Time for Into the
Badlands to return and it opens with stunning visuals and good music. No
matter what else this show is, it’s a sensory feast – a truly beautiful program
– 6 months have passed since the end of the last season
Even when following Sunny who has been sold to slavers
who are “mining” (prospecting for remains of our society anyway) and we’re
quickly treated to an awesome fight scene showing off the glorious battle
choreography. He doesn’t escape but my does he look awesome being recaptured.
Chained and set to work, Sunny meets Bajie, fellow
prisoner, crafty opportunist who offers to be his guide in the prison being a
confidant, teaching him the rules (including needing to meet your quota or face
lethal gladiatorial combat – oooh Sunny is interested in that). With Bajie’s
help he begins to put together an escape plan. But we also see Bajie is
ruthless. He repeatedly calls himself an opportunist but we see that also
involves a willingness to attack and use his fellow human beings.
When Sunny makes it clear that Bajie is not part of his escape plan Bajie makes his own plans – and sells Sunny out to their captures as a clipper and therefore someone valuable.
MK was kidnapped by some monks last episode and is now
being trained by an Abbot in combat and presumably control. He’s a bit sulky
and pouty, demanding to speak to the Master. Normally I’d roll my eyes are
whiny acolyte demanding to be treated as all special but since he was actually
kidnapped I’m going to give the guy a hard pass here. It’s not like he signed
up for this
One of his fellow supplicants also wants to escape – he
wants to return to his Nomad tribes where he was respected and worshipped for
his power. Yep, they all have the lethal fighting power when they’re cut: his
fellow nomads used him as a weapon to protect themselves. Apparently too many
cuts will eventually kill them but he considered this a small price to pay for
his own people.
Eventually frustrated, MK goes seeking the Master and
finds her (points for the Master being a Black Asian woman) and her awesome
broom throwing power. She clearly has some major mojo and knows all about MK
and the people he left behind. He isn’t that thrilled about learning and really
wants to go home to the people he left behind
She will allow this if he can get past a paper bird with
sharp edges without using his powers. It’s nifty Origami – and opens a shallow
cut making him go all dark-eyed and scary. He attacks her – and you know that’s
not going to work. She stops his super powered punch with one hand and then
with some carefully applied pressure points she puts him on the ground
He’s staying. And yes he’s a prisoner. But he’s also a
man who turns into an unstoppable killing machine with a paper cut so you’ve
got to look at the whole “imprisonment until you stop being a portable nuclear
weapon” thing in a somewhat different light.
Even the super-awesome Master isn’t untouched – stopping
that punch gave her a really painful looking compound fracture in her arm. Ouch
– but then she shows she’s still super-awesome and heals it. Lots of woo-woo
here
She also takes over MK’s training because MK has shown
some rare sense. Rather than assuming The Master knew all about his life
because she was using woo-woo he realises he’s been spilling his guts to Eva,
his abbot, and she’s been tattling. I agree that this is a pretty fundamental
breach of trust and I’d be pissed if I were MK – I also am absolutely bemused
that he would be willing to extend that trust in the first place
Everyone’s least favourite character Ryder is doing well
for himself, controlled like a puppet by helped by Jade, his new wife
who isn’t Margaery Tyrell. He now controls 3 baronial territories and
everything is awesome
Sort of. He still has daddy issues out of the wazoo and
his oil production is being hit by lots of deserting workers. Jade keeps giving
excellent advice though showing she would be a vastly better leader than just
about everyone.
And the Widow wants her land back and has Tilda and her
Butterflies unleash some nice explosions before she goes on an utterly awesome
killing spree, carving her way epicly through Ryder’s guards (did I mention the
fight scenes are beautiful? Because they’re beautiful) until there’s only Jade
left to hear The Widow’s message. This land is hers and she will slice and dice
Ryder to keep them
The Widow is building a large following of people –
abused people from the other Barons, dolls and cogs and clippers who almost
can’t believe in her dedication to equality and freedom and treating people decently.
Including giving people the right to leave (people are serfs under the barons).
She even lets several men go who think she will be destroyed by the other
Barons
Even The Widow doesn’t seem to be supremely confident in
her ability to lead her people… but Tilde’s confidence never wavers
She also isn’t going to let a bunch of guys who abused
women just walk away either – and she and her butterflies intercept those men
and make quick work of them
And we close by catching up with Veil giving birth… and
Quinn playing midwife. Ok that was unexpected
In all we had an episode that brought us excellently up
to speed while maintaining the glorious aesthetics that really makes this sow.
An excellent re-introduction.
