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Paola Santiago Not part of Riordanverse

The following article/section is from the Paola Santiago continuity under Rick Riordan Presents and not the Riordanverse canon.

I’m so proud of you, Paola. Please remember, you’re not bound by what I am. Or what “she” was. You are your own person-only you get to decide who you’re going to be. And you have an incredible guide in your mother. The best there is.

–Beto telling Pao her lineage doesn’t define her before closing the void in Paola Santiago and the Forest of Nightmares.

Beto (also known as César Santiago) is the eldest child of La Llorona.

History[]

Paola Santiago

Paola Santiago, his daughter.

Beto was the first of three children born to La Llorona and her lover. When his father walked out on their family, his mother drowned him and his younger siblings in a fit of rage before killing herself in remorse. When his mother became the ruler of The Rift, she resurrected him and he walked away from her to taking a life to restore him.

Beto eventually adopted the name César Santiago and married and woman named Maria and had a daughter with her. However he left when their daughter was five and relocated to Oregon. After some time, the soul used to resurrect him started to take control of his body. He was forced to leave his wife and daughter for their safety.

Paola Santiago series[]

Paola Santiago and the River of Tears[]

Paola Santiago sees his life, death, and leaving his family to avoid others dying to return to life through his mother's memories. Pao thinks he looks familiar to her upon seeing his face.

Paola Santiago and the Forest of Nightmares[]

Pao dreams of him, begging for help. Eventually she makes his way to his trailer and he Higgs her upon seeing her. After a minute, Pao starts to ask questions, but he starts to talk to himself and she realizes he was talking to her. Bruto guards her as she walks away, but the man says he can answer her questions. Pao tries to run, but she is ensnared in tendrils of dark energy. She calls to Bruto for help, but he only obeys the man. Pao struggles helplessly as she is pulled into the trailer.

The inside of the trailer houses numerous scientific equipment and a metal chair which he moves her to. He explains that Pao's dreams take her places, that she actually traveled back in time to save Dante. He explains how Carmela Mata has left her body due to traveling back to save Dante as well. He goes on to explain that he failed to get Pao when she was in The Rift, but has been whispering to Dante since then, manipulating him to get Pao to come to him. Pao blames herself as he shows her Dante, who he plans to dispose after everything is finished. As the man prepares to do something, Pao asks why he won’t look her in the eye. He reluctantly does so and she sees his life, after a while he apologizes to Pao. He reveals that he is La Llorona's son as the soul he shares his body with takes over. His wife manages to get him back in control of his body when she arrives. He explains how he has a plan to close the void and separate himself from the other soul. However the process will most likely kill him. As Maria leaves, Beto has Pao strap him into the chair and tells her to wait until the other soul takes control before aiming a device at him. Pao feels angry but obeys, waiting until the other soul taken control before activating the device. The soul is successfully purged from his body and he survives the ordeal.

His wife rents a van to sit all fifteen of them and drives back to Silver Springs, breaking up with Aaron, her boyfriend, upon returning home. After the niños lose the protection of their camp, he gives them his trailer after they takeover a warehouse.

Between the Books[]

In March, they get a hit that an opening to the Void might be in British Columbia and he takes Franco and Pao to Canada with him. Thinking his daughter might help him find the Void, he is disappointed when they fail.

Paola Santiago and the Sanctuary of Shadows[]

Eight months after regaining control over his body, he finds Pao by the Mata's apartment with her Arma del Alma drawn after seeing a rat. Beto tells his daughter to come home and Pao says she will come in a few minutes. He speaks with Maria about Pao as he waits and stops when she arrives. His wife leaves and he asks Pao about training. Eventually Pao says she wants to do more to find Dante, but he says he and the niños will handle it and he wants her to enjoy a normal life. After asking why he brought her to Canada, Beto explains that he thought Pao might trigger something in the area.

A couple of days later, he and Maria get a call from Emma’s mom about Pao joining Emma on a trip and vanishing with three other girls. When Pao returns they rush outside and are shocked to see Dante. After Pao's parents greet everyone, they go to the living room where Maria tells Pao about their call with Emma’s mother. As he is uncertain what to reveal in front of Robin and Kit, Pao informs them that it is El Cucuy Who is behind it and explains how he is building an army. Beto scolds Pao for disobeying him as Pao berates that she took action as he and the Niños just stood around. After he and Maria talk, Beto gathers some things and tells them he is taking them to the Niños's warehouse and shoots down Robin's request to contact her fathers, much to Pao's anger. Beto drives the children and Bruto to the warehouse and tells them to wait as he talks with Franco. While he has his back to the kids, Pao tells Robin about a nearby bus stop and she runs to it while Kit volunteers to stay. He drops them off and goes to speak with Franco. He and Franco step outside just as Pao reveals to the Niños that they have been keeping them in the dark. The Niños berate Franco for keeping them in the dark as Beto berates Pao for disobeying him. He says he will keep her away from the fighting until Pao reveals she is the entry point. Beto takes Pao to discuss this further. Beto asks Pao for her arma del alma, but she cannot find it. After a while she questions her father on why he needs it and he gives her a half answer. Pao remembers having it back at the apartment and he realizes Robin is missing. Pao says she went home and he asks for her address. Kit gives him the street and, not remembering the number, describes it. He. and Franco go to bring Robin back. However he and Franco find her and tie her up, They accuse Robin is a copy who was switched out with the real one after El Cucuy caught them portaling. They also theorize she stole Pao's spirit weapon, which could reveal her true nature, and ditched it before they found her. Pao, Kit, and Emma are angry upon seeing their friend tied up upon returning and try to convince them otherwise to no avail as they take Robin into the office. Soon after Pao calls Maria and his wife brings Robin's fathers to the warehouse and demands Beto let them in. Beto tries to keep them out and says it is a delicate matter that they are dealing with as Maria forces her way inside. The Longs are shocked to find their daughter tied up. Jonathan demands they call the authorities while Todd says to hear them out. Pao says they need to think of a memory with very little emotional attachment Robin might have and they ask her what she called the cat belonging to an old neighbor of theirs. Robin answers sprinkles and they are happy she answered right and untie her. Franco protests as Marisa returns and scolds Franco for his behavior before pinning him against the wall. He apologizes to his daughter, calling her a true leader. Soon the ground shakes and he goes to check his equipment.

After Pao informs him Dante is the copy and has just opened a gateway to the Void, he informs Pao he has no clue how to close an entrance as his daughter reveals she absorbed her shadow self, who knew how to close portals with a phrase, but she does not know it but Shadow Dante might. Soon Shadow Dante projects the nightmares of all present and threatens to kill those who aided Pao last, after watching their families and friends die. Shadow Dante vanishes, along with their hope of learning the phrase, and the images stop. As everyone in the warehouse panics, Pao gets everyone’s attention and reveals that she is the granddaughter of La Llorona. Most of the crowd is shocked as Pao holds out her magnifying glass and says she will fight for them. Naomi, Marisa, Beto, and half those present stand with her while the other half declare their loyalty after Franco does. After the Longs reappear, Jonathan puts something about the fight on social media hoping some people come. Pao joins him and Franco in the office to strategize. Franco thinks El Cucuy is scaring them into thinning their ranks until beto reveals recent articles around the world confirming El Cucuy is targeting everywhere. When Naomi comes in they have no plan, but Beto is working on one. As he is leading a charge against the enemy, Pao comes through a portal holding a cube, the source of El Cucuy's power, and he and the others each take on some of the fear as the enemy vanishes when the cube disintegrates. After the battle he blames himself for Franco’s death and Pao tries to cheer him up before she goes over to Emma.

After searching Señora Mata's belongings at the assistant living facility, it is revealed she was actually very wealthy and left specific instructions on how it was to be divided. She insisted Pao, Emma, and Dante attend therapy until they come of legal age. Dante is adopted by him and Maria, who also receive enough from Señora Mata to buy the Riverside Palace Apartments and renovate it so that the residents have clean water, working temperature control, and windows they can look out. The Santiagos put the residents up at the town’s best hotel and are combining their apartment with the Mata's old apartment to fit their new family. On the first Día de los Muertos since Señora Mata died, Beto and Maria greet the Emma and their children when they reach the Riverside Palace and tell the three to place the food on Señora Mata's alter.

Appearance[]

Beto is a young Hispanic man in his late teens with dark hair, dark eyes, and a dark complexion. Years later he has grown into a man with graying wavy hair. His face has chubby checks.

Personality[]

Beto is young man who does not want others to suffer for his sake.

Beto is willing to do whatever he can to keep his family safe, even if it mean lying to them.

Paola Santiago series
Books: Paola Santiago and the River of Tears | Paola Santiago and the Forest of Nightmares | Paola Santiago and the Sanctuary of Shadows
Main Characters: Paola Santiago | Dante Mata | Emma Lockwood | Bruto | Naomi
Secondary Characters: Maria Santiago | Ondina | Marisa Martínez | Carmela Mata | Beto | Joaquín | Kit | Robin Long
Minor Characters: Karen Lockwood | Sal | Franco | Aaron | Johnny | Shadow Dante
Mythical Creatures: Chupacabra | La Llorona | Ahogada | La Mano Panchona | Lechuza | Duendecillos | Cadejo | The Hitchhiker | El Cucuy | Falsita
Related Content: Tehlor Kay Mejia | Rick Riordan Presents | Bruto and the Freaky Flower | Disney+ series
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