Águila Roja / Characters

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Inhabitants of San Felipe

Gonzalo

Gonzalo de Montalvo / Águila Roja

Played by: David Janer

The Hero. School teacher at day, The Caper at night. He spent a part of his life in Asia, where he trained in mystic arts and sciences before returning to Spain. After seeing his wife murdered before his eyes, he adopted the hood of Águila Roja to find vengeance and fight the injustice in the world. Unknowingly to him, he is an illegitimate son to the King Felipe IV along with his brothers Hernán and Irene.

Agent Scully: He is always this when facing apparently supernatural troubles, in contrast with the superstitious Sátur.
Badass Bookworm: Is a school teacher, and is also shown often reading heavy books.
Beneath the Mask: Both the good-natured teacher Gonzalo and the implacable Águila Roja are masks over a more brooding, emotionally dented human being.
Brainy Brunette: Dark haired and quite intellectual.
Celibate Hero: He rarely shows himself interested in sex or females, at all, and even his former partner Sung-yi was more like a sister to him. Only Eva de Almeida, Lucrecia and of course Margarita manage to get in his pants.
Charles Atlas Superpower: As mentioned, he has no superpowers, but his intensive oriental training enables him to do incredible feats.
Combat Pragmatist: Usually doesn't care about what weapon or technique he uses.
Crusading Widower: His first reason to don the hood, though he moved on after the fall of The Lodge.
Doesn't Like Guns: He deeply dislikes firearms. When needing More Dakka, he pulls out his Chinese repeating crossbow.
Expy: The Águila Roja character is obviously one to the Assassin's Creed videogame saga.
Heartbroken Badass: The guy doesn't get a break. His wife was murdered, his son harbors bad blood towards him, and his Love Interest never seems to decide. Until recently.
Hero with an F in Good: Objectively. Even although he tries to cultivate a moral center, he routinely kills people with astonishing ease, and has the highest body count onscreen among all the fighting characters in the series by landslide.
Hollywood Atheist: At least, how Sátur sees him. Given that being atheist at the time was extremely rare (and dangerous), it would be the most common reaction.
I Know Karate: And apparently some styles of jujutsu, kung fu and silat as well.
In the Hood: As Águila, he covers his identity with a hood and a period-liked embozo.
Invincible Hero: Originally averted in earlier seasons when facing strong antagonists, but after some years the show stopped presenting him serious menaces, unless the Worf Had the Flu situation is playing.
McNinja: He is a ninja and a Spaniard, and to make things worse, he claims to have trained in China.
Mid-Season Upgrade: His first Águila costume had white sleeves and was more makeshift-looking, but in posterior seasons he gained a cooler, dark-colored one.
Non-Action Guy: He puts a lot of effort in making his public persona look like one, sometimes to an exaggerated degree, which is called out by Alonso and other characters from time to time.
One-Man Army: Quite literally, as neither the army of Portugal nor the King's Royal Guard can take him down when he gets dangerous.
Plot-Powered Stamina: His ability to travel and fight nonstop is on par with Tony Jaa or Iko Uwais.
Red Oni, Blue Oni: The blue to Sátur’s red.
Stern Teacher: As a school teacher, he is rather stern, but always very reasonable.
Technical Pacifist
Training from Hell: Passed one in Asia.
Vigilante Execution: A handful per episode.

Sátur

Saturno "Sátur" García

Played by: Javier Gutiérrez

Gonzalo’s servant, he is a merry, down-to-earth fellow with an incredibly tough past life. He also acts as a confidant and squire for Águila Roja, who he accompanies in his escapades. Through the series, he finds out that he has a son with a prostitute, Gabi, and that he himself is the son of a servant for the Duke of Alba, which brings him some heart aches.

Book Dumb: Depending on the episode, he can be this or surprisingly bright (he learned to read by himself), but he is always a bit thick in very intellectual matters.
Brutal Honesty: Slips it very often, being the kind of guy.
Bumbling Sidekick: With a big emphasis in bumbling.
Butt-Monkey: A big part of the misfortunes of the series happen to him, for comedic (and sometimes tragic) effect.
Characterization Marches On: The pilot shows him as a very agile and skilled guy, doing Le Parkour to escape from some angry tavernmen, but this trait disappears fastly. He also would sporadically assist Águila Roja in fights for a season or two, but he better sticked to a non-fighting role.
Coincidence Magnet: He is a walking flag for Contrived Coincidence.
Dark and Troubled Past: He spent his childhood in several hellish orphanages and had to lived with a Moor family before becoming a professional rogue. He also was in the army and saw many friends die before being kicked out.
Distressed Dude: Having basically zero fighting skills, he often finds himself in this situation, and needs Águila to do the save.
In the Hood: Played for laughs, because he, like Águila Roja, wears a hood when in hero mission, but his is actually a short leather cap which does not even hide his face.
The Lancer: A non-fighting example towards Gonzalo.
Large Ham: Tends to be very emphatic when speaking about what he thinks as important matters.

Non-Action Guy: As said in universe, Sátur is more a survivor than a fighter. He actually has a mook or two taken down in his fighting resume, but it was done by attacking In the Back and only in punctual moments.
One Head Taller: Inverted – he is one head shorter than more or less everybody.
Only Sane Man: He thinks himself as one, specially towards Gonzalo and his enlightened ways.
Plucky Comic Relief: The biggest source.
Red Oni, Blue Oni: The red to Gonzalo’s blue.
The Reliable One: Even if he is quite bumbling and has a nasty luck.
Secret-Keeper: He is the only character who knows Águila Roja’s secret identity.
Suddenly Ethnicity: By adoption. He is revealed to have been adopted as a child by a Moor family, which gave him the name of Abdul Salim.
Undying Loyalty: Towards Gonzalo, to an extreme degree. Even when they thought their sons had been killed, he was willing to follow him for life despite hating him for believing him to have the fault.

Margarita

Margarita Hernando

Played by: Inma Cuesta

Cristina Hernando's sister and Gonzalo's ex, she comes to his house from Seville after her death and becomes a mother surrogate to Alonso and a heart pain for Gonzalo. Later starts to work for the Queen as a seamstress.

Damsel in Distress: On occasion, especially in earlier seasons.
Flat Character: To a point. She doesn’t receive very much development.
Nice Girl: Her main characteristic. Romantic whims aside, she is the least twisted and/or quirky among the entire cast.
Old Flame: To Gonzalo.
Suddenly Ethnicity: She is obviously of Moresque ancestry, but it is never brought up until Juan’s mother contemptuously points it out.

Alonso

Alonso de Montalvo Hernando

Played by: Guillermo Campra

The bratty son of Gonzalo.

Bratty Half-Pint: He is a extremely rebellious kid, and every season plays with it in a different way.
Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Initially played straight, and later deconstructed with his character development.
Jerkass
Military Brat: Wishes to be a soldier and get fame and glory, and in Season 7 he becomes a guard under Hernán.
Mouthy Kid: He is constantly attacking verbally his father for everything.
Puppy Love: With Matilde, though it was forgotten (at least) five seasons ago.
Took a Level in Jerkass: Turns angstier every season, thought to be fair, he does not totally lack reasons.

Cipri

Cipriano "Cipri" Benítez

Played by: Santiago Molero

An innkeeper at the first of the series, he gets his wife Inés sucked out by the Cardinal Mendoza in strange circumstances and later murdered, and then loses his inn. He then becomes a servant to Gonzalo and an increasingly bitter and deranged character.

Foil: To Sátur: They are both insanely unlucky and greatly mistreated by life, but while Sátur is a plucky survivor, Cipri is a grumpy pessimist. They are a Butt-Monkey and a Chew Toy, respectively.
Green-Eyed Monster: Hates Sátur for having what he identifies as goods that he does not believe him to deserve, including a family, Gonzalo’s friendship and (some) more luck.
Heroic Sacrifice: Taking the Bullet in the series's finale to save Gonzalo.
Jerkass: Oh so much.
The Chew Toy: Gets vilified by the plot nonstop. All his attempts to regain his former happy life backfire miserably.
The Cynic: And definitely has reasons.
Nice Guy: Formerly, which can shock recent viewers who start watching Season 1.
Those Two Guys: With Floro, until his death.
Took a Level in Jerkass: After his misfortunes.
Ugly Guy, Hot Wife: He and Inés were famously known for it in universe.

Inés

Played by: Erika Sanz

Cipri's wife. She was adopted by the Cardinal Mendoza as a child and comes to his service again when he calls her. She later gets pregnated by him and is left to die in an convent, but she escapes (though dies anyway).

Shameless Fanservice Girl: To her husband's much chagrin, she tended to dress skimpily.
Ugly Guy, Hot Wife: Which is famous, or rather infamous, among their peers.

Estuarda

Played by: Marta Aledo

A prostitute, mother of Gabi. She later tips Sátur to know that he is the father.

Put on a Bus: Zig-Zagged. Firstly exits the series on the claim she and Gabi are moving to America, but Sátur finds out that they are actually living with a blacksmith near the city. Later she marries a respected man after Gabi is sent to France, and then leaves for real.

Matilde

Matilde Torres

Played by: Sonia Lázaro

The daughter of a supposed witch who Águila saves from the fire. She is adopted by Cipri and Inés and briefly has something with Alonso.

Morality Chain: Sort of a meta example. It's after her disappearance that Alonso's Character Development starts to turn him into a Jerkass.
Puppy Love: With Alonso.
What Happened to the Mouse?: Is taken by Inés when she leaves Cipri for the Cardinal, but when Inés reappears after escaping from the convent, Matilde is not with her. Her final fate is completely unknown.

Anaís

Played by: María Pedroviejo

The beautiful owner of the brothel La Deleitosa, come to San Felipe in Season 9.

Ms. Fanservice: In line with her work.

Flora

Played by: Tina Sáinz

Anaís's assistant, a wise old woman.

The Cynic: She knows the world she lives in and the job she had.
Never Mess with Granny: Pulls a gun when needed, and Pedro actually pays for it.
Servile Snarker: Specially towards Anaís.
Expy: Her character design is very obviously based on Pablo Picasso's portrait of La Celestina, which fits her role.

Palace of Santillana

Lucrecia

Lucrecia de Guzmán, Marchioness of Santillana

Played by: Miryam Gallego

A resident noblewoman who Really Gets Around, she is the on/off lover of Hernán, along with concubine to the Cardinal Mendoza and the King.

Action Girl: Downplayed and very sporadically played, but she has fought in person a few times.
Attention Whore: Really dislikes whenever she is not the queen bee, and can go to extremes to get it.
Eye Scream: Loses an eye by eagle’s claw in Season 7 and has to wear a patch, though she eventually recovers her eye back.
Femme Fatale: Paradigmatic example, though not as good in seducing as she would like.
Gold Digger: She is mentioned to have been a maid not unlike Margarita before marrying the Marquis of Santillana.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Lucrecia is as foppish and abusive as could be expected from a noblewoman of the time, but she does not lack a heart, it’s only that she has it very deeply placed.
Manipulative Bitch: To ridiculous degree. Or at least she tries it.
Really Gets Around: Good lord. The gal sleeps with pretty much everybody, ranging from noblemen to guards and important figures like the King or the Cardinal, and especially with her unlucky partner Hernán.
Sanity Slippage: She has quite a handful through the series.
Shameless Fanservice Girl: The first shown in the series, and still the most prevalent.
Sugar-and-Ice Personality: Very much like Hernán, she switches between rigidly cold and worldly friendly.
The Vamp: She believes in the concept, as taught by Olivia, and actively tries to use her body to get her goals, though actually the times in which it has worked for her are very few.

Nuño

Nuño de Guzmán

Played by: Patrick Criado

The Marchioness's son. He is a spoiled, arrogant boy with a great pride for his ascendence. He and Hernán used to have a father-and-son like relationship. Further because his father is revealed to be not the late Marquis, but Hernán himself.

Arch-Enemy: Alonso.
Jerkass
Lonely Rich Kid: At first played for drama, but later simply shrugged off.
Spoiled Brat: Straight, later grown out of it, and then returned to it. He has settled down in a classy spoiled teenager.
Took a Level in Badass: Starts as a scrawny boy who gets beaten up by tough urchins like Gabi and better trained swordsmen like Alonso, but over the seasons he becomes much more of a fighter, almost finishing the latter twice by sword.

Irene

Irene de Mendoza/Ana de Austria y Montignac

Played by: Elisa Mouliaá

The Cardinal's niece and arranged wife as well as unknown sister for Hernán. She starts as a naive girl under Lucrecia's tutelage, but soon becomes another Manipulative Bitch to fear. She commits suicide after learing of her blood ties with his husband.

Driven to Suicide: Shoots herself in the heart with a gun after eavesdropping that she is married to her brother.
The Ingenue: At first.
Manipulative Bitch: Later.
Shameless Fanservice Girl: Another one along with Lucrecia.

Catalina

Played by: Pepa Aniorte

Lucrecia’s beleaguered maid and housekeeper. She is married to Floro and has a son called Murillo, but her husband is murdered by the Oriental Warrior in Season 1 and she is told a lie about him being to America. Later enters in a troubled relationship with Cipri and gets pregnant, but is accidentally killed by a maddened man.

Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder: Though believing her husband to be alive, the years without him make her fall in love with Cipri.
Iron Lady: The woman has to endure such things...
Killed Off for Real: Accidentally receives a bullet which was meant to Sátur and dies without giving birth to her son.
Maid and Maiden: The maid to Lucrecia’s maiden.
Mama Bear: Towards Murillo.
Morality Chain: Sometimes acts as this for Lucrecia, but not very successfully.
Old Maid: A prim and proper chambermaid.
Prim and Proper Bun
Serious Business: Housekeeping is serious, serious for her.
Took a Level in Jerkass/The Dog Bites Back: Fakes a reward edict against Lucrecia to get revenge for forcing her to abort her son, which she does not anyways. Catalina later regrets deeply, but it marks a point. Whether it was a reasonable feeling is up to YMMV, given that she apparently wanted to be publicity pregnant of a man who wasn't her (supposedly alive) husband in a time where that was a big no-no.
Undying Loyalty: Towards Lucrecia, even once giving her a lecture about how common people like her only have it to keep on. However, as mentioned, she has a unloyalty slippage in Season 7.

Soledad

Played by: Neus Sanz

Lucrecia's new maid and housekeeper, come in Season 7 to replace Catalina after her death. A stern figure in black often found at the background. She is revealed to be in love with Lucrecia from before serving her.

Bury Your Gays: She is a lesbian (or perhaps bisexual, it's never stated which) and gets judged by The Spanish Inquisition when Hernán outs her. Barely averted because Lucrecia welcomes her back for her loyalty after her punishments.
Dark Is Not Evil: Wears rigorously in black and has a quite sordid look, but she seems to be a loyal and professional maid.
Iron Lady: Looks it, and according to her backstory, she is.
Old Maid: Old and stern.
The Quiet One: Rarely talks if it is not needed, only standing around in the background.
Prim and Proper Bun
Rape as Backstory: Was raped by her former employer, though she keeps it secret.
The Reliable One: Describes herself as such, and Lucrecia seems to agree.
Secret-Keeper: Gets entrusted unusually fast the existence of Lucrecia's son with the King. She herself has some dark secret as well.
Silent Snarker: To Lucrecia's chagrin.
The Stoic: Incredibly serene and imperturbable, to the point of visually physical rigidity.
Undying Loyalty: When Hernán fires all the servants, she insists to stay with Lucrecia even if she is kicked downstars from maid to latrine cleaner.

Marta

Played by: Marta Calle

Break the Cutie: The most regularly mistreated maid in the palace, and she shows it.
The Dog Bites Back: Once tries to leave Lucrecia to die for all her abuse, and it takes Inés to stop it.

The Guard

The Sheriff

Hernán Mejías, the Sheriff

Played by: Francis Lorenzo

The ludicrously ruthless Sheriff of the city, meaning that he in charge of the guardsmen and that he serves every Big Bad available. Has a nasty love relationship with Lucrecia being the father of her son Nuño, although he is in an arranged matrimony with Irene de Mendoza. He is also an illegitimate son to the King Felipe IV along with his Gonzalo and Irene, meaning that yes, he is married to his sister.

Anti-Villain: Becomes less of a villain and more of a character who simply is in the bad side after his family and love life are expanded. In Season 9, however, he loses it all.
Asskicking Leads to Leadership: He is not the Sheriff without reasons. With all his flaws, Hernán can kick and whip asses.
Ax-Crazy: His first apparitions have him butchering people a bit too much naturally, and although late Character Development shows that he is more or less a sane, caring person, he still has zero qualms about killing. At the last season, he reverts to his first state.
Combat Pragmatist: Prefers simply shooting down his opponents instead of engaging them, probably because he knows he is not much of a hand-to-hand fighter.
The Cynic: Knows well the world in which he lives in, so it doesn’t come as a surprise.
Dark Is Evil: He wears in all black leather.
The Dragon: Starts as one for The Lodge and later switches for the Cardinal Mendoza.
Driven to Madness: In Season 9 after being rejected by Lucrecia and knowing he is the son of the king.
Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep": Hernán is much more known simply as The Sheriff, and only Lucrecia calls him for any of his names. He needed at least two season to get known to viewers by his full name, as even official materials for Season 1 referred to him as The Sheriff.
Fashionable Asymmetry: His uniform jacket is patterned after fencing protective gear, featuring a mail in the left side of the chest.
Fingore: Loses the fingertips of his right hand by frostbite and a kick from Gonzalo. He supplies them with a metal glove formerly belonging to a serial killer.
Glass Cannon: He has excellent aim with guns and is good enough of a swordsman to put a fight against Águila Roja, but unlike him, Hernán is neither very agile nor resilient, and fares poorly when outnumbered or unarmed.
Hell-Bent for Leather: Wears black leather.
Inspector Javert: Towards Águila Roja, although more due to the hero opposing The Lodge and the Cardinal than out of respect for law.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He is cold, distant and tough-hearted, but also tries to be a good father (sorta) and lover (sorta).
Military Brat: Was a soldier and royal guard for most of his life, even in his childhood.
Mix-and-Match Weapon: His signature weapon in Season 1 is a gun sword, interestingly a real life contraption of the time.
Papa Wolf: Towards Nuño.
Power Fist: His armored gauntlet is good for punching.
A Real Man Is a Killer: Seems to have zig-zagging views on the trope when it involves other people like Nuño, but he applies it to himself thoroughly.
Silver Fox: Manly and grey-haired.
Sugar-and-Ice Personality: A pretty grumpy guy.
Torture Always Works: A firm believer on it.
Ungrateful Bastard: Keeps chasing Águila Roja despite he let him to live instead finishing him for good. Of course, he doesn’t know his reasons.
Unwitting Instigator of Doom: He kickstarts the entire series after killing Gonzalo’s wife.
Wolverine Claws: His gauntlet has metal points in its fingers. Hernán once threatens a guard with gouging his eyes with them, but he actually never does it.

Pedro

Played by: Álex Navarro

Hernán's second-in-command.

The Dragon: Very loyal to Hernán, he is always by his side.
- The Starscream: However, Pedro unexpectedly doesn't hesitate a second to backstab Hernán and try to get his job as sheriff, accusing him of not being a good one in charge.
Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep": An even worse example than his boss, as although his name is said onscreen, virtually no supplementary material had him listed by it, only as "Lieutenant" or some variation.
Hell-Bent for Leather: Due to it being the uniform of the guard.
Hypocrite: He calls Hernán out for abusing his position, something which Pedro himself is perfectly happy to do with Anaís.
Mauve Shirt: He is the only named and consistently surviving of his mooks. Not even his antecessor is given this treatment.
Mook Lieutenant
Only One Name: Bordering No Name Given, because his name has been said incredibly few times through the entire series. Also, oddly enough, he never gets a last name.
The Quiet One: Rarely talks, and only to receive orders and give information.
Scars Are Forever: Receives one across his face, courtesy of Águila.
Silent Snarker: Occasionally.
Took a Level in Jerkass: As mentioned, he downright betrays Hernán when he has the opportunity to get his job. It feels sudden, as Pedro is never shown to be scheming or unloyal at all - quite the opposite, considering he was the only guard who stayed with Hernán when all the others left him.

The Jailer

Played by: Juan Carlos López Agustino

A huge, hulking jailer in the garrison. His role includes torturing the prisoners and ocasionally fighting.

The Brute: Although he is less active than most examples, as he rarely leaves the prison, he keeps the role.
Evil Is Bigger: Pretty tall and big, and that even considering that he hunchs quite a bit.
Eye Scream: Loses an eye in Season 2 by a dagger attack from Águila.
No Name Given: We are never told his name, if he has one. Even when Lucrecia jokes about sleeping with him, she only calls him "the bald jailer".
Primal Stance: Often walks hunchbacked, as if he had a hump.
Torture Technician: He is clearly not very intellectual, but he surely knows how to inflict pain, and is in charge of it.
Undying Loyalty: To Hernán. Even when he is demoted from Sheriff and kicked out by Pedro, the jailer only gives him a gloomy, almost saddened look.

The first lieutenant

Played by: Jesús Granda

Hernán's first and unnamed right hand. He is killed by Águila Roja in episode 15.

Killed Off for Real: By katana slicing.
Mauve Shirt: A true case in contrast to Pedro.
Mook Lieutenant
No Name Given: His name is never mentioned.
We Hardly Knew Ye

The King's court

The King

King Philippe IV of Spain

Played by: Xabier Elorriaga

The King of the Spain, Portugal and the Spanish Empire, also known as an amoral bastard who is powerful and enjoys it.

Adipose Rex: He is pretty fat, even slighty more than his historic self.
Admiring the Abomination: Not only is openly enthusiast towards the possibility of recruiting Malasangre for his armies, he also looks fascinated with him and his efficiency - enough to forgive him for having put a dagger against his own neck.
Even Evil Has Standards: Is clearly uncomfortable with Malasangre's plan to capture slaves from the streets to sell to the Turks, and at the end backs down, although more on the philosophical basis of not turning the Spanish people in a race of slaves than because he gives a crap about them.
Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Very much subverted: he is an underhanded ruler and a horrible person.
Public Domain Character
Really Gets Around: As expected from a Spanish king, he has as many lovers as he wants, with many other bastard sons.
Reasonable Authority Figure: Laughed at the face of. He is the king and knows it, so he only acts reasonable with his subjects whenever he feels like.

The Queen

Queen Mariana of Austria

Played by: Eliana Sánchez

The Queen of Spain, a woman frustrated by the circumstances of her husband and her kingdom.

God Save Us from the Queen!: She is cruel and arrogant, just as expected of the wife of the King.
The High Queen: Of all the Spains.
Hypocrite: The queen often berates Phillip IV for his infidelities, but she has her own lovers as well, among them the Cardinal Mendoza.
Mama Bear: Even although she shows plenty of doubts about her heir, she is willing to do anything to make sure her son will be sitting on the throne some day.
Public Domain Character
Tall, Dark, and Snarky: A brunette, slighty taller than other women in the cast and with a very ill temper.
Woman Scorned: She knows her husband's affairs and tries to get her hand in them to stop it.

Cardinal Mendoza

Cardinal Francisco de Mendoza y Balboa

Played by: José Ángel Egido

Cardinal of the Catholic church and the Queen's personal confessor (and lover), he is an ambitious churchman who wishes to be Pope and is willing to use everything to his range to get it. He takes Hernán as his begrudging enforcer and makes him execute several plots to attain more power.

Affably Evil: He is solemn and soft-spoken for usual, though some circumstances can turn him certainly a bit louder.
Badass Preacher: May not evidence it, but the guy knows how to handle guns and swords and does not fear to fight personally. He kills Agustín offscreen and almost finishes off Father Adrián, both of them being noted to be very capable fighters, and in the former's case possibly as dangerous as Gonzalo himself. (Evidently, it's not known if the Cardinal fought Agustín alone or backed by a cohort of guards, but it is still a feat in any case.)

Big Bad: Zig-zagged. He starts as the new main antagonist when The Lodge is taken out, but after seasons, his goals made him clash less with the heroes and more with other baddies like Hernán or Malasangre, to the point that he almost seems to forgot about Águila Roja altogether. While he is until the end the most powerful villain next to the King, his role as antagonist is diffuse.
Churchgoing Villain: He really believes in God and more or less champions for the Christianity, but does it more in his own way than through the Commandments.
Church Militant: A religious man who isn't afraid of grabbing weapons for his faith.
The Corruptible: Although bent in becoming Pope, he is initially unwilling to betray Spain for France, giving the French emissary a clever patriotic reply when it gets suggested. However, in a turn easy to see, he swiftly changes his mind after they offer him the Chair of Saint Peter in exchange for the treason.
Dirty Old Monk: The good Cardinal preaches against lust and sin. This said, he has absolutely no trouble with bringing prostitutes by the pair to his lodging. Lucrecia and even the Queen sleep with him in many an occasion.
Fat Bastard: He is quite stout, as fit for a stereotyped Spanish churchman.
Karmic Death: The Marchioness kills him in the series's finale in response to selling her life to the French crown.
Kev Lard: Can take a knife or a bullet to the torso and still put a fight.
Even Evil Has Standards: Despite all his evils, he is clearly disturbed at having to kill the Sucessor of Christ, and whips himself to try to make up for it. Later, he resists noticeably to commit high treason against Spain, and only does so after a tempting offer.
Sinister Minister: An evil cardinal.
Stout Strength: Is surprisingly strong for someone his age and presumable lifestyle.
The Unfettered: He won't allow anything to get in his way to be the new Pope.
Well-Intentioned Extremist: His desire to be Pope is based around the belief that only he can lead the Christianity to a better era.

Malasangre

Sebastián "Malasangre" Ventura

Played by: Eusebio Poncela

The leader of a band of savage bandits in the Amazonian colonies, he is brought to the King in Season 7 to be recruited by him as a consultant of his armies. Twisted to no end and cunning like few, he soon disputes the Cardinal's place next to the King.

Affably Evil: You would never know that he is a psycho from talking with him - at least, you would only get that he is a rather creepy guy. He never says a high word and is incredibly polite.
- Evil Is Hammy: Sporadically, he can get a bit hammier when excited, like when he escapes the royal prison, starting an Alliterative List:
"FREEDOM! FRESH AIR!" [casually notices Lucrecia next to him, horrified at seeing that he is not Hernán] "And a beautiful woman. What else can you ask for?"
Asskicking Leads to Leadership: Before as the leader of a band of outlaws and now as King Philippe IV's adviser, he shows everybody why he is in charge.
Ax-Crazy: He is crazy and ruthless enough to survive in the American wilderness, takes a delight in killing, and even is a cannibal.

Blow Gun: Is one of his skills, presumably learned in the Amazonian jungle and good enough to fell two chasers riding horses with it.
Blue-and-Orange Morality: Is incredibly inconsistent with his actions and moral stances, even at short term, and it looks more like he just follows his weird whims, or at least that he has a really bizarre way to view life. He enjoys power and claims to be completely egotistical, but is also very ready to die in any circumstance, and over time developes a strange sense of honor. At the end, even his own decision to die is left open.
Boxed Crook: Works for the King after his career as a bandit.
Bunny-Ears Lawyer: The King signs him up as an adviser due to his intelligence and knowledge, but nobody is going to forget how dangerous he is.
Card-Carrying Villain: He shows absolutely no remorse for his misdeeds and even seems to see them as signs of style.
The Chessmaster: Outgambits pretty much everybody in his first apparitions, including Águila, the Cardinal and the King.
The Corrupter: As an advisor, most of what Ventura does is tacitly influencing the King to follow his ruthless methods. The monarch, being the amoral bastard he is, has no problem except in very minor cases.
Creepy Blue Eyes: With emphasis on creepy.
Creepy Souvenir: The King shows the Cardinal Mendoza a collar of severed ears (and perhaps other body parts) to ilustrate Malasangre's savagery before introducing him. Ventura himself is never shown wearing it, but it would not be odd for him.
Death Seeker: Played with. Although he acts for himself most of the time, Malasangre clearly doesn't give a crap if he lives or dies, and outright chooses to be killed on at least two separate occasions without having definite reasons to do so.
Driven to Suicide: At the series's finale, he suddenly turns against the King and empties his guns on the royal guard, being quickly gunned down by them.
Establishing Character Moment: He kills a royal guard by biting his jugular when the King proposes him to be his adviser.
[spits out a piece of the guy's flesh] "Not interested."
- Also establishing in which he later changes his mind about the proposition, showing his opportunistic nature.
Evil Cannot Comprehend Good:
- Even for a powerful mind like his, Ventura looks genuinely puzzled when Margarita offers her body to him in exchange for bringing back Gonzalo, and becomes interested in her reasons to do it. It is almost a Pet the Dog point that he never claims his part of the treat after recovering from his illness. Later, he possibly has a change of heart towards one of his lovers when he is going to be executed for her fault, choosing to live after seeing her remorseful face.
- It later comes to him in what is possibly a brilliant example of Death by Irony: not being able to save Gonzalo, Malasangre commits Suicide by Cop during his execution just a moment before the audience causes a riot which helps Gonzalo to escape. Being the cynic he was, Ventura probably never believed that the common people were going to rise up against the established power on Gonzalo's behalf.
Evil Old Folks: He is quite old, probably deep into his sixties, but it doesn’t make him any less competent.
Genius Bruiser: A mastermind who also excels in hand-to-hand.
Go Out with a Smile: Invoked in his establishing claim that he will die smiling, and later demonstrated with a ecstatic grin in any situation he thinks he is about to die. However, interestingly, it gets averted at the end: he doesn't smile when he dies for real.
Greater-Scope Villain: Increased over time. He is initially just a bloodthirsty hedonist, but it is later topped by hunger for politic power on the Cardinal's level, and finally wishes to have Gonzalo crowned as a king with himself as his right hand (although by stated altruistic reasons).
I'm a Humanitarian: Not only he is good killing people with his teeth, but he also fests on his preys. The guy merrily talks about how he once devoured an Amazonian indigenous chief who ironically wanted to eat him first.
Incurable Cough of Death: He comes secretly ill from an Amazonian disease, but apparently gets better in the time Gonzalo and Sátur take to return from galleys.
Limited Wardrobe: Not unusual on the series, but he is an interesting example because he keeps the tattered, ragged clothes he wore when he was brought chained before the King. He eventually changes them for newer but otherwise identical ones.
Manipulative Bastard: When he is imprisoned along Hernán, he tells him and Lucrecia an escape plan for her to get Hernán out, appearing selfless, but only in order to supplant his place and then ride away.
Not Afraid to Die: His self-preservation fluctuates depending on the occasion, but it's clear that he doesn't fear death.
Primal Stance: A minor example; he tilts his head down a lot, which gives him a predatory look.
Red Baron: "Malasangre", which can be translated "Bad-Blood" (also as "Evil-Blood" or "Ill-Blood"). Even the King's servants refer to him as such.
Sex God: According to him, he always has more to teach than to learn in the bed, although he is most likely talking about his BDSM likings.
Soft-Spoken Sadist: He always speaks in a very soothing voice.
Tap on the Head: Repeatedly shows the skill to knock people out clean with what appears to be a double clenched fist to the back. Both Hernán and Gonzalo fall to it.
Talking Your Way Out: Routinely. He never wields a weapon as many times as he has one pointed on him, but he always get it out safe through his wits.
Too Many Belts: Wears two big militar belts, one above the other.
Ungrateful Bastard: His main trait, according to him upon his introduction to Gonzalo. Notably enough, he later changes his mind and becomes more of a Noble Demon.
Well-Intentioned Extremist: Wants Gonzalo to replace, or at least kill, the King, on the belief it will be better for the world.

Other characters

Agustín

Played by: Adolfo Fernández

Gonzalo's old master and retainer, the man who knows all his secrets and many more.

All Monks Know Kung-Fu: Justified because he apparently trained in Asia as well.
Old Master: Bests Águila Roja in a brief kung fu scuffle at a first encounter.
Sátur: I told you, master, that this guy was going to foul you up!
Bad Habits: It's implied that he is just posing as a monk, or that he took the habits to disappear from the world, because most flashbacks show him in plain clothes.
Charles Atlas Superpower: He is not any less superhuman than Águila. The old fellow jumps over thirty feet long from a balcony in their introduction fight.
Deus Exit Machina: Presumably knows everything about the past of Gonzalo and his secret brothers, but as he is dead at this point, he cannot be asked.
Expy: An incredibly obvious one to Obi-Wan Kenobi from A New Hope, both visually (white-bearded, brown robe with a dramatic hood, crazy good fighter) as in role (wise master who gets killed by a villain withholding vital info for the hero).
Full-Name Basis: He prefers to refer to Sátur as Saturno, his full name.
In the Hood: As a monk that he is.
Large Ham: Old and wise and such, but he can be a bit histronic at times.
Mentor Occupational Hazard
Old Master
Old Retainer: Implied to have been it before Gonzalo met Sátur.
Sacrificial Lion: Despite his jedi-like badassery, he is offscreen executed by the Cardinal Mendoza.

Captain Rodrigo

Played by: Israel Elejalde

An army captain and member of The Lodge who has a change of heart and runs away from it upon learning they want to murder the King.

Heel–Face Turn: Does it immediately before the history of the series.
He Knows Too Much: The reason The Lodge entrusts Hernán the task of track and kill him.
Killed Off for Real: Dies under torture by Hernán and his henchmen.
Only One Name: He only receives a first name despite being said along his captain rank. This implies "Rodrigo" is actually his last name, which would be possible, but very odd.

The Oriental Warrior

Sung-Yi / The Oriental Warrior

Played by: Huichi Chiu

Gonzalo's former colleague in his training in Asia. A much less moral character, she works as an assassin for hire, and is brought by Hernán to take on Águila Roja.

Always Someone Better: She defeats Gonzalo in a fair fight, and if a flashback is worth to judge by, it wasn't the first time.
Dark Action Girl: Works for the Sheriff.
Evil Counterpart: To Águila Roja, naturally. Best exemplified by her black clothes as opposed to his red and white costume (at the time, the black and red version that caught for the rest of the series hadn't been introduced) and their fighting tactics.
Exotic Weapon Supremacy: Utilizes a kusarigama, a ninja weapon very rarely seen in Spanish popular culture, and it serves well to get free hits against both Gonzalo and Sátur.
Full-Frontal Assault: Is forced to defend herself naked when is confronted by Hernán in midst of a night bath, complete with a rare full frontal nudity shot.
Glass Cannon: She is in fact more skilled than Gonzalo in swordfighting, but lacks his ability to dodge bullets, which proves to be fatal.
Knight of Cerebus: The first one of the series, and the author of the first death of a main cast character.
McNinja: As seen in her name and accent, she is clearly Chinese, and yet a kunoichi.
Make an Example of Them: Murders Floro to send Gonzalo a message.
Samus Is a Girl: Her baggy clothes and balaclava obscure the fact that she is a woman, and it's only revealed when Gonzalo sees through the costume.
The Worf Effect: Despite being built as Gonzalo's superior, she is killed rather easily by Hernán when he decided that two ninja are too much of a problem.

Sátur's father

Played by: Pepe Carabias

A servant to the Duke of Alba who unknowingly fathered Sátur and his twin brother with a prostitute.

The Atoner: He looks upset upon revealing himself to Sátur and telling him that he is not the son of the duke, but of a servant like him. It's never revealed why he abandoned Sátur and his mother (assuming that he knew about his existence), but he appears to be sorry for the life his son had to endure.
Bus Crash: After appearing in one episode, he dies later without ever returning.
Informed Ability: He is said to play the lute, which Sátur receives. As he barely appears in the series, we never see him play.
Like Father, Like Son: He is even shorter than Sátur.
No Name Given: We are never told his name.

Santiago

Santiago Merino

Played by: Enrique San Francisco

A retired law enforcer from Castro Urdiales. He comes to the city to visit his old friend Sátur, but instead ends helping Gonzalo to track down the Fake Águila Roja. After resolving the case by assisting with smarts and pure guts, he leaves without getting to see Sátur again, revealing that he is terminally ill and thanking Águila for making him live this last adventure.

Awesome by Analysis: As expected from a man of his profession (or not, given that few law enforcers in the series are even competent to get started), he deducts Gonzalo's involvement with the bloody incidents by just seeing his reactions, and later helps him with his investigation to find the impostor's house.
Cool Old Guy: Despite his age, is still able to climb a mountain and zip-line his way to the prison, as well as do some brawling.
Cultured Badass: Not only he is well-read, he somehow knows what a shuriken is and even talks a bit of Chinese. The latter is, according to him, because he knew some Chinese bakers back in his village.
The Cynic: Subverted. The old guy doesn't fool himself about the reality of the world he lives in, but unlike most examples, he believes that there is good people and that it's their task to fight evil.
Dark Is Not Evil: Wears all black, and his attitude can make him be creepy and unpleasant at times, but he is solidly in the side of good.
Deadpan Snarker: And harsher than most of examples in and out of this series.
Establishing Character Moment: Vigorously shutting down Gonzalo's attempts to keep him apart of his problem.
Listen to me, I may have an idiot's face, but I am not one. I want to help you, fuck!
Eye-Obscuring Hat: Makes his first apparition wearing a black hat over his eyes, but he takes it off swiftly, and he later loses it offscreen while climbing to the mountain.
Good Is Not Soft: Is pretty harsh-spoken and brash, not counting his constant swearing, but he is a trusty guy.
Henpecked Husband: He pontifies it is the fate of all married men.
Heroic Self-Deprecation: Doesn't waste time in colorfully cursing himself to get Gonzalo to listen to him.
The Ketchup Test: Once in the prison's torture chamber, he nonchalantly collects some blood from a severed arm with his fingertips. He fortunately doesn't taste it, but he still examines it before casting it aside, only mildly disgusted.
Large Ham: Talks very loudly and expressively, a trait inherited from the guy who plays him.
Like You Were Dying: At the end of the episode, he reveals that he is dying and that it's why he came to visit Sátur in the first place.
Living Emotional Crutch: For a short time, he becomes this for Gonzalo.
Nice Guy
Non-Action Guy: Defied. Santiago is clearly not a physical fighter, and he actually gets them captured when is held at dagger point by the warden, but he still shows that he is no slouch either. He knocks out a guard by clocking him with a pear of anguish, and later is perfectly willing to fight the Fake Águila Roja by himself with Gonzalo's double naginata.
Odd Friendship: Funny how a man of law like Santiago can be close friends with a rogue like Sátur, especially with their respective personalities. According to him, he met Sátur for the first time when he imprisoned him for stealing, and after they talked for a time due to Merino's boredom, Sátur gave him advice which ended saving his matrimony, making Santiago release him in gratitude.
The Reliable One: Santiago comes in a difficult time for Gonzalo, as he has just got his classroom murdered by a frightening enemy he cannot find out and his trusted Sátur is not with him in this trance, but the old constable proves to be a bold and determined ally.
Retired Badass: As mentioned, he is a retired law representant, and apparently a skilled one.
Secret-Keeper: Is to date the only person Gonzalo has voluntarily revealed his identity as Águila aside from Sátur.
Sir Swears-a-Lot: Would break the scale in a series with much more foul language than Águila Roja. It is another trait inherited from the actor.

Fake Águila

Fake Águila Roja

Played by: Miguel Ángel Jenner (voice)

A mysterious man obsessed with Águila Roja who desires to destroy his life. He dons his costume, steals his katana and starts a killing spree on the city, incriminating him with the murders and destroying his reputation among people.

Almighty Janitor: His background is unknown, but he was probably just a peasant man, with few resources and possibly even illiterate, as it was the norm in the Spain of the time. However, he also happens to be an evil mastermind who created a trap endowed with improbably advanced technology and a equally complex revenge plan.
Ax-Crazy: The guy is completely nuts.
Being Tortured Makes You Evil: His character described in a single sentence.
Dark and Troubled Past: He was a peasant arrested for some reason and then imprisoned in a sort of privatized prison where he was creatively tortured for years. The man, probably already Driven to Madness, gained a hate for the people's hero Águila Roja because he never came to rescue him, and after he escaped the prison, he sought vengeance against him.
Decapitation Presentation: Even worse than a severed head: he sends Gonzalo a box of visceras ripped out of his victims.
Diabolus ex Nihilo: Comes from nowhere both out and in-universe.
Evil Knockoff: Self-made of Águila Roja. He is even difficult to tell apart visually from him, as his costume is almost identical. However, you can also see that he is physically bigger than Gonzalo and that his fighting style is cruder and probably self-trained.
Evil Sounds Deep: Talks very deep and gruff, almost as if he had a throat problem.
Faux Affably Evil: His way to speak is threatening but quite articulate.
Genius Bruiser: He concocts a succesful plan to catch Águila Roja and later puts a fight against him (although Gonzalo carried a bullet wound at the time).
Good Old Fisticuffs: Unlike the original Águila, he doesn't know martial arts, and this shows in his bar room brawl punches when he goes against Gonzalo in close quarters.
Knight of Cerebus: In a series like Águila Roja where deaths and butcherings are in the everyday, this guy manages to blow up the standard of psychos and dark characters introduced until the point.
Hidden in Plain Sight: His lair is the same house he lived in before being imprisoned. The guards probably never thought of looking there, assuming that they were actually searching for the escapee, which is dubious given the unusual nature of the prison.
Mouth Stitched Shut: What he does to the kidnapped man dressed as Águila he leaves behind as a warning. The man has his mouth horribly stitched shut, and judging for his moans he is desperately trying to speak out.
No Name Given: Naturally, as his identity is never revealed.
Room Full of Crazy: His house is full of pliegos de cordel (newspapers of the time) talking about Águila Roja and his rescues, showing his obsession and insanity.
Serial Killer: Kills lots of people under the name of Águila Roja.
Silent Antagonist: Subverted. His only lines are when he has Gonzalo and Sátur trapped in his pit; when they face on the battle, he doesn't utter a word and barely grunts at all.
The Spook: Eventually found out, but not as much as to reveal his name or face.
Supernatural Gold Eyes: His eyes seem to be yellow when he shows himself to Gonzalo and Sátur, although it could be a light effect.
They Look Just Like Everyone Else!: The reason why Gonzalo doesn't unmask him.
The Unreveal: We are never told exactly his past, nor we get to see his face, though considering that he was basically nobody, it would have been pointless.
Unskilled, but Strong: As mentioned, he doesn't enjoy Gonzalo's skills and knowledge, but he makes for them with both strength and intelligence.
Vile Villain, Saccharine Show: Even for a series where killers and madmen are legion, this one makes every other antagonist in Águila Roja, including Malasangre, look like your lovely granny.
Would Hurt a Child: He. Slaughters. A. Classroom.

Emilio

Emilio de Montalvo / Eduardo

Played by: Manual Manquiño

Gonzalo's supposed uncle, appeared in Season 9. He is actually an assassin sent by the Cardinal to infiltrate his family.

The Stoner: He takes cannabis to cure his apparent epilepsy, though only offscreen.

Trini

Trinidad "Trini" Pérez de la Calzada

Played by: Jorge Sanz

A famous bandit from Seville who wants to find his lost brother, Noel.

Charles Atlas Superpower: He kills a mook throwing him a knife from the ground... with said mook hanging from a castle towers at least five stores over him.
Blade Enthusiast: His signature weapon, even when facing sword-wielding opponents, is his trusty Albacetian navaja.
Lovable Rogue: Clearly what he tries to be.

Characters / Águila Roja

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