In last episode we saw a message being sent to Mariah with heads on pikes and this episode picks up on that mentioning parallels with the brutality of Mexican cartels. All hell is starting to break out and it’s becoming clearer to those involved that the Jamaicans, and Bushmaster, are gunning for everyone. A gang war is about to break out and everyone is preparing.

We also begin to start getting the connections between everyone, like Raymond Jones and Mariah, and why the Jamaicans are targeting who they’re targeting. This is the part where the bad guy tells the hero everything in return for protection. But there’s also connections between the police force and Mariah too. It’s all interesting stuff and the series seems to be its strongest when it gets more in to the police aspect focused on the gang war itself.

The episode really gets interesting in its focus on Shades. It’s an intimate discussion as he talks with Comanche about why he hasn’t stepped out in front. We get more of who Shades is. A good character through just one scene has become a great one. We know why he didn’t take over after Cottonmouth. We know why he’s always #2 and never #1. It’s a logic that’s there and the delivery by actor Theo Rossi is award winning level. There’s just an amazing open and honesty about it and his performance.

What the episode really gives us is a clear direction of what Luke needs to do. He needs to protect Piranha who’s the key to so many things. He controls Mariah’s empire and it’s clear this is why Bushmaster wants him so badly. Luke makes the smart decision to protect him but also uses it confront Bushmaster. It’s an odd choice as the season so far has been a lesson that using his fists isn’t always the answer and here he’s doing exactly that.

And with that, we get a fight, a big one and the first real clash between Luke and Bushmaster. While the fight is pretty decent, we’ve seen what Bushmaster does in a way elsewhere. While it makes sense as a way to take on Luke it also feels like we’ve been there and done that. Still, it leaves us pondering ways to beat Luke. How do you beat an invulnerable person? Bushmaster shows us a way. It’s all entertaining in a way but again feels like it’s cribbing off of other things.

The episode is one where a lot of the pieces of the puzzle come together and while that could have happened a few episodes earlier the season feels like it’s finally picking up and getting interesting.

Overall Rating: 7.75