Kill Bill: Vol. 2 2004

During the opening credits, we catch a glimpse of the Bride’s bloodied visage as she poignantly declares, > “Bill, it’s your baby.” In the initial scene, she is seen behind the wheel of an open car, reflecting on her quest, asserting that there is only one left to eliminate, which hints at her belief concerning Elle’s fate. She is en route to confront Bill.

In Chapter 6: The Massacre at Two Pines, we travel back to a black-and-white flashback at the Two Pines Wedding Chapel in El Paso, TX, where a wedding rehearsal is underway. Reverend Harmony (Bo Svenson) and his wife (Jeannie Epper) decide to seat the groom’s side at both aisles since the bride is without relatives. Stepping outside for fresh air, the Bride (Uma Thurman) stumbles upon Bill (David Carradine) playing a bamboo flute on a bench. When she requests him to be kind, he admits his struggle with kindness but vows to be sweet. As they head inside, she introduces him to her fiancé as her father but rebuffs the idea of him giving her away at the ceremony. When the ceremony kicks off, Bill remains in the back, observing silently.

Outside, chaos ensues as four armed assassins, clad in black, storm in, unleashing gunfire that claims the lives of everyone present, sparing only the Bride and Bill.

Returning to the present, Bill visits his brother Budd (Michael Madsen), also known as Sidewinder, at his desolate trailer, cautioning him about the Bride’s imminent vengeance. Despite their past conflicts, Bill suggests they set aside differences. Budd, nursing a drink, provocatively hints that maybe they deserve to be killed because the Bride deserves her retribution. He further irritates Bill by revealing he pawned his cherished samurai sword—a gift from Bill—for a mere $250.

In Chapter 7: The Lonely Grave of Paula Schulz, Budd shows up late for his job as a bouncer in a local strip club, only to find the venue empty. He quickly converses with the bartender, Jay, before being summoned by the volatile manager Larry Gomez. A tense argument ensues regarding Budd’s tardiness, leading to his dismissal. Later, while cleaning up a mess in the club, Budd returns to his trailer, instinctively freezing when he senses something off. As he enters, the Bride, having concealed herself beneath the trailer, ambushes him, resulting in Budd shooting her with rock salt from a shotgun.

Pleased with his victory, Budd injects her with a sedative and reaches out to Elle Driver (Daryl Hannah), proposing to sell her the Bride’s Hattori Hanzo sword for a million dollars, given that she must die suffering for him to receive the payment.

As Budd and an accomplice bury the wounded Bride alive in a freshly dug grave, she faces an unsettling choice: surrender to the darkness and be granted a flashlight, or resist and endure the agony of mace in her eyes. She chooses compliance, but as she is placed in the coffin, a surge of panic hits her mind as she recalls her training under Pai Mei.

In Chapter 8: The Cruel Tutelage of Pai Mei, we flashback to a time in China where Bill and the Bride (still smitten) share stories around a campfire. He introduces her to Pai Mei (Chia Hui Liu), recounting the feared master’s infamous five-point-palm-exploding-heart technique—a lethal skill that Bill was denied due to his refusal to share it with others. When Pai Mei agrees to train the Bride, Bill warns her of the respected teacher’s merciless nature, especially towards women.

Though initially humiliated in combat, Bride diligently perseveres, mastering the techniques over weeks, ultimately managing to break through a wooden plank, showcasing her relentless spirit.

As the narrative returns to the present, she finds a way to free herself from the coffin using a hidden razor, brilliantly breaking through the lid and emerging covered in dirt. She strolls into a diner, calmly requesting a glass of water while lifting her head high.

In Chapter 9: Elle and I, the Bride traverses a long journey across desert and mountains, arriving at Budd’s trailer just as Elle arrives for her rendezvous. Elle comes armed with a red suitcase brimming with money, but it’s too late for Budd. Hidden among the cash, a venomous black mamba strikes, leading to his demise. In a twisted echo of regret, Elle laments that the Bride deserved better than someone like Budd.

Elle promptly contacts Bill to inform him of the supposed victory over the Bride and uncovers Beatrix Kiddo’s final resting place. Unbeknownst to her, Beatrix enters and launches into a raucous confrontation with Elle that devastates the trailer’s interior.

In their midst, Beatrix spots a Katana, singularly inscribed with a heartfelt message to Budd from Bill. In a fierce struggle, Beatrix manages to pluck out Elle’s remaining eye, a poetic semblance of revenge that alludes to the bond and betrayal woven throughout their lives.

Lastly, in Last Chapter: Face to Face, we find Beatrix in Mexico seeking guidance from a former mentor of Bill—Esteban Vihaio (Michael Parks). Once she enters Bill’s hacienda, the air thickens as she sees him and their daughter B.B. (Perla Haney-Jardine) at play. Following a tender moment with B.B., Beatrix faces Bill, now determined to express the love that once was.

A tussle arises, leading to her utilizing the five-point-palm-exploding-heart technique, leaving Bill with time to reflect on their past before taking five steps and collapsing. With the echoes of their shared history resonating, Beatrix departs with her daughter, affirming, > “The lioness has rejoined her cub, and all is right in the jungle.”