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sid_guardian2023-01-14 07:43 pm
trobadora) wrote in sid_guardian2023-01-14 07:43 pm
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GUARDIAN REWATCH - Episode 1
Beginning of episode: Opening narration ("Haixing, an ancient planet ..."); then Professor Shen holding a lecture
Ending of episode: the Black-Cloaked Envoy's appearance on the rooftop; then Li Qian and Zhao Yunlan, leaning over the edge of the roof looking for Professor Shen
Important scenes/developments:
- Professor Ouyang tries to recruit Professor Shen
- Guo Changcheng's introduction to the SID
- Shen Wei sees Zhao Yunlan looking out of a window
- Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan shake hands ("Good name!")
- flashback to young Shen Wei and Kunlun
- Li Qian: "Is it really worth giving all you have to protect someone?"
Shen Wei: "It's worth it." - Zhao Yunlan: "I really don't know why, but the moment I saw you you seemed very familiar somehow."
Shen Wei: "Who knows, maybe we have indeed met before." - Shen Wei protects Li Qian from the Shadow Man
- the Black-Cloaked Envoy appears on the rooftop
I hadn't rewatched this episode in one go in forever, only bits and pieces here and there, so I had forgotten just how many important scenes are in this episode already! *flails*
Thoughts:
Rewatching this gave me so much joy! This drama is just perfectly designed to make me go :D :D :D every time. After we finished watching, I was so tempted to just keep going with the next episode! (And lose my whole weekend to watching 40 episodes non-stop, LOL.) So instead I put on up my favourite Guardian vid, Man on a Mission, which it perfectly captures that joy and that energy. ♥ ♥ ♥
Have a few random thoughts, feelings, and pics:
- "We Won't Be Falling": every time I hear the intro song, I feel compelled to sing along. "The story will keep on going ..." Same with the end credits song, tbh - "到底都分离 ..." The songs are so good! ♥
- I really like the visuals in the opening narration. So pretty!
- Our respective first look at our main characters:
They both get such ominous intros! Shen Wei's practically screams "this is a very suspicious person", and Zhao Yunlan's entrance is all him being vaguely dangerous and threatening. :D
(Something that didn't occur to me before: Shen Wei is the one with the black mask, but Zhao Yunlan is the one we see with the black motorcycle helmet first, obscuring his face!) - The intro to the SID has more special effects than usual, and they're very effectively deployed! Such a good introduction to everyone's peculiarities: Zhu Hong's tail, Wang Zheng's ghostliness, Lin Jing's whole Mad Scientist thing, and Da Qing being very cat. It's a lot, even without Zhao Yunlan being all Maximum Weird™ at him! Poor Xiao-Guo. ♥ ♥ ♥
- Guo Changcheng's intro hits my embarrassment squick, but not as badly during this rewatch, which was great to discover. *g*
- Shen Wei finds Kunlun again ... and he's so very not Kunlun! And Da Qing doesn't recognise him either. So many feelings ...!
- Also, I always love this bit with the handshake where a) Shen Wei forgets to let go of Zhao Yunlan's hand, and b) when he does let go, Zhao Yunlan totally forgets to put down his own hand. *g*
- Our first flashback! And how do I love that the lollipop is right there? The show is totally playing fair, and yet I don't think anyone realised what was really going on when it was first airing ...
- Zhao Yunlan lounging on everything is always great, but him reclining on his motorbike is a particular delight:
- Guo Changcheng seems to be afraid of almost everything in this episode, but he takes to Chu Shuzhi so fast! Already he's clinging to him:
- I love the way Shen Wei tries to help Li Qian, physically protects her, and is totally prepared to expose himself on that rooftop by fighting the Shadow Man, until he notices the SID arriving:
- Zhao Yunlan recognising Shen Wei on the phone just from "It's me"!
- The whole scene with the Envoy's first appearance! Stopping time! Zhao Yunlan being all passive-aggressive and complainy, right until Xiao-Guo puts his foot in it, and then he's immediately stepping up to try and appease the Envoy. So good!
Discussion starters:
- What's your favourite moment in this episode? Which moment had you totally forgotten was already in the first episode?
I have a hard time choosing a favourite thing, but I think it's probably the conversation that I'd count as the proper beginning of the cat-and-mouse game between Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan, where Shen Wei very conspicuously dangles his knowledge of Dixingren in front of Zhao Yunlan, and Zhao Yunlan then claims Shen Wei seemed familiar to him ... - That, or the Envoy's appearance. But then I'm weak for that cloak and mask. *g* - Speaking of Zhao Yunlan claiming familiarity - do you think that's just a line? Is he just trying to tease some info out of Shen Wei, or does he genuinely feel something?
(Leading theories for how he could be feeling something despite not actually having met Shen Wei before: Hallows interference; having seen pictures or video of the Envoy; having seen the Envoy from a distance as a kid while sneaking around. Thanks tooracularmayhem for that last!) - Zhao Yunlan talks about new offices for the SID - why do you think he wants them? The SID set is such a delight!
- If you've rewatched this episode just now, did you notice anything you never thought about before?
One thing that occurred to me was that the flashback has Kunlun putting a lollipop in the young Envoy's mouth, while earlier in this episode, we see Zhao Yunlan pull a lollipop away from Xiao-Guo's mouth. Apart from drawing attention to the Significant Lollipop™, do you think there's something in that parallel/contrast? - Last night, shadaras pointed out there's a parallel between Li Qian's necklace here and Shen Wei's in the mugging scene (episode 6/7). The way Li Qian touches her necklace definitely is reminiscent (foreshadowing?) of Shen Wei ...
Of course Guardian has three Emotionally Significant Necklaces™ - Shen Wei's lollipop pendant, Li Qian's Sundial, and Da Qing's bells. I'm going to pay more attention to that during this rewatch, to see if there are more parallels ... Thoughts, anyone? - What's your favourite fanfic or fanart relating to this episode? What fanart or fanfic do you wish existed?
Let's talk about episode 1!
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!
no subject
And your post is really great! I especially love your observation about the mask/bike helmet -- so cool, and it really has to be a deliberate part of the story-telling! Everyone's wearing masks (literal or metaphorical), and both leads have identity shenanigans. ♥
It's a lot, even without Zhao Yunlan being all Maximum Weird™ at him!
HEE! He should definitely trademark that.
Guo Changcheng's intro hits my embarrassment squick, but not as badly during this rewatch, which was great to discover. *g*
Oh, that's excellent. :D
Zhao Yunlan lounging on everything is always great, but him reclining on his motorbike is a particular delight
asfajsdlfkajshdf He's ridiculous, I love him! But also, there must be a particular strategy there. He's on a stakeout! So I think he's curious to see what will happen if he's openly surveilling Li Qian. He still looks miffed at being intercepted by Shen Wei, though. (Or is that, too, part of the performance, given he told Guo Changcheng to be sure not to lose eyes on Shen Wei?)
Zhao Yunlan recognising Shen Wei on the phone just from "It's me"!
Yessss! And Shen Wei being sure enough that he will that he says it!
Speaking of Zhao Yunlan claiming familiarity - do you think that's just a line? Is he just trying to tease some info out of Shen Wei, or does he genuinely feel something?
I think in episode 2 he talks to himself about it, so there has to be some sincerity behind the line. I think any of the explanations you list could work. Or maybe it's just soulmates/timeloop/his heart tugging him forward...
Zhao Yunlan talks about new offices for the SID - why do you think he wants them? The SID set is such a delight!
We've talked about that before and speculated that he might want to move to a better part of town?
My two favourite things about the episode are a) the ensemble -- I love how they're all introduced, and the hints at their relationships (like Zhu Hong pranking Lin Jing, and Da Qing fuming about being left on door duty), and b) the two leads: Shen Wei being smacked between the eyes with the appearance of his love, and how quickly Zhao Yunlan is intrigued and suspicious and taking him seriously. ♥!! /100% cheating *g*
Overall: it's such a good episode! It made me want to immediately keep watching, too. :-)
no subject
Professor Ouyang saying, "Lao Zhou was right: no one knows what you are thinking." feels like such a thematically fitting introduction to Shen Wei and all his secrets.
Haha, right? The whole sequence introducing Shen Wei is really good at making you aware this man has secrets. :D
I'm still confused about the connection between the little metal box at Li Qian's house and the Shadow Man. Was he in the box until Changcheng disturbed him? Did Yi Yufen used to keep the Dial in the box? Presumably the Shadow Man is searching the house when they arrive home -- why does he hide? (And can he really make himself that small?)
I thought the box was where the Sundial used to be kept, and the Shadow Man wanted it because he thought it was still in there. Which makes me wonder if that's because of residual energies, or because of something more mundane (like Zhu Jiu having tracked down the Sundial via that box's provenance) ...
I'm not sure about the Shadow Man's abilities, but in the chase sequence at the university, when he slips and falls he dissolves into smoke/shadows entirely for a moment, so he has to be able to do more than just maintain a human-shaped shadow body.
I remember it took me several watches to realise that when ZYL stakes out Li Qian on his motorbike, Shen Wei deliberately comes to talk to Li Qian to protect her and run interference, to stop him tailing her.
That is such a good moment! Protective Shen Wei for the win, and yes, obviously doing double duty by putting himself into Zhao Yunlan's path again! You can see him looking at ZYL before he sends Li Qian away, and then he intercepts ZYL when he tries to follow. So good! :D
Lin Jing calling and saying, without explanation, "We have a lead!" never fails to delight me.
LOL! I feel like this happens way too often in procedurals, but at least Lin Jing is the sort of character who absolutely would. *g*
Chu Shuzhi gets all the action hero moments in this episode: at Li Qian's house and on the rooftop. The camera loves him!
I love him too. ♥
The contrast between Zhao Yunlan saying to Professor Shen of Guo Changcheng "Despite his skinniness, he's highly trained" and then saying to the Envoy, "This child is new. He doesn't have much sense or experience." LOL!
LOLOLOL, I hadn't even thought about that, but you're so right, what an amazing contrast! And I applaud Shen Wei for managing not to roll his eyes underneath his mask. (But also ouch, because it's more evidence of everything ZYL says being performative to some degree ...)
Everyone's wearing masks (literal or metaphorical), and both leads have identity shenanigans. ♥
Yes! So delightful, so thematically appropriate!
He still looks miffed at being intercepted by Shen Wei, though. (Or is that, too, part of the performance, given he told Guo Changcheng to be sure not to lose eyes on Shen Wei?
No, I think he's generally annoyed. He clearly didn't expect it. He switches gears quickly enough, but maybe he thought Shen Wei, being aware that Zhao Yunlan already had some suspicions, would avoid him? I mean, he definitely couldn't have expected Shen Wei to dangle himself and his suspiciousness and his knowledge in front of ZYL like bait. *g*
I think in episode 2 he talks to himself about it, so there has to be some sincerity behind the line.
Yeah, agreed. There is something genuine there. My theory is it's the time loop resonating, via the Hallows, but there could be multiple reasons at the same time!
We've talked about that before and speculated that he might want to move to a better part of town?
Yeah, but I'd still hate to lose the SID set, so I disagree with him on principle. *g*
the hints at their relationships (like Zhu Hong pranking Lin Jing, and Da Qing fuming about being left on door duty)
Yes, that's all so great, this episode really does a good job introducing us to the characters and their relationships in broad strokes, so things can be explored in more depth later.
the two leads: Shen Wei being smacked between the eyes with the appearance of his love, and how quickly Zhao Yunlan is intrigued and suspicious and taking him seriously. ♥!! /100% cheating *g*
It is! But also, it's probably almost everyone's favourite thing on the larger scale. *g*
no subject
New. It was the friend who dyed my hair. They enjoyed it, but I don't know if they'll watch any more.
I thought the box was where the Sundial used to be kept, and the Shadow Man wanted it because he thought it was still in there.
Hm, does he know Li Qian's wearing it around her neck, then? (On consideration, I think it makes sense for him to hide at first when Li Yufen gets home, in case says something useful he can overhear.)
That is such a good moment! Protective Shen Wei for the win, and yes, obviously doing double duty by putting himself into Zhao Yunlan's path again! You can see him looking at ZYL before he sends Li Qian away, and then he intercepts ZYL when he tries to follow. So good! :D
Yeah, I think the only reason he's there at all is that he's heard ZYL is on campus. Which, ZYL must know that being so open is going to draw out Li Qian's professor who's being so protective of her. What is he thinking??
But also ouch, because it's more evidence of everything ZYL says being performative to some degree ...
Well, political (for different reasons). Which makes sense.
I mean, he definitely couldn't have expected Shen Wei to dangle himself and his suspiciousness and his knowledge in front of ZYL like bait. *g*
That's true! His reaction when Shen Wei mentions Dixing is really react-y. :D
Yeah, but I'd still hate to lose the SID set, so I disagree with him on principle. *g*
Me too. It's so delightful. :D