Darna: Episode 7

7. Darna Stalker

Mapapalapit si Master Claudio kay Ding, Narda at Roberta pati na rin sa mga taong-bayan subalit may agam-agam pa rin si Lolo Rolando sa kanyang tunay na hangarin. Sasanayin ni Master Claudio si Ding sa pakikipaglaban gamit ang arnis. Susundan-sundan ni Javier si Narda at dadakpin ito isang umaga. Itatali man ito sa upuan ay hindi naman niya sasaktan ang dalaga at bagkus ay manghihingi ng tulong dito matapos isalaysay ang nangyaring paglilibing sa kanya ng mga tauhan ni Mayor Zaldy nang balaan niya ang mga ito na ibubunyag ang katiwalian sa pagpapagawa ng gumuhong gusali. Sa bingit ng kamatayan ay papasukan siya ng isang luntiang bato at magigising na lang na may kakayahang pagalawin ang lupa. Magmamakaawa ito kay Narda na gumawa ng paraan upang magkita sila ng asawang buntis bago siya magtago ng tuluyan. Tutupad naman si Narda sa usapan subalit matutunton sila ni Pineda (Eric Fructoso), ang tiwaling kasamahan ni Brian na alagad ng alkalde. #DarnaStalker

Sino naman kaya talaga si Master Claudio? Hindi ko rin alam. Sa ngayon dalawa lang ang pinagpipilian kong bagay na maaring mangyari. Marahil ay isa siya sa mga dayuhang nilalang na tumutugis kay Leonor na may kakayahang manggaya ng anyo at kinukuha lang niya ang loob ni Ding upang malaman kung nasaan ang bato. Maari rin naman din na magkapatid lamang si Ding at Narda sa ina at ang lalaking ito ang totoong ama ng binata. Sa dalawang ito, malakas ang kutob ko na ang una ang tama. Abangan na lang natin. Maganda naman ang ginagawa nila sa mga Extra at talaga namang binibigyan nila ang mga ito ng sarili nilang kasaysayan. Minsan ang mga kalaban ay hindi naman talaga likas na masama at napipilitan lamang gumawa ng karahasan dala ng pangangailangan. Sa tingin ko ay hindi pa rin kaaya-aya ang magiging katapusan ni Lindol Man. Gayunpaman, nabigyan naman siya ng pagkakataong magpakatao. Kung ganito lagi ay maaring tumagal ang isang Extra ng isa o dalawang linggo at marami pa silang maaaring ipasok na bagong Extra. #DarnaStalker

7. The Master

Master Claudio becomes a close acquaintance of Ding, Narda, and Roberta as well as the townspeople. However, old man Rolando still has his doubts about the guy’s real motives. Master Claudio trains Ding to fight with the use of arnis. Javier stalks Narda and abducts her one morning. While he ties her to a chair, he doesn’t hurt the young lady but rather asks for her help after narrating how he was buried alive by Mayor Zaldy’s men when he warned them about his plan to divulge the corruption involved in the construction of the building that collapsed. Close to death, he is infiltrated by a green stone and the next thing he knows he wakes up with an earth-shaking ability. He begs Narda to find a way so he and his pregnant wife can meet before he goes into hiding. Narda keeps her end of the bargain but they are tracked by Pineda (Eric Fructoso), Brian’s corrupt police officer workmate who is also the mayor’s henchman. #DarnaStalker

I wonder who Master Claudio might actually be. I don’t know either. For now, I only have two possibilities for his identity. Perhaps he is one of those aliens pursuing Leonor who has the ability to shapeshift and is just tricking Ding into giving information regarding the stone’s whereabouts. It can also be the case that Ding and Narda are just siblings through their mom, and this guy is the young lad’s father. Of these two options, I have a gut feel that the first one would be more likely. Let’s just wait and see. It’s nice to see how they have chosen to deal with the Extras by really giving them their own histories. Sometimes an enemy is not really evil by nature but rather just forced to resort to violence due to necessity. I still believe, though, that Lindol Man will still have a tragic ending. Well at least he is given the opportunity to show some humanity. If this will be the show’s MO then an Extra might last for a week or two, which means they can still introduce more Extras in the storyline. #DarnaStalker

“Sabi ni Master Claudio, ang tunay na mandirigma alam ang bawat lakas at kahinaan niya. At hinding hindi niya hahayaang magamit ng iba ang mga ito laban sa kanya.” –Ding

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