Sumith Prasad
The first season finale of Netflix’s Spanish crime series ‘Iron Reign’ offers two significant revelations concerning the past of the Manchados. The episode depicts how Néstor got married to Rocío Manchado, which marked the beginning of an unhappy relationship for the latter, and Joaquín Manchado’s rise as the supreme authority in the Port of Barcelona. Even though both these parts of the family history unfolded in different periods and places, there is a common denominator. Towards the end of the installment, Rocío reveals that Néstor is not the father of her daughter Sandra to a special someone, who lost his beloved father due to the ruthlessness of the Manchado brothers! SPOILERS AHEAD.
The Long-Lived Secret
Víctor Julve, the undercover cop who has been trying to bring down the empire of Joaquín Manchado, is the father of Rocío Manchado’s daughter Sandra. Víctor and Néstor were childhood friends and an inseparable duo when Rocío became a part of their group. Néstor eventually became a member of the Manchados by marrying the family rather than Rocío. He didn’t care about building a life with her since day one, which is evident in the way he treated her on their wedding night. The lonely Rocío then sought comfort from Víctor, only for them to share intimacy. They seemingly ended up having sex and Rocío conceived Sandra the same night.
Rocío wanted to leave Néstor but Víctor had another plan. He disappeared from the lives of both of them, likely carrying the guilt of betraying his childhood friend by sleeping with his wife. Víctor’s decision to vanish forced Rocío to keep the truth behind Sandra’s fatherhood a secret. As years went by, the lie must have started to appear as the truth, only for Rocío to settle with the family she formed with Néstor and Sandra. Her revelation that Víctor is really the father of her child may affect the fate of the latter, especially since the little girl is under the custody of Ariel and Lucía Ramírez-Pereira.
As a cop, Víctor may use his contacts and authority to track down the Pereiras and save his daughter. Since Alex and Sonia steal the czar’s mail Néstor has to deliver to the Mexicans to get Sandra, he is nothing but helpless, leaving Víctor alone. However, the moment he reveals himself as a cop to Rocío, he may lose his chance to be the father of Sandra. It is unlikely that she would gladly welcome the man who has been trying to bring her family down to the life of her daughter. Otherwise, Víctor may need to hand his badge over to become the father his daughter deserves.
The Payback
Joining the Manchados may not be an easy task for Víctor because of their shared history. Víctor is the son of Andrés, who was killed by Joaquín and Román. While the brothers were emerging as prominent figures in the Port of Barcelona, the establishment was ruled by a man named Salazar. Joaquín realized that he needed to eliminate Salazar to build his own empire in the place. He sought the help of Andrés, who worked for Salazar at the time, to kill the man. Even though Joaquín needed Andrés to change sides to fulfill his ambitions, the former feared that the latter would betray him if someone else emerged against him.
To avoid the traitor from committing treason again, Joaquín and Román murdered Andrés in front of Víctor. That can be the reason why the latter puts his life on the line to bring the empire of the Manchados down. He knows that Joaquín became an emperor by standing on the blood of his father, which must have motivated him to dismantle the drug lord’s kingdom even if it meant risking his life. After learning that he is the father of the same Joaquín’s granddaughter, he may need to decide whether or not to continue destroying the family, which now includes him as well.
Read More: Iron Reign: Is the Netflix Show Based on a True Story?
