FX’s Mayans M.C.
Season 2, Episode 9: “Itzam-Ye”
Directed by Kevin Dowling
Written by Kurt Sutter & Elgin James

* For a recap & review of the previous episode, “Kukulkan” – click here
* For a recap & review of the Season 2 finale, “Hunahpu” – click here
The title of this episode “Itzam-Ye” comes from Itzam-Yeh, the totemic animal of Itzam Na, the supreme god and essence of the creative force of the cosmos. Thus, the bird is a heavenly manifestation of Itzam Na.

Coco’s discharged from the hospital with an eye patch. His vision should come back eventually. He’s angry, though. In another room, Riz lies hooked up to machinery, unconscious. His lungs are messed up, but surgeons got all the bullet fragments out. Bishop and the others are at his bedside. The Mayan Kings are on the way.

We find Miguel grappling with what his livelihood has done to his personal life. He sees how Emily trades lie for lie with him. He and his bodyguard/best friend Nestor talk about it, the latter telling him that it works in both ways, too: each bit of truth gains truth from the opposing side. Nestor’s also sure that Emily loves him deeply. That’s at least partly true. There remains something in Emily that feels for EZ, even if only a small amount.

“Honesty buys honesty”

At the table, Bishop sits with the Kings. They’ve got a different perspective on things. Bishop is angry. They explain that, especially if Riz “pulls through,” nobody got killed, and the Vatos Malditos will consider it a “settled score.” Doesn’t help Coco, or any of the other guys, who want revenge.
Bishop has to talk to the others. Coco can only think about the fact he may never ride again if his eyesight doesn’t get better. He’s pissed Bishop’s treating the club like a corporation, not considering the human cost for the sake of business. Sure, there’ll be a ridiculous amount of revenue out of this deal, however, money’s no good if you don’t protect family first.

The Reyes brothers get a visit from Papa Felipe to talk about Ignacio Cortina. He grew up in a “dirt poor village” with the Galindos. His family took in an illegitimate child of theirs. 20 years later, Ignacio worked in the anti-drug squad. When his career looked like it would be over after a bust gone bad, he was pulled out of the fire by Jose Galindo, meaning his life got much more complicated. Felipe suggests they’re all going to get together to talk of the truth with Emily. Shit’s getting tricky.
Everything is a lot less tricky at the Galindo home. Miguel’s decided on being honest with his wife. He tells Emily about Sophia, the woman Potter was with years ago. It all had to do with her being a witness in a big case. Lincoln’s “Mexican tenure” might be revoked should the whole situation come to light. Miguel will use this as leverage to help Adelita, and wants Emily to know everything going forward— no secrets. Mostly because he doesn’t trust his wife, and she responds with anger. Now he’s putting Alvarez on the case to look into the Reyes family.

Dita opens up to Emily about why she tried to kill herself in the fire a while back. She says “I lost my purpose, as a woman, as a mother.” She feels responsible for the rift between her son and his wife. She doesn’t want them to lose one another, in spite of calling her daughter-in-law the White Devil. Then she gets a call from Felipe, asking about you know what. Sly Dita schedules spa appointments for her and Emily, as a ruse to get them out of the house together.
Bishop and Tranq sit to chat with Alvarez. They’re trying to figure out where to go from here. It essentially boils down to the President’s vote. Bishop and Marcus sit alone together. The cartel right-hand man wants to make him aware of the reality that they aren’t a bunch of “motorcycle enthusiasts” and never were— they’ve always been outlaws, so these types of decisions inevitably happen. EZ’s pulled aside by Marcus to talk about his past with Emily. Alvarez pokes around. The prospect doesn’t deny anything, and also doesn’t confirm. Sketchy for EZ to play this game.
At the table, Bishop calls for a vote on vengeance against the Vatos. Gilly, Angel, and Coco are all for it, while Tranq and Bishop vote against, along with other proxy votes. This gets under Coco’s skin and he walks out. Angel calmly tells his President that none of them know how Coco feels, terrified of losing his eyesight and the ability to ride.

Felipe picks up Emily, and they go to his place, where they meet EZ and Angel. They look over everything that she found, tracing things back to the Galindos. This has the brothers angry. They want to know why their parents were targets. So, finally, Felipe explains the affair with Dita after the loss of her child. Things sort of just happened, yet he takes responsibility. This is why he became Felipe, and his wife became Marisol. Strange how it was only when Miguel came to America that things fell into motion with the hit. Emily denies her husband could’ve been involved, though the brothers know more of the vicious side in the cartel boss, having seen it first hand.
Emily finds out about the stuff with Potter and his threats. She offers to give over the info she knows about Potter’s Mexican lover, in exchange for EZ not taking revenge on her family. Interesting to see her morality shift further and further. This simply leaves EZ with a ton more shit to untangle in his head. Not to mention his vague memory of seeing Dita once, years ago, spying on his father at a carnival— she was there with her son, too. EZ now realises it was Dita who caused everything. And this makes him very, very angry with his father.

In the hospital, Taza can’t bear to watch Riz wasting away. He decides to pinch the breathing tube and put him out of his misery. BUT, is it actually out of love? Or, is Taza trying to settle an old score with Palo from the Vatos, by letting Riz die, which will surely change Creeper and others’ votes? GOD. DAMN. Because Riz had a chance of surviving. Instead, Taza chose this, knowing full well what its effects will be on the club.
The word gets back to Bishop and the rest at the clubhouse. The vote’s “null and void.” Time for war. This doesn’t entirely thrill Coco, even if that’s what he wanted. It took one of their brothers to die before the Pres would make this decision. The look in his face is more one of disappointment.
An intense episode.
Only one left in Season 2. “Hunahpu” is next time.