The Black Lives Matter movement beautifully took center stage.

The Shen family dug into their past, and their experiences with discrimination were revealed.

Nicky and Henry hit the books hard, and their effort paid off with a new lead on another weapon.

Kung Fu Season 1 Episode 5 was a tearjerker.

Althea tried her hardest to tell Dennis the information about her sexual assault but couldn't get herself to reveal it.

The feelings she's experiencing are coming to the surface fast, and she will have to find a way to tell her loved ones.

The baggage started to cause her harm. Throughout the hour, she detoxed with juice to get rid of negativity and claimed it was for the wedding.

Nicky rightfully pointed out that the trauma was holding her back -- not the wedding pressure. I've noticed that Nicky is becoming quite the therapist for her family -- without helping herself first.

Althea needs to deal with the things she's pushed back, and the longer she puts them off, I think Dennis's reaction will be worse. The truth hurts, but also discussions are necessary when it's something as serious as sexual assault.

Althea isn't the only one grappling with difficult emotions lately.

Nicky and Henry's relationship heated up a bit.

They shared a few kisses along with many heartfelt moments, and the question on everyone's mind (including Henry's) is: when will they make it official?

Their partnership in the Zhilan case forced them to get closer to each other and spend a lot of time in each other's company.

During this outing, they also went through something traumatic together, a little encounter with a young Black man named Andre as they were on their way to a date, which Nicky cut short by insisting they study more.

When leaving, they come across a horrifying scene. The cops had shot Andre.

Andre wasn't doing anything illegal, according to bystanders. He was riding his skateboard and minding his business.

Nicky and Henry were deeply disturbed by this act of violence.

Their past had influenced Nicky's parents' reaction, forming a slight rift between Nicky and her mom.

Nicky doesn't know about the discrimination against her parents when they first emigrated.

Mei-Li was scared, which came off as cold and uncaring. Nicky did not want to confront her mom because the tensions in the family are still high.

Her fear was amplified by "Justice 4 Andre" painted on the restaurant's window. She freaked out, and all of the shops on the street agreed to close in support, and Nicky convinced them to set up a small booth outside in support of the protests.

Ryan and Joe's relationship also evolves throughout the hour, but with a more solid answer.

Joe led one of the protests to get justice for Andre, and Ryan showed up to support him, much to Joe's surprise and delight.

They got caught outside when the police began throwing tear gas at the protestors, running into the family restaurant with other people close behind.

That escalated Mei-Li's fear because she got nervous, believing that the police were going to raid the restaurant.

It turned out she wasn't entirely wrong.

The police did not want to raid the restaurant; they wanted to arrest Joe.

Evan warned Nicky that the police wanted Joe on accusations of inciting a riot, but the claims were baseless. Evan put himself at risk by calling Nicky, and I'm glad that he is trying to help out.

Ryan and Nicky wanted to help Joe, but Joe prepared himself for the worst. Ryan's love for Joe was revealed in the following scenes, and I hope their relationship continues to be loving and supportive.

Police Officer: I have a warrant of the arrest of Joseph Harper, please come forward.
Nicky: Arrest Me.
Jin: Nicky! What are you doing?
Nicky: Taking his place.
Police officer: Cute miss, but we're for mister Harper. For him.
Nicky: I did it. Arrest me. Read me my rights.
Ryan: Arrest me!
Joe: Wait. Thank you, but I cannot let-
Jin: Arrest me!
Mei-Li: Arrest me!

• Permalink: Arrest Me.

Joe's reactions ranged from anger to sadness, but he wanted to keep fighting. Joe's resolve to stay strong was impressive and made me consider how people must feel in similar, real-life situations.

It was heartbreaking when he realized he would most likely be going to jail.

The topics brought up in this episode are highly relevant to the climate today. Discrimination is happening all over the country to people of different races.

The parallels portrayed between the Shen Family's past discrimination and the Black Lives Matter movement showcased parallels that made me reflect on our country's current climate. There has been a rise in violence against Asian-Americans; in addition to the all-too-common violence against Black Americans, our country is hurting.

Seeing heavy political issues discussed in a fantasy-leaning show is unique, and seeing everything grounded in the real world makes for a great watch.

Mei-Li's fear came from many experiences of discrimination. At the end of the show, she told a heartbreaking story about their window getting broken with a rock containing a hateful note.

The emotion that she portrayed broke my heart as Kheng Hua Tan continues to impress. Mei-Li is such a beautiful character, and I am looking forward to learning more about her mental evolution.

Mei-Li: Do you remember your father's story? The one about the dragon?
Althea: You mean our favorite bedtime story?
Nicky: You and Baba said a dragon came all the way from China to visit us. Ryan remind me how old were you again when you realized wasn't real? Was it 16?
Ryan: Shut up.
Mei-Li: You may have grown out of believing that story, but it's time you knew what really happened. That word. That one hateful word.
Jin: When you called me back from the house, even when we were driving home, your hands were still shaking.
Mei-Li: I was so hurt, and so scared. I actually wanted to close the restaurant. But do you remember what you told me?
Jin: Yes I remember.
Mei-Li: You said: don't give them the satisfaction of giving up. That we should stay and put in roots so deep that no one could tear them out.

• Permalink: That we should stay and put in roots so deep.

Jin's character's evolution has also been lovely. I seriously love Tzi Ma, and seeing his growth is such a treat.

Kung Fu's cast has significant chemistry, and watching them is a pleasure. Everyone elevates each other, and they are a solid cast for The CW.

Often with shows that involve magic, the magic gets in the way of the more important things -- like the plot.

Luckily, Kung Fu has avoided that trope and hopefully will continue.

Ancient Chinese history backs the magic that Nicky and Henry dug up, and that history has a significant influence on the plot.

I'm glad the details fleshed out naturally. Nothing seems forced, and the progress the two are making does not seem rushed.

Nicky: Pei-Ling told me something, and it goes beyond physics, beyond facts, and history. I didn't really believe her until now.
Henry: What do you mean?
Nicky: The unknown. Look in every illustration of the sword we found, the handle is smooth, when Pei-Ling showed it to me it was smooth When I grabbed it? Smooth. No markings, nothing. So how did this happen. The weapons glowed green. Well, I saw the sword glow, and this scabbard, it's inlaid with obsidian, like the sword. Black as night. Now if the weapons glowed green, and the sword glowed green, and this scabbard belongs to the sword... then... Henry! There are greater forces at play here. I think the magic is real.

• Permalink: I think the magic is real

I am excited about what might happen when Nicky goes head-to-head with Zhilan again. The story leads to some confrontation between the two women, with the magical weapons at the center.

Will they fight over a weapon? Will they fight WITH the weapons? My mind has so many theories running through it, and I want Kung  Fu Season 1 Episode 6 now!

So, Kung Fu Fanatics!

What did you think of the episode?

How well do you think they handled the tough topics?

Let us know in the comments below, and watch Kung Fu online here on TV Fanatic.

Michael Stack is a former writer for TV Fanatic..