In the absence of leads and with the clock ticking, Zhao Yunlan decides to try for a Dial vision, but as soon as he picks it up, he falls to the floor unconscious.
It's interesting that he picks the Sundial this time, after the Awl gave him visions last. He does spend a moment looking between the two Hallows, apparently choosing - maybe he goes for the Sundial because it's actually proved useful twice recently, as defence against Ye Zun and then healing Zhao Yunlan's eyes?
There's a sloooow camera zoom on the midshot, and you can really feel the heavy burden of trying to keep Zhao Yunlan alive. ;-p HAND TUCK!!!
♥ ♥ ♥
Shen Wei sends an incense messenger to the Regent. I don't think he's heard about the infestation of assassins.
Yeah, but for the viewer, him saying he hasn't received a report from Dixing in a while is a hint that the Regent's attempt to contain Ye Zun, which we heard about last week, did not go well ...
Rooftop of villainy. Ya Qing tells Sha Ya to limit her screen time, and Sha Ya responds by throwing her phone off the roof.
Love this bit that shows off Ya Qing's philosophy: "Now that you've chosen your side, you should be loyal for life." She's not opportunistic in her alliance; she's committed. Which makes it harder for her to turn back on it, even as things get more and more unpalatable to her later ...
There's a flashback to him and Bai Suxia being really cute and getting engaged at a red phone box. WXY promises never to ignore her calls.
I'd never noticed before that Wang Xiangyang finds it embarrassing when Bai Suxia wants to take a pic with him in front of the phone box, but she's unapologetically geeking out over it and having fun, and it draws him in. She's good for him!
And regarding him promising her to always pick up within five rings, even if we didn't know what was coming, this would be VERY blatant foreshadowing. *g*
(Aside: every time I hear this line, I think about my mum - when I call her, sometimes it rings ten times on my side until she picks up, and she says it only rang two or three times on her end!)
Wang Xiangyang puts the ring on Bai Suxia's right hand. Is that where engagement rings go in China? (Here, they go on the left hand; wedding rings go on the right.)
Cong Bo: This kind of blood densimetric analysis, I remember that it's a patent of the Department of Supervision. You managed to learn this secretly? Lin Jing: *looks shifty*
Yes! More foreshadowing the reveal of his spy role, more showing his uneasy feelings.
Shen Wei's explanation of the code goes entirely over my head.
Zhao Yunlan notices how serious Shen Wei is being (and is probably feeling a bit better himself, now they finally have a lead).
Yeah, he seems to be in much better spirits now that they're actually doing something! And he's cocky and confident in the confrontation with the Crows - but when there are no immediate clues at the phonebox, he kicks it in frustration. He's still pretty volatile. *pets him*
(Incidentally, I love that his frustrated kick makes the receiver fall down and draws their attention to the phone. And that clear shot of the number pad and its worn numbers, foreshadowing for the deduction next episode!)
He casts a sideways, considering glance, then grins and says, "Hei-laoge, you won't blame me, right?" referring to the latest asking-the-Dial-for-visions incident. Shen Wei looks at him, unimpressed, and walks off without answering, leaving Zhao Yunlan a bit sheepish. (Fwiw, I think Shen Wei's reacting that way precisely because Zhao Yunlan's trying to make light of it, rather than taking his health seriously.)
Yeah, 100% agreed.
They're intercepted by two Crow soldiers. Skirmish. Shen Wei gets cut and doesn't immediately heal. He sends a message to Ya Qing that Ye Zun can't be trusted.
Love the whole confrontation with the Crows: The Crow saying Ya Qing is working hard towards the revival of the Yashou - they follow her because they believe in her. The fight sequence, with Shen Wei immediately pulling Zhao Yunlan back and shoving him behind him when the Crows attack, and how easily he pushes them back with both fists and black energy. The Crow dart cutting Shen Wei, and Zhao Yunlan immediately zooming in on that and ignoring everything else, while Shen Wei just pulls his hand away and ignores the issue. Shen Wei sending a message to Ya Qing, warning her about Ye Zun - looks like by this point, he does know what she thinks she's doing.
Seriously, excellent scene! :D
Zhao Xinci isn't even tied up. He just wakes up and walks out. If the others had been more distracted, could he just have waltzed right out?
Sha Ya stops him and confronts him about Gu Ban. He doesn't recognise the name.
I thought his reaction was deliberately ambiguous, so we couldn't immediately tell whether he remembered or not ...
Also, Zhao Xinci saying his life is dedicated to the protection of humanity and he knows no fear - great speech, but maybe don't antagonise the violent Dixing kidnapper?!
I like how she's against a dark background, and he's on lighter shades of grey.
Oooh, yeah, that's an excellent shot!
What's your favourite scene in this episode?
This is so hard to decide! How do I choose between the SID scene where Zhao Yunlan reacts to his father being kidnapped, the scene by Zhao Yunlan's bedside, and the Crow confrontaiton????? I can't!
If Sha Ya had genuinely changed sides at the SID, and Lin Jing had appealed to the Envoy, do you think Sha Ya would have been allowed to stay in Haixing? For that matter, what would it have taken for Sha Ya to let her vengeance go and work with the SID?
I think if she'd genuinely changed sides and been willing to help the SID, she'd have been allowed to stay.
The only thing that would have made Sha Ya let go would have been Hua Yuzhu actually telling her what happened, and since I don't understand her silence at all, I have no idea what might have made her speak.
What did Ye Zun gain by sending Sha Ya and co to Haixing? Was interfering just a hobby at that point?
Since this must have been years ago and was already ongoing at the time, I think he was just trying to get his hooks into as many people as possible and trying to find someone who could actually help him/whom he could manipulate and brainwash into becoming his lackey. Presumably his goal was finding the Hallows, since they seem to be what imprisoned him in the first place and therefore can be expected to be able to free him as well.
I expect interfering and causing trouble in Haixing that Shen Wei would have to deal with was just a side benefit. *g*
Hypothetically, could Hua Yuzhu have become a Flower-Yashou healer?
Oooh, I love that idea! Yeah, that sounds brilliant. :D
Did Zhao Yunlan's vision actually warn of this kidnapping? If so, why are the circumstances so different?
I think this is similar to the future vision he had the time Zhu Jiu kidnapped Chu Shuzhi, Guo Changcheng and Ye Huo - reality and vision didn't line up then either, and they concluded they'd averted that future. But there have been other future flashes that did happen exactly as seen (that were actually from future episodes). The future isn't written in stone - visions aren't facts; events may happen that way, but they don't have to; things can change.
So my interpretation is that the vision Zhao Yunlan had was about Zhao Xinci being kidnapped - but under different circumstances: a different way it might have happened, with a staged car accident while Zhao Xinci was at the wheel.
When Shen Wei tells Zhao Yunlan, "You are the Chief of the SID, the Lord of the Guardians. If you are in disarray, the whole city will be as well," is he speaking metaphysically, or is it more prosaic cause-and-effect deal (ie, we can't stop bad guys if you're freaking out)?
I always took it to be prosaic; I'm not really fond of the metaphysical reading.
How torn is Shen Wei about keeping the Hallows at the SID, given that ot1h, it's the safest place for them, but otoh, Zhao Yunlan has a reckless, self-sacrificial streak a mile wide and apparently never learns?
no subject
It's interesting that he picks the Sundial this time, after the Awl gave him visions last. He does spend a moment looking between the two Hallows, apparently choosing - maybe he goes for the Sundial because it's actually proved useful twice recently, as defence against Ye Zun and then healing Zhao Yunlan's eyes?
♥ ♥ ♥
Yeah, but for the viewer, him saying he hasn't received a report from Dixing in a while is a hint that the Regent's attempt to contain Ye Zun, which we heard about last week, did not go well ...
Love this bit that shows off Ya Qing's philosophy: "Now that you've chosen your side, you should be loyal for life." She's not opportunistic in her alliance; she's committed. Which makes it harder for her to turn back on it, even as things get more and more unpalatable to her later ...
I'd never noticed before that Wang Xiangyang finds it embarrassing when Bai Suxia wants to take a pic with him in front of the phone box, but she's unapologetically geeking out over it and having fun, and it draws him in. She's good for him!
And regarding him promising her to always pick up within five rings, even if we didn't know what was coming, this would be VERY blatant foreshadowing. *g*
(Aside: every time I hear this line, I think about my mum - when I call her, sometimes it rings ten times on my side until she picks up, and she says it only rang two or three times on her end!)
Lin Jing: *looks shifty*
Yes! More foreshadowing the reveal of his spy role, more showing his uneasy feelings.
Yeah, he seems to be in much better spirits now that they're actually doing something! And he's cocky and confident in the confrontation with the Crows - but when there are no immediate clues at the phonebox, he kicks it in frustration. He's still pretty volatile. *pets him*
(Incidentally, I love that his frustrated kick makes the receiver fall down and draws their attention to the phone. And that clear shot of the number pad and its worn numbers, foreshadowing for the deduction next episode!)
Yeah, 100% agreed.
Love the whole confrontation with the Crows:
The Crow saying Ya Qing is working hard towards the revival of the Yashou - they follow her because they believe in her.
The fight sequence, with Shen Wei immediately pulling Zhao Yunlan back and shoving him behind him when the Crows attack, and how easily he pushes them back with both fists and black energy.
The Crow dart cutting Shen Wei, and Zhao Yunlan immediately zooming in on that and ignoring everything else, while Shen Wei just pulls his hand away and ignores the issue.
Shen Wei sending a message to Ya Qing, warning her about Ye Zun - looks like by this point, he does know what she thinks she's doing.
Seriously, excellent scene! :D
I thought his reaction was deliberately ambiguous, so we couldn't immediately tell whether he remembered or not ...
Also, Zhao Xinci saying his life is dedicated to the protection of humanity and he knows no fear - great speech, but maybe don't antagonise the violent Dixing kidnapper?!
Oooh, yeah, that's an excellent shot!
This is so hard to decide! How do I choose between the SID scene where Zhao Yunlan reacts to his father being kidnapped, the scene by Zhao Yunlan's bedside, and the Crow confrontaiton????? I can't!
I think if she'd genuinely changed sides and been willing to help the SID, she'd have been allowed to stay.
The only thing that would have made Sha Ya let go would have been Hua Yuzhu actually telling her what happened, and since I don't understand her silence at all, I have no idea what might have made her speak.
Since this must have been years ago and was already ongoing at the time, I think he was just trying to get his hooks into as many people as possible and trying to find someone who could actually help him/whom he could manipulate and brainwash into becoming his lackey. Presumably his goal was finding the Hallows, since they seem to be what imprisoned him in the first place and therefore can be expected to be able to free him as well.
I expect interfering and causing trouble in Haixing that Shen Wei would have to deal with was just a side benefit. *g*
Oooh, I love that idea! Yeah, that sounds brilliant. :D
I think this is similar to the future vision he had the time Zhu Jiu kidnapped Chu Shuzhi, Guo Changcheng and Ye Huo - reality and vision didn't line up then either, and they concluded they'd averted that future. But there have been other future flashes that did happen exactly as seen (that were actually from future episodes). The future isn't written in stone - visions aren't facts; events may happen that way, but they don't have to; things can change.
So my interpretation is that the vision Zhao Yunlan had was about Zhao Xinci being kidnapped - but under different circumstances: a different way it might have happened, with a staged car accident while Zhao Xinci was at the wheel.
I always took it to be prosaic; I'm not really fond of the metaphysical reading.
Haha, OMG, SO much! Poor Shen Wei. *g*