El Rey (episode)

*For the character, see El Rey.*

Links| * Rooster Teeth
* YouTube

"**El Rey**" is the sixth episode of *Nomad of Nowhere*. It premiered to Rooster Teeth FIRST members on April 20, 2018 and was released to the public on April 27, 2018.
A mid-season break immediately followed it, with the seventh episode airing later the same year.

## Synopsis

Toth and Skout chase the Nomad into a sandstorm. Seeking refuge, the Nomad stumbles upon an abandoned fort, and curiously encounters visions of a time long ago. Meanwhile, Toth squares off with a beast that thrives in the harsh sandstorms.

## Summary

Traveling across the desert with Toth and Skout following closely behind, the Nomad is forced to enter a violent sandstorm to escape. After nearly being struck by a bolt of lightning, the Nomad stumbles across an old fort in the storm. Entering it for shelter, the Nomad briefly explores the interior, seeing multiple copies of the same symbol; A crown with an eye in the center. After creating a few critters for company, the Nomad falls asleep.

Meanwhile, Skout and Toth are standing at the edge of the sandstorm. Skout is reluctant about going into the storm, but does so after being reassured by Toth. In the storm, the two encounter a creature that appears to be a cross between a rhinoceros and a stegosaurus, which is able to absorb energy when hit by the frequent lightning of the storms. Though Toth and Skout are able to defeat and kill it, Skout receives a serious injury, forcing Toth to choose between continuing the pursuit and risk Skout dying, or withdrawing to get Skout help, ultimately opting for the latter.

Back inside the fort, an old Y'dala woman wakes the Nomad and beckons him to follow her. As he does, he has multiple visions. In the first, he witnesses a man fighting his way through monsters and traps to ultimately get to a crown inside an old castle. In the next, after coming to a throne with the same crown eye symbol, the Nomad sees the same man, now a benevolent king, performing many kind deeds, from curing a crippled child, to providing food to people in a famine, and uplifting the spirits of the destitute. However, as time goes on, and the king gets older, the power of the crown diminishes, until one day, it ceases to work. In an attempt to rectify the problem, the king calls upon a wizard to help restore magic to the crown. Though successful, the crown becomes corrupted, and consumes the wizard. Placing the crown back on his head, the old king is rejuvenated into a young man again, but follows a path of evil, demanding more beings of magic power to feed to the crown. In the last flashback, the evil king is seen in front of his subjects, who have grown angry with him over his harsh treatment of them. Rather than see the error of his ways, the king transforms one of his soldiers into a minotaur and orders him to destroy his opposition. The king then appoints the soldier and three other individuals as his governors to help him oversee all of Nowhere, revealing the man to be El Rey.

Back in the Oasis, Don Paragon reprimands Toth for her failure to capture the Nomad inside the sandstorm. Despite explaining that she was seeking help for an injured Skout, Don Paragon insists she should have left Skout to die and continue pursuing the Nomad, revealing an arrangement between the two; Toth would give Don Paragon the Nomad, and Don Paragon would present the Nomad to El Rey, who the Don hopes will make him a governor to control the southwest territory of Nowhere, and will then provide magic to Toth's people, the Y'dala, who need magic to survive. During this, Don kills one of the Dandy Lions, who questions his motivations, revealing the Don's ruthless nature.

Skout, having recovered slightly from her wounds, is waiting to see Toth after she comes out from meeting Don Paragon. When she exits, Toth ignores Skout and walks past her, disappointing Skout, who wished to show her appreciation for saving her life.

With the storm now passed, the Nomad exits the fort and continues across the wasteland.

## Transcript

Y'dala Elder: What a wonderful gift you have! Shh. Do not be afraid. All are welcome here. The storm outside is growing worse
but it is good to see magic again.
Hmm?

Oh, nonsense. Your magic is important, wanderer.

Do you not understand?

Oh... My dear. Thank the stars you were brought to this place.

Come! Follow me. There is so much to show you!

Skout: You wanna go... in there? I know you're not normally the joking type, Toth, but are you trying out jokes now?

Toth: It's the only place the Nomad could've gone. There's no way he gets far inside of that thing. This might be our only chance.

Skout: Yeah, it might. But if we go in after him it might as well be our tomb! These Nowhere storms are savagerous! They'll zap the brains right out of your head- assuming you don't wind up lost and buried in the sands first.

Toth: Don't let a book tell you what you can't do. I think you can handle this.

Skout: You really think so? Well, then, I think so, too!

Skout:I think I might've just remembered the fact that I'm no good at this bravery thing! Maybe we should head on back?

Toth: Just a little further! He's got to be close!

Bounty Hunter: Aargh, my brains!

Skout: I know catching the Nomad's important to you but he ain't gonna do us any good if this storm fricassees us! We can't hunt him if we're dead!

Toth: So don't die, then!

Skout: Yeah... about that...

Skout: Whoa!

Toth: What's this thing even doing out here?!

Toth: Oh.

Skout: Sure! That makes sense.

Skout: Oh, think, you dunderhead!

Skout: Yes!

Skout: Cow patties.....

Toth: Skout! Can you hear me?

Skout: Hey... I hope he didn't zap your brains.

Toth: No... No, I got him.

Skout:That makes sense. I'm feeling a mite bit fuzzy-ish. You go get that Nomad without me. I'll just... wait... here....

Toth [VOICE BREAKS]: Skout?

Skout: Do you know where Toth is?

Don Paragon: So, Toth, let me get this straight. You and that cute-as-a-button, what's-her-name, of yours circle the Nomad for weeks on end, and just when you're on his trail and have him cornered in a Nowhere storm--you abandoned your search?

Toth: Yes, Don Paragon. We... had an emergency.

Don Paragon: Oh, thank goodness! For a second I thought you'd started considering going back on our deal. Because that's the only explanation I can come up with in my pretty little cabeza for why you'd come back to me again empty-handed!

Toth: It was one of my soldiers! She--

Don Paragon: No! Not one of your soldiers, your spittoon girl! You know what I do when one of my possessions starts failing me right in the middle of something important?! I leave it behind and get a new one! When we first met, the thing that impressed me the most about you was that you were willing to do anything to save your people. Your lot may live longer than most, but they won't get far without my help. They need magic. I need the Nomad. But I need the Nomad to give them magic. Don't you know how this works?

Dandy Lion: I don't! Sorry.

Don Paragon: When I bring El Rey the Nomad he's going to reward me for doing what none of his other governors have done for the last one hundred years; He's going to make me one of them, and give me all the powers that come with the title!

Dandy Lion: So, would that make you the Governor of the Southwest? The South-Southwest? Sorry, I don't mean to criticize or nothing! It's just if neither of those have much of a ring to it- Aagh!

Don Paragon: Don't! Does anyone else want to critique my life goals? How about you, Toth? Do you have a better plan to help your people than doing it through me, my way?
[SNAPS FINGERS]

I never thought I'd have to tell you, of all people, to stop caring so much. I need you back on my side. Help me, help you, help me- become a Governor. Then we both get what we want!

[INHALES SHARPLY]

Toth: I'm sorry, sir. It- it won't happen again.

Don Paragon: Good. Now, one of you fetch somebody to clean this mess up. I've got fencing practice to attend to.

Red Manuel: Red Manuel knew he'd watch you fail!

Skout: Toth! I can't believe you... saved me... Oh, okay, I'll see you later!

## Character Appearances

* The Nomad
* Skout
* Toth
* Don Paragon
* Red Manuel
* El Rey  (Flashback)
* Toro  (Flashback)

**Minor Characters**

* Y'dala Elder  (First Appearance)
* Dandy Lion

## Trivia

* When this episode was first released on the Rooster Teeth website, it had a different thumbnail. The thumbnail was of El Rey sitting in his throne room until it was changed to the final one of Skout showing Toth a book entry.
* The Nomad's vision of El Rey adventuring, scaling the tower despite obstacles and retrieving the crown is remarkably similar to the events the main character of "Sir Knight of Nothing" goes through.
	+ "Sir Knight of Nothing" is a short film Georden Whitman created in college and is the primary inspiration for *Nomad of Nowhere*.

## Notes

* This is the first episode to show blood. Once, when Toth stabs the Electric Rhino's eye, another, when Skout is shown bleeding from the Rhino's attack, and a third time when Don Paragon stabs one of his soldiers for criticizing him.
* This episode reveals the world's backstory, as well as giving some explanation as to why Don Paragon and Toth want the Nomad of Nowhere so badly.

## References

1. ↑ **Jordan Cweirz's Journal**
2. ↑ **Georden Whitman's Tweet**