Song of Phoenix Episode 26

Episode 26: Pro and Con

I think this episode does a good job of highlighting many of the shows pros and its limitations. In this episode, we see that Qu Yuan is spared and sentenced to serving in the military.

1. The emperor receives the petition from the townspeople in the county who are beg for Qu Yuan's life.
Con: While not unrealistic, the show has them all wearing white (would peasants really have access to so many outfits?) and would they really dare to do this before the emperor himself?

2.Meanwhile, Lord Cheng continues to investigate the suspicious circumstances of this case. The king thinks back on all of Qu Yuan's efforts to clean up the county and continues to find it hard to believe that someone so passionate would do this. He asks his advisor for advice, and his advisor implores him to not be biased and to not ignore the hard physical evidence before him.

3.The King wants to personally question Jiao (the man who named Qu Yuan as the embezzler and set him up)

4.The king goes to visit Qu Yuan in his cell, and Qu Yuan is not only drunk, but he continues to maintain his impudent attitude before the king. he tells the emperor he did not do it and that he will say nothing more on the matter. He can kill him if he wants. The king is not only angry he is drunk, but disappointed in his behavior.
Pro: Characters are consistent
Pro: Qu Yuan is reacting in a reasonable way, since his woman is gone and he's been framed he is pretty depressed. It makes him seem more human

5.The king asks him to think of Chu State (essentially he is telling him that he should sacrifice his pride and admit to the crime, so that he can forgive him). I like this scene because Qu Yuan is directly called out for his pride and his black and white thinking. TO me, this is a pro

6.Elsewhere, Jiao is found dead, so the guys who paid him panicked and killed him, but it makes everything even more suspicious.

7.The king holds a formal trial: his ministers are present, as is Qu Yuan and the people who sent the petition. His minister Ji still wants Qu Yuan dead and points out several reasonable points, that Qu Yuan could have had Jiao killed. The people beg for Qu Yuan to be spared, and Qu Yuan is shocked to see Mo Chou leading this. The emperor decides to settle this by having his ministers read all the things Qu Yuan has done, and then read this one crime. He ultimately decides that because the evidence is inconclusive, he won't execute him, but because there is still a question of whether or not he did it, he will have him atone by serving in the military.
Pro: This is a nice Segway into the military, and a reasonable one
Con: The execution of the scene still is a bit wooden in that Qu Yuan is STILL presented as a meme almost and the repetition is killing me--we KNOW he stands for the people

8.After this, the king observes a village festival as they celebrate Qu Yuan being saved
MAJOR CON: SO CHEESY

8.Qu Yuan catches a glimpse of Mo Chou, follows her , and while she hides in the woods using her ninja he shouts that he knows he has no right to speak to her but everyday is miserable for him. Mo Chou cries silently.
Pro: The romance
Con: The romance: it is just kind of...lukewarm

9.Meanwhile, Shi Jia decides to abandon his post at the governer's office because Qu Yuan is leaving. Qu Yuan implores him to stay as they need people like him. Nope, Shi Jia says he is going to wander the country.
Pro: There is some logic in Qu Yuan asking him to stay.
Con: This seems awfully suspicious, like they are going to have him randomly return...

10.Meanwhile, back in Qin, the king sits with his military advisors who protest the power the chancellor has. They are angry that the king has not levied taxes and will not force labor. The king argues it is for the morale of the soldiers and asks them to endure. He also will have his sons Prince Ji (the Chu' king's nephew) and Dan'er serve. They argue this is foolish since the princes are too young and inexperienced. but the king needs to send the message that he is with the people.
Pro: It makes Qin seem more human and is a good military scene

11.Ji'er complains about having to serve and is super angry because his older brother has been excused on account of illness. His mother basically tells him to suck it up that this is a great chance to learn so he reluctantly agrees
Pro: A normal spoiled kid reactioin
Con: spoiled kids are annoying is heck

Major Pro: The show is fairly good with segwaying into new scenes and setting up new plot
Cons: The execution could be improved, and I think the biggest hindrance right now is the actual writing of the character of Qu Yuan, who is so black and white. I am hoping that they pull a JOF and have him do a 180, which makes the character much more likable.

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