TU O NADIE FINAL EPISODE!!!!

This is the grand finale of this fantastic, action-packed telenovela. The first time we watched the ending, my family and I were excited but also sad it was wrapping up.

Posting the recaps from the beginning to the end was a real challenge because they were mostly drawn from memory, but I was happy to do it because Tu O Nadie will always remain my favourite telenovela, and I’m glad I was able to share it in this blog. 

To the visitors who left comments and encouraging words and have been here to the end, I thank you all very much and as a treat, look out for the juicy trivia and additional posts attached to Tu O Nadie. Now for the concluding part of Antonio and Raquel’s love story...

Evil Max stepped into the elevator and saw Daniel passing by just as the doors closed. Having given the written confession, the judge began packing his things. He answered the door and got the shock of his life when Max barged in. At gunpoint, he admitted what he’d done but lied that his signature was forged. Alas, that didn’t help because Max shot him in the stomach, using a pillow to muffle the sound. 

Back at the mansion, Camilla suggested the room down the hall be fixed up as a nursery since Baby would be coming home soon but Raquel objected to the idea of Minerva sleeping far away from her. Ramon recommended his niece to be Minerva’s nanny- as Raquel would be ‘distracted’ now and then. Raquel sarcastically wondered who and what could distract her now. She asked Ramón if he had seen Martha around and was told no. Exchanging a peck with Camilla, she went upstairs. Camilla asked Ramón about his odd remark to Raquel, what did he mean by it?  He shrugged,  smiling knowingly and said, ‘Well… you never know, ma’am.’

Footsteps were heard and Camilla’s eyes widened. ‘Antonio…’ she whispers in disbelief, before walking into her brother’s arms. Ramón formally welcomes his boss home and Tonio thanks him. Camilla said  Claudio and  Andres had told her he was alive but she hadn’t dared to hope. Tonio asked for Raquel and was told she was in her room.

But before he could go, Mummy Vicky appeared and ran into his arms, weeping with joy. Meche came out from the kitchen, filled with astonishment.

Vicky asked anxiously, ‘What’s going to happen to Max?’ Antonio stopped smiling and made no reply. 

‘It was he…wasn’t it?’

At Tonio’s solemn ‘yes’, she burst into tears and Camilla took her away to her room. Tonio turned to Meche and assured her Gabriel was safe; he escaped with Martha, according to Luis. Filled with relief, Meche asked what was now going to happen to them and was assured they would be protected.  Ramón told Tonio Max wasn’t in the house and hadn’t been seen all day. With that, Tonio went upstairs to the room he shared with Raquel.

Raquel saw him through the dressing table mirror and turned round,  Tonio smiling at her amazed face. Slowly she got up, touching him. Tonio held her arms, saying, ‘It’s me.’ Raquel threw herself into his arms, crying ‘My love! Antonio, my love!’

They kissed and hugged each other passionately;  Raquel sobbing with joy, unable to stop staring at her husband, back from the dead.

'Can't you say anything?' he asked her.

'Well... I'm speechless!' Raquel stumbled over her words, took his hand, and pressed it against her cheek. 'My love.' she murmured.

‘Did you doubt we’ll ever be together again?’ he demanded and she nodded.

‘I never did, Raquel!’ 

They held each other again, kissing.

    

If only Evil Max wasn’t skulking around outside instead of behind bars at that moment! Moving on...

 At the guest bungalow, Daniel told Chucho what went on between him and the judge but Chucho still wasn’t pleased he’d promised not to turn him over to the police. Daniel decided to hide the precious document under the carpet, reminding himself to tell Meche when Chucho pointed out she may come to sweep the place. Chucho went back to the mansion and was very surprised to hear the good news from Ramón and Meche. 

'You swear on the Holy Ghost?' he exclaimed. Meche assured it was true, "the boss" was back. Ramón happily declared it was the happiest day for the Lombardo family. "Well... not for all of them. Poor Mrs. Victoria," he added soberly. The three servants looked sad as they thought of the unfortunate woman upstairs. 

Upstairs, Raquel gave the whole gist of what happened after Tonio’s disappearance to the day she had to go to the hospital. She tells him  Victoria begged her to let Max stay at the mansion and manage the business on her behalf, and how she found out he was Roberto Aguirre the day she was taken to the hospital. 

Tonio consoles Raquel as she sobs in his arms, assuring her it is all over. He tells her he loves her- more than he’s ever loved anyone; her and their daughter. 

She smiled, ‘You know about her?’

Smiling back, he says he went to see Baby Minerva at the hospital that morning. As she hugged him again, something hard pressed against her ribs. Pushing back his jacket, she saw the gun. Max, sheer murder on his face, entered the guest bungalow, but Daniel wasn’t there.

Andres and Claudio joined Vicky and Camilla in the bedroom. They told the two women that Luis and Rod were in custody, while Maura and Carla were presently giving their statements. The police were on their way. Vicky began weeping again, poor thing.

Martha and Gabriel finally get back, stopping at the guest bungalow first.  Daniel isn't there, and Martha is filled with terror over what might have happened to her father as they’d already seen Max on the grounds. Gabriel suggested she stay and wait while he go and find his sister and warn Raquel. Martha didn't want him to. Max would shoot him on sight, but Gabriel decided to take his chances. 

 Evil Max caught up with Daniel in the mansion and demanded for the written confession but for once the timid old man stood his ground and refused to tell him where he’d hidden it. Max started to punch him mercilessly. (Wicked Bastard!)

Ramón, Meche and Chucho found Martha at the bungalow. She is amazed at the news of Tonio's return but tells them Max is around and Gabriel has gone to the house as well. Ramón picked up the phone and placed a call to the mansion. 

Raquel pleaded with Tonio to let the police handle Max, not him. The phone rang and Tonio got the message from Ramón. After expressing his anger at not being told about Max immediately, he ordered everyone to stay where they were presently and hung up. Raquel watched as he locked the French windows and begged him again. Tonio assured her he wasn’t a murderer, but he had the right to be prepared to defend himself since Max was still bent on killing him.  He locked the door behind him over Raquel’s tearful protests; he didn't want Max breaking in and nabbing her while he was looking for him. 

Raquel bangs on the door, terrified and worried. 

 Downstairs in the living room, Evil Max was still demanding the document, this time his gun drawn. Daniel was now bleeding but still defiant. Gabriel appeared from behind and hit Max with his crutch, and both he and Daniel struggled with Max.  From the stairs, Tonio pulled out his gun, ordering Max to drop his. Without hesitation, Evil Max fired at him and Tonio dodged. 

They exchange fire, Max using Daniel as a shield, but Daniel struggles and pushes him right into the line of fire. Evil Max aimed at Tonio again but was flung over the couch when Tonio got him squarely on the chest. Tonio silently went down to bend over his step-brother as he bled.

The ruffian grabbed him by the shoulder and his last words were: ‘You’ll never love her ... as much as I did.’ He fell back and gave up the ghost.  You say such a thing at a time like that, you unrepentant sinner???

Chucho hurried in, exclaiming they had heard gunshots. He, Martha and Ramón gasped at the sight of Evil Max’s dead body on the floor, Meche immediately grabbing hold of her brother.  Mummy Vicky and the others came down the stairs and saw the gruesome sight as well. Everyone silently watched poor Vicky bitterly weep over her son after futilely calling his name, closing his staring eyes with her hand. Tonio stood apart from everyone, silent. 

Tonio went back upstairs to Raquel who embraced him, sobbing.

She looked at his pale face and asked, ‘You murdered him?’

‘I had to do it.’ was her husband’s reply.

'You shouldn’t have done that,’ she said and began to weep hysterically. Their marriage was over because of his action; they now both bore the guilt of Max’s death and how on earth would they be able to live happily when his death would always come between them? Tonio tried to console her but she continued to weep. Helpless, Tonio left the room, hoping she would calm down eventually. 

                   
                                       A YEAR LATER…

The scene opens in Guadalajara City. (to our amazement that night)

Raquel is feeding Minerva, a chubby-cheeked replica of herself, now a year old. After Daniel took the child to bed, the doorbell rang. It was Vicky and the two women embraced tearfully. After greeting Daniel, Vicky explained why she’d come; she could no longer bear watching Tonio suffer. He was devastated at what happened a year ago- time wouldn't let him forget- and in the present situation, he and Raquel are living apart. He couldn't bear the thought of losing his wife. Surely Raquel didn’t blame him for what he had to do?

Raquel replied she didn’t, she realised he had no other choice but she wished he had not been the one to do it.

Vicky said she had told herself the same thing... many times, but she gradually accepted it, and right now, Tonio was like a ghost of his old self; he loved Raquel and missed her very much- he couldn’t go on without her. Raquel said she loved Tonio too but reminded Vicky that Max had been her son, her biological son. Vicky took Raquel's hand, reminding her that Tonio was very much her son too. 

Raquel was still filled with guilt over Max’s death; if only she’d stood up to him at the very beginning and had the courage to tell Vicky and Tonio the truth on time…

But Vicky begged her to stop blaming herself, what was the point of wishing what could have been? She, his own mother, had been forced to accept long ago that the real person to blame for the whole tragedy was Max. But right now, she didn’t know what would become of Tonio if Raquel continued refusing to see him. Raquel asked if Tonio had asked her to come over to Guadalajara to talk to her. Vicky said no, he asks for nothing these days but goes around very silent and miserable; all he thought about was Raquel and their Minerva.

Tears running down her cheeks, Raquel told Vicky to tell Tonio to come for her, that she missed him and loved him very much; she could no longer live apart from him. The two women held each other, sobbing.

The next scene showed Minerva toddling around the garden. Raquel reads a magazine, keeping a sharp eye on the child at the same time; calling out to her, 'Don't go too far away!' She didn’t notice someone coming along. She did’t notice Minerva toddling up to her Daddy who picked her up, lovingly cradling her in his arms.

 

 Raquel finally looks up and sees the moving sight of Tonio (his moustache shaved off, enhancing his handsome face further) carrying their daughter.

There’s a look of peace in Raquel's eyes as she got up from the grass. Tonio puts the child down, picking up the doll she left on the grass, before moving towards Raquel. They regard each other for a second before Raquel placed her arms around her husband’s neck; his arms encircling her tightly.

Little Minerva Lombardo watches with innocent interest as her parents exchange loving looks and another  kiss.

What else can we assume, after the final shot? Tonio took Raquel and Minerva back to Acapulco and moved on with their lives, Max's ghost no longer between them. 

                                                            TRIVIA

- Dominican-Mexican actor Andres Garcia, who played the main character Antonio Lombardo, was 44 years old at the time- 14 years older than Lucia Mendez. 

- Andres Garcia was cast as Antonio after  Venezuelan actor,  Jose Luis Rodriguez, turned down the role. 

-The young actor who played Gabriel was Lucia Mendez’s (Raquel) real-life younger brother, Abraham Mendez.

-The soundtrack played at the final few minutes of the episode was sung by Lucía Méndez (Raquel), “El amour sin ti ni vale nada” which means, “Love is worth nothing without you.” Lucia sang most of the tracks in the telenovela as well, including the main theme song, Corazon Di Piedra (Heart of Stone). 

-Tu O Nadie currently has three remakes: Acapulco Bay, Acapulco Cuerpo y Alma and Sortilegio. 

-Tu O Nadie aired in Italy under the title, Cuore Di Pietra ( "Heart of Stone" in Italian) with Italian voice overs. Antonio was named Alessandro, Raquel named Elena, Victoria named Lorenza, Max's full name Massimo, Martha named Marta and Tonio and Raquel's daughter Minerva was named Melania. 

MORE TRIVIA IN MY NEXT POST! IN THE MEANTIME...

 A VIDEO BY A TU O NADIE FAN: