Word of Honor
Jul. 3rd, 2021 11:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
schneefinkRecently we watched episode 27 of Word of Honor, which I loved. The confrontation between ZZS and YBY about WKX was wonderful. I want all the YBY gen fic, ideally with plenty of angst, about feeling betrayed, and then ideally being forced to work together later etc., or WKX breaking his word for Important Reasons (saving ZZS, probably) and begging YBY to give him a reprieve for long enough to finish his goal. Mmh, good stuff.
WKX being such a good househusband was also a delight. (Did he even realize that ZZS knew about him before YBY told him?) He just wants to live happily with his soulmate and theirson disciple and leave the Ghost Valley behind him! Except he also realizes that what he did had terrible consequences! I love atonement stories, I was very happy that it was shaping up like this. And it took a long time but at last the relationship between him and ZZS is more equal and fun, with WKX being his junior disciple.
Today we finished watching the show. There were a couple of things I enjoyed, like WKX breaking down because he feels guilty for Han Ying dying, and WKX seeking out YBY again, and WKX rescuing ZZS from Prince Jin and acquiring 18 new disciples for the Four Seasons Manor and kneeling in front of ZZS calling himself his unworthy disciple, and the hairbrushing and giving him the key hairpin, and some of the visuals. There were several nice moments between WKX and ZZS. I keep being very amused by how fancy their clothes are and how often they change them – where do they get the money? (Also, once I started wondering about the art of spitting blood in just the right way and placing cobwebs in just the right way I couldn't stop noticing it.) And while I wasn't a huge fan of Scorpion (there were many interesting elements but overall, idk, I just didn't like him much – and I was very disappointed that we didn't get to see his female subordinate get punched in the face), I liked his brief almost-reaction to hearing that Qian Qiao died in the attack on Mount Qingya.
There were more things I didn't much like, however. For example while WKX used to claim never to lie to ZZS he still tried to deceive him a lot, and I thought they were past that! Then WKX fakes his death and tells a bunch of people but not ZZS! What! ZZS doesn't figure it out (apparently he's extraordinarily smart in the novel? In the show, not noticeably so) and because ZZS thinks he needs to be strong enough to avenge him, he removes the seven nails in a way that will definitely kill him later. I did not expect a Romeo and Juliet plot. And they never even get around to talking about that! I was at least hoping for a good scene of WKX begging ZZS for forgiveness for the deception, and maybe WKX finding out about the consequences of his deception, but noo. The whole plot from WKX returning to Mount Qingya is rushed and confusing and makes little sense and I don't like it. We didn't even really get to see Chenglin's reaction to finding out who WKX is, just a few seconds in a flashback.
And then ZZS is the one to convince WKX to let the Gentle Wind Sword sect into Mount Qingya for the wedding between Gu Xiang and Cao Wei Ning, which leads to both of them dying at the hands of Cao Wei Ning's uncle/teacher. Gu Xiang doesn't even get to kill him herself. No, she dies in WKX's arms and then he goes after her killer (where the hell was ZZS?), and after WKX just defeated Zhao Jing, one of the strongest fighters of the martial arts world, he receives an almost mortal wound fighting that guy, who's never distinguished himself as a fighter before and isn't even a sect leader, ookay.
ETA: Apparently I mixed up the characters and it was the sect leader after all, that makes more sense.
So Scorpion has pretty much won, the whole plan to let the Ghosts reintegrate into the human world was for nothing, ZZS decides to go off to die alone foiling the plan of Scorpion and Prince Jin, except WKX shows up at the last second thanks to YBY, lets them into the armory while Scorpion is (presumably) killed by the avalanche, and then sacrifices himself to save ZZS, who will then have to stay in there with his soulmate's corpse until spring and be unable to leave the mountain without withering etc. This isn't even a satisfying tragedy, and neither is the bonus content a satisfying happy ending. I was really looking forward to a good atonement story and I didn't get it, I'm annoyed.
There were enough elements I enjoyed that I'm thinking of reading the novel if I can find a translation I like, at least.
As a side effect of watching another Chinese show, my Chinese is getting better! As in, I know about a dozen words and half a dozen characters now xD Though I might have forgotten some of the new ones by tomorrow already. (I still have quite the headache, pretty sure the only reason I'm not feeling worse is because I took a 2.5 hours nap, that was a good decision.)
WKX being such a good househusband was also a delight. (Did he even realize that ZZS knew about him before YBY told him?) He just wants to live happily with his soulmate and their
Today we finished watching the show. There were a couple of things I enjoyed, like WKX breaking down because he feels guilty for Han Ying dying, and WKX seeking out YBY again, and WKX rescuing ZZS from Prince Jin and acquiring 18 new disciples for the Four Seasons Manor and kneeling in front of ZZS calling himself his unworthy disciple, and the hairbrushing and giving him the key hairpin, and some of the visuals. There were several nice moments between WKX and ZZS. I keep being very amused by how fancy their clothes are and how often they change them – where do they get the money? (Also, once I started wondering about the art of spitting blood in just the right way and placing cobwebs in just the right way I couldn't stop noticing it.) And while I wasn't a huge fan of Scorpion (there were many interesting elements but overall, idk, I just didn't like him much – and I was very disappointed that we didn't get to see his female subordinate get punched in the face), I liked his brief almost-reaction to hearing that Qian Qiao died in the attack on Mount Qingya.
There were more things I didn't much like, however. For example while WKX used to claim never to lie to ZZS he still tried to deceive him a lot, and I thought they were past that! Then WKX fakes his death and tells a bunch of people but not ZZS! What! ZZS doesn't figure it out (apparently he's extraordinarily smart in the novel? In the show, not noticeably so) and because ZZS thinks he needs to be strong enough to avenge him, he removes the seven nails in a way that will definitely kill him later. I did not expect a Romeo and Juliet plot. And they never even get around to talking about that! I was at least hoping for a good scene of WKX begging ZZS for forgiveness for the deception, and maybe WKX finding out about the consequences of his deception, but noo. The whole plot from WKX returning to Mount Qingya is rushed and confusing and makes little sense and I don't like it. We didn't even really get to see Chenglin's reaction to finding out who WKX is, just a few seconds in a flashback.
And then ZZS is the one to convince WKX to let the Gentle Wind Sword sect into Mount Qingya for the wedding between Gu Xiang and Cao Wei Ning, which leads to both of them dying at the hands of Cao Wei Ning's uncle/teacher. Gu Xiang doesn't even get to kill him herself. No, she dies in WKX's arms and then he goes after her killer (where the hell was ZZS?), and after WKX just defeated Zhao Jing, one of the strongest fighters of the martial arts world, he receives an almost mortal wound fighting that guy, who's never distinguished himself as a fighter before and isn't even a sect leader, ookay.
ETA: Apparently I mixed up the characters and it was the sect leader after all, that makes more sense.
So Scorpion has pretty much won, the whole plan to let the Ghosts reintegrate into the human world was for nothing, ZZS decides to go off to die alone foiling the plan of Scorpion and Prince Jin, except WKX shows up at the last second thanks to YBY, lets them into the armory while Scorpion is (presumably) killed by the avalanche, and then sacrifices himself to save ZZS, who will then have to stay in there with his soulmate's corpse until spring and be unable to leave the mountain without withering etc. This isn't even a satisfying tragedy, and neither is the bonus content a satisfying happy ending. I was really looking forward to a good atonement story and I didn't get it, I'm annoyed.
There were enough elements I enjoyed that I'm thinking of reading the novel if I can find a translation I like, at least.
As a side effect of watching another Chinese show, my Chinese is getting better! As in, I know about a dozen words and half a dozen characters now xD Though I might have forgotten some of the new ones by tomorrow already. (I still have quite the headache, pretty sure the only reason I'm not feeling worse is because I took a 2.5 hours nap, that was a good decision.)
no subject
Date: 2021-07-03 10:25 pm (UTC)I dont think so. WKX looked totally blindsided by the reveal and being defended by ZZS. Plus his brilliant plan to meet YBY on the road so he wpuldnt have to see ZZS react to finding out who he used to be... only makes sense if WKX genuinely thought that ZZS didn't know.
Like you, I also love that WKX is such a good househusband. That we get to see him and ZZS and Chengling being so domestic and happy together.
I did not notice that. What did keep catching my attention was scenes of them drinking. Sometimes, there woukd be liquid in the wineskin/bowl/cup and sometimes there obviously wasn't and they were just pretending to swallow. And I couldnt figure out a trend of why they sometimes had pretend liquid and othertimes they didn't. And once ypu notice, you cant help but look for the liquid every time.
I think we get a fairly good idea that ZZS thinks a lot more than he speaks, that he does spend a bit of time putting pieces together. He's not always right -- his fiest guess that WKX was Rong someone's son was wrong, but he was right about the idea of revenging a parents death caused by the five lakes alliance was, just the wrong family -- but he frequently puts things together before other characters confirm it. I think WKX faking his own death was such a surprise that it totally blindsided ZZS and he was too upset to really think clearly about it. (Or talk to Chengling about it. Because surely you'd query that Chengling actively wanted WKX dead? But I guess that response works well with expectations -- wanting to avenge your family, and even ZZS's experience in the imperial court of people turning against those they used to be close to. Still, I wish we'd seen Chenglings response to finding out who WKX was.)
I dont know if Zhao Jing is that strong or if hes just sneaky. Its hard to tell. But the guy who killed Cao Wei Ning was his sect leader, so I can handwave a liytle that maybe he was very powerful. Not that im happy about the wedding deaths, but... eh.
I can understand that. The show didn't quite stick the landing.
no subject
Date: 2021-07-04 08:34 am (UTC)Sometimes, there woukd be liquid in the wineskin/bowl/cup and sometimes there obviously wasn't and they were just pretending to swallow. And I couldnt figure out a trend of why they sometimes had pretend liquid and othertimes they didn't. And once ypu notice, you cant help but look for the liquid every time.
That sounds distracting ^^
In the show, I got the impression that ZZS is smart, but, hm, "normal smart," while DD kept complaining that in the novel is noticeably extremely smart, so it was probably just a matter of expectation.
I thought the guy who killed Cao Wei Ning was his uncle/teacher, not actually his sect leader, but I apparently mixed up the characters. It being Mo Huai Yang makes it make more sense to me since Mo Huai Yang was said to be very powerful (and also makes it slightly less sad because Cao Wei Ning had a closer relationship with his uncle.)
The show didn't quite stick the landing.
It did not. I didn't like the beginning, then I was so positively surprised by the middle part, but sadly that didn't last.
no subject
Date: 2021-07-05 05:12 am (UTC)Huh. That is... a good point. From the time WKX comes striding in, I don't think there's anything outright said that shows that ZZS had already figured it out.
You know, I ended up rewatching that scene just to see. After YBY leaves, ZZS does ask what would have happened if he hadn't guessed what WKX was up to, so I guess that implies that he'd figured it out (there isn't any other reason WKX would have tried to intercept YBY).
no subject
Date: 2021-07-05 03:12 pm (UTC)I didn't make that connection at first, but yeah, that could be it.