Into the Badlands season 3, episode 3: Leopard Snares Rabbit
In the latest episode of Into the Badlands, Sunny and Bajie reach the front lines of the war, Tilda faces off with Nathaniel, and Lydia explains her recent decision.
Into the Badlands is a show that doesn’t waste any time getting into the action so why don’t we do that with this recap?
At the start of the episode, Tilda is speaking with Odessa when a messenger dove arrives with a note telling them to get out. Unfortunately it’s too late as The Widow’s Butterflies have them surrounded.
When Tilda runs into the open, the lead Butterfly is shocked to find that she is the Iron Rabbit but orders the others to kill her anyway. Tilda is no average fighter however and she launches her ninja stars at the group taking out 8 or so. There is a quick scuffle between she and the lead Butterfly before she pins her, apologizes, and slits her throat.
Nathaniel vs. Tilda
This was the fight that was teased after last week’s episode and it did not disappoint. Tilda is no slouch, but Nathaniel is clearly the better fighter. Realizing this, Tilda flees back toward her camp. She is standing on a roof when she looks down to see that her girls are fighting The Widow’s soldiers below and there are casualties on both sides. When she turns back around Nathaniel is there and he ends up knocking her off of the roof. She lands and is knocked unconscious. That’s when Odessa (her love interest from last season) sees her and tells two other girls to get her out of there. Odessa leaps up to the roof to fight Nathaniel and he makes short work of her. Rather than kill her, he knocks her unconscious to take her prisoner.
The Front Lines
Bajie and Sunny drive the stolen Butterfly truck through the battlefield. They see many injured and mangled bodies, most notably a young girl who is missing an arm that is wearing the Butterfly colors. They make it through this area and now have to walk through a Butterfly base. A kid greets them and when Sunny says he needs to get a kid through, Widow orders the kid says there’s only one way through and it’s impenetrable.
He shows Sunny and Bajie the area they are calling “Sniper Alley.” It’s a small road between a few buildings and there are bodies on either side of the road. The kid explains that you can’t go through the buildings because they’re booby-trapped and that he believes there are three snipers. They throw a hat into the middle and it quickly catches three arrows.
The lady running the medic unit tells Sunny that the kid is actually in charge because all of the people up the chain of command have been killed. Sunny uses this opportunity to tell the kid that he is the new Regent and to prepare to go through the pass in a few hours.
The Widow and the Rabbit
Nathaniel returns with Odessa and The Widow knows instantly that The Iron Rabbit must be Tilda. When she tries to get Odessa to tell her who the snitch was who sent the message for them to flee, Odessa refuses. She says that it could be anyone because people are not buying her bullshit anymore. The Widow orders Nathaniel to torture her for answers and hands Nathaniel the note.
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The Viceroy
Earlier in the episode we see that Lydia accepted The Widow’s offer to become a Viceroy (which also means she turned in Tilda). She returns to the home she once shared with Quinn to see that it is currently being fixed up for her. A lady at the house greets her as “Baroness” and tells her that she’ll always be the baroness to them. She shows Lydia some designs that were sent over for her to choose an insignia from as well. Lydia chooses the horse and explains that horses used to run wild through the Badlands before they became servants. Hinting that she too will run wild again.
Nathaniel and Lydia
Nathaniel shows up as Lydia is settling in. He tells her that he remembers her handwriting before holding out the warning note that Tilda received. He tells her that playing both sides is a dangerous game. Lydia tests him here by saying that it’s only dangerous if he’s planning on telling The Widow. When he doesn’t say anything she asks why he’s back in The Badlands and he explains his mission to kill Sunny. He returns the question to her and she explains that she can do more good as the Viceroy than she did at the refugee camp. Nathaniel knows her better than that and asks what the real reason is and she explains.
People like The Widow are firecrackers that eventually burn out. Others will rise from the ashes, and she feels that this better positions her to do so. That’s when Nathaniel gets way too comfortable and says that he still has feelings for her. She stops him before he kisses her and tells him to ask Sunny what happened when he fell in love. Pointing out that a regent isn’t meant to have love.
Sniper’s Alley
Sunny has grabbed two people to go through the alley with he and Bajie. The kid from earlier, and a girl named Wren. He then has a few other soldiers hold up mirrors in order to blind the sniper which allows them to move into the alley. As they try to advance Wren gets hit in the leg. He explains that there is only one sniper and he is able to use a car door as a shield as they remove Wren from the alley. The sniper has a bow that shoots three arrows at once.
Bajie’s healing hands
The group makes it back to the base where Wren is set to die. The sniper’s arrows are dipped in poison and it’s starting to attack her leg. Bajie goes over to her and presses her foot in two places and it starts to glow. Apparently he alleviated her pain.
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Tilda confronts Lydia
Tilda sneaks into Lydia’s new residence and threatens her for getting six of her girls killed, including Odessa. Lydia explains that Odessa was taken prisoner and admits turning them in but also said tells her she sent the warning. Tilda questions Lydia’s motives when Lydia gives her some important advice.
She explains to Tilda that she needs to learn a way to play the game if she actually wants to win. She has to get close to the line without crossing it. Lydia explains that she sees in Tilda what she’d hope her son would develop into as a leader.
Sunny and the sniper
Sunny goes back to get the sniper and quickly makes it into his building. He avoids the traps and when they finally face off he tells the kid this isn’t his fight. The kid shoots at him anyway so Sunny brings the fight to him. The kid actually handles himself well against Sunny before Sunny uses a booby trap arrow to drop him. He didn’t kill him and lets the kid talk. He apparently is the last from his unit and was carrying out his mission to not let anyone through. Sunny tells the kid he was working with to take the soldier as a prisoner of war but the kid slits his throat.
Back at the camp, Sunny notices the kid telling others about how the kill went down. He realizes they’re all just kids proud to follow their baron’s orders without question. He remember when that was him.
Tilda turns herself in
Back at The Sanctuary, Tilda shows up to confront The Widow. She asks her to free Odessa and says she will stop attacking her convoys.
The Widow’s counter offer is for Tilda to come back and fight her for her in any capacity and she’ll let Odessa go. She will also give the refugees a safe place to stay. Knowing Tilda, she doesn’t want to do this but she remembers what Lydia said. She offers to stay but asks that The Widow release MK.
Dark MK
At that exact moment MK is having a strange liquid poured down his throat that activates his ability. He flips out of a window and is about to kill The Widow before Tilda stops him. He turns off his ability and instead leaves, asking Tilda to come with him. After a nod from The Widow, Tilda and Odessa both follow him.
Next: Into the Badlands S3, E2 recap
Summary and what’s to come
This was yet another action packed episode and we have yet to see Baron Chau. That will change next week in what is sure to be a big night. Based on the preview it appears Sunny will be captured by Chau’s men. We also see that The Widow’s workers have been lured away from the fields by Pilgrim. This sets up two potentially huge showdowns. Plus we have to find out where MK is headed now that he has his ability again.
Stay tuned as Into the Badlands returns next Sunday at 10/9 Central on AMC