Into The Badlands 104 “Two Tigers Subdue Dragons”
* Warning: Article may contain spoilers.
Dynamic action sequences have helped to propel Into The Badlands to the top of the ratings over it’s first three episodes. Two Tigers Subdue Dragons toned down the swordplay but ramped up the level of intrigue delivering an episode filled with revelations, plot twists and some interesting character development.
Two Tigers Subdue Dragons begins with a blood splattered Tilda running through a forest. She is the bait for a heist as the Widow intercepts one of Jacobee’s trucks filled with a shipment of gold. She kills Quinn’s clipper to frame him for the robbery. This act shows that there is no sign of the war between the two Barons slowing down.
Sunny and M.K engage in a training exercise that is interrupted by the Baron. They discuss the unrest that exists between the other Barons due to Quinn taking over the Widow’s oil fields. Quinn justifies his actions since he reasons that she is the one who attacked him first. Their discussion ends with Quinn asking Sunny for his support more now than ever.
Meanwhile back at the Widow’s safe house, Tilda and her sisters enjoy themselves with an impromptu retro dance party when they discover an old record player. Their partying is cut short when the Widow arrives, smashes the record and scolds them for not cleaning the place up. Tilda openly challenges the Widow in front of her sisters and tensions begin to rise. Taken into another room, Tilda is confronted by the Widow who realizes that something is amiss with her daughter.
Tilda asks why the Widow framed Quinn for the murder of the men in the transport. The Baron recounts a story from when was married and had to protect a much younger Tilda from her husband’s advances. The Widow reveals that she is “fighting for a world where girls aren’t dragged into dark rooms and have their innocence torn from them”. She then scolds her for disrespecting her in front of her sisters.
Lydia and Jade have another heart to heart and Jade extends an offer in an attempt to ease the tension between them. Jade takes the diplomatic route and suggests that it would be more beneficial to put off their rivalry and to work together. Lydia, casts that aside and enlightens Jade on how unwise it is to continue sleeping with Quinn and Ryder. Later on in Two Tigers Subdue Dragons, news of the Baron’s second wife’s fate rocks Jade and casts Lydia in another light.
Veil and Quinn discuss his health and the options surrounding the treatment of his tumor. The irony of Quinn murdering Veil’s father becomes clearer when she reveals that her father was the expert surgeon, and that her skills may not be enough to save the Baron.
Sunny continues M.K.’s training and takes him to a secluded area to test his otherworldly powers. He cuts M.K. in a bid to help unleash the power within the boy and the results are devastating. M.K. is scared of his abilities and Sunny tries to help him harness the power. To keep things somewhat under control, Sunny suggests that he think of something pure when he is consumed by his power. M.K. asks Sunny to name something pure in The Badlands and the question leaves Sunny speechless.
Ryder takes it upon himself to reveal to Sunny’s old friend, Zypher that Quinn didn’t rob their transport. He then uses the opportunity to broker a deal with her to further his own position of power. His power play to take over his father’s position as well and to reclaim his love, Jade is another tremor threatening to tear apart the House of Quinn.
Speaking of Quinn, he is all sorts of badass once again this episode. Marton Csokas has always played bad guys well and he seems to take delight in delivering Quinn’s sharp and biting lines. This is particularly evident in the scene where Quinn and Ryder discuss his relationship with Jade.
Baron Jacobee is introduced in this episode in a tense scene that takes place in a graveyard. After a brief history lesson between Quinn and Jacobee all hell breaks loose after Sunny thwarts an assassination attempt on Quinn’s life. It’s a blood bath as Quinn’s forces go head to head with Jacobee’s. M.K. intercepts Tilda, who was behind the attempt and they engage in battle. M.K. transforms again after being cut by one of Tilda’s throwing stars and as he is about to deliver a final blow stops at the sound of her voice. M.K.’s unanswered question to Sunny earlier in the episode seems to have found an answer. Maybe there’s some hope for Tilda yet.
Two Tigers Subdue Dragons deals with loyalty and the dynamics in relationships between parents/mentors and children. Sunny and M.K., the Widow and Tilda, Quinn and Ryder, Lydia and Jade all demonstrate the struggle that exists between adult and child when the latter is coming of age. The vim and vigor of youth that wants to surpass their elders is often tempered not only to teach youth a lesson but also to keep the elders in power. The cracks in those bonds are inevitable however, as youth must always break away from the path set forth by their mentors to become an adult in their own right. The paths taken by the young characters can be alongside their mentors or in a completely different direction. Which path is chosen in Into The Badlands remains to be seen.
