Don Rafael Montero

Don Rafael Montero is the main antagonist in the 1998 film The Mask of Zorro.

He is portrayed by Stuart Wilson, who also portrays Jack Travis.

Biography
Montero is the corrupt governor of California who fancied the wife of Diego de la Vega, the original Zorro. When he uncovers de la Vega's identity, he infiltrates his house and de la Vega's wife Esperanza is accidently killed by one of Montero's soliers, who is then himself killed by a furious Montero. He then arrests de la Vega and takes his infant daughter Elena and raises her as his own, but de la Vega swears vengeance on Montero.

Twenty years later, an aged de la Vega finds an apprentice named Alejandro Murrieta, whom he trains to become the new Zorro. Together, the two Zorros confront Montero and his second-in-command, Captain Harrison Love, and Elena discovers that de la Vega is her true father. During the climax, Alejandro battles Love while de la Vega crosses swords with Montero, but he is mortally wounded by Montero during the fight. However, de la Vega manages to kill Montero by dragging him behind a wagon filled with gold bars and over a cliff, where the screaming Montero falls to his death. The wagon also lands on top of Love, who happens to be right below the cliff, crushing him.