Marco Polo charms his way into servitude as Kublai Khan clenches his fist around Chinese rebels.
Enter the Polos, whose journey across a still-smoldering battlefield is interrupted by Kublais soldiers.
The Polos arent treated as prisoners, thoughmore like escaped pets.
Credit: Phil Bray/Netflix
Does the army have a different agenda than its commander-in-chief?
But he sees an opportunity when Kublai asks about the wastelands they passed through.
Marco is to be a privileged guest, or a pet, or a slave.
For Kublai, theyre all one and the same.
Of course, this is dramatic license.
In reality, Marco was never traded into servitude by his father.
His father and uncle remained with him in China during his many adventures.
Marco was essentially an orphan when he met his father for the first time as a teenager.
For the uncle, at least, selling Marco to Kublai was win-win.
Marco, whod been abandoned before, is heartbroken.
Thrown in a jail cell, he etches chalk outlines of his fathers ship.
Guess which one gets the most screen time?
Yes, Marco gets to play Marco-san for a blind martial-arts expert nicknamed Hundred Eyes.
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Marco keeps climbing the ladder, and before you know it, hes been invited to KublaisEyes Wide Shutparty.
Unfortunately, hes not yet permitted to participate.
I have a test for you, says Kublai.
You will walk back down the Hall of Five Desires.
A man who proves his loyalty to me, can take whatever he wishes.Youmay not.
Look, but do not touch.
She clearly loves her work, and gives every amorous contract killing a happy ending.
Her brother has grander plans.
Kublais military advisors are divided on what to do, but Kublai wants all of Asia.
Did Kublais brother have a date with Mei Lin?
Have the Mongols walked into a trap?
For a premiere,Marco Polowas only half effective.
But they failed to establish Marco as the most compelling character in the story of his own life.
Marco is invaluable to Kublai because he has the fresh eyes of a foreign observer.
Time will tell if simply observing turns out to be his greatest attribute.
