by Chancellor Agard | via Entertainment Weekly
The second installment, much calmer than the one that precedes it, picks up soon after the events of the premiere.
Shaolin Fantastic, Ezekiel (a.k.a. Books), and the Kipling brothers are now known as the Fantastic Four Plus One. At least, that’s how Shaolin introduces them to Grandmaster Flash when he stops by. When they meet Flash for the first time, he gives them an assignment: Figure out the purpose of this mysterious purple crayon. They have 24 hours to do so.
Anyway, the Kipling brothers grow frustrated with the task and quickly bail, leaving Zeke and Shaolin to do most of the work. During this time, the two bond over their shared love of music and how engaging in it is their version of flying. Zeke even convinces Shaolin to stop dealing drugs for Fat Annie. Eventually, Zeke uses his smarts to figure out the crayon is used to physically mark the get down on a record. Having unlocked the secret, Flash returns and teaches Shaolin how to mix a beat using two turntables.
In the opening flash-forward, Books raps “Livin’ in my aunt’s house, music was the only way out,” and it feels like the entire episode can be summed up by that line. The episode explores how music might be saving them from the nastier parts of life in the Bronx.
While the Fantastic Four jams with Shaolin, who finally masters creating a continuous beat, Cadillac and his goon track down two Savage Warlords — two young kids, might I remind you — from the Les Inferno shooting to find out who put them up to it. Cadillac burns one of them with a cigarette and accidentally shoots the other one in the head when he and his goon wrestle for the gun. This brutal scene is juxtaposed with the Fantastic Four having fun, making it feel even more tragic.
To read the rest of the recap, “Seek Those Who Fan Your Flames,” click HERE!!!
Where There Is Ruin, There Is Hope for a Treasure (S1 E1) | Darkness Is Your Candle (S1 E3)