Bloody Tales

EPISODE XLI: The Emperor's New Clothes

SUMMARY: 
In the ancient city-state of Tenochtitlan of the Aztec Empire during the 14th century, there was once a vain, selfish, prideful and extremely arrogant emperor (or "tlatoani"), Cozamaqui XI, who cares only about his looks and they way he dressed in public. He did, however, had a fondness for different foreign cultures outside of their own and had his royal prime minister, Miahuacoehua, to send word out to the most fashionable weavers out there in the world.

The ones who respond and arrive at the city are an English couple, John and Priscilla Remington, who are professional weavers who are famous for designing the best wardrobe in Great Britain. Cozamaqui has them enslaved and orders them to design him the best attire ever that would be deemed invisible to those who are unfit for their positions, foolish and such. For days, the Remingtons construct the emperor an outfit from their culture that would be best suitable until the emperor finally gets impatient and demands the attire. At last, Cozamaqui puts on the outfit and is mighty impressed by how it looks on him, which fuels his sense of pride and vanity. He sets out into the city to show off his new look to his people, only to receive a series of terrified screams in response. Unbeknownst to him, the new clothes that he is wearing are making the people see him as a hideous and ugly monster, prompting them to chase him away into the jungle. After he gets lost in the wilderness, he is found by the Remingtons who are able to see through the outfit's façade. When Cozamaqui angrily blames them for his current predicament and demands to know what had happened. The Remingtons, who turn out to be sorcerers, reveal that the attire was magically designed to make those who wear only be seen by how they truly are on the inside, which, in Cozamaqui's case, he is ugly and hideous with an unlikeable personality. However, Cozamaqui is unrepentant and orders them to fix what they've done, but they refuse, saying that nothing that they begin can be undone. Since he ordered the attire personally, he has to try to convince others that he is anything but a monster on the inside, then the outfit's façade will vanish. Cozamaqui also finds that he is unable to even remove the attire as it appears to be stuck to him like an adhesive. After they abandon him, he is left to wander through the jungles alone, unable to return to his own kingdom. Three days he spends in the wilderness close to starvation until he happens upon the mythical Mayan city of gold, El Dorado. Overwhelmed with excitement, Cozamaqui goes around, blinded by greed, to find as much gold as he could find. However, just like before, people can only see the literal monster in him and he is suddenly captured and restrained with chains by the guards.

Cozamaqui is confronted by the queen, Xoco and her High Priestess, Ah-Wink-Ir-Masa, who demand information from him. Even though they only see him as the monster, Cozamaqui selfishly twists the truth of his predicament in which he is a lost and desperate peasant who was disregarded by society, despite doing good in his community. Against her better judgement, Xoco sets him free and brings him into her private quarters where she promises to make him rich and powerful, to which Cozamaqui eagerly accepts and asks to marry her, having already fallen for her. After the wedding, Cozamaqui plans to kill her and regain his royal status by ruling over the city of gold. However, Xoco anticipates his plan and when he goes to stab her with a spear, Xoco fights back using martial arts and gains the upper hand in their brief skirmish.

Xoco explains that she already knows who he really is through the monster façade and rhetorically asks if he wants to know who she really is on the inside. At that moment, Xoco transforms into a giant golden titanoboa that attacks Cozamaqui, who tries to fight back and defend himself before she has him in her coils. Xoco mocks him, saying that he was a fool to think she would ever fall for his tricks before swallowing him whole.

CAST:
Emperor Cozamaqui XI, the vain and arrogant emperor ("tlatoani") of Tenochtitlan who demands a brand new attire.

Prime Minister Miahuacoehua, Cozamaqui's royal prime minister.

John Remington, Priscilla's husband; an aristocratic sorcerer and weaver from Britain who fashions Cozamaqui's new clothes.

Priscilla Remington, John's wife; an aristocratic sorceress and seamstress from Britain who fashions Cozamaqui's new clothes.

Queen Xoco, the queen of the mythical Mayan city of gold, El Dorado.

Ah-Wink-Ir-Masa, Xoco's high priestess.