The Curse of El Guapo

"The Curse of El Guapo" is the twenty-eighth episode of the Disney Channel animated series, Elena of Avalor. It premiered on November 11, 2017 and is the third episode in the second season.

Plot
At Avalor Palace, Princess Elena assembles the Royal Guard together to announce that their leader, Captain Antonio Sandoval, is retiring. Captain Sandoval embodies Avalor's best values: Courage, selflessness, and honor. For this, he will pick four candidates to succeed him as Captain of the Royal Guard. Captain Sandoval steps forward and selects the following Guards as the candidates: Rico Villalobos, Miguel Leon, Andreas Sosa, and Gaberial Nunez. Elena tells them that the four of them will take part in a skills competition that will begin later. The first two to complete the first part will take part in the competition that will decide who will be the new Captain of the Royal Guard. After Captain Sandoval dismisses the Royal Guard, Elena expresses how happy she is for Gabe. While she hopes he wins, she tells Gabe that as Crown Princess she must remain impartial and let the best Guard win. Gabe tells her he would have it no other way. In the Guards' Locker Room, Gabe overhears Rico telling the other Guards that if he becomes the new Captain it will only be because he is Elena's friend. Gabe steps in, telling everyone will earn it, to which Rico doubts. He points out that the Captain of the Royal Guard has always come from a distinguished military family. Rico comes from such a distinctive family line, and has a fancy sword to prove it. Gabe says he does not need a fancy sword and engages Rico in a sword fight that he only loses when he gets distracted. Suddenly, Elena comes in with Professor Mendoza, who needs a package delivered to Avalor's Museam of Archaeology. Gabe volunteers, and Mendoza gives him the package with instructions not to open it. Gabe loads it on to Fuego and rides off. During the ride, the package falls off and opens, revealing a sword. Gabe decides to "borrow" the sword for the competition since he believes he will beat Rico with it. As soon as he picks it up, Gabe gets possessed by a spirit who calls himself El Guapo.

At the competition, Everyone is wondering where Gabe is when he suddenly shows up. Guapo possesses Gabe and acts through him to the confusion of everyone, especially Gabe. The competition is revealed to be a race. During the race, Guapo has Gabe cut off Rico and does not let him go back to help him so he can win the race. Guapo then has Gabe go up to Elena and ask her to just name him Captain of the Royal Guard right now. Elena, who can see something is definitely up, reminds him the competition is not over yet. Mateo and Naomi cannot understand why Gabe is acting the way he is. Elena concurs, stating that he is definitely not how a Captain of the Royal Guard acts. Elsewhere, Gabe is confused about why he talked and acted the way he did. Suddenly, Guapo takes over again and reveals himself to Gabe. Gabe realizes that Guapo is the reason he said and did all those terrible things and tries to get rid of the sword, to no avail. He runs into Professor Mendoza who reveals that the sword is a cursed by the spirit of the aggressive general El Guapo.

Gabe goes to Mateo and tells him about the curse. The next day, Mateo gives him a potion and tells him he must never touch El Guapo's sword again after he drinks it. This makes Gabe reluctant to drink it, especially after Rico pranks him. Suddenly, Elena shows up and confronts Gabe about how he did not stop to help Rico after he fell. She tells him the Royal Guard is a brotherhood where if one falls another must help him up no matter what. Hearing this, Gabe tells Elena about the curse and El Guapo's sword. He thought he needed it to prove the son of a baker can become the Captain of the Royal Guard, only for Elena to say that a weapon does not make the soldier but the other way around. Hearing this, Gabe decides to take Mateo's potion. El Guapo tries to stop him but Elena tricks him into getting his sword stuck. Gabe then takes the potion and breaks the curse. At the competition, Gabe helps Rico when he falls this time. Rico tells Elena to name Gabe Captain of the Royal Guard. Elena does so and presents him with the Captain's sword.

Cast

 * Aimee Carrero as Princess Elena
 * Jorge Diaz as Gabe
 * David DeSantos as El Guapo

Song

 * The Captain of the Guard

Trivia

 * Gabe sings in this episode and reveals that he wants to be Captain of the Guard.
 * Moral: The weapon does not make the man, the man makes the weapon.
 * We are introduced to Gabe's boss, Captain Sandoval, in this episode.