Bree

WHY COULDN'T THEY FOLLOW ENDGAME TIME TRAVEL RULES

We can all agree that this drama was incredible, but I've seen that a lot of the qualms are with the ending. On one hand, I wished we could have just had two different timelines (like in Avengers Endgame) where if you change the past, a new timeline is created, but the original timeline stays the same. Then, Shen Cheng and Yu Nian could have continued to live their lives, while AXun and and ATang could've had their happy ending in a new timeline.

But alas, I am not the writer of this drama, and after thinking about the ending a bit more, it is fitting. The drama is about finding and protecting your family, even when the odds are stacked against you. Then it makes sense that just as AXun time and time again sacrifices himself for ATang's happiness, Sheng Cheng and Yu Nian would sacrifice themselves for AXun and ATang's happiness. Though this bittersweet ending is not what I wanted for the characters I rooted for, it stays true to the drama's theme and the character's motivations. This could've been conveyed if the build-up to the ending was more developed, which is why the ending feels rushed right now.

I haven't seen anyone point out one of the more unique strengths of the drama: the world-building. Usually dramas center on the two main characters and the supporting characters are more like devices to support the main plot, but this drama gave the supporting characters their own stories, which we caught glimpses of here and there. As a result, we were able to really lose ourselves in this world. Let me name an example: in episode 10, the bookstore owner (i forget his name, the one with the glasses) confronts ABao's hooligans and his shop is destroyed. Now by episode 10, we've seen the bookstore owner a few times in passing, usually only when he was important to the plot (i.e. when we're learning about the bookstore holding a promotion to write letters to your future self, which starts the entire letter thing). But this is the first time when we see the world through his eyes. When he tells ATang that "this town is the problem", I realized that all the other people in this town aren't lifeless beings who just stare as AXun and friends suffer. They are likely going through the same thing and don't have the courage or the luxury to help others. While this characterization of the town does serve the main characters, as it makes AXun and ATang's kindness stand out and also heightens their desperation for escape, it also just makes Meiwan seem like a real place. I think great writing comes down to making fake characters in unrealistic situations seem like real people in real situations, and I'm really glad this drama doesn't neglect to do that.

I spent days crying over these characters, rewatching the drama until I was able to organize my thoughts. As I write this review, I think I am able to lay it to rest. It comforts me to know that AXun and ATang got their happy ending and that Sheng Cheng and Yu Nian got what they wanted and successfully protected their family. I hope that like these characters, we all find a home in the people we love, giving us a reason to fight and protect in this otherwise unforgiving world.

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