Original subtitles

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

Can you feel it? Kerwin: I must confess

I can't.

But... i can certainly feel you.

And to think... this is nothing.

The weapons barely have a trace

of their full power.

What do you mean?

That the powers have diminished over time.

They need to be brought back

to the source.

Oh. 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 weapon.

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?

Mm-mm. No. You can rest.

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

I have work to do.

[Gasp]

That's it.

What aren't we seeing?

Henry: Maybe I transcribed the star map wrong.

No. You did it perfectly 5 times.

This is an exact copy of the stars

projected from the scabbard.

It has to be the map to the forge.

We just can't see it yet.

Ok, 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 8 stars.

There are 8 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.

Kerwin: You never came to bed.

[Sigh] 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.

Nicky: He was with zhilan in Vegas.

Evan: Kerwin tan...

Son of Russell tan.

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, I 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 is 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.

Mm. 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.

Nicky: I'm here, I'm here!

Sorry I'm late. Hello?

Mama? Baba? [Running footsteps]

Where have you been? Go. Stir.

Ok. 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.

Ok, soup's fine. Sweep.

I can do the counters, too.

Althea, please, sit down. Relax.

Relax? Ha! 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.

Business at Harmony dumplings has been booming.

Mm-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.

Mm. You got a big job

at a firm downtown.

Just try not to mention

dropping out of college,

running away to a Shaolin monastery,

fighting 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 gonna share it with us?

Please, Nicky, just wait until

after the wedding is over.

The last thing I need is a po po explosion.

[Soup bubbling]

Stir, Nicky, stir!

Kerwin: So, we get there, to the forge.

The weapons get recharged.

All 8 weapons, fully powered,

brought together, then...

Biange occurs?

Yes.

My father always said it was a transformation,

a global sea change wielded by

whoever 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.

[Phone ringing]

It's my father.

[Phone beeps]

[Russell speaking mandarin]

Kerwin: Yeah. [Speaking mandarin]

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.

[Slap] 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. Ahem.

Does your offer still stand if I

come home without the weapons?

Would you forgive me then?

Russell: Yes, son. I would.

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

and it's so much more

than just the 8 weapons.

For now, please come home.

I am home. [Phone beeps]

[Doorbell rings] She's here. It's happening.

Did we scrub the bathroom?

Nicky: No.

Hi, mama. Po po!

[Speaking mandarin]

[Speaking mandarin]

Ohh. Nicky.

[Speaking mandarin]

[Women giggling]

Eh? Why isn't

everyone here?

Uh, traffic is really bad today.

They'll be here any minute.

[Speaking mandarin]

[Speaking softly] Traffic's clear.

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

I have no idea where they are.

Po po: Althea, are you ready

for a 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.

[Po po sighs] California supposed to be warm,

yet this house, it is always cold.

Well, po po, it's San Fran...

I will start a fire.

And I will make some tea.

Althea: Mmm! I ran out of time.

I didn't make it to the store

for her favorite oolong.

[Knocking on door]Oh. I think they're here.

Dennis?

Hey, babe.

Jin: Let's get him in a chair.

Nicky: What happened? Ryan: 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.

Althea: Should? Ryan: He'll be fine.

Mei-li: Jin... Nicky: Baba...

Oh. [Speaking mandarin] [Laughs]

This is the groom?

Jin: Uh... Althea: Yes, po po.

This is Dennis.

[Speaking mandarin]

Oh!

Mei-li: Ha!

[Chuckles]

Ryan.

[Jin chuckles]

Po po: This house is too hot.

Yes, po po.

Jin: Maybe this weekend

is not as stressful

as we thought.

Uh, heh. I'll get cleaned up. Heh.

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?

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.

[Sigh]

Mm

Pretty.

Let's do this. [Snaps fingers]

Nicky: Ok. Here she comes.

Dennis: Althea.

No.

It's wrong. All wrong!

Take off.

You have to take it off.

Come, come, come! Come!

[Fabric ripping]

Po po: Not right. [Althea gasps]

Not right at all.

I worked so hard with the designer.

I made that dress perfectly.

[Fabric ripping]

Dennis just left.[Sighs]

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 antacid.

I'll need them before dinner.

Uh, there must be some in the suitcase.

I'll get it.

[Phone buzzing]

Hey. Any luck?

I spent a few hours zooming

with an astronomy expert.

We didn't find anything.

[Sigh] What are we missing?

Henry: I'll keep looking. We'll find the forge somehow.

Henry: Nicky? 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. I...

What is it?

Henry, she's holding the sword.

I think po po was a warrior.

It's not exactly what I pictured.

[Thunder]

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 10-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... 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.

[Thunder]

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

[Knocking on door]

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.

D.a. Hughes kind of intercepted them.

She wants all your requests

going through her from now on.

Even on cases I'm assigned to?

Hmm. Ok.

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 d.A. Hughes's office

and they'll be there all night

until I return them to the hall of records tomorrow.

Yeah. That's... A shame.

Ryan: So, you think po po

was a warrior back in the day?

Swinging that mystical sword around, kicking ass?

Maybe. I don't know.

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

I mean, look at her.

She's only comfortable within

a 3-degree temperature range.

Everything gives her heartburn,

a headache, or muscle cramps.

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?

[Thunder]

Is it revenge?

Revenge against my father?

[Sigh] That seems so small.

His empire is so much more

than you understand.

[Thunder]

Ai technology, predictive algorithms.

He's on his way to data mining

everyone on this planet.

Then there's his banking interests,

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?

[Voice breaking] Not just him.

Everything he holds in this world.

You want to erase me?

No, I don't want to. Kerwin, I have to.

No. 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'll never completely trust you.

Attack me if you want, but

I won't fight you.

[Both grunt]

[Both grunt]

[Groans]

[Thud]

[Thunder]

Po po, would you like a jiaozi?

So, who's getting married next?

Ryan?

Ahem. Hmm?

Is there lucky woman in your life?

I told you, po po. Too busy.

Medical school.

Rounds at clinic.

Po po: You are a man.

You got some time.

But you, there must be

some good men at law firm.

Tell me about your job.

Nicky: Yes, um, the law.

I work at yan hartley and associates.

Long hours. Lots of paperwork.

Po po: At your age,

you should be working hard.

[Jin chuckles] Po po: You 3 keep working hard

and maybe it will have been

worth it after all.

What was worth it?

Po po: 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.

Nicky: I'm not a lawyer. [Jin choking, coughing]

I didn't even graduate college.

Dropped out one semester shy.

Mei-li: Nicky! [Laughter]

Stop joking. Po po doesn't

appreciate your humor.

Althea: 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 3 years at a Shaolin monastery

learning kung fu.

My shifu zhang pei-ling

taught me more about life

than I ever learned at Harvard.

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. You held the sword.

I need to know what happened to you.

How did you...

You went looking through my things.

How dare you? Ah? Mei-li: Ma.

Ma...

Sorry.

Oh, boy.

[Voice breaking]

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.

Po po: 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 8 weapons.

Fang-su warned of the mysterious energy.

Nicky: Biange. Po po: 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. Heh.

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 hands,

I felt like I had been training

my whole life.

[People grunting]

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 that,

and I had 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 died trying to protect the sword.

Pei-ling's sister wants biange to herself.

She has all 8 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.

Do you recognize the symbols?

These symbols represent the 7 struggles.

Great battles fought with the 8 weapons.

7 struggles, 7 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've

involved the weapons, but

we didn't have a way to prove it.

What'd she say? Did she know where the 7 battles were?

Um, she read them off my hand.

Chongqing, lingzang, jiading, now called leshan.

Hang on. Slow down.

Chonqing... uh-huh.

Then there was sicheng, baoqing, and nanning.

Henry: Nicky.. Nicky: What?

That's it. That's lau's constellation.

Nicky: What do you mean? Henry: 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 7 struggles

match the stars in Simon lau's constellation.

Ok, but Simon's tattoo had 8 points.

What if the eighth point is the forge?

Nicky, it's in yunnan.

I think the forge is at the monastery.

[Sigh]

This whole time...

Zhilan could already be on her way there.

The monks, my sisters.

I have to go now.

I'll call you back.

How much of that did you hear?

Enough.

So, you're leaving?

You're gonna miss the wedding?

[Crying] I'm sorry, althea.

But I don't know what choice...

[sniffles] Yeah.

You do.

[Sniffles] I hate this but...

[Sniffling]

You have to go.

[Softly] I'm sorry.

[Sniffles]

[Mei-li and Jin speaking indistinctly]

Althea: Ahem.

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.

Po po: Nicky, you don't know the danger.

I can't pass it on

to althea's kids or Ryan's kids

or my kids.

When?

Tonight.

Zhilan has all 8 weapons.

I can't wait.

I'm going to free us.

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

[Lock beeps]

[Clicking]

Hey. Almost ready.

Feeling like I should bring everything,

but I don't think I could 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 killed...

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.

[Voice breaking] 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.

[Softly] I'm scared.

[Sniffles] Then let me help.

[Softly] You have.

It's my choice.

I have to go.

Did you know?

That I was a warrior?

Your warrior?

What do you think?

I think that your mother trained my po po.

I think that our families have been intertwined

for over 1,000 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?

Henry: My favorite candy. [Speaking mandarin]

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.

[Woman speaking mandarin]

[Sighs]

Well?

Po po!

What do you think?

And it fits like a dream.

I can actually breathe in it.[Laughs]

Most importantly, it will hold its shape

when you bend and serve me tea.

Mei-li: Oh! Althea oh.

[Giggles]

[Laughter]

Psst. Hey. How's it going up there?

Looks like they're having fun. What?

Like actual relaxed fun.

What?[laughter upstairs]

Nicky's gonna be ok, 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.

Ahem.

"The althea shen man of honor playbook:

Hmm. "How to guarantee althea's wedding day

is the best day of her entire life."

She wanted to make sure you got it...

And follow it to a tee.

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.

Henry: It's beautiful here.

Yeah. 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...

You know her?

I'll introduce you.

Nicky: Hua?

Nicky?

[Speaking mandarin]

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 ok?

The woman who killed 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.

Woman: Nicky?

Biyu.

Woman: Oh!

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 burned 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.

[Drums, gong]

Henry: What's that sound? Hua: Intruder.

[Woman shouting in mandarin]

What are you doing here?

I'm here for you. For biange.

Nicky shen, we have so much to talk about.

Man: Greg, move your head.