GUARDIAN REWATCH – Episode 13

[china_shop]

Beginning of episode: Da Qing trashes Wang Xiangyang's fruit shop
Ending of episode: Zhao Yunlan reveals he was faking being hypnotised

Important scenes/developments:
There's a LOT this episode!

• Zhao Yunlan and co find Da Qing trashing the fruit shop and tame him with fish.
• Zhu Jiu uses Zheng Yi to cause chaos at the Huang/Li wedding, and Shen Wei lets off his Dixing power EMP to break the mass hypnosis.
• Zhao Yunlan and co arrive, and Zhao Yunlan starts to scold Shen Wei but gets diverted into schmoozing (and defending Shen Wei to) Minister Gao.
• Cong Bo has a scoop.
• Zhao Yunlan stews in the Huangs' parlour; Shen Wei comes in to check on him? apologise? give more flimsy excuses.
• The SID find Cong Bo cowering in the street, and Zhao Yunlan learns there's someone behind Zhu Jiu.
• Zhu Jiu and Ya Qing bicker (despite Zheng Yi's presence).
• Chu Shuzhi rescues Guo Changcheng from the Snakes, and in flashback Changcheng defends the SID to Fourth Uncle.
• Zhao Yunlan finds Tan Xiao at the lab and sends him to the SID.
• Ying Chun actively aligns herself with the Envoy by telling on Ya Qing.
• Shen Wei finds Zhao Yunlan at the lab, and Zhao Yunlan confronts him with this circumstantial proof of his other role and says, "Shen Wei, I thought we were friends."
• Zhu Jiu interrupts this heart-to-heart and uses Zheng Yi to take Zhao Yunlan hostage. Shen Wei tries to bargain and transforms into his Envoy form. Zhu Jiu whisks Zhao Yunlan and Zheng Yi away.
• Shen Wei looks for Zhao Yunlan, over-extending himself, and coughs up blood.
• Ying Chun appeals to Ya Qing to turn back to the Light Side, but Ya Qing says it's too late.
• Zhu Jiu uses Zhao Yunlan to invade the SID, reuniting Zheng Yi and Tan Xiao so Zheng Yi will give him the Hallows.
• On Zhu Jiu's command, Zhao Yunlan shoots Zhu Hong.
• Shen Wei arrives, finds Zhu Hong's body and tells seemingly hypnotised Zhao Yunlan, "You're my best friend."
• The whole fake-out with Zhu Jiu telling Zhao Yunlan to shoot Shen Wei, Zhao Yunlan shooting, and Shen Wei rising up again for that classic battle couple shot from the credits.
• The glorious reveal where Zhao Yunlan is a total brat, and we and Shen Wei learn he's been faking all along.

( Lots of thoughts, reactions and screencaps. )

Discussion starters:

• Favourite line of dialogue? Favourite scene? For me, they're "Shen Wei, I thought we were friends," and the reveal that Zhao Yunlan was faking/the battle couple moment, but really, the episode is just PACKED with amazing goodness!


• So many secondary characters are introduced or highlighted in eps 12 and 13:
  Pics!

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Wang Xiangyang, Cong Bo, Fourth Uncle, Ying Chun (in human form), Ya Qing (in human form), Minister Gao. Among them, who is your favourite?


• Zhao Yunlan is so serious when he's sitting in the Huangs' parlour -- is he fuming about Shen Wei's secrets, or the case, or is it what he says when Shen Wei comes in, that he's worried the SID can't handle all the recent incursions? And when he says to Shen Wei, "You don't even want to make up an excuse now? Are you actually—" 现在连一个马虎的理由都懒得编了你到底是不是 whaaaat was the end of that question going to be?


• Zhu Jiu asks Shen Wei, "Hei Pao Shi daren, how long can you maintain your complete form on the surface?" Which suggests being the Envoy is more than just a change of clothes. I know we've talked about this before, but... any thoughts?


• I love Ying Chun's little twirl of coming and going. How does she travel? Is it a special plant power?


• Episodes 12 and 13 really highlight the Yashou as three distinct tribes with different political stances: the isolationist Snakes, the turned-to-the-Dark-Side Crows, and the informants-for-Hei-Pao-Shi Flowers. Do you sympathise with their different strategies?


• Team Shen Wei Coughing Blood? Or Team Zhao Yunlan Glaring While Shoving A Lollipop Into His Mouth? :D :D :D

Let’s talk about episode 13!
Come and talk about this episode – anything from favourite scenes or lines of dialogue to notes/questions about continuity or translation, most gorgeous (or angsty) smile, or anything else that strikes your fancy! And share links to your own and/or others’ episode-related meta, picspams, and fanworks, new or old!