Oscar Santos is the current District Attorney and the ex-fiancée of Natara Williams.
Appearances in CoD:
Oscar met Natara when she testified against Vernon Frist in Under My Skin, Part 1 (V6C2). The two bonded when Frist took the court hostage and during the Mad Stranger case. In the last chapter of Volume 6, Oscar accompanied Natara while she searched for the antidote for a deadly poison she was suffering the effects of. Before confronting Mad Stranger, Natara entrusted Oscar with her gun as the poison was impairing her too much. He was with Natara when she saw Mal pretending to kill Mayor Gilcomb so she could get the antidote. As Natara was injecting herself with the antidote, Oscar chased Mad Stranger down to the beach and bluffed his way into making him surrender. At the police station, Oscar told Natara that there was no way he could compete with Mal's dedication to her. Natara responded by kissing him, signifying the beginning of their relationship.
In Volume 7, he was suspected of Lilith Bassie's murder because of a message he left for Bassie at the time of her murder. When questioned by Natara, he at first denied knowing Lilith Bassie, but later admitted that he and Bassie maintained a casual relationship that he ended to pursue a more serious relationship with Natara. His reason for witholding this information was to refrain from hurting Natara's feelings. He briefly breaks up with Natara because of his hurt that Natara would think he was the killer, to which Natara explained that she was doing her job, but they reconcile at the end of the volume.
In Kings of Las Vegas, Part 1 (V9C5), Oscar asks for Natara's hand in marriage, but is disappointed as she does not squeal with delight or say 'yes' immediately. He gives her time to think over her decision, but Natara can only think about Mal and tries desperately to contact him and tell him about this. After finding out that Mal and Blaise went to Vegas and seeing them together at the Drunk Tank upon their return, Natara shows up at Oscar's doorstep and accepts his proposal.
In Death Do Us Part (V10C8), it is their wedding. At the altar, Natara hesitates in saying "I do". Oscar looks at her expectantly and at the same time, Mal and Professor Reese Gable come crashing in from the skylight and ruin their wedding. Afterwards, when the authorities have gone, Oscar asks Natara if she is okay and she apologises for their wedding being ruined. Oscar says that it is alright and that they can reschedule it to another date. Oscar proceeds to ask Natara why she hesitated when saying 'I do', and she tells him honestly that she cannot marry him. Oscar is hurt but hides it with grace and dignity. He wishes Natara all the best in getting the life she wants and then leaves.
Oscar later appears in the bonus scene of V11C2, Black Magic Part 1. In which Natara goes to ask for help in the search for Mal. At first Oscar thinks Natara is there to talk about their relationship since ending things on their failed Wedding day, but ends up crestfallen when he realises how much Natara cares for Mal. Despite being heartbroken; he agrees to help anyway.
He then appeared in the Volume 14 story "Retreats And Advances". He reveals having 2 older brothers.
After nearly 6 volumes (and almost 2 years of release dates) of being a minor character, Oscar became a major character in the final 2 episodes. In V16C6, he was trying -- to no avail -- to persuade Blaise into not surrendering herself into arrest. In V16C7, he is ultimately to partially credit for stopping the Firstborn's plans, as he is the one who freed Blaise Corso in the first place. He then appeared as one of the many characters Mal and Natra could say their final goodbye to in the Series Epilogue, where which he admits that he hated Mal for a short while, but has long come to terms with Natara being his.
Trivia
Santos was actually first introduced in the bonus chapter of Tough Love (V2C1). He was to prosecute Sandi Demme, a woman who killed a man with her boyfriend in the Golden Gate Park for money. However, he doesn't become much of an important character until Volume 7 when he begins dating Natara Williams.-
In the Volume 9 Interlude, we get a glimpse into his busy life as District Attorney dealing with the possibility that Vernon Frist might be set free on a technicality. He deals with the case as he prepares a perfect night to propose to Natara Williams. He manages to keep Vernon free.
It was mentioned in Dead Man Walking, Part 1 that he has a child; Natara comments that his child's mother is his ex-girlfriend who has full custody. In Dead Man Walking, Part 2, when Natara must tell "The Exterminator" what his real name is in order to save her and Mal's life, one of the three wrong answers is that he is Oscar Santos pulling an elaborate Halloween prank. The Exterminator will unenthrallingly say "Wrong" and kill them both.
Because of how Santos is essentially what stonewalled Maltara; that is, the much talked about and extraordinarily popular shipping between Mal Fallon and Natara Williams; he has garnered something of a negative portrayal by fans.
In the V13 Interlude (which, as an april fools joke, pretended to have Mal/Natara break up), Natara comments that each one of her boyfriends had been tested by her father Raj Mansingh. She comments that Oscar impressed her father better than anyone else, meaning that Oscar met and impresses Raj Mansingh.
He commented in V6C3 (if Natara chooses to talk about him while bandaging his wounds) that his father was a deadbeat drug dealer who was acquitted by the then-public defender Charles Glicomb (who at the time of that episode was the mayor of the city). He also commented in the V10 Interlude that he has only physically fought against his older brothers (meaning he should have at least 2 siblings). He reveals to have 2 older brothers, who he claims to also be deadbeats -- for which reason does he take care of their children his nephews.
