‘Mayans M.C.’ Season 1 Episode 4 Recap: “Murciélago/Zotz”

Mayans M.C. Season 1 Episode 4 Recap
Raoul Max Trujillo, JD Pardo, Michael Irby, and Clayton Cardenas in ‘Mayans M.C.’ season 1 episode 4 (Photo by Prashant Gupta/FX)

FX’s Mayans M.C. season one episode four was one riveting twist after another. The over-sized episode moved the storylines forward on all fronts, not just the cartel and rebels.

Season one episode four begins with the Mayans hanging out and drinking at Vicky’s whorehouse when they hear a gunshot. Hunters are outside and a cop named Frankie Rogan comes downstairs after sleeping with a prostitute, heading outside to check out the source of the shoots. The club good-naturedly gives him a hard time as he leaves.

It turns out the “hunters” are vigilantes patrolling for illegal immigrants. They’re not hunting deer; the group is picking off lone Mexicans as they cross the border. They make their escape before the cop arrives to find their latest murder victim.

The investigation continues in the morning and even the Mayor’s on the scene. She and Bishop (Michael Irby) seem to be fairly friendly and he confirms they heard the shots while at Vicky’s. The shooting was done with a high caliber, long-range weapon and Bishop calls the killer(s) “local heroes dropping wetbacks for Uncle Sam.” Thus far five Mexicans have been killed in this manner.

The Mayor confirms that’s what they assumed, however, there were Oxycontin scripts next to the body. Bishop points out the hypocrisy of only caring about this dead Mexican because of the drugs, and the Mayor reminds him she exists in shades of grey because she has to passively cooperate with the MC and Galindo. He promises to look into this murder and if he finds out anything, he’ll handle it on his terms.

Vicky suggests Bishop start his hunt for the killers with her neighbor, Alice.

Over at the Galindo estate, Emily (Sarah Bolger) reads an article about a feast in the newspaper. She’s told it’s a big event.

Back at the clubhouse, EZ (JD Pardo) has a chat with Marcus (Emilio Rivera) about his plans. Marcus wants to know how EZ’s brother’s doing, revealing they normally don’t allow blood to sponsor blood. If he’s ever given the choice between the club and his brother, EZ needs to put the club first.

Chucky (Michael Ornstein) shows up to deliver messages left at the garage. One’s to Angel (Clayton Cardenas) from Taza, another is for Coco (Richard Cabral) from a woman who Chucky says he didn’t like. The guys tease Coco about his note, and Angel reveals they’re all needed at Vicky’s.

Felipe (Edward James Olmos) receives a note from Agent Jimenez at the butcher shop. Apparently, EZ hasn’t checked in and they’re worried about what’s going on with Galindo. EZ may end up needing protecting, and Felipe confesses he never gave EZ the new contact info.

The club heads over to see Alice, the leader of the vigilantes. Bishop wonders if the group’s just “racist yahoos gunning down kids with high powered rifles.” Alice’s son, Dennis, and the rest of the gang back her up and that’s when EZ notices a man he saw while he was locked up. He whispers to his brother as Bishop informs her scripts were found on the body, escalating the killing from target practice to drug running.

Talks break off for a moment as EZ tells the club about the big guy. He describes him as more military than Aryan but knows he’s a shot caller. They think the guy might be Alice’s buyer, if she’s running scripts.

Alice and Bishop continue their discussion, and Alice claims they know nothing about the dead Mexicans. Bishop sends Angel and EZ off to follow the big guy and Alice’s son when they leave. He sends other members of the club over to keep an eye on Vicky’s place.

Meanwhile, at the rebel camp the young spy eyes a walkie-talkie but is stopped from doing anything when Adelita (Carla Baratta) comes into the tent asking after medicine for the baby. She sends the kid out of the command tent and then notices the boy was lingering right by the radio.

Emily interrupts her husband, Miguel (Danny Pino), as he discusses building plans. She’s been doing research on the Taliban and ISIS and believes the rebels are following the game plan of those terrorist groups. The rebels are, according to Emily, using the “perfect mix of primitive and high-tech warfare.” She believes her research is important because it explains why the cartel’s losing to the rebels.

Emily knows the cartel uses power and fear to maintain control, but the rebels don’t care. The cartel needs to sway public opinion against the rebels and she suggests doing it at the Fiesta de La Santa Madre.

Adelita and some of the kids take the baby to see a nun who’s a nurse. The young boy who’s spying for the cartel takes the opportunity to borrow a cell phone, acting like he’s playing a game. He looks around stealthily and then shoots a video of their location. Adelita’s preoccupied with the baby and doesn’t notice.

The club follows Dennis and the guy EZ knew from jail to a bar. A fight breaks out in the parking lot and it turns out the big guy from jail is a hell of a fighter. The fight doesn’t last long and the club leaves when their fistfight attracts unwanted attention.

Back at the clubhouse, they confirm to Marcus that EZ was correct. The guy’s probably an ex-SEAL, and it appears there’s another player on the drug market. Taza suggests they form their own hunting party to take on Alice’s group that night.

Coco, the group’s sharpshooter, is out watching the traffic at Alice’s place. He reads the note one more time and then rides off.

Felipe shows up at the garage, surreptitiously passing a note to EZ and informing him the Feds have been watching him. EZ promises he’ll bring Jimenez up to speed.

Back at the Galindo house, Emily, Miguel, and Devante go over plans for the Fiesta. Their men are going to wreck the inside of the church while everyone is outside in the streets and blame it on the rebels. Miguel will then step forward and volunteer to repair the damage with his own money.

The video the boy shot is shown to Miguel and he’s told the leader’s name is Adelita. The video shows Miguel’s son, Adelita, and an older nun. Miguel wonders about the nun is and he’s told she’s one of the local nuns.

Agent Jimenez (Maurice Compte) learns about the kidnapping of Galindo’s son and realizes they have an opportunity to strike. Jimenez is advised to use EZ to pressure Emily to turn against her husband, but he knows EZ will resist. He’s reminded by his boss that EZ killed a cop and told to pull the deal and put him back in jail if he won’t work to turn Emily. Jimenez decides he’ll make it work.

EZ hops in Jimenez’s car and he tells the agent he was going to inform him about the kidnapping. It sounds like Jimenez is on his side, but he still needs EZ to get close to Emily and guide her to the FBI. The prospect of turning Emily is all that’s keeping the deal alive. EZ calls Jimenez’s bluff and tells him to pull his deal. He’d rather go back to jail than turn Emily. He doesn’t want to put her at risk.

Coco’s preoccupied with family matters and has a sit-down at a restaurant with his mom and little sister, Leticia (the one in the porn videos). He doesn’t want her telling people they’re related, and Leticia storms out of the restaurant pissed Coco doesn’t want anything to do with her.

After she’s gone, he and his mother get into it. Once they’re outside, his mom reveals to his “sister” that she’s actually Coco’s daughter. Leticia runs off and climbs in a stranger’s truck. They pull away, leaving Coco alone in the parking lot. Club matters demand his attention and he can’t chase her down.

Mayans M.C. Season 1 Episode 4 Recap
Maurice Compte as Agent Kevin Jimenez and Edward James Olmos as Felipe Reyes in ‘Mayans M.C.’ season 1 episode 4 (Photo by Prashant Gupta/FX)

Jimenez meets with Felipe, suggesting Felipe push his son in the right direction. When Felipe declines to do so, Jimenez pulls out a folder with Felipe’s background info. It seems Felipe Reyes didn’t exist before 1985 and his social security number belonged to a woman from El Paso. Jimenez says he has to convince EZ to flip Emily to keep the deal alive. Once again, Felipe refuses. Jimenez warns if he doesn’t, then his sons will find out he’s lied about everything.

Jimenez drives away but has to pull over to vomit. His job is making him physically ill.

Vicky tells the club to be careful as they set, well-armed, to attack Alice’s vigilantes. They sneak through the woods until they get to Alice’s place. The club takes up positions but there’s only a pickup truck outside the house which looks empty.

They approach guns drawn and are about to ring the doorbell when shoots are fired from inside the house. They retreat to cover, taking fire while they run. Dennis shoots as he runs away, and a few guys chase after him. The rest of the club enter the house, clearing empty rooms as they go. They’re shocked when they come upon a living room full of dead bodies.

Dennis runs and shoots back at Angel, Coco, and EZ. Angel finally has to shoot him in the back to get him to stop running.

Angel has no idea what Dennis is talking about when he mentions the massacre back at the house. Dennis sobs as he asks where his mother is and thinks Cole is to blame. Dennis explains they were just shooting illegals jumping the fence and then found the ones with drugs. He’s bleeding a lot and Angel finishes him off and then gets into Dennis’ phone using Dennis’ finger. He tells his brother they need to bury Dennis but have to cut off his finger first.

Back inside Alice’s place, Coco confirms it was a military-style execution. Bishop decides they need to burn all the dead bodies, and Angel lies and claims they lost Dennis.

Felipe opens his locked box in the garage and pulls out what appears to be a marriage certificate. He looks through old photos, pausing on one that shows him and another man in military uniforms smiling while standing over three decapitated heads. He puts the paperwork from Jimenez in the box and locks it up once again.

The Galindos attend the Fiesta and mingle with the crowd, smiling and shaking hands.

Angel, Coco, and EZ prepare to bury Dennis. Angel finds Cole in Dennis’ phone and leaves him two messages, even though the only thing they know about Cole is he’s a killer. Angel’s concerned because they need a buyer for the heroin soon so they can give money to Adelita. Adelita’s group is the only route to taking down Galindo’s cartel.

Coco wonders if it’s time to rethink everything. He doesn’t want to wind up with a bullet in his head.

It turns out where they were digging Dennis’ grave is right above a tunnel. EZ falls through and lands in a large open space.

Meanwhile, the Fiesta continues through the streets and into the church. There’s a murmur through the crowd as those who entered first react to the damage inside. Emily pushes her way inside and is horrified to see a nun has been viciously murdered. (It’s the nun from the video sent to Miguel.) There’s a lot of screaming and panicking as people inside stampede for the exits. Emily’s knocked to the ground and stepped on, and Miguel rescues his wife and carries her from the church.

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