Pilot

Season	Episode
1	1

Air date

January 4, 2024

Writer

Brad Falchuk
Byron Wu

Director

Kevin Tancharoen

Episode guide
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"Favor for a Favor"

Pilot is the first episode of the Netflix streaming series The Brothers Sun. It aired on January 4, 2024. It also serves as the series premiere.

Synopsis[]

A family emergency sends a ruthless killer from Taipei to L.A. Cash-strapped Bruce takes a new gig. When a crisis erupts, estranged brothers reunite.

Plot[]

In Taipei, a TV screen is turned on, where an episode of The Great British Bake-Off plays in the background, as Charles makes his own sponge cake. Unbeknownst to him, two masked assailants get off the elevator, and when they get to his apartment, they put a device on the door, and proceed to press the button. Which seemingly lets them inside Charles’ home. In the blink of an eye, they barge in, and they all proceed to attack Charles. Despite the 3 vs. 1 odds, Charles incapacitates all three of the assailants. However, the fire alarm rings because his cake got burned. In anger, he throws it into the trash. Later, Blood Boots mentions to Xing in Mandarin, how he has been in the game for thirty years, and how he used to be the guy they called when things got real. But now, he is only brought in to help clean up someone else’s mess. Surprisingly, Big Sun shows up to check on his eldest son.; despite needing to be in hiding. He chastises Charles for not keeping at least one of the assailants alive to ask questions. However, Charles thinks Sleepy Chan sent them. Suddenly, a shot rings out, and shatters the window to Charles' apartment. Which results in Big Sun being Shot. Charles orders everyone to move, and to cover them, as he holds onto his father, who is bleeding out.

Later, Yuan informs Charles that his father is out of surgery, but is now in a coma because there was a lack of blood flow to the brain. Thus, they don’t know if Big Sun will ever wake up. Eventually, Charles recalls what his father once said to him, that if anything were to happen to him, he should go look after his mother with no hesitation. Yuan agrees, stating that Charles’ mother must be protected at all costs because she is the key to their power.

In Los Angeles, Bruce is working as an Lyft Driver, but not having the best night, when his two latest passengers ended up both throwing up inside his car. He eventually makes it home and grabs himself something to eat. Tired, he falls asleep and the next morning, his mom yells out to him that he is going to be late. After some breakfast, and some last minute reading, Bruce leaves his home, and makes his way to one of his college classes. He finishes his test, and turns it into his professor, who tells him that there is still twenty minutes left. Bruce points out how he is already done, but his professor reminds him how he turned in the last test early too, and it ended up costing him points too. Afterwards, he tries to plead for an extension in order to get the money he needs to pay for his classes. But the person in charge rejects him. She reminds him that he has until tomorrow, otherwise, the school will have no choice but to invalidate this semester.

Later, Bruce goes to see his best friend TK, and asks if he can borrow $5,000 for his tuition. When TK asks him if his mom pays for his school, Bruce admits that while that is technically true, he spent the money on something else. TK laughs in good nature when he realizes that Bruce spent five grand taking improv classes. After some initial hesitation, Bruce agrees to help TK sell some drugs.

Elsewhere, Charles arrives in LA from Taiwan. Unbeknownst to him, one of the flight attendants texts someone that they are deplaning now, and they are exiting from door 7. She then presumably mentions in the text that Charles is wearing a black blazer. Charles drives through the streets of Los Angeles, and stops at a bakery first to grab some food, and arrives at his mom’s home empty-handed. He sighs and rings the bell a couple of times, but receives no answer. So he gets in through the backdoor, after he picks one of the locks. Just as he sets down the box from the bakery, he sees a picture of his mom and Bruce hanging out at a waterpark. But in a millisecond, the floors creak, and he is attacked by a shadowy figure, who inadvertently punches a hole into the wall. Charles lights a cigarette, after he has pinned the assailant to the table with a knife to their hand. He asks the assailant who sent him, but said mystery person refuses to answer. So Charles ends up killing him. Later, Eileen arrives only to find a mess in her house. She sees the dead body, and calls for Bruce. But to her surprise, she comes face to face with Charles.

She adbominishes Charles telling him that his beard looks terrible, and chastises him for what he did to the house. Eileen reminds him that there are no people here to help them clean up these kinds of messes, so she hands him a broom, and the two begin to clean up. Charles eventually tells his mom that they shot his dad, and admits to knowing if Big Sun will live.

At a club, TK and Bruce are getting ready to do the job that will get Bruce the money he needs for his tuition. But when they are there, Bruce starts second guessing himself, and tells his best friend that he doesn’t think he can do it. It takes some further convincing, but he gets Bruce to stick to the plan after all. Bruce meets May and after a confusing conversation, he is given the drugs that he needs to sell. Eventually Charles arrives at the same club, and eventually comes across May. He bumps into Charles who recognizes him, and despite him trying to get his younger brother out, is tased by one of May’s men. Charles announces who he is, and May fangirls that he is a legend, who is often referred to as Chairleg Sun. May eventually asks Charles what he is doing in LA, because she and the rest of her crew are not interested in foreign interference. May and Charles eventually get in a fight, but it is stopped when some mysterious people in kitten helmets set off a bomb. May stands up and shoots some of her knives at a few of the guys, but is quickly shot down by another person. Bruce grabs Charles and the two brothers do their best to get out of the club. They are helped out by TK who drives off with them.

The Brothers Sun eventually get back home, and Charles yells out to his mom that he found Bruce. Much to his surprise, Bruce sees his mom is disposing of a body.