FX’s Mayans M.C.
Season 2, Episode 2: “Xaman-Ek”
Directed by Batan Silva
Written by Sean Tretta & Andrea Ciannavei

* For a recap & review of the Season 2 premiere, “Xbalanque” – click here
* For a recap & review of the next episode, “Camazotz” – click here
This week’s title is in reference to Xaman Ek, god of the North Star. He was ‘the guide of the merchants,’ and the Maya compared his benevolence with that of the rain god Chac. Merchants used to offer incense to Xaman Ek at altars along roadsides.

EZ and Angel are now on the same page since little bro tells his big bro what he found out re: their mother’s death. What will they do? Happy Lowman is the one who killed her. The Mayans M.C. is tied up in business with SAMCRO. First, the brothers have to make peace. “I‘m not the golden boy,” EZ says. He tells Angel he was afraid to leave everybody behind. All he has is family and the club.
The rest of the club are glad to see the brothers working things out. EZ tells Bishop he has supposed paperwork to clear up for his parole. He says Angel will go with him. You can bet there’s a whole other agenda. On top of everything is Adelita’s pregnancy. She’s not telling anybody anything about the father. Angel doesn’t like being a “closed book” to the club and his family. She wants to wait until the right time.

Such a great parallel between families in this series. There’s Felipe, Angel, and EZ, who all have their hidden secrets, particularly their father, whose past is shrouded in unsettling mystery like we saw in Season 1. Then there’s Dita’s burns, as well as the secrets she’s shielded from her son. It’ll be interesting to see how these family dynamics further play into the overall narrative of Season 2.
What’s really going on with Dita? She has those burns after the house fire, which Father Gore has assumed means she may have been the culprit. She’s causing a rift between her son Miguel and his wife Emily. The cartel leader struggles to balance demands of being a drug kingpin— in league with outlaw motorcycle clubs, the federal government, and murderers on both sides of the border— and his responsibilities at home.
Emily has her own worries. She and her estranged mother Diana clearly have problems, given her mom is in town and didn’t contact her. Plus, she’s getting push back at work due to her husband. So she starts to use that cartel involvement to flex on the Mayor.

The M.C. find out Mini’s escaped. The girl blames herself for what happened with the mercenaries. Bishop and Alvarez wonder if she knows where Adelita is staying. In the meantime, the mercs are off hunting both the pregnant rebel and her tiny friend. Could be headed towards a very difficult, very volatile confrontation.
On the road, Angel and EZ are trying to determine what to do about Happy. They wind up meeting white guys on crotch rockets wearing cuts that say POSBMC. The dudes make a big deal over them crossing into their territory. They call the brothers’ bikes “cholo chops” and insult them. This begins a tense moment— Angel pulls his gun and makes clear they’re not to be fucked with, by anybody. They head off and decide to go to an arcade before the inevitable tough portion of their ride. They play some mini-golf and Angel makes what could be a reference to Almost Famous or It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (“I am a golden god!”). They’re also noticed by a woman with a tattoo reading POSBMC. When they finish the rest of the club connected to the guys earlier show up. They get to their guns, then manage to take off. They’re followed closely, not only by the club but police cars, as well. “Patches over badges” allows them all to work together to throw off the cops, though their confrontation will only be delayed now.

Alvarez and the rest find Mini hiding. She apologises, but Coco says: “It‘s not your fault.” They’re glad to find her before the mercs. The former Green Berets report back to their man about Mayans being seen looking for the child and not Adelita. This is further going to complicate things, and also piss off these gun-loving maniacs.
Elsewhere, Emily calls Miguel, who goes to her, leaving one of his men to wait at the doctor’s office for Dita. When Dita comes out to see her son is gone, she slips out the back by herself. The cartel couple are busy attempting to work out their problems with the city. Miguel wants to “bring the other world” in to solve things, yet Emily wants to do it another way. Then they get word about Dita.

“The tie that binds”

Dita’s actually going to visit Felipe. She knows him by his real name, Ignacio. OH, MAN! There’s seriously twisted history here. They go for a drive, talking about family, how long she’s been in “Imperial County,” her grandson. Felipe asks did she “ever find out“— what, exactly? Did they have a relationship? Could they have had a child?
Felipe brings Dita back to Miguel. Rest assured there’s some more to this complex tale. That picture Dita keeps is folded in half. The other part shows Felipe guarding her and her husband. Seems like they had an affair.
And that revelation could cause serious fallout.

There’s MAJOR TROUBLES in Stockton when Angel and EZ arrive.
A full patch is shot by two greasy cops. Like there’s not enough bullshit.
Great follow-up to the first episode. Season 2’s already WILD!

“Camazotz” is next.