looks at it. "Well, it's my son's handwriting. A letter to the governor." Victoria walks up. "Is something wrong, Don Alejandro?" "I don't know, Victoria. A letter to the governor from Diego informing him that I have grown mentally incompetent and that I am incapable of handling my own affairs." "Good heavens!" breaks in Resendo, "How perfidious!" Victoria reads from the letter. "He asks the governor to name him administrator of your estate?" Victoria glances at Resendo. "I wouldn't worry, Don Alejandro. Don Diego would never do such a thing." "He wouldn't Victoria, and he didn't." "Didn't you say that was your son's handwriting?" questions Resendo. "Hmmm, it appears to be. As you might know, sometimes the difference between reality and appearance. . .," Don Alejandro laughs. "This certainly seems real enough," states Resendo. "No, sir," Don Alejandro states firmly. "I trust my life to my son. Perhaps you don't understand that since you don't have children, señor."
From the episode "The Fox and the Rabbit". . .
	"Look over there, Diego. He made one set of tracks to fool us, and he doubled back, and he went up deeper into the ravine. He covered his real tracks with a branch." "It looks to me as if both sets of trails are false." Don Alejandro laughs. "I'm sorry, Diego, but what you know about tracking actually would not fit a thimble! Diego, please, stay with me, son." Don Alejandro and Diego finally catch up with the soldiers to find that they have been trapped in a cave by El Conejo. "Don't worry, we'll get you out!" Don Alejandro calls out cheerily. Don Alejandro goes over to the cave entrance and tries to lift a huge boulder. "Come on, Diego, lend a hand!" Diego folds his arms and makes no move to help his father. "I may not know enough about tracking to fill a thimble, Father, but I do know a thing or two about leverage." Don Alejandro takes a few steps towards Diego. "Diego, not one of your foolish experiments! Not now! Please!" Diego finds a long branch. "As Archimedes said, 'Give me a lever long enough, I'll move the world.' " Diego uses the branch to displace the rocks from the cave entrance. "Well done, Diego! Well done!" Since the soldiers are stranded without horses, Diego agrees to go for help. After waiting for quite some time, Alcalde De Soto states, "What could I have been thinking? Sending Diego for help is like asking Sgt. Mendoza to guard a plate of roast chicken!" "Just one minute, Alcalde. My son, Diego, went for help, and he'll be here soon. You'll see." "He's probably lost. The man is stupendously useless."
From the episode "Miracle of the Pueblo". . .
Don Alejandro doesn't have much faith in Diego's ideas.
	Diego has reservations about the plan that Victoria has come up with to rescue Señor Jones. "Do you mind if I make a few suggestions?" "Diego, please. It's fine."
From the episode "An Affair to Remember". . .
Don Alejandro sees his son as lazy.
	"Diego, I'm home. I need a hand. Diego! Where is everybody? Sleeping, no doubt," Don Alejandro shakes his head. "Diego!"