Season 1, Episode 12: "Guerrillas in the Jungle"

Rock and Takenaka engage in some strangely comfortable banter, considering the situation. I suppose Takenaka is merely trying to appeal to their shared Japanese culture to get information out of Rock. Naturally, it doesn't work. Rock may be clumsy, but he's not stupid. There's no need for him to be afraid of these guys. He was afraid of Revy early on, and she held a gun to his head. If Rock can survive a Revy, he can shake off an oversharing terrorist and his more reckless buddy who threatens him with a gun.

If I got a dollar every time someone held a gun to someone else this season alone, I could be halfway through paying off my college loans.

Meanwhile, Revy tells Leigharch to lay low on the weed and stay put while she and Shenhua go rescue Rock on foot. Revy calls Shenhua "Chinglish" again, which I have to admit is becoming really stale. It was funny and witty the first time Revy insulted her, but constantly using the same insult over and over, especially as a nickname, is just so off-putting, not to mention is just plain mean, even for Revy.

Takenaka tells Rock a story about a man (himself) who once had ideals, a voice, a message to the people, but nothing happened because people got bored of fighting. And so long as their lives were comfortable, they were too lazy to help those who weren't as fortunate. Unfortunately, that is the reality for some causes.

Takenaka had vast, strong ideals and even when he lost everything, he had to keep those ideals or admit that it was all for nothing. And if there's one thing people hate more than losing, it's being told they're wrong.

So, he leaves Rock to suffer one more day. Ibrahim is like, "Are you daft, man? Shake him down now!" But Takenaka is confident that Rock will talk eventually. That, or Revy will come to his rescue. Which ever comes first. He's right, you know.

Revy and Shen Yuan scope out the area and determine the men are going to attack at sunset.

Ibraha is pissed about not completing the mission. He figured out that the other three boats were merely decoys and figures that Rock has the documents. Takenaka is as chill as Leigharch is stoned--they just need to watch out for Revy. And right as they mention her, boom-boom-boom-boom.

I just love how Rock can identify that Revy is near by the sound of her gunshots. She kicks the door open, rescuing him from imminent blasts from the firing squad, with the help of Shenhua, murdering along the way. They get back to the car, where Leigharch is high off his Irish ass. Revy literally kicks him back to some form of reality so he can drive... right into the enemy camp. Yeah, that's totally smart. But what do you honestly expect from a guy who believes he's Captain Kirk about to defeat the Klingons?

Revy leans out the window and nails as many guys as she can. The enemies start coming in droves, which is perfect because that means one big, red target for Revy. Meanwhile, Rock thinks about the talk he had with Takenaka back in the interrogation room.

Shenhua takes on the first wave of enemies, slicing their limbs from their bodies with kukris on ropes. You know, I don't even think Revy and Shenhua like killing enemies as much as they like torturing them. But damn, that is a cool-looking action pose:

Back at Chang's office, Chang checks up with Dutch on how Black Lagoon is doing so far with their mission, and with a cigarette in his mouth. Typical. I swear, if it's not an action scene, someone is smoking in every shot. Not that Goddamn many people smoke cigarettes. But perhaps it's all just a metaphor for these characters' apathy about life. If lung cancer doesn't kill them, a bullet to the artery will. And in Roanapur, you can smoke 10 packs a day and still die of blood loss.

Revy kills the remaining enemies flawlessly. Of course they do. Takenaka forces Ibraha to drive off the road to save them both. Meanwhile, Revy and Chinglish talk about which weapons are best. I already knew Revy was batshit crazy when she drools over the power of nukes, but once you think about it, if Revy got a hold of them, North Korea and Russia combined wouldn't have enough power to stop her.

Revy makes Rock stoned so he can stop looking so depressed.

We find out the reason Ibraha is such a zealot is because his son was killed. Well, that was randomly dark. Man, Roanapur is the place for people who bring all their baggage. People have so much baggage, they need to make a second trip. So much baggage, the airport charges them a fee.

Rock is definitely a depressed stoner--he's now just rambling on about his personal baggage--running away from situations since he was a kid and just talk-talk-talking his way through everything. He sounds like me on one of my midnight rambles. Damn, what's in that Mary Jane, Leprechaun?

I just love this screenshot as it perfectly sums up every emotion going on in this episode.

As Takenaka sent men to their deaths, he shoots Ibrahim out of desperation. Ibrahim was just blinded by the loss of his kid, wanting vengeance and idealism so badly. Takenaka lost his idealism, and can't do anything else because that would be admitting he is a failure. At least now, Ibraha can be with his son forever.

The CIA comes, and Rock is finally out of his depressed stupor. He promptly freaks out upon realizing that he doesn't have the documents. But Revy's like, "Don't worry," and then pulls out the sweat-soaked documents out from between her boobs. Ick.

The CIA give Revy a little warning--they know Revy is wanted, but decide to let her run free, since she basically owns the cops. As corrupt as they are, they'd rather have her kill the bad guys than put her in jail. I guess that's not necessarily a bad thing, then per se`. The CIA is powerful in Roanapur--particularly the spy division (MI6). Their job is to protect the American people from terrorists. So, to have Revy as their vigilante means one less warm body to pay.

Rock shyly thanks Revy for saving him, and Revy's like, "No big deal, buddy," and then immediately turns on him to unleash her violent rage about having to save his pathetic ass. Of course, this is all a mere act just to preserve her tough image in front of Shenhua and Leigharch. If they think for even one second Revy has a soft side, Shenhua would probably reconsider letting "Chinglish" slide so many times.

Takenaka meets the Asian guy he met before, gives vague summary of everything we saw, basically revealing the he is a terrorist. Followed by a butt shot. Why is Japan so obsessed with butts?

OVERALL:


Story - A satisfying conclusion, though Ibraha's mini-subplot about his dead son was poorly intertwined. It stuck out to me more than it should, probably because using the death of a relative to justify your actions is so overdone.

2 / 5

Character Development - Possibly Revy, who truly does like Rock after all this time. You definitely know she's sincere when she tells Rock no need for a formal "thank you" for his rescue.

2 / 5

Badassery - Shenhua with her kukris. Damn--those things remind me of when I would slice limbs off with my katana in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.

3 / 5

Best Insult: (Shenhua to Revy calling her "Chinglish"): "Oh, you like for me to split your ass in four? It is not nice to make fun. You're one rotten bitch."

Out-of-Context: "Shit. This thing is covered in sweat."