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sid_guardian2023-09-13 01:14 pm
china_shop) wrote in sid_guardian2023-09-13 01:14 pm
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GUARDIAN REWATCH – Episode 35
Beginning of episode: On a YOHE clifftop, Zhao Yunlan gives the Envoy his name.
Ending of episode: Back in Dragon City, Zhao Yunlan tells Shen Wei he's not just a knife, and "Professor Lin" arrives at the DoS security check to confiscate Guo Changcheng's baton.
Important scenes/developments:
- Zhao Yunlan fixes Shen Wei's name and asks about his past and his brother.
- Ye Zun brings the Hallows to the Rebel Leader and gets kicked in the chest, mind-controlled and abused until his power manifests and he commits involuntarily cannibalism; he becomes the new Rebel Leader.
- Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan talk in the moonlight some more; Da Qing runs up to say the Rebels have declared war.
- Clash #1: Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan reclaim the Hallows, and Zhao Yunlan shoots a bunch of guys.
- For the first time in months, Zhao Yunlan fails to activate the Hallows (but at least he doesn't have visions, collapse or go blind).
- Da Qing chooses Zhao Yunlan as his master, and Zhao Yunlan fastens the bells around Da Qing's neck.
- Clash #2: Ye Zun & co attack, Ye Zun's mask comes off, and the brothers reunite... until Ye Zun knocks everyone down.
- The Hallows' wormhole swallows Zhao Yunlan, and he meets present-day Shen Wei inside.
- From there, they watch as:
- Ye Zun falls into the energy seal, and Shen Wei follows after
- the Treaty is signed and the Allied Forces disbanded
- Da Qing leaves in search of his memories
- 10k years later, the Regent sends Ding Dun to Haixing to investigate the energy seal and look for the Hallows
- Ding Dun's mission finds the newly waking Envoy
- the Regent and Shen Wei agree on their roles
- Shen Wei talks to pillar!Ye Zun, then returns to Haixing and catches some petty Dixingren crooks.
- Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan leave the wormhole and land in the SID lab, where Da Qing is waiting.
- Da Qing says Dixing has declared war on Haixing; cue flashback to Ye Zun impersonating the Envoy and burning the treaty.
- At the DoS security check, Changcheng gets stopped because of his baton, and the guard sends for Professor Lin.
- In the street, Zhao Yunlan tells Shen Wei that he's not a knife, and says the big problem for the moment is humans.
- Lin Jing comes to the DoS security check and takes Changcheng's baton.
Thoughts
- Zhao Yunlan gives Shen Wei his name. Ot1h, this has always struck me as incredibly presumptuous; otoh, does it still count as presumptuous when (as far as Zhao Yunlan is concerned) it's already Shen Wei's name, and Zhao Yunlan knows how important it is to him? Ot3h, I mean, Zhao Yunlan and presumption go hand in hand, so... *g*
Anyway, Zhao Yunlan extemporises (off the top of his head?) about Shen Wei's name, turning it into a call to duty just in case Shen Wei was in any danger of losing sight of his priorities: "In this world, water and mountains are connected. Towering mountains extend endlessly, just like the burdens on our shoulders, but we have to keep walking till the end."
Then he asks about Shen Wei's backstory, and while Shen Wei talks openly, Zhao Yunlan listens. He isn't figuring out how to slyly ask for compensation or being a cute ratbag; his attention is absolute. Partly, this is because he's matured and now understands his own importance, so he doesn't have to joke for attention or put up defences anymore; partly I think it's because he's been denied these confidences for so long, and he wants them so badly. To hear about Shen Wei's past. To be a shoulder for Shen Wei to unburden himself onto. It was worth travelling 10k years just for this! - I think that, at the time Kunlun showed up, YOHE!Shen Wei was having a crisis, not of confidence or self-worth, but of hope. For whatever reason, Ma Gui and Fu You haven't told him about the message from the future saying they'll win the war, and he's lost so many men, and things just seem... really bleak. And as a leader, he's responsible for the losses, large and small. Can they win? Is it worth sending yet more of his men to die? Should he try to do it all alone?
But then Kunlun arrives, and he is a total revelation. He talks confidently about the future, about a long life after the war. He listens seriously and believes in Shen Wei. His encouragement strengthens Shen Wei's resolve when he needs it most, and a lot of that influence is to keep fighting, keep on with the sacrifice. Shen Wei starts to say, "If I had a choice..." and Zhao Yunlan cuts him off and tells him he'd still be a leader. "Even if it is not what you want, you would still fight with the bad because of your conscience and for the sake of everyone."
(He tempers that a little with his "You're not just a knife" line later this episode, but that's 10k years later, from Shen Wei's pov!) - Zhao Yunlan asks about Shen Wei's brother, and we get some of Ye Zun's side of the story. A few things about this:
- I think this partly parallels the start of the previous episode, with Chu Shuzhi telling the truth about him and Nianzhi. With the Chu brothers, we got multiple confusing versions, all mixed up, and then the real one, which was about the older brother feeling that he'd failed the younger; the younger seeming to die (but actually being preserved in an object?); misplaced vengeance, and a hundred years of punishment/torment. Here, we only start to see the shape of Shen Wei and Ye Zun's story, and we know not to entirely trust it (because this show! ♥), but I think it's safe to guess that some of those elements are going to be present.
- There's a dramatic contrast between the Rebels and the Allied Forces. The Rebels are assembled outside, with no apparent infrastructure; their Leader is a thug and a bully, ruling with an iron and mind-controlling fist. Meanwhile, the Allied Forces are led by a lord and a lady who don't seem to be fighters so much as strategists; they have at least one general, a council chamber, and magical healing ointment. Ma Gui tries to develop a technological breakthrough that can help them win the war. Given how little the Rebels seem to have, it's not surprising they're not interested in peace...
- What was Ye Zun's situation, growing up among the Rebels? (There's some discussion about this in the comments on extrapenguin's excellent scene post.) He's mind controlled like the other soldiers, but also verbally and physically abused and lied to. He's despised for his illness/weakness/lack of power. He believes he has nowhere else to go, and he's disturbingly flinchy. He dresses more like the Allied Forces than like the Rebels. And he's been working his way up from whipping boy, using his wits to try and help the Rebel Leader, eg, by suggesting and carrying out the Hallows heist. (Has anyone written the Hallows heist?!) But the Rebel Leader doesn't trust him and isn't willing to grant him any status.
- Ye Zun's power activates, and it's clearly involuntary and terrifying.
It's also his first taste of any kind of power. - When the Rebels acknowledge him, they hold out a new, golden mask. Maybe one of them has an on-the-spot appropriate-mask-creating power?
- Back to the tranquil moonlight chat between Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan, in particular Shen Wei comparing his view of the world with and without his mask (very symbolic) and Zhao Yunlan being so charmed. And then Shen Wei breaks Zhao Yunlan's heart by thanking him for being interested. It seems very IC to me that Shen Wei doesn't blame others for keeping their distance; it's just the way things are.
Zhao Yunlan says, "If one day, I leave without saying goodbye, please don't blame me. You only need to know that we will meet again." (I wonder if he's partly talking to future Shen Wei there too, promising him (and himself) that they'll be reunited?) - Da Qing runs up. "The Rebel Leader sent a declaration of war." (Confusing, because it seemed like they were already at war, right?) "I heard they brought the Hallows, too."
Shen Wei says he'll bring the Hallows back. Zhao Yunlan clasps his shoulder. "You are not fighting alone." (And he can back this up with his weapon, which gives their side a new edge; it's the YOHE equivalent of his bomb-defusing skills in the hospital.) He's telling, not asking here -- claiming a place at Shen Wei's side, and trying to send Da Qing to safety, too. (He calls himself Da Qing's master, so I guess he has connected those dots; of course, Da Qing objects.) - In the clash that follows, Zhao Yunlan uses his gun ruthlessly and unhesitatingly. And he and Shen Wei work together seamlessly -- Shen Wei throws Zhao Yunlan the box of Hallows without even calling his name first, freeing himself to fight Ye Zun. <3 <3 <3 But having retrieved the Hallows, they retreat.
The Hallows won't activate. Zhao Yunlan even picks up the Awl without having visions! He says, "My mission is complete. It's time to go back now," and omg Shen Wei's faaaace, but it's Da Qing who runs up, protesting, "No! You just came! Why are you leaving now?" (undeadrobins made a great post on this scene.) 
I wanted this to be where Zhao Yunlan realised he was Da Qing's master, but he has been claiming that all along; I guess it's where Da Qing claims him back, though, and where Zhao Yunlan realises the significance of the bells. - Second clash. Shen Wei slices Ye Zun's mask and it falls off. Ye Zun emotionally manipulates. Zhao Yunlan finally learns that Ye Zun is Shen Wei's didi.
And here, in YOHE, with Shen Wei not weakened by light energy, and with Zhao Yunlan at his most shooty, even working together they still can't defeat Ye Zun. He knocks them all over with relative ease. But the Hallows intervene, dragging Zhao Yunlan into their wormhole.
His parting words to Shen Wei are echoes of Zhang Shi/Zhao Xinci: "No matter what decision you make, never regret doing it." - Zhao Yunlan arrives back in the wormhole. We get Shen Wei's amazing line: It took me 10,000 years to find you. (After he says it, he's breathing hard -- so many emotions!) And Zhao Yunlan can't answer that, can't only laugh out his own feels.
I love how Zhao Yunlan's having met and mentored the younger Shen Wei doesn't alter their present-day dynamic: modern Shen Wei is still ancient, authoritative and a scientist, and Zhao Yunlan slots into place as his partner who defers to Shen Wei's judgement, knowledge of wormholes, etc -- while still angling for what he wants, because he's still Zhao Yunlan. *g*
Shen Wei says, "The magic of the timeline is that from a macro perspective, no matter how long you stay at this node as long as you return to the start, not much time will have passed." Which gives us lots of leeway for YOHE fic. ;-)
Zhao Yunlan says he wants to see the ending, and I feel like either Shen Wei doesn't, or he doesn't want Zhao Yunlan to see it? But he doesn't argue. - trobadora's already made an awesome post on Ye Zun and Shen Wei falling into the abyss. In short, Shen Wei once more fails to save his brother -- this time losing him to the Hallows. (I think there's a potential AU here where Shen Wei decides the Hallows are problematic, and he goes into engineering instead of biology to figure out how to destroy them, and research other ways of bringing resources to Dixing. ;-p)
Shen Wei following Ye Zun into the energy seal seems a lot like his following Zhao Yunlan into the wormhole last episode: throwing caution to the wind for the people he cares about most, who he wants to keep and protect. - Then we get the Treaty and the Allied Forces disbanding. Fu You says, "Goodbye, Dixingren," to the other treaty signatory like she didn't bother to ask his name, hee. (Or is it plural? 再见了地星人)
And like every other "good guy" character else in the show, she puts leadership ahead of personal things -- and she makes Ma Gui do the same. - Da Qing doesn't remember anything, and apparently everyone is refusing to fill him in (???), so he's off on his own.
- Fast forward. In the wormhole, Shen Wei says, "Dragon City was built upon the crater caused by the meteorite." Which is why the troubles start and end in the city. We see the pre-awakened-Envoy palace, with the Regent being pro-Envoy and telling the Deacon off for speaking out against him. We see Ding Dun and co find the Envoy. The Envoy and the Regent amicably agreeing on their roles. (The Regent, faced with this wide-eyed, young-seeming ancient legend who outranks him but knows nothing about the current political climate, is understandably I think none too thrilled, but he hides it well.) Shen Wei decides to go keep the peace in Haixing and look for the Hallows, but first he talks to Ye Zun in the pillar and discovers his brother hasn't repented. It's not 100% clear to me what he thinks Ye Zun's crime is -- continuing the warmongering after he took power, I guess? Also, I wonder how long Ye Zun has been awake at this point. /o\ And then we get a delightful glimpse of an Envoy-in-Haixing-fighting-crime procedural, which I would have LOVED to see more of, especially if it featured pre-embittered Zhao Xinci. (trobadora covered all of this in her epic scene post, so I'm skating over it.)
- Finally, it's time to leave the portal. Zhao Yunlan name-checks Wang Zheng and Sang Zan as part of his motivation, aww, and he and Shen Wei fall into the SID lab, where Da Qing has been sleeping. The three of them help each other up: reunion!!! Zhao Yunlan checks his phone (a perfectly reasonable first move after being offline for who even knows how long) and discovers two days have passed.
- Da Qing says Dixing has declared war on Haixing, and the Envoy is rumoured to be behind it. Flashback to Ye Zun stirring up a crowd, with An Bai and the Regent watching. (This takes place in the palace, but it's a weird angle and it took me a moment to be sure.) The bartender vouches for the fake!Envoy, despite his uncharacteristic behaviour. Sigh! I like the bartender, but he's not the smartest cookie.
Ye Zun says, "I am honored that the Dijun and Regent handed me the commanding power at this critical time. After pondering over [Dixing's situation], I am here to announce that... this shameless treaty is invalid now." And he sets it alight.
The onlookers actually sound alarmed and not particularly militant until Ye Zun eggs them on and one of them starts up a chant: "Rule Haixing!" The others quickly join in. (I wonder what they think this invasion will entail, and also how many of them have weaponisable powers.) - Poor Shen Wei. Ye Zun is using the Envoy's reputation as a powerful chess piece. This is really upsetting (and enraging?)!
- At the DoS security check, Guo Ying schools Changcheng in discretion:
GY: Changcheng, the Inspectorate is not like the outside world. Once you're inside, be very careful about what you say or do.
GCC: Uncle, my colleagues—
GY: Hush. I care about them, too. I also sympathize with them. But now is not the time.
Aww! The security people find something suspicious in Changcheng's bag, and they call "Professor Lin". - In the street, Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan walk and talk (with very little urgency for wanted men).
SW: I have no allies in Dixing. The Regent and Dijun are on Ye Zun's side now.
me: And the Regent was pretty unreliable to start with!
SW: (cont.) In Dixing now, no one can rightfully discern the real Black Cloaked Envoy anymore. To my knowledge, with Ye Zun's current power, it's impossible for him to bewitch the whole of Dixing, so he dresses up like me and causes chaos.
ZYL: Enough. Remember, you are a person, not a knife.
SW: But he's now provoking dissension under my name. It's my fault. I should have been ruthless at that time [10k years ago?].
ZYL: It's not you who was lenient, it was Heaven. But I also believe that man will triumph over Heaven. People like Ye Zun will never understand the point of our sacrifices and persistence.
SW: (apparently this is what he needed to hear, because some of the tension leaves him) Thank you.
ZYL: (laughs) For what? (changes the subject)
Shen Wei thanking Zhao Yunlan here echoes their conversation 10k years ago, awwwww! I think here, he's thanking him for being by his side, for once more bringing hope by talking Shen Wei out of his dismay and self-recrimination and back into determination and action. And maybe, too, by Zhao Yunlan's referring to their sacrifices and persistence, Shen Wei feels Zhao Yunlan is giving him permission to carry out his contingency plan. (He doesn't need permission, of course, but it must be good to know Zhao Yunlan will understand.) - Shen Wei has asked Da Qing to find the rest of the SID. Zhao Yunlan has a plan to manage things in Haixing. "The most worrying thing is us Humans right now." And then he uses the most delightfully Zhao Yunlan idiom I can imagine: Let's go to the mountains knowing there are tigers (ie, time for a calculated risk). :D :D :D
- At the DoS, Lin Jing comes to the security check, all serious (undercover) and not accepting Changcheng's warm greeting.
Discussion starters:
- What's your favourite scene in this episode? Favourite line of dialogue? For me, it's the entire clifftop conversation, and especially Zhao Yunlan asking Shen Wei not to blame him for leaving. It says so much!!
- How do you feel about YOHE Ye Zun? Do you have thoughts about his terrible circumstances? Do they make you pity him?
- Any thoughts or feelings about Fu You and Ma Gui? Do you ship them? Do you think Fu You was right to leave?
- At the end of the episode, Shen Wei seems to think he could have defeated Ye Zun in YOHE. Why do you think he thinks this?li
- What exactly does Shen Wei feel about Ye Zun using the Envoy's image to start a war?
- We know that, among other things, the treaty places some restrictions on the Envoy. Does burning it change anything?
- Does the Regent have any redeeming features?
- The first time you watched, did you think Lin Jing had gone to the dark side, or did you recognise his no-nonsense attitude to Changcheng as a ruse?
Let’s talk about episode 35!
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
Hee! I'm prepared to accept it as an effect of the portal (they can't touch/reach each other, because they're not physically embodied, or they're actually in different parts of the dimension or something?), or a character note (Shen Wei, in particular, holding back because once he starts, he won't be able to let go?). But yeah...
Also, I want to know what research Shen Wei did that lets him talk with such confidence about not much time passing while they're inside the wormhole - how does he know? Fascinating!
He is a theoretician, right? And for that matter, Dixing has had 10k years with at least one portal to Haixing, no matter that only certain people are authorised to pass through it. There must have been some research or scientific theorising about it and, by extension, wormholes and so forth, surely.
I think he just wants to return to the present, and not dwell on what to him are old memories?
Well, but some of his old memories are clearly precious to him and he presumably just watched them play out (for however long) with some sense of nostalgia... I feel like what comes next is markedly different. I wonder if, in retrospect, he regrets letting himself fall into the energy seal... or if he doesn't want Zhao Yunlan see him abdicate his position, even if the war has been won.
The AU I always wonder about is the one where Shen Wei actually manages to pull Ye Zun free, and the Hallows leave them alive in YOHE. What then? I feel like Ye Zun was a lot more reachable before he got to stew in his own hatred for 10,000 years.
Oh, interesting! There are some fics like that, aren't there? (I have one that's not dissimilar, though it branches off a little earlier.)
Yes! Symbolically at least, definitely - but it also looks to me like after Ye Zun falls, when Shen Wei is standing at the edge of the abyss, that he starts feeling the Hallows' pull himself, and seems to be struggling a bit.
Do you think so? I always thought he chose to go. He's just lost Kunlun, and we see his horrified reaction at losing Didi again. And then he feels the tugs of the energy seal (is that what you mean by him struggling?). I feel like he could have at least tried to break out, but instead he hands history over to his brothers in arms and chooses to let himself be taken. (I actually think that's kind of an important character beat: it's not a surrender to fate, so much as an active choice to follow his brother -- he won't lose him again! But YMMV!)
It's not explicitly plural, but I think it can be read as collective, yeah.
Ah, okay. Less comical, but makes more sense. ;-)
I thought she was using that reasoning to avoid having to turn him down - my feeling is that she's just not into him the way he is into her.
Same! I was trying to accommodate people who ship them. :-)
Yeah, I've always wondered about this too! Why is no one telling him what he's forgotten?!
Maybe they think it'll break his brain. They saw him in the Hallows-zoom thing, so they know he'll meet Zhao Yunlan again in ~10k years. Maybe they think it's better not to know how long he's going to have to wait? (Or maybe they did tell him, and he keeps forgetting again, and they've given up. ;-p)
And I always wondered what identity the Inspectorate gave the Envoy. Other than the name, does it have anything in common with the identity he must have created later to become a university student?
Presumably nothing too high profile (eg, diplomat), or it would make reinventing himself rather tricky. The fact that the SID doesn't link his former and present-day identities suggests he was mostly off the radar...
I really love the bit where Shen Wei quotes his friend (presumably "Kunlun") saying that Dixingren also love, hate, and feel touched, they're not so different, foreshadowing Zhao Yunlan's speech next episode!
Yes, that's really great! I'd completely forgotten that till you referenced it ?last ep?.
An Bai isn't on the throne
But must still be in thrall to it; the Regent is shocked in ep 39 when he breaks free.
Yeah, and I love that he manages to warn his nephew, AND reassure him that he cares about the SID too. He's not on board with everything that's happening.
Yesss! *hearts so much* (This foreshadows his detention, I guess.)
(I mean, maybe Zhao Yunlan just went to the loo at the SID before they went out, but still!)
LOL! Maybe ZYL was catching up on his email?
Doesn't excuse him for what he does after, but he's really grown up under awful circumstances, and it's no surprise he can't move past its effects. Even if he had never committed any crimes himself, there's SO much healing he needed! And instead he got stuck in solitary confinement for 10,000 years, making the whole thing even worse. :(
Right? I wonder what the Hallows were "thinking". /o\
I think he may mean that moment after the reveal when Ye Zun was pretending to cry - if he'd ruthlessly struck then, he might have managed to take Ye Zun down. But of course he didn't; of course he never would have.
Ooh, now that would be an interesting time travel AU dilemma! Imagine if he went back and had to try and overcome his fraternal feelings.
It depends on whether the paper Ye Zun burns is just paperwork (and so the burning is just symbolic), or whether it actually physically embodies these restrictions themselves. I could see it go either way ...
Yeah, me too. Shen Wei is so weakened by this stage (cf, the trouble he has opening the portal in ep 37) that I don't know it would make much difference to his power levels.
> Does the Regent have any redeeming features?
> > Not really, LOL. The best you can say of him is that he's not as evil as he might be. (And even that is half because he's so unwilling to commit to anything; he's always trying to hedge his bets.)
Aw, see, I think for all his weaselly self-interest, he does care about Dixing and the rule of law. Remember how upset he was about the last Dijun's murder? Otoh, his methods and expectations for what a proper society look like are so terrible and warped that they undermine the benefit of any trace of duty he might feel. /o\
I don't think I ever for a moment considered that Lin Jing had changed sides!
Haha, right? SID Forever! *pets him*
no subject
NO EXCUSES. And I agree on the character note regarding Shen Wei - he probably wouldn't initiate - but I really, really think in this situation Zhao Yunlan would. And every time I rewatch this I become more convinced of it. :p
He is a theoretician, right? And for that matter, Dixing has had 10k years with at least one portal to Haixing, no matter that only certain people are authorised to pass through it. There must have been some research or scientific theorising about it and, by extension, wormholes and so forth, surely.
All excellent points! I love this and want ALLLLL the fic about it. *g*
Well, but some of his old memories are clearly precious to him and he presumably just watched them play out (for however long) with some sense of nostalgia... I feel like what comes next is markedly different. I wonder if, in retrospect, he regrets letting himself fall into the energy seal... or if he doesn't want Zhao Yunlan see him abdicate his position, even if the war has been won.
I agree that it's different, I just don't feel he's deliberately avoiding anything. He's happy to rewatch his Kunlun memories, but the memories after he wakes up have nothing he's nostalgic about, nothing he particularly wants to revisit.
Oh, interesting! There are some fics like that, aren't there? (I have one that's not dissimilar, though it branches off a little earlier.)
Yeah, there are fics that branch off in YOHE, but I don't remember one that takes off from this moment in particular, which is what I'm interested in, and the contrast between Kunlun being ripped away but Shen Wei managing to hold on to Ye Zun.
Do you think so? I always thought he chose to go. He's just lost Kunlun, and we see his horrified reaction at losing Didi again. And then he feels the tugs of the energy seal (is that what you mean by him struggling?). I feel like he could have at least tried to break out, but instead he hands history over to his brothers in arms and chooses to let himself be taken.
I think he could have tried to fight it, and would have if part of him hadn't been willing to let go, but I also think that if he hadn't felt the Hallows' pull, there's zero chance he'd have let himself fall. If that makes sense? (And I agree about him following his brother - but I think the Hallows' pull is what gives him leave to do it, to abdicate his duties, you know?)
Or maybe they did tell him, and he keeps forgetting again, and they've given up. ;-p
Oh hell. I could see that, in which case it's very evil of the Hallows! I hate messing with people's minds.
Presumably nothing too high profile (eg, diplomat), or it would make reinventing himself rather tricky. The fact that the SID doesn't link his former and present-day identities suggests he was mostly off the radar...
Yeah, that makes sense to me. (Hey, do you think that other identity still exists? Is there another Shen Wei still on file, twenty years older, supposedly living somewhere else?)
But must still be in thrall to it; the Regent is shocked in ep 39 when he breaks free.
Yeah, agreed. And I guess we do know from the old Dijun that he can get up!
Yesss! *hearts so much* (This foreshadows his detention, I guess.)
Yeah, it all builds up to that very nicely!
Ooh, now that would be an interesting time travel AU dilemma! Imagine if he went back and had to try and overcome his fraternal feelings.
Oh, OUCH. :( :( :(
Aw, see, I think for all his weaselly self-interest, he does care about Dixing and the rule of law. Remember how upset he was about the last Dijun's murder? Otoh, his methods and expectations for what a proper society look like are so terrible and warped that they undermine the benefit of any trace of duty he might feel. /o\
I was going to say he has a sense of responsibility for Dixing's governance, to some degree, but then I reconsidered because the system of governance and his own part in it is so awful (see also: the Chu Shuzhi flashback from episode 36), so I wouldn't count upholding that system as a redeeming feature. *g*
no subject
Ha. Fair enough!
He's happy to rewatch his Kunlun memories, but the memories after he wakes up have nothing he's nostalgic about, nothing he particularly wants to revisit.
But surely he has feelings about them. He's not neutral about Ye Zun being swallowed by the energy seal, or his own following after, right?
I think he could have tried to fight it, and would have if part of him hadn't been willing to let go, but I also think that if he hadn't felt the Hallows' pull, there's zero chance he'd have let himself fall. If that makes sense? (And I agree about him following his brother - but I think the Hallows' pull is what gives him leave to do it, to abdicate his duties, you know?)
It would certainly have been a different decision if he'd just found himself standing next to a hole in the ground, deciding whether to fling himself in, rather than letting the Hallows take him without a fight, I agree.
Hey, do you think that other identity still exists? Is there another Shen Wei still on file, twenty years older, supposedly living somewhere else?
Ha, an apartment that he drops in on once or twice a year to clear the mail? *g*
I was going to say he has a sense of responsibility for Dixing's governance, to some degree, but then I reconsidered because the system of governance and his own part in it is so awful
I've reconsidered, having rewatched ep 37, because the part I was thinking of where he expressed concern for the citizens is actually a trap for Shen Wei, and I'd forgotten that. /o\ Out-and-out villain, no redeeming features at all!
no subject
Yeah, but having feelings about it isn't the same as feeling nostalgic and wanting to revisit that moment ...
Ha, an apartment that he drops in on once or twice a year to clear the mail? *g*
I love this idea! :D
(Maybe the Inspectorate/Xingdu Bureau didn't realise about his new identity because they thought the old one was still active!)
the part I was thinking of where he expressed concern for the citizens is actually a trap for Shen Wei
It was absolutely a trap, but that doesn't mean there can't have been truth in it too. Idk, you were right about his anger at the old Dijun being killed.
no subject
Yeah, that's what I was saying in the post. I think he wants to avoid revisiting it.
(Maybe the Inspectorate/Xingdu Bureau didn't realise about his new identity because they thought the old one was still active!)
LOL, that would be awesome. And seems like an excellent plan for avoiding the Envoy being looked down on for being a student. ;-p
It was absolutely a trap, but that doesn't mean there can't have been truth in it too. Idk, you were right about his anger at the old Dijun being killed.
I want him to have at least one redeeming feature! Otherwise he's a cartoon. ;-p
no subject
And seems like an excellent plan for avoiding the Envoy being looked down on for being a student. ;-p
Yes, good point! :D