Wu-Tang: An American Saga season 1, episode 2 recap & explained: Winter Warz

Welcome to Show Snob’s second recap and explanation article from Wu-Tang: An American Saga. Episode two in season one is entitled: Winter Warz.

Episode two of Wu-Tang: An American Saga begins in a neighborhood play area, adult RZA and Ghost watch some children play and reminisce. Ghost breaks up a scuffle between them and gives them some money to keep watch on Rae’s house; he has the Tec 9.

In Park Hill Power kicks knowledge to ODB about origins. They buy two kilos from a new trafficker, “Haze”. Ghost and RZA are there to parlay for Divine. Jamaican Bodyguards take and return Ghost’s gun. They are led to a supposed boss, Haze.

At the meeting, Ghost asks for some of the food ODB was eating but is rejected as a regular customer. It turns out Haze knows Meth, and inquires as to RZA’s music plans – saying he doesn’t want workers with other aspirations which takes focus. Though they convince him to sell to them.

Instead of a boring montage the show producers choose a cool and quirky animated scene depicting Divine’s – still absent – crack line is booming while he is in jail awaiting bail. RZA shows ingenuity as a drug manager, whilst Ghost takes lazy risks.

Meanwhile, at the Diggs household, the mother still reveres her son Divine; delaying eating until his phone call from lockup and the such. During a flashback in the south, we see more zealous behavior from RZA’s auntie. Divine only wants to talk to his brother, dismissing his mother to chat business. Divine meets with an old Stapleton friend on lockdown and refuses to be drawn into a fight Park Hill detainees.

Upon the roof at Park Hill, Grimace or “Jah Son” loads greased bullets into the Tec so it doesn’t jam for Ghost’s mission; they decide to hit Rae at church. Scoping the scene, while listening to Cypress Hill, they spot Haze with true boss of the outfit, Cressy. Next. the formerly mentioned duo see Rae’s mother.

Meth is rapping in RZA’s makeshift production lab, the latter says he needs a sampling machine to create his vision. Rae enters and nearly begins a mild confrontation with Meth. Unable to find his gun, he discovers that his rival Ghost has it. Unsurprisingly Rae, albeit knowing the Ghost doesn’t know the true owner, scalds RZA for giving away his “thang thang”.

Outside church, Jah Son and Ghost decide to give up as Rae hasn’t shown up. Over at Divine’s pad, RZA tells Divine’s girl the crew doesn’t have enough money for a paid lawyer yet so Divine will be represented by a public defender at present. Jah son robs Cressy at gun point. At a ‘trap house’ Ghost burns worker B-Black’s beard because he was getting high on their supply.

Another innovative animation breaks up the late 1980s/early 90s decor, beautifully interrupting proceedings with a quick dream-like sequence which transforms Ghost and RZA into their superhero alter egos. Back at the music equipment store, RZA chats to the friendly attendant who informs him that another famous DJ just purchased the last sampler he requests. But the guy sells him the instruction-less floor model.

Whilst Cooking-up crack, Rae speaks to Power about Stapleton getting the good “connect” – but the latter values his drug franchise on par with Kentucky Fried Chicken. B-Black, betraying Divine’s Stapleton crew, informs Power that, although his recipe is best, the rivals have the best spot to get close foot traffic – potentially out-selling them.

RZA gets into his lab, immediately scoring and sampling some iconic Wu-Tang of the near future; Meth joins on the mic. We learn that Rae lives rough. In an upscale restaurant, Ghost and Shurrie, who is RZA’s sister, continue their affair.

ODB and RZA are selling-out, as Power attempts to burn down their abandoned house. The gang escapes but their money, stash and some of RZA’s original music is destroyed. Mrs. Diggs informs her son on the phone from prison of the incident. In a flashback, it is made clear that Divine has always looked out for RZA.

Now living at one of Power’s crack dens, Rae seems to question his own lifestyle. Next, RZA returns his sampler to get closer to lawyer money or bail for Divine. Jah Son is shot outside of Larry’s Rib Snack, in retaliation for the home invasion – he even had Cressy’s chains on and was identified through one-of-a-kind sneakers. 

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