In a land controlled by feudal barons, a great warrior and a young boy embark on a journey across a dangerous land to find enlightenment. A genre-bending martial arts series very loosely based on the classic Chinese tale Journey to the West.
In a land controlled by feudal barons, a great warrior and a young boy embark on a journey across a dangerous land to find enlightenment. A genre-bending martial arts series very loosely based on the classic Chinese tale Journey to the West.
The series critiques the oppressive feudal system and the corrupting nature of power, but it also demonstrates the pitfalls of revolutionary change, as leaders often become new oppressors. Its focus on individual struggles within a cyclical world of violence leads to a neutral rating, as it doesn't champion a specific political solution.
The series showcases visible diversity in its casting, featuring a multi-ethnic ensemble in an original post-apocalyptic setting. The narrative explores themes of power and survival within its unique world, without explicitly critiquing or negatively framing traditional identities.
Into the Badlands positively portrays LGBTQ+ characters through the significant and complex relationship between M.K. and Nathaniel Moon. Their love story is developed with dignity and emotional depth, affirming the worth of queer lives and love within the show's narrative without resorting to harmful stereotypes or making their identity a source of unique misery.
The show features multiple female characters, notably The Widow and Tilda, who are highly proficient martial artists. They are frequently depicted engaging in and winning direct physical combat against numerous male opponents using melee weapons and unarmed techniques.
The show features a spiritual discipline practiced by the Master and the Abbots, which strongly mirrors Buddhist principles of meditation, inner peace, and martial arts mastery. This path is consistently portrayed as a source of wisdom, moral guidance, and personal growth, with characters finding strength and purpose through its teachings.
Into the Badlands is an original series with no pre-existing source material or legacy characters. All characters were created specifically for the show, therefore no gender swaps occurred.
Into the Badlands is an original series with characters created specifically for the show. There are no pre-existing canonical or historical characters whose race could have been altered for this adaptation.
Combines user and critic ratings from four sources