There are many traditions that cultures follow today which are not accepted in modern day. A recently added Netflix series gives some insight into this very topic. The Brothers Sun, directed by Mikkel Bondesen and Kevin Tancharoen, came out on January 4th, 2024. The story takes place in Los Angeles, California, with a backstory of a Chinese family from Taipei.
The family grew up involved in the tradition of the Jade Dragons, which is a Taipei clan of gangsters who fight to protect those who are loyal. The main character, Charles Sun (chair leg Sun), is a tough individual who was raised by his father in China to become a loyal soldier to the Jade Dragons. Another character, Bruce, was raised in LA by his mother, is the opposite of Charles. He is portrayed with a soft and innocent personality, being a mama’s boy and working to be a doctor. Baba (Big Sun) is Charles and Bruce’s father; he is a manipulative person that only cares about himself and his power as the head of the Jade Dragons. However, Mama Sun is very humble as she gave up her biggest dream to be the head of the clan to protect Bruce from all the violence they were around.
Some characters that helped the plot of the series become more intriguing including blood boots and Xing, who were loyal soldiers to Big Sun. A character named June slowly became important to the Sun’s because they bonded like family following the loss of her sister. Grace is someone who seemed to be a nice girl but turned out to be the manipulative leader of the Jade dragon’s enemy, “the boxers.” Lastly, a character named Alexis played an important role as she was the detective who noticed that the gang violence was connected to Charles and Chinese gangs.
Throughout the show, it is revealed that two mysterious men attacked Charles, which drew his worried father out of hiding. This then put Big Sun in a risky position and led to him being shot. As a part of a bigger plan, his father falls into a coma and Charles has direct orders to go to LA to look after his mother and brother, whom he had not seen in many years. The news that Charles was in LA spread quickly among enemies, leading to an attack at his mother’s home. Charles’ goal is to catch the person who sent these men to kill him.
In the end Mama Sun’s wish comes true, because Bruce gained the courage to stand up to his father. He made sure his father understood that Charles wanted to live a normal life. Soon enough, word was out that Big Sun was caught, leaving everyone happier. The show covers themes of how far a person will go for people they care about, even if that sentiment is not returned. I recommend this series to anyone who loves action and give it a 5 out of 5 shield rating.