S et in th e ea rly 16 th c en tu ry pr i or t o th e S pani sh occ u pa ti on when th e Ph ili ppin es w as s til l div id ed in t o s ev eral ci ty - s tat es a nd mi n or k ingd oms , th e pr im eti m e t el evi si on seri

es c hr onicl es the lif e of Am aya, a d aug ht er of a Da t u and a sl a ve, pr oph eci zed t o b e th e on e wh o w oul d d efea t th e fi erc e Ra jah M angu b at. B or n a s a pr inc ess , sh e wa s d emot ed to s la v e s ta tu s as R a jah M ang ub a t slayed h er fa th er. G uid ed by h er k am bal -a ha s , s h e emb a rk s on a jou r ney t o a v en ge h er fa th er s d eat h a nd ev ent ual ly t o d ef eat th e per s on tha t h as b een th e root c au s e of h er mis ery a nd t he dow nf all of h er b el ov ed l and . W it h th ese, she m us t cli mb th e s ocial l add er , fr om b ei ng a sla v e, t o being a n a laba y , t o b ec om e a t ri be l ea der, t h en a wa r ri or , a nd ev en tu ally fu lfill h er d es ti ny t o b ec om e t h e m os t pow erf ul w om an of h er ti me. P l ot I n C en t ral Vi say as, d uri ng t he ea rly 1 500 s, Ra jah M ang ub a t i s the Kin g of a g r ea t ki ngd om or a pu od ( a c oll ec ti on of ci ty s t at es cal l ed ba n wa ). H e w a s kn own t hroug h ou t th e l an d as a g r ea t un d ef ea t ed w a r ri or . He h ad a r epu ta ti on a s a ru thl ess wa r ri or wi th ex t ra ordi na ry s kil ls in b a tt le, a nd wi th hi s gr ea t s tr engt h, n o on e s t ood a c han c e aga ins t hi m. O n e day, d u ring on e of Ra jah M ang ub a ts pa ng ang aya w o r ex pedi ti on to t ur n oth er vil lag es i nt o on e of his c ol oni es, h e met a ba bayl an or pri es t es s wh o pr oph eci zed tha t on e day , he w oul d b e kill ed by a wa r ri or w h o ha d a sn ak e f or a t win . A ls o, th e w ar rior wi th t he s na k e for a twin will bec om e th e m os t pow erf ul per son of t h ei r ti m e. Th e w a rri or sh all b e b or n on t h e n ex t l un ar ecl i ps e. En r ag ed by h er pr ophecy, R a ja h Mang ub at ki ll s t h e Ba bay lan . A ft er s eein g the fr ui ti on of the lu na r ecli pse, R a jah M ang ub a t b ec om es a nxi ous over his ki ll er, wh o h as a

s na k e for a twin . Wit h thi s, he ord er s his war r ior s t o kil l a ll pr eg na nt wom en in his puod a nd a tt ac k th e n ei ghb orin g i sla nd s as w ell. Th e only vill ag e t ha t s ur vi v es R a jah Man guba t s t er r or is Da t u B ugn a s b an w a b eca us e of t h eir l ong tim e f ri en ds hi p a nd a llia nc e (A Da tu i s a C hi ef of t he ban w a). Da tu B ug na hid a ll pr eg nan t w om en a nd n ewb orn s in h is b an wa to s av e hi s peopl e. W ha t Ra jah Ma ngu ba t d oes n t kn ow i s t ha t a ba by gir l i n D at u Bug na s ba n wa ha s b een b orn on th e nigh t of th e ecl i ps e. Th e b ab y gi rl i s th e wa r ri or he h as been l ook ing f or t o b e ki ll ed. Th e gi rl wi th t h e sn ak e f or a t win i s n am ed Am aya a nd is D at u Bug na s d aug ht er f rom D al la ng, a n ur i pon or a s lav e th at wa s D at u Bu gna s t r u e l ov e b ut cou ld n ot b e wi th b eca us e of thei r diff er en t s ocia l c la ss es. A ma ya s twi n sn ak e i s an u ma lag ad or t h e s pi ri t of one of th ei r an c es t ors f r om th e a ft erlif e. I n or d er t o pr otect his d augh t er, w hil e A may a is sti ll a n in fan t, D at u Bu gna ord ers his m en t o s epa ra t e A may a f r om h er m other and hi d e his da ugh t er i n a s ecr et c ha mb er in t he r oy al h ou s e cal led a bu k ot . A ma ya b eca m e a bin uk ot or a s pec ia l kin d of b a - i or pr inc ess . A binu k ot i s diff er en t f rom or din ar y pri nc es s es b eca us e t h ey ar e s epa ra t ed an d hidd en f r om ev ery on e el s e t o pr es er ve t heir b eau ty a nd c ann ot s t ep on th e ea r th t o pr es er ve th ei r pu rity . At the s am e t im e, h er sn ak e t wi n i s r el eas ed i nto th e f or es t and i s t old tha t it m ay only c om e ba ck if an d wh en Am aya i s in di r e n eed of h el p. A ma ya a s a binu k ot wa s t aught r ea ding , w rit in g, c oun ting, th e ar t s, m usi c and s w ord figh ti ng b y h er f at her. W hil e g rowi ng u p D at u Bu gn a t ells A may a t ha t h er m oth er, D al lan g, i s al r eady d ead. W ha t Bug na d oes n ot k n ow i s th at his jeal ou s wif e, La mi ta n s old Da l an g t o a n ot h er i sla nd b u t sh e esc a ped a nd is li vin g in h iding i n a f ar aw ay lan d h opi ng t o on e d ay s ee h er d au ght er ag ain . I nsi d e th e buk ot , A may a i s w it h h er h alf - si st ers and

f el l ow bi nu k ots . Th e fi r st was Ma rik it, wh o i s jeal ou s of a ll t h e at t en ti on A ma ya is g ett ing f r om th ei r fa th er. S h e a ls o h a ppens to b e La mit an s f av ori t e d au ght er. Th e ot h er on e wa s B inaya an , Ma rik it s y ou n g er sis t er w h o find s c omf ort wit h Am ay a sin ce h er m oth er, La mita n d oesn t w a nt h er b ec aus e Lami ta n w as ex pect ing a m al e h ei r ( only m en c ould rul e a t t h e tim e). W h en A may a wa s s til l a y oung gi rl, s he wa s kid na pped b y a n u ri pon paid by La mi ta n and s h e wa s t h r ea t en ed t o b e k ill ed . B ut h er t wi n sn ak e c am e and k ill ed th e u ri pon. D uri ng th is t im e, sh e m eet th e y ou ng Bag ani wh o w as th e s ucc ess or of Ra jah M ang ub ats th r on e. Ba gani t ook h er b ac k t o h er own vill ag e by car ry ing h er. Y ea rs pa ss a nd A may a ha s g r ow n t o a v ery b ea u tifu l b inu k ot . B eca us e of La mi tan s evi l d esi r e t o g et ri d of A ma ya a nd h er ha t e t o h er hus b and w h o t ruly l ov es D al a ng, sh e b et r ays h er hu sba nd a nd t el ls Ra jah M ang ub a t h er h us ba nd s pl an of r evolt wit h t h e oth er D at us a gai ns t M ang ub a ts m er cil e ss rul e. Lam it an a ls o s t ar t ed s uc king u p w it h Mang ub at to i m pr ov e h er s oc ial s t at us in M angu ba t s pu od. Ra jah M ang ub ats m en t ak e A ma ya f rom h er cha m ber a nd u s e h er as b lack m ail t o m a k e D at u Bugn a c onf ess. H e ev ent ua lly d oes c onf es s an d R a jah Man guba t ki ll s hi m in f r on t of A m aya. R a jah Man guba t t ak es A may a t o hi s vil lag e a nd t h er e, La mi ta n lit er ally s t ri pped h er of h er cl oth es a nd h er rig ht a s a pr inc ess an d ma d e an u ripon. A ma ya s ees th e t r each er ou s Lam it an s t ru e cha r ac t er a nd b ec om es en ra g ed wi th her f a t h ers d oub l e -c r os sin g wif e. Sh e pr omi s es tha t s h e wil l d o anyt hin g t o av enge h er f at h er f r om R a jah Man gub a t and es peci ally La mi tan . B u t R a ja h M ang ub a t sti ll h as n o id ea abou t A may as t ru e id enti ty t h e w ar ri or wi th a sna k e a s a t wi n.

A ma ya is s u r pri s ed t o s ee h er l ong los t lov e, B aga ni, b ut i s d ev as ta t ed to find ou t t ha t h e is R a ja h Man gub a ts s on a nd h ei r. Ba gani i s sh oc k ed as w ell wh en h e fi nds ou t t ha t t h e gi rl h e once f ell in l ov e wi th is n ow a s lav e. In s pi t e of t hi s, h e st ill r em ai ns in l ov e w it h h er . H ow ev er, A m aya t ri es t o g et rid of h er f eeling s f or him all f or h er pla ns s ak e. B aga ni t ri es t o pr ot ec t Am aya wi th all of his pow er f r om a ll t h e c r u elt ies of M ar iki t and La mi ta n. H e w a s f orc ed t o m a r ry Ma rik it t o b e ab l e t o sav e Am aya. W ith th e h el p of h er sn ak e twi n, A may a b ec ame an a la bay or an a ppr en tic e t o bec am e a B ab ayl an. Sh e s tudi ed f ol k m edici n e, r el igi ou s ri tu al s and tr adi ti on s ear n estly b eca us e s he wan t s t o b ec om e a B ab ayl an, h ea ri ng th a t sh e w ill h av e a hi gh er s ta tu s if she b ec om es a B ab ayl an ( sinc e b a bayl an s w ere giv en high r eg ar d i n s oci ety) . Wh en th e pl an t o a ss as sin a te B aga ni fail ed , Am aya was th e only on e w h o w as a bl e to cu r e Bag ani , t hu s gai ning her r ank a s t he P un ong Ala bay or H ead A ppr en tic e. A may a l ea rn ed th at t h e Pu n ong Ba b ayla n or High P ri es t es s gr a nds on, A nga w ay, w as b ehind th e a ssa s sin ati on of Ba ga ni, sh e w a rn s Bag ani th at th ey w er e pl ann ing a revol t ag ain st M ang ub a t and hi s h ei r. B ut A nga w ay wa s fa st er, h e rev eal ed th at B ag ani s v ery fi r st b at uk or t at t oo sy mb ol izin g a pe r son s a cc omplis hm en t s wa s a f rau d. H e rev ea l ed th at th e t as k t o kill a ma n for B ag ani t o ear n hi s f ir st ba tu k w as n ot d one. Ins t ea d, B aga ni l et th e m an f r ee out of c on sci enc e. B aga ni w as s t ri pped of his ti tl e a s th e succ es s or and h e b eca m e an ou tc as t. F or t un at ely, h e r eac h ed t h e b an wa of t h e m an h e sa ved. Th e m an tur n ed to b e a Da t u h im s elf n am ed Bul ang. Ba gan i wa s w el com ed wit h open a r ms by t h e gr a teful D at u. Th er e i n the b an wa, B agani s m et am or ph osis h a ppen ed. From b eing a w ea kli ng an d a pu sh - ov er , h e tr ai n ed t o b ec om e a fi er ce war r ior a nd a w is e l ead er.

La mi ta n on th e oth er h and f orc ed Ma riki t t o b ec om e t h e s and il or a con cub in e of the Ra jah ag ain st Ma ri kit s w is h es s o t ha t t h ey wi ll gai n pow er ag ain i n t h e pu od. Th ey l os t inf luen ce wh en B aga ni w as c as t out and a ff ec t ed La mita n an d Ma ri kits socia l st an din g. Th is m ad e M a riki t h av e s ev er e d epr es si on b ut the gr eedy La mi ta n forc ed h er d au ght er to t ak e ch and u or opiu m t o ma k e h er f oll ow h er . Thi s ru in ed M ar iki t s min d. A ma ya t ook pi ty wi th M a riki t a nd h ea l ed h er b ack t o h eal th an d thi s m ad e M ari ki t s ee h er m oth ers tr u e c ol or s a nd h er gr eed for pow er . Ma rik it wa s ta k en aw ay by h er a un t, M an tal to an oth er b anw a. M an ta l w as a coh or t of La mi ta n bu t b ec au s e of thi s i nci d en t al so sa w h er sis t er s t r u e c ol or s. La mi ta n i s l osin g pow er in the pu od b ut l ucky f or h er , sh e di sc ov er ed and r ev ea l ed t o ever y on e th a t Am ay a i s t he w a r ri or in th e pr oph ecy, w h en sh e r ev eal ed t h e sn ak e. Th ey w er e sh ock ed th at th e wa r ri or i n th e proph ecy wa s a w om an. A may a w as f orc ed to g o in hi ding. Th e R a jah i s s t ar ti ng t o l os e fai th in Lami ta n an d s ees h er as a d oub le c r os s er. Lam ita n s ta r ted l osin g f ai th in t h e R a jah and f eel s h er h ol d on hi s pow er wa s sl i pping s o s h e sid ed wi th t h e s ec r et r eb el li on l ea d by An ga way. O n th e d ay of th e reb ell ion, Am ay a r etu rn ed t o th e pu od t o ta lk t o th e Ra jah tha t sh e ha s cl ear in t en tion s an d m ean t n o ha r m b ut th e pa ranoid R a jah wh o t hin ks tha t t h e r eb elli on wa s A may as plan at ta ck ed A ma ya. A may a a ccid ent ally kil ls Ra jah M angu ba t a nd th e pr oph ecy w as d one. An g aw ay b ec am e R a ja h a nd La mi tan bec am e hi s c hi ef ad vis er. Thi s s en t c onfu si on a nd poli tic al a nd ec on omic tu rmoil in all of Ra ja h Ma ngu ba t s f orm er c ol oni es. B aga ni, fin ds ou t t ha t th e gi rl h e l ov ed kill ed hi s fa th er. E nr ag ed, h e s et s ou t t o fin d Am ay a t o a v enge his f at h er b u t h is l ove stil l ov er ca m e his t hir s t f or r ev en ge. Bag ani

b eca m e a da tu of t h e ba nw a af t er B ul ang di ed. He l ea rn ed t ha t Bin aya an ( n ow c all ed Yan g Ters aya ng) w a s livi ng in t ha t b an wa a s w ell. Bi nay aa n d ur ing t h e f ai thf ul d ay of t h ei r vil lag es d est r uct ion in t h e ha nds of Ma ngu ba t, es ca ped a nd met th e m oth er of A may a, Dal a ng. Sh e kn ew t ha t s he i s Ama ya s m oth er bu t b ec au s e sh e y ea r ns f or a ff ec ti on pr et en d ed t o b e A ma ya. A ma ya on th e ot h er h an d b eca m e a n ou tc as t a nd w as b la m ed f or all t h e t ur m oil. Lam it an c r ea t ed a n im ag e of A ma ya a s an evil pers on i n the mi nds of t h e pu bli c. A ma ya t hin ks th at h er l ov e, Ba ga ni wil l n ev er forgi v e h er f or wh at sh e ha s d on e w it h th e R a jah . Sh e en d ed u p in a v ill ag e of th e Lu m ads . Th e Lum ad s w er e cl osed m ind ed a nd cl os ed t heir d oor s f r om ou t sid ers. Sh e open ed th ei r ey es t o ed uc ation a nd pr og r ess and ta ugh t them wh at s h e k n ew . Sh e a ls o l ea rn ed ad va nc ed c omb a t f r om th e Lu ma ds. Sh e ga in ed th ei r f avor and th e l ov e of th e Lu ma d c hi ef s s on, D ay aw. Sh e t ri ed t o m ov e on b y t ry ing t o l ov e D aya w bu t s til l sh e l ov es B agani . H er r eput at ion w as c lean ed wh en th e ot her is la nds l ear n ed t ha t she w as c ar ing an d lovi ng n ot li k e th e pic tu r e La mi tan pa in ted in the pub lic s mind. B ag ani, Bi nay aa n and A ma ya s pa th s c r os s ed w h en A ma ya t ri ed t o fi nd a n ew vil la g e t o s tay. B ag ani is n ow b etr ot hed t o Bi nay aa n bu t Ba ga ni cl ea rly s til l lov es Am aya. Bi nay aan s li es w er e al s o di sc ov er ed. Dal ang w as f ur iou s b ut A may a u nd ers t ood Bin aya an a nd Dal ang a cc ept ed A ma ya a nd Bi nay aa n as h er da ugh t er s. Ev en th ough i t hu r t h er , Bi nay aa n let Am ay a and B agani b ec om e tog et h er. Sh e k n ew B aga ni wil l al way s l ov e A ma ya. Th ey pla nn ed a r ev ol t t o t ak e b ac k th e en ti r e pu od f r om A nga w ay and pu t Ba gan i as the ri gh tful R a jah. Th ey l ead a n a tt ac k th at k ill ed A nga w ay b ut th e vil lag e a nd th e c ol oni es a r e s til l not fu lly th eir s. Lami ta n used this c han c e liv e h er d r ea m and pr oc lai m h er s elf as l ead er of

t h e pu od, si nc e sh e wa s s ec ond in power to A nga w ay. This w a s n ev er h ea rd of a t th e time. Th ere wa s nev er a w om an a s Ra jah b ef ore. La mi tan brib ed th e s oldi ers and t h r ea t en ed th e c ou ncil to pr oc lai m h er l eader bu t s till t h ey did n ot giv e h er t h e ti tl e H ar a or q ueen. Al l th e v ill ag es u nd er h er pow er w ere un d er ma rt ial l aw . Lami t an f righ t en ed th e peopl e wi th the u se of a P ana ga ng ( Am ul et or C har m ) fr om th e ba b ayla ns s o they w ould b e ob edi en t t o h er by m aki ng it s eem sh e i s i nvin cib l e and s h e ha s dir ect c onn ec ti on t o H eav en. A ma ya al ong wi th Ba gan i, and M a riki t, w h o m ar ri ed a n ot h er d at u, com bi ned th ei r a r mi es t o f ina lly s t op La mi ta n . Th ey w er e s ucc essf ul b u t th er e w ere m any c as ual ti es i nclu ding D aya w an d Bin aya an. Th ey pr ocl aim ed B ag ani a s Ra jah. A ma ya s en t en ced La mi ta n t o d eat h u pon r equ es t of M ar iki t. La mi ta n wa s a t ta ck ed by t h e m ob bu t used a li t tl e gi rl, A lun sin a, a s a h ost ag e. S h e r od e a b oat t o t h e s ea t o f l ee b u t Am aya wa s fin ally abl e t o wa lk on w ater wi th t h e kn ow l edg e s h e kn ew f r om b eing a ba bayl an . Am ay a th en c alled B aku na wa (A gi an t s ea s er pen t in Phili ppin e f ol kl or e. ) f r om th e s ea s d epth s t o pu t an en d t o La mi ta n. Ba kun a wa t h en d evou r ed La mi ta n. A ma ya m an ag ed to sa v e th e gir l. La mi ta n w ok e i n th e a ft erlif e b eing t or m en t ed by th e s ouls of a ll t h e peopl e w h o di ed b ec au s e of h er. B ec au s e of h er w ond r ou s ach iev em en t s, Am ay a wa s ca ll ed t h e m ost pow er fu l w om an of h er ti m e. Th ey m ad e many c han ges in t h e pu od l ik e giv ing righ ts to sla ves t o b ec ome t im aw a or free m en aft er t hey paid th ei r deb t s and eq ua l opport uni ti es i n educ at i on a nd bu sines s. D es pi t e t hi s and f r eeing t h e Pu od f r om th r ea t s, Ama ya a nd Bag ani w er e n eed ed by t h eir peopl e s o th ei r l ov e wa s onc e a a gai n put to a h al t. Ra jah Bag ani b eca m e a w is e l ead er a nd w a rr ior. Am ay a st ay ed aw ay f r om B agani f or m any y ea r s t o f ocu s on h er pu od and B aga ni did lik ewi s e. A ma ya w as on e of th e fi rs t w om en t o a ct ual ly l ea d a

pu od , a r eal Ha r a or qu een th at rul e peopl e a nd n ot ju s t a c ons ort of t he k ing. W h en Bag ani s br oth er B anu k b ec am e a g r own m an, B anu k a sk ed Ba ga ni t o m ak e hi m Ra jah k n ow ing hi s brot h er B aga ni ha s s ac rific ed so m uch a nd t ha t t h e ti m e ha s c om e f or Am ay a and hi m t o b e t og eth er a t l as t. Bag ani w en t t o Am ayas pu od and s t ay ed by A ma ya s sid e bu t t o hi s su r pris e, he m et th eir s on n am ed B ugn a and fi nal ly b eca m e a fam ily. I t w as s aid tha t A ma ya a nd Baga ni di ed tog ether at th e s am e t im e, h an d in h an d. I t w as s h ow n th at th e wh ol e ser i es wa s jus t a f la shb ac k t old t o th e y oun ger g en era ti on by now a n old er Al un sina , t h e gi rl th at Am ay a sa v ed. A lu nsi na, n ow t he P un on g B ab ayl an ( Chi ef Pri est ess ) f ores a w th e c omin g of f or eign er s. S pani sh s hi ps w ere c omi ng t o the is lan ds s ign alin g th e en d of A nci en t P hil ippi n e Hist ory a nd t h e c oming of t h e A ge of S pani sh c ol oni za ti on . A lun sin a s aid t ha t t h e f or eign er s wil l b e suc ces sful in c onq u ering a ll t h e isl an ds a nd t ha t th ei r power wa s n othing t ha t th ey s a w b ef ore. But sh e s aid t ha t on e d ay, n ew Am ay as a nd B aga nis will ris e and on e d ay t h e i sl and s will b e act ua lly f r ee an d th e peopl e of th e fu tu r e w ill k now th e s t ory of t h e peopl e of th e pa st , sin ce a pers on wh o do n ot kn ow hi s his t ory wil l ha v e n o fu tu r e.