Into the Badlands 1.4
This episode could probably be summarized as "They're all so screwed. (And some of them deserve it.)"
So much was packed into this episode that I wonder how much was cut, especially towards the end, where about 5 plotlines converge/kick off, and they forget about important things like just what happened to Lydia, Veil and Jade. I also feel like a lot of the fight scenes ended up on the cutting room floor, which is strange, given how much promotion for the show relies on the fight scenes, which usually deliver in spades.
This week we learn a lot more about The Widow's plans, and her past with Tilda, and see her really kick them off. On the surface, her intentions seem to be for the better for most, but who knows. There's also a really interesting scene cutting between The Widow and Tilda, discussing the beginning of their relationship, and Jade and Lydia trying to figure out how their current lifestyle, with Jade about to marry Lydia's husband as his second wife, something both are aware she has little choice regarding, much as they try to spin it otherwise.
Tilda and The Widow identify as mother and daughter even though this episode seems to solidify that Tilda isn't actually her daughter. The Widow refers to all of her girls as her daughters and they call her mother, but it's obvious that her relationship with Tilda is different from the relationship she has with the others. It's possible that this is because Tilda is The Widow's Regent. They haven't said anything yet about any official statuses of The widow's people, but Tilda appears to be younger than most of the other girls even if she is the one The Widow relies on the most, and while she's a talented fighter, she's nowhere near Sunny or even Zephyr's level. My personal opinion is that The widow is her own Regent, and Tilda is her Colt, official or otherwise.
On the other hand, we had Jade deciding to bond with Lydia by suggesting they regard each other as mother and daughter. This is amazingly naive of Jade's part, but I don't think it's thoughtless, or that she said it without consideration. Lydia has been somewhat taking on the role of a tough-love mother dealing out harsh verbal lessons with Jade, and she and Quinn both know Jade was one involved with Ryder (and in Lydia's case, that she still is). Lydia actually does seem to be fond of Jade after a fashion, and some of her harshness seems to be meant to reassure Jade to a certain degree, such as her comment to Jade that Jade hasn't done anything to hurt her, it's all Quinn. I really hope this relationship gets more fleshed out (and doesn't turn 100% south.)
I guess Ryder got a bit of sympathetic development here, and he has had a bit of a tough time of it given that he should be getting and easy and cushy ride (I mean, most people in the show are worse off, but...) but I still don't really care about him. I mostly want him to come out of it alive, but mostly for Jade and Lydia.
On the war front, in addition to The Widow and her plans, we meet another baron Jacoby, and The River King, who controls all the trade along the river that keeps the economy going. Both, notably, are played by MoC. Now if we could just get some more WoC. The Widow has some in her forces, but they aren't the ones getting lines yet. It is, I think, also safe to say now that Quinn is an anomaly in having an exclusively male force. The widow's forces seem to be roughly equal in gender representation by body count, but with a much greater focus on her Daughters than her male soldiers. We only saw a small portion of Jacoby's force, but the fact that his Regent is a woman most likely means that there are other women in his employ.
I actually get the impression that Quinn is viewed as somewhat regressive by the other Barons. All the talk about Quinn and The Widow and the other Barons could probably be summed up as "Everyone likes her more, but he's more needed/a better known danger...for now." and Jacoby pretty much says that to Quinn's face when they meet. I can't really tell if, like The Widow, he wants to revolutionize the Badlands and make things better, or if he's more in line with Quinn's POV, just a little more enlightened about it and not as hardcore.
The there's M.K. and his mysterious powers. I like M.K more than most people, I think, even though he's not my favorite. But, I mean, he's literally just a kid who wants to find his mom and go home, and maybe take Tilda with him. (And Veil, of course.) We learn more about his mysterious powers and don't really learn anything more at all, except that he's a lot more powerful, and with even less control, than we originally saw.The scene in the cemetery with Tilda...well, I know a lot of people hope they don't fall for each other and am personally fine either way (not to mention, they're 14-15, I don't think MUCH is going to be happening...) but I have consumed around 2 dozen wuxia series and a ton of shounen and shoujo manga in the last 15 years, and every bit of my experience tells me that the apprentice to the head of one force is, indeed, going to fall for the daughter/apprentice of the head of the enemy force who was nice to him that one time and they keep keeping each otherfrom being caught/getting dead, and oh yes, when he turns into a mindless thing that punches holes in the walls, she's the only one that can get through to him and turn him back to normal. The pairing has all the tropes it possibly can, and this show LOVES its tropes. Seriously. I think it writes actual loveletters to tropes. IJS.
Downsides to this episode (aside from the bit where it feels like some much was cut):
1. Not nearly enough Veil. Seriously. (Sidenote: Serious discussion between her and Sunny about the pros and cons of assassinating Quinn in on of the scenes she did have. It made my heart all warm and fuzzy.)
2. In the midst of all the female bonding and Bechdel passing (and there was more than I mentioned above), rape was added to one character's backstory. The context it was brought up in and the fact that the show hasn't been using rape/victimization of women to illustrate the awful awful world makes me sigh more than rage, but SIGH. A LOT OF SIGH.
So much was packed into this episode that I wonder how much was cut, especially towards the end, where about 5 plotlines converge/kick off, and they forget about important things like just what happened to Lydia, Veil and Jade. I also feel like a lot of the fight scenes ended up on the cutting room floor, which is strange, given how much promotion for the show relies on the fight scenes, which usually deliver in spades.
This week we learn a lot more about The Widow's plans, and her past with Tilda, and see her really kick them off. On the surface, her intentions seem to be for the better for most, but who knows. There's also a really interesting scene cutting between The Widow and Tilda, discussing the beginning of their relationship, and Jade and Lydia trying to figure out how their current lifestyle, with Jade about to marry Lydia's husband as his second wife, something both are aware she has little choice regarding, much as they try to spin it otherwise.
Tilda and The Widow identify as mother and daughter even though this episode seems to solidify that Tilda isn't actually her daughter. The Widow refers to all of her girls as her daughters and they call her mother, but it's obvious that her relationship with Tilda is different from the relationship she has with the others. It's possible that this is because Tilda is The Widow's Regent. They haven't said anything yet about any official statuses of The widow's people, but Tilda appears to be younger than most of the other girls even if she is the one The Widow relies on the most, and while she's a talented fighter, she's nowhere near Sunny or even Zephyr's level. My personal opinion is that The widow is her own Regent, and Tilda is her Colt, official or otherwise.
On the other hand, we had Jade deciding to bond with Lydia by suggesting they regard each other as mother and daughter. This is amazingly naive of Jade's part, but I don't think it's thoughtless, or that she said it without consideration. Lydia has been somewhat taking on the role of a tough-love mother dealing out harsh verbal lessons with Jade, and she and Quinn both know Jade was one involved with Ryder (and in Lydia's case, that she still is). Lydia actually does seem to be fond of Jade after a fashion, and some of her harshness seems to be meant to reassure Jade to a certain degree, such as her comment to Jade that Jade hasn't done anything to hurt her, it's all Quinn. I really hope this relationship gets more fleshed out (and doesn't turn 100% south.)
I guess Ryder got a bit of sympathetic development here, and he has had a bit of a tough time of it given that he should be getting and easy and cushy ride (I mean, most people in the show are worse off, but...) but I still don't really care about him. I mostly want him to come out of it alive, but mostly for Jade and Lydia.
On the war front, in addition to The Widow and her plans, we meet another baron Jacoby, and The River King, who controls all the trade along the river that keeps the economy going. Both, notably, are played by MoC. Now if we could just get some more WoC. The Widow has some in her forces, but they aren't the ones getting lines yet. It is, I think, also safe to say now that Quinn is an anomaly in having an exclusively male force. The widow's forces seem to be roughly equal in gender representation by body count, but with a much greater focus on her Daughters than her male soldiers. We only saw a small portion of Jacoby's force, but the fact that his Regent is a woman most likely means that there are other women in his employ.
I actually get the impression that Quinn is viewed as somewhat regressive by the other Barons. All the talk about Quinn and The Widow and the other Barons could probably be summed up as "Everyone likes her more, but he's more needed/a better known danger...for now." and Jacoby pretty much says that to Quinn's face when they meet. I can't really tell if, like The Widow, he wants to revolutionize the Badlands and make things better, or if he's more in line with Quinn's POV, just a little more enlightened about it and not as hardcore.
The there's M.K. and his mysterious powers. I like M.K more than most people, I think, even though he's not my favorite. But, I mean, he's literally just a kid who wants to find his mom and go home, and maybe take Tilda with him. (And Veil, of course.) We learn more about his mysterious powers and don't really learn anything more at all, except that he's a lot more powerful, and with even less control, than we originally saw.The scene in the cemetery with Tilda...well, I know a lot of people hope they don't fall for each other and am personally fine either way (not to mention, they're 14-15, I don't think MUCH is going to be happening...) but I have consumed around 2 dozen wuxia series and a ton of shounen and shoujo manga in the last 15 years, and every bit of my experience tells me that the apprentice to the head of one force is, indeed, going to fall for the daughter/apprentice of the head of the enemy force who was nice to him that one time and they keep keeping each otherfrom being caught/getting dead, and oh yes, when he turns into a mindless thing that punches holes in the walls, she's the only one that can get through to him and turn him back to normal. The pairing has all the tropes it possibly can, and this show LOVES its tropes. Seriously. I think it writes actual loveletters to tropes. IJS.
Downsides to this episode (aside from the bit where it feels like some much was cut):
1. Not nearly enough Veil. Seriously. (Sidenote: Serious discussion between her and Sunny about the pros and cons of assassinating Quinn in on of the scenes she did have. It made my heart all warm and fuzzy.)
2. In the midst of all the female bonding and Bechdel passing (and there was more than I mentioned above), rape was added to one character's backstory. The context it was brought up in and the fact that the show hasn't been using rape/victimization of women to illustrate the awful awful world makes me sigh more than rage, but SIGH. A LOT OF SIGH.