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waterscrollFu You (a drama-only character) is the Yashou High Chief and Snake Tribe leader who led the Alliance together with her human counterpart Ma Gui. In episode 34 she says that she made the Hallows, together with Ma Gui, in order to benefit all of Haixing. Her goal after the war is over is for everyone to go to different places: Humans stay where they are, Dixingians go underground and Yashou go ‘far away.’ The reason she wants this is that, as she says, the Yashou are a peace-loving people. In episode 35 she is present but almost entirely silent when Ma Gui makes the treaty with Dixing and gives them the Hallows.
In episode 34, in a conversation with Ma Gui, she asks if ‘this timeline’ will change. So she at least believes in multiple timelines, and may have seen others.
Ma Gui is in love with Fu You but (despite Zhao Yunlan’s encouragement) never quite manages to tell her. In the end she and the Yashou leave Ma Gui and the humans. Ma Gui almost tells her his feelings but she interrupts him, telling him that as leaders they are not free to indulge themselves.
In episode 37 we see a flashback to Ma Gui trying to make a seed from Fu You’s hometown grow in the hope that it will make her smile again. After Zhao Yunlan helps him grow it he gives it to her, and she says that she will pass it on to her children and her children’s children. It ends up becoming the Sacred Branch that Zhu Hong uses to become High Chief of the Yashou.
When Zhu Hong sees Fu You in episode 38 she immediately falls to her knees, showing that the Snake Tribe at least remembers her.
In episode 40 Fu You makes a last appearance to tell Zhao Yunlan how to restore the Lantern, while Ma Gui warns him that if he does this he will die.
Fu You and Ma Gui tell Zhao Yunlan how to save Dixing and what it will cost him.
I find Fu You so fascinating because she had a key role in creating the separation of peoples that gets so fraught and complicated during the series, as well as the Hallows. Between that and her comment about timelines, there seems to be a lot to explore in her character.
Some questions:
1. Does Fu You seem snake-like in any way or remind you of any fictional tropes about snakes? Des she have anything in common with the other Snake Tribe Yashou we meet? (Zhu Hong, Fourth Uncle)
2. Why did she want Humans, Dixingians and Yashou to all live separately? Why did she think that was what would bring peace?
3. How was Fu You remembered among the different Yashou tribes?
4. What was her role in making the Hallows? Why do you think she thought they were important?
5. Did she actually see any other timelines? Or try to change this one?
6. Did she love Ma Gui or was it one-sided? Do you think their relationship reflects on the Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan in any particular way? Or on the Zhu Hong&Zhao Yunlan relationship?
7. What was her relationship with Shen Wei like? Was her relationship with Shen Wei different from Ma Gui’s? Do you think Shen Wei knew about her plan that Dixingians should return to Dixing? If so, what do you think he thought of it?
Fanworks:
Fu You is tagged in eight fics on AO3. I’ve also seen her appear untagged in other stories as part of the background in fics set during Alliance times.
Cosmic Variables by PK20 features a Fu You who knows that timelines can change and is working on making that happen.
Meeting in a Time of Peace bychina_shop has Shen Wei and Fourth Uncle talk about Fu You and what she was like and what she wanted.
My ficlet Two Peoples explores the different goals that Fu You and Ma Gui had for their alliance.
Please let us know what other interesting takes you’ve seen (or written) on Fu You in fic, especially where she might not be tagged or might only have a minor role.
So - come and talk about Fu You! Share links to meta, picspams, and related fanworks, new or old! Self-recs whole-heartedly encouraged. Basically, this is the place for anything you want to say or link to about Fu You.
Important: If you're commenting with meta/discussion/thoughts, please say whether you're coming from a novel perspective, a drama perspective, or a blend of the two, so we don't end up talking past each other. Thanks!
In episode 34, in a conversation with Ma Gui, she asks if ‘this timeline’ will change. So she at least believes in multiple timelines, and may have seen others.
Ma Gui is in love with Fu You but (despite Zhao Yunlan’s encouragement) never quite manages to tell her. In the end she and the Yashou leave Ma Gui and the humans. Ma Gui almost tells her his feelings but she interrupts him, telling him that as leaders they are not free to indulge themselves.
In episode 37 we see a flashback to Ma Gui trying to make a seed from Fu You’s hometown grow in the hope that it will make her smile again. After Zhao Yunlan helps him grow it he gives it to her, and she says that she will pass it on to her children and her children’s children. It ends up becoming the Sacred Branch that Zhu Hong uses to become High Chief of the Yashou.
When Zhu Hong sees Fu You in episode 38 she immediately falls to her knees, showing that the Snake Tribe at least remembers her.
In episode 40 Fu You makes a last appearance to tell Zhao Yunlan how to restore the Lantern, while Ma Gui warns him that if he does this he will die.
Fu You and Ma Gui tell Zhao Yunlan how to save Dixing and what it will cost him.
I find Fu You so fascinating because she had a key role in creating the separation of peoples that gets so fraught and complicated during the series, as well as the Hallows. Between that and her comment about timelines, there seems to be a lot to explore in her character.
Some questions:
1. Does Fu You seem snake-like in any way or remind you of any fictional tropes about snakes? Des she have anything in common with the other Snake Tribe Yashou we meet? (Zhu Hong, Fourth Uncle)
2. Why did she want Humans, Dixingians and Yashou to all live separately? Why did she think that was what would bring peace?
3. How was Fu You remembered among the different Yashou tribes?
4. What was her role in making the Hallows? Why do you think she thought they were important?
5. Did she actually see any other timelines? Or try to change this one?
6. Did she love Ma Gui or was it one-sided? Do you think their relationship reflects on the Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan in any particular way? Or on the Zhu Hong&Zhao Yunlan relationship?
7. What was her relationship with Shen Wei like? Was her relationship with Shen Wei different from Ma Gui’s? Do you think Shen Wei knew about her plan that Dixingians should return to Dixing? If so, what do you think he thought of it?
Fanworks:
Fu You is tagged in eight fics on AO3. I’ve also seen her appear untagged in other stories as part of the background in fics set during Alliance times.
Cosmic Variables by PK20 features a Fu You who knows that timelines can change and is working on making that happen.
Meeting in a Time of Peace by
china_shop has Shen Wei and Fourth Uncle talk about Fu You and what she was like and what she wanted.My ficlet Two Peoples explores the different goals that Fu You and Ma Gui had for their alliance.
Please let us know what other interesting takes you’ve seen (or written) on Fu You in fic, especially where she might not be tagged or might only have a minor role.
So - come and talk about Fu You! Share links to meta, picspams, and related fanworks, new or old! Self-recs whole-heartedly encouraged. Basically, this is the place for anything you want to say or link to about Fu You.
Important: If you're commenting with meta/discussion/thoughts, please say whether you're coming from a novel perspective, a drama perspective, or a blend of the two, so we don't end up talking past each other. Thanks!
