Ye Zun picspam

[extrapenguin]

In preparation for Friday's Ye Zun post at sid_guardian. Draws from the rewatchalong screencaps for episodes 20, 34, 36, 38, 39, and 40.

Comments

[extrapenguin]

It's pretty equivocally canon that Ye Zun's Dixing power is eating people, thus absorbing their energy and potential Dixing powers, which is how he got the mind control. Conversely, I'm certain he can't absorb information, because if he did, he'd know Shen Wei didn't actually abandon him and it was all the Rebel Leader's lies. As for personality, well, I don't think Ye Zun's personality development needs any influences other than his circumstances.

(And no, we don't see Shen Wei learn anything. I suppose it's the non-destructive version of Ye Zun's power? And that him using it – instead of the learned sub-powers – would likely ping Lin Jing's detectors.)

It does seem like the magical hologram was tied to the weakening of his prison, possibly as a result of the scattered Hallows or the deliberately increased Merit Brush activity,
The first time we saw it was in episode 20, after Zhu Jiu donated his life force to Ye Zun but before any Merit Brush activity. So scattered Hallows + strengthened Ye Zun. (After all, he'd been getting fed with those Fight Club guys.)

It doesn't seem explicit in the show whether or not Shen Wei was aware of the passing millennia, but it appeared to me he wasn't aware until he woke up
I'd actually say that it was pretty explicit that he wasn't, due to what you mentioned. And the implication is that Ye Zun was, or at least was awake for much longer. And yeah, people have written fic on what it might've been like to be in a pillar for 10k years – me included.

[starandrea]

Ah, my intent was less to equivocate and more to avoid stating my interpretation as fact, while still expressing my enthusiasm for the conclusions being drawn. :)

And yeah, people have written fic on what it might've been like to be in a pillar for 10k years – me included.

I didn't mean to imply otherwise, although my intent in pointing to marcicat's fic in particular was that it talks about what happened outside the pillar, rather than inside it. Apologies if I caused offense.

[extrapenguin]

Ah, I didn't get the enthusiasm for conclusions being drawn. And I guess the mandatory social isolation has left me grumpy. The times, they are annoying.

[starandrea]

Oh dear, I must have deleted all of my enthusiasm right out of my comment. I started it three times, because the first time it began with "\o/" and the second time it began with "Yay!" And I kept telling myself, "No! You must maintain a seriousness worthy of your conversation partner!" So I tried to restrain my overt signs of joy in discussing Ye Zun's character with a sympathetic witness.

That said, I had a particularly trying day at work, and I was tremendously enjoying your comments and thinking about all of them in my free moments - it led to a lot of me thinking, "That's true,* and why do I think that? What convinced me?" Because some people I follow seem unsympathetic to Ye Zun, and I'm curious what the differences are in my perception versus theirs. (*Where by "true" I mean, "something I agree with.") So I think a lot of my restating things that were obvious to you was for my own benefit, as I tried to support for myself why I agree with certain things that some other people seem not to agree with.

So anyway, thanks for making my day better. I often write far too much when I comment, which is one of the reasons I don't do it very often. :) (I just love things so much! I want to say all the things about them! Even though other people already know those things, I just find it fun to say them again!) I hope you find some less-annoying things in the very near future.

[extrapenguin]

The times are adding a +5 to tryingness all across the board, I think! Don't sweat it. Communication is hard, especially over the internet.

some people I follow seem unsympathetic to Ye Zun, and I'm curious what the differences are in my perception versus theirs.
I'm not sure whether the lack of sympathy of some people have anything to do with Ye Zun qua Ye Zun – the issue they have with him is that he was the reason the members of their OTP died. They'd have exactly the same feelings about him if he were a villainous cardboard box with no motivations. Some people are just focused on their OTP and only into things for the shipping. (I think the fact that Ye Zun's true motivations and woobiedom were only revealed in the final episode, which some people never watched, made things harder as well.) So I'm not sure if it's so much a difference in perception so much as in interest?

(Also, please turn up to Friday's Ye Zun discussion, it will have villain wank calm philosophical discussion on the meaning of redemption!)

So anyway, thanks for making my day better.
♥ Contemplating Ye Zun makes every day better. Especially if one contemplates Shen Wei wrapping him in a blanket and feeding him.

[starandrea]

Also, please turn up to Friday's Ye Zun discussion, it will have villain wank calm philosophical discussion on the meaning of redemption!

Ha ha, I hate conflict, despite (or maybe because of) my talent for causing it. But I will make a good faith effort to contribute positively to the discourse. :)

♥ Contemplating Ye Zun makes every day better. Especially if one contemplates Shen Wei wrapping him in a blanket and feeding him.

I agree with all of this! ♥

[extrapenguin]

There will also be opportunity to drop fic/art/vid/meta/etc recs!

[starandrea]

I look forward to it!