FX’s Mayans M.C.
4×08: “The Righteous Wrath of an Honorable Man”
Directed by Danny Pino
Written by Debra Moore Muñoz

* For a recap & review of 4×07, click here.
* For a recap & review of 4×09, click here.
A few Nevada Reapers attack a Nevada Mayan on the road, knocking him off his bike and then executing him. Things between the Sons of Anarchy and the Mayans are becoming more and more brutal all the time. Although so is EZ: he’s becoming more brutal, less moral all the time. Great piece of music by Colin Stetson—after which this episode is named—plays over a sequence of EZ remembering all the time he spent with Gaby, only to wind up her murderer. Meanwhile, Angel’s enjoying the time he’s had with his son. Adelita is very protective over the boy, understandably so.

Gilly’s been helping Paul’s wife Rae. She wants to give Paul space, so that means she needs a place to stay. For now, she’s at Gilly’s apartment along with her son. A tough situation for Gilly, being friends with both Rae and Paul; both of whom he served alongside, too. Other tough situations are happening elsewhere. EZ goes to see his father, explaining that all these years he believed he was the dog in the Goya painting when he was really “the ocean” itself, swallowing whatever’s in his path whole. He tells Felipe that Gaby is “buried under dirt and branches.” He also tells his father he can’t be saved; he knows who he is now. Felipe is ashamed and says he’s glad Marisol isn’t there to see their son. But EZ agrees. When he leaves his father breaks down and weeps on the floor.
At the table, Alvarez tells his crew they’re going to “wipe San Bernardino off the Earth.” He wants to send a big message to the Sons in Charming. They’re going full-on war now. Annihilate the Reapers. After the meeting’s over, Angel and EZ talk outside. Older brother’s still stunned by what his little brother did to Gaby. Even Angel’s disturbed and that says something. Though he’s always a shoulder for his brother. They always have each other’s backs. That’s why EZ did what he did anyway, in spite of how awful it was to do.
In Mexico, El Banquero’s mother has finally died. He’s already a maniac. This might just throw him over whatever edge of sanity’s left in him. In Ohio, Emily realises someone is coming for her, and now she’s prepared to initiate her escape plan. She buys another bus ticket and heads for Kentucky presumably to meet up with Erin and her boy before they run.

Jess’s sister Jazmine is angry after her man, one of the Sons, wound up in intensive care. Jaz insists that her sister give up more info about the Mayans, but Jess doesn’t know anything else to tell. She threatens her own flesh and blood, promising that if Jess doesn’t help her and the Sons more, then she’ll tell the Mayans everything Jess did. Absolutely vicious. Then we see the Mayans murdering more Sons in Stockton, biker bodies left lying all over the streets and the sidewalks, juxtaposed with Marcus with family out riding majestic horses.
At the same time, EZ and the Santo Padre crew, along with Canche, are sneaking themselves into one of the Reaper compounds. Bishop and the boys start firing, killing one Reaper after another. Even Prospect Nestor gets himself a bit of action. The place is like a war zone. Inside, the music and the noise is too loud so nobody knows what’s going on until Angel and EZ breach the place, keeping civilians safe while gunning more Reapers. Bishop heads into the garage but gets cut off and luckily Taza is nearby to save his ass, in spite of all the hatred between the two lately. Poor Gilly seems transported back to his military days out in the lot.

When EZ checks the rest of the place he nearly takes a shotgun blast, but he guns the Reaper down. When Canche comes in to check on things EZ decides to put a bullet in his head: “Caught you slippin‘.” God DAMN! EZ literally took his shot to get rid of Canche after all this time. Later, everyone’s back at the clubhouse drinking. Of course nobody knows that EZ killed Canche. Pretty easy to pass off in the firefight between the Sons and the Mayans. EZ talks to Manny a little, the latter upset over Canche’s death because the two were very close. Bishop sits with Taza to have a moment. Taza says “We‘re square” and that he doesn’t owe Bishop anything now. Soon, Alvarez and Diaz back and they give a toast to Canche.
At home, Adelita is finding motherhood difficult. But she believes she’s broken, and worries that she’ll only do damage to her child. She thinks so much bad has happened to her that she’s warped beyond belief. Angel doesn’t think this is the case. He thinks that the two of them together can make sure their son doesn’t turn out like the both of them. He also tells Adelita that if she does decide to leave again, his son stays with him. Simultaneously, Gilly’s back at his place lying to Rae about his “chill” day with the boys. Rae thinks Gilly has his “shit so together.” It’s clear that Gilly treats his bloodshed with the Mayans the same way he treated his bloodshed with the American military. He’s been stuck in very rigid patriarchal worlds from the army to the MC. He can’t talk about his true feelings, not even when he’s out in the world and not in the army or with the Mayans. It makes for terrible mental health. Rae talks about whatever happened in Mosul and she’s haunted by it, whereas Gilly refuses to even think about it. When she’s out of the room he finally sheds a tear.

Creeper’s introducing Kody to the fellas finally. She gets to meet Bishop and immediately starts fitting in with everybody. At the bar, Nestor’s given props for how he handled himself today, then he’s quickly back to Prospect work handing out drinks. There may be some unity amongst the Mayans yet. In Mexico, there isn’t much unity between El Banquero and his sister Soledad. He talks about her in such an awful way. He says she was sent away to American school years ago because the family was ashamed of “a monster.” El Banquero says: “The old ways are dead.” He’s taking over the business. A little while later we see that Soledad is the one who had Galindo grabbed on the road. Maybe Banquero should’ve watched his mouth with his sister.