GUARDIAN Episode 6

[adisgracetothescholars]

Introduction

ohbthr: This episode has an obscene amount of unnecessary flashbacks, you guys. Why.

tactless_yet_lovable: Because we’re supposed to suffer. As a bonus, this writeup hit during the High Holy Days of Commercialized Christmas/Fourth Quarter End Of Year Pomp and Business Circumstance, so we’ve all been suffering to the nth degree. Peak suffering. “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Hell” suffering.

hollyberries: ‘This is the worst timeline’ suffering


Plot

ohbthr: We pick up basically where we left off, with the useless boyfriend narrating in voice over over a flashback that he came into the bathroom and saw Wei Wei being attacked by someone, but when he turned around to see the attacker, they had vanished. Back in the present, Zhao Yunlan asks if it was really a woman, and the boyfriend says maybe he was confused.

moggiesandtea: He’s not the brightest bulb in the box.

ohbthr: We go back to flashback while he says that Wei Wei’s behavior became more erratic. In said flashback she’s in full bridal dress getting her makeup done, and when the makeup artist asks how she looks, she opens her eyes and immediately starts screaming at her reflection. The useless boyfriend asks if she has a problem with the makeup and she says no, it’s not that. Useless Boyfriend’s name is Ji Xiaobai, by the way. She asks him to reassure her that this isn’t an illusion because she thinks this is too good to be true.

Back in the present, Ji Xiaobai says that he thought she was just having pre-marriage anxiety and that he was considering taking her to a psychologist, before asking Zhao Yunlan if she’ll be okay, and that she really just went on a walk, right?

Da Qing doesn’t have time for this, telling him to stop kidding himself, while Zhao Yunlan shakes his head in annoyance at his team member’s lack of bedside manner. Guo then makes it worse by muttering “my condolences” and Zhao Yunlan really wishes he could smack them in front of a citizen.

He gets called away to look at some photos and chastises Da Qing for his lack of sensitivity. Da Qing basically says that humans are so fragile that they should be used to life and death. Zhao Yunlan steps on his foot.






arrghigiveup: This team is so bad at being comforting ffs

ohbthr: He pulls out one picture in particular, and Da Qing asks if something is wrong. He says he’s not sure, and he needs to see someone. Old Chu and Guo get to stay behind with Ji Xiaobai, to see if he remembers anything else. They’re very excited about this.

Guo decides to take Ji Xiaobai on a walk to cheer him up, and takes him to a “great place” which turns out to be...a random bench? Guo apparently didn’t have any friends as a child (shocking) so he liked to come sit on benches and be alone where there were no tickets to buy or rules to follow. Just…mull that over for a bit. His parents are also dead, we find out, and his aunt and uncle are very kind but don’t have much time for him. Poor useless Guo.

Old Chu decides that if he’s gonna be stuck here they need to start drinking, and gives Ji Xiaobai a beer despite his protestations. They take a sip before Guo hears a magpie and convinces Ji Xiaobai that a magpie’s chirp is a lucky sound and that he should yell out any wishes he has and they’ll come true.

arrghigiveup: lol I remember the first time we watched this I think it was… tammaiya? Who was like THAT IS NOT WHAT A MAGPIE SOUNDS LIKE. So in case anyone else also caught on that, it’s highly likely that they’re referring to the Oriental Magpie Robin, which is not actually a magpie, and which consequently sounds much sweeter than one, lol. The Chinese name for them is 喜鹊 (xǐquè), “happiness magpie”.

hollyberries: 喜鹊登枝 (xǐquè dēng zhī) from pleco: “magpie settles on the bough-- good omen; harbinger of good news; good sign.”

tactless_yet_lovable: lol I’m now picturing actual magpies and like, if this happened in swooping season. It’d be much less cute, more “oh shit” panic.

moggiesandtea: See, I just picture the non-homicidal European magpies, which have the exact same coloring as the Aussie ones, but 100% less inclination to murder you.

tactless_yet_lovable: If I was a magpie in this show, it’d be Murder Time 24/7.

ohbthr: Ji Xiaobai yells out for Wei Wei to come back, and Guo echoes him. Old Chu actually looks a little charmed, despite himself, and asks Guo if he never wishes for his own happiness. Guo says that if everyone else is happy then he’ll be happy, causing Chu to immediately have a flashback (yes, another one) to his poor presumably dead little brother, who said something similar.

Back in the present Chu is having An Emotion, and asks Guo to repeat that. He does, a little confused, and reader I have to admit, this is when I whispered to myself “oh nooooo I ship it.”

moggiesandtea: Oh hell, this might have been when I had the exact same reaction. I honestly can’t remember if it was this, or one of the many many times Old Chu was being mean to Guo.



ohbthr: The moment is interrupted when Ji Xiaobai’s phone goes off and it’s Wei Wei calling.

Cut to Shen Wei at night, on campus, looking, just, so fine in his sweater vest, and rolled up sleeves, and fucking sleeve garters (I know), talking to...a bush.

arrghigiveup: I think I may actually have been stockholmed into liking the fuckin cheap-ass sleeve garters help.




ohbthr: Okay, fine, the bush is actually a member of the Clan of Flowers, and a horrifying CGI tree woman appears! She asks who he is to know who she is, and he replies that he’s a teacher of bioengineering at the school. As if that’s an explanation. She says, duh, she knows that, he walks by her every day, but who is he really?

moggiesandtea: Making her many times more savvy than the actual team whose job it is to investigate this weird shit.





ohbthrShen Wei whips out his staff (sadly not a euphemism) and she immediately bows to Your Highness Black Cloak (or however we’re translating that today), asking what she can do to help him. She won’t fight, but that’s fine cause he just needs her help finding someone. She then disappears, because Zhao Yunlan is riding through campus on his motorbike.

arrghigiveup: Much like how Chu Shuzi is moronsexual, I think I may be Shen-Wei-non-euphemistically-wielding-weapons-sexual, because mmm. Honestly though, I love how his response to a very reasonable question about his identity is to wordlessly summon a glaive, loudly thunk the butt of it into the pavement, and glower. Drama queen.

tactless_yet_lovable: To intimidate a PLANT WOMAN. This isn’t even a good weapon for that! Get some gardening shears, you dramatic slut.




ohbthr: Cut to Zhao Yunlan standing outside Shen Wei’s office with some papers in hand. He clearly changes his mind about knocking and starts to walk away, but Shen Wei stops that nonsense by opening the door and calling after him, inviting him into his office.

arrghigiveup: Consider again the fact that Shen Wei was outside talking to a bush when Zhao Yunlan went riding by. And that he then emerged from inside his office to greet Zhao Yunlan. Which means he either went sprinting back to his office while Zhao Yunlan was parking his motorcycle, or opened one of his portal things, just so he could be back at the office to meet Zhao Yunlan.

moggiesandtea: Sprinting is probably beneath his dignity or some such. I bet it was a portal. Fucking drama queen.

ohbthr: Back at their apartment, Wei Wei is back. Ji Xiaobai hugs her and she says it’s only been half a day, why is he this clingy? She says she visited a friend this morning and forgot to tell him. She also smells the alcohol on his breath, so he points to the SID members, and she notices them for the first time, asking who they are. He replies that they’re very good friends.

Old Chu can definitely sense something is up and tries to question her further, but Guo is clueless and says maybe they should leave now that the couple is back together. Chu tells him to shut up, and informs Ji Xiaobai that they’ll be back later to learn about the situation. Wei Wei asks what he means, and Guo says it’s nothing, hurrying Chu out.

In Shen Wei’s office, the pictures are laid out, and Shen Wei remarks that it’s the first time Zhao Yunlan has come to him about a case that Shen Wei isn’t related to, and has just come to consult with him.

Zhao Yunlan leans forward and goes extremely pouty, asking Shen Wei if he’s got something against him. Shen Wei replies that no, he doesn’t, but he’s been suspected so many times, surely he has a right to protest? Zhao Yunlan turns full on puppy dog eyes and says when Shen Wei puts it that way, he’s in the right.

arrghigiveup: WHILE SUCKING ON A STUPID LOLLIPOP. So much sajiao my god Yunlan you fucking slag. Also Shen Wei’s stupid affectionate face; he can’t even help himself, god.






ohbthr: They put the heavy flirting on pause for a moment to discuss the case - it’s rare but not unprecedented, but he doesn’t have all the information. They get interrupted when Zhao Yunlan’s phone rings with the news that Wei Wei is back as if nothing happened.

Later that night, Ji Xiaobai is asking Wei Wei where she went, and keeps getting sullen extremely suspicious answers. She just went to a friend’s place, stop making such a big deal of it. Does he know the friend? No. What’s her friend’s name? He wouldn’t know it, so it doesn’t matter. Why doesn’t Ji Xiaobai invite him to dinner? There’s no time for that. He drops the subject to instead look at her ring finger.

Surprise! The engagement ring is gone. He asks here where it went and she replies, “Ring? What ring?” then catches herself and says that oh right, she left it on the counter after washing her hands. He looks in the bathroom but can’t find it, and when he comes out she’s tucked into bed, pretending to fall asleep. He notices that she hasn’t had any of the milk that he poured her, even though Past Wei Wei told him that he has to pour it for her to drink every night. He’s definitely suspicious now.

Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei are still having a flirt off, going over photos and noticing together that the bathroom and the changing room both have, say it together now, mirrors. Zhao Yunlan smirks around his fucking obscene lollipop, Shen Wei get a shy little flicker of a smile, it’s all very cute.

arrghigiveup: They literally said it together, too. I can’t even with these two.






ohbthr: Guo is walking around the city and notices he’s being followed, lashing out and beating the assailant with his bag...who turns out to be Ji Xiaobai. He’s convinced that the Wei Wei at home is not her.

In the apartment, they examine the mirror, and Ji Xiaobai (again in flashback) sees Wei Wei talking to the mirror, asking the reflection where the ring is, then threatening to break the mirror, so the reflection vanishes.

Zhao Yunlan says that he believes him, and that Shen Wei was right that the big dressing room mirror is the entrance. Per Shen Wei’s “science” instructions (given through another flashback) they open the portal and step into a poorly CGI’d mirror world where CGI items float around and the two Wei Wei’s are fighting over the ring.

Zhao Yunlan asks which Wei Wei is the real one. One of them gets teary eyed and asks if Ji Xiaobai really doesn’t recognize her. Through the Power of Love and Flashbacks, he figures out which one is his Wei Wei. Except, plot twist, the one he thinks is his Wei Wei is actually the Dixingren one!

Xiaobai asks the Dixingren one how long she’s been pretending to be Wei Wei. Human Wei Wei very unconvincingly tells Xiaobai that she’s scared, and they should arrest the monster. Dixingren Wei Wei hears this and decides fine, she’ll just attack, because….if she’s a monster then they’ll all die with the monster, apparently? Chu realized he can’t use his powers in the mirror, and things are looking momentarily a tiny bit threatening, until Shen Wei as Black Cloak teleports in to lay the smack down.

“Brother Black Cloak!” says Zhao Yunlan, “you’re just in time.”

arrghigiveup: Zhao Yunlan seems to be determined to call Black Cloak Envoy every permutation of lao (old), hei pao (black cloak), and ge (brother) that he can think of. Most of the time it’s hei lao ge, here it’s lao hei ge, and I know that later episodes also have hei pao ge. Literally everyone else calls him da ren (equivalent of “Your Excellency”), but Yunlan called him Ol’ Brother Black once as a placating tactic in their first encounter and then just never looked back.

Also, it doesn’t translate fully, but, Zhao Yunlan’s tone here borders on chiding, like “man, you’re cutting this really close eh?”. Point being, Zhao Yunlan is just so completely and thoroughly unimpressed by Black Cloak Envoy’s rank it’s hilarious, especially compared with everyone else.

ohbthr: Black Cloak tells Dixingren Wei Wei that escaping to the human world was fine but now that she wants to kill people she doesn’t belong here anymore. He wraps her up in weird CGI ropes while Dixingren Wei Wei and Xiaobai look at each other sadly and have lots of copious flashbacks of moments in their lives together. It would all be very poignant and sad if any of these extras could act.




Back at SID, Black Cloak rubber stamps a form and lays down some very heavy handed hints about how one’s identity is only a skin, and that one’s heart cannot be tied only to one’s identity SO PLEASE LOVE ME EVEN THOUGH I’M DIXINGREN okay I’ve said too much BYE. Zhao Yunlan just rubs the back of his head and moves on, because what?

arrghigiveup: “Where there’s Yin there’s Yang! Where there’s good there’s bad! Like me! I’m good! Really I am! Love meeee.”

ohbthr: Zhao Yunlan goes back to see Wei Wei, ostensibly to return the photos he took but really to quiz her on them to see if she was ever the Wei Wei in a relationship with Xiaobai. She fails, because of course she does, because obviously the Dixingren Wei Wei was the one Xiaobai fell in love with.

We cut to...another flashback, god, there are so many of them. A younger, more “nerdy” Wei Wei (symbolized by a turtleneck, huge glasses, and pigtails, because apparently the costume designer came out of a late 90’s teen movie) complaining about how it’s useless being good at school because she can’t beat a pretty face. She’s tired of this face, whoever wants it can have it. Her reflection asks if she really means that, and that she’s been stuck in the mirror for so long, she just wants to see the outside. Despite Human Wei Wei’s initial (understandable) freak out they switched places, Dixingren Wei Wei changed her style and started dating someone, and Human Wei Wei feels robbed. This is why we don’t make deals with the fey, y’all.

arrghigiveup: But also, I am like, you LET her have the year! She’s the one who managed to snag a “prince charming”! What do you mean “everything should have been mine”? You entitled brat.

ohbthr: Zhao Yunlan says he can’t say for sure if Human Wei Wei was right or wrong, but Xiaobai has been outside the door listening to her confession and knows the one he loved is not the one there. Zhao Yunlan claps him on the shoulder in consolation and tells him that the SID isn’t responsible for what happens anymore, but to make their decisions carefully, because “that one” will never come back.

Ji Xiaobai looks over all the pictures he took with his old Wei Wei and through even more unnecessary flashbacks takes off his ring and leaves.

Shen Wei/Black Cloak has taken Dixingren Wei Wei to a nearby park and tells her that her love was doomed because they’re from different worlds, and that if she had stayed in the mirror he would never have found her. He says that like her father, her problem was a greed for prosperity and “love causing calamity,” whatever that means. She perks up at this, asking him if he knew her father. He was apparently an important subordinate, but was hiding a huge secret that Shen Wei never found out. She says that her father always said “the mountains and river will always be guarded in the South,” but didn’t know what it means.

moggiesandtea: Oh, so she’s the daughter of the dead guy that Shen Wei found out about in just the last episode! Wow, what a coincidence that he gets a lead on her right after we find out a) there was a Dixingren mission to find the Holy Talismans, b) everybody but the leader and Mr. Wu got killed, but c) the leader (who did die later) had a pregnant wife!

ohbthr: That night, Guo writes in his journal about Xiao Bai and Wei Wei breaking up and how he doesn’t understand why when they were clearly in love, because he’s an idiot.

At the same time, Da Qing and Zhao Yunlan chat at Zhao Yunlan’s disastrous apartment, Da Qing insisting that there’s something weird about how much Shen Wei knows about Dixingren. He thinks that if Zhao Yunlan tries to say that Shen Wei has nothing to do with Dixingren, he’ll think that Yunlan has been drugged. Yunlan claims that the person who can drug him hasn’t been born yet. This feels like dramatic irony waiting to happen.

Da Qing flops down on the couch and asks Zhao Yunlan what he’ll do if Shen Wei is actually Dixingren. Will Zhao Yunlan arrest him? Yunlan says he hasn’t done anything wrong, and Da Qing reminds Yunlan that he used to say he’d arrest any Dixingren on sight. Zhao Yunlan doesn’t like this reminder because he doesn’t want to talk about it, shut up.

arrghigiveup: As a sidenote, I love the way Da Qing casually flops all over Zhao Yunlan even when he’s not currently in cat form.




ohbthr: Then they get a signal from Lin Jing and break into Shen Wei’s apartment. Zhao Yunlan looks around, musing that it’s weird Shen Wei lives right across from him (god dammit Shen Wei why you gotta be this way), but that they have never run into each other before until recently. They banter over Da Qing’s past lives while pawing through Shen Wei’s stuff. They’ve just found something interesting when they hear Shen Wei at the door.

arrghigiveup: While they were pawing through Shen Wei’s stuff, it’s mentioned that Da Qing supposedly doesn’t remember anything about his previous owners. I really want to know the story behind how Zhao Yunlan and Da Qing met in this life.

ohbthr: Outside, Shen Wei lifts his key to the lock and Significantly Pauses. He walks inside, looks around, and smiles a little at the curtain flowing in the wind by his balcony. Zhao Yunlan and Da Qing cower in the corner of the balcony, out of sight, but clearly not out of Shen Wei’s perception.

arrghigiveup: Gonna throw in another cap here of Zhao Yunlan comfortingly kneading the back of Da Qing’s neck while they hide. I just, I dunno, I really love these little insights into the relationship between a dude and his cat, ok.




ohbthr: Quick cut to them back in Zhao Yunlan’s apartment and looking at photos of the file that caught their attention - Shen Wei is investigating them. (How did they get there without Shen Wei noticing? Did they Mission Impossible rappel around the building? Am I thinking about this too hard?)

tactless_yet_lovable: The fact that you had to ask that is all the yes answer you need.

moggiesandtea: You are certainly thinking about it harder than the people who actually scripted this thing.

arrghigiveup: My money is on Shen Wei rolling his eyes, wandering into the bathroom, turning the shower on full-blast, and then just standing there and staring at the ceiling while waiting for those two idiots to get out of his apartment.

ohbthr: Zhao Yunlan lights incense for the Dixing Regent, and it’s at this moment that I noticed he’s wearing a shirt that says “Good Vibes Only,” and god dammit, I’m annoyed that I’d still 100% tap that. Anyway, he tells the little incense messenger that there’s someone named Shen Wei who knows about Dixing, he’s a teacher at the university, and please let him know anything the Regent knows about Shen Wei’s information and background.

arrghigiveup: How the fuck do they manage to get this past the censors as “science” lmao.

moggiesandtea: They’re not even trying at this point, I swear.

ohbthr: The next day, Chu walks into Shen Wei’s office, to give the Professor a truly horrendous banner. It’s huge, it’s red with gold writing, and it says “Dragon University’s Professor Shen Wei. Helping others is helping the self, the conscience of this field. Sent by Zhao Yunlan.” Shen Wei is clearly slightly horrified by it, but too polite to actually refuse. It also has a hidden web camera in it that Da Qing and Zhao Yunlan are watching the feed from.




moggiesandtea: Old Chu is rightfully pained that he has to be the bearer of this monstrosity.

tactless_yet_lovable: I remember hollyberries translating the nuance of that banner, and it was hella insincere/over the top sarcastic.

I LITERALLY COPIED FROM THE WHATSAPP: “Good on you buddy, you also managed to help these people not get killed.” “He’s squinting suspiciously through the medium of a tacky as hell banner. Literally too.”

arrghigiveup: Heh, it’s mostly the first part of the message that creates that slightly sardonic tone, because it implies he had his own motives for helping.

ohbthr: In yet another flashback, good god save me, Da Qing tells Zhao Yunlan that it might be ages until they hear back from the Regent. Zhao Yunlan agrees, and they’ll be taking action sooner. However, it won’t be him, because he “has to maintain a good relationship with him” (uh huh) and so instead he’ll send Old Chu.

Back in the present Da Qing asks if he’s playing around with Old Chu, or “probing Professor Shen” (*eyebrow waggle*). Zhao Yunlan just says that something’s wrong, and Da Qing tells him that he’s too suspicious, and that Shen Wei has helped them a lot.

Zhao Yunlan mentions that Old Chu doesn’t always want to talk to him, and that there’s only one person he’s ever seen Old Chu be respectful towards, which is Black-Cloaked Envoy. Da Qing looks around and asks in a hushed whisper why he’s bringing him up all of a sudden. Zhao Yunlan, the human personification of the ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ emoji says “Dunno. It just came out.” Da Qing yells “Black Cloaked Highness! Mr. Zhao misses you!” so Zhao Yunlan, in peak professionalism, kicks him to get him to stop. Sidenote, I want his shoes, but he should really lace them up, what does he have against wearing shoes properly.

tactless_yet_lovable: Better question, what does he have against wearing anything properly? Then again, this is the slag who climbed onto a table to eat popcorn last episode, so why are we expecting any better?

arrghigiveup: I love how Da Qing was acting like Black Cloak Envoy was Voldemort, and saying his name would summon him, while Zhao Yunlan gave no shits.

tactless_yet_lovable: Speak of the thirsty devil and he shall appear.

ohbthr: At Dragon University, Shen Wei is informed that Li Qian (remember her? From the pilot?) has quit the school. Shen Wei is incensed, saying that she has a unique situation and allowances should be made, but the Dean says that it was her decision and anyway she’s not suited for studying right now.

Zhao Yunlan has been waiting outside the office for the latter half of this conversation, so when Shen Wei leaves they walk away together. Shen Wei expresses guilt that he didn’t notice anything wrong with Li Qian. Zhao Yunlan insists that his (well tailored) shoulders can’t take that responsibility, clapping his hand on said shoulder to emphasize the point. Shen Wei insists that it’s the responsibility of the teacher. Zhao Yunlan says it must be a pleasure to be his student (surely someone’s written that fic, right?), and asks how Li Qian is. She’s resting at home. Zhao Yunlan says that it’s good that she’s alone, and he hopes she’ll make it through. He promises to visit her later. Shen Wei hopes no one will bother her, and excuses himself to go teach a class.




arrghigiveup: By the way, from the moment Zhao Yunlan falls into step with Shen Wei outside the principal’s door to the point where they part, they walk perfectly in step with each other; you can literally see them sway in sync for the entire damned walk. It’s a long one too, around multiple turns through the halls, and in my head I keep hearing David Tennant’s voice as he narrates that one documentary about emperor penguins and how, once a pair has decided to get together, they mirror each other’s walk to show that they’ve bonded. What, don’t look at me like that.

ohbthr: Anime Villain takes a chess piece and says it’s his turn.

tactless_yet_lovable: Seriously how do you get that much Extra and then think “Purple hair and chess pieces are the only acceptable ways of showing this”? Get an actual goddamn style, make it work for you.

ohbthr: In the final scene of the episode, Shen Wei is walking home at night through a “dark alley” (aka embarrassingly fake set piece), and two dudes come up to him and in the lamest robbery attempt ever, ask to borrow some money. He takes the bills out of his wallet and hands them over, no problem. They grab his bag (without any protest from him) and search through it, tossing it aside when they don’t find a cell phone. They grab his wrist and look at his watch and decide to take it. Shen Wei yanks his hand away, but just says “let me do it” and takes the watch off himself, holding it out for them.

He asks if he can leave, and the robbers get offended that he’s so calm during a robbery, demanding he apologize. He has a ghost of a smile, but says nothing. They grab him by the collar, somehow managing to both undo the top button of his shirt collar and pull his tie down, revealing the hint of his (beautiful) neck, and a necklace.




arrghigiveup: Honestly that takes some damn skill. That, or Shen Wei’s shirt has the loosest buttonholes on earth, along with the worst tie-tying technique.

Also, this becomes more significant later on, but it’s worth noting now just how much pride Shen Wei actually has. We saw hints of it in the first episode when Guo Changcheng interrupts Black Cloak Envoy’s exit, the episode where he was a suspect being interrogated, earlier this episode with the flower Yashou, and we see it again here. Shen Wei knows just how much power he has and is accustomed to wielding it; there is a severe limit on his willingness to feign submission (to steal rageprufrock’s phrase), and an equally severe limit on his willingness to tolerate disrespect. Zhao Yunlan is literally the only person he relaxes--and eventually gives up--those boundaries for.

ohbthr: END CREDITS, because this show has no fucking pacing.

Character Beats

ohbthr: There’s definitely some cute interaction between SW and ZYL in this episode and it’s notable that this is the first time they actually hang out just to talk about a case, without any overt suspicion between them.

arrghigiveup: And Shen Wei is clearly thrilled about it.

But seriously, Shen Wei has been a suspect for multiple cases now. For once he’s not related to the case, and his specialty as a professor has nothing to do with it either. There is literally no excuse for Zhao Yunlan to be pulling him in on this, and yet.

moggiesandtea: I mean, you could maybe argue that Zhao Yunlan is consulting with Shen Wei as a way to figure out how much Shen Wei knows about all this weird shit, but honestly, I think he just likes looking at his face.

tactless_yet_lovable: No joke, the first time I watched this episode, if I saw the “plot characters” (Wei Wei and Ji Xiaobai) without Zhao Yunlan or Shen Wei on screen, I fast-forwarded past them. Because I was here for one thing, and one thing only, and that was dumb flirting and using a gaudy af banner to creep-observe your love interest.

Production Choices

ohbthr: The CGI mirror world though. Oh god, so bad. Also, why so many flashbacks???

arrghigiveup: How to make it really clear you’re in an alternate dimension: have some truly random badly-CGI-ed shit floating around mid-air. Seriously, what even is that thing in the lower left supposed to be? I’ve been squinting at it for ages.




ohbthr: NO IDEA

moggiesandtea: I really want to find the intern who got set design and set dressing dropped on them and shake them, because good lord, what the hell is with the university decor. Or any of the decor. Did they just have a box of random odds and ends and bad reproductions of random Christian paintings?

Final Thoughts

tactless_yet_lovable: It’s like they realized they didn’t have enough plot for an entire episode and tried to compensate with flashbacks. Wrong choice. Always find a way to add more shameless flirting in Shen Wei’s office instead.

moggiesandtea: They really had it out for linear storytelling in this episode, that’s for sure. But they still found a way to end on a cliffhanger, so...good job I guess?

Join us here in two weeks for more discussion of Guardian, but in a modified format we haven’t quite figured out ourselves yet!

Comments

"It would all be very poignant and sad if any of these extras could act."

[ellebeecie]

The pathos really wanted to be there, but alas. Human Wei Wei's gift to us is giving ZYL the idea to get Shen Wei a girlfriend jacket, right?

Re: "It would all be very poignant and sad if any of these extras could act."

[tactless_yet_lovable]

We will forgive a lot of drama sins for that girlfriend jacket, it’s true!

Re: "It would all be very poignant and sad if any of these extras could act."

[tactless_yet_lovable]

Not all of them, or even most of them. But you know, more than zero sins, less than all sins.

[tinny]

I remember the flirting being top notch in this episode, and the ZYL-Da Qing bonding/snuggling.

That's a lot more than the eps before it, of which I remember pretty much nothing? :)

Zhao Yunlan says it must be a pleasure to be his student (surely someone’s written that fic, right?)

I remember a fic where ZYL pretends to be Shen Wei's student, does that count? It's actually really good, too.

[ohbthr]

Link please!

[dantsdemon]

Here you go: and i try, oh my god do i try.

[tinny]

I see my mistake now. :D

But someone else was faster than me, so... enjoy!

[kat_lair]

As someone who got into this show like two weeks ago and is less than half-way through, I have been enjoying these recaps/roundtable mocking sessions ENORMOUSLY and really hope they continue! <3

[arrghigiveup]

Oh we're definitely continuing! We're actually in the middle of the recap for the next ep; it's just that. Life. Keeps happening. To everyone. orz

But yes, it's coming. Glad you enjoyed!

[kat_lair]

I'm super glad to hear that. Episode 7's linemen rubbing was the scene that took me from 'aww this is adorable' to 'HOLY SHIT I'M SEEING FANFIC ON SCREEN' level of infatuation...