Guardian Episode by Episode: 05

[extrapenguin]

Welcome to Episode 5 of the Guardian rewatchalong! If I am only somewhat coherent, it is because work has been hectic and I haven't gotten enough sleep lately. This week's imgur screencaps album has 69 images. In this episode, we meet Dixing, get characterization, and I also bring up cinematography, as usual.

Previously on:
Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4

This episode starts and concludes the bathroom kidnappings case and starts the mirror girl case.

Introductions
We're briefly introduced to Dixing!

Dixing! In front and on the left, some sort of town/city/village; on the right, what's probably the palace atop a mountain that's halfway into becoming lava. Doesn't it look like a wonderful place to live?

Dixing is foreboding, Dixing is dark, Dixing looks like a primordial hellscape. We see some geometric-ish buildings and large gates. The light is a bit bluish.

Characterization
This episode, we see Shen Wei start to be affected by his association with the SID: the Dean comes to his office and tells him he has to move out for a bit but continue teaching and research as usual. Shen Wei's expression is curiously blank and a bit sad at moments, but he already anticipated this development or decided he absolutely must move opposite to Zhao Yunlan for other reasons.

They meet in Shen Wei's office over tea at 9 sharp.

He also later does some plainclothes envoying by meaningfully walking past Butler Wu (while he's being interrogated by Zhao Yunlan – Shen Wei, it's almost as if you want him to suspect you) to draw him out, then ominously gives him a few days to finish up business here before transporting him back to Dixing. I'm a bit unclear on how Wu Tian'en broke the treaty, but maybe it was due to him not reporting back to Dixing from the sojourn? Another intriguing tidbit is that Wu Tian'en must've seen the Envoy unmasked, because how else would Shen Wei taking off his glasses make him recognizable as the Envoy?

He finishes up by unfreezing the onlookers while not even looking at them like a badass.

Zhao Yunlan, on the other hand, has been doing his job of being very good at getting people to open up. He also spotted it when Shen Wei very meaningfully walked past the interrogation in the café. Later on, when Da Qing suggested calling up the Envoy, he declined (probably didn't want to call on the Envoy just because), but called Shen Wei instead. It was a very interesting conversation: light in sentiment, feeling almost playful and flirty at times, and then it contains stuff like Zhao Yunlan saying that whatever is fishy with Shen Wei, Zhao Yunlan will certainly get to the bottom of it.


Zhao Yunlan also continues on the anti-vigilante track started last episode. He tells Wu Xiaojun, "For the crimes these people committed, the law will punish them." Then there's a cut to the scene of the SID and Wu Tian'en, which I'll talk about a bit later.

Some thoughts on Chu Shuzhi: we see him start to correct Huang Chaoyang over the Special Investigation Department's name, and he tells Guo Changcheng that "No matter whether they're human or not, wherever there are groups, there is class and hieararcy, and thus there is endless killing and oppression." (He may or may not have gotten his dramatic speech skills from the Black-Cloaked Envoy.) However, we're informed that he's changed – he pokes fun at Zhao Yunlan and then Zhao Yunlan comments that he didn't used to do such things.

Smug face after making fun of his boss.

Next, two pieces of pictorial evidence I would like to present:

Lin Jing is a giant.

In the manner of all cats everywhere, Da Qing goes for the high ground, even when jogging.

Now, some thoughts on the SID as a whole! We see Lin Jing with a popcorn machine feed everyone (except Chu Shuzhi), and Zhao Yunlan not only tolerates this, but eats all the popcorn. (A few episodes ago, he stole a cake, and now he steals the popcorn!) When Zhu Hong comes to complain about wasting SID resources, Guo Changcheng brings an offering of popcorn, and she is appeased. It's very domestic and kind of cute.

Zhao Yunlan hops onto the table like a civilized person who was in no way raised by cats.

When Wu Tian'en is injured by the dart Huang Chaoyang's men shoot him with, he's dragged to the SID couch (via bodily lifting and a car trip?) and then Guo Changcheng, the pure soul he is, is very much moved by the father-son display of affection and requests to use the Longevity Dial. Zhao Yunlan chooses to use it himself, however, and the moment it activates, the Black-Cloaked Envoy turns up to scold him. (Did he rig up some sort of alarm system on Zhao Yunlan and/or the Dial? If not, how else did he get this timing – did he assimilate a Dixing power that lets him know when Zhao Yunlan is doing something stupid?) Shen Wei then asks whether it's worth it for Zhao Yunlan to shorten his life to save a Dixingian, to which Zhao Yunlan replies that a life is a life. I'd say this is a capstone to the conversations the two of them have been having about whether Dixingians are people: Zhao Yunlan doesn't evade the question and instead resoundingly answers with "Yes, you are."

Shen Wei gets a bit misty-eyed at it all. The SID really has changed from Zhao Xinci's day.

Then the Envoy saves Wu Tian'en out of gratitude, and we get to see more of the troubles of Dixing we've been told about: someone sent people over with orders to kill the witnesses. It might even have been the Lord of Dixing.

Zhu Jiu's involvement is easy to guess: he incited Wu Xiaojun into villainy, and hoped he'd get the father in as well.

Canon details

• Wu Tian'en has been employed by Huang Chaoyang for 20 years and 7 months. Wu Xiaojun disappeared 20 years ago. ("I watched him grow up as well" my ass, Huang Chaoyang!) The Envoy also sent Wu Tian'en upstairs on an expedition 20 years ago. I suppose this is maths-able as the expedition being 20 and change years ago, after which Wu Tian'en's wife took their son to search for dad, the wife died due to some reason, and then let's say 19 years and 10 months ago Huang Chaoyang made Wu Xiaojun disappear. This timeline would be very compact, and mean Wu Tian'en had one very crappy year.
• The expedition captain also survived, but lived on to commit crimes and then was shot dead before Shen Wei got to him. (Maybe he betrayed the rest of the expedition?)
• Wang Zheng suggest that maybe the Hallows are sentient.
• The SID has several databases of Dixing abilities they've encountered.
• The SID has a robot spider.

What they all call each other
Guo Changcheng at one point refers to Lin Jing as "Lin Jing-ge".

Cinematography
This show isn't afraid of being colorful and saturated! We also see lots of shots from afar...

...and from above...

Look at this scene composition! It is amazing. Green, saturated, and a V-shaped outline.
...and below.

Showdown at high noon.

We also see lots of shots via mirrors.


Zhao Yunlan jacket watch
We see one very nice vest thingy that I want to own stat, worn for two days in a row, a repeat of the leather jacket of last episode, and jogging gear, then back to the nice vest thingy.



Shen Wei shoe watch
No clear close-ups of his shoes this week, but his black ones definitely have some heel, and his brown ones seem to have some as well.


Did Shen Wei take off his glasses?
Yes, to intimidate Wu Tian'en/reveal himself as the Envoy.

Comments

[jo_lasalle]

Zhao Yunlan hops onto the table like a civilized person who was in no way raised by cats.

THIS! The shoes on the table!!

I have to come back to this post when I'm properly awake and fangirl the jackets, but I wanted to leave Shen Wei's cute smile as he walks away from Zhao Yunlan and Da Qing here...

[bonibaru]

GOOD I'm not the only one seeing the Gunslinger vibe in the alley showdown (how about that cross in the upper right corner of that walkaway shot? And the duster length coat! And the lighting! I NEED OLD WEST MARSHALL SHEN WEI ON THE TRAIL OF TRAIN ROBBERS AU PLEASE)

[mecurtin]

The expedition captain was *shot*=> I am certain that he was the Dixingian Zhao Xinci shot, killing ZYL's mom via collateral damage.

Since the Envoy was on the expedition captain's trail, I think he learned a) that Zhao Xinci killed him, cutting the captain off as a source of info, and b) that Zhao Xinci chose the "need" to kill a Dixingian *over his own family*. That's one HELL of a lot of bigotry, and definitely explains how he might avoid the SID as much as possible thereafter.

When does someone say the expedition was 20 years ago? I thought it was more like 30.

ETA: Zhao Yunlan hops onto the table like a civilized person who was in no way raised by cats.

I don't care what backstory they give for Daqing later, I am firmly of the belief that Daqing met and lived with bb!ZYL.

ETA ETA: Thank you SO MUCH for the screencaps! I am saving them as you upload them.

[riventhorn]

Dixing--the vacation spot of the year!!

The depiction of Dixing--or rather, the residents of Dixing--is my biggest disappointment from the show. They live underground, surrounded by lava and empty plains with pillars harboring 10,000 year old villains, and yet almost everybody wanders around in Haixing/Earth fashions and haircuts and apparently are well-versed in things like electric guitars. Where are they getting t-shirts and tennis shoes?!? At least they had the Yashouren dress kind of differently. Even if I feel immensely sorry for Ying Chun having to wear her Disney-fied flower dress.

[qikiqtarjuaq]

Did he assimilate a Dixing power that lets him know when Zhao Yunlan is doing something stupid?

This made me laugh too hard and is now the headcanon I choose to have.



OMG those pretty Envoy eyes. Somewhere in Dixing is an unofficial fanclub for the Envoy and his beauty.

[solo]

Zhao Yunlan hops onto the table like a civilized person who was in no way raised by cats.

With his shoes on!

I swear, the shoes in this show. I'm very used to Jdrama and this was my first Cdrama ever, and I swear, on first viewing, when I wasn't going "OMG Zhao Yunlan..." or "OMG Shen Wei...", I was shrieking "OMG Shoes!!!" On the table. On the carpet. On the couch. On the bed. Everywhere in the house.

I find it most distressing.

I love that vest thingy too.

Shen Wei pants watch: the blue stripey ones look very short in the meeting with the Principal, but sort of okay in the shoe picture. If it's the same pair. The pale ones are just fine. :)

I don't think I ever noticed the robot spider. Where is the robot spider??

[firestar]

Zhao Yunlan hops onto the table like a civilized person who was in no way raised by cats.

Da Qing is perched on the table too. XD Clearly ZYL came by this honestly.

[lynndyre]

I love their phone-flirting, they're so transparent. XD

I also really love the whole team in the popcorn scene (and I keep wanting to make a "popcorn.ghost" joke about Wang Zheng)

Zhao Yunlan was 300% raised by cats and would like to rub his whiskers all over Shen Wei to prove it.

[abyss_valkyrie]

Haha!!That popcorn scene is one of my faves! <3
That vest is one I too want to own right away,it's very flattering on him and looks SO FREAKIN GOOD!
Zhao Yunlan doesn't evade the question and instead resoundingly answers with "Yes, you are." OOHH!!That's a great way to see that bit.

[trobadora]

This episode, we see Shen Wei start to be affected by his association with the SID: the Dean comes to his office and tells him he has to move out for a bit but continue teaching and research as usual. Shen Wei's expression is curiously blank and a bit sad at moments, but he already anticipated this development or decided he absolutely must move opposite to Zhao Yunlan for other reasons.

I don't think he anticipated this? He'd just already decided to get as close to Zhao Yunlan as possible. But yeah, he's definitely sad this is happening, because he does love his job, and he doesn't enjoy having it negatively affected by the rest of his life.

Also, is that Shen Wei's office? I thought it was the Dean's.

He finishes up by unfreezing the onlookers while not even looking at them like a badass.

That's such a great moment. ♥

However, we're informed that he's changed – he pokes fun at Zhao Yunlan and then Zhao Yunlan comments that he didn't used to do such things.

I wonder if that's because he, too, can see the SID's attitude about Dixingren has changed? (I mean, for one, it's hard to notice that change if there aren't any cases where that might become obvious, and also, I do think there's a noticeable change even over the course of the first several episodes.)

Shen Wei then asks whether it's worth it for Zhao Yunlan to shorten his life to save a Dixingian, to which Zhao Yunlan replies that a life is a life. I'd say this is a capstone to the conversations the two of them have been having about whether Dixingians are people: Zhao Yunlan doesn't evade the question and instead resoundingly answers with "Yes, you are."

Yes! He's not prevaricating any more. When the Envoy pushes the issue, Zhao Yunlan passes the test.

I love that little scene so much because it's not just Zhao Yunlan; it's everyone – they all beg the Envoy to help Wu Tian'en, and you can see how touched Shen Wei is by that.

Btw, the heels on Shen Wei’s black shoes (and most of the shoes he's been wearing) look perfectly normal to me for that kind of men's style? Not remarkable at all, unlike the ones in episode 1.