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sid_guardian2025-09-28 11:09 pm
trobadora) wrote in sid_guardian2025-09-28 11:09 pm
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Slo-Mo Rewatch: Guardian episode 2, part 2
Hi, welcome to this week's instalment of the Guardian drama Slo-Mo Rewatch! Watch half an episode a week, and then come and chat about it here in comments. Or you can just jump into the comments without rewatching, of course!
Here is last week's half-episode. On to the second half!
Episode 2, from 22:11
Summary: Zhao Yunlan puts some puzzle pieces together and confronts Li Qian, accusing her of killing her grandma. She doesn't deny it. Gao Tianyu intercepts Zhao Yunlan's car, drags Li Qian out of it and attacks her. Li Qian's grandma's spirit comes out of the Sundial to protect her (and to scold her for admitting to what she didn't do). The Envoy takes Gao Tianyu away. Zhao Yunlan and Professor Shen have a moment at Li Yufen's grave. At the SID, Zhao Yunlan summons the Envoy, and they talk about the Sundial. Chu Shuzhi meets up with the Envoy and draws some parallels between him and Zhao Yunlan. Meanwhile Zhu Jiu plans his next move.
Quote:
Li Qian: When someone you cherish is dying in front of your eyes, what would be the main thought in your mind?"
Shen Wei: "I'm willing to exchange my life for his."
(Yes, I know this is iconic and maybe doesn't need quoting again, but it gets me every time!)
Detail:
One of my favourite details that I only noticed during the last rewatch: Shen Wei interfering with Gao Tianyu's attack on Li Qian from inside the car! There's a moment when it cuts to Shen Wei very conspicuously and intently narrowing his eyes - and then suddenly there's a brief blue shield effect flash, Gao Tianyu's hold on Li Qian breaks, and he's thrown back.
Questions:
What's your favourite moment in this half-episode? How much are you feeling for Li Qian? Do you think Zhao Yunlan had sufficient reason to accuse her of murder? Any thoughts about how this compares to the novel? Which of the many things Li Qian says on the rooftop resonates the most with Shen Wei? What does Zhao Yunlan think about the Envoy at this time?
(These are all just conversation starters - feel free to answer all, some, or none, and to say as much or as little as you like! You don't have to be keeping up with the rewatch to join in!)
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My thoughts:
1. I have a whole bunch of thoughts about the meeting with LQ on the roof, starting with: ZYL and SW arrive together to meet her. Did ZYL stop by SW's office on the way? Did SW intercept ZYL? I really want to know! Anyway, ZYL is super condescending with his "Oh, you kids don't understand death" stuff -- I love Li Qian's defiance.
2. When LQ says, "Do you know what it's like to depend on each other to live? She promised to take care of me forever." Shen Wei must be thinking about Ye Zun, and his own failure to protect him, right? I think the idea that it might *all* be about ZYL is a red herring. (And hey, LQ not being home during her grandmother's stroke is like SW being thrown off a cliff and not being around to witness YZ's abduction!) And again, "Something that I paid dearly for is just a a stranger that looks like her." must be just as much (if not more) about YZ as ZYL. (Though I don't know how SW paid dearly. By letting himself fall into the energy seal?)
3. When Gao Tianyu stops the car, Shen Wei protects LQ, but not ZYL. (I guess he can't manage both.) I like that a lot. ;-p Gao Tianyu's frustrated shout always reads to me as him giving up because Li Yufen's plea got through to him. Is that just me?
4. New thing I noticed in that scene: the moment when Zhao Yunlan watches Li Qian cry, and you can tell he's feeling sorry for accusing her, but he just lets her cry. He was doing his job, and sometimes that means trampling all over people's feelings. No use apologising about it afterwards.
5. I love that the whole SID attends the funeral. But ah, in the flashback, I notice every time that the grandmother sees LQ's suicide attempt and does nothing to stop her!! I know the grandmother doesn't have all her wits, but that's still really distressing!! /o\
6. At the SID, discussing the Hallow: I love ZH and DQ playfully threatening each other. So interesting that it isn't CSZ who suggests bringing in the Envoy, especially since he knows the Envoy's been looking for the Hallows -- he says so later on.
7. Time stops, smoke comes in the windows. I wonder who else is heralded with smoke like that -- someone must be, because [redacted for later episode discussion] Anyway, ZYL has totally stopped rolling his eyes at the theatrics like he did on the roof in ep 1.
He already thinks it's kinda hot.<38. Zhao Yunlan's mischief gremlin energy is so good. I love the wave and the sparkle in his eyes. :D :D :D
9. And then, ZYL taking offence at the Envoy asking about LQ, because he doesn't know that it's actually SW asking about LQ. Aww!
10. ZYL: You keep on hesitating. Don't tell me that there's something else to this Holy Tool?
SW: (thinks) Well, it sucked you into a wormhole that one time... (out loud) *prevaricates*
And then SW says the Hallows were scattered 10k years ago??
11. I love ZYL paraphrasing SW to the Envoy, hee! ("For so many years, it has always been peaceful. But suddenly these things crop up. Can it really be a coincidence?")
12. CSZ & SW!!!!! \o/ \o/ \o/ First confirmation that things are Not Good in Dixing. /o\
13. Oh Shen Wei! The "friendship between gentlemen" line would be more effective and convincing if you actually looked at him while you said it.
14. ZYL accidentally activates the Dial. Time for someone to set up a "It's been __ days since the last Hallow incident" sign. :D
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Ooh, yes, that's great! I'd forgotten that.
> What's your favourite moment in this half-episode?
ZYL learning against a tree with a lollipop in his mouth at a funeral. :D
> How much are you feeling for Li Qian?
So much! I love that she kind of externalises some of the conflict/issues between SW and YZ before we have the slightest clue about that subplot, too.
> Do you think Zhao Yunlan had sufficient reason to accuse her of murder?
I think it was a bit of a stretch, but he always relies heavily on intuition -- it's not surprising if he's not always right.
> What does Zhao Yunlan think about the Envoy at this time?
Ooh, good question! I think ZYL is mostly just viewing him as a (foreign) authority figure, and that's still pushing some of ZYL's rebellious buttons. But the Envoy is making an effort to be placatory, and that's helping ease their way. :D
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Yes! These kinds of thematic mirrors, foreshadowing and all are really really good, and I adore everything they did with Li Qian, especially since so much of it is drama-only.
I think it was a bit of a stretch, but he always relies heavily on intuition -- it's not surprising if he's not always right.
Yes! I really like that right up front, ZYL isn't immune from the "things aren't as they seem" theme. And also that he has character development to go through, so at the beginning he's quicker to jump to uncharitable assumptions.
I think ZYL is mostly just viewing him as a (foreign) authority figure, and that's still pushing some of ZYL's rebellious buttons. But the Envoy is making an effort to be placatory, and that's helping ease their way. :D
Yeah, agreed. And I'm pretty sure that whatever ZYL heard from his father or the Inspectorate about the Envoy, he's finding him very different! He probably attributes it all to ZXC being ZXC, and that for sure is a big part, but it's not all. *g*
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Yes! +1 for both of those things. :D
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Ooh, I thought he'd brought him along on purpose, but I love the idea that SW again just went and intercepted ZYL, stopping him from confronting Li Qian on his own! ♥
Anyway, ZYL is super condescending with his "Oh, you kids don't understand death" stuff -- I love Li Qian's defiance.
Yes, very true! He thinks he has her number, and it's making him condescending.
Shen Wei must be thinking about Ye Zun, and his own failure to protect him, right? I think the idea that it might *all* be about ZYL is a red herring.
Oh, yes, completely agreed, that's VERY about Ye Zun.
And hey, LQ not being home during her grandmother's stroke is like SW being thrown off a cliff and not being around to witness YZ's abduction!
I love you pointing out all these excellent parallels! I think these recurring elements are part of what makes the drama feel like a cohesive whole - really really well executed.
When Gao Tianyu stops the car, Shen Wei protects LQ, but not ZYL.
Yes, I like that too! I mean, he would protect ZYL if he had to (of course), but his priority here is to protect Li Qian, and I love that a lot.
Gao Tianyu's frustrated shout always reads to me as him giving up because Li Yufen's plea got through to him. Is that just me?
I'm never quite sure. It looks to me like he's giving up before the shout, when the black energy dissipates in his hand, and then comes the shout, and it always feels to me a bit like he's gathering up for something. And it's a bit visually similar to Ye Zun shouting, arms spread out and all, after ZYL uses the Awl on him and SW starts to release his energies - so I guess I always think, is he going to explode next, too?
and you can tell he's feeling sorry for accusing her, but he just lets her cry. He was doing his job, and sometimes that means trampling all over people's feelings.
Yeah, and he's feeling for her, but he thinks she's a murderer, so that informs how he reacts, and how much empathy he allows himself.
But ah, in the flashback, I notice every time that the grandmother sees LQ's suicide attempt and does nothing to stop her!! I know the grandmother doesn't have all her wits, but that's still really distressing!! /o\
It is, but I always figured she just isn't together enough to do more than feel devastated in the moment.
So interesting that it isn't CSZ who suggests bringing in the Envoy, especially since he knows the Envoy's been looking for the Hallows -- he says so later on.
Ooh, good point! And later-episode CSZ would have brought it up, surely? But at this point I think he doesn't feel like he can or should.
I wonder who else is heralded with smoke like that -- someone must be, because [redacted for later episode discussion]
AAARGH, no, don't do that to me, what do you mean??? Drawing a blank here ... *flails*
Anyway, ZYL has totally stopped rolling his eyes at the theatrics like he did on the roof in ep 1. He already thinks it's kinda hot. <3
Hee! :D
SW: (thinks) Well, it sucked you into a wormhole that one time... (out loud) *prevaricates*
There's SO much more to the Hallows, none of which SW wants to bring up in the moment. I don't think he wants to explain about bringing light/energy back to Dixing, in particular, so IMO it's not all about ZYL.
And then SW says the Hallows were scattered 10k years ago??
Yeah, I notice that every time! But maybe it's just SW simplifying because he doesn't want to go into the history right now?
I love ZYL paraphrasing SW to the Envoy, hee!
Such a good point, yes! :D
Time for someone to set up a "It's been __ days since the last Hallow incident" sign. :D
:D :D :D
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He's done it before! :-)
> I think these recurring elements are part of what makes the drama feel like a cohesive whole - really really well executed.
So much, yes. I was thinking the other day that there's a parallel to YOHE!YZ stealing the Hallows, and the chief not being able to activate them, but now I can't remember what it was. ;-p
> I mean, he would protect ZYL if he had to (of course), but his priority here is to protect Li Qian
Yes, she's GTY's target, after all.
> It looks to me like he's giving up before the shout, when the black energy dissipates in his hand, and then comes the shout, and it always feels to me a bit like he's gathering up for something.
Oh, see, I think he's stopped in his tracks by the touching scene between grandmother and granddaughter, and his energy dissipates, and then it hits home that now he can't achieve his goal, so all his frustration boils up. But I don't see it as anything more than venting.
> Yeah, and he's feeling for her, but he thinks she's a murderer, so that informs how he reacts, and how much empathy he allows himself.
I meant after the scene at the car, once he knows she's innocent.
> And later-episode CSZ would have brought it up, surely? But at this point I think he doesn't feel like he can or should.
I like
> AAARGH, no, don't do that to me, what do you mean??? Drawing a blank here ... *flails*
LOL, sorry. I just thought SW wouldn't have reacted so alertly (summoning his dao) to the smoke messenger in his office, if there wasn't a chance it was something else. He must be used to the messengers, right?
> There's SO much more to the Hallows, none of which SW wants to bring up in the moment. I don't think he wants to explain about bringing light/energy back to Dixing, in particular, so IMO it's not all about ZYL.
It isn't, of course, but I think in that moment, to have ZYL himself asking, that the Kunlun parts might be top of mind.
> But maybe it's just SW simplifying because he doesn't want to go into the history right now?
Yeah, I think that must be it. :D
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Indeed! :D
I was thinking the other day that there's a parallel to YOHE!YZ stealing the Hallows, and the chief not being able to activate them, but now I can't remember what it was. ;-p
Oh, I hope you remember!
(The only parallel to YZ stealing the Hallows in YOHE that I can think of is Zheng Yi stealing them? Like YZ back then, she didn't do it for herself, but unlike YZ, she doesn't become the new big bad. *g*)
I meant after the scene at the car, once he knows she's innocent.
Oh, right. I thought you meant earlier.
I like
Yes, me too! That has to be what he's thinking.
I just thought SW wouldn't have reacted so alertly (summoning his dao) to the smoke messenger in his office, if there wasn't a chance it was something else. He must be used to the messengers, right?
That's an excellent point! I never thought about it like that before, but you're totally right - the smoke effect can't be only a sign of a messenger, or the dao wouldn't make any sense. *ponders* Hm, messengers can deliver objects - or at least written messages; see the one being delivered at ZYL's place. Maybe SW is worried that something weaponised might be delivered.
but I think in that moment, to have ZYL himself asking, that the Kunlun parts might be top of mind.
Idk, I feel like what's top of his mind is the difference between ZYL and Kunlun, which is part of what's keeping him from confiding the whole truth.
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Ooh, but she is obsessed with finding her big brother (or big-brother-figure)!
> Maybe SW is worried that something weaponised might be delivered.
Oh, maybe! That someone nefarious had got them hands on some incense?
> Idk, I feel like what's top of his mind is the difference between ZYL and Kunlun, which is part of what's keeping him from confiding the whole truth.
Part of the difference between them is ZYL not knowing this about the Hallows, though? When he arrives in YOHE, he's all, "I need to find them to open a wormhole." Idk.
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That someone nefarious had got them hands on some incense?
Yes, exactly!
Part of the difference between them is ZYL not knowing this about the Hallows, though? When he arrives in YOHE, he's all, "I need to find them to open a wormhole."
Yeah, so SW could tell him, because Kunlun will know - but he's not enough like Kunlun yet, his views on Dixing(ren) still need to evolve, and so he can't be trusted with that kind of info yet. It's a whole tangle.
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