Cinemax’s Banshee
Season 2, Episode 6: “Armies of One”
Directed by Babak Najafi
Written by John Romano

* For a recap & review of the previous episode, “The Truth About Unicorns” – click here
* For a recap & review of the next episode, “Ways to Bury a Man” – click here
 Hood (Antony Starr) is still worried about those around him. He puts everyone in danger, so it’s naturally on his mind to get out of town. At the same time, there’s something headed towards Banshee. Something in a fancy, red car, headed right for Hood.
 At a gas station, a man named Quentin (Andrew Howard) parks his pretty red car. Some local rednecks get a bit too close. One even rips off a side-mirror. So now we see exactly what’s moving into Banshee. Quentin proceeds to show the men who they’re fucking with, as well. Turns out, he is a dangerous type of cat. He can fight the same Hood does, systematic, brutal, efficient in any setting. He cracks some arms and heads, then heads on his way.
Kai Proctor (Ulrich Thomsen) and niece Rebecca Bowman (Lili Simmons) receive a visit from Alex Longshadow (Anthony Ruivivar). He’s got issues, being edged out for Chief and all. Seems now he has a reason to trust Kai. Or at least, to try. A shaky, sketchy bond is formed. For his part, Kai wants to be in on the casino so that it gives him legal revenue to do something legitimate, to create a legacy.
Over with Sugar (Frankie Faison), Hood brings Jason (Harrison Thomas) his new identity: passports, I.D. card, everything. The young dude is happy. Except until Quentin arrives. This is the man to whom Jason owes a debt, as it turns out. Bad news. Hood even starts flashing back to that night when the real Lucas Hood sat there, eating steak, before getting murdered. When Hood pushes Quentin and the man with him, a quick gunfight breaks out. Then a fist fight between Quentin and Hood, though the former escapes before anybody can put him down.
After the PD starts crawling over the scene, Deputy Brock Lotus (Matt Servitto) starts wondering exactly why it is every criminal ends up zeroed in on Hood. Deputy Emmett Yawners (Demetrius Grosse) tries to tell him it’s nonsense. But that fire’s been lit under Lotus a long time, ever since Hood showed up.
Jason’s debt troubles have now involved Hood, who worries about the young guy. He knows what it’s like to be hunted across states by someone relentless, which it clearly appears the man Quentin works for, the one to whom Jason is in debt, is after walking into Banshee so brash and bold. So Hood gets to work trying to help Jason.
At Hood’s place, Brock pokes around with latex gloves on. Trying to find any kind of inkling about what his new sheriff is up to, who he may be under the facade. He finds Jason’s I.D. and also a picture of Carrie (Ivana Milicevic) and her family. He’s spied by Sugar, not exactly sure that Brock is on the level sneaking about the place. But worse than that, Lotus brings the picture to Gordon (Rus Blackwell). The plot thickens.
Meanwhile, Carrie sneaks into her home. To leave things for Deva (Ryann Shane). Although that only feels creepy to her daughter. This whole situation is creating a damaging situation in Deva’s life. So many secrets, lies, any untold number of issues coming out of those, and that can only create more chaos. Gordon goes to get his daughter after she almost crashes a Novice Driver car. This starts a confrontation between a parent and Gordon; the latter twists him up before making a threat. Now, we see an angry Gordon for the first time. A real, raging Gordon. I’d like to see that more somewhere down the line, and we certainly do eventually.
 Face to face again, less violent, come Quentin and Hood. The former sits on a bench near the police station. He wets bread with some liquor and tosses it to the pigeons; an alcoholic’s last refuge. The title of the episode comes from Quentin, as he believes Hood is something more than a “small town sheriff“, that he was… something else, once upon a time. They sit and talk briefly a little about their similarities. They are each “armies of one” and fighters to the death. Problem is he now believes Jason’s father really is Lucas. That makes things even more tense. “One of us is gonna have to kill the other,” Quentin explains plainly.
Turning over $112K to quell Quentin and the thirst of his boss doesn’t finish anything. There is a sacrifice required. But Hood does his best to work around all that.
Kai and Rebecca have another awkward moment, as she stares into his office while a woman gives him a blowjob.
Later, Quentin turns up at Jason’s place. Uh oh.
Hood clues in. He stands waiting on the side of the road heading out of Banshee; waiting for Quentin. The two armies of one are now at war. This is one of my FAVOURITE action sequences. The fight choreography in this series is outrageous, and takes it up a notch right here. Both Starr and Howard are solid actors here, as well as do some impressive fighting together. Having this set at the roadside brings a dangerous element of traffic into the picture. One which helps Hood finish off the zealous Quentin.
At home, Gordon is falling over drunk and stoned. His daughter Deva left to take care of him. A sad scene, as he reels from the lies and deception of his wife, steeped in worry for his family and his kids most of all. Still, a rough state for Gordon to let his children witness.
Now, Jason is finally free of the man tracking down his debt. Hood sees him off in a motel before heading back to be with Siobhan (Trieste Kelly Dunn), the two making love together. Pulling one more person into his web. The worst part is Jason decides to hop in bed with Rebecca once more. Biggest mistake he’s made yet. Kai and Clay Burton (Matthew Rauch) find them, killing Jason: “You‘re either with me, or you‘re not,” Uncle Kai lets his niece know. All the effort Hood put into helping Jason, it’s down the drain. A senseless murder by a psychotic, incestuous man. Creepy Clay sniffs the bed where the young lovers lay, he cleans the place up listening to classical music, flashing back to some abuse he faced in the past, smiling terrifying look sin the mirror. Oh, he missed one thing: Jason’s watch.
Craziest yet. Job (Hoon Lee) figures out the diamonds Hood stole those years ago are fake. He spent 15 years behind bars for nothing. Rabbit did him dirty.
 After the credits, we find Quentin’s head lying in the grass, staring up in the sky.
 Awesome episode, once more. Next up is “Ways to Bury a Man”, which brings us further towards the end of an excellently paced season.