GUARDIAN REWATCH - Episode 25

[trobadora]

Beginning of episode: Zhao Yunlan and Guo Changcheng question the taxi driver; Guo Changcheng is infected with black energy
Ending of episode: Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan arrive at Shen Wei's flat; something smells burnt

Important scenes/developments:

• Zhao Yunlan and Guo Changcheng question the taxi driver; Guo Changcheng is infected with black energy
• Guo Changcheng doesn't want people to touch his diary and becomes aggressive
• Zhu Hong tries to confess her feelings, and turns shy and weepy
• Zhao Yunlan talks to Dr Cheng and finds out about Kong Jing and his 99 personalities
• Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei arrive at the SID and are appalled by the changes in Chu Shuzhi
• Shen Wei decides to go to Dixing; Zhao Yunlan playacts a changed personality, and Shen Wei is decidedly unimpressed
• Shen Wei consults the Regent in Dixing; the Regent tells him to find the source
• Zhu Hong whines, Da Qing rejects junk food, but Lin Jing is unchanged
• Zhu Hao confirms Kong Jing freed him from prison; before he can explain more about Kong Jing, Ya Qing kills him with a dart
• Zhao Yunlan is captured by Kong Jing
• Kong Jing tries to transfer his personality into Zhao Yunlan; Shen Wei arrives in time
• Kong Jing's original personality wants to die; Ya Qing kills him with a dart
• Wang Xiangyang draws the 30th symbol to weaken the energy seal that holds Ye Zun
• Zhao Yunlan asks Dr Cheng about remaining unchanged during the personality swap
• Lin Jing finds a syringe at the crime scene, and almost hides it
• Guo Changcheng visits Kong Jing's grave, and witnesses Dong Nan's death; Ya Qing offers him a token
• Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan arrive at Shen Wei's flat; something smells burnt

( Thoughts )

Discussion starters:

• What do you think of the personality changes? Can you watch this episode without wincing? (Do you watch it through your fingers? *g*)


• What's your favourite scene, and your favourite line?
  
  (Zhao Yunlan as Kong Jing's captive is my favourite scene, and I already mentioned my favourite line above: "You're mistaken. I'm not awake yet." :D)


• What's Minister Gao's actual job? What does the Haixing Inspectorate do? In this episode, he's apparently responsible for dealing with a crime wave, and Zhu Hao is held at the Inspectorate ...


• During the conversation between Minister Gao and Zhao Xinci, why does Zhang Shi take over when he does? (I don't think it can be because he wants to say/do anything in particular.) And is the pain Zhao Xinci experiences because Zhang Shi is taking over, or conversely, is Zhang Shi taking over because he can manage the pain/Zhao Xinci's health better than Zhao Xinci?


• "Anyone but you is susceptible", says Shen Wei. Why is he convinced Zhao Yunlan is immune to the personality change? Why is Zhao Yunlan immune? Do you think there's an external reason?
  
  My theory is that Dr Cheng is correct, and Zhao Yunlan is immune not because of any special powers (whether due to his position as Guardian or due to the energy exchange with Shen Wei, or other or protection from Shen Wei), but because of how in control of his image Zhao Yunlan is. And of course Shen Wei knows this about Zhao Yunlan. But the question remains: how does he know this confers immunity to the personality-changing effect? Could it be because the same self-awareness is what makes some people immune to Ye Zun's mind control powers? Thoughts?


• Why does the taxi driver return to normal before Kong Jing dies? Everyone else only reverts afterwards, but Zhu Hao is back to his usual self when he's captured again.


• When Kong Jing comes at Zhao Yunlan with black energy between his hands, it takes several moments, but then Kong Jing is suddenly thrown back, and Zhao Yunlan discovers black energy around his hands. He whispers, "Hei-laoge," and the energy dissipates. What exactly is going on here? I assume Zhao Yunlan is correct in ascribing the protective black energy effect to Shen Wei - but how? Is this perhaps the counterpart to the white energy Shen Wei gained from the energy exchange with the Sundial? How does it work, and why is it actively protecting Zhao Yunlan?


• Dong Nan, on dying, transforms into a crow. Does this happen to all Yashou? (I feel like this would make more sense in the novel, where they're yao ...) Or is it perhaps a choice Dong Nan makes? Any theories?


• Where are Wang Zheng and Sang Zan during most of this? Is their disappearance from the episode because they were affected by the personality change, too? What would they be like, changed?

Let's talk about episode 25!
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!