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sid_guardian2020-11-20 05:25 pm
solo) wrote in sid_guardian2020-11-20 05:25 pm
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Focus on: Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan in the Hanga caves and after
Zhao Yunlan and Hei Pao Shi in the Hanga Caves, episode 10 and 11.
On reflection I should have picked a scene which contains some colours other than grey, black and the occasional blood.
(Okay where it says 'read more' it should say 'scene recap', 'great things about these scenes' and 'questions' but for some reason DW hates me today.)
After Wang Zheng drugged the team and ran away to the caves, Zhao Yunlan, Chu Enter your cut contents here.Shuzhi and Guo Changcheng followed her. As they get attacked by youchuu, Zhao Yunlan send them back and proceeds into the cave alone.
Unfortunately, there are more youchuu in there and space is kind of... tight. Zhao Yunlan is not best pleased
He tries to escape unnoticed but the youchuu may sensed him or something and he gets ready to fight it.
Except someone doesn't want to and sends written instructions.
Zhao Yunlan obeys at once and leaves the cave by the quickest route.
Haha who am I kidding? He draws his gun.
He's really being a bit picky. No close combat, no gun.. what do you want, Zhao Yunlan?
What he gets is an Envoy between his gun and the youchuu.
Seriously, that could have gone badly wrong. Did Shen Wei not trust him to hit the youchuu? Did he forget that a dark energy gun could do him serious harm? What is going on in his head?
Next, we have plot being set up. Dun dun dunnnn....
Shen Wei tells Zhao Yunlan off for ignoring his message, and Zhao Yunlan tries to downplay it but ultimately admits why he didn't retreat
It's a little moment which sets up the later statement about protecting your loved ones very nicely. Zhao Yunlan considers the SID his family and it's important for him to be able to protect them.
Shen Wei also gets it and doesn't try to dissuade him. Instead...
Zhao Yunlan notes how having the Envoy with him makes life a lot easier, culminating in this unscripted moment of delight.
But they can't find Wang Zheng, because the Holy Tool around the place is blocking Shen Wei's Dixing senses; Zhao Yunlan points out correctly that that seems a bit unfair.
He brings out his own dark magic device and promptly:
(Author's note: I want that Untamed xover where Shen Wei and Lan Zhan are stoically silent at each other until they discover they each have a significant other who can't keep his paws off weapons of resentful mass destruction.)
More plot hints happen.
You'd think Shen Wei would decide to tell him off less if he's staritng to make connections.
Anyway Zhao Yunlan's dark energy gadget tells them where to find Wang Zheng (or, presumably, the other dark energy gadget, and Wang Zhen is a bonus.)
She calls to them to stay away. Shen Wei decides she's compromised.
He starts questioning her and this leads into a big chunk of Wang Zheng backstory, culminating in how Sang Zan's tribe ended up killing Wang Zheng. Zhao Yunlan instantly surmises that Sang Zan changed entirely as a result, which surprises Wang Zheng, but he's got a simple explanation.
HHe sets it out very nicely.
And you know, where in a Western series at least one of the two protagonists would probably argue for restraint and forgiveness, this show just lays it on!
I love that Zhao Yunlan actually looks very pleasantly surprised to get such enthusiastic agreement.
Wang Zheng finishes her story, they defeat Zhu Jiu and get the Awl, Shen Wei 'awls' Sang Zan into existence, and later, we get a very nice rider, which does not happen in a cave but shares enough of the unfortunate colour scheme that I feel including it is legit.
Zhao Yunlan has decided to 'employ' Sang Zan at the SID to let him and Wang Zheng stay together. Guo Changcheng is swooning at the romance of it.
And the Envoy gets on the bandwagon, too!
Zhao Yunlan is very intrigued! Shen Wei is all 'I do not wish to discuss my attachment at this moment or in fact ever.'
Zhao Yunlan's brain goes into overdrive, goes, 'who might it be', goes, 'hm, there's a certain couple look about these outfits', goes 'aha!' The delighted look when he thinks he's figured it out!No, Zhao Yunlan, it's not Mianmian.
Above all, though, he tries to be instantly reassuring.
Hei Pao Shi, however, has decided to absent himself.
Great things about these scenes
- how the little hints are dropped for Shen Wei's identity
- how Zhao Yunlan is unreservedly happy to have the Envoy clear the way for him - no macho resistance there!
- how Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei are all about protecting people and if they can't, grrrrr, VENGEANCE!
- how Zhao Yunlan figures out one thing and makes giant leaps of deduction in all sorts of directions
- how he's really keen to be all cool about the gay. I know he doesn't put it like that but really, the show could not have found a better way of doing this without getting censored.
Questions- Seriously, what does Shen Wei think is going to happen when he jumps in front of Zhao Yunlan's gun?
- is the unreserved endorsement of vengeance due only to the fact this is a non-Xian society or is there more to it? I really was (ecstatically) struck by this
- Does Chu Shuzhi realise what is even going on in this convo about about who cares about whom?
- If he does, what are his thoughts? :)
On reflection I should have picked a scene which contains some colours other than grey, black and the occasional blood.
(Okay where it says 'read more' it should say 'scene recap', 'great things about these scenes' and 'questions' but for some reason DW hates me today.)
After Wang Zheng drugged the team and ran away to the caves, Zhao Yunlan, Chu Enter your cut contents here.Shuzhi and Guo Changcheng followed her. As they get attacked by youchuu, Zhao Yunlan send them back and proceeds into the cave alone.
Unfortunately, there are more youchuu in there and space is kind of... tight. Zhao Yunlan is not best pleased
He tries to escape unnoticed but the youchuu may sensed him or something and he gets ready to fight it.
Except someone doesn't want to and sends written instructions.
Zhao Yunlan obeys at once and leaves the cave by the quickest route.
Haha who am I kidding? He draws his gun.
He's really being a bit picky. No close combat, no gun.. what do you want, Zhao Yunlan?
What he gets is an Envoy between his gun and the youchuu.
Seriously, that could have gone badly wrong. Did Shen Wei not trust him to hit the youchuu? Did he forget that a dark energy gun could do him serious harm? What is going on in his head?
Next, we have plot being set up. Dun dun dunnnn....
Shen Wei tells Zhao Yunlan off for ignoring his message, and Zhao Yunlan tries to downplay it but ultimately admits why he didn't retreat
It's a little moment which sets up the later statement about protecting your loved ones very nicely. Zhao Yunlan considers the SID his family and it's important for him to be able to protect them.
Shen Wei also gets it and doesn't try to dissuade him. Instead...
Zhao Yunlan notes how having the Envoy with him makes life a lot easier, culminating in this unscripted moment of delight.
But they can't find Wang Zheng, because the Holy Tool around the place is blocking Shen Wei's Dixing senses; Zhao Yunlan points out correctly that that seems a bit unfair.
He brings out his own dark magic device and promptly:
(Author's note: I want that Untamed xover where Shen Wei and Lan Zhan are stoically silent at each other until they discover they each have a significant other who can't keep his paws off weapons of resentful mass destruction.)
More plot hints happen.
You'd think Shen Wei would decide to tell him off less if he's staritng to make connections.
Anyway Zhao Yunlan's dark energy gadget tells them where to find Wang Zheng (or, presumably, the other dark energy gadget, and Wang Zhen is a bonus.)
She calls to them to stay away. Shen Wei decides she's compromised.
He starts questioning her and this leads into a big chunk of Wang Zheng backstory, culminating in how Sang Zan's tribe ended up killing Wang Zheng. Zhao Yunlan instantly surmises that Sang Zan changed entirely as a result, which surprises Wang Zheng, but he's got a simple explanation.
HHe sets it out very nicely.
And you know, where in a Western series at least one of the two protagonists would probably argue for restraint and forgiveness, this show just lays it on!
I love that Zhao Yunlan actually looks very pleasantly surprised to get such enthusiastic agreement.
Wang Zheng finishes her story, they defeat Zhu Jiu and get the Awl, Shen Wei 'awls' Sang Zan into existence, and later, we get a very nice rider, which does not happen in a cave but shares enough of the unfortunate colour scheme that I feel including it is legit.
Zhao Yunlan has decided to 'employ' Sang Zan at the SID to let him and Wang Zheng stay together. Guo Changcheng is swooning at the romance of it.
And the Envoy gets on the bandwagon, too!
Zhao Yunlan is very intrigued! Shen Wei is all 'I do not wish to discuss my attachment at this moment or in fact ever.'
Zhao Yunlan's brain goes into overdrive, goes, 'who might it be', goes, 'hm, there's a certain couple look about these outfits', goes 'aha!' The delighted look when he thinks he's figured it out!
Above all, though, he tries to be instantly reassuring.
Hei Pao Shi, however, has decided to absent himself.
Great things about these scenes
- how the little hints are dropped for Shen Wei's identity
- how Zhao Yunlan is unreservedly happy to have the Envoy clear the way for him - no macho resistance there!
- how Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei are all about protecting people and if they can't, grrrrr, VENGEANCE!
- how Zhao Yunlan figures out one thing and makes giant leaps of deduction in all sorts of directions
- how he's really keen to be all cool about the gay. I know he doesn't put it like that but really, the show could not have found a better way of doing this without getting censored.
Questions- Seriously, what does Shen Wei think is going to happen when he jumps in front of Zhao Yunlan's gun?
- is the unreserved endorsement of vengeance due only to the fact this is a non-Xian society or is there more to it? I really was (ecstatically) struck by this
- Does Chu Shuzhi realise what is even going on in this convo about about who cares about whom?
- If he does, what are his thoughts? :)
no subject
I loved that, too! Such a refreshing change from all that constant forgiveness/second chance b.s. we typically get in Western media.
how he's really keen to be all cool about the gay. I know he doesn't put it like that but really, the show could not have found a better way of doing this without getting censored.
How many times have I watched this scene and I never picked up on that??? Thank you!
no subject
And not just Western - Japanese media is also big on forgiveness, even when it really, really makes no sense. So I guess... thank you, China?
no subject
I always assumed he hadn't jumped directly in front of it but more to the side. I just rewatched the scene, though, and now I'm not sure what to think. He jumps in front of the gun but then moves a lot...Idk. Maybe he didn't think Zhao Yunlan would actually fire. He failed to do so the previous night and Shen Wei saw, so he probably felt safe.
I liked that they didn't go the "revenge is TERRIBLE!!1! Don't do it!" route. After years of anime constantly repeating that stuff, I was very (pleasantly) surprised the drama was just like "Revenge? Ok," and that was that.
To actually answer the question, I think this does two things:
1) it tells us that these characters (i.e. weilan) are capable of having such strong feelings for someone else that the object of those feelings is above all other people;
2) it foreshadows the ending in a way. Zhao Yunlan verbalized his desire for revenge when he saw Shen Wei bleeding in ep 38.
I don't think he does. Tracing events back, at that point Zhao Yunlan doesn't know the Envoy's true identity and doesn't feel much for him. Perhaps some tiny amount of attraction but he's much more into Shen Wei. So...he doesn't care for the Envoy with the intensity that the Envoy implies with his words and Chu Shuzhi doesn't have a reason to think his revered lord would be into Zhao Yunlan. I think Chu Shuzhi is just pissed at Zhao Yunlan for being disrespectful and prying into the Envoy's personal business.
(Sorry if this reads bad or doesn't make sense, my brain isn't with me today.)
no subject
Of course, there's that. Maybe not even that he necessarily felt safe for himself, but really worried Zhao Yunlan might again not be able to fire and get hurt by the youchuu.
Of course, I had at the time forgotten that Japan does that too. (And not just in anime, sadly.) So... not a religion thing. I wonder what it is.
no subject
I figure it's one of two things, possibly both. One is Shen Wei's default setting of "Zhao Yunlan is in danger and I must do everything in my power to protect him even if it kills me." The other is that Shen Wei knows that Zhao Yunlan has been having issues related to the use of that gun, even if he doesn't know why, and either doesn't know if Zhao Yunlan will freeze up like he did before, or just wants to spare him having to decide about using it or not.
One of my favorite things about this set of episodes is that the first time Zhao Yunlan is able to draw and fire that gun without hesitation, it was in defense of Shen Wei/the Black Cloaked Envoy.
no subject
Yeah, that makes sense; going by previous showing, Zhao Yunlan can't actually be trusted to fire.
Excellent point! ::hearts::
no subject
"This wasn't supposed to happen,
I was happy by myself.
Accidently, you seduced me,
I'm in love again"
no subject
LOL yes! And then they bond as a result of understanding each other's suffering. [grin]
I really enjoyed reading this account of the scene - I too had completely the missed ZYL's insinuation about CSZ and the Envoy!!! (The Mianmian reference made me giggle. Nice parallel.)
I also thought your other observations were spot on. Thank you for writing & posting this entry!!!
no subject
no subject
I love this, and, IIRC, it's Chu Shuzhi clearing his throat in disapproval that leads to Zhao Yunlan's conclusion. I love that we got the line about the SID being a welcoming work environment, but, honestly, Zhao Yunlan, not all the Dixingren you know are dating.
Which leads me to: Does Chu Shuzhi realise what is even going on in this convo about about who cares about whom?
Between Shen Wei's secrets and Zhao Yunlan's deductions, is anyone aware of all that's going on here? Maybe Shen Wei, but I don't know if the bailed before or after Zhao Yunlan's logical leap.
no subject
no subject
Seriously, that could have gone badly wrong. Did Shen Wei not trust him to hit the youchuu? Did he forget that a dark energy gun could do him serious harm? What is going on in his head?
Shen Wei saw him not being able to fire the gun earlier, didn't he? So he's interfering before Zhao Yunlan freezes again and gets hit by the youchu. (Also, how dangerous is the gun to him? Maybe he has a power among his collection that can deflect it if he's ready for it. Ye Zun catches the bullets at one point, doesn't he?)
It's a little moment which sets up the later statement about protecting your loved ones very nicely. Zhao Yunlan considers the SID his family and it's important for him to be able to protect them.
Yes! I love protective!Zhao Yunlan. ♥
(Author's note: I want that Untamed xover where Shen Wei and Lan Zhan are stoically silent at each other until they discover they each have a significant other who can't keep his paws off weapons of resentful mass destruction.)
Yes please! :D
You'd think Shen Wei would decide to tell him off less if he's staritng to make connections.
There's a limit even to Shen Wei's self control, apparently! *g*
And you know, where in a Western series at least one of the two protagonists would probably argue for restraint and forgiveness, this show just lays it on!
Yes! And I don't think they're endorsing Sang Zan's actions (this is before they hear the full story of what happens afterwards, right?), but they're validating his motivation. They would feel the same, even if neither Shen Wei nor Zhao Yunlan would do exactly what Sang Zan did. It's great.
Zhao Yunlan's brain goes into overdrive, goes, 'who might it be', goes, 'hm, there's a certain couple look about these outfits', goes 'aha!' The delighted look when he thinks he's figured it out! No, Zhao Yunlan, it's not Mianmian.
LOL! I know this has come up before, and I don't know what's going on in Zhao Yunlan's head, but I still can't see it in the episode. (The look at Lao-Chu seems to me to be more looking for confirmation for his conclusion, because Lao-Chu is their resident Envoy expert.) Eh, I know, I'm probably alone with this ... *sighs*
how Zhao Yunlan is unreservedly happy to have the Envoy clear the way for him - no macho resistance there!
Yes, that is great! :D
no subject
Oh, same! He looks at CSZ because CSZ audibly scowls at him, presumably because he thinks ZYL is getting too disrespectful; ZYL gets the hint, and covers with laughter as he usually does. At least that's my reading.
no subject
no subject
Yes, that seems to be by consensus the most plausible explanation.
Did he? I didn't remember that. But fair point, if he's expecting it he can maybe do something about it. That might also apply in the 'mind control' scene then?
The details of who he all killed and how only come to light later, so yes, it's a more general validation. Carte blanche, maybe? No, they wouldn't do the same (Zhao Yunlan would not have the patience, Shen Wei would not have the... sneakiness) but revenge appropriate, so there!
What convinces me is that little speech about the accepting environment - that would be totally unnecessary otherwise. But hey, it's all interpretation!
no subject
Not just you. *g* I read it as
But it's fun to go back and rewatch it & try to see it the other way (I still didn't see it the other way, though...)
no subject
Ha, so glad that's not just me. ♥
no subject
ep 10
18:40 - 27:49
31:49 - 32:05
32:43 - 32:55
34:54* - 35:14
37:33* - 37:46
40:41 - 40:57
41:26 - 42:11
ep 11
02:09 - 02:31
07:12 - 11:41
12:39 - 14:55
* These bits are pretty content-free, as far as the present day scene with ZYL and the Envoy goes. Some of the other short reaction-shot scenes, otoh, seem like they could be significant?