Kung Fu (2021) s03e07 Episode Script

1
- ALTHEA: Something smells delicious.
- NICKY: Mama went all out.
JIN: Dinner's ready. Come
and get it while it's hot.
PEI-LING: Ooh.
- Hey, is Sebastian coming?
- RYAN: Uh, said he wasn't feeling it.
Leaving the restaurant
hit him pretty hard.
He just needs time.
- ALTHEA: So, Baba
- JIN: Yes?
How's the campaign going?
You're actually on the ballot.
[CHUCKLES] As a write-in!
- Jin Shen, city supervisor.
- Has a nice ring.
- First I have to win.
- [DOORBELL RINGS]
Oh. Got it.
JIN: Got a kickoff meeting with my
campaign manager
tomorrow. Where's Dennis?
ALTHEA: He's meeting
his parents in Napa.
They haven't spoken for months,
but I pushed him to mend fences
Uh, Bo, what are you doing here?
I've been trying to reach you.
Sorry. Boss has me working doubles.
- MEI-LI: Nicky, who's at the door?
- Oh, is this a bad time?
We were just sitting down to dinner.
There's plenty of food.
You sure?
- Mama, Baba, uh, this is Bo.
- Hi.
- JIN: Oh, hey, come on in.
- MEI-LI: Bo.
- JIN: Hey.
- NICKY: This is Mama and Baba.
And you remember Ryan and Althea.
Um, and this is my old friend Pei-Ling.
Hello. Nice to meet you.
Good to meet you.
MEI-LI: Please take a seat.
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
You're here. So you decided
to skip the Shen family dinner?
I wasn't invited.
Even I got an invite.
So it's true, you and Nicky.
Yeah. I left. She moved on. We're good.
Uh, what are you doing here?
I was running dry on Harvester leads.
I thought maybe you
might've had some luck.
[CHUCKLES] You want
to collaborate with me?
We may as well pool resources.
Oh, well, um, the lore on the Harvester
is nonexistent,
but I have had some luck on the blades.
Supposedly Wu Jian's swords
each have a distinct function.
One blade reaps souls, capturing them,
the other channels them,
in this case sending them to Xiao.
- This is ?
- Based on the etching on the handle,
this one's the reaper.
Interesting, but it won't
actually help us find the bastard.
Wait. What are these?
It's said that the swords
are so perfectly attuned
that they call out to each
other when they're separated,
like a beacon.
He has one blade, and we have the other.
We could use it to bring him to us.
[LAUGHTER]
JIN: So, Bo, where are you from?
Oh. I'm, uh, from all over the place.
MEI-LI: And your
parents, where are they?
They are not really in the picture.
Oh. Sorry.
Honestly, my life is pretty dull,
- nothing like your daughter's.
- Hmm?
Bo and I had the talk.
He knows everything.
Well, not everything.
There are some details that
I'm still pretty fuzzy on.
RYAN: Eh, to be clear,
Nicky was pretty normal
before she left for China
and met her Shifu here.
Oh, that's your Shifu.
I thought you said she was dead.
I came back.
NICKY: It happened right
after the earthquake.
Um, I can explain. Um
Well, you know, let's talk over dessert.
[FAMILY SPEAKING EXCITEDLY]
PEI-LING: Good idea.
BO: You know, I would,
uh, but I can't stay.
- PEI-LING: Really?
- BO: I I just remembered,
I've got an early shift.
I'm sorry. Thank you so much for dinner.
Oh, you're welcome.
Everything OK?
Uh, yeah. No, it's fine, I promise.
Hey, should I come over later?
Like I said, I've got an early shift.
Uh, but another time, all right?
[BLADE BEING SHARPENED]
Bo.
Shifu.
I was worried. You've been silent.
I would never abandon you.
You received the souls I reaped for you?
You said they would be
enough to bring you back.
I faced a minor obstacle my vessel.
- Nicky's Shifu Pei-Ling.
- Yes, my son.
You gave me the power I need,
but I have one last task for you.
Pei-Ling imprisoned me
and left me here to rot.
Only you can help me claim my vessel.
Only you can free me.
I crossed with Nicky in the Wasteland.
We fought.
You never told me we'd be
working against each other.
You said she was important,
to earn her trust.
- But I never realized
- I would ask you to break it?
- She'll try to stop me.
- Then let her try.
It is time to exploit her trust
and free me at last.
Yes, Shifu.
[DOORBELL RINGS] Got it.
Thank you.
[ALTHEA CLEARS THROAT]
Is Po Po coming to visit?
Nope.
- Uh-oh. Sad clean. Seb?
- Yeah.
She's been avoiding the
restaurant since he left.
[EXHALES]
Mama
Package from Carrie.
ALTHEA: Ooh!
[ALTHEA GASPS]
ALTHEA: "Mama Shen's frozen dumplings."
You are going to be famous.
Yeah, as a cartoon.
Excuse me.
[SIGHS] Let her go.
Cleaning's the only thing
that makes her feel good.
So, uh, Bo left in a hurry last night.
Have you heard from him since?
Nope. Maybe all the magic
stuff freaked him out.
He was probably just bummed you
weren't alone when he showed up.
- [CELL PHONE VIBRATES]
- Oh. See? That's probably him right now.
- [DOOR OPENS, SHUTS]
-
Good morning, Althea.
I got a couple hours free Thursday.
NADIA: I don't. What about tonight?
Late dinner at Oak & Branch?
That sounds amazing, but
- We're swamped here.
- [NADIA SIGHS]
See you when I see you.
See you when I see you.
What?
Nothing, nothing.
Sandy Vasilo?
Hi. Come on in.
Hi, Sandy. Evan Hartley.
How can we help you?
I need to get a restraining order.
My ex, I think he's stalking me.
- ZHILAN: Well?
- NICKY: I'm not sure.
Why? It's a good plan.
Use the blade to draw out the Harvester.
We'd have home-field advantage.
Take him by surprise.
No. I get it. It's just
He only has half a sword now.
For all we know, he's
trapped in that Wasteland,
so how is drawing him out our priority?
Xiao is the threat to Pei-Ling.
- But she's trapped right now.
- She's still dangerous.
Pei-Ling said she can feel her trying
to get out of her cage.
A way out.
Maybe that's our play.
This sword is designed
to reap souls, right?
Suck them out like a vacuum?
We saw it in action in the Wasteland.
- If we can get it to work
- We can use it to pull Xiao out.
And without the other
sword to transfer her,
she'd have nowhere to go.
She'd be trapped permanently.
It's a little early, isn't it?
Ahh. It's a beer.
Oh. Did you call any
of those restaurants?
Nope.
Listen, Seb, I know it sucks.
You had a good thing going at Harmony,
but that profile? You got heat.
Chez Haus has been
blowing up your phone.
Great. Now I'll finally fulfill my dream
of tweezing tiny
flowers on a $40 dessert.
[CELL PHONE VIBRATES]
It's Nicky. She needs help.
Yeah, it's a big new plan, actually.
It sounds kind of dangerous.
Could really use the extra muscle.
- I know what you're doing.
- Is it working?
That's Sandy's apartment.
She thinks her ex is spying
on her from that window.
From this tree? That's
a hell of a climb.
Uh-huh.
There's a camera in the tree.
Do you think her ex put it up there?
EVAN: Not unless he's got girlfriends
all up and down this street.
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING]
Hmm, commercial van, no logo.
I need to take a look inside. Cover me?
Mm-hmm.
We're using a magic sword
to suck an evil spirit out of Pei-Ling.
That's the plan.
According to the lore, the
sword is powered by its twin,
so our soul-sucking
sword is basically dead.
You mean we need to
find a new power source.
ZHILAN: Aren't you some kind of
magical GPS now? Can't you find one?
Yeah, it doesn't work like that.
I got to know what
I'm looking for first.
What about lightning?
[SCOFFS] So what,
strap the sword to the
roof and pray for rain?
- Uh, OK. Yeah. Dumb idea.
- No, no, it's not.
I mean, who says it has to be magic?
What if we just plug it in?
HENRY: Energy is energy.
We'd have to test it but, Occam's Razor,
maybe simple is best.
Let's just say the
sword takes 120 volts.
There's still a major flaw in this plan.
Xiao isn't just trapped inside Pei-Ling,
she's stuck inside her cage.
For the plan to work, I would
have to release her first.
ZHILAN: She'd take you
over before the rest of you
even had a chance to put on
your "Ghostbusters" suits.
You make movie references?
Wait. You watch movies?
Zhilan's right. Maybe
this is too dangerous.
Perhaps not.
The last time Xiao
took control of my body,
it was as if her fingers
were wrapped around my mind.
However, if I could
completely clear my mind
through deep mediation
Xiao won't have anything to latch onto,
buying us time to catch her.
I believe it would work, Nicky.
However, that level of meditation
requires complete focus.
I fear my mind
It is not still.
Zhilan.
I do not want to push,
but she could barely look at me.
Well
She did murder you.
Fate has brought us together,
and I believe there is a reason.
Until we speak
She's my sister, Nicky.
You helped me find peace with my family.
Now it's my turn.
Go.
Thought you got spooked.
Was it the magic talk
- or the 6-course dinner?
- None of the above, promise.
I was just busy. It looks
like you're pretty busy, too.
Actually, I am.
Well, my schedule's clear.
- If you need my help, I'm in.
- Really?
- Really.
- OK.
[LOCKS DOOR]
A full house.
You sure there's room
on the team for one more?
Bo, hey. Testing a theory.
RYAN: Seeing if conventional
electricity can activate a sword.
Uh, she explain the sword to you?
Yeah.
SEBASTIAN: Car battery test.
My idea unless it doesn't work.
Hold onto your butts.
- NICKY: It it worked.
- SEBASTIAN: My idea.
RYAN: Uh, we're gonna need a
lot more juice to suck Xiao in.
Well, if we tap into the
building's power supply,
up the trip setting,
that could do the trick.
Fighter, hacker, and electrician?
BO: No. Amateur electrician.
I'll need some heavy-duty
cables, clamps
RYAN: Seb and I can do the hardware run.
Breaker's this way.
Um, hello!
There is a bird up there, and
you are disturbing its habitat.
Oh, yeah? What kind?
A Green Speckled
Thrush.
You're a birder, too?
Uh, yeah, yeah, yeah!
Birding is my passion.
You got to catch 'em all. Heh!
[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING]
But are you sure you said green?
Uh, did I say "green"? I meant brown.
- Brown?
- Mm-hmm.
You're telling me you saw
a Bicknell's Thrush here?
Yes, yes! It's very exciting.
- [ALTHEA AND MAN CHUCKLE]
- Wait, wait, wait. Um, ahem.
Where are you going?
To get my binoculars.
It could still be nearby.
Oh. Uh, you know what? Don't bother.
I just realized it's a pigeon. Ha ha.
Sorry. Still a novice. Happy birding.
[SCRAPING]
[BLOWS]
NICKY: Vandalism?
Really?
One of the Emperor's runes,
the same ones Pei-Ling
used to trap Xiao.
I'm placing them all over
the building, a fail-safe.
So if your plan goes wrong
and Xiao tries to escape,
- she'll be trapped here.
- Smart
But my plan won't work unless
you talk to your sister.
There's no point.
- Forgiveness is off the table.
- She's not your mother.
She won't reject you.
- You don't know that.
- I do.
Right now, Pei-Ling is on the brink
of freeing herself from this monster
who's been tormenting her for months,
and all she can think about is you.
HENRY: What are you doing there?
Adjusting the settings so the
extra juice won't trip the breakers.
Amateur, my ass.
You could be making good money.
What are you doing slinging lattes?
Not much available
when I got to the Bay,
well, earthquake and all.
So you packed up and moved to a city
that was just devastated by a big one?
- That's some timing you got.
- Yeah.
Well, done with the breakers.
Now I just need to rig
the outlet in the library.
- I'll give you a hand.
- Sounds good.
Sister?
Nicky thinks that, uh
We should talk.
But I know what I did.
I know what I let myself become.
I am sorry.
But what good is my apology when
Zhilan, your apology is not what I seek.
W what?
The night our father died
Don't talk about
that was an accident.
Yes, but leaving you was a choice.
I ran away
to protect you.
But we would have
been stronger together.
You are right, sister.
What came after, what you did
I cannot absolve you,
but I can take
responsibility for my actions.
I left you.
It is my one regret,
and it has haunted me in my life
and in my death.
Will you forgive me?
Yes.
Sister.
This campaign is a longshot,
so I put in some calls,
booked you a spot on "The Bay as I see it,"
a podcast,
huge listener base in Chinatown.
Oh. An interview.
More of a verbal assault.
The host loves skewering politicians.
That's his thing, what
makes him so popular.
OK.
Don't worry. I'll prep you
for the session tonight.
Tonight?
- Power's set.
- [CLASPS SNAP]
Building's empty.
- NICKY: Ready?
- I am now.
OK. When we hit the power,
the Harvester's sword will charge,
Pei-Ling will release
Xiao from her cage,
the sword will activate,
and it should pull Xiao out,
trapping her inside.
If it doesn't?
Then be ready for a fight.
Shifu, let her out.
RYAN: It's working.
[LIGHT BULBS POP]
- What happened?
- BO: Old wiring. Must've given out.
Can you put her back in the cage?
It is too late. I do
not feel Xiao anymore.
ZHILAN: If she's not in you and
she's not in the sword, then
Where the hell is she?
So Xiao's spirit is
just on the loose?
We can figure this out.
We just have to stay calm.
Calm? We just set the big bad
free. She could be anywhere.
Not anywhere. I carved
runes all over the center.
Xiao can't leave.
So she's trapped in here with us?
Funny, not making me any less scared.
Should we, uh, look for her?
HENRY: Look for what? We don't even
know what Xiao's soul looks like.
PEI-LING: Xiao hid in me for months.
- I suspect if she got free
- She's in one of us.
SEBASTIAN: OK, who was closest
to Pei-Ling when Xiao got out?
Zhilan was right next to her.
- And who else was next to her?
- Right, uh, me.
NICKY: Henry, can you
use your compass power?
I'm trying. I can't feel anything.
All right. Well, if
Xiao is in one of us,
then we need to find
a way to smoke her out.
In the meantime, no one
leaves this building.
CAMPAIGN MANAGER: You
worked for Anthony Chan.
- Why'd you leave his campaign?
- Uh
- Just stick to the script.
- OK.
[IN MONOTONE] "Anthony and I had
"a difference of opinion.
I am running for my community
and not against him."
- What? I'm reading the card.
- Next time like you mean it?
OK.
If you can't stay loyal
to your own candidate,
how can people expect you to
stay loyal to the community?
Chinatown's my home.
I'm not looking to
Sacramento or Washington.
I care about the people here.
Even if it's unpopular,
I'm not gonna hand my street over
to some private security company
because I know we don't
need extralegal policing.
We need resources. We need help.
That's not what I wrote.
JIN: Oh, I'm sorry, Harper.
These people, they know me.
I have to speak off the cuff
and in my own voice.
Well, if that's your voice,
we might have a real shot.
Yeah?
[JIN CHUCKLES]
30 minutes to showtime. Let's go.
JIN: OK. Ha ha!
[EXHALES]
JIN: Whew! [EXHALES]
- Wish me luck, Lao Po.
- Lao Gong, you're not gonna need it.
You are going to win
just by being yourself.
And that's what I got to do, too.
No more cleaning, hiding in the house.
This is my restaurant,
and I'm gonna take it
back, even if it means war.
- Whoa.
- Ha ha.
[BOTH CHUCKLE]
OK, you and I have to figure this out.
Uh, sure, Nicky, but how do we know
I'm not Xiao? You don't, just
like I don't know you aren't.
Got to roll the dice.
When Pei-Ling was possessed
by Xiao, you ran tests, right?
Was there something,
anything in her results
No. Like I told you,
Pei-Ling's bloodwork came
back clean. I tested for everything.
- What?
- Everything medical!
I never tested for magic.
OK, Xiao lived through Jyu Sa.
She used source magic
to come to our world.
We still have some of each.
Maybe Xiao plus Jyu
Sa plus source energy
will create a distinct reaction,
and if it does, we then have our test.
But what would we even use?
I still have some of Pei-Ling's
last blood draw in the clinic.
What are you doing?
Just looking for the electrical room.
I have to check one of the breakers.
We should get back to the library.
Nicky wants us to stay close together.
Yeah.
Why do you need my blood?
Control sample,
though this whole test is theoretical.
Pei-Ling's blood might not react.
[SAMPLE BUBBLING]
I'd call that a reaction.
Looks like no Xiao.
Let's find out who is.
NADIA: A van full of
cameras, secret documents?
Could be big.
The documents are pretty cryptic,
but an acronym keeps
popping up "CZI."
- Could that be some kind of company?
- I'm heading home now.
- But I'll put out some feelers.
- Thanks, Bug.
OK, bye.
Talked to Sandy.
She's relieved to hear her
ex is not spying on her.
Nadia totally wants you
to come over, by the way.
We've got to figure out
who's behind these cameras.
I mean, that could take all night.
Dennis aside, you're
probably the best guy I know.
With Nicky and then Sabine,
you don't exactly have the best luck,
- and I just
- You don't want me to blow it.
I want you to be happy.
All right. I'll take your advice.
But I know you, too, Althea.
When you have a problem, you have
a tendency to focus on your friends.
- You can be a bit of a
- Sticky beak?
Ha ha! I was gonna say fixer.
[MOANS]
[EXHALES]
Dennis is in Napa visiting his family
for a potentially disastrous reunion,
a reunion that was totally my idea.
And I haven't heard from him all day.
- I'm sure it'll be OK.
- [CELL PHONE VIBRATES]
Oh. Nadia found something on CZI.
It's not a company.
It's a new ordinance headed
to the mayor's desk
The Crime Zero Initiative.
RYAN: That was the last draw.
Hey.
I'm sorry. I wanted to distract you.
This is not what I had in mind.
Honestly, it's been pretty creepy,
but, uh
Are we doing this or what?
SEBASTIAN: Pretty damn distracting.
[RYAN CHUCKLES]
RYAN: Um, sorry.
OK, Nicky's clear.
It's my test, only fair I go first.
I'm clear.
Pei-Ling?
OK, both clear. Zhilan's turn.
No reaction.
Seb, you're up.
Seb's clear.
Henry's next.
Well, I'm satisfied.
I saw him in the hall.
He was about to knock
out one of the runes.
I was just looking.
But, look, I'm not the
one trying to skip my turn.
So
Go on.
Test me.
Bo's clear.
- HENRY: No.
- NICKY: Tie him up.
- Nicky.
- Henry
We will figure this out.
We'll get her out of you.
She's not in me. Ryan,
take more blood. Do it again.
- Get off of me.
- BO: Hey, man, calm down.
No, no. This isn't right.
They were in order.
I was the only one who touched them.
It's not Henry. Someone
switched the lids.
Got me.
- Xiao, let him go.
- [CHUCKLES] Why?
So you can trap me again?
Oh, besides
I'm starting to like this one.
NICKY: Zhilan, wait!
Xiao will destroy the runes.
She could escape. She needs to pay.
Don't hurt Seb. He's still in there.
OK, when we find Xiao, we subdue her.
HENRY: We got to get the power back on.
It's the only way to trap
Xiao and save Sebastian.
- BO: I'm on it.
- RYAN: I'm coming.
- NICKY: No.
- RYAN: It's Seb. I have to.
There are 3 runes. If Xiao breaks
just one of them, she's gone.
So what's the plan?
We get the power back, then
Gonna charge up the sword,
then rip the soul-sucking
witch out of Seb.
[GLASS BREAKS]
OK, go. Just reset the
breaker. I'll hold her back.
Shifu, it's really you.
I suppose I have you to thank.
I, uh, lowered the trip
setting on the breaker box,
made sure their plan
to trap you would fail.
They are trying again.
Let them.
And this vessel.
A means to an end. I
won't need him long.
So you won't hurt them?
No.
Sorry, child.
They must believe we fought.
This one's safe.
- But where's Xiao?
- [LOUD THUD]
[THUD]
XIAO: When we last fought,
I was just a spirit.
You had the advantage.
Not anymore.
[XIAO YELLING AND GRUNTING]
You are pulling your punches, Warrior.
What, afraid you might hurt your chef?
As always, your
connections make you weak.
Hyah! Hyah!
Hey. You guys OK?
I flipped the breaker,
but the power's still out.
HENRY: The main breaker's
outside the building.
I could try that.
NICKY: Then we charge
up the sword, find Xiao.
Yeah, but if she's broken the
runes, she could be anywhere.
We should keep looking for Xiao.
Let the others find her.
We can protect this rune,
and I can protect you.
Or, sister, we could stop her together.
XIAO: That won't be necessary.
If you're here to break the rune
We will stop you.
The runes!
The runes are not why I am here.
Did you think I was
finished with you, Pei-Ling?
This, this is only temporary.
I still need you [CRACKS NECK]
Your body.
The souls of the Warriors
and the Guardians,
when I consumed them, their
power became a part of us both.
And I am going to need all of it.
You forget, Guardian,
I know all of your weaknesses.
Hyah! Uh!
- Hyah!
- Uh! Uh!
[ZHILAN GROANING]
Your spine, all your surgeries.
[YELLING]
Ah, your friends haven't
given up, but it's too late.
- [GROANS]
- I will kill her
Unless, her life for your body.
ZHILAN: Sister, no.
Let her go, Xiao.
Sorry, Warrior. This is not about you.
Spare her.
- ZHILAN: Pei-Ling, no.
- PEI-LING: Take me.
ZHILAN: Uh! Uh!
[GROANS]
[GROANS]
HENRY: Nicky!
We did it. Xiao's trapped.
Seb!
she got you pretty good.
Yeah. Sorry I missed all the action.
HENRY: Taking on Xiao
alone? Kind of stupid
But pretty brave.
NICKY: Seb, are you OK?
He's pretty wiped. I
got to get him home.
Pei-Ling, how are you feeling?
PEI-LING: I am feeling hungry.
Mama's probably making dinner.
The more, the merrier.
Zhilan, will you be
joining us this time?
Sure.
But there's something
I need to do first.
I'm picking up a bottle
of wine for dinner.
I'm not a savage.
NICKY: Amazing how this
little thing can contain
so much evil.
HENRY: The sword's powered up.
It could start calling out to its twin.
It might lead the Harvester right to us.
We need to figure out how to
destroy it without releasing Xiao.
In the meantime
HENRY: We got to hide it someplace safe.
You guys figure out how to destroy it.
I'll hide it, protect it.
This Harvester guy has no idea who I am.
I'll keep it across the Bay,
away from you and your family.
Thank you.
Wakin' up from my
wildest dreams ♪
This was a great idea.
Well, you brought the food.
Hmm. It's not all I brought.
Dug up a trademark request
for the Crime Zero Initiative.
You won't believe who filed it.
"Delta Security Endeavors"?
How did I not see this?
It's all connected
Crime wave, Ordinance 11, this.
Nadia, you
You're gonna add that
to your murder board?
Ah, it can wait.
She knows I'mma let him in ♪
'cause there ain't no low ♪
this high, this high ♪
there ain't no low ♪
like coming down from ♪
this high, this high ♪
there ain't no low ♪
oh, lord ♪
I told you, I'm fine.
Seb.
Why can't you look at me?
Seb.
What I did to you
That wasn't you.
No, but it was. I was
in there the whole time,
watching all of it, feeling all of it.
Her, her rage, her violence.
It felt familiar.
I never thought
I never thought that I
would feel that again.
And then to feel it with you.
I'm sorry, Ryan. I
I can't be around you right now.
Everything's great here, Bam-Bam.
Like, so great. How's Napa?
MEI-LI: Thank you so much
for helping, Pei-Ling.
Jin's at his podcast, and I thought
it would just be Althea and
myself for dinner tonight.
I am happy to help.
You know, Nicky didn't
say much when she called,
but it sounds like you guys
had a pretty eventful day.
[SIGHS]
- We did.
- ALTHEA: Drive safe. Love you, too.
Ohh! Dennis and his parents are good.
They're making it work.
I guess being a sticky
beak isn't such a bad thing.
[LAUGHING]
[SIZZLING]
[CHOPPING]
Hey, Pei-Ling, I'm ready
for the peppers now.
Pei-Ling?
Uh!
[GASPS]
I knew it. Last we met, I sensed it.
Something special
about you, something
in your blood.
I need to understand it.
I need more.
Uh!
Get away from my wife.
[PEI-LING GASPING AND MOANING]
Mama, what was that?
Baba!
Hello, Nicky.
Don't touch my family.
You can't.
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
I told you, your
connections make you weak.
Monsters inside my head ♪
ALTHEA: Nicky, what happened?
Monster is inside my head ♪