Kublai and Jia meet face-to-face, and Byamba has to choose sides between blood and friendship.
(He insists to his wife that his battle armor has shrunk.)
In Jingims eyes, Marco must seem like a handsome Rasputin.
Credit: Phil Bray/Netflix
Kublai ignores Jingims recommendation for caution and sends Yusuf to represent him in a parlay summit with Jia.
Inside the Walled City, Jia is back in charge.
He slew his one rival and the Empress Dowager is his prisoner in the palace.
I feel as if I may have sprained my wrist, he coolly tells her.
Thats what your champion took out of me.
(His insulting dig is the 13th-century version ofthis.)
I surrounded [my honor] to serve yours, she says.
You wanted me close to the Khans court, yes?
But shes chosen well, and Kaidu already sees the opportunity that might fall into his lap.
The war also presents an opportunity for another forbidden romance.
Beat it, street-rat.
Its tough to tell if the arrow actually punctured his heart, but lets say it did.
Jia listens to Kublais unacceptable terms for peace and reconciliation before jabbing with his dead-Empress remarks.
Marco is completely committed to the Mongol cause, and not just because he helped plan the attack.
Marco makes it sound like serving Kublai in Cambulac is a privilege.
And maybe it is.
But his life is in constant danger from all sidesespecially when the fighting starts.
Byamba knows Jingims mindOur strategy turns on a foreigners secret, said the petulant prince.
So it wasnt until Marco sawand smelledhow Kublai treated the Chinese prisoners that his eyes were opened.
There was a reason, after all, that the Mongols were referred to as barbarians.
Disillusioned, Marco finally decides to escape.
But guess who gets in his way?
Well, a quickie in the tent will have to do.
Marcos not going anywhere now.
Am I being too cynical?
But alas, Kublais astrologers were correct.
Its another fiasco, and Kublai is shellshocked after failing to fulfill his grandfathers destiny.
But his killing blow is blocked by another bladeby Byamba.
In just eight episodes, weve already had Cain and Abel.
At least Byamba can count on the support of his father-in-law to-be, Kaidu… or can he?
