Warrior – Season 2: Episode 10 “Man on the Wall” Fight For What You Believe In

I love “Warrior” and hope for a season 3 with its new home on HBOMax. Here we are with the finale of Season 2. And we’re going back to the main philosophy of the series which is finding one’s purpose.

With the series in limbo, this finale leaves an unsatisfying conclusion but like the series and the creators, it will keep fighting to make its purpose known.

Mai Ling walks the streets of the aftermath from the Workingmen attack, gazing upon the destruction left behind, and noticing a mural dedicated to Ah Sahm. A few days later, Ah Sahm gazes upon it as Ah Toy joins him.

Ah Toy recognizes that the mural gives Chinatown a hero but Ah Sahm denies it. She tells him that even though Young Jun is leading, they won’t follow him. Ah Sahm helps Ah Toy back to the brothel, telling him how Mai Ling saved her life.

Lee resigns from the police as O’Hara tries to convince him to stay. Lee finally understands why the job is the way it is, as O’Hara tried to tell him since the start. Yet O’Hara recognizes that they are trying to make a difference, Lee takes his leave.

Father Jun joins Young Jun, knowing the emotions he’s going through. Young Jun apologizes for taking over, Father Jun accepts what has happened and officially passes the torch to his son.

Buckley meets with the business owners as they discuss their opposing positions, cutting a deal with financial incentives to support him. Penny barges in, facing Buckley over the death of Jacob.

Penny calls out Buckley for the knowledge over Jacob, indicating his involvement for the Chinatown riot. He responds on how she inherited Blake’s fortune and could have been charged for his murder. He dismisses Penny as she plans to expose him.

Ah Sahm and Young Jun discuss how Father Jun came to his aid, still doubting his ability to lead but mentions that Mai Ling requests a meeting. Ah Sahm tends to Ah Toy as Nellie arrives to care for her.

Nellie vows to stay with Ah Toy as Ah Sahm leaves them. Ah Toy repeats that Nellie doesn’t belong and of her past, Nellie chooses to stay and listen.

Mai Ling and Li Young meet with Young Jun, Ah Sahm and Hong. She proposes a chance to merge the Tongs, Young Jun uses the Fung Hai as a failed example. Mai Ling admits to her impulsiveness, trying to unite both Tongs because of the Chinatown attack which Young Jun still sees through her lies.

Desperate, Mai Ling outs Ah Sahm as her brother, shocking Young Jun and confronting Ah Sahm as Mai Ling and Li Young lets them be. Young Jun’s distrust rises as Hong offers to hear Ah Sahm out.

Young Jun goes through all the outcomes Ah Sahm presented, understanding his father’s words, he questions Ah Sahm’s choice if Mai Ling were to die. Ah Sahm leaves Hong and Young Jun.

O’Hara visits Leary at the Banshee, discussing their regrets that affected their lives. O’Hara mentions driving Lucy away while Leary connects with him on his relationship with Sophie.

Lee returns to the Abigail’s bar, sharing a drink together and understanding each other. They share a night together, while Leary is expecting O’Hara to pay him back for the Fung Hai payment.

Penny offers a reporter named Race, a story to expose Blake and Buckley. He writes the piece, presenting it to Buckley about the outcome. Buckley tells Race to write what needs to be written to protect his political stance.

Ah Sahm heads to the Banshee, bringing Leary out as they engage in the back alley fight. Ah Sahm beats Leary, stating to everyone to never step foot in Chinatown again or he will return with an army. Ah Sahm walks back to Chinatown, questioning what he has become.

Father Jun steps out with a suitcase as Wang Chao sees him. Chao acknowledges Father Jun’s prowess, as they say their goodbyes. Penny confronts Buckley over the newspaper report, he resorts to framing her by stabbing himself.

O’Hara returns home, seeing Lucy. He explains his motives, apologizing for putting their family in danger. Sophie finds Buckley in her home, he explains to her that Penny has been committed to a mental hospital.

Buckley is approached by Mai Ling, she threatens to expose him with the photo provided by Nichols, revealing he was a Confederate soldier. Buckley works with Mai Ling as she wants the Hop Wei’s businesses shut down.

Buckley holds a conference with the police on Mai Ling’s information as Leary enters, offering his insight and representing the Workingmen’s Party of California. Young Jun gazes upon the mural in anger, while in San Quentin, Zing might have found a way to escape.

Ah Toy reuniting with Nellie, it can be seen as someone outside of a culture willing to learn for someone they love. Nellie has learned the Chinese culture from the women she saved, including mangled Cantonese.

This is not a form of appropriation but more educating oneself, because the women that Nellie saved, she wants to know how to communicate, understand and let them embrace their cultural heritage.

For Nellie to come back for Ah Toy, it shows that she wants to be a part of her life, culture and purpose. When she tells Ah Toy to tell her everything, Nellie is ready to understand who she is, building towards the goal that they set out for.

O’Hara and Lee separating… for now. Lee resigning challenges his purpose, thinking that his righteous tactics would make a difference, only to see it be tossed aside through corruption.

Lee reaches out for O’Hara to change his ways, and O’Hara really thinks about it. I’ve said Lee is O’Hara’s conscience, and when he leaves, O’Hara is lost. He heads to the Banshee, explaining his problems and regrets to Leary.

Sharing the same connection with Leary, O’Hara hopes that he can do some good, exactly what Lee wanted and for his family. Even though we do not know where Lee will end up, he made a change for himself, while O’Hara is hoping to change for his family.

Leary committing to politics as part of the Workingmen’s Party of California. As mentioned in the previous reviews, Buckley and Sophie influenced Leary’s decision. After the attack, he knows that if the workers are restless, it will happen again.

When Ah Sahm comes to the bar and defeats him, it gives Leary the push he needs to go represent the Workingmen. Before losing Sophie and the fight, it shows that Leary had a chance of believing in what he can do. After losing them both, it gave Leary focus to approach what he was fighting for, a different way.

I am still not sure and I should have mentioned it in previous reviews, Dylan Leary might be influenced by Denis Kearney but has not been confirmed. Reason I make this connection is Kearney was a labor worker, and detested the Chinese.

Kearney was predominant as the leader of the Workingmen’s Party of California, making his campaign be known across the United States, and a driving force for the Chinese Exclusion Act.

If Season 3 were to happen, it will be interesting to see how Leary works within the political world.

Mai Ling taking control over Buckley. After outing her brother to Young Jun, she hopes this will cause an internal conflict, weakening the Hop Wei. When she goes to Buckley, he brushes her off as she helped make the attack favor him.

When Mai Ling had Nichols investigate Buckley’s past, she understands his pure agenda, using it to threaten his campaign. She uses this leverage to have Buckley and the police target the Hop Wei.

Whether she planned it or not, Mai Ling had planned to for the bigger picture tor her. It is unknown at this point what her true purpose is, if Season 3 happens, it will come down to her and Ah Sahm.

Finally we come back to Ah Sahm and his purpose. After the attack, the mural is put up as a symbol that Ah Sahm has become a hero to Chinatown. A probable homage to how Bruce Lee became a hero to the Asian community.

Ah Sahm denounces the notion, Young Jun’s trust for him has dwindled because of his sister. The only thing for Ah Sahm has left, is to face off against Leary. This fight was to make a statement, that no violence on the Chinese will be tolerated.

Even though Ah Sahm won the fight, his walk back is unknown for him. Meaning yes he’s the hero but how can he keep going? The purpose of a hero is to inspire others and follow a cause.

For Ah Sahm, last season he found the purpose, and this season, he’s trying to accept it.

Both seasons of “Warrior” gave a lot of philosophies, references, memorable moments, new heroes but it gave us purpose. A purpose to unite, looking back on history.

Whether history can be changed or not, we all have a purpose. Thank you to the cast, crew and creators of Warrior and here’s to hoping for a Season 3.

Watch it now on HBO Max!