Give a man a mask and he will show you his true face.
Monroe confirms that he feels fine even though moments earlier he was on death’s door. They figure that the stick healed Monroe’s injury, and they check the cloth the stick was wrapped in. The group figures that it’s safest not to let the stick fall into the wrong hands, and agree not tell anyone. Nick wraps it back up and puts it in the box.
A man, Goyo, goes to Benito’s mask shop, where the walls are filled with luchador masks. Benito is carving a tribal mask, but Goyo is there to get his own luchador mask back. He isn’t interested in his heritage and doesn’t speak Spanish. Disappointed, Benito nonetheless wishes him luck in his match that night. He realizes that something is wrong, and Goyo admits that he isn’t thrilled with being paid to lose every match. He started wrestling because he wanted to be like the greats, and Benito warns that the types of masks he made for them require that a high price be paid. Goyo says that if he had a mask like theirs then he would win, and Benito says that the masks are a special order. To make one for Goyo, he demands half of what he earns. Goyo says that he’ll see him later and leaves.
At the wrestling match that night, Goyo puts on his mask and enters the ring. His opponent El Mayordomo comes in next and the audience cheers, the two men fight and Goyo soon goes down. Disgusted, Goyo goes back to the locker room and tears up his mask in frustration. The manager Larry comes in and congratulates Larry, and notices the torn-up mask on the floor. Goyo insists that he could beat El Mayordomo, but Larry says that he’s paying Goyo to make El Mayordomo look good. When the wrestler asks for one chance to prove himself, Larry warns him that he doesn’t have what it takes and doesn’t speak Spanish.
Goyo goes back to the shop and tells Benito that he’ll pay any price. Benito tells him to think it over, but Goyo demands the mask and the mask maker brings out a box. There’s a contract inside, and Benito explains that it’s for the mask and has to be signed in blood. Goyo takes the proffered knife and Benito explains that Goyo will pay him half of everything he earns as long as he fights. When he’s done, he’ll return the mask to Benito. Goyo cuts himself and signs, and Benito says that he’ll have the mask the next day. Once Goyo leaves, Benito woges, cuts himself, and signs. Both signatures transform into the image of a mask.
A mugger, Patrick DeFonte, is on the streets beating up a man and taking his wallet. Benito comes up behind the mugger and says that he wants the mugger’s face. The mugger woges into his Balam form, and Benito woges into his Vibora Dorada form and bites DeFonte’s throat, paralyzing him with his venom. Once he woges back, he takes out a knife and cuts off the Wesen’s face. Back at the shop, Benito performs a Santeria ritual, empowering the feline face with the power of warriors.
Nick returns to the bunker and Adalind greets him. He claims that he went to the precinct first after returning from Germany, and that they didn’t find the supposed treasure. They hug and Adalind brings up the topic of what happens if the Hexenbiest suppressant that she took wears off. He wonders why she’s bringing it up, and Adalind suggests that he might throw them out or kill her. Nick says that they’ll deal with it if it happens, and points out that she isn’t what she used to be.
In her cell, Eve remembers what she did to Marwan. She brings up video of the rally and sees Rachel on the phone looking up at the sniper just before Andrew was shot.
Nick and Hank are called to the crime scene and Franco shows them the skinned corpse. They figure whoever took the face knew what they were doing.
The next day, Goyo returns to the shop and Benito assures him that he’ll have much success with the mask. He shows Goyo the mask and asks if he’s sure he wants to do it. Goyo insists that he does, and Benito gives him the mask to try on. He tries it on and then reluctantly takes it off, and Benito warns him to never wear it outside of the ring. He says that the mask has accepted Goyo, and now Goyo must respect its power.
Renard is driving to work when Eve steps in front of him and then gets in when he brakes. She tells him that HW didn’t see that Andrew was going to be assassinated, and figures that someone asked Renard to support him. Renard says that Andrew’s team approached him, and Eve says that they’re done... for now. The captain says that there is more they could talk about, but Eve says that’s all she needs and leaves.
At the station, nick and Hank find a trail of flayed victims in other cities. There were two in Portland, going back seven and twelve years, and neither was solved. DeFonte came to Portland in 1999 and had a criminal record. Wu comes over and reports that the autopsy showed that DeFonte was legally drunk. There was also neurotoxin venom in DeFonte’s blood, paralyzing him while his face was removed. Nick tells them that he dealt with a similar case involving Wesen taxidermist hunters, and suggests that they run it by Monroe and Rosalee.
At home, Goyo is weight-lifting and then puts on the mask. He growls and then puts on more weights, and easily lifts them. Once he’s done, he looks at himself in the mirror for a moment and then takes off the mask. Shocked, he stares at his face.
At the spice shop, Rosalee points out that there are lots of Wesen with neurotoxin abilities. When the detectives explain about the face removal and show them photos of DeFonte, Monroe recognizes him as a Wesen he worked with on a clock tower project. Rosalee remembers a reference to a god that skinned his victims and wore their skin, absorbing their power. Santeria priests still perform the ritual, imbuing the mask with the ability to transfer Wesen attributes to the wearer. She has met a couple of old-school Santerians, and offers to look them up.
Goyo returns to the gym and shows Larry his new mask. He dons it and enters the ring to fight El Mayordomo. The wrestlers fight and this time Goyo savagely attacks him with an impressive series of moves. As they close, El Mayordomo complains that Goyo is supposed to follow his lead. Goyo soon pins his opponent, and the referee manages to pull Goyo off of El Mayordomo.
Back in the locker room, Goyo removes the mask. El Mayordomo and Larry come in, and Larry says that the crowd loved Goyo. The crowd is still cheering, and tells Goyo that the next night he’s the headliner. Goyo goes back to the shop and tells Benito that the mask worked and gave him power. Benito tells him to put the mask away, and Goyo pays him half of his winnings. The shop owner reminds him to never wear the mask outside of the ring, and Goyo says that as long as he has the mask he knows what he’s doing.
As Goyo walks down the street, El Mayordomo approaches him and warns that he’ll kill him in the next match. He yanks the mask away and taunts Goyo, who punches him in the face and takes the mask. He puts it in and the two wrestlers fight. Goyo breaks his back and then runs off. Back at his apartment, Goyo removes the mask
Nick, Hank, and Wu soon arrive at the new crime scene. Franco has identified El Mayordomo as James Vasquez, and the detectives confirm that his mask is normal. They go to the gym to see where Vasquez worked.
At his apartment, Goyo stares at the mask, shaking, and finally puts it on. The shakes die away and he looks at himself in the mirror as the rest of his body transforms into a Balam. Goyo goes into a rage and smashes apart his apartment,
At the HW base, Eve brings up Rachel’s background and confirms that she’s a Lowen Wesen on HW’s watch list.
Renard meets Rachel at a restaurant and she tells him that the public loves him after he killed Andrew’s assassin. The captain wonders if he got the killer, and points out that Rachel killed Andrew to further her own agenda. He warns that he hasn’t joined Black Claw yet, and says that to win, Renard will need a family. She points out that he already has a daughter and Adalind is the mother. Eve watches them from the bar.
At the gym, Nick and Hank talk to Larry. He describes the argument between Vasquez and Goyo, and explains that Vasquez wasn’t supposed to lose but he did. The manager mentions Goyo’s new mask and gives them Benito’s address. Rosalee calls Nick and says that she talked to one of the Santeros. He told her that the masks are powerful and a user could lose their mind.
Goyo goes to Benito’s shop and tells the mask maker that it won’t come off. Benito says that it can only be removed with a Santeria ceremony, and Goyo hallucinates the mask telling him to stop Benito or the old man will destroy him. Benito insists that he’s trying to help him, but Goyo throws him across the room.
Nick and Hank arrive at the shop and hear the commotion. They go in and find Goyo beating Benito. Goyo throws them both off and Nick tackles the wrestle and manages to pin him. Benito says that they can only save Goyo with a ceremony before dying of his wounds.
Monroe and Rosalee are at home discussing the stick when Nick calls. He explains the situation and Rosalee knows the ceremony from what the Santero told her. The couple agrees to perform the ceremony. When they get there, Rosalee prepares the magic circle and Nick and Hank bring Goyo in. She pours the boiling potion on the mask and recites the words, and the mask loosens. Goyo wakes up and Nick tells him that Benito is dead. The wrestler insists that the mask made him, and Hank tells him that he killed Vasquez as well. Goyo hallucinates the masks talking to him, insisting that they’re protecting him, and he tells them to get the mask away from him as it reverts to DeFonte’s human face.
Later, Nick makes an entry in his own journal about the case. He figures that Goyo went mad when exposed to the personalities of the previous warriors.
Renard calls Adalind and says that he knows a way to get Diana back.
Written by Gadfly on Mar 19, 2016