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http://www.thenerdelement.com/2018/05/05/into-badlands-review-moon-rises-raven-seeks/
Boy were there some revelations revealed on last week’s Into the Badlands episode: Moon Rises, Raven Seeks. Here are some basis deets:
Written by: Matt Lambert, Alfred Gough, Miles Millar
Directed by: Paco Cabezas
Synopsis: Sunny (Daniel Wu) and Bajie (Nick Frost) seek help from Lydia (Orla Brady). The Widow (Emily Beecham) struggles to control M.K. (Aramis Knight). Pilgrim (Babou Ceesay) seeks to establish a new order in the Badlands.
Review
I felt this episode was another way of setting up the different plot points of the season. There were moments that felt predictable, some had me pleasantly surprised, and one shocked me. Kudos as usual to the wardrobe department. The panned shots of land were gorgeous as always. I really need to visit Ireland again!
Nathaniel Moon (Sherman Augustus) looks damn handsome in blue! I’ve always liked the color royal blue, and this is exactly why! Granted the Widow aka Minerva’s soldiers and butterflies look just as good but still.
Moon got his first assignment from the Widow in finding the Iron Rabbit. We know this is Tilda (Ally Ioannides). I wonder if Minerva suspects who it is? She was ruthless in wanting the criminal’s head. I was thinking, “dang, no love lost then on your daughter.”
Hypocrisy
Minerva’s track record for regents is not great so it makes me wonder when Moon will turn coat on her like Waldo (Stephen Lang) and Tilda? Even Lydia called the Widow on her hypocrisy in a conversation I didn’t even realize I needed. I love how Brady and Beecham played off each other in that scene. Lydia’s lighter colors also contrasted well with The Widow’s signature black.
Speaking of Waldo, are we going to see him at some point? I like that Moon is representing for prosthetic folk but why can’t Waldo still be around, so we have two disabled people on the show? My only guess would be so Moon has more character development since Waldo got two seasons with us.
When the Widow mentioned needing workers for the poppy fields, I was wondering if she will pay wages or still treat cogs like free labor. I thought that was something she wanted changed? From what Minerva was offering Lydia, that didn’t seem to be what she would do. She is so caught up in the gift that her version of a new world sounds very similar to the old one.
Umm so Lydia and Moon have history huh? I was feeling some chemistry there. I peeped how Lydia hinted at Moon that NOTHING was holding her back from getting with him. Get it Lydia! She deserves to be happy. Moon, even with his vendetta, is way better than Quinn on a good day.
So far, I am enjoying interactions with characters that haven’t had too many scenes together, like Lydia with both Moon and the Widow. I would not blame Lydia for giving up Tilda when it means her camp is spared. Tilda will not stay at camp as Lydia requested anyway so that works. I chuckled when Lydia told Tilda to stay put. She should know better.
Sunny and the witch
Bajie reluctant to find the witch Ankar because he thinks she’s crazy is understandable. For some reason when he said that I thought of Cressida. What if they are the same person? That would be crazy! Sunny going to seek her out anyway is also understandable. Besides, them escaping from Moon is a good thing as their rematch is too soon.
Have Faith
Pilgrim and Cressida (Lorraine Toussaint) find a home base for their followers. I liked that it was a museum building with dinosaur bones. Seeing the American flags in the souvenir shop confirms that they are somewhere in the United States. Castor (Dean-Charles Chapman) and Nix (Ella-Rae Smith) looking at Azra through the view master brought me back to my childhood. I thought for sure the toy would be extinct, but they are available to purchase on Amazon.
When they first entered the building my immediate thought was who is going to clean up that area? I would not want that job! Also, as soon as old dude was complaining about the building, “loosing faith” I had to roll my eyes because Pilgrim had to make them believe in him again. Cressida probably just wanted the guy dead, but Pilgrim handled it.
Pilgrim had to show us that he wasn’t just all talk. It was a nice display of skill with his eyes covered. I noticed how the main complainer did not even try to fight Pilgrim but had his cronies take the hit. Oh, so now you want to believe again bruh? Child please. Just to be extra I probably would’ve killed him anyway.
We saw in the premiere how Castor changed back not long into using his gift. Last week we saw his ears bleeding. The Pilgrim is aware that he is deteriorating faster than expected. Nix appears to not have this issue so far. I am wondering if males wane faster than females with the gift? While we have seen grown men in the abbots, my guess is because of the training they received from the Master (Chipo Chung). It looks like this group does not have abbots to guide them.
Rituals
The title of this episode had the most meaning in the scene where Cressida performed the sacrament with Pilgrim, Nix, and Castor. By suspending her body using hooks in her back, the gods provide her with visions of what happens next. All I could do was cringe the entire time this was happening. It was creepy that Cressida kissed Pilgrim to gain strength from the blood on his lips. Hanging like that, blood dripping, looked like it hurt. Also why were the followers not witnessing Cressida’s pain and sacrifice?
I fell down the rabbit hole that is google wondering if there was a similar ritual that the show pulled from and I found out that the Mandan tribe of the Plains Indians used body suspension as part of the Sun Dance ceremony or Okipa*. That portion of the ceremony helped with the vision quest the young men went on according to the book found on SemanticsScholar.org.
In present day there are groups around the world that participate in using hooks to suspend their bodies. There are several articles about it, like the one from Huffington Post from a few years ago that caught my eye. Ziplining and even bungee jumping sounds more appealing but to each his own.
Fight of the Week
This is petty, but I got a kick out of Nathaniel Moon schooling M.K. while testing out his new mechanical hand. This seems to be tradition now that there is at least one adult that kicks M.K.’s butt when he is being cocky as hell. M.K. still has not learned that he still has some growing up to do.
I also thought this was some twisted foreshadowing with what M.K. finds out later in the episode after gushing about being trained by Sunny.
Moment of the Week
A memory is unlocked in M.K. solving the mystery of what happened to his mother. FINALLY! The “gift” version of himself in his opium state told MK that the master had him thinking he killed his mother (Elif Knight) through manipulating his memories. That could be true.
Or the alternative is that M.K. already feared that he killed his mother so that’s what his mind projected using the memories he never fully unlocked until now. I love how the evil version of M.K. was calling him on his BS. However, it sure did take its little sweet time appearing to M.K. so he can get over his block!
I did not forget that he used that girl to get some more opium. Like a love sick puppy she gave it to him. Girl, is he really putting it on you like that? Was having to be under opium necessary for the memories to happen? Ugh! I guess since M.K. was on the verge of overdosing is when his dark self was like “Oh, hell naw!”
This was a shocker for me. I had a feeling that what M.K. remembered would be brought up again on the show but to have Sunny be the one that murdered mama? Is M.K. going to forgive Sunny, considering it was on Quinn’s orders that his village got attacked in the first place? Mind you Sunny was a different person back then.
A rematch between Sunny and M.K. must happen now. What will it mean for their relationship though? We will have to see. It would help if M.K. snaps out of his coma though!
What did you think of the episode? Sound off below in the comments!
*“North American Indians: Indians of the Plains.” (2008)
The post Into the Badlands Ep 302 Review: Moon Rises, Raven Seeks appeared first on The Nerd Element.
Boy were there some revelations revealed on last week’s Into the Badlands episode: Moon Rises, Raven Seeks. Here are some basis deets:
Written by: Matt Lambert, Alfred Gough, Miles Millar
Directed by: Paco Cabezas
Synopsis: Sunny (Daniel Wu) and Bajie (Nick Frost) seek help from Lydia (Orla Brady). The Widow (Emily Beecham) struggles to control M.K. (Aramis Knight). Pilgrim (Babou Ceesay) seeks to establish a new order in the Badlands.
Review
I felt this episode was another way of setting up the different plot points of the season. There were moments that felt predictable, some had me pleasantly surprised, and one shocked me. Kudos as usual to the wardrobe department. The panned shots of land were gorgeous as always. I really need to visit Ireland again!
Nathaniel Moon (Sherman Augustus) looks damn handsome in blue! I’ve always liked the color royal blue, and this is exactly why! Granted the Widow aka Minerva’s soldiers and butterflies look just as good but still.
Moon got his first assignment from the Widow in finding the Iron Rabbit. We know this is Tilda (Ally Ioannides). I wonder if Minerva suspects who it is? She was ruthless in wanting the criminal’s head. I was thinking, “dang, no love lost then on your daughter.”
Hypocrisy
Minerva’s track record for regents is not great so it makes me wonder when Moon will turn coat on her like Waldo (Stephen Lang) and Tilda? Even Lydia called the Widow on her hypocrisy in a conversation I didn’t even realize I needed. I love how Brady and Beecham played off each other in that scene. Lydia’s lighter colors also contrasted well with The Widow’s signature black.
Speaking of Waldo, are we going to see him at some point? I like that Moon is representing for prosthetic folk but why can’t Waldo still be around, so we have two disabled people on the show? My only guess would be so Moon has more character development since Waldo got two seasons with us.
When the Widow mentioned needing workers for the poppy fields, I was wondering if she will pay wages or still treat cogs like free labor. I thought that was something she wanted changed? From what Minerva was offering Lydia, that didn’t seem to be what she would do. She is so caught up in the gift that her version of a new world sounds very similar to the old one.
Umm so Lydia and Moon have history huh? I was feeling some chemistry there. I peeped how Lydia hinted at Moon that NOTHING was holding her back from getting with him. Get it Lydia! She deserves to be happy. Moon, even with his vendetta, is way better than Quinn on a good day.
So far, I am enjoying interactions with characters that haven’t had too many scenes together, like Lydia with both Moon and the Widow. I would not blame Lydia for giving up Tilda when it means her camp is spared. Tilda will not stay at camp as Lydia requested anyway so that works. I chuckled when Lydia told Tilda to stay put. She should know better.
Sunny and the witch
Bajie reluctant to find the witch Ankar because he thinks she’s crazy is understandable. For some reason when he said that I thought of Cressida. What if they are the same person? That would be crazy! Sunny going to seek her out anyway is also understandable. Besides, them escaping from Moon is a good thing as their rematch is too soon.
Have Faith
Pilgrim and Cressida (Lorraine Toussaint) find a home base for their followers. I liked that it was a museum building with dinosaur bones. Seeing the American flags in the souvenir shop confirms that they are somewhere in the United States. Castor (Dean-Charles Chapman) and Nix (Ella-Rae Smith) looking at Azra through the view master brought me back to my childhood. I thought for sure the toy would be extinct, but they are available to purchase on Amazon.
When they first entered the building my immediate thought was who is going to clean up that area? I would not want that job! Also, as soon as old dude was complaining about the building, “loosing faith” I had to roll my eyes because Pilgrim had to make them believe in him again. Cressida probably just wanted the guy dead, but Pilgrim handled it.
Pilgrim had to show us that he wasn’t just all talk. It was a nice display of skill with his eyes covered. I noticed how the main complainer did not even try to fight Pilgrim but had his cronies take the hit. Oh, so now you want to believe again bruh? Child please. Just to be extra I probably would’ve killed him anyway.
We saw in the premiere how Castor changed back not long into using his gift. Last week we saw his ears bleeding. The Pilgrim is aware that he is deteriorating faster than expected. Nix appears to not have this issue so far. I am wondering if males wane faster than females with the gift? While we have seen grown men in the abbots, my guess is because of the training they received from the Master (Chipo Chung). It looks like this group does not have abbots to guide them.
Rituals
The title of this episode had the most meaning in the scene where Cressida performed the sacrament with Pilgrim, Nix, and Castor. By suspending her body using hooks in her back, the gods provide her with visions of what happens next. All I could do was cringe the entire time this was happening. It was creepy that Cressida kissed Pilgrim to gain strength from the blood on his lips. Hanging like that, blood dripping, looked like it hurt. Also why were the followers not witnessing Cressida’s pain and sacrifice?
I fell down the rabbit hole that is google wondering if there was a similar ritual that the show pulled from and I found out that the Mandan tribe of the Plains Indians used body suspension as part of the Sun Dance ceremony or Okipa*. That portion of the ceremony helped with the vision quest the young men went on according to the book found on SemanticsScholar.org.
In present day there are groups around the world that participate in using hooks to suspend their bodies. There are several articles about it, like the one from Huffington Post from a few years ago that caught my eye. Ziplining and even bungee jumping sounds more appealing but to each his own.
Fight of the Week
This is petty, but I got a kick out of Nathaniel Moon schooling M.K. while testing out his new mechanical hand. This seems to be tradition now that there is at least one adult that kicks M.K.’s butt when he is being cocky as hell. M.K. still has not learned that he still has some growing up to do.
I also thought this was some twisted foreshadowing with what M.K. finds out later in the episode after gushing about being trained by Sunny.
Moment of the Week
A memory is unlocked in M.K. solving the mystery of what happened to his mother. FINALLY! The “gift” version of himself in his opium state told MK that the master had him thinking he killed his mother (Elif Knight) through manipulating his memories. That could be true.
Or the alternative is that M.K. already feared that he killed his mother so that’s what his mind projected using the memories he never fully unlocked until now. I love how the evil version of M.K. was calling him on his BS. However, it sure did take its little sweet time appearing to M.K. so he can get over his block!
I did not forget that he used that girl to get some more opium. Like a love sick puppy she gave it to him. Girl, is he really putting it on you like that? Was having to be under opium necessary for the memories to happen? Ugh! I guess since M.K. was on the verge of overdosing is when his dark self was like “Oh, hell naw!”
This was a shocker for me. I had a feeling that what M.K. remembered would be brought up again on the show but to have Sunny be the one that murdered mama? Is M.K. going to forgive Sunny, considering it was on Quinn’s orders that his village got attacked in the first place? Mind you Sunny was a different person back then.
A rematch between Sunny and M.K. must happen now. What will it mean for their relationship though? We will have to see. It would help if M.K. snaps out of his coma though!
What did you think of the episode? Sound off below in the comments!
*“North American Indians: Indians of the Plains.” (2008)
The post Into the Badlands Ep 302 Review: Moon Rises, Raven Seeks appeared first on The Nerd Element.
Season 4 / Episode 21, Harry and the Harrisons / The CW
And you say C-City!
From jump, the writers remember that Iris is more than the new leader of Team Flash. She’s also an investigator. She’s a truth seeker. Iris da Melanin GAWDESS about to expose DeVoe for the maniacal bastard that he is. Yea, they let us know early that reporter Iris back!!
S.T.A.R. Labs
The team thinks DeVoe’s got big plans for his intelligence zapping satellites. He’s gonna set them up in perfect position so that he can blast ayebody with the stupid juice. Fortunately they realize his movement has pretty much come to a halt, so something must be off. They’re left wondering why he hasn’t made a move when he has everything he needs. Nevertheless, the team comes up with a pretty solid plan to shut that shit down.
Friends in Low Places
They can’t use technology or sound-based attacks because Kilg%ore and Ralph’s powers negate all that, so they have to find an organic approach to take out megamind. Their solution: Amunet Black. Amunet’s dark matter-created metal shards can be combined to create a big enough projectile that they’ll be able to squash the brainwave frying satellites.
Elsewhere in the lab, Harry is pulling out all the stops on this quest to get his IQ back. He asks Cisco to call in the Counsel of Wells and you already know ridiculousness is bound to ensue. Dana Garvey Wells is brought in, but Harry fails to answer one of his questions right. This leads to Dana calling Harry a moron and kicking him off the squad of intellectuals who help other formidable intellectuals in their times of need. No more assistance from the counsel, but don’t worry Harry! Cisco got plans.
Caitlin and Barry pull up to Amunet’s old lair but the slug-face cyclops sidekick says Amunet’s been in the wind since the ARGUS deal went sour. They head back to the Lab, and together the team does some real deal recon and tracks down Amunet’s guvment name and get to searching. Why weren’t they able to get that birth certificate before this episode? Cuz the writers ain’t shit.
Before heading out, Barry pulls Iris aside to talk about her article and his fear of how the public might react. The soft music plays so we know it’s serious. She low key agrees to chill but also says she’s gonna keep goin when she gets more evidence.
Missions
Harry and Cisco out here hosting a Klumps dinner with all the new Harrisons running around. We got Matthew McConaughey Wells lookin stoned as can be. There’s Pepe Le Pew Wells eatin croissants, lookin stuck up artsy and absurd. Lastly, there’s Pacino Bambino Harrison lookin like every Yankees hat wearing, chicken parm eating, Brooklyn born son of an Italian immigrant. They all cool though and agree to help our boy get his intelligence back.
Central City Streets
Caitlin and Joe are on their Sherlock and Watson flow. They pull up to a bodega looking for Amunet aaaaand issa club. Well a gambling ring to be exact. Shorty in the back countin stacks and Joe whips out the badge (I’m convinced) just to see the poker roaches scatter. They get Amunet to come back and help the team. Kinda hard to argue with “You’ll be as dumb as rocks if you don’t help us.”
S.T.A.R. Labs
Amunet puttin her feet up on all the furniture. She in the crib with the jokes, calling out the Flash on his secret identity, and touchin shit like your 3-year-old nephew. The team hits her with the real. Methodical, power absorbing, genocidal killer got satellites ready to hit everyone on Earth with a Slowpoke psychic beam attack. She’s like, “I’m wit the shits…BUT imma need a helluva lot more of my metal shrapnel. Kilos fam. Thing is my stash spot got hit, but let’s check out the area and see if we peep anything.”
Before going, Cailtin pulls Amunet aside and convinces Ms. Iron Man to give Caitlin the splicer that she used to “fix” her a while back. But hookups don’t happen without a price. Caitlin agrees to do Amunet on favor once their brains aren’t turned to mush. Caitlin desperate fam. They head to the train yard where she keeps her stash and run some diagnostics on the way the thief got into the train car. After some hilarious guesses by Amunet, they find out venom is how someone got in. She realizes the substance must belong to Medusa eye, Norvok.
S.T.A.R. Labs
Joe calls out Caitlin for going just a tad too hard on finding Norvok and the stash. He storms out upset “Killer Frost is gone forever.” Cisco and Harry have a breakthrough after the Harrison squad visit. Harry might be able to help the team with a different, emotional angle.
Iris drops her article on Barry and he still shook it’s gonna cause a panic. She thinks the citizens need to arm themselves. Barry thinks it’s too risky, so she leaves the decision up to him. (Nah Iris, NAH) But I guess she feels it’s time for the Flash to put his faith in the people, like they always have done for him.
Venomous Villainy
Amunet and Caitlin are kickin it in the Pipeline and the truth finally comes out. The Splicer never worked. Killer Frost has been inside her the entire time. Amunet also realizes that she knows where Norvok is…which is selling all of her wild metallic alloy to some of Central City’s finest thugs in suits. Norvok with the good eye been holed up in the old underground deal fake out spot. This is also why Team Flash’s hacked satellites couldn’t pick up on the metal.
Flash comes in to shut shit down. He sends Medusa eye flying then does his typical ‘Flash gets bodied by someone he should’ve easily beaten’ thing. Norvok unleashes his Slytherin peeper and pumps Flash full of that Black Mamba mist. While Flash writhes in pain, snake face stalks Amunet, ready to take out his former capo. But with a little Team Flash assist, she gets her hand on her special metal and turns Norvok into the snake man in the iron mask. Amunet remembers she’s a villain and chucks up the dueces on Team Flash. Buuuuttt not before blessing Team Flash with a dark matter infused metal shrapnel bomb. She curtsies then metal hurricanes outta there.
To end the episode, they break out the violin music so Barry can tell his wife that she was right. He wants Cocoa Butter Kisses to drop that article and boy does she! They wake up in the middle of the night to her social media hotline blingin. The City want the static with DeVoe. They ain’t goin down without a fight.
Flash Facts
Back at the lab Harry tells the team he’s figured something out. He strains himself drawing 3 faces on the board. A happy DeVoe and a sad Marlize equaling a meh face. This is the reason DeVoe hasn’t popped off yet.
Was it me, or was the actress who plays Amunet on a whole nother level this episode? Her hair was mad rockstar, she was cackling at jokes, and shooting crazy eyes all over the place!
Joe and Caitlin go get a drink like partners who just caught a break on a big case. She buys a round and thanks Joe for being there for her, then she hits him with that status update. Killer Frost has always been there, she just has to dig deep to bring her out.
Flash Fan? Find BNP’s other reviews of the series here.
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The post The Flash Recap: Harry and the Harrisons appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.