Guardian Episode by Episode: 34

[extrapenguin]

Welcome to the rewatchalong! This week we watch episode 34. The Imgur screencap album has 77 images.

Previously on:
Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6, Episode 7, Episode 8, Episode 9, Episode 10, Episode 11, Episode 12, Episode 13, Episode 14, Episode 15, Episode 16, Episode 17, Episode 18, Episode 19, Episode 20, Episode 21, Episode 22, Episode 23, Episode 24, Episode 25, Episode 26, Episode 27, Episode 28, Episode 29, Episode 30, Episode 31, Episode 32, Episode 33

This week, the Haixing Department of Supervision decides Zhao Yunlan should be arrested, and the Hallows send him to the past.

Characterization
The dénouement of the Chu Shuzhi dreams arc: he tells Guo Changcheng more truths about himself and his twin – Chu Nianzhi was shy polite, intelligent, and wanted an ordinary life; Chu Shuzhi was a restless troublemaker with dreams of heroism – and said that Chu Nianzhi was burned alive. Guo Changcheng wakes up to inform him that when he was going on about how he was totes a cannibal who ate bones and loved how they crunched, Guo Changcheng wasn't scared, just wondering how Chu Shuzhi's teeth could be so strong.


"Grandma, what large teeth you have!"

In Professor Ouyang's lab, Lin Jing and Li Qian bond over caring about the SID. Ouyang stabs himself with the serum because he is really bad with deadline pressure.


"Do you think we should hold this heretical conversation further away from the boss?" "Nah, this is fine."

At the SID, Zhu Hong is supervising Cong Bo in the quest to delete the internet the rumors. They have a hilarious exchange where Zhu Hong asks Cong Bo whether he has a girlfriend, he cheerfully admits to singlehood, thinking he'll get a date, and Zhu Hong informs him that no wonder he doesn't have a girlfriend if his attitude is so defeatist. Ah, Zhu Hong. Her favorite tech nerd was fired, so she has to make do. And not tell that Lin Jing got fired. And grab Guo Changcheng by the scruff of his neck like she's Zhao Yunlan.


The snake has been hanging around with cats. She even has a necklace with a dangly ball thingy!

Zhao Xinci might not have appeared in this episode, but he did ask Wang Zheng to pass the gun on to Zhao Yunlan with the words "you made your choice". Though that might've been Zhang Shi. The discussion going on in that mind must be spectacular. He also probably was the one specifying that Zhao Yunlan must be arrested unharmed.


The Lady of the not-Lake would like to give you this mythical weapon.

Sang Zan and Wang Zheng re-take the SID! By thwapping the Haixing Department of Supervision dudes on the head. ("Chief Zhao was right – books do have power!") Then they get fooled by Ye Zun's Shen Wei cosplay (fair enough) and sacrifice themselves so that Zhao Yunlan could live a little while longer. (Ye Zun's opinion of the sacrifice: annoying.) SID member body count: 2.

Ye Zun visits Haixing! He visited the university in daylight but only arrived at the SID come dark, so did he got lost on the way? Go sightseeing? Feed the ducks at the pond? Eat all the Haixing Department of Supervision minons who mistook him for his brother? He was very happy when Zhao Yunlan identified him. (Also when Zhao Yunlan complemented his outfit.)


He might've been late for Halloween, but he's not going to skip an opportunity to dress up as Sexy Shen Wei!

The other intriguing thing brought up was that Ye Zun said that "time corrects itself" as if he'd already attempted to time travel. Combined with what Ma Gui says in the past, it comes across as if this is timeline version 2, and the time travel with Zhao Yunlan is all just the timeline correcting itself.

Shen Wei was apparently supposed to be recovering at home (as it's the day after he got rescued from his noncon pillar bondage) but instead goes stiffly walking around injured because it's a crisis. When the cops try to apprehend him, he knocks them over and apologizes while scooting.


Area professor is attempting to look innocent; news at 11.

In the time travel segment, we got baby Shen Wei! Much more expressive than adult Shen Wei, and he even points at Zhao Yunlan when he recognizes him as his clifftop savior. Then he promises to fulfill all his savior's wishes when this is over, which sounds like the prelude to some very kinky porno. *g* (Horny youth who intentionally said that, or oblivious youth who didn't get the porny implications?) Baby Shen Wei wears a mask because he's afraid and doesn't want people to see his fear. The open face is reflected elsewhere as well: he's adorably !!! at the discovery that his savior is the great hero Kunlun, and the ... lollipop fellatio ... segment has an adorable smile on his face.


Not pictured: lollipop fellatio.

We got a car chase scene! It was brief, but: car chase. Then Zhao Yunlan abandoned his Jeep and legged it. Who has time to get arrested for spreading terror, disrupting public order, and colluding with Dixing, when one has Hallows to rescue?


"This char chase would be much nicer if the radio DJs had a better taste in music."

The confrontation with Ye Zun was very very nice. Zhao Yunlan first got distracted from his concerns for Shen Wei by the low-cut shirt, then twigged that it wasn't Shen Wei due to the OOCness of being all "but is sacrifice worth it?" and quickly figured out it must be Ye Zun. And pointed a gun at Ye Zun's stomach.


"You're so OOC you could be published as original fiction on Amazon without even needing to do a search-and-replace for the names."

Then he gets dumped into the past. He only really gets it when Da Qing says the name Kunlun; fair enough, as he just saw two of his subordinates die and then was tossed out into a battle with another variant of OOC Shen Wei. After that, he's very very boundary-pushy with baby Shen Wei in a way that I think is even greater than at the start, and certainly more asymmetric, as baby Shen Wei doesn't push back. He doesn't lie to this Shen Wei, however; he just omits stuff and goes "um ... it's a .. thing".


A long when from home.

Canon details

• The SID was shut down at 10 am over hiding Chu Shuzhi
• Wang Zheng's energy being powers include teleportation
• The Hallows yank Zhao Yunlan away before Shen Wei arrives
• The Rebels are a militant faction of Dixingians, and the Alliance a three-race faction to defeat them (says the Alliance)
• Half the spaceship's passengers were Dixingians and half Yashou
• The meteor released 120 000 tons of energy onto Haixing and destroyed Dixing
• Shen Wei had 3000 subordinates at the start of the war, but that number has now dwindled to almost nothing

Cinematography
Shen Wei Ye Zun shoe watch
Lots of ominous music accompanied by shots of Ye Zun's feet. Noted here because he stole gege's shoes.

Black ankle boots with a cream trouser leg? Someone call the fashion police.

An impressive diagonal shot to show instability and arriving destabilization:

Before the storm that is Ye Zun.
...also, Shen Wei standing on a literal cliff edge:

"My footing is less stable than I would wish."

A shot through a framing object for secrets:

The next shot has Zhao Yunlan realize that Sexy Shen Wei is actually Ye Zun.

Some nice shots from beneath:

The power of a gun; the power of a ... power.

And this cut from close to far was a wonderful expression of Zhao Yunlan feeling lost and small and WTF:

The SOP didn't mention time travel!

Zhao Yunlan jacket watch
One jacket and Kunlun garb.

Blue jacket with contrast stitching. Blue Kunlun furs.

Did Shen Wei take off his glasses?
Zhao Yunlan removed baby Shen Wei's mask for him.

"Don't put it back on! Being so hot you distract the enemy combatants is totally a valid battle strategy!"

Comments

[phyrry]

It's amazing to me that Professor Ouyang never caught on that Li Qian and Lin Jing are having treacherous conversations RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM, but then he seems to have completely missed basic procedures for clinical trials too. As the science part of mad science goes, he's kinda bad at it.

Zhu Hong bullying SID's tech crew is always amazing.

See, I'm not sold on Ye Zun being both knowledgeable and honest about time travel here. The only way he'd know is if he picked it up from the Hallows somehow, and even then, why would he tell the truth? It seems far more likely to me he's bullshitting and trying to manipulate Zhao Yunlan here. (As expected, it bounces off.)

Ye Zun's visit to SID is one of my favorite scenes. He's so bad at pretending to be Shen Wei! It's always amazing to me how clearly different they are, despite being played by the same actor with similar wardrobe here.

[extrapenguin]

It's amazing to me that Professor Ouyang never caught on that Li Qian and Lin Jing are having treacherous conversations RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM, but then he seems to have completely missed basic procedures for clinical trials too. As the science part of mad science goes, he's kinda bad at it.
IKR? How is it possible to be so megalomaniacally egostical and also so incompetent? Okay, well, Dunning-Kruger, but surely he must've had a brain at some point to make Professor?

It seems far more likely to me he's bullshitting and trying to manipulate Zhao Yunlan here. (As expected, it bounces off.)
That's what I thought on the first watch, but then it sort of fit interestingly with some of what Ma Gui and Fu You said about the timeline. And this fandom could do with more time travel stuff. I do admit this might be just translation issues.

He's so bad at pretending to be Shen Wei!
He is! It's hilarious.

[phyrry]

Well, I am trying to work out the time travel stuff, so... I should probably take another look at that throwaway line. But what I'm gathering so far is that Ma Gui and Fu You really didn't know that much.

[teaotter]

I was so happy when I got to this episode, and Zhao Yunlan is talking about going back in time to the start of the Merit Brush plotline! (I'd been grumbling to myself the whole time that that was the point where everything really started heading downhill, so I was glad to see Zhao Yunlan agreed with me!)

I'm still not sure if Ye Zun broke into Shen Wei's place for his clothes (and boots!) or if it's all an illusion. Or maybe he just broke into Shen Wei's pocket dimension/closet where his clothes go when he changes into his robes. But isn't Shen Wei wearing those boots right now?

[extrapenguin]

(I'd been grumbling to myself the whole time that that was the point where everything really started heading downhill, so I was glad to see Zhao Yunlan agreed with me!)
Yes! Everything is Wang Xiangyang's fault. Zhu Jiu was annoying, but the situation then was still under control, and their villain was less of a drama addict.

But isn't Shen Wei wearing those boots right now?
Actually, Shen Wei is wearing the pair that's in the same design but in brown! So not identical.

[teaotter]

Actually, Shen Wei is wearing the pair that's in the same design but in brown! So not identical.

When Shen Wei finds something he likes, he sticks with it!

[clevermanka]

I'm still not sure if Ye Zun broke into Shen Wei's place for his clothes (and boots!) or if it's all an illusion.
I'm of the (very) firm opinion that it's an illusion bc Shen Wei would NEVER purchase a suit that unfitted.

[extrapenguin]

Have you seen some of his leisure wear? It's truly dire. This suit isn't that terrible compared to that, especially considering that Ye Zun holds himself differently to Shen Wei, which'd of course make it fit differently.

[ratbones]

The imgur album appears to have been flagged for "erotic or adult imagery". Was it...was it the lollipop? Or Ye Zun's collarbones?

Ah, the little competition Ye Zun and Zhao Yunlan have over who can be more threateningly flirtatious. Glorious. I think Ye Zun won this round, sort of, but they'll have several more matches later on.

I go round and round on how oblivious I think baby Shen Wei really is. Is it his first time attempting to flirt with someone and he's surprised that it's working? There's no way he knows what he looks like with the lollipop, right? I kind of like how ambiguous this is, actually.

"Chief Zhao was right – books do have power!"
Sang Zan's best moment. I love this line so much. Too bad about the dying, though. :(

[extrapenguin]

The imgur album appears to have been flagged for "erotic or adult imagery". Was it...was it the lollipop? Or Ye Zun's collarbones?
It worked fine last night, but ... uh ... Ye Zun's smooth tofu neck is too sexy for Americans? IDK.

Ah, the little competition Ye Zun and Zhao Yunlan have over who can be more threateningly flirtatious.
My not at all biased opinion is that they should've done more flirting. Lots more.

I go round and round on how oblivious I think baby Shen Wei really is.
Yeah, it's ... either he is oblivious, or he is LARPing oblivious innocence in the hopes that Kunlun will find it hot. Or pretending to be innocent so that Kunlun can give him all the attention of teaching about the world. Or some complicated mixture of all of the above! Baby Shen Wei's psyche: very open to interpretation.

[ranalore]

Professor Ouyang is like one of those Terrible Example posters that came out mocking motivational posters when they were big. "Don't try this at home, kids. Or anyplace, really."

In the upcoming episode when Ye Zun shows up at Haixing Inspectorate, he confirms he's still in Dixing, so I think he's also a projection here. Which would mean he lied to Minister Gao about not being able to hurt him, since he killed the two Inspectorate guards sent to shut down the SID. I don't think he ever actually comes up to Haixing, possibly because he is (justifiably?) paranoid about losing his hold in Dixing if he does.

I love Zhao Yunlan's bemusement over time traveling into YOHE. Like he's thinking, "I just wanted to back a few months! The Hallows suck at telling time, clearly."

Baby Shen Wei is adorbs, and I am a terrible person for encouraging all of Zhao Yunlan's filthy intentions toward him.

[extrapenguin]

Professor Ouyang is like one of those Terrible Example posters that came out mocking motivational posters when they were big. "Don't try this at home, kids. Or anyplace, really."
That is surprisingly accurate!

In the upcoming episode when Ye Zun shows up at Haixing Inspectorate, he confirms he's still in Dixing, so I think he's also a projection here.
Huh! I think he's present here, actually – Zhao Yunlan has no trouble pushing a gun up against his stomach, but Minister Gao's hand went right through projection Ye Zun.

"I just wanted to back a few months! The Hallows suck at telling time, clearly."
LOL!

I am a terrible person for encouraging all of Zhao Yunlan's filthy intentions toward him.
In that case, I shall be a terrible person right with you. Go corrupt that innocent youth! He looks like he wants to be corrupted!

[trobadora]

Zhao Yunlan has no trouble pushing a gun up against his stomach, but Minister Gao's hand went right through projection Ye Zun.

At the Ministry Ye Zun also sits in a chair, which bounces when he vanishes, so he's physically present in some way. I think his projections can just be more physical or less.

[extrapenguin]

At the Ministry Ye Zun also sits in a chair, which bounces when he vanishes, so he's physically present in some way. I think his projections can just be more physical or less.
Oh, yes, but the incidents I cited are both incidents where someone was trying to touch Ye Zun, vs where he was intentionally affecting the environment for show (like the ministry chair). And at a certain point, if it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and poops on you like a duck, is there any point in calling it an illusion of a duck? I also don't recall anything about Ye Zun disclaiming that he hasn't been to Haixing in 10 000 years or anything like that.

[trobadora]

I really don't think it's that clear-cut - I see no reason the gun against his stomach means he can't be a projection there. It's very open to interpretation.

[trobadora]

The Ye Zun-as-Shen Wei scene is so good, I'm still amazned by Zhu Yilong's acting here.

After that, he's very very boundary-pushy with baby Shen Wei in a way that I think is even greater than at the start, and certainly more asymmetric, as baby Shen Wei doesn't push back.

I'm not sure that's entirely true? When Zhao Yunlan does his "take your mask off and smile for me" spiel Shen Wei has no trouble brushing him off in the politest possible way. And the face Zhao Yunlan makes at that shows that he knows it.

(I'd be way more uncomfortable with Zhao Yunlan's pushiness if that hadn't happened right at the start!)

[extrapenguin]

When Zhao Yunlan does his "take your mask off and smile for me" spiel Shen Wei has no trouble brushing him off in the politest possible way.
Shen Wei does brush it off in a sort of "??? bzuh??" manner, but he doesn't really push back on Zhao Yunlan, unlike present Shen Wei (who set elaborate verbal gotchas in cat and mouse and also moved in across the hall like a stalker). It's less cat and mouse and more cat and someone who's genuinely apologetic about not knowing where the catnip is, in a sense.

(I found baby Shen Wei adorable on the first watch, but on rewatch I'm a bit more ambivalent about all of Zhao Yunlan's pushiness. It'll come up more next week, though.)

[trobadora]

I think you and I have pretty different readings of that scene. But yeah, it's not the same kind of pushback as with present!Shen Wei.

[clevermanka]

Zhu Hong informs him that no wonder he doesn't have a girlfriend if his attitude is so defeatist
I love Zhu Hong SO MUCH.

The other intriguing thing brought up was that Ye Zun said that "time corrects itself" as if he'd already attempted to time travel. Combined with what Ma Gui says in the past, it comes across as if this is timeline version 2, and the time travel with Zhao Yunlan is all just the timeline correcting itself.
My brain is having trouble wrapping itself around that. This is why I generally avoid time travel stories. How did I wind up here?

Also, that suit is. God I hate that suit. ZYL, son, I Am Disappoint that your fashion sense is so terrible that 1) you liked it, and 2) didn't recognize that SW would never wear something that poorly designed/tailored.

Shen Wei had 3000 subordinates at the start of the war, but that number has now dwindled to almost nothing
Yikes. No wonder poor dude has martyr issues. Jeez. *makes note to incorporate this into forthcoming fix-it fic*

[extrapenguin]

How did I wind up here?
Because Guardian is so good? You got a rec? Ye Zun mind controlled you into watching? *g*

I Am Disappoint that your fashion sense is so terrible that 1) you liked it, and 2) didn't recognize that SW would never wear something that poorly designed/tailored.
Bold of you to assume Zhao Yunlan was looking at the tailoring when there was a low-cut collar to expose some flesh! Zhao Yunlan's biggest objection to the suit was likely that it wasn't on the floor. :P

[clevermanka]

Bold of you to assume Zhao Yunlan was looking at the tailoring
Point.

[abyss_valkyrie]

I so wish DW had a 'like' feature for comments! XD The collar bones totally did distract Zhao Yunlan from the bad tailoring.

[extrapenguin]

♥

[jo_lasalle]

Ouyang stabs himself with the serum because he is really bad with deadline pressure.

LOL! Research is rough, man.

DELETING THE INTERNET. That was such a o__O moment.

SID member body count: 2.

(T__T) I sometimes forget how relatively early this happens. I know it's the home stretch, but so much is still going to happen after this...

Ye Zun's pimp version of Shen Wei's suits still boggles my mind. And I've gotten accustomed to Shen Wei's pants being enternally too short but Ye Zun's SLEEVES are now too short too!

I absolutely love how quickly Zhao Yunlan figures out this isn't Shen Wei. ❤️

Area professor is attempting to look innocent

He maybe should have tried a less suspicious coat...

The mask-undressing is really the ultimate taking-the-glasses-off moment. ❤️❤️

[extrapenguin]

DELETING THE INTERNET. That was such a o__O moment.
I mean, the actual dialogue was to delete all the rumors from it, but, uh, no, not gonna work.

Ye Zun's pimp version of Shen Wei's suits still boggles my mind. And I've gotten accustomed to Shen Wei's pants being enternally too short but Ye Zun's SLEEVES are now too short too!
Zhao Yunlan likes exposed skin on Shen Wei, so Ye Zun's Slutty Shen Wei costume needs to have maximum skin exposure at ankles, wrists, and collarbones!

(Also, if imgur shows you the album, you can see a Haixing DoS agent in battle capris. Ye Zun has nothing on that guy!)

The mask-undressing is really the ultimate taking-the-glasses-off moment. ❤️❤️
The very first such moment Shen Wei experienced! Very formative.

[lannamichaels]

The part where Ye Zun licks his lips is possibly my favorite moment in the entire show. Shen Wei, meeting ZYL again, won't let go of his hand. Ye Zun, meeting that guy he met briefly on a battlefield 10K years ago and knows now as still an enemy, goes right to "let's discuss all the ways I can eat you". Beautiful. :D

I wonder if Ye Zun's glee at being recognized might evaporate if he found out that ZYL is guessing who he is based on it being someone who immitates Shen Wei, and that ZYL likely thinks Ye Zun is borrowing the face along with the clothes.

[extrapenguin]

I wonder if Ye Zun's glee at being recognized might evaporate if he found out that ZYL is guessing who he is based on it being someone who immitates Shen Wei, and that ZYL likely thinks Ye Zun is borrowing the face along with the clothes.
It almost certainly would – he'd start grumpily pouting instead. How dare Zhao Yunlan not remember him!

[abyss_valkyrie]

Yeah, baby Shen Wei,you go and be a beautiful angel of death on the battlefield.
I really like Zhu Hong's caring attitude in this part. <3
Also,they so missed an opportunity to give us a car chase with Zhao Yunlan's rocking music of choice in the background,I mean the guy has this massive cool-looking jeep for whaaaat?
And baby Shen Wei's youth-uuuuuh-I adore him so much. Ye Zun and Zhao Yunlan's 'flirting' is one of my faaave scenes.

[extrapenguin]

Also,they so missed an opportunity to give us a car chase with Zhao Yunlan's rocking music of choice in the background,I mean the guy has this massive cool-looking jeep for whaaaat?
Yes! We could've had an epic car chase scene but didn't, sads.

. Ye Zun and Zhao Yunlan's 'flirting' is one of my faaave scenes.
It's amazing, isn't it? Zhao Yunlan twigging on that this isn't Shen Wei was so amazing, as was Ye Zun's terrible yet seductive Shen Wei impression.