01x12 - Sacrifice

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Kung Fu". Aired: April 7, 2021 - present.*
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Nicky drops out of college to go on a life-changing journey to an isolated monastery in China. Upon returning to San Francisco, she finds her hometown has been overrun with crime and corruption.
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01x12 - Sacrifice

Post by bunniefuu »

Now that they're all together,
there's an energy.

- Can you feel it?
- I must confess, I can't, but...

- I can certainly feel you.
- Hmm.

And to think this is nothing.

The weapons barely have a trace
of their full power.

What do you mean?

That their powers
have diminished over time.

They need to be
brought back to the source.

Uh, the source?

You've spent weeks decoding the scroll.
You've kept me at a need-to-know.

I mean, I accept that.

And yet...

The weapons need to be returned
to an ancient temple

called the Forge,
hidden for many centuries.

Only then can the weapons
reach their full potential

and only then can biange truly begin.

Where's the Forge?

I'm working on that.

Translating the scroll led me
to the shape of Lau's constellation,

which led us to Lau
and the last w*apon.

Your tattoo.

You have the stars
imprinted on your body.

But there's more in here.

I've only been able to translate
parts of it, but I can feel it.

I'm close.

- Is there anything I can do?
- Hmm.

No. You can rest.

- Oh, no. I can't. Not without you.
- Hmm.

I have work to do.

That's it.

Okay, what aren't we seeing?

Maybe I transcribed the star map wrong?

No, you did it perfectly, five times.

This is an exact copy of the stars
projected from the scabbard.

Okay, it has to be the map to the Forge.

We just can't see it yet.

Okay, so we know
the star map is accurate.

All the stars
and their placements check out.

Except for Simon's constellation tattoo.

His doesn't match
any known constellation

from Western or Chinese astronomy.

So what is it doing here?

Maybe it's made up. Superimposed.

One of these things
is not like the other.

If the map leads to the Forge,
the constellation

has to be some kind of key
to decoding the map.

Well, it's made up of eight stars.
There are eight weapons.

We're trying to find
the birthplace of those weapons.

- What else?
- I'm sorry.

I'm out of my depth here.
We may need to bring in an expert.

We don't have time.

Zhilan already has all the weapons.

She doesn't have the scabbard.

The scabbard may not be
the only clue to the Forge.

For all we know,
she already found another way.

We'll figure it out.

We'll get there before Zhilan does.
Together.

Yeah.

You never came to bed.

I solved it.

- Solved what?
- The scroll.

Once I figured out what
Lau's constellation actually was,

all the symbols
just snapped right into place.

It was the key.
The key to translating the whole thing.

The scroll told me everything I need.

I know how to find the Forge.

He was with Zhilan in Vegas.

Kerwin Tan, son of Russell Tan.

Wait, that surveillance photo
you showed us...

Zhilan just robbed Tan's headquarters
a couple nights ago.

What's his son doing
running around with her?

Maybe he's working against his dad.

Russell Tan is one of the richest men
in the world.

And one of the most powerful.

He's got his fingers in everything.

Fossil fuels, data systems,
AI development.

And now, Zhilan has access
to the resources of a billionaire's son.

Sorry, just... I thought maybe
I was getting ahead of her.

Plus, Althea's wedding is this weekend.

My Po Po's flying in from China today,

so everyone's gonna be
walking on eggshells.

Can't go worse than her last visit.

That was my bad.

- I didn't get us to dinner on time.
- Mmm...

I think it was more about the guy
you showed up to dinner with.

Um...

You should go. Your family needs you.

I'll keep digging into the Tans,

maybe find something
you can use to catch up to Zhilan.

Thank you, Evan.

Hey, Nicky?

I know you feel hopeless,

but whatever you're looking for,
you'll find it.

How could you know that?

Because you're Nicky Shen.

I'm here. I'm here.

Sorry I'm late.

Hello?

Mama, Baba?

Where have you been?

Go. Stir.

Oh, okay.

Where is everybody?

Funny you should ask.

Dennis, Ryan and Baba
went paintballing with the groomsmen.

They promised it'd be
a quick stress relief

before Po Po showed up.

But then they got stuck in traffic
and then Po Po's flight came in early.

So Mama had to drive to the airport

and pick her up alone,
leaving me to cook and clean

and get the whole house ready by myself.

Okay, soup's fine. Sweep.

I can do the counters, too.
Althea, please. Sit down, relax.

Relax? Huh!

You know how Po Po is.
And how Mama acts when she's in town.

Everything has to be sparkling clean.

The food has to be prepared perfectly,

and everyone
must be on their best behavior.

A happy Po Po makes a happy Mama.

And now, a happy Althea.

You do realize
no matter how hard you try,

she will find something to criticize.

Just stick to the script.

Okay.

Business at Harmony Dumplings
has been booming.

Mmm-hmm. How about Ryan?

- Does Po Po know?
- No, she does not.

So, Mama and Baba are just
shoving him back in the closet?

Actually, that was Ryan's idea.

Says he's still trying to get over Joe.

The last thing he wants is Po Po
digging into his personal life.

And my script?

- You're a lawyer now. Congratulations.
- Hmm.

You got a big job at a firm downtown.

Just try not to mention
dropping out of college,

running away to a Shaolin monastery,

finding gangsters,
or international criminals,

or anything
regarding the family sword legacy.

Last part will be the hardest.

I know Po Po rejected the legacy,
but she's still part of the bloodline.

What if she knows something?

Even if she does, do you think
she's going to share it with us?

Please, Nicky. Just wait until
after the wedding is over.

The last thing I need
is a Po Po expl*si*n.

- Stir, Nicky, stir!
- Oh, no!

So we get there, to the Forge,
the weapons get recharged.

All eight weapons, fully powered,
brought together, then biange occurs?

Yes.

My father always said
it was a transformation,

a global sea change wielded by
whomever brought together the weapons.

But he always made it sound like

the power would be harnessed
by just one person.

And that's you, right?

Only one can wield the power.

It's my father.

Yeah.

I'm sorry, Dad.

It's over.

You've lost.

Perhaps, but it's not too late for you.

What's that mean?

Come home, and this family
will be whole again.

This family was never whole!

You turned us against each other,
made us compete for your love.

And now I have something you want.

I know who you're with,

and what that Zhang woman is capable of.

You cannot trust her, Kerwin.

Tell me this, Father.

Does your offer still stand
if I come home without the weapons?

Would you forgive me then?

Yes, son, I would.

There is much you don't know
about all of this.

And it's so much more
than just the eight weapons.

For now,

please come home.

I am home.

She's here. It's happening.

- Did we scrub the bathroom?
- No.

Hi, Mama.

Po Po!

Oh! Nicky.

Hey...

Why isn't everyone here?

Uh, traffic is really bad today.

Yeah, they will be here any minute.

Mmm, traffic is clear.

Dennis isn't answering his phone
and neither is Ryan.

I have no idea where they are!

Althea, are you ready
for your tea ceremony?

Yes, Po Po, everything is set.

Good. I want to see you

in your qipao today.

Of course.

I love a fashion show.

California's supposed to be warm,
yet this house, it is always cold.

Well, Po Po, it's San Francisco...

- I will start a fire.
- And I will make some tea.

I ran out of time.

I didn't make it to the store
for her favorite oolong.

Oh! I think they're here.

- What...
- Dennis!

- Hey, babe.
- Let's get him in the chair.

What happened?

Oh, Dad was a Terminator
in the paintball court.

Took Dennis down fast.

Not his fault. I tripped.

Pulled a tendon.

I should be able to walk normally
by the wedding.

- Should?
- He'll be fine.

- Jin.
- Baba.

Oh.

This is the groom?

Ah.

Yes, Po Po. This is Dennis.

Oh!

Mmm.

Mmm.

Ryan.

Hey...

This house is too hot.

Yes, Po Po.

Maybe this weekend is not
as stressful as we thought.

I'll get cleaned up.

A personal fashion show for Po Po

is the last thing I need right now.

What happened to pleasing her
at all costs?

I have a thousand details
to go over before the wedding.

And how is Dennis supposed to
walk down the aisle

when he can't even walk?

Well, I think he'll look cute in a cast.

He's wearing dress shoes
to that wedding if it kills him.

So, is Henry coming to dinner tonight?

Shens only.

Besides, introducing Henry to Po Po?

Ugh. That's, like, no.

Maybe in a few years.
Maybe decades.

Huh. Years. Decades.

I see someone's already
thinking long-term.

Let's focus on one wedding
at a time, please?

- Pretty.
- Let's do this.

Okay, here she comes.

Althea!

No, it's wrong. All wrong.

Take off.

You have to take it off. Come, come!

- Mom?
- Come!

Not right.

Not right at all.

I worked so hard with the designer.
They made that dress perfectly.

Dennis just left.

Po Po wouldn't let him go.

Says she can't wait to see him tomorrow.

Well, at least, he's passing the test.

Did you tell her about Auntie Mei-Xue?

I can't even say Mei-Xue's name
in front of her.

I can't find my antacids.
I'll need them before dinner.

Uh, there must be some in the suitcase.

I'll get it.

Hey, any luck?

Spent a few hours Zooming
with an astronomy expert.

He didn't find anything.

What are we missing?

I'll keep looking.
We'll find the Forge somehow.

Nicky?

Sorry...

I found a photo of Mei-Xue
in Po Po's wallet.

I guess she keeps this photo close.

I think I found something else.

A photo of Po Po,
maybe like 50 years ago.

What is it?

Henry, she's holding the sword.

I think Po Po was a warrior.

It's not exactly what I pictured.

I thought the Forge
would be something grander.

Historic, even.

It's just a little side trip.
Something I need you to see.

Come.

I grew up a ten-minute walk from here.

I passed these graves every day
on my way to school.

Your parents?

They passed when you were so young.

Before I was born, my father
worked at an old textile factory.

That factory...

was built by your father.

I didn't know he owned something
so far into the country.

Runoff from the factory made its way
into the soil, then the groundwater.

When my mother was pregnant with me,
she got sick.

My spinal condition,
her death during my birth,

all the work of your father,
the great Russell Tan.

Zhilan, hey.

I'm not like my father.

I never knew my mother.

And according to my father and sister,

she was a kind woman, a strong woman.

But not strong enough
to defeat her illness...

to survive giving birth to me.

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

For tomorrow's deposition.

Thank you, Nadia.
Any luck with the Tan files?

I put in the request yesterday.
I thought it'd clear by now.

Yes, they came.
DA Hughes kind of intercepted them.

She wants all your requests
going through her from now on.

Even on cases I'm assigned to?

Hmm.

Okay.

Thank you for letting me know.

I'm sorry, Evan.
I know you're trying to do good here.

It's such a shame.

Those files just sitting
in DA Hughes' office,

and they'll be there all night
until I return them

to the Hall of Records tomorrow.

Yeah. That's... a shame.

So you think Po Po
was a warrior back in the day.

Swinging that mystical sword around,
kicking ass?

Maybe. I don't know.

Ah, I mean, I just don't see it.

I mean, look at her.

She's only comfortable
within a three-degree temperature range.

Everything gives her heartburn,
a headache or muscle cramps.

And have you seen
the dispensary she travels with?

I know it's hard to imagine now,
but this photo was a long time ago.

Po Po may be the only person
who can help me get ahead of Zhilan.

Don't go digging, Nicky.
You could blow up Althea's whole week.

Hey, what's taking so long?
Po Po's waiting.

Coming!

Why did you bring me here?

Is it revenge?

Revenge against my father.

That seems so small.

His empire is so much more
than you understand.

AI technology, predictive algorithms.

He's on his way to data mining
everyone on this planet.

Then there's the banking interest,
the defense contracts.

With the power of biange in his hands,

no one will be safe.

No one will be free.

Only with biange
can I wipe his fingerprints

off the face of the earth.

You want to erase him?

Not just him.
Everything he holds in this world.

- You want to erase me?
- No, I don't want to.

- Kerwin, I have to.
- Just don't.

- I know you feel what I feel.
- I do.

I fell in love with you, Kerwin.

It was an accident.
It wasn't part of the plan.

But loving you?

It doesn't change what you are.

- What am I?
- A liability.

I love you, Kerwin.

But I will never completely trust you.

att*ck me if you want,
but I won't fight you.

Po Po, would you like a jiaozi?

So who's getting married next?

Ryan?

Hmm?

Is there a lucky woman in your life?

I told you, Po Po.

Too busy. Medical school.
Rounds at the clinic.

You are a man...

you've got some time.

But you, there must be some good man
at law firm.

Tell me about your job.

Yes, um, the law.

I work at Yan, Hartley and Associates.
Long hours.

- Lots of paperwork.
- Mmm-hmm, at your age,

you should be working hard.

You three keep working hard

and maybe it will have been
worth it after all.

What was worth it?

Your mother leaving me years ago
when I had just lost a child,

to open a restaurant, of all things.

Mama.

A bride, a doctor, a lawyer. You see?

All good.

I'm not a lawyer.

I didn't even graduate college.
Dropped out one semester shy.

Nicky, stop joking.

Po Po doesn't appreciate your humor.

Yeah. Nicky, stop being so silly.

- Tell her about the benefits.
- No.

I'm not lying anymore.

Po Po, I didn't go to law school.

I spent three years at
a Shaolin monastery learning Kung Fu.

My shifu,

Zhang Pei-Ling, taught me more about
life than I ever learned at Harvard.

Now I've sat here all night
watching you guys

tie yourselves in knots
to keep the truth from you.

But I know you keep secrets, too.

Po Po, this photo.

- What photo?
- You held the sword.

I need to know what happened to you.

How did you...

You went looking through my things.

- How dare you? Huh?
- Ma...

Ma.

Sorry.

Oh, boy.

Huh?


Ma, Nicky is a warrior.

I have made mistakes,

but I am so proud
of the woman I have raised.

And I will not apologize
for who she has become.

Mama.

Like Mei-Xue,

Nicky deserves the truth,
the whole truth.

It was almost 50 years ago,
before you and Mei-Xue were born,

I knew almost nothing about the sword,
or our warrior blood

until she came,

the woman in the photograph, Fang-Su...

your shifu's mother.

At first, I was so scared.

This stranger knew so much about me.

She was desperate for my help.

Fang-Su was the keeper of the sword,
its guardian.

It was the first I learned
about guardians,

about the sword,
about the eight weapons.

Fang-Su warned
of the mysterious energy...

- Biange?
- Yes.

Fang-Su said a band of thieves
had a plan to steal the sword

and without me to defend it,

Fang-Su worried they would win.

Can you imagine how that sounded?

I was a chosen warrior...

meant to keep a powerful energy
from falling into the wrong hands.

It actually doesn't sound
so crazy to me.

She showed me how to use the sword.

The sword was communicating with me.

Its energy, it became part of me.

Then the thieves found us.

I doubted I was ready,
but with the sword in my hand,

I felt like I had been
training my whole life.

The sword's power scared me.

In the heat of battle,

it felt as if the sword controlled me
as much as I controlled it.

I didn't want that.

I wanted the life I had,
the life I had planned,

a family, children.

To be a warrior,
I would've lost all of that.

And I promised to myself
that no one in my family

would bear the burden
of the warrior again.

And that's why you tried to stop Mei-Xue
from going after the sword.

Yes. I wanted to protect her.

Let it go. All of it.

This isn't something I can run from.

Destiny brought me to Pei-Ling.

She was a guardian, like her mother.

She d*ed trying to protect the sword.

Pei-Ling's sister
wants biange to herself.

She has all eight weapons.
She's already so dangerous.

That kind of power
can't end up in her hands.

Choose another path.

I didn't choose this path, Po Po.

It chose me.

What is it? Let me see.

Can you recognize the symbols?

These symbols represent
the seven struggles.

Great battles fought with
the eight weapons.

Seven struggles, seven battles.
Does that mean anything?

Well, the defeat of Kublai Khan's army
in southern China was one,

and we found a few more
in the history books.

Battles we thought
might have involved the weapons,

but we didn't have a way to prove it.

What'd she say? Did she know
where the seven battles were?

Um...

She read them off my hand.

Chongqing, Lingzang, Jiading,
now called Leshan...

Oh, hang on, slow down.

Chongqing, Lingzang... Uh-huh.

Then there was Sicheng,
Baoqing and Nanning.

- Nicky...
- What?

That's it. That's Lau's constellation.

- What do you mean?
- The scabbard map.

We've been looking up at the sky,
trying to find the answers in the stars.

We should've been looking at the ground.

The locations of the seven struggles

match the stars
in Simon Lau's constellation.

Okay, but Simon's tattoo
has eight points.

What if the eighth point is the Forge?

Nicky, it's in Yunnan.

I think the Forge is at the monastery.

This whole time.

Okay, Zhilan could already be
on her way there.

The monks, my sisters...

I have to go now.

Call you back.

- How much of that did you hear?
- Enough.

So, you're leaving?

- You're gonna miss the wedding?
- I'm sorry, Althea.

But I don't know what choice...

Yeah, you do.

I hate this, but...

you have to go.

I'm sorry.

Nicky has something to tell us.

I'm leaving.

Where are you going?

The monastery.

Mama, the sword, this birthright...

Our family has suffered
for generations because of it.

Po Po, you ran away
because you were afraid of its power.

Auntie Mei-Xue went into hiding.

Mama, your secrets
nearly tore us all apart.

It has to end.

How? It's been this way for generations.

I don't know how...

but I'm going back to where it began,
where the weapons were made.

I think the answer is there.

Nicky, you don't know the danger.

Well, I can't pass it on
to Althea's kids,

or Ryan's kids, or my kids.

When?

Tonight.

Zhilan has all eight weapons.
I can't wait.

I'm going to free us.

I'm going to end biange...
once and for all.

Hey. Almost ready.

Feel like I should bring everything,

but I don't think I can fit
a corkboard in my bag.

You got your passport, right?

Henry...

I think I should do this on my own.

This is my fight for my family,
and I dragged you into this.

And you've been amazing,
but it's time I let you go.

Let me go? But I want to do this.

I know. That's what makes this so hard.

Is this about Vegas?
Tan's son gets the jump on me

- and now I'm not fit to come with you?
- No, it isn't that.

Seeing you hurt...

seeing Simon k*lled,

it felt... it felt like the night
at the monastery.

Watching Pei-Ling die,
losing so many of my sisters,

I was powerless to stop it
like I was powerless to protect Simon.

And what if I can't protect you?

- What if...
- Nicky, that's not your job.

I love you.

I love you and I can't lose you.

And because I can't lose you,

I can't risk worrying about you
while I'm there.

What about me, huh?

What, am I supposed to stay behind

with no idea what you're doing,

if you're safe, if you're even alive?

I can't. I can't let you go alone
because I love you, too.

I believe in you,

but there's so much
that we don't know about the Forge,

about biange,

- and if Zhilan finds you...
- I know.

I'm scared.

Then let me help.

You have.

This is my choice.

I have to go.

Did you know? That I was a warrior?

You're a warrior?

What do you think?

I think that your mother
trained my Po Po.

I think that our families have been
intertwined for over a thousand years.

How could you not know?

Why didn't you tell me?

You know I cannot answer that.

It doesn't matter.

Either way, I have to do this alone.

Links in a chain hold strong together.

If being home has taught you anything,

it is that the people around you,
the people you care for,

are what make you strong.

I can't let anyone
take this risk with me.

This warrior destiny is my burden.

The Nicky Shen I met

did not like following the path
laid out for her.

She always chose her own way.

What is in your heart, hmm?

What do you want?

My favorite candy, jiang tang.

I used to sneak out of the Wushu Academy
into Beijing just to buy these.

Can't get these in the Bay Area.

- I'm glad you're here.
- I'm glad you changed your mind.

- Well?
- Po Po!

What do you think?

And it fits like a dream.

I can actually breathe in it.

Most importantly, it will hold its shape

when you bend and serve me tea.

Oh!

Psst. Hey.

- How's it going up there?
- Looks like they're having fun.

- What?
- Like, actual relaxed fun.

Nicky's gonna be okay, Baba.
Whatever happens, I believe in her.

I do, too.

Speaking of your sister,
she left you something

on the living room table. Come on.

"The Althea Shen Man of Honor Playbook."

"How to guarantee Althea's wedding day
is the best day of her entire life."

Ha.

She wanted to make sure you got it...

and followed it to a T.

It's almost like a part of her knew
she wouldn't be here.

Wherever she is,
I hope she finds what she's looking for.

It's beautiful here.

I've missed it.

I'm just glad I was able to see it.

Did you know they were restoring it?

I knew they were rebuilding,

but seeing it myself, it...

You know her?

I'll introduce you.

Hua.

Nicky?

Hello, Henry, and welcome.

Thank you for allowing me
into this space.

The monastery...

What you all have done is incredible.

Pei-Ling would be proud.

Why did you come back?

Is everything okay?

The woman who k*lled shifu
is more dangerous than ever.

Whatever comes, we are ready.

We train every day,
preparing ourselves to defend our home.

This time, we won't be caught unaware.

Nicky?

Biyu.

It's so good to see you.

- Did Hua show you what we discovered?
- This way.

This was covered with oak.

A false wall.

The wall was b*rned in the fire.

What's inside?

Had it not been for the fire,
we never would have found this.

Nicky, do you know what this is?

- It looks like some kind of door.
- To what?

I think it leads to the Forge.

- What's that sound?
- Intruder.

What are you doing here?

I'm here for you. For biange.

Nicky Shen...

we have so much to talk about.
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