Slo-Mo Rewatch: Guardian episode 8, part 1

[china_shop]

Hi, and welcome back to the Guardian drama Slo-Mo Rewatch. Watch half an episode a week, at your leisure, and then come and chat about it here in comments. Or you can just jump into the comments without rewatching, of course!

Here are the previous weeks' rewatch posts.

Episode 8, up to 22:19

Summary
The SID enthusiastically welcomes Guo Changcheng as an official employee, and Lin Jing gives him the fear baton. ♥ Zhao Yunlan arranges to buy some old books and then calls Shen Wei to offer them as a gift, while Zhu Hong and Da Qing gossip about his black-heartedness and obsession with Shen Wei. Zhao Yunlan and Da Qing meet a student in the street to buy the books, then sit around and talk about recruiting Shen Wei to the SID. Zhao Yunlan is openly smitten. ♥ But presenting the gift to Shen Wei does not go as planned: Zhao Yunlan gives a fake provenance for the books, Shen Wei leaves, and Zhao Yunlan slinks off to recover his dignity in private drink tea and talk about new SID premises. A mysterious letter gives Wang Zheng flashbacks. Changcheng and Chu Shuzhi run into Ding Dun in the street juuuust before receiving an APB about him. The Envoy comes to the SID to request help tracking him down, but Da Qing is hesitant to proceed without their fearless leader. Chu Shuzhi sets to work anyway and takes Changcheng with him. Meanwhile, Zhu Jiu murders Ding Dun, whose body the others find and take back to the SID? (Or pass on to the Envoy?) On the university campus that night, Shen Wei confides in Ying Chun while wearing an ascot. Zhu Jiu shows up, and fisticuffs ensue (Ying Chun helps Shen Wei), but Zhu Jiu escapes. Ying Chun points out the dangers in Shen Wei's plan to go after a missing item, but Shen Wei is resolved.



Quote
Lin Jing: This is my newest invention. It can transform fear into electricity. The more fear, the more electricity. In other words, I made it especially as the perfect, most powerful weapon you could have.
Guo Changcheng: E...electricity? I'm also afraid of electricity.

Detail
When Zhao Yunlan calls Shen Wei about the old books, the original subs say, "What a coincidence! I have a lot of old books," and the VIKI subs say, "You are so lucky as I have some in my home!" while Solo's subs have "As it happens, regarding this, the two of us were brought together by fate." The last is closest to the Chinese subs: 巧了 咱俩在这个事上 太有缘了 ("What a coincidence! We're so destined to meet on this matter." according to Google Translate).

Poll #33955 Subtitles

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 9

View Respondents

Which subtitles are you using? (Tick all that apply.)

View Answers

original fansubs
3 (33.3%)

Solo's subs
8 (88.9%)

VIKI subs
2 (22.2%)

Chinese hard subs
3 (33.3%)

other
2 (22.2%)

Questions
Do you have a stand-out favourite scene or quote from the first half of episode 8? Is everyone genuinely glad to have Guo Changcheng onboard? Does Shen Wei as the Envoy already have a red stamp, and if so, when/how did he get it? On a scale of 1 to 10, how smitten is Zhao Yunlan with Shen Wei? On a scale of 1 to 10, how sympathetic is Da Qing to this smittenness? Who sends the APB on Ding Dun? (Presumably not the Envoy!) How do you feel about ascots? How great is the fight with Zhu Jiu?

Did you see any parallels in these scenes with other parts of the drama? If you're familiar with the novel, any thoughts about how the drama adaptation compares, if at all?

(As usual, 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. We'd love to hear your thoughts!)

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Comments

[china_shop]

Notes!

• I've never noticed before that in the opening it looks like Xiao-Guo is sitting on ZYL's legs, hee! This is how and where ZYL gives performance reviews -- in front of everyone! Hee! And yay, Changcheng is official, and everyone is smiling and clapping and welcoming. <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 And Zhao Yunlan's smiles in this scene are so crinkly and sweet!!!!! a;ldskjfa;sdklfjas;dklfjas;dlkfjasdlfkadsf

• The red stamp! I always feel they should do more with this. (I wrote an ep 14 missing scene in which Wang Zheng stamped newly official consultant Professor Shen. <3)

• It looks like this is Changcheng's first time in the lab, aww! And I love that Lin Jing literally weaponises Changcheng's fear -- perfect! It made me laugh so much the first time I watched. :D

• Aww, Zhu Hong trying so hard to be close to ZYL and have a private convo with him. *pets her*

• The books! Mooning over Shen Wei! Da Qing's hopeless attempt to be a responsible deputy, lol. I love all this so much that I wrote a scene discussion on it. <3333333 (Oh hey, this is ZYL's third time getting flustered to the point of speechlessness in two episodes. HE IS SO SMITTEN!!)

• Lao-Li is hapless with the letter. I'm always struck by how Zhu Jiu's letter ploy relies on a string of coincidences.

• About this point I switched from the original subs to the VIKI subs. (I can't remember why.) I don't know if I've watched with VIKI subs before? Anyway, in the VIKI subs, Changcheng tells CSZ, "Thanks for helping me move my stuff." Is he moving? Do official SID employees get government housing?? IS THERE A SID DORM?!? *wants all the fic* :D :D :D :D :D

• Ding Dun is dorky and almost charming -- shame he's such a villain. His coat is almost as dramatic as Zhu Jiu's, lol.

• The Envoy at the SID -- the camera angle makes it look like he's hovering/looming.

I like how this visit is both an opportunity to check in on ZYL (even if it doesn't work out that way) and SW using all the resources available to him to catch Ding Dun. He can't call CSZ away from work, so he has to using him through work. :D

• The original subs have:

• Lin Jin, bring back the dark force detector
  

• It will not help. My detector only works when someone used their power a short time ago, and it's not very reliable. Look, the man in the black cape comes and goes non-stop and yet you've never seen my detector light up

I don't think I ever knew that Lin Jing talks about the detector having a "maximum power limit." Cool! Shen Wei is too powerful for the detector!! :D :D :D (That can't be why he can get through the security shield, though, or presumably it wouldn't keep Ye Zun out.)

• Zhu Jiu is fondling a random plant in the street; I really hope it's either not a Yashou or consenting!! /o\

• Aww, Changcheng is so very Team Zhao Yunlan, and CSZ is so Team Envoy. :D :D :D Incidentally, when they're in the street, there's some writing on one of the windows. It's reversed, so I flipped it:

beaucoup de villes dans le monde, il existe tant de bistrots dans une ville, alors qu'elle entra dans celui-la (Google Translate gives: "In many cities around the world, there are so many bistros in a city, as she entered this one." This isn't "Out of all the bars in the all the cities in all the world, she had to walk into mine," is it? LOL. ;D)

• I love that GCC clocked CSZ's "special relationship" with the Envoy, aww! (I wonder if anyone's ever told him that CSZ is a renowned fanboy.)

• I got so hung up for so long on GCC piggybacking Ding Dun's dead body, but eventually I realised why.

• Zhu Jiu says to departing departed!Ding Dun, "Sorry, but I will give you a grand offering when I get the Mountain-River Awl." Which makes me go, a) you did not have to kill the guy! b) this makes it sound like you're the one who resurrects him later, but when do you actually have the Awl?

• Shen Wei confiding in a bush will never not be hilarious, especially when she sighs and he apologises. :D The fight is excellent, though. I love Shen Wei being constrained by his secret identity, and Zhu Jiu taunting him about it. And the whole fight is super dynamic. <3

• Also love that Ying Chun challenges Shen Wei's plans, forcing him to consider the potential costs. <3 <3 <3

Original: How can I give up ? I already lost once. I don't want to relive a painful experience like that
Solo's: But... how can I give up without trying? I've already lost once. I don't want to feel pain like that ever again.
VIKI: I had lost my loved one once, and I will not suffer from it twice. (!!!!! <3 <3 <3 Though honestly, I'm not sure if he's talking about losing Ye Zun or losing ZYL here. Thoughts?)

I'm up way too late. I'll answer the questions tomorrow.

[salamandras]

I got so hung up for so long on GCC piggybacking Ding Dun's dead body, but eventually I realised why.
Ah, interesting post! This was from before my watching Guardian, so it's great to have you link back to it.


Shen Wei confiding in a bush will never not be hilarious, especially when she sighs and he apologises. :D The fight is excellent, though. I love Shen Wei being constrained by his secret identity, and Zhu Jiu taunting him about it. And the whole fight is super dynamic. <3

I do love this particular fight scene, too!

[china_shop]

Ah, interesting post! This was from before my watching Guardian, so it's great to have you link back to it.

Yay! <3 <3 <3 (There was, before that, a poll. :D)

I do love this particular fight scene, too!

*high fives you* It's so good! :D

[salamandras]

Yay! <3 <3 <3 (There was, before that, a poll. :D)
Ah, yay, thanks! There's at least one story where Shen Wei uses grounding techniques to calm down when things remind him of past traumas (still felt in character overall), and I associate his sleeve garters with the process.

[china_shop]

Ooh, yes, I definitely remember that being a thing. :-)

[trobadora]

It's such a fantastic fight scene, I love it to pieces!

[china_shop]

Yesss! And I love Ying Chun weighing in. :D

The Red Stamp and Unexpected Foreshadowing

[amedia]

The red stamp! I always feel they should do more with this. (I wrote an ep 14 missing scene in which Wang Zheng stamped newly official consultant Professor Shen. <3)

How did I miss reading this before? I just went and devoured it and it was so good. ♥

I actually rewatched the first half of ep 8 today. I had forgotten about the red stamp until I was skating through looking for shots of Lin Jing and then I thought "OH MY WOW" and promptly went back to working on the vid. This time I actually wrote down the words: "For now you are just a normal human, but there's no guarantee that you won't come to carry other energy too." SO MUCH FORESHADOWING!!! Especially since on the words "there's no guarantee," the camera focuses on Lin Jing ... the protege and mole of the evil Professor Ouyang, who eventually forces a Dixing-style serum power on Guo Changcheng!

A few lines later, poor Guo Changcheng, having no idea that he will eventually acquire a superpower, says, "But I don't have any power. I won't be any use to you." And that's when Lin Jing takes him into the lab and gives him the fear-powered shock stick - which Guo Changcheng later uses to save Lin Jing's life when Professor Ouyang is trying to kill him. It all ties together!

Re: The Red Stamp and Unexpected Foreshadowing

[trobadora]

SO MUCH FORESHADOWING!!! Especially since on the words "there's no guarantee," the camera focuses on Lin Jing ... the protege and mole of the evil Professor Ouyang, who eventually forces a Dixing-style serum power on Guo Changcheng!

OHHHH great catch about the focus on Lin Jing, that's amazing! And yeah, ALLL the foreshadowing, it's excellent. :D :D :D

[china_shop]

How did I miss reading this before? I just went and devoured it and it was so good. ♥

*beams* Thanks so much, you! <3

I had forgotten about the red stamp until I was skating through looking for shots of Lin Jing and then I thought "OH MY WOW" and promptly went back to working on the vid.

Hee! That's how vidding goes. :D

This time I actually wrote down the words: "For now you are just a normal human, but there's no guarantee that you won't come to carry other energy too."

Ahh, that's so good!!! How cool!! :D (I'm usually using the original subs at this point, which say, "even if for the moment you are only a human, maybe later you'll become the representative of another force" -- which is less foreshadowy, so I never caught that.)

And that's when Lin Jing takes him into the lab and gives him the fear-powered shock stick - which Guo Changcheng later uses to save Lin Jing's life when Professor Ouyang is trying to kill him. It all ties together!

\o/ \o/ \o/ That's such a great little arc for those two, specifically. :D :D :D

[amedia]

I love that GCC clocked CSZ's "special relationship" with the Envoy, aww! (I wonder if anyone's ever told him that CSZ is a renowned fanboy.)

I noticed that this time too! Especially since, when GCC mentions it, CSZ's response is to glare, no doubt expecting GCC to back down, and GCC simply looks calmly at him in return, not the least bit fazed. Look! There's a vertebra! And maybe another! GCC is growing a spine!!!

[china_shop]

Hee! <3 <3 <3 (I think GCC just doesn't see anything CSZ does as scary. *hearts them*)

[trobadora]

I've never noticed before that in the opening it looks like Xiao-Guo is sitting on ZYL's legs, hee!

LOLOLOL!

The red stamp! I always feel they should do more with this.

Yes, same here!

Oh hey, this is ZYL's third time getting flustered to the point of speechlessness in two episodes. HE IS SO SMITTEN!!

And it's so delightful! :D

Lao-Li is hapless with the letter. I'm always struck by how Zhu Jiu's letter ploy relies on a string of coincidences.

Yeah, I have no idea how Zhu Jiu intended to get it back! It only gets thrown out by accident after all.

Anyway, in the VIKI subs, Changcheng tells CSZ, "Thanks for helping me move my stuff." Is he moving? Do official SID employees get government housing?? IS THERE A SID DORM?!? *wants all the fic* :D :D :D :D :D

Haha, I have no idea! The Chinese just says 搬东西, "move stuff", but one has to assume it's GCC's stuff ...

And official housing/something dorm-adjacent would be very interesting, you could do a lot with it!

I don't think I ever knew that Lin Jing talks about the detector having a "maximum power limit."

Haha, high five! I just found that too, and I definitely never saw it before. So fascinating! (And good point that that can only apply to the detector, not the shield, since the shield is keeping Ye Zun out.)

Incidentally, when they're in the street, there's some writing on one of the windows. It's reversed, so I flipped it:

It does seem to be a Casablanca quote! dragoncityinteriordesign had a post on it.

I got so hung up for so long on GCC piggybacking Ding Dun's dead body, but eventually I realised why.

Thanks for linking that! Yeah, that still makes a lot of sense. :D

Zhu Jiu says to departing departed!Ding Dun, "Sorry, but I will give you a grand offering when I get the Mountain-River Awl."

I'm not seeing the "offering" in the Chinese. He says, 委屈你了 等我拿到山河锥 我会记你一份大功 - I've wronged, you, wait until I get the Mountain-River Awl, I will remember your great service. (Which is basically what the original subs and Solo's have.)

VIKI: I had lost my loved one once, and I will not suffer from it twice. (!!!!! <3 <3 <3 Though honestly, I'm not sure if he's talking about losing Ye Zun or losing ZYL here. Thoughts?)

I'm not seeing that in the Chinese either. As best I can render it literally:

可是我不试试 我怎么能甘心呢 - But if I don't try, how can I be content?
我已经失去过了一次 我绝对不想再体验一次那样的痛苦 - I already lost [something/someone] once, I absolutely don't want to experience that pain again.

There is no direct object, so what or whom he lost isn't mentioned at all. I'm not sure if it's about Kunlun, tbh - if only because he's been reunited with him already, so I think in retrospect that pain isn't the worst since it's temporary. Whereas that's emphatically not the case for Ye Zun.

[china_shop]

The red stamp: you'd think Zhu Jiu would want to get his hands on it!

Haha, I have no idea! The Chinese just says 搬东西, "move stuff", but one has to assume it's GCC's stuff ...

:D :D :D :D :D

[tumblr.com profile] dragoncityinteriordesign had a post on it.

LOL, thanks! <3

I'm not seeing the "offering" in the Chinese. He says, 委屈你了 等我拿到山河锥 我会记你一份大功 - I've wronged, you, wait until I get the Mountain-River Awl, I will remember your great service. (Which is basically what the original subs and Solo's have.)

Ahh, okay. So it's not a clue to Ding Dun coming back...

There is no direct object, so what or whom he lost isn't mentioned at all. I'm not sure if it's about Kunlun, tbh - if only because he's been reunited with him already, so I think in retrospect that pain isn't the worst since it's temporary. Whereas that's emphatically not the case for Ye Zun.

Yes, that's what I was thinking. Poor Shen Wei (and poor Ye Zun)!

[trobadora]

So it's not a clue to Ding Dun coming back...

Alas! That would have been so neat.

[salamandras]

I love reading about the translations, even though I have nothing to contribute. :) Super neat!

[trobadora]

Glad that it's interesting to others too! :D

[trobadora]

Zhu Jiu is fondling a random plant in the street; I really hope it's either not a Yashou or consenting!! /o\

It just now occurred to me, but do you think that scene is a deliberate red herring? Meant to make you wonder if perhaps the Flower Tribe is actually working with Zhu Jiu?

[china_shop]

Ha, that has never occurred to me at all before. Maybe it's one of Ying Chun's intelligence network being a double agent?

[trobadora]

Yeah, same here, I just never paid attention to it! But it's so conspicuous, it has to be deliberate in some way ...

I'll totally buy that this is one of Ying Chun's people!

[china_shop]

The fondling, though. /o\ /o\ /o\

[trobadora]

I know!!!!

Maybe that's one of the reasons Ying Chun decides to take sides. :p

[china_shop]

Ha! It could be!