You Know When You're Losing a Fight

**You Know When You're Losing a Fight** is the eighth episode of the third season of Max's original martial arts crime drama *Warrior* and the twenty-eighth episode overall. It premiered on August 3, 2023.

## Synopsis

As Mai Ling's wedding briefly unites the Hop Wei and Long Zii, Li Yong receives a grim final warning from Kong Pak.

## Plot

The residents of Chinatown fill the street and applaud in celebration of Mai Ling and Li Yong's wedding, with both the Hop Wei and Long Zii in attendance. Li Yong takes a drink and undergoes specific rituals before joining hands with Mai Ling and exiting the room. Ah Toy is hopeful that this is the beginning of a union between the two tongs, but Chao believes otherwise.

Elsewhere, Buckley is sworn in as Mayor of San Francisco at town hall, where he promises to defend their way of life and their great nation from the Chinese. Leary and Strickland watch from the crowd as Buckley celebrates his victory. Leary wishes to confront Buckley and force him to free the Donahue boys, who go to court tomorrow. Strickland has a long list of items for Buckley but pardoning the Donahue boys is not one of them. Strickland reminds Leary that just about every cop in the station is Irish and if he can't figure out a way to get the boys out, then he wonders what use Leary would even be to anyone.

Lee and Mosely watch Mai Ling's wedding from a distance, but Lee grows suspicious when he notices the Hop Wei among the guests.

Ah Sahm confronts Young Jun after learning that he's training new printers. Young Jun explains that he's covering their asses, as their entire operation depends on Yan Mi, who does everything and knows everything, though Ah Sahm assures Young Jun that Yan Mi is solid. However, he's not willing to bet the tong on that and tells Ah Sahm not to get too attached to her.

Chao warns Ah Sahm that he's seen the smartest people do the stupidest things while chasing love. Ah Sahm replies that maybe they're chasing something that isn't real, to which Chao says that just because something is rare, doesn't mean it isn't real. It just means it costs.

Kong Pak escorts Li Yong to speak with the elders, who hope that he will use his voice and new-found position to manage Mai Ling's more reckless impulses. However, Li Yong replies that Mai Ling is the only voice for the Long Zii, which angers the elders, especially Wu Jin, who is vocal about his disappointment in Li Yong.

Ah Sahm joins Mai Ling at her table to say that she seems happy. Not long ago, they were at war, but tonight they're family. Mai Ling is hopeful that this is the start of a new beginning for the tongs and Chinatown.

Li Yong refuses to go behind Mai Ling's back, which Kong Pak insists he isn't asking of Li Yong. While he has great respect for Mai Ling, her ambitions could become a liability, if left unchecked. Li Yong disagrees, but then Kong Pak asks how Long Zii died and then warns Li Yong that the elders have run out of patience. They're prepared to fight for control of the tong, but they're also willing to listen to Li Yong if he will listen to them. Li Yong dismisses Kong Pak and the elders' concerns before convening with Mai Ling.

Chao approaches Lee, surprised to see that he's still working for the Secret Service, despite the fact that they killed his cousins. Lee, however, is more concerned with the fact that the Hop Wei and Long Zii have joined forces, which he suspects is a result of their counterfeit money operation. Additionally, he suspects that Chao is involved, asking for him to give up information, but he refuses. Lee is determined to close the case, and if Chao is still involved when he does, he will take him down too. Chao confronts Lee about his willingness to walk the lines of law and break it when necessary. After parting ways with Chao, Lee notices Yan Mi at the party.

Ah Sahm approaches Yan Mi and kisses her, which doesn't go unnoticed by Ah Toy, who appears happy for Ah Sahm, that is until she is confronted by Ming Yu, who has decided to disregard Mai Ling's ruling and take his girls back, along with interest, at which point, Ah Toy bites off Ming Yu's nose before killing him and his men with a bladed Chinese fan. Ah Sham arrives just in time to see her return to the party after remarking that she hates weddings.

Hong tells Young Jun about his relationship with Marcel as they're returning to headquarters, where they find Father Jun sitting outside in the fog. He sends Hong inside and invites Young Jun to sit alongside him. Father Jun feels like he keeps waking up over and over, one dream to the next, but he can never remember any of them, but tonight, when he woke up outside, he felt like himself for the first time since they got back, but he keeps thinking if he gets up out of the fog, it's all going to slip away again. While smoking a cigarette, he says that Young Jun's mother hated when he smoked and if he smelled like it when he saw her, she'd get pissed. He's outside with no pants, but that much he remembers. When you've scrapped as much as he has, you know when you're losing the fight. He then asks where they're coming from, to which Young Jun replies Mai Ling's wedding. Young Jun wonders how much longer Li Yong will last now, but Father Jun is sure he'll be fine, as Li Yong is a follower, unlike Mai Ling and Ah Sahm. His intentions may be different from Mai Ling's, but a man like that will never accept being led, so he will always be a threat. Young Jun doubts Ah Sahm would ever challenge him for the tong, but that's what Father Jun said about Young Jun. He then asks to sit outside a bit longer before returning inside.

That night, Mai Ling and Li Yong consummate their marriage. Meanwhile, the elders and council are slaughtered by Long Zii hatchet men, all except Kong Pak, who manages to fend off his attacker.

The following day, Bill is called into Horace's office, who has decided to start Bill in accounting, where he will keep track of who they owe and who owes them.

Kong Pak confronts Mai Ling and Li Yong after learning that Wu Jin and the other elders have all been assassinated. Mai Ling accuses him of betraying her and trying to turn her own husband against her. Kong Pak tells Li Yong to either open his eyes and stop her, or at least get out of the way so that he can. When Kong Pak charges at Mai Ling, Li Yong interferes and a fight erupts between the two of them. Armed with a blade, Kong Pak charges towards Li Yong, cutting him before being disarmed and then incapacitated when Li Yong punches him in the chest. Li Yong begs Kong Pak to stop as he attempts to get back to his feet, but instead, he grabs his knife and throws it at Mai Ling, narrowly missing her. Angered, Li Yong finishes Kong Pak off, reluctantly breaking his neck. Realizing that he's now killed his friend and mentor, Li Yong sobs over his body while Mai Ling attempts to convince him that she made the right decision in killing off the elders, however, Li Yong exclaims for her to leave him alone.

Killy accuses Leary of not telling him everything. His boys were busted for robbery, but now they're being charged with assault. The judge is going to give them five years tomorrow for stealing food. Leary insists that he did what he could, but Killy isn't convinced and accuses Leary of using them to get a leg up. When Killy remind Leary that their sons used to play together and says that it could've just as easily been his sons, Leary yokes him up against the banister before telling Killy to go home and sleep it off. On his way out, Killy says that Leary has forgotten who he is. Leary proceeds to join Bill at the bar, where he recalls his son Dan would've been 17 next week. Bill picked a hell of a time to stop being a cop. While there may be a new chief, those are still his guys at the station, Leary notes. Bill retorts that they are still men with families and that if it comes down between choosing Bill and their jobs, they're going to pick their jobs. However, Bill still agrees to help Leary get the Donahue boys out.

Bill and Leary make their way to the police station, where he tells Harrison and Stone that it won't be long before Chief Atwood kicks them off the force as well. Nevertheless, Harrison is reluctant to hand over the keys but does so anyway. He takes Bill and Leary down to the holding cells, but before they can leave with the Donahue boys, Chief Atwood arrives. He orders Harrison to lock the prisoners back inside, and then take Bill and Leary upstairs for processing, but Harrison refuses. Bill then says that the boys don't belong in jail and that he will be paying their fines and sending them home. Hearing that bill is fond of wagers, Atwood tells Bill that if he can knock him down, then the Donahue boys are free to go, otherwise Bill and Leary will be arrested. Bill is initially reluctant to fight, but after Atwood punches him in the face, the two of them begin fighting in the cell. They trade punches, with Atwood ultimately gaining the upper hand and knocking Bill to the ground. However, Bill manages to regain control of the fight and knock Atwood out.

Ah Sahm takes Yan Mi home. She asks him to stay, but he has to go. However, she senses something is wrong. Ah Sahm reveals that Young Jun is looking to close in the operation and Yan Mi doesn't have much time. But he still needs her to print, as the new guys aren't ready yet, but once they are, he will have her killed. So Ah Sahm propose she consider taking a train out of town soon. Unbeknownst to the two of them, they are being watched by Lee.

Beaten and bruised, Bill returns home, where he reveals to Lucy that he got into a fight with Chief Atwood. Realizing how bad it could be for them now that Bill has assaulted the chief of police, Lucy takes a drink and asks if Bill at least managed to get the Donahue boys out, which he did. He hasn't been arrested yet, but Bill is certain he will be.

Li Yong takes Kong Pak's body to Chao, who will send him back to China. Li Yong is uncertain what his next move should be, looking to Chao for advice, as Kong Pak was right about Mai Ling, as were the elders. Chao reminds Li Yong that Mai Ling has always done whatever she has to in order to protect herself, including marrying Li Yong, as she can't do this without him.

Young Jun awakens to Father Jun holding a blade to his neck. In a state of delusion, he sees Young Jun as nothing more than a rival and demands to be taken to his men. He orders Young Jun to his feet while pressing the blade to his neck, causing Young Jun to bleed. Young Jun pleads with his father to wake up as he charges towards him with a knife. Young Jun disarms him and calls out to Father Jun, who eventually regains his sanity. Realizing the damage he's done to Young Jun, Father Jun proceeds to cry.

Strickland returns home, unaware that Lai has sneaked into his estate disguised as s maid.

## 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
* Tom Weston-Jones as Richard Lee
* Hoon Lee as Wang Chao
* Langley Kirkwood as Walter Buckley
* Perry Yung as Father Jun
* Chen Tang as Hong
* Chelsea Muirhead as Yan Mi
* Adam Rayner as Douglas Strickland III
* Mark Dacascos as Kong Pak
* Joe Taslim as Li Yong
* Neels Clasen as Chief Atwood
* Robert Hobbs as Stone
* Nicholas Pauling as Harrison
* Sean-Marco Vorster as Gumm
* Colin Moss as Thayer
* Emily Child as Lucy O'Hara
* Dominique Maher as Catherine Archer
* Jenny Umbhau as Lai
* Morné Visser as Killy Donahue
* Ross Van Der Walt as Garrett Donahue
* Matthew Vey as Conor Donahue
* Kevin Otto as Horace Clark
* Milton Schorr as Officer Graham
* Jandre le Roux as Shaw
* Jason Wong as Ming Yu
* Mark Penwill as Amos
* Zhong Xin Wang as Strickland's Butler

## Trivia

* The episode title was spoken by Father Jun to Young Jun in reference to his mental state.

## Gallery

### Videos

The Official Warrior Podcast - Episode 8 - Max