In Review: Kung Fu (S2 -EP13) The Source

Synopsis: Nicky and Zhilan have to put aside their differences to prevent Russell Tan from obtaining the source energy of all past Warriors and Guardians.

The Story

Having used magic to transmute himself into his son’s body in last week’s episode. Russell Tan has successfully opened a portal leading to a realm of the afterlife where all Warrior and Guardian spirits go. His aim is to steal the source of their power and make himself immortal. Realizing that only a Guardian and Warrior working together can go through the Portal to stop Tan. Nicky and Zhilan are forced to put aside their differences and work together. However upon crossing over into this other realm. Zhilan is confronted with her own guilt when she has an encounter with the spirit of her dead mother.

Back in San Francisco, the Shens are busy dealing with the aftermath of the earthquake that Tan caused. Mia who has lost a lot of blood due to Tan trying to drain her has made a surprising recovery and Follows Nicky and Zhilan through the portal. Armed only with the mystical dagger that Tan used to drain her blood. She is very much acting on a Dungeons and Dragons theory that Dennis gave to her about mystical items sometimes possessing enough juice to hurt or kill an immortal being. However, it will take someone staying behind to wrestle with Tan until the entry to the portal shuts permanently.

The Acting

Nicky forgives Zhilan for all that she has done.

We get great acting performances all around this week. Specifically from Yvonne Chapman who fully commits to selling Zhilan’s guilt and despair at realizing what she has become. This makes for a great scene in which Nicky (Olivia Liang) forgives Zhilan, which allows her to move forward and continue the fight.

We also get a strong performance from Ludi Lin as the remarkably more youthful Russell Tan. Yin did a great job of selling Tan’s huge hunger for power. The scene where he gains the source is pretty impressive. But it is the establishing scene earlier in the episode where he tells Nicky and Zhilan that they cannot pass through the portal that really illustrates tans hubris.

We also get a solid performance by Eddie Liu as Henry realizes that he has to say farewell to Nicky in order to follow up on his late father’s work.

Overall

The Source is fairly satisfying season finale. But also pretty sad as well in that we say farewell to a couple of series regulars. But given where their story arcs were at. It was probably as good a time to say goodbye as any.

The final martial arts sequence between Nicky, Zhilan, Mia, and Tan was choreographed fairly well as were the visual effects used whenever Tan unleashed some of his newfound powers on the three women. But like most season finales. Some story threads have been left hanging for next season to answer.