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realize that Nacho’s robe has caught on fire. The audience never knows wheth- er the candles fell on Nacho with God’s aid or if the protagonist’s incompetence has created yet another comical scene. These plausible interpretations are not mutually exclusive, and it ultimately does not matter which is correct. Nacho’s robe burns off and reveals the lucha libre costume he wears underneath. The monks expel him from the monastery, and Nacho turns to wrestling out of ne- cessity. He interprets his banishment as a form of punishment, and he claims that he will atone for his sins by beating Ramses in the ring and using the pro- ceeds to buy the orphans a bus. Despite its simplistic flaws, Nacho’s faith helps him to be a selfless individual who works tirelessly in the service of others. Nacho’s belief, coupled with his love for the orphans (and Encarnación), ulti- mately makes him into the champion he always wished to become. His fight with Ramses goes very badly until the children arrive along with his beloved nun. As Carlos Cesar Domingos do Amaral notes, Nacho finds success as he fights for a cause greater than himself.69 In an especially bizarre moment, he apparently con- jures eagle powers that allow him to jump 50 feet into the stands to tackle a flee- ing Ramses. The film never fully explains Nacho’s leap, but it is possible that the superstition that led Nacho to consume the eagle eggs may not have been un- founded after all. At the very least, Nacho has become a champion through divine (and mystical) intervention. This scene elucidates Hess’s take on Mexican spiritual- ity perhaps more than any other part of the film. Nacho’s childlike faith has helped him to be kind and caring, two traits that the film – and Mormon theology – view in a positive light. His faith becomes a powerful force when he chooses to fight for an appropriate cause. Nacho’s religion has helped him organize and better lev- erage his faith, but Hess emphasizes that Catholicism does not offer him the best path because it will force him to abide by his vow of celibacy. As the film ends, Na- cho and Encarnación share several sidelong glances, and the titular character nods his head in satisfaction. Clearly he believes that she will, perhaps, decide to break her vows as well. Nacho’s faith appears as a great redeeming quality, even as his Catholicism seems to impede his continued personal and spiritual development. As he cuts to the credits, Hess implicitly posits Mormonism as a better spiritual path both for Nacho and for Mexican Lamanites in general. If Nacho and Encar- nación were LDS, they could marry with no problem. Hess’s critique lies in the background, visible only to those familiar with Mormon doctrines and theology. In conclusion, a major draw for both Nacho Libre and Napoleon Dynamite is Jared Hess’s unique characterization of Mexican characters and cultures. The director’s problematic representations of Mexican and Mexican-American iden- tity reflect his subject position as an LDS filmmaker. As this study has shown, 69 Domingos do Amaral 2016. On (Dang) Quesadillas and Nachos | 161www.jrfm.eu 2019, 5/2, 141–165