History Headscratchers / TheMaskOfZorro

** With Zorro presumed dead, Raphael would have no reason to believe that any one man who could get that far would be a threat, and he probably had some security that would stop any 'lesser' man getting that far.

* While fighting against Zorro on El Dorado, after knocking him into an ingot elevator, Captain Love strikes one of the elevator's ropes with his sword. If he did this, shouldn't the ropes have snapped slowly and sent both Love and Zorro to their deaths below?

** Based on the timing, I assumed that he got cut on a damaged board of some sort when he fell through the trapdoor; considering that the shooting was set up on relative impulse by Raphael, shoddy construction-work isn't that much of a stretch.

*** That latter bit is unlikely, since Diego calls him "Don Rafael" and acts deferential, while only Zorro calls him Rafael- in other words, Zorro is on more personal terms with him (likely just due to being his ArchEnemy) than de la Vega is (sounds like these two had an incredible backstory in fact, probably a whole series could have been made of their emnity).

* How exactly did de la Vega get wounded? He's dueling three mooks at once on top of the gallows without a scratch, hits the lever to open the trapdoor, and suddenly he's got a gash on his arm. Was there something cut from the film?

* Before Alejandro introduces himself and ingratiates himself with Don Raphael, his "servant" hands some paper to a guard allowing him access to Raphael. Shouldn't that have been a problem that this stranger from Spain could get that far in the first place?

* Before Alejandro introduces himself and ingratiates himself with Don Raphael, his "servant" hands some paper to a guard allowing him access to Raphael in the first place. Shouldn't that have been a problem that this stranger from Spain could get that far in the first place?

** He probably makes sure that word of him being made a fool of doesn't get out (which shouldn't be hard, since his men would be the only ones anybody would listen to, and THEY were made fools of themselves). Besides, it is possible that he was ALWAYS a garrison commander and was only in that outpost on business or some other capacity, and him being in charge of Monteros security is probably more to do with the fact that Montero returned and now NEEDS security so he takes it from the local garrison- prior to this, the house may well have been empty, so there were no guards around to begin with.

* So the one Soldier guy starts as an outpost commander, Gets made a fool of, we later see him in charge of a garrison, where we see him get made a fool of. Then we see him guarding Montero's house, seemingly in a command position. That's pretty good job security.

** If he were somehow connected to the local nobility, that would easily have been enough.

* So the one Soldier guy starts as an outpost commander, Gets made a fool of, we later see him in charge of a garrison, where we see him get made a fool of. Then we see him guarding Montero's house, seemingly in a command position. That's pretty good job security.

** It's not that Montero has suspected him all along, it's that he figured it out during that day's events. de la Vega always pronounced his name in a specific manner, and when Zorro called him by name with the same pronunciation during the attempted public execution Montero was shown tilting his head with a recognizing expression. So, that's when he thought "Wait...Diego?" and went to his house to confirm and capture him.

** It's not that Montero has suspected him all along, it's that he figured it out during that day's events. de la Vega always pronounced his name in a specific manner, and when Zorro called him by name with the same pronunciation during the attempted public execution Montero was shown tilting his head with a recognizing expression. So, that's when he said "Wait...Diego?" and went to his house to confirm and capture him.

** From the scene, it's implied that Montero at least suspected Don Diego for some time, but for various reasons couldn't act on it. (What if he was wrong? Falsely accusing another nobleman would be a big deal.) The scene at the house where he found Diego's wound confirmed it for him. And since Montero was being ousted anyway, he could take the chance. Also by the time Santa Anna got to the capital, Montero had left, so there was no reason to go after him. Montero had this one chance just before he had to leave Mexico to finally defeat his rival, so he took it.

** From the scene, it's implied that Montero at least suspected Don Diego for some time, but for various reasons couldn't act on it. (What if he was wrong? Falsely accusing another nobleman would be a big deal.) The scene at the house where he found Diego's wound confirmed it for him. And since Montero was being ousted anyway, he could take the chance. Also by the time Santa Anaa got to the capital, Montero had left, so there was no reason to go after him. Montero had this one chance just before he had to leave Mexico to finally defeat his rival, so he took it.

*** About the arrest scene: how did Montero deduce that Don Diego was Zorro? Yes, he found Don Diego's arm wound, but he clearly knew the truth before that. Also, in the opening scene, Montero's friend tells him that Santa Anna's troops are an hour away, and that Montero imperatively needs to leave town before they arrive. But Don Diego's arrest-at least the part where he's carted away in a prison wagon-seems to take place at least two hours later. So why is Montero still here?

** Yeah, they most likely just walked in at a nice slow pace, which while it would still have been noisy, would not have been nearly as much so had they been running or marching. Besides, it's a big house.

** He was tired and sleepy, and they may have been trying to come in quietly. It's not a huge difference, but it might just have been enough.

* In the beginning of the film, how did ''that many'' soldiers sneak into Don Diego's house? I know he was distracted by his wife and child, but there were a ''lot'' of soldiers, with heavy boots, and he's freaking ''Zorro.'' Yet they've made their way up the stairs and into the house without him noticing. What gives?

* In the beginning of the film, how did ''that many'' soldiers sneak into Don Diego's house? I know he was distracted by his wife and child, but there were a ''lot'' of soldiers, with heavy boots, and he's freaking ''Zorro.''