Tiger Pushes Mountain

"**Tiger Pushes Mountain**" is the first episode of the second season of *Into the Badlands*. It aired on March 19, 2017.

## Synopsis

Six months after the Season 1 finale, Sunny finds a new foe, as well as a new, unexpected ally, while MK learns about his gift in a mysterious place.

## Plot

Six months after the River King trades Sunny as payback for not handing M.K. over to him, Sunny ends up marching along an open-faced mine while shackled to other men.

This is known as the Bordeaux Mines, run by a man known as The Engineer. The Engineer is in charge of the Pickers, one of which is now Sunny, and they are tasked with digging up artifacts from the old world. A Picker that is chained to Sunny coughs up blood, which causes an Overseer to claim that the Picker is "defective" while he reaches for his machete. Just as the Overseer swings at the Picker, Sunny kicks the machete, and then kicks the Overseer in his chest. The Overseer falls to the ground and since the machete had been forced upwards by Sunny's kick, the machete landed in the Overseer's back. This causes the other Overseers to become alerted to the danger that Sunny now poses, and the surround him. As Sunny defends himself, he uses the wooden stock that he is in to block incoming attacks. He eventually manages to break free of the wooden stock, but two Overseers use whips to catch both of Sunny's feet and drag him. The Engineer conveys to Sunny and the rest of the Pickers that the mines are where their journeys end, and that no one can make it out alive. He then knocks Sunny out with a punch to the face.

After M.K. was taken out of the Badlands, he was brought to a place named the Abbot Monastery. Here, purple robed novices are training with Abbots to try and control their powers. M.K. is training with an Abbot named Ava, using a staff. He asks her when he can meet the Master, to which she replies that it will happen when he is ready.

Back at Bordo Mines, in the bunkhouse, Sunny is dreaming about Veil - who was left behind while pregnant in the Badlands. Bajie, a Picker that Sunny is shackled to, wakes Sunny up and introduces himself. He also notes that Sunny looks like trouble.

A bell sounds, which is a signal to the start of Sunny's shift in the mines. The Pickers grab hammers and enter the heart of the mine. Here, you must dig 40 pounds or be whipped. Bajie tells Sunny about how he ended up at the mines, stating that it was a result of an opium deal gone wrong. Sunny asks Bajie if he knows of a way out. Bajie scoffs at the idea and advises that Sunny start digging.

That night, M.K. is lying awake in a hammock inside the Monastery's dormitory. Tate, who is a fellow Novice, tells M.K. that he used to be a Nomad and that he was worshipped because he protected his clan using his power, a clan which is located on the edge of the Black Desert. M.K. then reminds Tate that each time the power is used, it brings him closer to death. Tate replies by saying that they are hiding like cowards and then asks M.K. if there is anyone out there that he cares about. M.K. replies to this question by simply and suddenly walking out of the room.

M.K. wanders the Monastery and happens upon a chamber where he finds the compass that belonged to Sunny sitting on one of the shelves. A woman appears, and asks about the compass, before demanding that he meet the Master. The woman then tosses her broomstick at M.K. with superhuman strength, causing M.K. to fly across the room. M.K. then realizes that the woman is the Master and he asks for help with controlling his power. He tells her that there are people who need his help. The Master expresses her knowledge of M.K.'s plan to escape to Azra with Sunny and Tilda, and she says that he will be allowed to leave if he can get past an origami bird without triggering his power. She throws the paper bird at M.K., and it cuts his cheek. M.K.'s transformation occurs, and he launches himself at the Master. She calmly blocks his punch, and then shuts his power down by quickly striking acupressure points. She tells M.K. that he has "many miles to go". After M.K. leaves, she painfully pushes her broken bone back into place in the same arm that she used to block M.K.'s punch. She uses her power to heal her arm.

Meanwhile, at Gordo Mines, Bajie sees the tattoos on Sunny's body and realizes that he is a Clipper. Sunny grabs him by the throat, but Bajie promises to keep his identity a secret.

In the bunkhouse, Sunny and Bajie eat slop, and Sunny asks Bajie if he has heard news of the current state of the Badlands. Bajie tells Sunny that the Barons are scrambling for power and the Nomads are running wild. As Bajie tells Sunny that "Chaos leads to new opportunities", The Engineer announces over loudspeaker that it is fight night.

In the fighting pit, Overseers bet on Pickers who haven't met their digging quotas to be choses to fight a burly man names Mouse, who has never been defeated, and kills all of his opponents. Other Pickers cheer as Mouse crushes a Picker's head. Sunny tells Bajie that he needs a map of the mines.

Ryder rummages through his old nursery inside the plantation house that had belonged to his father, Quinn. He admits to Jade that moving to Baron Jacobee's mansion will not erase his unfavorable memories of his father. Jade reminds Ryder that he is the baron now, is in control of three territories, and that "that night changed everything". She tells him that everyone thinks he killed Quinn and Jacobee. Cormac, Ryder's Regent, fetches him to handle business at the oil refinery. Ryder refers to Jade as "Baroness", and brings her too.

At the oil fields which were taken from the Widow by Quinn, Ryder's flag flies high. The Widow's daughter, Tilda is now clad in a black suit instead of the regular Butterfly uniform, and sneaks up on one of Ryder's men, ending his life with a knife to the neck.

Meanwhile, Ryder converses with an engineer about a decline in oil being produced. The engineer then blames it on worker Cogs that run away to seek refuge with the WIdow. Ryders stiffens at the mention of the Widow's name, and Jade suggests they make a deal with Baron Juliet Chau for Cogs. The Widow, who is hiding just above, signals to Tilda. Tilda then shoots a grenade dart at flammable oil barrels, which burst into flames. Ryder's Clippers attempt to bring him to safety while The Widow, Tilda and an army of Butterflies swoop in and attack the rest of the Clippers.

Cormac runs with Jade, protecting her. The Widow slaughters Clippers left and right, making her way toward them, keeping her eye one Jade all the while. Cormac gets Jade to a rooftop and stays behind. The Widow mercilessly slashes at Cormac before brutally cutting his head off. On the roof, the Widow throws enough throwing stars to kill the remaining Clippers in one move. She walks up to Jade, puts a dagger to her throat, and instructs her to give Ryder a message. The message is that she has retaken her oil fields and that if Ryder attempts to take them back, there will be blood. She then cuts down Ryder's flag and walks off, leaving Jade unharmed.

The next day, at Bordo Mines, Sunny is given a map of the mines by Bajie, who had obtained it from another Picker. Sunny gives what he had just dug up to another Picker, and Bajie realizes that Sunny wants to be purposely thrown into the fighting pit so that he can escape. A female Picker obtains a gold wedding ring while digging, but Bajie punches her in the face and takes it. An Overseer unshackles Bajie so that Bajie can take the ring to the Engineer.

Bajie is granted a 24 hour reprieve from the mines for the ring, but Bajie tells the Engineer that he a greater prize.

At her sanctuary, the Widow is holding a locket with a picture of a young boy inside. Tilda walks in with news for the Widow, telling her that their numbers grow each day after what happened at the oil refinery. The Widow hopes that the crowd will stay for their movement. She exclaims that her dream is one day there will be no such thing as Cogs, Clippers, Dolls or Barons. Only free men and women choosing where their future lies. Treme, an armadillo Clipper, tells the Widow that she will fall soon enough and then freely leaves the sanctuary.

At the Monastery, M.K. confronts Ava about her sharing their private conversations with the Master. She replies by saying that it is part of her job. The Master appears, with plans to take over M.K.'s training. She asks M.K. if he is ready for "the hard part".

Tilda finds Treme and his group of Armadillo Clippers in the woods and confronts them for violating the Dolls at the refinery. She thrusts a dagger in his throat and then signals for the Butterflies to kill the rest.

Meanwhile, at Bordo Mines, the Engineer calls Sunny a celebrated killer and then explains that Bajie sold Sunny's freedom for his own. Bajie tells Sunny that he saw the opportunity and Sunny is then dragged away by Overseers.

At an abandoned barbershop inside a subway station, a man brings a newborn baby to Veil, who has just given birth. The man is revealed to be Quinn, who is alive and well. He tells Veil that the child is a boy.

## References

1. ↑ *Tiger Pushes Mountain* - AMC
2. Plot for Tiger Pushes Mountain obtained from amctvasia.com - http://www.amctvasia.com/blog/tiger-pushes-mountain-recap