On My Block Season 3: Why Cesar Is The Leader Of The Santos

One of the biggest shockers to come out of the On My Block season 3 finale was the reveal that Cesar not only rejoined the Santos, but the teenager also became a leader in the gang. The surprise came during the two-year time jump that closed out the most recent season of the Netflix’s On My Block, and Cesar (Diego Tinoco) had his fair share of drama, most of it directly involving the Santos.

Cesar never had a chance at a normal life. Aside from growing up in a rough Los Angeles neighborhood, he was primarily raised by his older brother, Oscar a.k.a. “Spooky” (Julio Macias), a leader within a local gang called the Santos. Cesar tried to avoid following in his family’s footsteps, but he was “jumped in” as a member in On My Block season 1. He failed to kill a rival gang member, which resulted in tragedy among his own friends who were more like family. Even though his closest allies found Cesar a way out in the following season, all paths led back to the Santos.

Looking back, there were a few signs suggesting that Cesar would end up back with the Santos. His friend group was fracturing while on their mission to find Lil Ricky, and when it came to the decision of killing Cuchillos, Cesar was the most content with the possibility of taking another life. After witnessing Cuchillos’ corpse in the ditch, it was believed that Cesar transformed into Lil Spooky at that moment. In the two years that followed, he lost the support of his friends and found refuge with the gang. A breakup with Monse (Sierra Capri) could have had a lot to do with his decision to rejoin the Santos considering the broken tattoo seen in the time jump. There are also additional possibilities in speculating why Cesar became a key member within the Santos.

Always forced to do things that he wanted no part of, Cesar needed some control over his life. As he got older, he experienced more trauma, which hardened him. While his brother decided that he wanted a life outside of the gang, Cesar went in the opposite direction. He questioned Spooky about losing his power and then decided to fill that void left by his brother’s exit. Without his friends acting as a voice of reason and helping him attain a somewhat normal life, Cesar found a purpose elsewhere.

The teen tried so hard to reject any involvement with the gang wars, but his association seemed inevitable. It’s possible that Cesar gave in because it allowed him to control his own destiny. Rather than fight it, Cesar saw it as an opportunity to take the steering wheel and call his own shots rather than be a pawn in someone else’s game. It’s surprising that Spooky would allow his brother to get in so deep, but he may have had to cut ties for his chance at family life.

If Netflix renews On My Block for season 4, it will certainly follow explain how Cesar found himself as the leader of the Santos and whether he still has a chance to ever get back out.

About The Author

Kara Hedash
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Kara Hedash is a features editor and writer for Screen Rant. From time to time, she dives into the world’s most popular franchises but Kara primarily focuses on evergreen topics. The fact that she gets to write about The Office regularly is like a dream come true. Before joining Screen Rant, Kara served as a contributor for Movie Pilot and had work published on The Mary Sue and Reel Honey. After graduating college, writing began as a part-time hobby for Kara but it quickly turned into a career. She loves binging a new series and watching movies ranging from Hollywood blockbusters to hidden indie gems. She also has a soft spot for horror ever since she started watching it at too young of an age. Her favorite Avenger is Thor and her favorite Disney princess is Leia Organa. When Kara’s not busy writing, you can find her doing yoga or hanging out with Gritty.

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