Mayans M.C. Season 1, Episode 4 recap: Bat/Zotz

A dangerous new player has entered Santo Pedro, and he may be more than the Mayans M.C. can handle on their own.

When we last left the Mayans M.C., they were paying off their debt by executing a Chinese foot soldier who was making secret deals on his own. There are other forces in town, however, who may be much more dangerous than a single back-stabber.

In fact, the line between heroes and villains becomes increasingly difficult to discern on “Bat/Zotz.” Maybe truly knowing requires a different way of looking at things, like a bat.

A little kitty and a quiet night ain’t happening

The Mayans M.C. is relaxing at Vickie’s whorehouse near the border. Undoubtedly a location they make book from. They hear a loud shot in the distance, and Coco (Richard Cabral) instantly notices the high-caliber nature of the rifle. They mention someone named Alice Reed and her people are likely responsible.

As the second shot rings in the distance, Officer Rogan buttons his fly after descending the stairs and getting some strange. Just before Rogan arrives on scene, Alice and two of her men execute the prostrate Mexican with a single shot.

The subsequent investigation by the Mayor – who is passively cooperating with the M.C. and appears to have personal history with Bishop (Michael Irby) – uncovers a critical fact: the deceased had Oxy on them. That makes it about drug running, and not just racists shooting Mexicans. Big problem for the Mayans M.C., because the investigation could turn federal and bring unnecessary heat. Bishop volunteers for the M.C. investigation.

Watching the spy

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Marcus “El Padrino” Alvarez (Emilio Rivera) has a subtle conversation that proves he’s trying to get closer to finding the rat. Whether he’s trying to feel out EZ or not is uncertain, but he tells EZ to keep the club first, even if it means choosing a “brother” over his brother.

Felipe Reyes (Edward James Olmos) is still under surveillance. Now the feds want him to force EZ to make contact. The shift in protocol is required because the Galindo cartel has stepped up their border actions. Undaunted, Felipe declares that he didn’t even deliver the last message, and he might not deliver this one.

The only spy left is the little gordito embedded in Adelita’s camp. She takes Cristobal to Sweet Jane, a Dominican nun, to get treatment for his cough. The little spy observes everything, gets a man to let him play a game on a cell phone, and waits for his moment. A secret video is recorded.

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Delivering messages

The secret video shows everything, and it’s sent to Nestor (Gino Vento). Consequently, he shows to Miguel (Danny Pino), who is already thinking about torturing a nun.

Meanwhile, Chucky (Michael Ornstein) rides up on a scooter and delivers two messages: 1) to Angel from Bishop (he wants them at Vickie’s), 2) to Coco from a “crazy chick.”

Another message is delivered when EZ goes to pick up a mirror for El Padrino and sees Jimenez (Maurice Compte) while in town. Jimenez is getting pressed by his superior and needs EZ to turn Emily (Sarah Bolger) against the cartel.

If he doesn’t, then the deal is off. Even if they ARE second cousins. Well, that changes the relationship somewhat. EZ learned his lesson, however, and chooses “brother” over second cousin. He says he’d rather do his remaining 6 years in prison.

A final message is delivered when the Mayans M.C. start their investigation. On Alice Reed’s property they see her cowardly son Denny and a roided up monster in fatigue pants. EZ remembers him as a shot-caller from Stockton.

The mystery guy is named Cole, was not Aryan affiliated, and likely had military connections. Gilly (Vincent Varga), Angel, and EZ follow Cole who doesn’t appear worried. Likely because he’s a 6’5″ muscle bound monster, and apparently highly trained in hand-to-hand combat. A fight breaks out. One quick throat jab and knee kick takes down both Angel and Gilly. Fight moves via Dalton.

Applying pressure

As if Coco doesn’t have enough pressure in life, with his prostitute mother and the memory of shooting his uncle, there’s a new shocker. Apparently he DOES have a little sister Leticia (who did do porn?), and she lives with her mother. The trio meet up at a diner where Coco lets her know he understands life has been rough – Mother takes offense – but she can’t tell people her brother is going to retaliate on her behalf.

That’s not how the M.C. works. This time his sister takes offense and runs out.

Mom and Coco start arguing about Leticia, and Coco says she should have been put up for adoption because he was going to prison at the time and the mother was a junkie.

Wait, what? It’s his daughter! Grandma raised her as a daughter. Leticia didn’t know, but because his mother is upset that her own son called her a diseased whore – likely true – she lets Leticia know the truth.

Imagine keeping this secret for 16 years and then dropping the truth bomb nonchalantly. Leticia runs away, jumps in a semi, and offers fellatio for the ride (she did do porn!).

About the same time, Agent Jimenez also applies pressure to Felipe. He has intel that says Felipe’s SSN is fraudulent and belongs to a woman who died in 1985. If Felipe doesn’t pressure EZ into turning Emily, Jimenez is planning on exposing everything and tearing apart the family.

When Jimenez leaves, Felipe looks at the intel, and nostalgically looks at some old photos of his that were locked in lock-box inside his garage wall locker. One picture shows him and another guy standing over four decapitated heads. He refuses, however, to betray his son.

If we’ve seen one thing on Mayans M.C., it’s that breaking family bond causes people to do crazy things. Speaking of family bonds, for some reason the pressure Jimenez applies to Felipe is so stressful it causes him to vomit. Maybe he’s closer than a second cousin?

The assaults take place

There are two assaults this episode, one from the M.C., and one from Emily.

Mayans attack

The Mayans M.C. has had enough of the pseudo-military interloper, and decide to strike. They approach at night and take erratic fire from inside. Staccato bursts interrupt the grunts and scuffs of Mayans diving to the ground for cover. Dennis exits the back of the house and some Mayans give chase. Bishop wants him alive.

The remaining go inside the house to discover everyone else dead. Coco is convinced it was a professional job, and they all think it was Cole. Meanwhile, Angel shoots Dennis, who thought the Mayans M.C. was behind all the murders. He unlocks Dennis’s phone with a dead finger and then has EZ cut it off for future phone usage. They need to get to Cole, and they need to bury Dennis.

Emily attacks

Determining who the real criminal mastermind of the show is will prove difficult as the show progresses because Emily is dangerous. She sees a newspaper with an article about a huge party in town. Devante (Tony Plana) and Dita (Ada Maris) provide details, and Emily walks away to hatch her plan.

Long story short, she interrupts Miguel and Nestor – discussing a land deal with EPA implications – to say Los Olvidados is infiltrating the town like terrorists do. Winning the people incrementally. She says they have to turn Los Olvidados into the devil. Devante thinks it’s a perfectly dastardly plan.

As Dita and Emily head into town, Dita lets her know there is a choice. Live inside the circle, feel nothing, and know everything. Live outside the circle, feel everything, know nothing. Emily just wants to save Cristobal, but Dita lets her know current choices have repercussions.

A large crowd is gathered in Merchant Square and walk in a procession towards the church. There is a problem, however, and someone comes out screaming, “Hermana Jane esta muerta!” The church is in shambles, and it’s clear Jane died violently at the hands of “Los Olvidados” (wink wink). Emily rushes in accordingly to plan and gets trampled as people frantically leave.

One last tidbit. The gang digs a desert hole to bury Dennis and discover a massive, underground tunnel. Whose tunnel is it? What purpose does it serve?

Mayans M.C. airs Tuesdays at 10/9c on FX.