Original subtitles

- Hi there. - Hello.

Espresso.

We've just got the regular type of coffee here.

Uh, two, please.

Ugh.

Okay.

Bonjour.

You have completed lesson 25. Well done.

At this point, you should have a firm grasp of the French language.

Let's continue.

I wish I would have been able to see that.

Grant is without a doubt

the worst boss on the face of the Earth.

One of these days, I'm going to punch him in the goddamn throat.

I can promise you that.

- Are you talking about Grant? - We are.

I was thinking we should pull an office prank on Grant, you know.

Put, like, an air horn under his chair,

so when he sits down, it makes a really loud noise.

Or set fire to his house. Something along those lines.

I think Maggie gave birth recently.

Grant's wife, Maggie. Actually, I... I know she did.

I went to the cookout at his house last weekend

and they were there with their new baby, along with their two other children.

It was actually a really nice cookout. Quality meats and sides.

There was even a raffle for a gift card to that new restaurant in town.

Most of the office was there. Some of them even wore their swimsuits.

So, maybe burning down the house isn't the best...

But, yeah... Yeah, sometimes...

Sometimes here at the office, Grant will give me an assignment,

such as auditing an expense report, and even though it's part of my job,

reports and auditing, it can be frustrating.

What's that magazine you're reading?

- What department are you in? - Accounting.

So you're the one who audits our expense reports?

Yeah.

Get the fuck out of here.

I'm sorry. I didn't know we were out.

Do you have a gun?

What?

No, no, no, no. Please don't.

Oh, here, here. You can take my wallet.

There's $10 plus a gift card to the new restaurant in town.

Why are you doing this?

There was yet another mugging last night,

this one putting a 35-year old dog owner

in critical condition.

The motorcycle-riding assailants are still at large.

Daddy, there's a doggy in here.

In an official statement, police are urging residents

to stay indoors after dark,

adding that if you must go outside, you should carry a weapon,

such as a gun or a large knife.

You have only one unheard message.

Hey, Casey. Uh, this is Grant. Your boss. From work.

Just calling to check in on you, see how you're doing.

I just want you to know, you can take all the time you need.

We can keep you on paid leave for another week

and then it'll just start counting towards your vacation time.

Uh, but you've got so much of that built up, so I wouldn't be concerned.

Hey, um, maybe you could take that trip to France you're always talking about.

I hear the people there are lovely and the food is supposed to be...

No one else left you a message.

I'm sorry. I can't go out there.

This isn't how it was supposed to be.

I was supposed to win. You didn't play by the rules.

There never were any rules.

Can I help you?

- I'm interested in buying a gun. - Are you a hunter?

No. It would be for self-defense.

I need something that can fit into my hand.

Sounds like you're after a handgun.

How about something like this?

Yes. This is exactly what I'm looking for.

I can hold it in my hand quite easily.

I'll run the background check and file the necessary paperwork.

Yeah. Is there some sort of box you can put this in, or a bag?

Sorry. There's a waiting period before you can legally purchase this gun.

- Oh. - It's so a person who is upset with another person

can't come in here and buy a gun to shoot that person with.

Instead, they have to wait a little while before they can do that.

- Do you have any children? - No, I don't. Just a dog.

Good. If you did have children,

I would warn you that the risk of accidental death increases drastically

with a gun in the home, but since you don't have any children,

that statistic is irrelevant to you.

You did mention self-defense though. Be cautious.

In a violent altercation, an armed victim is much more likely to be shot and killed

than an unarmed victim.

Suicide is more common with gun owners too.

You're really gonna love owning a gun.

I'm sure you're right.

Karate is a language.

It's a way of communicating.

When you were a child,

you trained your vocal chords to manipulate air to make words.

And then you learned how to combine those words together

so that they would form sentences.

And those sentences expressed thoughts, wants, needs...

Every conversation that you had was honing your skills.

And now, after all these years,

you are black belts in speech.

So, at this point in your karate training,

you are learning how to form words with your fists and with your feet.

You're gonna get to the point where you don't even have to think about it.

Ask me a question.

What... What are your plans for the weekend?

I'm going to do some grocery shopping and rent a film.

Perhaps a comedy to watch

in the comfort of my own

home.

Did that answer your question?

That's it for today. Bow to me.

Bow to Grand Master.

I hope it's...

I hope it's all right that I watched.

The hardest part of your karate journey is walking through that door

for the first time. That's where most people fail.

- What was your name? - Casey. Casey.

My name is Sensei.

Can anyone take classes?

The first lesson is free, so why don't you come in tomorrow and give it a shot?

I'll try.

Higher, Manny. You must attain the proper angle.

Remember, you're punching his nose up into his brain.

The key word is "up."

Okay, class, line up.

We're gonna work on a rear naked strangle.

With karate, our goal is always to end a fight with strikes.

Snapping an opponent's arm with a karate chop, that would be one way.

Or shattering their jaw with a perfectly placed

spinning wheel kick would be another.

But realistically, when engaged in combat,

it is not a matter of if a fight will end up on the ground.

It's a matter of when.

Manny.

This is called "taking the back."

I am in the dominant position.

He is a mouse. I am a python.

I slide my arm around his neck, my elbow under his chin.

Like a python, I slowly begin to squeeze my mouse.

My arm cuts off the carotid arteries on either side of his neck,

starving the brain of oxygenated blood.

Students, what is rule number eight?

Tap or take a nap.

Tap or take a nap.

Okay, let's give this technique a try.

Bow to me.

Bow to Grand Master.

Hi there.

You're an excellent teacher.

Usually, it's the mothers that bring the children, not the fathers.

Which one's yours?

Oh, I'm not a parent.

I'm actually a new student. I'm taking my first class today.

- You're a new white belt? - Is that the first belt color?

White is before color. You haven't earned color yet.

That makes sense, actually.

I think I need to borrow a uniform for class.

I was going to ask Sensei but I didn't see him...

And you're lucky he doesn't see you.

You're lucky he doesn't see some white belt

disrespecting his dojo and everything he's built.

What is the first rule?

The board is behind you. What's rule number one?

Oh.

No shoes on the mat.

Take off your fucking shoes, white belt.

You need a gi and you need a belt. Is that what you're asking?

Yes.

- But say I'm at an ATM... - Mmm.

...and as my back is turned, a man grabs my throat from behind.

- Okay. May I? - Of course.

In this instance,

the first thing you always have to do is alleviate the pressure on your neck.

Mmm-hmm.

Your center of gravity needs to be lower than mine,

so drop your hips.

- Like this? - Exactly.

Now you can lift me off my feet with ease.

Good.

See, even though I have your back, you are now in the dominant position.

I have no control and I can easily be thrown.

- This is very effective. - Yes, it is.

- What if they're resisting more? - Show me.

I see what you mean. I would probably, uh...

I'd probably do something like that.

There's a lot of testosterone in this dojo.

That's a hormone men produce.

Women produce it too but men produce much more.

Is this your first class?

- It is. - Here, let me help with that.

You gotta start from the front, not the back.

Mmm.

I notice that your belt is blue.

It is. Um, I feel a connection to the color blue.

- It suits me. - Is blue a high rank?

Blue is one of the middle colors.

The order is white, yellow, green, blue, purple, brown, black.

Some schools use different colors or change the order of the colors,

but our academy does it this way and it's definitely the best way.

- And what do the strips of tape mean? - They're called "stripes."

Stripes.

Stripes signify advancements and achievements.

What does the red stripe mean?

It means the person has killed another person in combat.

I'm joking. It's for instructors.

Anna, the brown belt, has a red stripe

and she teaches the children's class.

The only two people here with red stripes are her and Sensei.

And what about the black stripe?

Sensei only gives those to select students. Green belt and up.

Today's your first day though. I wouldn't worry about stripes.

It is wise to respect the past but foolish to ignore innovation.

Grand Master understood this.

He would say,

"The only moves worth learning are the ones that work."

Just 'cause I'm a karateka doesn't mean that I wouldn't teach

a bow and arrow choke from Brazilian jiujitsu,

or an inside heel hook from Russian sambo.

I would teach a reverse wrist splicer from Mongolian judo if it worked

and if it wasn't something I just made up.

Rule number 10.

If it works, use it.

Which brings me to today's lesson.

To kick with your fists,

and punch with your feet.

- I'm Kennith. What's your name? - Casey.

I'm glad you chose karate, Casey.

It's an excellent martial art and will likely change your life.

- Would you like to go first? - Maybe you should go first.

Okay.

- Not in the day class. - Sorry, Sensei.

I forgot where I was. It was an accident.

You all right?

I'm really glad you're here.

That punch got away from me.

I apologize. Would you like to try?

Okay, uh, that was a good first try.

That felt a little more like a kick than a punch though.

It felt like a kick to me too.

Your whole life, you've known that a foot can only kick.

You've known that a foot cannot punch.

Forget everything that you know.

Much better. That felt like a punch.

A very weak punch,

but the most important thing is that you're learning to punch with your foot.

Let me show you again.

Don't think of it as me punching your body with my foot.

Think of it as you striking my foot with your body.

That makes perfect sense.

Wow.

You have a wonderful sense of balance.

I wanna sign up for classes.

That's excellent news.

I'm gonna go ahead and enter you into the system.

- Name? Casey... - Davies.

That's a very feminine-sounding name.

- Age? - I turn 36 next month.

Do you know what that is in months? The system does it in months.

Four hundred and thirty-two minus one

is 431 months old.

Oh.

That sounds old when you put it that way.

Why karate?

Um...

This question is multiple-choice.

"A, health and fitness. B, career opportunity.

"C, New Year's resolution. D, self-defense/traumatic experience."

What if it's none of the above?

- Should I read the choices again? - No, that's okay.

A, health and fitness.

This is the equipment room.

- This room is off limits. You understand? - Okay.

Wait here, please.

This is your belt.

Do not come to class without your belt. It is yours. It is sacred.

There'll be a $15 charge to replace a lost belt.

- Hello? - Hi.

May I speak to Ms. Casey Davies, please?

This is him. I'm a man.

My mistake. I thought it was a woman's name.

- Who is this? - I'm calling about yourgun, the handgun.

Wait. I remember you now. Yes, you are a man. Again, apologies.

That's all right.

It looks like your paperwork is gonna go through without any complications.

Tomorrow morning, you will be able to come in and purchase your gun.

- Are you still there? - I don't need a gun anymore.

You're not having a child, are you?

Because we sell child safety locks that work reasonably well.

No. No child. I just...

I found something else.

Don't tell me you bought a knife. Knives are good for self-defense too,

but nine times out of 10, a person with a knife

who gets into a fight with a person with a gun will lose.

I didn't buy a knife.

Well, the paperwork is valid for the next six months.

In the meantime, I hope you don't get attacked by anyone with a gun,

- or even a knife. - Goodbye.

Good luck...

Next. Go.

Next. Go.

Go.

Horrible.

You do that in a fight and your opponent would laugh at you.

Next. Casey.

Good.

Very good.

Hey, Casey. Uh, it's Grant, your boss. From... From work.

So, it's been two months since you've been in to the office.

How are you?

I've extended your leave five weeks past what I'd originally planned,

and your paycheck last week, you know, that actually came out of my own pocket,

but I consider you a friend. Uh...

Look, I hate to be the bad guy here but I'm going to need you to come in.

I can give you another day but you have to come back to work after that.

Or... You know, I'm going to have to let you go,

and I really don't want to have to do that.

Look, if it were up to me, I'd give you all the time you need, but my bosses...

The inbox is full. Please clear your messages.

Who are all these new people?

Today's the promotion ceremony.

Everyone comes to the promotion ceremony.

- Even students who take the night class. - The night class?

Black stripes.

The color black represents night. As in "night class."

I think I'll stick with the day class.

Now that I think about it, you're much more suited to the day class.

Me, on the other hand...

I'm getting my stripe today.

Overheard Sensei talking about it.

- Oh, congratulations. - Thank you.

I have... I have definitely earned it.

Today's a special day.

Not only is it a day in which we recognize those of you

who have outgrown your belt color,

it is also an important anniversary.

Seven years ago today,

Grand Master was killed in a tragic hiking accident

where he was shot in the face with a gun.

He was mistaken for a bird by a hunter carrying a shotgun.

Type of gun that fires a cartridge

which scatters 10 to 20 pellets at its target.

Unlike our karate, which is clean and precise,

this gun was imprecise and boorish.

Rule number 11.

Guns are for the weak.

That board isn't just for children.

The rules apply to all of us.

Grand Master is the only person ever to wear the rainbow belt.

It's a belt color that he created and awarded to himself.

It is the highest honor in all of karate.

He achieved this rank after he challenged and defeated

all three other grand masters in the state in unarmed combat to the death.

He finished each fight with his signature technique.

A technique only he knew.

A technique he never even taught me.

He punched through his opponents' heads with his index finger.

He was the greatest man who ever lived.

I do not award belts.

My students earn them.

And this first belt goes to someone

who I see a little of myself in.

He has devoted himself to karate,

and he has more than earned the right to wear the color yellow.

Casey.

The progression from yellow belt to green belt

is one of great sacrifice and introspection.

It is filled with immeasurable pain, both internal and external.

Thank you all for coming to support each other.

- We are all family here... - Isn't there something else?

What was that?

I just wanted to make sure you weren't forgetting something.

What would I be forgetting, blue belt?

Uh, I heard there was going to be another promotion tonight.

- You heard that? - I did.

Something black.

Oh.

"Something black."

Actually, you're correct.

There is something black.

Well, I was saving it till the very end for dramatic effect.

As I said before, today is a special day.

Not only because it is the unfortunate anniversary

of Grand Master being shot and killed while on a hike

after being mistaken for a bird by a hunter.

Today is the first time

that I get to promote one of my students to black belt.

This student has been with us from the very beginning.

They are unquestioning.

Their loyalty is unwavering.

But most importantly, they know that despite this black belt,

they will always be my student,

while I will always be their teacher.

Thomas.

You're in my spot, brown belt.

Black is higher than brown. Please move over to your left.

This concludes the ceremony.

As always, be sure to hold on to your old belts

so that if someone questions the legitimacy of your rank,

you can prove them wrong first with tangible evidence,

and then in combat.

- Missionary. - Ah, that is the best position.

I also like when I'm behind her and she's on her hands and knees...

- Doggy style. - Yes, doggy style.

That position is also very nice.

All this stuff's yellow.

Paper, please.

Excuse me Did you door-ding my car?

- I don't know. - I think you did.

Then why did you ask me?

Because I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt.

- Okay, then no. - No what?

- I don't think I did. - But you did though.

- I say I didn't. - But it doesn't work that way.

You obviously did. I saw you. You can't just tell me...

- Do you have a problem? - The part where you slammed your door

into my car, I have a problem with that. Yes.

- I know karate. - What belt are you?

Yellow belt.

Your arms are holding the grocery bag.

You'd have to drop the bag in order to strike me.

In the time it would take you to do that,

I would punch you in the face as hard as I can.

So I'm gonna ask you again. Do you have a problem?

You didn't slam your door into my car,

- so I don't have a problem. - No.

You? Karate? Impossible.

No. Bad dog.

I'm sorry.

Fuck.

Are you sure this board isn't meant for green belts?

Here, let me try.

Okay.

Here, try a white belt board.

Your kicks and punches lacked conviction today.

Maybe I was wrong.

Maybe you weren't ready to be a yellow belt.

No. You're not supposed to do that. You're supposed to stand up for yourself.

But you're right though. I wasn't able to break a single board today.

And that stops you from being a yellow belt how?

If a bear's forest catches on fire, the bear is still a bear.

Even if a boat capsizes in rough seas

and sinks to the bottom of the ocean

with no survivors,

it is still a boat.

You will be a yellow belt until you die,

or until you're a green belt.

And you'll be a green belt until you're a blue belt.

And so on.

I wish I could wear my belt all the time.

I feel less-than without it.

Come with me.

I want you to tell me why you're here.

I... I told you before. It was my New Year's resolution.

I thought you said it was health and fitness.

That's what I meant.

Why are you really here?

I was mugged.

At night. A few months ago.

I was beaten, severely, by several men.

I'm afraid.

I'm afraid of the dark.

I'm afraid of other men.

They intimidate me.

I wanna be what intimidates me.

Well, you came to the right place. You're learning karate.

You're a blade and I'm sharpening you.

But there's a mental component as well.

You mean, like, believing in myself?

Yeah. That won't hurt.

I'm talking about something a little different.

What's your favorite style of music?

Adult contemporary.

No. Should be metal.

- Do you ever listen to metal? - You mean, like hard rock?

Metal is much more aggressive than hard rock.

- From now on, you'll listen to metal. - Yeah.

It's the toughest music there is.

What about hobbies?

Is there anything that you feel particularly passionate about,

other than your new-found passion for metal?

I enjoy France.

I mean, French things. I haven't actually been to France,

but I'm learning the language and I would like to visit there someday.

Mmm, that's not good.

Historically, the perception of the French

is that they're weak and that they surrender easily.

Hardly traits that you want to embrace.

Russia, on the other hand, is considered a tough country.

Also, Germany. Germany is very strong and capable.

- My dog's breed is German. - Excellent. German shepherd.

A dachshund, actually.

- Well, regardless, Germany it is. - Okay.

You must start thinking this way. Do you understand?

In every facet of life. What you eat. How you interact with others.

What arouses you. Everything should be as masculine as possible.

As you know, I teach a night class.

This is your invitation.

I've never opened this class up to yellow belts before

but I'm gonna make an exception for you.

- What time is the class? - It's at night. It's a night class.

I don't think I can.

I won't make you do anything, but like the color of the belt,

you've earned this stripe.

This invitation, it will be yours forever.

Just because you ignore it doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

Come here.

Not only does this class offer you more of what I believe you're looking for

but I guarantee you it will help you become what you fear.

Casey, stop being afraid.

The usual? Chocolate croissant and an orange juice?

No. I've got a new usual. Coffee. Hot. Black. With nothing to eat.

- That's mine. - It's mine now. I take what I want.

I only care about myself.

Hey there, Casey.

- Listening to music? - I'm learning German.

German? That's very international of you.

You may want to start on those reports though.

That pile is getting awfully high and I don't want you to feel obligated

to come in to the office over the weekend.

Hey, um, Maggie asked me if you wanted to come over for dinner.

What do you say?

Stop trying to be my friend.

Bosses cannot be friends. It doesn't work that way.

Instead of coming over to your house for dinner

with you and your wife this weekend,

I think I'll stay home and masturbate to the thought of your wife

wearing her bathing suit at the barbecue.

- We should do push-ups. - Hey. Shut up. Stop talking.

- What did you say? - You talk too much. I don't talk, I act.

I punched him in the goddamn throat. It felt amazing.

- Who? - Our boss, Grant.

Do you want to join us?

But there's just the three chairs.

I'll sit in your chair.

Ah.

We should do push-ups.

You're a good dog and I care for you.

That said, I won't be petting you anymore.

I've been coddling you. This is for your own good.

Sorry.

What are you doing?

You're not supposed to be here. You don't have a black stripe.

I thought you were my friend.

A friend wouldn't say they were a day class student

and then go to the night class behind my back.

I didn't...

Our limbs get their strength from leverage points.

An elbow can only bend one way

because if it could bend more than one way it would be weaker.

But this design is also inherently flawed.

Henry, come on up to the front. I want you to help me demonstrate something.

Watch closely.

Leverage is a weapon. You can use it or it can be used against you.

You earned your blue belt. I know I could never take that from you.

So I took your arm instead.

Never come back here. Not even for the day class.

Everyone, I'd like you to welcome Casey to the night class.

He's a yellow belt.

All right. Let's begin.

You're done for the night.

So is he.

Can you drag him off the mat?

Learn to love this feeling.

Your bones aching. Your chest screaming.

This is karate.

I have nothing else.

Congratulations on a great class, everyone. Let's begin the cool-down.

They're all gonna cool down on the mat,

but since it's your first time,

I want you to cool down away from the others.

Come with me.

I know you're probably a little confused about what's happening.

Just know that every one of them out there

had to do this at one point.

Again, I'm sorry to make you cool down with her.

She's a woman so her hands are naturally weaker than a man's.

An after-workout sports massage works best with strong hands,

so I know this is not ideal.

A massage from a woman is still better than a self-massage.

Well, what are you waiting for, yellow belt?

Take off your jacket and sit in front of me.

Sorry.

I know they're not as strong as a man's.

So, this is the women's changing room.

It is.

It's the same as the men's in every way, only it's smaller and not as nice.

How long have you been taking karate?

I was one of the dojo's first students when it opened.

And how long have you been a brown belt?

The cool-down is supposed to be silent.

Why was he promoted to black belt before you?

Is that why you fought him tonight?

You could have killed him.

- It looked like you wanted to. - I was proving a point.

- About your belt? - No.

About why I'm here.

Never hold back.

Not ever.

It will only make you weak, and you can't be weak anymore.

Not in the night classes.

Do you understand?

I think I do.

But then again, maybe I don't.

You will.

This isn't a safe place, Casey.

My turn.

You can come in.

Your belt. It's yellow.

I had it made.

It's for everyday use with casual clothing.

Obviously, I chose yellow because I am a yellow belt.

I wanted to wear my yellow belt all the time

but I knew it would look strange.

That really is a wonderful idea.

To be honest, I wish I'd thought of it.

Now I can be a yellow belt in everyday life,

in addition to being one in this dojo.

I mentioned before that I had it made.

It was a special order.

The thing is, the belt company wouldn't make just one.

I had to make at least 50.

The positive out of this is that I have enough for all the other students.

I even had them make a black one for you.

I think it turned out quite nice.

I don't know what to say.

I'm honored.

How much did all this cost?

Oh, don't worry about that. This is my gift to the academy.

Although I was let go from my accounting job the other day, unexpectedly.

You have accounting experience?

Oh, 10 years, or 120 months.

I'm looking for someone to help manage the books here.

I can't keep up with the growth of the academy.

There's more money coming in. It's overwhelming.

I could use a mind like yours.

It wouldn't be permanent. Just till you get things on track.

Well, thank you. Yes. The answer is yes.

Good.

You'll start tomorrow.

I'm sure you'll find another job by the time you finish

organizing the books here.

- Casey. - Yes?

I really am excited about the belt.

- Hello? - Casey?

Who is this?

The men you told me about, would you know them if you saw them?

Is that you, Sensei?

The men. The ones who attacked you.

- I... - Would you know their faces?

They were wearing helmets. Motorcycle helmets.

- So you didn't see their faces? - Why are you asking me this?

The other day, when you told me about

what happened to you,

it made me angry.

I have resources.

I found one of the men who attacked you, Casey.

I need you to meet me.

But I won't be sure.

It was dark.

And like I was saying, they were wearing motorcycle helmets.

It's him. You have to trust me.

You trust me, don't you?

Did you park in the garage like I asked?

Yeah. There was a motorcycle.

I'm glad you came.

I see you're wearing your belt for strength.

Me too.

Not only does it represent my black belt in karate

but it also helps keep my pants up.

Yeah. So, where is he?

In the bar.

I still don't... Are you... Are you sure it's him?

- Very sure. - But how?

How what? You saw the motorcycle with your own eyes.

How did you find him?

- You don't need to worry about that. - Well, what does he look like?

He wears a hat sometimes, but not always.

There he is.

- That's the man we're looking for. - Him?

Yeah. He matches the description I gave you.

He's not wearing a hat, but I told you he doesn't always wear one.

I just don't think we should do this. Not like this.

Although I do appreciate you trying to...

I'm not giving you the choice, Casey.

Out here's no different than in my dojo.

That belt that you're wearing is still yellow and mine's still black.

I'm your teacher and you're my student and you'll do as you're told.

And understand this. I'm not helping you. You're helping yourself.

Remember what he did to you.

He stole your dignity.

Take it back.

Hi.

Do you remember me?

I don't think.

Hey! Look at me.

I'm talking to you.

Do you remember my face?

Good night.

No. Don't touch him.

Don't touch him. He's still breathing.

What are you doing?

You taught him a lesson.

He and his friends will definitely think twice before messing with you again.

- Why are you filming this? - I'm documenting.

Documenting what?

Your growth.

See you tomorrow.

We'll get you started with determining which accounts are delinquent

and then, if we have enough time, we'll move on to organizing the receipts

for the business-related purchases.

You did the right thing. You'll see.

I'm sorry. There was nothing we could do.

Did he go peacefully?

No. It was likely very painful.

There was a great deal of trauma.

What do you mean, "trauma"?

Well, the X-rays indicated there were broken ribs

and severe bruising to the internal tissue.

I don't understand.

Did you hurt your dog?

Of course not. No. He was my best friend.

I left him alone in my house and when I came back...

Did you notice anything out of place?

I... I don't know. I came straight here.

Do you think someone did this to him?

- We found blood on his canines. - He bit them?

It seems he fought to the very end. He was very brave.

I tried my best not to coddle him.

I know this is hard. I don't want to upset you.

But it's the strangest thing. He died from a punch. I'm sure of it.

Only, the bruising pattern doesn't seem to indicate a fist but rather a foot.

I know. It doesn't make any sense.

Sometimes your opponent will be bigger than you,

but remember this. You're children. You're still growing.

If they defeat you in combat, there will always be the opportunity later in life,

when you are fully grown, to exact your revenge.

Casey, we're in the middle of a class.

What are you doing?

I'm wearing shoes on the mat.

Also, I didn't bow.

What happened?

- What is it? You can tell me. - I'm hungry.

Don't do this.

All this not bowing and eating on the mat has made me thirsty.

Rule number nine. Stay hydrated.

- Enough. - You killed my dog!

- When? - Last night.

I was with you last night.

Casey, that's impossible.

Is that the dog that you were telling me was of German lineage?

He was a dachshund, you son of a bitch.

Dachshund. Short of stature, long of body. Not the most masculine of breeds.

No, unfortunately, I have no idea what you're talking about.

My condolences.

Fuck you and fuck your dojo.

As I said already, I was with you last night.

I saw what you did to that man, that innocent man.

You said he was one of them.

And deep down, you knew he didn't have anything to do

with whatever happened to you and yet you did what you did anyway.

- You're insane. - It didn't matter to you, did it?

You wanted to take out your pain and frustration on someone else

and you needed to become what you hated.

I'm done. This isn't karate.

I have it all on tape.

The man from last night has two choices.

Either become a better version of himself...

...or succumb to his weaknesses.

You gave him that choice, and his life will never be the same.

That night all those months ago was the best thing

that ever happened to you and you know it.

You are who you always wanted to be.

Karate has changed you.

Channel this energy into class tonight.

And take your shoes off.

Okay, children. Back to work.

In the art of accounting, I'm a white belt,

and you are a fiscal black belt.

- Did you kill my dog? - No.

Even if it wasn't a masculine dog, I didn't kill it.

But I'm gonna make this right.

You'll see.

I've been having trouble controlling my emotions lately.

I'm sorry.

It's a very masculine trait. Embrace it.

Women are much cooler-headed.

I want you to come work for me full-time.

This is a part-time job at best.

I want you to take over the children's class.

- What about Anna? - Let me worry about Anna.

But she's easily the most qualified person for this position.

I'm just a yellow belt. She's almost a black belt.

Anna will never be a black belt.

To be honest, I didn't ever think she'd last this long.

When she earned her blue belt, I put her in charge of the children's class

due to her innate maternal instincts. She is a woman.

But she let her feminine tendencies interfere with her karate.

I realize now that her being a woman will prevent her from ever becoming a man.

You know, there are things in life that men do

and there are things in life that women do.

There are some things that women and men do together,

like ride a tandem bicycle or have sex.

But even then, men ride a tandem bicycle to please the woman

and sex is the other way around.

Karate...

Karate's a thing for men.

It's time for the night class.

I just wanted to say thank you for the belts.

Oh. Of course. Yeah. I'm so glad you like them.

Like it? I love it.

Now, while I'm walking around in public,

I can still feel like a brown belt

by wearing this brown belt. Thank you.

Tonight, I want you, you,

and you.

How big is your head?

Uh, regular size.

Finish getting dressed. Meet me out the back.

I don't think I can do this.

Did you hear me? I can't do this.

Yes, you can. You'll be fine.

- You're not coming. - I'm coming.

- We don't need you. - Casey can take my place as runner.

I'll be the driver this time.

Otherwise you'll only have three drivers and one runner.

You need the extra runner and you know it.

Put it on. Do it.

I want you two to play spotters.

We'll do it.

No.

You're lucky I even let you ride with us tonight.

Thomas is too recognizable.

You can see his disgusting face and bandages

even with the helmet on.

Casey has to do it. He needs to prove himself.

It's time, Casey. Go find us someone to help.

They have to be alone.

You should have never started taking karate, Casey.

- But you did. - We don't have to do this.

He'll kill us if we don't.

Everything's gonna be okay, but one of us has to hurt him, Casey.

I can't.

Then wait here.

Who are you?

Stop!

Police! Stop! Show me your hands! Police!

Shit.

I didn't mean to shoot your friend. Please, stop.

Stop where you are! Show me your hands!

It was an accident.

Casey!

Casey!

Casey! Casey, we have to leave now!

They got our guy. He's dead. They got away.

You know, one of the jobs of the spotter

is to ask the person if they have a gun.

And that man had a gun. Why didn't you ask if he had a gun?

My kicks aren't gonna be so strong anymore.

The bullet only grazed you.

Imprecise and boorish.

Hey, this is your fault.

Remind me to put a red stripe on your belt tomorrow.

What? The stripe for instructors? You... You can keep that.

Red stripes aren't for instructors. It's for ending a life.

Red represents blood. There's no stripe for instructors.

A yellow belt with both black and red stripes...

Unprecedented.

- Thomas, take Anna home. - No.

I'll do it.

So, how did you get yours?

This one on the right.

My what?

Your stripe. The red one.

It was another student.

He was a belt above me.

The highest ranked at the time, other than Sensei.

I was better than him.

I knew it, but I also knew my place.

And during the sparring sessions,

I let him win 'cause I didn't want to upset the hierarchy.

As you've probably noticed, there's a hierarchy in karate.

At this point, the dojo only had

one changing room,

so I would wait until the men finished changing,

then I would get dressed alone.

And one night, as I was getting undressed,

the upper belt came in and attacked me from behind.

I'd always held back in class,

so he saw me as weak.

An easy target.

I ended up strangling him to death with his own belt.

I made him suffer.

And the last thing he saw before his eyes burst was

the sense of satisfaction on my face.

He saw that I was not weak,

but strong.

I've never held anything back since.

After that, Sensei had the old equipment closet

converted into the women's changing room.

He said that I had tempted the upper belt.

That it was my fault.

But it wasn't your fault.

I know.

Thanks for the ride.

I hope I never see you in class again, Casey.

I hope you leave and never come back. I really do.

You're gonna kill him.

He's trying to kill him.

You think you're the only one that deserves a red stripe?

I deserve a red stripe just as much as you. Maybe more.

He looks very weak and hopeless.

Chances of him making something of his life are minimal.

- Go ahead. - Wait.

Do you hear that?

Sirens.

I hear sirens.

I don't hear anything.

Women are much more sensitive to higher-pitched sounds than men.

Trust me. I hear sirens approaching. We should leave.

Take his wallet.

I'm going to kill you.

Do you want to know why?

I could say it's for the honor of the dojo.

I could tell you it's because you're blackmailing former students

into paying membership fees long after they leave.

Or because private lessons are given to those who do not ask for them.

Like myself.

But really it's because I hate you.

I hate you very much.

And not only do I want to watch you die,

but I want to be the reason that you stop breathing.

I've never wanted anything more in my entire life.

I'm going to kill you, Leslie.

That's right.

I found out that your real name is Leslie.

I called you that to make you angry.

When you think about it,

Leslie is a lot more feminine-sounding than Casey.

I can make you a black belt.

You can skip all the other colors. You don't even need to earn it.

I challenge you to a fight to the death, in unarmed combat.

You'll lose.

I'm better at fighting than you.

Very well.

I accept.

I've been thinking a lot lately,

about what I would say to you after I killed you.

I came up with two things,

and I don't want to second-guess my choice later on,

so I'm going to say both.

First, you would say that using this makes me a weak man,

and without question, it does.

But I am alive and you are dead,

so I would argue it makes you the weaker man.

The second thing I came up with is from a film I saw once.

I didn't play by the rules,

but there never were any rules.

I defeated him in unarmed combat to the death.

In the tradition of our Grand Master,

I punched a hole through his head with my index finger.

It was a move that only Grand Master knew but now I know it too.

I did it to restore honor to Grand Master, this academy and its students.

Does anybody have a problem with that?

Because if you do, I'm happy to punch my finger through your skull too.

Good. I've killed enough people for today.

On second thought, there is one more thing.

Everyone hold their hands out in front of them.

Don't make me ask again.

What's this for?

I sprained my wrist.

- How did you sprain it? - Playing guitar.

- I didn't know you played. - I do.

How are you with chords and scales?

I'm good with them. I can play several songs quite well.

What type of music were you playing when you sprained your wrist?

Soft rock.

- Take off the bandage. - Why?

Because it is impossible to sprain your wrist playing soft rock.

Only extreme metal can do that.

This is my new dog.

We've come to an understanding.

He knows that I'm the alpha.

This is not mine.

I took it, but I did not earn it.

Now get in line, yellow belt.

Up until this point, you've been taught that violence equals strength

and compassion equals weakness.

This ideology is limiting.

It is possible to be brutally tolerant or peacefully savage.

Your karate mindset is equally as important as your karate skill set.

You're gonna notice some changes around here,

but this is still the night class and you are still its students.

Do you understand?

Good.

Let's start with some moderate stretching.

All right, students. Let's start with some warm-ups.

Jumping jacks.

One, two, three, four, five, six...

- Very good. - ...seven, eight, nine, 10.

Good. Everybody, well done. Now let's do your side kicks.

Very good side kicks. Excellent form.

Okay, everybody. Now we're doing karate chops. Ready?

Very good chops.

Great job, Manny. You've made great strides.

All right, everybody.

Now I'm going to teach you how to kick with your fist,

and punch with your foot.

Are you ready?