This version of Diego is much more proactive than most; throughout the series, he often tries to resolve problems through peaceful discussion or simple trickery, even sticking his own neck out on occasion before resorting to riding as Zorro. While he's still regarded as a coward and a weakling, as the series goes on many people come to respect him as a Big Good regardless. Even some villains consider him a threat, thanks to his habit of asking difficult questions and his constant (albeit mostly ineffective) interference.
"Presenting Senor Zorro":
Diego having his act prepared even before setting foot on Californian soil definitely qualifies. With only a few hours to prepare, he and Bernardo are able to put together a plan to convince everyone, even his own father, that they are no threat to Monastario's corrupt regime. And they pull it off.
Bernardo in particular for successfully keeping up his part of the act — the man hears a gun being fired right behind him and doesn't even flinch. That's self-control.
Zorro's first appearance, much of which doubles as funny moments. Zorro succeeds in infiltrating the cuartel, locks Capitan Monastario and Licenciado Pina in their own jail cell, then makes fools of the entire garrison and manages to get away.
Made even more awesome in the next episode, when it's revealed that this single escapade earned him a bounty of 1000 pesos — twice as much as is being offered for Don Nacho, who is being charged with treason. One wonders how humiliated Monastario must have felt to authorize a bounty that large.
"Zorro's Secret Passage":
Upon being surprised with a copy of Zorro's costume by Monastario, Diego manages to not only keep his act together and avoid being forced to try the costume on, he succeeds in convincing Monastario that he is "the least likely Zorro suspect in all of California."
Despite being a poor swordsman, Benito manages to hold off Monastario and escape serious injury in a swordfight for several minutes — long enough for the real Zorro to arrive and take over.
Zorro escapes from Monastario and a group of lancers by jumping Tornado over a canyon. A narrow one, admittedly, but none of the lancers are willing to try their luck.
"Zorro Rides to the Mission":
Despite his obvious disdain for the natives who live at the mission, when one of the Indians from the mission tells Monastario where Don Nacho is hiding, the Captain hands over the posted reward without hesitation.
Don Nacho willingly gives up his sanctuary to prevent Monastario from causing any more harm to Padre Felipe and the mission Indians.
Also one for Diego, for convincing him to stay in the safety of the church as long as he did.
Diego manages to distract the lancers and Monastario for several minutes by playing the organ. Padre Felipe also capitalizes on this distraction and succeeds in directing several Indians to safety before anyone notices.
Padre Felipe gets a couple moments earlier, first by reminding Monastario about Sanctuary laws in a way that he could not weasel around and then not-so-subtly threatening to brain him with a potted plant if he tried to force his way in anyways, forcing the Commandante having to use more underhanded tactics to get what he wants.
García gets one in "Zorro Fights His Father". A crowd of peons has gathered to petition the magistrado for the return of illegally collected tax money. Not only does García protest on the peons' behalf when the magistrado orders him to disperse the crowd, pointing out that they have gathered peacefully and respectfully, he thinks remarkably quickly when one of the peons throws a rock at the magistrado and breaks a window. Now faced with the threat of the protest turning ugly, a soldier takes aim at the crowd. García hastily adjusts his rifle so it points into the air and orders him to fire, safely dispersing the crowd.
Soldier: Shall I fire, Sergeant? [García grabs the barrel of his rifle and points it upwards, away from the peons] García: Yes, fire! [the soldiers fire into the air and the peons flee] Magistrado: Sergeant García, you idiot, you have let them escape! García: But Senor Magistrado, you told me to disperse the crowd. Look, they are gone!
Sergeant Garcia gets a chance to redeem himself for his failure to stop a planned ambush on the loyalists in "The Sergeant Regrets", standing between Varga's righthand man, Hernandez and Don Alfredo (who Zorro wasn't able to warn in time). When told by Hernandez (who he has in an armlock) that he'll be broken down to Private, Garcia tells him "And you will be broken in half!", managing to buy time for Don Alfredo to escape. Say what you will about Garcia; he's a lazy, gluttonous, superstitious and somewhat gullible fool...but when someone is in danger, you can count on him risking his life to protect them.
García gets another chance to shine in "The Well of Death" - while he's never able to last long against Zorro, he got to hold his own in a fight against the villain of the day - even managing to knock his opponent out before Zorro defeated his - and saved Pogo when the boy was knocked into a well during the fight. It proves while he's utterly hapless against Zorro or more skilled villains, he's no pushover.
