Klay is astounded to finally meet Crisostomo Ibarra, Noli Me Tángere's protagonist, after fleeing from Maria Clara.
As the woman's painful screams continue with the whips striking her, Klay confronts Professor Torres after he warns her not to intervene so as to not get harmed by the guards as well. He attempts to leave before she stops him to explain why he sent her in Noli. Torres tells her that she needs to learn the entire history of Philippine society, and that she should be glad that she gets to witness all of it firsthand.
However, Klay is neither impressed nor thankful. She finds his teaching methods extreme and asks what she did to deserve this other than slacking in his class and plagiarizing her homework, reasoning that she was never given a fair time to finish her book review to begin with. Torres says that her fate is now in her own hands and that she has to learn the entire novel if she wants to return to the real world. Klay bends to her knees, pleading to be sent back to her mother and brother. Still, Torres insists. Perhaps this is the only way to change Klay's destiny.
Exasperated, Klay angrily asks what he has to do with her own destiny and accuses him of trying to be a god and a sorcerer. She demands that if he found a way to bring her into the novel, he must find a way to get her out. Torres then looks deeply into her eyes. Suddenly, Klay flashes back to when she was nursing a foreign patient, who asked her if she was a Filipino. The foreigner told her that his wife was a Filipina who had scammed him, which made him disdain the people. Klay merely answered that she was from Thailand, saying that she'd rather "die than be a Filipino." Because of this, Torres warns Klay that she will become like many others who are ashamed of their origins. He even adds that he is doing her a favor and that maybe one day she would thank him - however, she retorts that he is only a professor, so he cannot simply impose whatever he wants for her.
In the distance, the guards bring the whipped woman, Lucia, to the barracks. Torres also disappears.
Back in the convent, Maria Clara asks Victoria about Klay, wondering if something had happened to her. Victoria tells her not to worry, saying that only God is up to her fate. She asks if Maria will be inviting her to the gathering in Maria Clara's home. The two are revealed to finally be able to leave the beaterio, but Victoria wonders if Maria Clara's fiancé, Crisostomo Ibarra, has finally arrived from Europe - Maria Clara sighs in hopefulness.
Soon, a carriage arrives in town. On it is a man, Crisostomo Ibarra Y Magsalin, observing the streets and comments on the poor still living in poverty. The main protagonist of Noli Me Tangere has finally appeared. At the same time, Klay continues to search for Professor Torres. Her search comes to a dead end just as Ibarra exits the carriage in front of the Fonda de Lala (Fonda Francesca de Lala Ary) hotel. Overhearing this, Klay's jaw drops while staring at him. He notices this and asks why she is looking at him funny. Klay asks if he truly is Crisostomo Ibarra, Maria Clara's boyfriend fiancé which he confirms. In return, he asks her for her name and how she knew her. Not wanting to be accused as a crazed woman again, she lies and answers that the two briefly met not long ago in the beaterio, but she only apparently saw the lady and never met her in person.
Klay takes a moment to stare at Ibarra again, sighing deeply in awe and disbelief. She momentarily slips by saying that she couldn't believe that the novel character is finally in front of her until she corrects herself, telling him that she is glad to have met him. She offers a handshake, but he is confused. Before he can finish his greeting, Kapitan Tiago, Maria Clara's father, calls for him. Tiago informs him that Maria Clara is also excited to meet him again, and his return calls for a celebration. At the same time, Maria Clara is seen reading Ibarra's letters to her and sheds tears of joy. The two enter the hotel, leaving Klay alone outside.
Despite everything that had happened, Klay only finally absorbs the realization that she is in Noli Me Tangere after recalling Crisostomo Ibarra and Kapitan Tiago's names. Without a plan, she enters the hotel to look for the novel's protagonist.
Inside, Tiago hands the keys to Room 23 to Ibarra. The latter tells him that he had hoped that his father would also be able to reunite with him after his return. Perhaps he is too busy handling business in San Diego, the Ibarra family's hometown. Tiago tells him not to think of the matters at the moment, considering that his journey was long, and he needs to rest with a celebration still coming tonight. Ibarra's mood visibly sours, but he tries to keep his spirits up. When he sits down to have a sip of his tea, he notices Klay sneaking into the hotel. The two nod at each other in acknowledgement.
When Ibarra leaves the hotel, Klay follows shortly behind. Although annoyed, he turns around and asks who Klay truly is and why she is following him. He warns her that it is not appropriate for a lady like her to follow a man with already betrothed to someone. She commends his ego and replies that she isn't following because she likes him, but because she hasn't eaten since morning. She had been looking for a job as a fish-out-of-water in town and he happened to fit her ideal employer as someone who is kind and compassionate. True to her impression of him, Ibarra begins to look for his wallet only to find it missing from his pockets, but offers for her to meet his friends who may be able to help her.
In Cafe La Campana, Ibarra reunites with three of his ilustrado peers, or educated men. One of them, Fidel, notices Klay. Ibarra explains that she is a visitor in the city and has not yet eaten lunch. Like Maria Clara, Ibarra's friends mistake her for a mestiza de Sangley (Chinese woman). Fidel teases Ibarra for his eagerness to help her, but he warns him to not easily make such a false accusation lest his fiancé hears the rumor.
The group settles down to eat, but Klay suddenly sits down among them. They ask her if she's on the wrong table. Fidel notes how an unmarried lady such as her is unbothered of what people might say about her. Ibarra then asks her to sit alone in a table away from them, as many might find it strange for her to mingle among them. Annoyed, Klay mutters how conservative the people in the era were and apologizes before moving over.
Klay is handed a menu but is unable to understand the Spanish words. Fidel mistakes her for someone who is illiterate, but Ibarra doesn't mind this and orders a pollo de adobado for her. He turns to her and says that the meal will be delicious - "es muy delicioso". Fidel snarkily comments that if Ibarra wasn't betrothed to Maria Clara, he would have assumed that his standards have lowered when it comes to women. This earned him a laugh from the ilustrados, much to Ibarra's chagrin. Klay's pollo de adobado is finally served at her table and to her surprise, it is simply adobong manok.
At the men's table, Ibarra discusses how the Universidad de Londres (University of London) have granted women the access to education. Fidel dismisses this, saying that European women are flowers that are so easy to pick. If women were to become as smart as men, he says, it may become a curse for them. Ibarra chuckles silently, while his other friends add that obedient women are blessings from heaven - but women who completed education in universities are bound to be the cause of men's headaches. Triggered and unimpressed, Klay stands up and approaches them.
Klay remarks on the ilustrados' words toward women, and tells them that a day will come when their female grandchildren study in universities. They could become nurses, doctors, attorneys, economists, and even presidents of the Philippines. Fidel whispers to Ibarra in English that the foolish Klay is "losing it." Entertained, Ibarra says that "hunger is one of the causes of insanity." However, she is able to understand them, and speaks in the language as well. She emphasizes that intelligence has nothing to do with one's gender, and that "everyone - men, women, children, even the rich and the poor - has that basic human right to education."
Ibarra is amazed at her proficiency in English, but Klay ignores the compliment, stating that they shouldn't think that they're the only children of God. Fidel also finds himself impressed and asks how she learned English - not just any kind of English, according to Ibarra's other friend, but at a level that is not yet taught in Las Filipinas. Ibarra asks if she traveled in America or London. However, she answers that she studied in PLM, but doesn't elaborate and returns to her table to resume her meal. The conversation ends with the ilustrados exchanging looks between themselves and at Klay.
End of Episode 3.
Images courtesy of GMA Drama. No copyright infringement intended.
Recap Notes:
- Fonda de Lala (Fonda Francesca de Lala Ary) was a hotel that Jose Rizal, Noli's author, stayed in after arriving from Europe. This is an easy-to-miss detail in the show, but I still included the name here as a fun fact.
- Recalling from Episode 2, Mestiza de Sangleys were sort of considered as "exotic beauty" back then (even now, so to speak). Klay didn't exactly look like a Chinese person, but she fitted the description of an exotic beauty. This is why Fidel teases Ibarra for helping her, because he assumed that he (Ibarra) found her beautiful - which also means Fidel finds Klay pretty!
- As mentioned in the previous recap post, the untranslated Spanish/Tagalog words are done on purpose. I will be putting the untranslated words and adding the closest English meaning in beside it. When the word is repeated later on, the original word will instead be retained.