If you’re a regular on PopWrapped, then you are probably aware of the weekly recaps for Netflix’s brand-new drama, Marco Polo. Well it’s time for us to break down the second episode, “The Wolf And The Deer”.

After the well-known explorer thrived in the challenge of going through a whorehouse without touching any of the women, he seems to want out of the court. Kublai Khan’s army returns from the Walled City utterly defeated, with his son, Jingim, totally ashamed. The emperor is obviously mad at him and wants him to find out why his uncle never arrived for help.

Meanwhile, Marco Polo is under a tax collector’s command and follows him everywhere, exploring how things work in this new world he’s living in. To his disappointment, it is soon revealed that he’s not allowed to follow his master at the Silk Road. Over at the Walled City, the Chancellor is looking forward to replacing the Emperor, who is just about to die. Confident that Kublai Khan’s fall is not that far, he boasts a bit to his sister.

As Marco rides out of Khan’s court, he meets with his love interest, who turns out to be the Blue Princess of the Bayaut tribe. He doesn’t hesitate to have a chat, despite being advised to stay away from her. Before they ride their way back, they both turn out to be Khan’s prisoners, despite the fact that he’s a slave and she is royalty. Brought in front of Kublai Khan, Marco Polo has to explain his horse-riding activities. The emperor doesn’t care enough though, as what he wants is for him to join Jingim in his trip to his brother’s kingdom and bring back all the juicy details, and so he does.

The explorer gets to meet a different court in the Old Capital, while warned that he should be careful of what he says so as not to get himself killed. At the same time, Khan’s brother has to explain himself regarding his men’s absence from the battlefield. As it seems, they couldn’t make it there and the messenger he sent ended up captured and murdered. Jingim is up to be influenced a bit by his uncle, who by the way doesn’t really like our friend Marco.

The two men eventually make their way back to Khan’s court and report everything to the Emperor. Even though Jingim thinks his uncle’s army is ready for battle, Marco dares to make his doubts public. According to him, the Old Capital won’t be able to keep all of its horses alive, all the way to the Walled City, in terms of supplies. Even though he does create a fuss and is rather hated for calling the Emperor’s brother a liar, Kublai Khan demands to send someone else over to confirm his claims.

Marco Polo plans to leave the court in order to avoid everyone’s rage about his claims, but his sweet escape is halted by his blind trainer. However, the latter promises to train him hard, so as to survive in a world like that. Once again, he ends up getting his ass kicked during a training session, before the Prince interrupts. Jingim is obviously pissed and threatens to kill Marco if he makes a fool out of him again, but reveals that his claims were utterly correct.

It turns out Ariq, the Mongolian Emperor’s brother has betrayed his family and despite the Empress’ wishes, Kublai Khan is being soft with him. Marco is soon met with another difficulty, as he has to call out the tax collector he’s following for collecting taxes in forms other than coins. This soon leads the man to his death, with Marco left completely messed up.

Meanwhile, Sidao, the Chancellor from the Walled City, is making plans of ruling everyone despite the newly-late Emperor’s young son being the new leader. Soon enough, he sends three soldiers at his sister’s room and she gets to play her seductive game with them. The lady gets their attention by being utterly naked and then manages to get them all down with her , literally, killer moves. Taking advantage from her actions, her brother sends her to Cambulac (a.k.a. Kublai Khan’s land) as a deserter and an undercover spy.

After calling him to the battlefield, Kublai Khan arrives at his brother’s land with a bunch of soldiers, but he manages to have a friendly chat with him on the night before the battle. With Marco present on the field and ready to learn a thing or two, the brothers get into an one-on-one face-off. What follows is an intense fighting sequence with swords, in which only one of them will leave standing.

Make sure you watch the epsidode to find out the result and be prepared for what’s to follow onMarco Polo.

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