Mateo

"Don't worry, I have a few tricks up my sleeves."

- Mateo to Naomi Mateo de Alma is a character who appears in the Disney Channel animated series, Elena of Avalor. He is a wizard-in-training, who is later promoted to Avalor's Royal Wizard, and one of Elena's closest friends.

Personality
Sixteen-year-old Mateo, as the grandson of Alakazar and a wizard-in-training, is very interested in all things magical, be they spells, creatures or items. He is constantly seen trying to perfect his spells, yet sometimes his self-doubt and overly cautious nature can keep him from doing so. Yet if Elena and/or friends need him to, he will put all his fears aside and protect them, sometimes whether they want him to or not, with his magic. He can be clumsy, and fumble up his spells from time to time as well. However after his friends help him reclaim the Maru Codex, and Elena shows her belief in his abilities, he gains a greater sense of self-worth and proves to be a powerful Royal Wizard, defeating Fiero in a duel.

Elena and the Secret of Avalor
After Sofia frees Elena from the Amulet of Avalor, Mateo helps Elena free her family from the Enchanted Painting his grandfather, Alacazar, placed them in forty-one years before and then defeat Shuriki.

Elena of Avalor
Mateo appears in the show that serves as the special's sequel.

Mateo first appears in "First Day of Rule" He first appears when Elena shows up at his house with his friend Naomi Turner. They tell him that Elena's sister was abducted by ship thieves and, thanks to one of the books of his grandfather, Alacazar, he identifies the thieves as Noblins. They succeed in rescuing Isabel and later Mateo watches Elena select Naomi to join the Grand Council of Avalor.

In "Spellbound" Elena selects Mateo to fill his late grandfather's robes as Avalor's new Royal Wizard. At first, Mateo doesn't believe he's up to the task, mostly because most people don't believe in him but after he obtains the Maru Codex and defeats Alacazar's old enemy, Fiero he proves especially to himself that he was a good hire.

Then, his latest appearance was in "The Scepter of Light" attending the solar eclipse with the kingdom of Avalor. But Orizaba the Moth Fairy returns to bring night eternal Mateo goes off to her with Elena not far behind. When she uses her scepter it drains her energy away; Mateo carried Elena back to the palace to discover that is one of the downsides of the scepter. After Orizaba has been defeated Elena asks him for help on learning how to use it without passing out.

Trivia

 * Mateo's Tamborita is inspired by the drums used by the Mapuche "Machi" (shaman) in Chile. His spells have Mayan glyphs integrated into them.