‘Into The Badlands’ Season 3 Recap: Episode 1 “Enter The Phoenix”

Badlands Season 3 Episode 1, AMC

Returning with tons more martial arts action, AMC airs the highly anticipated Season 3 premiere of Episode 1: Enter the Phoenix of Into The Badlands, starring Daniel Wu and Emily Beecham. Get ready for the visually striking fight sequences that action junkies love about this show!

The Widow (Beecham) reveals she and Chau are the only Barons left with any sizable territory claim. With his son feeling sick, Sunny (Wu) searches for food in the woods and spots a deer. While Sunny is hesitate to kill and the Widow prepares for her own war, MK (Aramis Knight) has become hooked on opium, forgetting about his powers.

After spotting the speeding van, Tilda (Ally Ioannides) and her band of flying thieves jump onto the hood. Tilda realizes this isn’t a supply but a prison transport. After Bajie (Nick Frost) grabs a crossbow, he aims and kills one of prison guards, saving Tilda in the process.

Elsewhere, Sunny discovers he has a bunch of stalkers surrounding his trailer. After taking down the stalkers, Sunny wants to know who hired them. Sunny realizes there is a huge reward out there for his head.

Badlands Season 3 Episode 1, AMC
Ally Ioannides as Tilda, Nick Frost as Bajie, Orla Brady as Lydia – Into the Badlands _ Season 3, Episode 1 – Photo Credit: Aidan Monaghan/AMC

At the camp site, Lydia (Orla Brady) isn’t too happy with Bajie being around. She refuses Bajie any refuge but he isn’t too surprised. With the news about prison transport being attacked, Lydia warns Tilda that this will attract the Widow’s attention.

With his son getting sicker, Sunny realizes the Healer’s husband betrayed him and gave up his whereabouts. After threatening her husband, Sunny heads out to a medical camp and asks another Healer to take care of his son. While Sunny’s baby is being taken care of, the Healer cuts him for a bit of blood and grows frightened after seeing his black eyes.

After cheating a group of drunken gamblers, they are about to beat the crap out of Bajie when Sunny intervenes. At the bar, Sunny drown his sorrows over his wife’s death with booze. When Lydia comes in yelling at Bajie, she is surprised to see Sunny sitting next to him.

Lydia, Bajie and Sunny are called in when the Healer calls for help. With the baby’s eyes returning normal, Bajie reminds Sunny he has never seen anyone that young with the gift. Sunny’s only hope is to follow the compass’ directions, but Bajie has gone further than anyone and no one is out there.   

At a crosspoint, Pilgrim (Babou Ceesay) arrives with his two assassins (Dean-Charles Chapman and Ella-Rae Smith). When their eyes turn black, all hell breaks loose as the assassins slaughter all the guards. They leave one of the guards broken and bloody, but still breathing.

Badlands Season 3 Episode 1, AMC
Emily Beecham as The Widow – Into the Badlands _ Season 3, Episode 1 – Photo Credit: Aidan Monaghan/AMC

Pilgrim order the surviving guard to tell his story, and reminds others there is a reckoning coming.

Season 3 of Into the Badlands continues Sundays at 10pm on AMC.

By Jorge Solis