‘New Gold Mountain’ Recap: ‘Integrity’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the series finale of ‘New Gold Mountain’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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When we last settled in to discuss the wondrous and engaging Sundance Now series, New Gold Mountain, the situation was grim. Because Leung Wei Shing was in quite the difficult position. For despite his best efforts to solve the mystery of who killed Annie Thomas, he came to no answers, and that was going to result in serious trouble for his camp. Not to mention Li was ready to punish him badly for his illegal transgressions, making it seem as though this series was going to end on a brutal low note. One where hope would be robbed from the audience and bad things would come to this camp. But surprisingly, it turns out that the writers behind this series, figured out a way to bring us at the very least, a bittersweet conclusion. 

A feat that ‘Integrity’ accomplished by resolving several plot threads quickly. For instance, after being taught a lesson for lying, Shing was given a chance to continue to run his illegal mine and face no punishment for the death of the surveyor, if he gave the Brotherhood a better piece of the golden pie he was sitting upon and well, he was happy to take that deal in exchange for his life. And once that little conundrum was wrapped up, it was onto the mystery at hand. Specifically, who killed Annie Thomas. But that didn’t quite resolve itself in a manner as smooth as the matter with Li and the Brotherhood. In fact, despite learning from his brother exactly what happened on that night and how Sun was innocent, since he and Annie were separated, the answer to her death never made itself apparent, and to make matters worse, Gok was arrested in a racist attempt to get someone to answer for this crime.

But thanks to Ms. Roberts, the truth finally came to light. In that, Gok followed Sun on that fateful night and did indeed see he and Annie together when gunfire came into play, which created the split in question, and when he approached Annie to talk with her, an accident took place. For she fell awkwardly and landed poorly, to the point where she passed away from her injuries. Meaning that in the end, she wasn’t murdered and as it turned out… was only mutilated because she swallowed Sun’s gold at his request and he went to retrieve it, and being faced with these facts, put Shing in a tough place. Because he could either let an innocent man hang for a murder that no one committed, or he could try and set everything right… and thankfully… he chose the latter.

Which prompted him to put his baby brother on a wagon toward the coast with all of his gold in an effort to show Sun he cared and wanted better for him, before confessing that he committed the crime in question. A lie that should have ended his life, but he was quick to also put in a sweetener to protect his freedom. In that, he revealed to the British, the illegal operation that was taking place. Which made the Commissioner look like a hero for bringing a new rich vein to the city and to make good on this information related deal, Shing was set free in the middle of nowhere. Which is indeed a bittersweet and satisfying ending, one that quite frankly… brought home a bit of commentary that we haven’t discussed since our recap of the series premiere. Specifically, the power of greed.

Because it really seemed that this series was going to focus on that before the murder mystery came into play and well, this ending brings that back around full circle. For in many ways, Shing came to realize that greed is the root of a great many evils in our world, but it can serve a purpose, which in this instance… involved using it to one’s advantage. Because he was able to chart his own course while giving everyone what they wanted financially, and that is quite the subtle and powerful bit of commentary to send our way. One that reminds us of how far we haven’t come and well, that is a brilliant way to end an engaging and cerebral series that chronicled a chapter of the world’s history that was mired in chaos and violence over the chance to strike it rich. 

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