Into the Badlands 2X06 “Leopard Stalks In Snow” Review

Unexpected reunions bring love, loss, and chaos in 2X06 “Leopard Stalks in Snow”

Although Lydia’s attack on West Avalon didn’t last long, she did get the reunion she was secretly hoping for. Quinn came out to check things out personally, leading to one very tense moment. Unsurprisingly, he takes her in and even gives her a chance to kill him with a dagger. Luckily for him, she chose to kiss and make up rather than stab him to death. Shortly after, Quinn receives an invitation to meet with The Widow, but he makes it clear that her proposal only sounds appealing to him if she is willing to hand over Veil and Henry. Although The Widow plays dumb, in reality the two them had shown up looking for assistance before the meeting. After testing Veil to see if she will own up to translating the book M.K. stole from her, her refusal gives the Baron no choice but to hand her back over to Quinn.

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M.K. hadn’t made it very far before he gets caught stealing food out in the Badlands. The farmer cuts him and threatens to kill him, but instead of going dark, he is saved by Ava. The two of them go on the run, and she tells him that the Abbots have the ability to track his gift. Seeing that he did not turn earlier, M.K. wonders if he still has it at all. After seeking shelter at an old hotel, he discloses what he saw in the mirror room to Ava, who tells him that not all of those visions can be trusted. After finding a flyer with the picture of Ezra on it, he tells her the place must be real. Unfortunately, they are discovered by the Abbots, and the resulting fight leaves only one of them capable of continuing the journey.

After leaving Nos behind, Sunny and Bajie take Portia and Amelia to an old friend of hers for healing. While there, Sunny is told that no one goes through the checkpoints of the wall. While staying there for the night, Abbots show up looking for M.K. Instead, they find Bajie, who surprisingly is being tracked by their meter. Suspicious of his sort-of ally’s knowledge of the Abbots after he refuses to help, Sunny takes the car and drives off hoping to find the boy he promised to help. After following his enemies secretly to the hotel where M.K. and Ava are camping out for the night, he finally comes face-to-face with his former Colt just before the Abbots find them all. Just as they look as though they will be overwhelmed, Bajie makes a dramatic entrance and tips the scales in their favor.

We should have known not to expect a fairytale reunion for any of our characters this season, but some of them were downright shocking. We think it’s worth a second look, don’t you?

Apparently, Lydia just can’t help herself around a bad boy

When Lydia gave up Quinn’s location to Jade in exchange for being the one who gets to kill him, it seemed his fate was sealed. She was part of the attack party who went after him, but after forgetting that her paranoid husband would have set traps, their plan literally blows up in their faces. Quinn (Marton Csokas) and his clippers come out to check the carnage, slicing and dicing through the survivors, and when he lays eyes on his wife, we held our collective breaths. He chooses to take her into his refuge and allows her to vent her anger against him over Ryder’s death, even offering her a blade with which to exact her revenge. When Lydia (Orla Brady) goes for it, he stops her just as she breaks the skin, complimenting her on her resolve. What follows is a transition into seduction that only these two understand, and their fight dissolves into a passionate kiss.

Lydia: “Another pretty young thing has abandoned you? Oh, when are you gonna learn, old man? They’ll never love you no matter how hard you try to make them.”

Quinn: “You were never one for honeyed words. You always spoke your truth, no matter how foul.”

Lydia: “Maybe that’s why you were Baron of two territories before you cast me aside.”

Quinn: “Hmm.”

Lydia: “Now look at you. Lord of nothing.”

Quinn: “And yet you came back to me. Hmm?”

Lydia: “Only to put a dagger through your heart.”

Quinn: “Do it. Ryder hesitated when I gave him the chance.”

*Lydia tries to stab him*

Quinn: “Oh. Yeah, this is why I loved you first. Hmm? You were never afraid to take what you want. Yeah.”

We have to be honest - no matter what she has ever said in the past, Lydia’s heart has always belonged to her Baron. We think that’s why she insisted on being part of the attack group - to see with her own eyes that her husband was truly alive. Honestly, we had doubt from the beginning that she would kill him if given the chance, and (at least for now) we were proven right. When Quinn dabbed his blood against her lips and then followed it with his mouth, we weren’t sure whether to be disturbed or delighted. Now, only time will tell if Lydia is biding her time before she carries out her original plan, or if she will switch sides to join back up with Quinn. After all, no matter how dysfunctional they might be, their unbreakable connection has carried them through many challenges already - even death.

Turns out, Sunny saved two people who have faced their dark selves

There was more than one reunion this week, and the one between Sunny and M.K. was quite the stunner. While the clipper and Bajie take Portia to be healed by an old friend of hers, they are forced to wait out the remainder of the day at their temporary refuge. While there, two Abbots come looking for their lost disciple using a strange meter that tracks the dark gift. Bajie surprisingly panics and hides to avoid them, but after they leave Sunny realizes what their presence might mean. He tries to convince Bajie to join him, but after some cryptic advice, the con man refuses. Determined to reunite with M.K., Sunny follows the Abbots to the hotel and finds him minutes before being forced to engage in a deadly fight. Just as they are looking at utter defeat, Bajie shows up to help and finally reveals his biggest secret.

Sunny: “Bajie?”

Abbot: “Hello, brother.”

Bajie: “Brother. You know, I’ve always wanted to drive this truck.”

Sunny: “You were one of them?”

Bajie: “In another life. Like you don’t have secrets?”

Abbot: “You’ve gotten slow.”

Bajie: “Yes, that’s true. You don’t need to rub it in, though.”

Abbot: “And you lost your Gift.”

Bajie: “I still remember how to do this.”

Thousands of jaws hit the ground when this reveal happened, including ours. We knew that Bajie was hiding plenty of secrets, but we could have never guessed this one in a million years. Bajie is the exact opposite of the reserved and athletic Abbots, but maybe that’s the point. Whatever happened to him must have been so traumatic that he never wanted to be like them again. Either way, kudos to Al Gough and Miles Millar for holding onto this one, because Bajie just got infinitely more interesting. We also loved seeing Nick Frost in action, because we’re pretty sure he would not have taken this role if he didn’t get to do some ass-kicking of his own! With Sunny now affected by whatever spell the was put on him, it’ll be important to have someone who knows the Abbots and the Master inside and out. We can’t wait to see where this goes!

She may call The Widow her mother, but their bond was forged in shared pain

There was one last reunion this week, and that was between Tilda and Veil. Before the mother’s arrival to the Sanctuary, however, the regent came across Odessa contemplating leaving the butterflies because of her mother’s decision to ally with Quinn. She tells Tilda of her time as a doll for the Baron, and insists that if The Widow is willing to do that, then she is no better than all the others. Determined not to lose Odessa, Tilda comes clean about something she has never told anyone else. The Widow is not her biological mother, but rather the wife of the Baron she served as housemaid for. Tilda heartbreakingly reveals the sexual abuse she suffered at his hand, and how just when she was at the brink, The Widow killed him for hurting the young woman who would later call her Mother. After she finishes, Odessa promises to stay and kisses her.

Odessa: “I belonged to that man for seven years. My father died in his poppy fields. If The Widow’s with him, then she’s no different than all the rest.”

Tilda: “Oh, yes, she is.”

Odessa: “Why? Because she lets you call her ‘Mother’ instead of ‘Master?’ I’ve been traded from one Baron to another since I was old enough to walk. And trust me, they’re all the same. So you can call your Baron whatever you like. She still makes girls like us go out and die for her, doesn’t she?”

Tilda: “You’re wrong. I call The Widow ‘Mother’ because she gave me life. I was property too once. A house cog for The Widow’s husband. And every night after she went to sleep, he would knock on my door. He could have had any Doll on Wall Street, but he didn’t want them. ‘You can’t pay a Doll to love you,’ he said. Not like his little Tilda. That was the worst part. Having to say those words, while he panted like a dog on top of me. ‘I love you, Baron.’ One time, I forgot to say it. He made sure I never forgot ever, ever again. So, I stole a bread knife from the kitchen. I sat on my bed that night with the knife, waiting to plunge it into my heart the moment I heard him knock. I waited, and I waited…but the knock never came. The next morning, The Widow asked me to forgive her for not killing him sooner. That was the kindest thing that anyone had ever done for me. That was the first time I said ‘I love you’ to anyone and meant it.”

Were we completely blown away by this discovery? Hell yes! Was that what was most memorable about that scene, though? Not really. What we were most impressed by was actually Ally Ioannides’s emotional delivery of Tilda’s backstory. We’ve seen her play innocent savior to M.K., determined regent to The Widow, and eager protege to Waldo, but this was the most important role she had to play - sexual abuse survivor. Ionannides wasn’t just telling TIlda’s story, but that of so many young women who have been abused in real life. Her careful and touching performance struck just the right chord. The Widow and Tilda might not be mother and daughter by blood, but they share a history of sexual trauma and victimhood at the hands of a Baron. That makes her decision to hand Veil back over to save her butterflies more understandable, even if we don’t like it.

Final Verdict: Family is what you make it and what’s worth fighting for in 2X06 “Leopard Stalks In Snow”

We’re just past the halfway mark on season two, but if you told us “Leopard Stalks In Snow” was a season finale, we’d believe you. It had all the markings of an episode like that, with unbelievable revelations, heartwarming (albeit brief) reunions, an epic showdown, and multiple cliffhangers. We moved closer and closer to the edge of our seats with every passing minute, and the noises that came out of our mouths were probably heard by our neighbors. All we can do after this is give Gough and Millar some serious props for this week and be grateful we’ve still got four episodes to go!

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With as many twists as we had this week, it’s not surprising that we’re full of questions. The two that are at the forefront involve Henry’s parents. What did the Abbot due to Sunny? What’s going to happen to him? As for Veil, is The Widow really going to turn her back over to Quinn? Does he still want her in the same way after getting Lydia back? Will that cause major tension between him and his wife?

To be honest, the only bone we have to pick with “Leopard Stalks In Snow” has more to do with Quinn’s apparent lack of growth since the first season. He still uses brute force and manipulation to get his way, even though it’s burned all sorts of bridges in the past. He just got Lydia back, and yet he can’t let go of Veil even though she has no desire to be his next wife. He can’t even resist moving in on The Widow when given a moment alone with her. We’re thinking this might be that giant brain tumor in his head, but then again, what do we know?

We might be a little miffed over Quinn’s irreverent behavior, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that this episode was stellar. Between its complicated reunions, phenomenally choreographed fight scene with the Abbots, and cheeky use of Christmas decorations as a backdrop (seriously? Who does that?), it left an indelible mark in our brains. Ally Ioannides really shone this week, and we’re hoping to see more of her in coming weeks.

With their confrontation with the Abbots only the beginning, there’s no doubt that Bajie and M.K. are going to have to return to their training grounds to help Sunny. They won’t exactly be welcomed back with open arms, so let’s hope the con man still has a few old tricks up his sleeve. Quinn might be trying to rebuild his power, but his ways may finally catch up to him when it’s least opportune.

We’re itching to find out how Bajie and M.K. both lost their gifts, and if they can regain and control them. We share nothing but anxiety and fear for Veil in the coming week, because Quinn will never let her out of his sight if The Widow lets him take her. We’re going to keep all our fingers and toes crossed until next week, and we hope you’ll do the same!

We only have a few minutes before this gas mask kicks in, so let’s get our questions in now!

• What happened between Bajie and the Abbots? What happened to his gift?
• If you can lose a gift, can you regain it?
• Will The Widow really release Veil to Quinn, or is she hoping it’ll get the mother to translate that book instead?
• Is Lydia really back with Quinn, or is she biding her time until she can kill him in his sleep?
• Is Quinn’s behavior just him or his brain tumor?
• Will Quinn be trustworthy as an ally? Will The Widow find out about his health problems?
• Will Lydia really go through with killing Quinn? Could she have a change of heart?
• Where is Ezra? Does it still exist?
• Can we order one of The Widow’s outfits this week? We want to run around the house pretending to stab men with our stilettos…

Into the Badlands airs next SUNDAY, APRIL 30th, 2017 at 10/9C on AMC