S02.E12: Alliance

[Trini]

With Russell Tan on the verge of making his final move, Nicky enlists all the help she can get in order to stop him before it's too late. But when an unexpected discovery threatens to derail their efforts, the team will be forced to prepare for what may be a losing battle.

Richard Speight, Jr. directed the episode written by Ryan Johnson & Peter Lalayanis.

Airdate: 6/8/2022

[AnimeMania]

[paigow]

[Last week]...

Nicky: Zhilan, there is no us...

[Today]...

Nicky: We need to team up...

[Trini]

So a lot of this episode was just me saying "Noooo!"

Maybe I'll be able to comment more coherently later, but the biggest things I'm going to need them to smash the 'UNDO' button on are a) Althea bombing her app, b) Henry's dad getting shot (and getting kicked out of the Wan Zai; I had high hopes for that), and c) killing Kerwin - ew, why would you make those abs evil?! Fix it, now!

[william0102]

Now, let's not panic. I'm sure there's a time frame where the souls can be switched back/the final bits fully transferred. Do you HEAR ME show. There better be.a.time.frame.

I can't say that I have the same hopes for Althea's app though. Realistically anyway. I will take a hand wave scenario where she uses some kind of virus to erase her app from phones, thus deleting any evidence off any device. This show has magical body swapping, I will gladly accept virus that deletes the app from the 30,000 devices.

I gotta say they did really well with the pacing and suspense, right up until Nicky just laid on the floor and watched the bell glow. Yell, shout out Tan's name, try to get up and fall back down. Do something. Not lay around in shock.

[paigow]

Tan is not immortal YET.. Kill him/ Kerwin NOW!

3 hours ago, william0102 said:

Do something. Not lay around in shock.

[william0102]

^ I don't want Kerwin dead, but yeah, lol, some kind of reaction would have been good.

So one thing I was confused about: Tan used Mia's blood for the soul transfer/immortality thing. I'm assuming because we didn't see the blood any where near the bell or hammer. And fake!Kerwin washed his face in it before going to hit the bell. So, like, because he washed his face in it (and most likely used it during the soul transfer) the blood is the connection he needed, along withe the cinnabar, to make the bell work as well? So he didn't need Mia to physical strike the bell, just someone with guardian blood? Couldn't he have just taken Nicky and accomplished all of this? We technically didn't even need to have Mia's storyline at all, is that right?

[tennisgurl]

Father of the year that Russel. Kerwin had better he brought back for the finale damn it! I refuse to believe that he cant be swapped back and that all that sexy will be wasted! 

Rough episode for a lot of people, Henry might have lost his dad just after they reconnect, Althea might have tossed away her career for the greater good, and it looks like Russel's evil plan is going forward...for now anyway. 

Everyone's reactions to Zhilan showing up to help out were hilarious, especially Evan's co-worker/love interest trying to shake her hand awkwardly while Evan just shakes his head at her. Then Althea's "duh" reaction when Nadia kissed Evan, some much needed comedy in a pretty tense episode. 

[Trini]

16 hours ago, william0102 said:

So one thing I was confused about: Tan used Mia's blood for the soul transfer/immortality thing. I'm assuming because we didn't see the blood any where near the bell or hammer. And fake!Kerwin washed his face in it before going to hit the bell. So, like, because he washed his face in it (and most likely used it during the soul transfer) the blood is the connection he needed, along withe the cinnabar, to make the bell work as well? So he didn't need Mia to physical strike the bell, just someone with guardian blood? Couldn't he have just taken Nicky and accomplished all of this? We technically didn't even need to have Mia's storyline at all, is that right?

Unless they do some more explaining in the finale, I feel like they dropped the ball here with the plot with Mia. I thought it was building up well, but now it turns out Tan didn't even need her for her lethal hybrid skills... just her blood? For a ceremony that we knew nothing about and didn't even get to see until it was over; and I'm guessing with Mia near death, she'll be pretty useless in the finale. So ... yeah. (And we don't even know if it was specifically Warrior or Guardian blood or both, or a hybrid's blood that was needed. This plot twist is kinda out of nowhere.)

That being said, I don't think introducing cousin Mia was a bad idea, but they fumbled the landing with the Russell Tan part of her story.

1 hour ago, tennisgurl said:

Father of the year that Russel. ...

Gotta say, I'm a bit disappointed at how they've handled Russell Tan. I thought there'd be more nuance*, but no, he's just been Pure Evil this whole time. He's was always going to sacrifice (at least) one of his remaining children for his own selfish goals. If that was always how it was going to be, I wish they had done more with Juliette.

*(To be fair, I think the actor brought some nuance that the writing did not.)

[paigow]

23 hours ago, william0102 said:

We technically didn't even need to have Mia's storyline at all, is that right?

Pretty sure it will end up that Hybrid blood from Mia was the key ingredient, so Nicky would not be a suitable replacement

6 hours ago, Trini said:

(And we don't even know if it was specifically Warrior or Guardian blood or both, or a hybrid's blood that was needed. 

.

[thuganomics85]

Well, damn!  Definitely a good old suspenseful penultimate episode right here!

So, not only does Russell want immortality, he doesn't want to be stuck in his old ass body for the rest of eternity, so his whole need to have one of his children with them was only to basically use some crazy magic to transfer his soul to their body and basically kill them.  And since Juliette is done for, that leaves Kerwin to get the "honor" of being his vessel.  At least Kerwin saw through Russell's act and was only still around to try and save Mia.  Curious to see if there will be some kind of swerve to bring his soul back (with magic, anything is possible!), but if not, I think this pretty much confirms that it will be Zhilan that takes out Russell for good.

It wouldn't be a potential final mission without at least one recurring character knocking on death's door and it looks like it is Daniel currently bleeding out after getting shot to protect Henry.  Figures it would happen right after he actually does some good and even gets himself into a distant second place in the Father of the Year category on this show (of course, that really isn't saying much since Jin is the only one who hasn't wronged his children in major ways.)

Not surprised that Nicky would end up having to team up with Zhilan at the end, but I wasn't expecting her to interact with most everyone else.  Got some good laughs out of that and I hope we get more.

Looks like it is now Nadia/Evan's co-worker's time to get looped in.  And then reveal her feelings for Evan with a kiss, which he didn't not see coming, even though everyone else did.  And by everyone I mean that even Zhilan was giving a "Dude, I've only been here a few seconds and it was clear she has the hots for you.  Come on, man!" reaction to his confusion.  Oh, Evan!

I'm going to guess Althea exposing the backdoor to her app to warn everyone will make her lose it, but she'll come out ahead thanks to all the lives she will hopefully save.

Saw Richard Speight Jr. was in the director's chair again.  I'm glad he seems to be a recurring director here because I've really dug his episodes.

Can't wait for the finale!

[william0102]

18 hours ago, Trini said:

Gotta say, I'm a bit disappointed at how they've handled Russell Tan. I thought there'd be more nuance*, but no, he's just been Pure Evil this whole time. He's was always going to sacrifice (at least) one of his remaining children for his own selfish goals. If that was always how it was going to be, I wish they had done more with Juliette.

*(To be fair, I think the actor brought some nuance that the writing did not.)

100% agree the actor brought nuance to the role. Him and all of the older actors do, although the writing this season has improved. This is a action series though, so I figured he was going to be all bad when he came back for season 2.  That's part of why I was so confused that he would actually bury Mia's mom.

As soon as they mentioned bringing back the oldest son, I knew whichever kid he chose would be the price to bring the oldest son back. I just assumed he would make Kerwin be the sacrifice, leaving Juliette to run the company. Then the whole immortality thing was brought out, and Juliette planned a coop lol. One thing that is always consistent no matter the show, magic has a cost/no personal gain. So yeah, I was not surprised when he killed Juliette- since he was willing to sacrifice her or Kerwin for immortality. It kinda sucks that he's one dimensional, and really they can't have him as another big bad since he's out of kids, guardian/ warrior hybrids, etc. Their one shot to keep him for another season is if he stays in Kerwin's body. But then they write themselves into a corner not being able to bring Kerwin back AND they'd lose Kerwin and Zhilan's relationship. Besides, I'd rather have the intrigue on Zhilan. Is she gray this ep? A total baddy the next? Add in all the jobs she does to make her money, and she definitely has more potential storylines than Tan.

[Trini]

18 hours ago, thuganomics85 said:

I'm going to guess Althea exposing the backdoor to her app to warn everyone will make her lose it, but she'll come out ahead thanks to all the lives she will hopefully save.

There was also the mention of the company that Tan was buying that had the same backdoor security problem; maybe that will come into play in saving Althea's business? Seems like too much of a coincidence.

13 hours ago, william0102 said:

100% agree the actor brought nuance to the role. Him and all of the older actors do, although the writing this season has improved. This is a action series though, so I figured he was going to be all bad when he came back for season 2.  That's part of why I was so confused that he would actually bury Mia's mom.

It's fine, it's just that I was expecting more since they managed to flesh out both  Zhilan and Kerwin and have them be somewhat sympathetic.

13 hours ago, william0102 said:

... Their one shot to keep him for another season is if he stays in Kerwin's body. But then they write themselves into a corner not being able to bring Kerwin back AND they'd lose Kerwin and Zhilan's relationship. Besides, I'd rather have the intrigue on Zhilan. Is she gray this ep? A total baddy the next? Add in all the jobs she does to make her money, and she definitely has more potential storylines than Tan.

Agreed! I don't know if they'll bring Kerwin back (I hope so!), but I feel Russell definitely needs to die. I don't think I want a third season with him, even with Ludi's abs.

[paigow]

On 6/11/2022 at 9:46 PM, Trini said:

Agreed! I don't know if they'll bring Kerwin back (I hope so!), but I feel Russell definitely needs to die. I don't think I want a third season with him, even with Ludi's abs.

Russell / Kerwin and Zhilan will fatally wound each other but he dies first... She figures out some way to transfer herself into the corpse and reanimate it... becoming the new boss Tan...

[Camera One]

Every time Evan or Henry says "I know a guy...", it's hard not to roll my eyes.

Kerwin finding out/realizing his father killed Juliette should have been a more satisfying moment.  I expected him to find her cell phone.

I really hope there's still time to save Kerwin's soul, though.  Hopefully he's still hanging out with that Alchemist lady.

As others said, Zhilan working with the team did bring a few amusing moments.

I hope Henry's dad survives.  

This was a good PSA for earthquake preparedness.