4.08

Bakuda, the bomb-obsessed villain, confronted the Undersiders, revealing she’d been toying with them. She silenced Tattletale, the team’s strategist, suspecting her power involved subtle manipulation. Bakuda explained her philosophy of leadership, learned from Lung: effective leadership was based on fear. She needed to make an example of the Undersiders, something so terrifying it would make Lung’s enemies flee at the sight of her.

She then chose a random civilian, Park Jihoo, for a demonstration. She handed him a gun, ordering him to shoot one of the Undersiders, even offering to let him aim for a non-lethal spot. When the terrified boy refused and dropped the gun, Bakuda kicked him to the ground. Without warning, Jihoo dissolved into a puddle. Bakuda, laughing hysterically, revealed she’d implanted a vibration bomb in him, modeled after Tesla’s work. She boasted about implanting similar bombs in all her followers, a tedious but necessary process to ensure their loyalty.

Regent, surprisingly calm, expressed a morbid fascination with the display, but Bakuda became paranoid, accusing him of trying something. She then had one of her men film the aftermath, planning to distribute the video as a message.

Bakuda pointed out another civilian, asking if she would shoot if ordered. The girl, terrified, admitted she probably would. Bakuda explained that true fear was a blend of certainty and unpredictability. Her people knew that if they crossed her, or if she died, their bombs would detonate. The unpredictability came from her varied arsenal and her whims.

Suddenly, an explosion ripped through Bakuda’s group. Lisa reacted instantly, pulling the team away. Regent created further chaos by tripping up Bakuda’s men, gunfire erupted, and Regent may have been shot. Amid the chaos, Bakuda remained seated on her jeep, either laughing or shouting, seemingly unconcerned that her plan was falling apart. As darkness fell, Grue covered their escape, the Undersiders fleeing into the night.