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extrapenguinThe last post. Are we here already?
I think my favorite character here was Di Ming, who revealed he was into this rebellion business for more reasons than just revenge – and then had all his reasons and trust collapse into ash, when Yuanqi revealed he was Marquis Mozi's disciple and Feizhan's accusations of Yuanqi colluding with Donghai were just a bit too truthful. He had no ways out, so he ordered his subordinates to save themselves and committed suicide by Changlin. As he himself said before, at least he had no family to drag down. A sorry end for a General loyal to Da Liang. ("After I win, who will care about what I've done?" "Someone will care. At least, I will." STAHP MY FEELS.)
Yuanqi really felt the noose tighten 'round his neck. The scenes in ep 49 where he's just lost Anru and has Yuanshi slip from his grasp? Excellently done. He also makes a bunch of mistakes – giving Feizhan to Di Ming so his suspicions can be roused, showcasing Marquis Mozi's technique and not killing Feizhan, underestimating Pingjing – and is defeated. At the end, he tries to hold a speech that seems mostly directed at Yuanshi, trying to sow discord between him and Pingjing, but fails. (Pingjing does a good takedown of the "Yuanshi sucks, I'd be a better Emperor" bit, and Yuanshi doesn't buy that Pingjing would try to execute a coup.) But in the end, he still sort of wins? After all, Donghai is now Da Liang's enemy #1.
Bringing Yuanshi to Changlin Manor was objectively a terrible idea, and bad enough to seem almost OOC for Pingjing the cunning strategist. Still, Feizhan's (Not) Final Stand with him kicking the asses of all the scared young city guards and doing the Murder Walk to Yuanqi was essentially one long crowning moment of awesome.
The final fight scene between Pingjing and Yuanqi was amazing. Yuanqi drew the Black Crystal Sword, so Pingjing was at least a bit forewarned, and I don't think Yuanqi knew that Pingjing was kept off the Langya List due to his choice? (Also, Pingjing's fighting style seems to be more about dodging and less about parrying than Feizhan's, which works better against the multiple shadows.) What I really liked was how Pingjing kept his left arm with the Chiyan bracelet close to his heart right from the start – he was planning to do what he eventually did right from the beginning.
Yuanshi also did a bit of growing up. That was some quite appealing decisiveness with which he ordered the guards to kill Yuanqi. The bit at the end with Pingjing comforting him was also nice – "we are what we choose to become" is a comforting sentiment.
Up to this point, I loved it. Then came the "Pingjing is going to sod off to only collect herbs with Lin Xi", and, that's not where his arc was going at all? I saw a young man from privilege who realized that in this world, there are responsibilities that must be borne, and while he was battered and bruised from doing what was right, and tried to stay away, he realized in the end that there are things that must be done. Having him refuse the call immediately after seemingly returning to his ... place? post? was WTF-inducing. There's also the narrative arc of Changlin being a noble house with a long legacy, wronged by its enemies on false pretenses, and then the resolution to that gets tossed out the window so Pingjing can go be bored out of his mind gathering herbs? Nah. The offscreen bit with Yuanshi declaring the northern army be named Changlin regardless of commander was nice, but way too little. Instead, we get Pingjing – the Pingjing who's good at strategy and tactics, and who gets great delight from figuring out his opponents' plans and outsmarting them, and was never shown unhappy with his responsibilities – choosing to just go out and dry plants. He might be happy, with his beloved, but I doubt he'll be satisfied with never getting that intellectual satisfaction without specifically seeking it out in ways that are likely supremely counterproductive. ("Retires from competence to follow LI's dream" is typically a female plotline, which is academically sort of interesting, but I haaaate every incidence of it happening to any protagonist ever.)
As for what I wanted to happen, well, by my math Yuanshi's still 15 to 16. While I understand Pingjing may wish to retire because he did just use a decommissioned seal to raise an army, having him maybe spend a bit of time in the capital being nice to his young cousin wouldn't be amiss. As for "end destination", something where he gets to use that brain of his. Make him an envoy so he and Lin Xi can wander the world together while he does diplomacy and she collects herbs! Make him the General of the North so he has his place to use his brains and she has a "home base" for her wanderings! Ask him to investigate WTF Mozi wanted to do with the boat plans and have Lin Xi catalogue the plants in the vicinity! Hell, have him set up a Jianghu sect so he has something to occupy the time he's waiting for Lin Xi's plants to dry! Just – anything where he gets to use his brain, too!
Other things I'd change, if I could wave my magic wand, include actually the whole ... focus of the show, lol. I think it'd be a better plot if it were about Yuanqi's descent into villainy and his final defeat – only for him to score that one deathbed victory. I recognize that Pingjing is necessary to contrast with that, but I don't think some of the other Changlin folks – Qianxue or even Pingzhang – are particularly necessary beyond "they exist offscreen". Some more focus on the inner palace politics, maybe, but I was honestly fine with NIF2 being essentially war wuxia rather than intrigue wuxia. Another woman in a prominent position would've been nice, either as a female general like Nihuang, a female official like Xia Dong, or some female head of household. Oh, and tighten up the pacing of a few places – I think they could've cut out two episodes without major problems.
I think my favorite character here was Di Ming, who revealed he was into this rebellion business for more reasons than just revenge – and then had all his reasons and trust collapse into ash, when Yuanqi revealed he was Marquis Mozi's disciple and Feizhan's accusations of Yuanqi colluding with Donghai were just a bit too truthful. He had no ways out, so he ordered his subordinates to save themselves and committed suicide by Changlin. As he himself said before, at least he had no family to drag down. A sorry end for a General loyal to Da Liang. ("After I win, who will care about what I've done?" "Someone will care. At least, I will." STAHP MY FEELS.)
Yuanqi really felt the noose tighten 'round his neck. The scenes in ep 49 where he's just lost Anru and has Yuanshi slip from his grasp? Excellently done. He also makes a bunch of mistakes – giving Feizhan to Di Ming so his suspicions can be roused, showcasing Marquis Mozi's technique and not killing Feizhan, underestimating Pingjing – and is defeated. At the end, he tries to hold a speech that seems mostly directed at Yuanshi, trying to sow discord between him and Pingjing, but fails. (Pingjing does a good takedown of the "Yuanshi sucks, I'd be a better Emperor" bit, and Yuanshi doesn't buy that Pingjing would try to execute a coup.) But in the end, he still sort of wins? After all, Donghai is now Da Liang's enemy #1.
Bringing Yuanshi to Changlin Manor was objectively a terrible idea, and bad enough to seem almost OOC for Pingjing the cunning strategist. Still, Feizhan's (Not) Final Stand with him kicking the asses of all the scared young city guards and doing the Murder Walk to Yuanqi was essentially one long crowning moment of awesome.
The final fight scene between Pingjing and Yuanqi was amazing. Yuanqi drew the Black Crystal Sword, so Pingjing was at least a bit forewarned, and I don't think Yuanqi knew that Pingjing was kept off the Langya List due to his choice? (Also, Pingjing's fighting style seems to be more about dodging and less about parrying than Feizhan's, which works better against the multiple shadows.) What I really liked was how Pingjing kept his left arm with the Chiyan bracelet close to his heart right from the start – he was planning to do what he eventually did right from the beginning.
Yuanshi also did a bit of growing up. That was some quite appealing decisiveness with which he ordered the guards to kill Yuanqi. The bit at the end with Pingjing comforting him was also nice – "we are what we choose to become" is a comforting sentiment.
Up to this point, I loved it. Then came the "Pingjing is going to sod off to only collect herbs with Lin Xi", and, that's not where his arc was going at all? I saw a young man from privilege who realized that in this world, there are responsibilities that must be borne, and while he was battered and bruised from doing what was right, and tried to stay away, he realized in the end that there are things that must be done. Having him refuse the call immediately after seemingly returning to his ... place? post? was WTF-inducing. There's also the narrative arc of Changlin being a noble house with a long legacy, wronged by its enemies on false pretenses, and then the resolution to that gets tossed out the window so Pingjing can go be bored out of his mind gathering herbs? Nah. The offscreen bit with Yuanshi declaring the northern army be named Changlin regardless of commander was nice, but way too little. Instead, we get Pingjing – the Pingjing who's good at strategy and tactics, and who gets great delight from figuring out his opponents' plans and outsmarting them, and was never shown unhappy with his responsibilities – choosing to just go out and dry plants. He might be happy, with his beloved, but I doubt he'll be satisfied with never getting that intellectual satisfaction without specifically seeking it out in ways that are likely supremely counterproductive. ("Retires from competence to follow LI's dream" is typically a female plotline, which is academically sort of interesting, but I haaaate every incidence of it happening to any protagonist ever.)
As for what I wanted to happen, well, by my math Yuanshi's still 15 to 16. While I understand Pingjing may wish to retire because he did just use a decommissioned seal to raise an army, having him maybe spend a bit of time in the capital being nice to his young cousin wouldn't be amiss. As for "end destination", something where he gets to use that brain of his. Make him an envoy so he and Lin Xi can wander the world together while he does diplomacy and she collects herbs! Make him the General of the North so he has his place to use his brains and she has a "home base" for her wanderings! Ask him to investigate WTF Mozi wanted to do with the boat plans and have Lin Xi catalogue the plants in the vicinity! Hell, have him set up a Jianghu sect so he has something to occupy the time he's waiting for Lin Xi's plants to dry! Just – anything where he gets to use his brain, too!
Other things I'd change, if I could wave my magic wand, include actually the whole ... focus of the show, lol. I think it'd be a better plot if it were about Yuanqi's descent into villainy and his final defeat – only for him to score that one deathbed victory. I recognize that Pingjing is necessary to contrast with that, but I don't think some of the other Changlin folks – Qianxue or even Pingzhang – are particularly necessary beyond "they exist offscreen". Some more focus on the inner palace politics, maybe, but I was honestly fine with NIF2 being essentially war wuxia rather than intrigue wuxia. Another woman in a prominent position would've been nice, either as a female general like Nihuang, a female official like Xia Dong, or some female head of household. Oh, and tighten up the pacing of a few places – I think they could've cut out two episodes without major problems.
no subject
Date: 2018-02-14 10:12 (UTC)Yes, bringing Yuanshi to Changlin manor was so frustratingly dumb -.- At least Feizhan survived, that was a lack of awareness on Yuanqi's part. I'm glad Di Ming found out the truth, but I'm not that impressed with his suicide: he could e.g. have told his soldiers to surrender earlier. Yes, he wanted confirmation of his suspicions, but it seems odd that he told the 3-4 soldiers carrying Feizhan to go but not the hundreds guarding the palace.
I think I saw Pingjing's arc a bit differently, especially after he won that battle against Da Yu and lost his title as general. He already fulfilled his responsibilities, anything more than this and saving Yuanshi is extra. So if Yuanshi is in direct danger again and Pingjing doesn't come I'd consider it a failure, but in the meantime? I actually kind of loved it, because there are so many narratives "you have to step up no matter what, you have to be responsible even if you hate it," that to have one saying "you have to do what you have to do but you don't have to do more than what's necessary, you can also be happy" was actually kind of refreshing. I liked how the show attempted to show Yuanqi's and Pingjing's directly contrasting storylines simultaneously, they just didn't succeed sometimes and could have made it a lot clearer.
I don't think Pingjing will necessarily be bored gathering herbs, he spent years in Langya without getting involved in outside matters and seemed very happy there. (Idk what exactly he was doing there, but part of me hopes studying poetry because that would be kind of hilarious.) That said, Pingjing is definitely not going to be able to resist using his brain in the long term. I sort of see him gathering herbs with Lin Xi and improving his martial arts skills and regularly sending Yuanshi long notes on things he's seen and possible problems and solutions and so on, and every few years he comes back to Jingling anyway.
I also disagree that Pingzhang wasn't necessary, he is essential to Pingjing's character arc. And I would have preferred more Qianxue instead of less, if they had found something for her to actually do, and/or another woman in a prominent position.
They definitely could have tightened the pacing, especially early on. And speed up Pingjing's growing up, that was so annoying for the first 25 episodes.
no subject
Date: 2018-02-14 11:19 (UTC)I guess Di Ming could've told his soldiers to surrender? It was He Cheng's force on the ramparts of the Palace, I think.
"you have to do what you have to do but you don't have to do more than what's necessary, you can also be happy"
See, I didn't get that at all! I just saw "carefree son discovers he can enjoy responsibilities"; to make the ending satisfying they really should've had a few scenes of Pingjing at the border just sighing in a collapse-y way once the audience is gone, and maybe enjoying his time at Langya at the end of the mourning period rather than giving off this "sleepwalking thought life" aura.
In the Magic Want Hypothetical Show Centered Around Yuanqi's Fall (which would have been more focused), Pingzhang and Qianxue are not that central. The show also could've done better even in its current version by killing Pingzhang off sooner and triggering the ensuing bout of Pingjing's character development.
no subject
Date: 2018-02-14 11:44 (UTC)Ridiculously late comment
Date: 2019-04-03 06:21 (UTC)1. Pingjing never liked the court. He took over his brother's responsibility due to his sense of responsibility and guilt.
2. Pingjing, unlike Mei Changsu, is not perfect. MCS can make NO mistake, or he will be dead. It is unrealistic, but it was a fun show. Pingjing is human. He makes mistakes, he makes a lot of mistakes and he will make a lot more in his lifetime.
He said once that he finally understood why his father and brother rarely smiled - the responsibility for determining the fate of 180,000 soldiers, millions of citizens and his country's very existence is a crazy burden for any human being to bear.
Unlike MCS, who carried 70,000 dead friends in his kamikaze last crusade to restore his army's honour, Pingjing has no need to do so AND WILL BE STUPID to do so.
3. I find Yuanshi's decision to kill Yuanqi without due process and trial a bit worrying. But hey, dictators do what dictators can do, I suppose. His uncle (Pingjing's dad) taught him that "the greater the emperor's fear, the bigger his heart must be". Because the emperor is power without balance, a cold hearted emperor will ruin the entire nation.
4. I wish there is season 3... probably take another country as the background. Northern Yan or Great Yu will be a nice change, or even the water bound Donghai would be a great scene.