Scene discussion: Episode 12: Tan Xiao breaks into the SID and Zhao Yunlan catches the Awl

[sakana17]

Focus on: Tan Xiao breaking into the SID and Zhao Yunlan catching the Awl
Location of scene: Episode 12, 8:20-10:00

Context: Zhao Yunlan is in Shen Wei's office, having a frustrating conversation about Zheng Zhongyuan, who had called Shen Wei before his death. Zhao Yunlan calls the SID to ask if Da Qing is back, and while Wang Zheng is speaking to him on the phone, she is affected by sonic waves and collapses. Zhao Yunlan jumps up to leave and tells Shen Wei something is happening at the station. Shen Wei says he'll come with him.

The scene:
We enter the SID through the POV of the intruder, who opens the doors with sonic waves. Sang Zan is crouched on the floor, cradling Wang Zheng. The intruder directs sonic waves at Sang Zan. He appears confused and looks away from the intruder. He squeezes his eyes shut and shakes out of his stupor, and tries to wake Wang Zheng, calling her by her original name, Gelan.

In the lab, the Mountain-River Awl and the Longevity Dial are glowing in their vitrines. We now see that the intruder is Tan Xiao. He looks at the Awl and Dial and thrusts his arms forward with concentration and effort, directing a sonic wave at them. His left hand is open, but the fingers of his right hand are curled inward, concealing the device he uses to generate and amplify sonic waves. The glass of the vitrines starts to crack.



Back in the SID main room, the sonic waves are affecting Sang Zan, and Wang Zheng has not regained consciousness.



Sang Zan hangs on, and when he hears the alarm bell from the lab, he rushes toward it.

In the lab, the vitrines shatter and Tan Xiao is pleased. He stops directing the sonic waves and picks up the Mountain-River Awl.



Sang Zan, struggling to stay on his feet, reaches the lab door. He points at Tan Xiao, saying, "No! Bad guy!"



Tan Xiao replies, "I'm sorry," before thrusting his right fist out in Sang Zan's direction.



Sonic waves propel Sang Zan back and he falls to the floor outside the lab. He manages to reach a cord that's fastened along the baseboard/skirting. He pulls the cord and passes out. A crossbow (or more than one?) inside the lab is activated, sending three arrows at Tan Xiao. As he contorts to avoid getting hit, he stumbles against the lab table and loses his grip on the Awl. Tan Xiao watches helplessly as it flies away from him and is caught by Zhao Yunlan.



Zhao Yunlan, at the lab entrance, clutches the Awl in his left hand and stares at it.



There are flashes* of: [1] Li Guangbiao at the wedding, rolling the ground, covering his ears; [2] Zhu Hong and Guo Changcheng passed out over Zhu Hong's Fourth Uncle's table; [3] the cave pillar where Sang Zan had been imprisoned; and [4] Zhu Hong passed out on the SID floor. Zhao Yunlan's hand shakes and he starts to fall.

Shen Wei appears and grabs him, holding him upright.



He asks Zhao Yunlan if he's alright. Zhao Yunlan, still unsteady, says he's fine.



Shen Wei sees Tan Xiao coming toward them, ready to attack.



While holding up Zhao Yunlan with his left arm, Shen Wei extends his right arm and blasts Tan Xiao with dark energy.



Tan Xiao is thrown backwards, lands on the floor, and winces in pain. He sees a way to escape and scrambles away.

Shen Wei's focus is drawn back to Zhao Yunlan, who can no longer remain upright. He holds on as Zhao Yunlan sinks to the floor and passes out. Shen Wei shakes him and calls his name but Zhao Yunlan is unresponsive.



Shen Wei stares at the Awl, still clutched in Zhao Yunlan's hand.





*Scenes that flash when Zhao Yunlan is holding the Awl:
[1] episode 13, 6:18
[2] episode 12, 3:56
[3] episode 8, 31:18
[4] episode 13, 37:36

My reactions about this scene:
+ Sang Zan! Although Tan Xiao escapes, if Sang Zan hadn't activated his trap, Tan Xiao could've taken the Awl and Longevity Dial, too. I like the foreshadowing about the trap earlier in the episode when Sang Zan is practicing writing and Wang Zheng tells him, "Stop playing with your old-fashioned traps all the time. We're not hunting anymore." My headcanon is that Sang Zan knows the SID needs to be protected and he wants to do his part however he knows how.

+ Shen Wei zapping Tan Xiao! I will never dismiss the gifts this show has given me, but there are times I wish for more, and BAMF Shen Wei is one of those times. I could happily watch him zapping people with dark energy all day. :) (Especially when it involves protecting Zhao Yunlan. ♥)

+ Shen Wei grabbing Zhao Yunlan! And holding him up. And keeping hold of him when he can't stay up. It's all wonderful. ♥

Questions:
Ideas about how Tan Xiao escaped from the lab?

Shen Wei leaves his office with Zhao Yunlan to go to the SID. Any theories about why he doesn't arrive at the lab door at the same time as Zhao Yunlan? Did Shen Wei stop to check on Wang Zheng?

Did the Mountain-River Awl propel itself into Zhao Yunlan's hand on purpose? (Zhao Yunlan/Holy Tools OTP :D)

Despite trying to pass lab tests as a Haixing person later in this episode, Shen Wei doesn't hesitate to use dark energy against Tan Xiao while Zhao Yunlan is right there. Maybe Shen Wei is certain Zhao Yunlan is passed out, and/or the need to protect Zhao Yunlan overrides everything else. What if Zhao Yunlan saw Shen Wei using his dark energy here? How might that have changed things?

Any headcanons, theories, ideas, thoughts, reactions, squee, fanwork recs about this scene? Please share!

Comments

[awanderingcoyote]

What a wonderful write-up for an awesome scene!! :D

+ Sang Zan! Although Tan Xiao escapes, if Sang Zan hadn't activated his trap, Tan Xiao could've taken the Awl and Longevity Dial, too. I like the foreshadowing about the trap earlier in the episode when Sang Zan is practicing writing and Wang Zheng tells him, "Stop playing with your old-fashioned traps all the time. We're not hunting anymore." My headcanon is that Sang Zan knows the SID needs to be protected and he wants to do his part however he knows how. - This has been my HC too when I saw this scene initially :D

+ Shen Wei grabbing Zhao Yunlan! And holding him up. And keeping hold of him when he can't stay up. It's all wonderful. ♥ - 100% yes!!! 100%!!!!!! :D

Ideas about how Tan Xiao escaped from the lab? - Oo what a great question. I always assumed in the flux of SW worrying about ZYL, Tan Xiao was able to squeeze out, but there's definitely a question of just how, since SW and ZYL are near the door. I do see in one of the pictures there's a ladder. I wonder if that ladder leads to another floor and he scurried up and just ran. HMM. Just an interesting question to ponder! :D

Shen Wei leaves his office with Zhao Yunlan to go to the SID. Any theories about why he doesn't arrive at the lab door at the same time as Zhao Yunlan? Did Shen Wei stop to check on Wang Zheng? - OH. I didn't even think of this because it was all: OMG so much action! But yes, it totally makes sense he was checking on them. Perhaps he was healing Wang Zheng and that's why it took time and he had to send ZYL on his way first, so he could heal her XD

Did the Mountain-River Awl propel itself into Zhao Yunlan's hand on purpose? (Zhao Yunlan/Holy Tools OTP :D) - I could see this, for sure. The holy tools definitely seem like they love them some Zhao Yunlan (like we all do XD).

Despite trying to pass lab tests as a Haixing person later in this episode, Shen Wei doesn't hesitate to use dark energy against Tan Xiao while Zhao Yunlan is right there. Maybe Shen Wei is certain Zhao Yunlan is passed out, and/or the need to protect Zhao Yunlan overrides everything else. What if Zhao Yunlan saw Shen Wei using his dark energy here? How might that have changed things? - I do agree that he was pretty certain ZYL was out of it enough to use his dark energy without any real fear.

Oo what an excellent question of how would it have changed things! I think in short it would have eased a little bit of tension on ZYL's side, to say the least, since he was trying so hard (just before this particular interlude) to get SW to admit to being (at the very least) Dixingren!!! I think if he knew he was HPS, then the rest of this particular out would have possibly played out differently. There'd have been less angst and worry on Shen Wei's part, and less arguments between the two XD But I still think ZYL would have wanted to pretend to be under Zhu Jiu's thrall to see what exactly was going on, and to set up that particular trap.

What a wonderful write-up :D I love this particular arc in the series because it's just so many bamf moments for Shen Wei and the whole tension leading up to the identity reveal :D SO so so so so AWESOME! :D

[sakana17]

I always assumed in the flux of SW worrying about ZYL, Tan Xiao was able to squeeze out, but there's definitely a question of just how, since SW and ZYL are near the door. I do see in one of the pictures there's a ladder. I wonder if that ladder leads to another floor and he scurried up and just ran.

I like that theory!

Perhaps he was healing Wang Zheng and that's why it took time and he had to send ZYL on his way first, so he could heal her

Oh, that would make sense!

I love this particular arc in the series because it's just so many bamf moments for Shen Wei and the whole tension leading up to the identity reveal

I love it, too, for the same reasons. <3

[china_shop]

Ahhh, this is such a great post! ♥!!! I especially love all your reactions!


+ Shen Wei grabbing Zhao Yunlan! And holding him up. And keeping hold of him when he can't stay up. It's all wonderful. ♥

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Despite trying to pass lab tests as a Haixing person later in this episode, Shen Wei doesn't hesitate to use dark energy against Tan Xiao while Zhao Yunlan is right there. Maybe Shen Wei is certain Zhao Yunlan is passed out, and/or the need to protect Zhao Yunlan overrides everything else. What if Zhao Yunlan saw Shen Wei using his dark energy here? How might that have changed things?

I don't think it would have changed things that much? I think it's really telling that when ZYL says there's trouble at the SID, Shen Wei drops his ordinary person protestations and says, seriously, "I'll come with you," and ZYL nods. That makes no sense if Shen Wei were strict about keeping up the pretence, you know? He could have waited until ZYL had left and portalled to the SID as the Envoy, but he doesn't. (Similarly, he didn't have to volunteer for the lab experiment later; Lin Jing could've just waited until Xiao Guo got back!) So I feel like the struggle between them at this stage isn't about whether it's true, so much as whether SW will openly acknowledge it and "make it official" between them. Whether he'll let ZYL inside his defences and let the compartmentalisation fall. If he had to use his dark energy in front of ZYL at this stage, I think he'd come up with another figleaf non-excuse -- and ZYL would either get frustrated again or accept it because it was in service of protecting the Hallows and the SID (or both!). /my 2 cents

There are flashes* of: [1] Li Guangbiao at the wedding, rolling the ground, covering his ears; [2] Zhu Hong and Guo Changcheng passed out over Zhu Hong's Fourth Uncle's table; [3] the cave pillar where Sang Zan had been imprisoned; and [4] Zhu Hong passed out on the SID floor.

Oh, thank you so, so much for cataloguing these! That's so interesting, especially that some are in the past and some in the future. I wonder whether the Awl was trying to convey a message, or if it's just a random selection of stuff. It's not even like they're all External Danger Situations (unless you think Fourth Uncle counts). Hmm...

[sakana17]

I feel like the struggle between them at this stage isn't about whether it's true, so much as whether SW will openly acknowledge it and "make it official" between them. Whether he'll let ZYL inside his defences and let the compartmentalisation fall.

Yeah, that makes sense.

That's so interesting, especially that some are in the past and some in the future.

It's really interesting! I interpreted it as:
[1] Li Guangbiao at the wedding and [4] Zhu Hong on the floor are premonitions/flashes of things to come; [3] Sang Zan's cave pillar is where the Awl had been; and [2] Zhu Hong and Guo Changcheng passed out is a warning about something that's happening concurrently when Zhao Yunlan's holding the Awl.
...But it could just be random. :D

[china_shop]

[1] Li Guangbiao at the wedding and [4] Zhu Hong on the floor are premonitions/flashes of things to come; [3] Sang Zan's cave pillar is where the Awl had been

Ooh, it just occurred to me that those three are all connected to Zhu Jiu and his going after the Hallows!

But that doesn't explain #2, unless the Awl thinks Fourth Uncle is secretly in league with the SID's enemies. ;-)

[nnozomi]

I don't have much of anything coherent to say but this is a great post! I never knew the Rube Goldberg trap was Sang Zan's make, I always thought it was Lin Jing, but that makes perfect sense (I wonder if Wang Zheng and Zhu Hong have an agreement to keep Sang Zan and Lin Jing from getting up to too much inventor-y mischief together...). I always thought his use of "Ge Lan" was a bit of a traumatic flashback on his part; good for him shaking it off to cope.

If I saw the screencap under "Shen Wei shakes him and calls his name..." without context, I would 100% think Shen Wei was kissing Zhao Yunlan's hair.

[china_shop]

If I saw the screencap under "Shen Wei shakes him and calls his name..." without context, I would 100% think Shen Wei was kissing Zhao Yunlan's hair.

<3 <3 <3

[sakana17]

I always thought his use of "Ge Lan" was a bit of a traumatic flashback on his part

Oh, that's a good point. That would make a lot of sense.

If I saw the screencap under "Shen Wei shakes him and calls his name..." without context, I would 100% think Shen Wei was kissing Zhao Yunlan's hair.

Aw, yes, I can see it. <3