The rivalry between Shawn Pomrenke, Nome's "Mr. Gold," and Reaper Nation captain Kris Kelly comes to a head in the season premiere episode "The Empire Strikes Back." With his massive new excavator dredge, Kris attempts to go toe-to-toe with Shawn by encroaching on his mining grounds at Tomcod. The two Captains become locked in an epic dredge vs. dredge turf war that escalates to an unforgettable knock-down-drag-out showdown at the dock.