McCulley’s Mexican nobleman who dons a mask and a dashing persona to fight injustice and tyranny has had a profound influence on fiction since his first appearance in the early 20th century. As Don Diego de la Vega, the character feigns disinterest in swordplay, romance, or adventure, but this is all in service of protecting his secret identity. This sort of dual life has become a staple of many adventure stories, of course, but few have been done with such style and panache.