In the over one-hour run time of Mayans MC episode 1, Perro/Oc (aired Tuesday, September 4), a lot was established.
Here is our refresher of the premiere episode of FX’s Sons of Anarchy spin-off, as we dive deep into its symbolism and themes before you watch episode 2.
Santo Padre
EZ (JD Pardo) rides past a graffiti-marked wall reading “Divided We Fall” as a stray dog is devouring a dead crow on the roadside.
This scene mimics the opening shot of the season one premiere of Sons of Anarchy when Jax Teller drove past two crows eating a dead dove.
The stray dog pops up now and again to serve as unhindered symbolism, directly referencing the title Perro/Oc.
We predict a different animal will appear in episode 2. Find out what the season one titles of Mayans MC mean here.
Inside a quinceanera dress manufacture warehouse, the Santo Padre charter carries out business as usual, weighing and packaging keys of heroin, strategically stowing the drugs inside of the dresses.
President Bishop (Michael Irby) and Sergeant at Arms Hank (Frankie Loyal) discuss the new prospect, Ezekiel.
It is revealed that EZ had six years shaved off his prison sentence and served his probation in Hollister, California. The cop EZ allegedly killed was shady, to begin with. Bishop requests that Angel prepares his little brother EZ to join the Las Vegas run to serve as added protection for the latest transport.
In EZ ’s first flashback, dating back to 8 years ago, we learn that he was attending Stanford University while dating his then-girlfriend Emily, who at the time was a senior at the Santo Padre Regional High School.
EZ arrives at his father’s butcher shop, Carnicería Reyes, and hands him a paper bag marked with letters and numbers. It is theorized, this code is known only to EZ and Kevin Jimenez (Maurice Compte).
After this exchange, Angel Reyes pulls his motorcycle up curbside outside the butcher shop. It is then made obvious that EZ and Felipe (Edward James Olmos) are hiding something from Angel.
Angel (Clayton Cardenas) tells EZ that the Mayans MC needs him on the Vegas run, EZ aware of what the Mayans MC does to make income. Mama Reyes is not in the picture and Felipe and Angel have a strained relationship. Mama Reyes died 8 years ago, and Felipe does not talk about it with either of his sons.
The Las Vegas run
On the California 111, Creeper (Joseph Raymond Lucero) drives the truck with Riz (Antonio Jaramillo) riding passenger.
Gilly (Vincent Rocco Vargas) and Coco (Richard Cabral) are riding in the back of the truck with the dresses guarding the heroine when Coco gets a text message. Both strap themselves in the back of the truck, hinting that these two know something is about to go down.
The transport quickly gets hijacked by masked individuals, flipping the truck. Creeper gets a dislocated shoulder and clipped by a bullet as well. Secretary Riz gets caught in the burning truck.
The dresses containing the heroin or stolen, as EZ notices a tattoo on the wrist of one hijacker reading “BTT”. After the confrontation, EZ springs into action cutting Riz loose from his seat belt so that he can escape the burning truck before it is fully consumed by flames.
The Mayans answer to Galindo
Back inside the dress warehouse, the Mayans MC then has to answer to Miguel Galindo (Danny Pino) for losing 2.4 million dollars in product. Miguel mentions the Chinese are now out on the product, letting us know that we will, in fact, see another Chinese faction in Mayans MC down the road.
Miguel makes it clear that they constantly change route and insinuate that there is a rat amongst the club. Bishop and Taza try to work out the situation when EZ explains that he noticed tribal letters reading “BTT”.
This points the club towards the Samoan Base Town Tribe of San Bernardino. It is worked out that the Samoans must be hired guns and Miguel asks them to bring in Marcus Alvarez and a Samoan for questioning. The leader Afa supposedly did time for killing men known to the club, named Haji and Fallujah.
Bishop explains they weren’t supposed to do this deal for long, only to help the cartel out until Galindo had enough manpower to do it on his own.
Miguel wants a Samoan brought to him, or he will have a Mayan in his place- putting pressure on the club to find the Samoan gang leader. Bishop punches EZ for speaking out of line, causing more problems rather than helping.
Secret tunnels to Mexico
Angel, Gilly, Coco, and EZ bring Creeper to the doctor on the other side of the Border in Tijuana Mexico. The Mayans MC use a series of tunnels that allow them to move from the warehouse to several locations on the other side of the Border undetected. In the doctor’s office, a text message letting them know it’s time to go and they leave Creeper to attend to business.
The men move through the streets of Mexico to the Bar Turistico Diana, where EZ is told to wait outside. EZ watches Adelita and her group of young orphans. After stepping in to pay for the street corn one of her boys stole, Adelita (Carla Baratta) thanks him before going into the same bar.
EZ continues to wait outside, he notices cops heading towards the scene of a crime. As EZ investigates he sees “Mata Al Diablo Resucita de Mexico” spray painted on a wall above the crime scene. He then notices that Gilly comes out with Adelita’s purse and stuffs it into his backpack. Angel comes to fetch EZ to take him home.
Back in Santo Padre
Alvarez (Emilio Rivera) rides into Santo Padre to meet with his Southern California chapter.
The Mayans MC Clubhouse is located behind Romero Brothers Scrap and Salvage yard in a green building closed off by a large metal door adorned with Maya inspired metal work. Marcus Alvarez is now called “The Godfather”, an honorary title given to the Mayans MC founder and national president.
Gilly gives a head nod to Angel before riding North by himself. EZ then spots his ex-girlfriend Emily and her young son in town. The two do not speak.
He is prompted to flashback a second time, to his time in Stockton State Prison, 8 years ago. Emily would show up waiting to see him but EZ would not meet her in the visitor center.
Looking at 20 years, he breaks up with Emily so that she won’t have to linger waiting for him, but Emily (Sarah Bolger) is pregnant with his baby as she hands him an ultrasound picture and walks out of the visitor center. EZ gets into a scrap with the guards as Gemma Teller, also waiting in the visitor center, watches onward.
As the rest of the guys return to the clubhouse for the church meeting with Alvarez, Bishop asks where Gilly is. Angel replies staying on the other side of the Border waiting for Creeper to get out. Hank introduces EZ to Marcus Alvarez who quickly sets him to work detailing and gassing up motorcycles. EZ has not forgotten Emily. He has a tattoo on his wrist with a heart that reads “Emme”.
In the Church Room, there is contention between Bishop and Angel. Alvarez and Bishop discuss the move on base town little Samoa. Taza explains the police only show up to count bodies and Bishop requests Alvarez to call in in Les Packer from SAMDINO for back up.
Nunez Cemetery
The Mayans MC rides into Base Town to confront the Samoans at the Nunez Cemetery. It doesn’t take long for bullets to start flying and as things get dicey, Riz calls for SAMDINO, waiting just around the corner, to help secure the capture of Afa.
During the shootout, expert marksman Coco has Afa in his crosshairs but misses the shot grazing him rather than killing him, to which Bishop exclaims they him alive.
Kevin visits Filipe
Kevin Jimenez, DEA Agent, meets Felipe Reyes in his butcher shop to hand off the information that EZ gave his father earlier in the episode.
As Kevin pays for his cut state steak, he hands Felipe a note telling him he wants to meet EZ tonight.
Unholy Church
Afa, now captured, tells Miguel Galindo that he gets messages from a woman for the drop off points but never sees her face. Miguel pulls out the same purse that Adelita had in Mexico, pushing Afa for more info. EZ already suspects who they’re looking for.
Afa is tortured by Miguel Galindo before giving up what he knows. “Kill the devil, resurrect Mexico”. Now Miguel knows who is causing problems, the Los Olvidados.
As Afa bleeds out, it is clear that Alvarez is dealing with somebody different than Jose Galindo. Miguel then looks at EZ and says he’s running late for dinner with his family as if he knows that Emily used to be with him.
Angel suggests dumping the body on the other side of the border since the Samoans know the Mayans were in Base Town. They instruct EZ to wrap Afa up in cellophane. EZ then gets a call from his father, who wraps up the body before heading to his father’s butcher shop.
Family Meal
Meanwhile, Miguel Galindo meets his wife Emily for dinner with their baby boy. On the outside, Emily looks happy, but it is made apparent that she is being kept in the dark.
Ignorance is bliss to some but Emily looks like she craves more looking as if she never sees her husband often enough getting dressed up to meet him for dinner only to see him leave to attend more business on the other side.
Meat Cooler Meeting
EZ meets Kevin Jimenez in the meat cooler father’s butcher shop. It is confirmed that EZ made a deal with Kevin, for early release from prison in exchange for providing intel on Galindo.
EZ makes it clear that he does not want to sell out the club or his brother and he’s only there to give him information on the Galindo cartel, never intending to drag the club down with him and wants out as soon as Kevin has enough to move on the cartel.
Kevin wants easy to move up to obtain more information. EZ feels guilty for bringing his father in on the fact that he’s an informant. Felipe Reyes wants to protect his son more than anything and is willing to use his shop for secret meetings if it means giving his son his life back.
Clubhouse Church Room
Bishop meets with Alvarez as they discuss the current circumstances. When they started the Santo Padre charter, things were better when working for Jose Galindo.
But things have changed now that Miguel is in charge, as he is not as honorable as his father. Hank explains the Los Olvidados has done more damage to the cartel than the Feds in the last 6 months.
Bishop orders Taza (Raoul Max Trujillo) and Hank to gather information on the identity of the woman in charge of the rebel group who stands to disrupt their business deal with Miguel. Hank and Taza are tasked with questioning a man named Louie and the Dogwood Crew.
The Rebel Camp
EZ returns to Gilly, Coco and Angel to dispose of Afa’s body. While they move the body through the tunnels, Angel tells Gilly and Coco that he wants to bring EZ in on their secret and that he can help them.
They bring EZ to the rebel camp, where the leader is unmasked to be non-other than Adelita, the woman EZ saw with the handbag earlier in the episode.
Adelita is given Gilly’s backpack with 12 keys of heroin as Angel warns her that the Galindo’s know about the Samoans and they will be looking for her and her rebels.
Adelita makes a chilling statement that they’re not afraid and because they have felt the destruction of the cartel and they will make him suffer, no matter the cost.
She orders the children to make a move on Galindo. Unfortunately, the text message emoji features an infant and references Emily’s baby boy.
Emily and her husband leave the restaurant and she notices that he is distant than usual he tells her there are bumps in the other world, the criminal side. He gives her a kiss and gets in his own car. As Emily’s car drives off, Adelita’s young rebels follow close behind her, unaware of the impending danger.
Angel explains his reason for betraying his Club. President Bishop does not have what it takes to make changes because Alvarez honors a deal made with Galindo’s old man, a deal that Angel believes will bury the club. Angel says the only way is to align with Los Olvidados and other vigilante groups.
Angel asks EZ if he’s all in, to which EZ responds yes. The episode ends with easy digging a grave for Afa.
Mayans MC episode 2 “Escorpión/Dzec” airs Tuesday, September 11th at 10pm on FX.