Bandidos, the Mexican Netflix Original, which loosely translates to robbers in Spanish, is a seven-episode heist comedy drama. A heist drama has to focus on a large cast planning the deed together, as seen in many films in the genre. Every person has a role to play in the bigger scheme of things as they focus on carrying out a crime. Bandidos has several such characters who play their part diligently to reach the end point, which is to claim the ancient treasure they are seeking.
Spoilers Ahead
Miguel Morales
The leader of the group is a seasoned thief who has immense knowledge of history and archaeology thanks to his father. Miguel was raised by Juan Morales, who spent most of his time looking for treasure and chasing archaeologists in the hope of seeking ancient treasures. Juan was a professor, but in the present day, he is suffering from dementia. Juan has trained Miguel and his adopted brother, Ariel. Miguel and Ariel were brothers from different mothers and chose different paths for themselves.
Miguel is also a conman who lures tourists into caves in the hope of giving them access to supposed treasures that are fake in exchange for cash. Miguel is currently obsessed with Mayan gold, aka Aj Took’s treasure, and plans to form a team that will help him get his hands on it. He is successful in forming a team that is filled with awkward and confident people who have their own agendas to fulfill. All of them want the treasure if they manage to locate it. Miguel’s agenda is to offer his father better healthcare and pay for the facilities at the old age home he was admitted to. Wilson, Miguel’s uncle, sided with him on this venture and helped him secure a team that would not betray them.
The team was formed only on the call to split the treasure into equal shares, which would be sufficient to help all of them lead a secure life. Miguel is a goofy character who refuses to become responsible and take things seriously, yet this behavior of his does not mar his intelligence. The man is smart but many times his plans have faltered which almost killed him. There is a camaraderie he has created that helps everyone get along with each other and follow the goal of finding the treasure.
Lili
Lili happens to be the con-woman and has several identities. Lili is Miguel’s ex-girlfriend, and they seem to have had an on-and-off relationship ever since the breakup. Lili sees Miguel for who he is, and this time around, she joins the team not for him but only for the money. Her life is under threat, and her desire to run off to another country with a new passport and identity is what makes her want to earn some money before the big move. Lili fully engrossed herself in the teamwork and the plans they’ve drawn up to get going on the treasure hunt.
Lili makes sure not to let the love and hate they have shared hamper their plans. At times, Lili comes forward to rescue Miguel from several dangerous situations. Lili is also trying to find answers from Ariel, as he definitely comes across as an arrogant man willing to gloat over the success of his establishment. Lili did not let anyone reduce her to just a beautiful woman. She took advantage of her beauty to let the heist go in their favor, including one time when she gatecrashed a church and manipulated a pastor to work with them. Lili is sadly burdened with many issues, which leaves her with the tendency to betray her group. Lili is as desperate as the rest.
Wilson
Wilson is Miguel’s uncle and Juan’s younger brother. As family, Wilson is someone who always supports Miguel’s endeavors, however smart or childish they may be. Wilson is also a thief and a manipulator who helps Miguel get out of murky situations. Since the plan of getting hold of Aj Took’s treasure was made, Wilson was in it right from the start and does not back away from any plan his nephew has come up with to seek it. Bandidos begins with the death of the descendant of Francisco de Montejo, and all hell breaks loose in Miguel and his small team, which includes Wilson as well. The man is an elderly gentleman who gave everything he had to Miguel just because of the respect he had for his brother Juan Morales. Wilson is diagnosed with cancer, but he chooses to keep it to himself until he feels right. Wilson is the one who introduced Octavio to the group, and he is the arsenal all of them require to get rid of the bullies and businessmen that were bothering Miguel and trying to get their hands on the treasure they were seeking.
Ines
Ines is a no-nonsense police officer who does not tolerate incompetence and corruption. She has just transferred out of Mexico City to the countryside, and her first case happens to be the murder of Luis Montejo, who was drowned with his skin peeled off his belly. Ines admonishes her superior officers for misbehaving with her and is hell-bent on finding out who the killer is and what his motive could be. Ines is tired of the system and the pressure it puts on her to become a corrupt official, as well as the constant harassment by her ex-husband. She is seeking money to put her husband on the back foot and receive full custody of her son. While she chooses to be on the path of righteousness, in the course of Miguel’s arrest she hears about his plan to seek and rob the treasure before anyone else does. This makes her contemplate every life choice she’s made so far. Miguel is successful in making a cop a part of the hunt. Her presence offers the group protection from the police and further arrests. There is a constant scare amongst the rest of the group, and they wonder if Ines is a spy for the police, and it becomes a burden for her from that point on to prove to people otherwise. Her only aim is to gather enough money to countersue her husband and get her son back.
Lucas
Lucas is the son of a rich businesswoman who runs several hotels around the world. Miguel is an employee of the hotel, and he happens to lure Lucas into this group. Lucas is a hacker who happens to know a lot about technology. In any work leading up to the robbery, his job requires him to hack into the security system and mess with the CCTV cameras. This gives the robbers enough time to carry out their deed without having to worry about the strategically placed cameras.
Lucas is the neglectful child of rich parents who spent most of their time around the world expanding their hotel business. The hotel is his home, and the staff takes care of every need of his. As a young guy in his early twenties, the boy has never had a girlfriend before and soon begins to fall in love with Citlali.
Lucas is a classic case of a nerd, introvert, and tech whiz who is forced to find company in people who can be dangerous to him. Since there is no one to guide him, he gets carried away by Miguel’s vision for money. Lucas technically does not need money, but the thrill of involving himself in a crime gives him a high.
Ariel
Ariel and Miguel were raised by the same father, Juan Morales. Ariel is an adoptive son and just like Miguel, he is a fan of the history of their country, which involves stories of conquistadors. Unlike Miguel, Ariel plans to open a museum and wants to retain the treasure for the public to view. Ariel learns of Miguel’s plans to search for Aj Took’s treasures and wants to get his hands on the same for his museum. Ariel initially comes across as someone who is noticeably a rival, but wouldn’t cross the boundary to hurt anyone associated with Miguel. It turns out he would in fact do just that to get his hands on the map of the treasure Miguel has. Ariel plans to bribe many people onto his side, but he fails to find a connection with anyone because of his selfish and backstabbing nature. Unlike Miguel, Ariel is not an emotional person and plans to get the treasure for himself by any means possible.
Miscellaneous Characters
Octavio: Octavio is an ex-army personnel who is introduced to the group by Wilson in case they can put his combat skills to use against any enemies formed in this journey to seek the treasure. Octavio is a sensitive person, not at all like anyone assumes him to be because of his physical build. He is a solid addition to the group and helps Miguel and his group with many expeditions. He is an honest person as well, and he has a history with Lili. He is not keen on joining the mission initially and has a couple of meltdowns over certain mishaps, but chooses to stay with the team till the end.
Citlali: Citlali is a diver who is introduced in the first episode as an expert pickpocket. She plans to join the team after the team requires specialized people to gather the keys needed to open the treasure. Citlali has a troubled life as well, and she wants the money to offer her mother and siblings a better home. Citlali and Lucas get closer and eventually fall in love as they begin to spend a lot of time together. Citlali also plays an essential role in helping Lucas steal money from his parents, and she willingly shares some money she saved for her family with him. This shows her empathetic side, which is unexpected in a group of people who might turn against each other at any given point.
Burnt Face: Burnt Face is a character with no real name but comes across as intimidating. He follows Miguel, Wilson, and their group right from the start, when Luis Montejo is found dead. It is assumed this man was behind the death, but Ines only went after Miguel. Burnt Face is hell-bent on locating the same treasure Miguel and Ariel are after and creates many obstacles to them getting hold of the keys to the treasure. When he fails to stop them that way, he goes after Miguel’s dementia-ridden father and gets Ariel to work with him for more information regarding the location. His anger and rage towards Miguel are not understood throughout Bandidos season 1 until he reveals his true self. His identity is a shock, but that does not stop Miguel from getting hold of the gold that needs to be retrieved.
