Summary
Narcos: Mexico Season 2, Episode 1, “Salva El Tigre” is a good opening, offering problems for both Félix and the DEA.
This recap of Netflix Series Narcos: Mexico season 2, episode 1, “Salva El Tigre” contains significant spoilers.
- Read the Season 2 review.
- Read the recap of Episode 2.
- Access the archive of all the episode recaps.
The opening of Narcos: Mexico Season 2 presents many problems for our lead character. Season 2 begins with the entire setting shrouded in paranoia.
Episode 1, “Salva El Tigre” opens up with Doctor Delgado getting attacked while getting in his car. He tells his captors that he knows powerful people. It’s the DEA. The doctor tells them that the men who killed their agent are in prison. Walt Breslin plays a tape where Delgado injects adrenaline in Kiki so he can be tortured for longer — Breslin wants the name of the other person on the tape. Breslin then tells his superior that they need to act now on Verdín, which is approved, on the condition his team does not get caught.
Episode 1, “Salva El Tigre”, confirms it is Félix’s 40th birthday. Félix shows his usual concerned face from the offset, telling Zuno he does not want any political problems and that he’s worried about cash flow. His trust issues are already escalating.
At his own party, Félix is staying away at first — you can sense a cloud hanging over him despite the many guests arriving and the grand set-up. When he finally comes outside, he is greeted with a raft of applause; he meets a few governors but does ask Amada where Acosta is. When Amada suggests moving on, Félix insists he must stay as he needs someone he can rely on and trust. Episode 1 is demonstrating the value of trust within this game. The party turns strange when a tiger is brought out in a cage, driven in by Chapo. Daniela is not happy as the tiger is listed as an endangered species.
Things continue to bubble underneath the surface in Episode 1. At the party, Benjamin wants to talk to Félix privately; he tells him his family can handle more coke in Sinaloa. Félix insists that everything stays as it is. Pacho arrives at the party from Colombia which catches Félix’s attentions. Félix tells Pacho that he wants to change their arrangement as things have changed. He explains that the cash flow is holding things up too much due to the slow process behind it. Pacho explains that products are easier to move than cash, but Félix raises the fact that they owe him $200 million and it funds his people and his plazas.
Pacho is clearly frustrated with Félix’s request, stating that not many people at this party tell Félix the truth. Pacho tells Félix that his money has struggled with the cash flow because seizures are up 40% due to the capture and murder of a DEA agent — it was bad for business. So with that, Pacho states that the arrangement stays the same before walking out of the party. Félix is told they won’t last 6 months on the current arrangement — Félix agrees, stating he will own the Colombians before it becomes a problem.
Narcos: Mexico Season 2, Episode 1, “Salva El Tigre” ends with Breslin and his team marking out their plans to get Verdín. They head out and trap a car with their target inside. A shoot-out ensues and they capture their target. One of the team members wants to kill a civilian because he’s a witness. Instead, Breslin threatens the civilian and makes him scared inside before asking the team to get inside of the truck.
The last scenes show Félix looking on at his party and the next day he checks out his new tiger. Breslin pulls away at his cigarette after capturing his target — he means business.
A great start to Season 2.
Cartel Diaries
- Daniela buys Félix a new watch for his birthday.
- Breslin narrates about a devastating earthquake in Mexico, 1985. The soldiers only wanted to prevent looting.
- In Cauca, Colombia. Miss Isabella is meeting the boss Henao in a jungle to strike a deal. She wants to make a lot of money with him.
