GUARDIAN REWATCH – Episode 17

[china_shop]

Beginning of episode: Zhu Jiu convinces Bao Laosan to destroy the SID.
Ending of episode: Chu Shuzhi meets Ye Huo in the underground fight club.

Important scenes/developments:

• Bao Laosan attacks the SID, after remembering Zhao Xinci shooting at him and killing his wife.
• Shen Wei looks for Zhao Yunlan in Dixing, and the bar patrons are rude and disrespectful.
• The SID team arrive and take on Bao Laosan. Zhao Xinci comes from inside the SID and pulls his gun. Bao Laosan is shot.
• In Dixing, Wu Tian'en tells Zhao Yunlan about an information merchant.
• Separately, Shen Wei scares the crap out of An Bai and his friends.
• Ya Qing is disgusted by Zhu Jiu's betrayal of Bao Laosan, but Zhu Jiu says his boss would do the same.
• We get the first half of Zhu Jiu's backstory, and confirmation that Creepy Pillar Guy is his boss.
• Zhao Yunlan feels sick from over-exposure to dark energy, and starts to formulate a plan to catch Zhu Jiu.
• The SID is subdued. Zhao Xinci says they did well. Da Qing privately asks Zhao Xinci if he really killed Bao Laosan.
• A masked Ding Dun offers Zhao Yunlan relationship advice and then stabs him in the arm.
• Shen Wei arrives in the nick of time, fights Ding Dun, rescues some smouldering pages of the Register, and saves Zhao Yunlan's life.
• Zhao Yunlan dreams about meeting his mother at the sky pillar, then wakes up in the SID.
• Zhao Xinci visits Shen Xi's grave, argues with Zhang Shi, and remembers his and Shen Xi's tragic backstory.
• Zhao Yunlan takes Shen Wei to his mother's grave and reacts strongly to seeing Zhao Xinci's flowers there.
• The Regent and the Deacon talk about the Envoy and Ding Dun.
• An Bai and friends are arrested and sentenced to execution.
• Zhao Yunlan finds The Ancient Mysteries book, left in the SID library by Zhang Shi, and takes it home for bedtime reading.
• Cong Bo brings intel about the underground fight club.
• The chancellor tries to make Shen Wei choose between teaching and working for the SID, but Jiajia intervenes.
• Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan sit in Zhao Yunlan's office and gossip about Lao Chu and Xiao Guo.
• Chu Shuzhi and Guo Changcheng investigate the underground fight club and meet Ye Huo.

( Thoughts and screencaps. )

Discussion starters:

• What's your favourite line of dialogue? Favourite scene? Was there anything you'd forgotten?


• What is Shen Wei's worst moment this episode? Hearing the drunk in the bar say he killed Zhao Yunlan? Having his people throw food and jeer? Finding Zhao Yunlan half-dead in the street? Having the chancellor tell him to choose between teaching and consulting at the SID, and knowing he has to choose the SID? Something else?


• Does anyone pay Wu Tian'en back the 500 yuan? Is it Dixing currency?


• And why does Ding Dun kill Zhao Yunlan? It seems like a personal grudge, but they never met. Is he acting on Ye Zun's behalf? And why did he burn the Register? Why right then? Any thoughts?


• Is there any payoff from Shen Wei finding the smoking remains of the Dijun's Register?


• What exactly happened with Bao Laosan's death? Why does Zhang Shi blame Zhao Xinci? Do you think Zhao Xinci has changed at all since the flashback where Bao Laosan's wife died?


• Why on earth would Zhao Yunlan send Guo Changcheng on his own to investigate an underground fight club? I mean, sure, Lao Chu will inevitably get in someone's face and end up fighting. But Guo Changcheng on his own doesn't seem like a better option!

Let’s talk about episode 17!
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!

520 Day Reverse Exchange - One Week to Deadline!

[trobadora]

Just a reminder that the 520 Day Reverse Exchange deadline is now one week away. Please post your completed assignment to the AO3 collection by 11:59PM UTC Saturday 13 May! (What time is that for me?)

Your work must be complete to fill your assignment. It's fine to keep editing until reveals, but the first and each edited version must be a work that stands on its own. If you're unsure how to post, see the instructions here.

If you have any questions or, for any reason, you can't make the deadline, please let us know NOW by replying to your assignment email (please don't change the subject line) or commenting here. Comments here are screened.

General info, schedule and minimum requirements

*cheers everyone on*