"The Sensei" takes place in the early 80's, during the beginning of the AIDS epidemic. After a five year absence, Karen O'Neil, haunted by the death of her husband-to-be, boxer Mark Corey, returns to her hometown to reunite with her family who are leaders within their church and operate a successful martial arts business. After a lonely gay teenager named McClain Evans, is severely beaten, his mother asks Karen to take Mcclain as her secret pupil and teach him the martial way. When the secret gets out that she's his teacher, this manifest a series of events that effect her and her family