In The Kingdom season 2 (El Reino), Julio works for Emilio but cuts all ties with him when he finds out about his past crimes. He then takes it upon himself to expose Emilio’s crimes. Julio is played by Chino Darín.
Julio used to be Emilio’s lawyer, even though his father was the leader of the opposition party. Julio did not work with his father because he did not like the person he was when he lived as his father’s son. Emilio, on the other hand, gave him something real in his life.
It is not just Julio’s past or his professional life that is linked to Emilio, it is also his present and his personal life; Julio has been dating Emilio’s daughter, Ana, for years now.
The trouble starts when Remigio, an old friend of Julio’s, tries to kill Emilio. Julio gets more and more involved, and as a result, Julio comes to understand the kind of man Emilio is.
Julio’s past
When he was young, Julio played Russian roulette with another boy under the influence. The boy ended up dead, and Julio refused his parents’ help because he wanted to go to prison to repent. Julio suffered in prison, where he befriended Remigio.
Remigio saved his life and introduced him to the Church of the Kingdom of Light. Then, Tadeo introduced him to Emilio, and Julio became a part of Emilio’s circle. He is still working for him, even though Julio’s father wants him to work with his family.
How does Julio discover Emilio’s truth?
In police custody, Remigio asks for Julio to be his lawyer, and when Julio meets him to refuse, he sends a coded message to Tadeo through him. After that, Julio keeps meeting Tadeo for various reasons.
Later, Rubén wants Julio out of Emilio’s circle and tries his best to do that, but Julio is one step ahead of him; he lets Emilio exorcise him, blaming the demon in him for all his past actions.
Julio then finds out about the missing boys and questions Emilio. Elena lies to him and tells him that Remigio was sexually abusing the boys at the church’s orphanage and that he tried to kill Emilio because Emilio found out about it.
Julio, who had been helping Tadeo and had been growing closer to him once again, feels betrayed. He accuses Tadeo of lying and hiding Remigio’s crimes, but Jonathan intervenes. Tadeo then tells him the truth, and Julio sees Emilio for what he is for the first time.
He also comes to know that Remigio tried to kill Emilio to save Jonathan. Julio does not want to stay quiet and support Emilio anymore, but he is forced to do so when Rubén threatens to get a pregnant Ana arrested. Julio then tells Ana everything and sends her away to keep her safe.
Emilio is launched as the new presidential candidate, and Rubén does not let Ana leave the country, silencing Julio once again. Emilio announces that Julio will be his chief of staff, much to Ana’s disappointment and Julio’s surprise.
Julio got everything that he would have earlier wanted at the end of the first season, but Julio’s dreams changed when he discovered Emilio’s truth because he was not a power-hungry man who would sacrifice his morality for it.
Julio and Alejandra as a team
In season 2, Julio is seen working as a professor, which means that though he failed to stop Emilio from becoming the president, he did not let himself get coerced into working for him. Julio and Ana have cut all ties with Emilio but stay in touch with Tadeo.
Julio and Ana have a daughter, Carola, and Ana believes that he is a good father to her daughter but not a good husband to her. He constantly fails to be there for Ana when she needs his help with Carola.
Julio meets Alejandra, a congresswoman, at the university, who blames him for getting Emilio elected as the president as well as the current state of their country.
When Alejandra meets Roberta and Ramiro to get proof against Emilio, they give her Remigio’s diary that they got from Julio; the diary contains the record of all the children who were assaulted by Emilio.
Alejandra does not like Julio but still invites him to work with them to take Emilio down, and Julio eventually agrees. While working with them, Julio cannot be there for his family; his relationship with Ana worsens as he grows closer to Alejandra.
Julio once goes to warn Tadeo on his own when Emilio tells him that Tadeo might be in danger; he manages to lose the men who are tailing him and reach Tadeo safely.
The next time, he goes with Alejandra after Emilio publicly claims that Tadeo was Remigio’s accomplice and that he should be handed over to the police as soon as possible.
Julio and Alejandra plan to present the testimonies of Emilio’s victims in Congress. Tadeo decides to come with them, despite Julio’s warnings, and gets killed. Julio, who considers Tadeo his friend, watches him die right in front of his eyes.
However, Julio does not lose hope entirely, as he believes that Tadeo came, knowing that he was going to get killed, because he wanted his death to set things into motion in the country.
Julio tells Alejandra that Tadeo lives in him and others like him; the ending proves that he was not wrong. He also states that there is still a lot to do and takes her with him. Julio, like others who believed in Tadeo, will carry forward his legacy.
Also Read: The Kingdom season 2 ending explained: Is Tadeo dead or alive?