An ascetic religious movement called the Totemists is also shown to exist on the fringes of society, living in isolated communities and practicing a form of idol worship. The River King and his men control water trade in the Badlands and beyond, and is considered a neutral party in the barons' power struggles. Nomads are the most common, mostly lawless homicidal bandits who subsist on stealing from trade convoys between the baronies but some live in organized clans. Several groups exist outside the strict hierarchy of the barons. Each clipper force is captained by a regent. A baron maintains power through an army of young men and women called clippers: highly trained and loyal warriors, clippers are forbidden from marrying and having children lest their loyalties be divided. Each baron is served by a massive workforce of slaves called cogs, as well as a prostitute class called dolls. Barons control land and monopolies over commodities like opium and fuel, trading amongst themselves to maintain the peace. In a territory known as the Badlands, encompassing several states located between the Rocky Mountains and Mississippi River, a feudal society has developed to fill the power vacuum left by the war. Some elements of technology, such as electricity and ground vehicles, have survived the apocalypse but society now shuns firearms, leading to a reliance on melee weaponry and crossbows. Her character became more interesting with her turn from Pilgrim, but Nathaniel’s rage and lack of resolution leaves me wanting more.In a post-apocalyptic world approximately 500 years in the future, war has left civilization in ruins. There’s always another enemy, because the Badlands can’t help but descend into destruction.Ĭressida escaping before Nathaniel can exact revenge is another piece likely to be resolved in a new season, leaving the result a little anticlimactic. In this way, it’s a smart final ending point. It does, however, prove a smart reminder that in the Badlands, there’s always going to be a threat, one way or another. The return of the old ways, of firepower, is an intriguing thread for the show to go down, and so it’s a shame that it’s a tease rather than a promise. The set-up for a fourth season when there will not be one hurts, with the introduction of a gun and The Master warning Sunny, in another realm, of a worse threat. The major disappointment of the episode comes through the knowledge the show has been cancelled. Daniel Wu as Sunny, Nick Frost as Bajie – Into the Badlands 316. His death is a powerful moment on the show, Sunny’s leap of faith to cement his end beautifully shot and leaving a lasting image. The reintroduction of the hooks earlier on the episode is a good foreshadowing of their return against Pilgrim.
Related The Nevers Review: Exposure (Season 1 Episode 2) His arc feels long completed, and so he did not have a ton left to do except exact Pilgrim’s orders.
His potential earlier on the series relegated him to more of a troubled henchman during the third season.Īt the same time, his character reached a conclusion of sorts, and while his final showdown with Sunny never happened, it’s more emotionally tinged for Tilda to be involved. M.K.’s end comes at a diminishing of his character.
Their deaths on the show come as needed, as Pilgrim reached his apex and started to become blindly evil toward anyone mildly disagreeing with him. The body count is quite high on “Seven Strike As One,” M.K., Pilgrim, and (kind of) Sunny being the major casualties. Daniel Wu as Sunny – Into the Badlands 316. It’s an action-packed, payoff-heavy episode, where taking down Pilgrim and starting new threads to follow becomes a satisfying end, but with some caveats. On Into the Badlands Season 3 Episode 16, “Seven Strike As One,” the final battle comes with each character doing their part to take down the ultimate threat in Pilgrim.