John Chinaman

**John Chinaman** is the third episode of the first season of the Cinemax original martial arts crime drama *Warrior*. It premiered on April 19, 2019. The series has since been acquired by Max.

## Synopsis

Leary pressures gentleman industrialist Byron Mercer, who is Penny's father, to hire his men for a cable-car track job — despite the fact that Mayor Blake hasn't yet awarded Mercer the contract. Accused of assault and perhaps worse, Ah Sahm gets a cold shoulder from the Hop Wei, with his fate in the hands of an unexpected ally. Buckley urges Mai Ling to eschew restraint and start a war with the Hop Wei.

## Plot

Leary interrupts Byron Mercer's breakfast after learning that he's been assured exclusive city contracts to lay tracks for the new cable car lines. When construction begins, Byron will be in need of a small army of workers, approximately 100 laborers, and he agrees to hire on Leary's recommendations, and in return, he'll help keep salaries manageable.

Ah Sahm is escorted into court for arraignment by Officer Lee. Seamus and Paul O'Shea are also in court and are prepared to testify that they were attacked by Ah Sahm. With that, the trial is scheduled for tomorrow morning, and until then, Ah Sahm is to be held without bail.

Ji Huang personally delivers this week's casino receipts and approaches Mai Ling with a proposal. He believes that with a bit of renovation, he could fit in six or seven more tables into his casino, thus increasing profit. Mai Ling gives her approval, but Ji Huang questions if he needs Long Zii's permission to make such renovations. Mai Ling explains that she operates on his authority and gives Ji Huang three weeks to complete renovations, with half salary as incentive. After Ji Huang exits, Li Yong informs Mai Ling that her brother was arrested yesterday.

Penny finds Philip, Ah Sahm's lawyer, getting drunk at the bar. She tells him that Ah Sahm is innocent and that he was simply protecting her from Paul and Seamus. She even offers to testify on the stand, but Phillip refuses to allow her, as Buckley has made it clear that he will be out of a job should he allow Penny anywhere near the case. Seeing how far he's fallen, she asks what happened to him and if he thinks so little of her now. He replies that it doesn't matter what he thinks, as Penny made her choice.

After arraignment, Bill is approached by Leary, who seeks to skip trial and fast track to Ah Sahm's sentencing, which consists of Bill sneaking a few of Leary's thugs inside the cell with Ah Sahm. As soon as Bill heads back to his desk, they go in for the attack, armed with various weapons, but they are no match against Ah Sahm, who takes down all three of his attackers. When Bill finally returns, Ah Sahm reveals that he can speak English and confronts him for sending Leary's men after him and for arresting him simply for being Chinese. Lee then enters the holding cell area and confronts Bill after having previously seen him with Leary, under the impression that Bill and Leary attempted to have Ah Sahm beaten and killed.

Mai Ling and Li Yong pay Paul and Seamus O'Shea a home visit after getting word of Ah Sahm's arrest. Mai Ling tells Paul and Seamus to not show up to court tomorrow, and in return, his family will be unharmed. When Mai Ling pulls a knife on one of his daughters, he reluctantly agrees.

The following morning, Ah Sahm is brought in for trial. The State vs John Chinamen. Two counts of aggravated assault. However, neither witness have shown up to court. And without witness testimony, the judge sees no reason to proceed, and the charges are dismissed against Ah Sahm, who is escorted out the court by Lee.

Mayor Blake attempts to calm the outraged crowd with what they perceive to be a grave injustice. Mayor Blake exclaims that it's a sad day in the city when their citizens cannot walk the street without fear from a foreign criminal element, and their own court can not uphold the very protections put in place to keep them safe. That said, Blake gives his word to devote every resource necessary to ensure the safety of every man, woman, and child.

Bill can't believe that Ah Sahm is being released. Nevertheless, he tells him to avoid the crowd and sneak out through a service exit that'll lead him out the backside of the building.

Mayor Blake is rather impressed with himself following his speech, but Buckley notes that he made no notion against the Chinese, nor did he mention jobs. Blake fears that condemning the Chinese, their greatest and cheapest resource, in public speech, would anger Merriweather, who would pull his support. Buckley tells Mayor Blake that he can only play the middle for so long, and eventually he'll have to pick a side.

Ah Sahm is greeted at the back exit by Chao, who informs Ah Sahm that he was disowned by the Hop Wei. When the witnesses didn't show, Ah Sahm figured the Hop Wei were behind it, but in actuality, it was Mai Ling, who Ah Sahm denies knowing. Chao isn't convinced and questions why she of all people would want to see a Hop Wei hatchet man freed. Mai Ling also asked Chao to deliver a message, telling Ah Sahm to get out of San Francisco.

Ah Sahm enters the Ah Toy's whorehouse, where he is welcomed back by Young Jun and the Hop Wei. Bolo questions how he got out, but Ah Sahm claims to have no idea.

Bill takes Leary down to see his men. He questions how one man managed to best all three of them and threatens to leave them in the cell, but ultimately has Bill release them. Bill hopes that this makes him and Leary even, but Leary reminds Bill that he has bigger concerns in regard to Ah Sahm, who's made a fool of the precinct.

In order to avoid having sex with him, Penny spikes Mayor Blake's drink. He realizes that she's upset with him for his stance against Ah Sahm. He admits marriage and politics are a fraught combination, though ultimately it worked out, with Penny's defender walking away a freeman. Just as Samuel begins caressing on Penny, the relaxer she slipped into his drink begins to take effect and within seconds, he is unconscious.

The Hop Wei celebrate Ah Sahm's return, and Young Jun gives a toast in his honor, also advising Ah Sahm against wandering off again. The party comes to a momentary halt when Father Jun arrives to remind Ah Sahm what it truly means to be Hop Wei. And as punishment, Father Jun pulls out a wooden paddle to beat Ah Sahm and teach him the rules of the tong. He partially blames himself for not skinning Ah Sahm in to begin with. Ah Sahm takes multiple hits to the abdomen, to the point where he can barely stand, and as Young Jun helps him to his feet, Father Jun toasts in his honor.

Ah Toy applies ointment to Ah Sahm's wounds and warns him against making reckless decisions such as scrapping with ducks in the pond, even if that wasn't his intent. Ah Toy wonders what he saw while on the other side. Ah Sahm has realized that in San Francisco, they're not people. They're cattle, and that'll never change, he fears. Ah Toy isn't convinced, replying that they can make a change, but only when their people stop being so content with being oppressed. They're a nation of warriors, not slaves. Ah Toy has plans for Ah Sahm, but in the meantime, she wants him to simply take better care of himself, explaining that barrooms and brothels are where revolutions are usually born.

Jacob approaches Ah Sahm with a message from Penny.

Mai Ling meets with Buckley as planned. Admittedly, there's been a minor setback, but a greater opportunity has presented itself. With this, the mayor now has to show he's hard on Chinatown crime, and he doesn't care where the hammer falls, as the Hop Wei and Long Zii are all the same to him. In theory, Mai Ling has Buckley to aim the metaphorical hammer, but he questions what she has done for him as of late, asking why she hasn't made a move against the Hop Wei. Mai Ling explains that her husband has been showing restraint, though she intends to get that under control. In the meantime, all she needs from Buckley is a greater police presence against the Hop Wei. In addition to, she'll need another shipment of opium, promising Buckley that soon the streets of Chinatown will flow with blood.

Ah Sahm follows Jacob back to the mayor's estate, where he finds Penny, who urges him to leave before Samuel discovers him. Ah Sahm only came to return her money, as he doesn't need it. She didn't mean to insult him, as she didn't know how else to thank him. On his way out, Penny asks Ah Sahm why he defended her. He recalls how she called him a coward in the shop. He simply wanted her to know that he wasn't one, for which she apologizes for misjudging him.

Leary confronts Seamus for not showing up in court. He explains that Mai Ling showed up at his home and threatened to slaughter his family. Leary exclaims that Seamus should've come to him, but because he didn't, Ah Sahm walked free. Because of this, Leary sets Seamus' house on fire in retaliation, forcing the O'Sheas to flee as Leary warns him to take his family and leave San Francisco.

## Cast

* Olivia Cheng as Ah Toy
* Jason Tobin as Young Jun
* Dianne Doan as Mai Ling
* Kieran Bew as Bill O'Hara
* Dean Jagger as Dylan Leary
* Joanna Vanderham as Penelope Blake
* Tom Weston-Jones as Richard Lee
* Hoon Lee as Wang Chao
* Langley Kirkwood as Walter Buckley
* Christian McKay as Samuel Blake
* Perry Yung as Father Jun
* Joe Taslim as Li Yong
* Graham Hopkins as Byron Mercer
* Aidan Whytock as Phillip Coleman
* Kenneth Fok as Jacob
* Ronald Smerczak as Judge Belstaff
* Grant Ross as Bailiff
* Warrick Grier as Seamus O'Shea
* Andrew Jones-Davies as Paul O'Shea
* Stephen Jennings as Prosecutor Stanton
* Paul Chan as Ji Huang
* Stuart Williamson as Henchman
* Cameron Froud as Henchman
* Sean Kohnke as Henchman

## Trivia

* John Chinaman was a stock caricature of a Chinese laborer from 19th century cartoons. However, in regard to the series, John Chinaman is used as a common placeholder name for Chinese immigrants.