The Magellan Cross

**"The Magellan Cross"** is the first episode of the second season of *Almost Paradise*, serving as the season premiere. The episode was first released on July 21, 2023, on Amazon FreeVee.

## Synopsis

Two thugs, Sonny and Pepe, are threatening Father Gabriel at his church, looking for the Magellan Cross, an artifact that was brought to Cebu by explorer Ferdinand Magellan in the 1500s. The cross was buried with Magellan when he died in the Battle of Mactan in 1521 and the cross has cultural and historical significance to the area. The thugs believe that Father Gabriel is in possession of the cross and threaten to kill him if he does not turn it over. Father Gabriel refuses, and one of the thugs kills him by accident. Looking to cover up the murder, the thugs burn down the church.

At the Paradise Gift Shop, Alex Walker is stocking shelves when Detectives Kai Mendoza and Ernesto Alamares come to ask him to help rebuild the church. Alex agrees, as he is looking to get to know the community more. While at the church, Alex determines that the fire was arson and is able to determine that Father Gabriel was murdered based on photos of the body. The group also find a tomb buried beneath the floor of the church, which includes as wooden cross-shaped box. However, it turns out to be empty.

Knowing the cross was the target, the empty box is added to a charity auction in order to draw out the killer. Socialite Ann Villegas, the organizer of the auction, pays ₱500,000 (US$8,876.66 in 2023). Since the cross box was marketed as a wooden cross, only someone who knew about the Magellan Cross would pay that much, making Ann the prime suspect.

The group goes to Father Gabriel’s funeral, where Father Rodrigo is giving the eulogy. Father Rodrigo tells Ernesto, Kai, and Alex, that he went to seminary school with Father Gabriel and will be taking over the church. Ernesto asks Rodrigo if he knows where the cross is, but he does not. Ernesto and Rodrigo start retracing Gabriel’s steps to find the cross while Kai and Alex look for the killer.

Kai and Alex covertly watch Ann Villegas open the box in her house and scream in frustration at the fact that it is empty. Kai decides to have Alex get close to Ann in order to find out more information. The two meet later that night and hit it off, but are interrupted when gunmen storm the house looking for the cross. Ann explains that the cross was hidden in the church by her grandfather and she was trying to get it back. Knowing Ann is not the killer, Alex and Kai decide to have Chief Ike Ocampo give a press conference to announce that Ann will be donating her collection to the museum in order to trick the killer into attacking the delivery truck.

Ernesto and Rodrigo retrace Gabriel’s steps and discover that he placed a statue of the Virgin Mary in the rec center where he coached basketball the week before he died. Suspecting that the cross is inside, they take the statue back to the church for further inspection. Meanwhile, the thugs attack the truck as planned and are stopped by police. While this is happening, Ernesto and Rodrigo find the cross in the base of the statue. They are interrupted by Father Christo, who is the real priest taking over for Father Gabriel. Rodrigo pulls out a gun and reveals that he is actually the criminal who wanted the cross and flees, only to be caught by Alex and Kai.

The cross is returned to Ann, who agrees to have it displayed in the church, which has been rebuilt, and to have her family cover any associated security costs. Alex attempts to rekindle his romance with Ann, but she refuses because he lied to her about his reasoning for wanting to meet with her.

## Cast

### Main

* Christian Kane as Alex Walker
* Samantha Richelle as Detective Kai Mendoza
* Arthur Acuña as Detective Ernesto Alamares
* Nonie Buencamino as Chief Ike Ocampo

### Recurring

* Sophia Reola as Rita Cordero
* Max Collins as Ann Villegas

### Guest

* Reece Ritchie as Father Rodrigo
* Jamie Wilson as Pepe
* Neo Rivera as Sonny
* Shirley Reyes as Reporter/Auctioneer
* Ruby Ruiz as Diana
* Carlo Orosa as Father Gabriel
* Brian Sy as Professor
* Jaime Fabregas as Father Christo