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This review may contain spoilers
The War Prisoner
See, now this is why I poke love with a stick. I see it coming, I order an uber. Cuz what do you mean, Duan killed and conquered an innocent kingdom, so he can kidnap Shu He and go, 'I did it for you boo, cuz I love you.' And Shu He played along with that nonsense reason, gave away his cookie and married Duan, only to drink poison and die as the ultimate revenge. Fam? That being said, that was some next level hating. Shu He is a professional hater, and I respect that. Let me explain.
First off, before I start my review, I'd like to say, Duan's brother is the worst. Mfker got hair and thought he was part of the team. Like, this ain't about you Sharon. Who even are you, and why is you talking? Like you are not important to this whole thing, go and sit done. I hate him so much, and if I knew where he lived, I hide in a corner and poke him in the eye on Christmas, just to ruin his holidays.
Anyway, you know that saying: 'holding a grudge is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die?' Shu He said, eff the other person, imma hold on to my grudge, drink the poison and die just to spit Duan. Mfker was playing the long game in the worse way possible and I felt bad for Duan, which is saying something, cuz after Duan invaded Shu He's kingdom, I was like: 'You know what, I forgive Hua Yong, turns out there's levels to this crazy possessiveness love thing, and he's only on level 7. Duan just obliviated the goddamn scale'. So yeah, I thought Duan sucked and deserved Shu He's anger and indifference, but this whole time Shu He was planning to hurt him where it would hate the most. The heart. And boy did it ever.
Listen, this drama hurt, but like in a bittersweet way. I saw the unhappy ending coming, what I didn't see coming was how deep Shu He hatred was. When I tell you my mouth was opened when we finally learned of Shu He's revenge plan? Dude was literally sleeping with the enemy, a man he loved but hated. He wanted revenge for his love, his brother and his kindgom, and I do get it, I really do, but really Janet? That's some next level of hatred.
Which brings us to Shu He's reason for playing the long revenge game. First off, his kingdom, sure, but didn't Duan's soldiers matched into that kingdom like they owned the place because literally no troops were at the gate, so they just made themselves at home? And Duan also mentioned Shu He's people were already planning on overthrowing him, even still, to some degree I get why he wanted avenge his kingdom. But DAFUG you mean you doing this to avenge your brother too? I'm sorry, in what planet does that crown prince deserve avenging? Somebody should have spat on his grave. The mfker was trying to kill you! He literally had your hand broken so you couldn't do the one thing you loved anymore, and oh, yeah, he murdered your father in cold blood. Like I don't get it? What was so special that prince that both Shu He and Huo Ying loved him and acted foolish?
The brother's in this show fucking sucked and did not deserve the love and devotion they got. Shu He's brother disgraced, hurt and attempted to kill him on multiple occasions. Then we have Duan's brother, you know the ex monk. Literally who the eff kept giving that dude the microphone? Like shut up Bob, this ain't about you. Every time he opened his mouth he made me wanna punch him in the throat. In the last episode, when he was sitting with them eating I kept going, 'Why is you here? You not part of this group? Who gave him a plate?' Arrrgggggg, dude was in the series for like 2.3 minutes and I hated him with a burning passion. Just the worst.
Duan Zi Ang & Xiao Shu He
Yes, I loved the main leads so much in this drama. Their love was beautiful and yet so tragic. In the last scene when they met in the afterlife and they were smiling I was like, 'Dafug is you all smiling and happy about, you are dead.' With how everything was going, I didn't expect them to have a happy ending. Cuz, literally the timeline of their love spelled out tragedy. They started their relationship with secrets and lies. Then they made us all sad when everything came out by stabbing and breaking up, and then there was the whole I destroyed your kingdom and shamed you in front of your people and ancestors cuz I love you crap, then being a war prisoner, Duan's impeding death, Shu He pretending to forgive, forget and love, that scene in the finale when Shu He played the zither and Duan danced? (the whole time I was like, dude is you not dying? why you posing for the camera and doing all that hand stuff? and what is up with that sun rays?) and finally him being a vengeful husband who drunk poison and died. So yeah, anyone who expected anything other than this tearjerker bittersweet ending must have not been paying attention.
Given all that, I still loved them, flaws and all. I understood Duan and why he did what he did. Of course his stupid head brother effed things up for him a lot, and made Shu He hate him even more. And I understood why Shu He couldn't forgive him and wanted to avenge all the wrong done to him. But at what cost people? All that pain, and really, all they both wanted was a little farm land somewhere, Shu He playing his zither and Duan fetching the water and keeping the house. Sounds so much like what Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian's wanted, and we all know how the Untamed ended so...
That being said, we should not forget Duan legit went crazy there for a moment there. Dude ended countless lives, his father's included because Shu He refused to reply to his letter one time. Then he duplicated the 6th prince home and wanted a thank you for it. Dude, read the room, you are literally the elephant. Like, which part of his hatred aren't you getting?
Anyway, after all that, they both dead and are happy in the afterlife, I hope. That crown prince is still there, so one can never be sure. I trust Duan to stab him again if he starts up his nonsense.
Crown Prince & Huo Ying
Another nonsense love I wish never locate me. Huo Ying being in love with the man who knowingly gave him an incurable poison, physically abused him and then sent him away to die was rubbish. Yes, yes, but forget those ingredients, cuz it was the least the Crown Prince could do. And all that time, Huo Ying had a very handsome, un-crazy, in love doctor making goggly eyes at him and bringing him candy, and homeboy was like, 'sorry, I hate sweets, I'm in love with a psycho, and I've decided to die a virgin'. All that for a dead man who waited in the afterlife for the brother he hated and didn't even ask about you. Pfft.
No. Cuz the eff you mean, that beautiful guard is gonna die alone and unloved cuz he was in love with a Crown Prince with the emotional stability of a fidget spinner and the IQ of a potato? And I say say potato, cuz how the eff you gonna commit patricide to usurp the throne from your father, then tell your soldiers to wait while you -tra la lala- down the road to go off your brother alone? Literally, that was the dumbest decision ever, and of course, he immediately got stabbed and shaved off a bridge. Like, what did he think was gonna happen? We need to be serious in this life peoples!
Plot-wise, I enjoyed myself with all the palace and political intrigued. The cast was great, the main carried the show beautiful and the side did what they were supposed to. It seemed there was a lot to tell, but not enough episodes so the pacing was fast, and we messed some stuff with time jumps and narratives, but I didn't mind it, cuz I was still able to follow the main plot. I still don't understand why Shu He loved his brother so much after all that, and even forgave and avenged him. Blood is thicker than water indeed, not my blood though, if it was me, I'd have ordered pizza the moment he hit the floor.
All in all, a very good drama, that I highly recommend, even with the bittersweet ending. I wish we get to see the main cast do something together again, either way I am seated for more work from them, liked them a lot. If you haven't watched this yet, hurry and give it a chance, you'd enjoy it, trust me.
First off, before I start my review, I'd like to say, Duan's brother is the worst. Mfker got hair and thought he was part of the team. Like, this ain't about you Sharon. Who even are you, and why is you talking? Like you are not important to this whole thing, go and sit done. I hate him so much, and if I knew where he lived, I hide in a corner and poke him in the eye on Christmas, just to ruin his holidays.
Anyway, you know that saying: 'holding a grudge is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die?' Shu He said, eff the other person, imma hold on to my grudge, drink the poison and die just to spit Duan. Mfker was playing the long game in the worse way possible and I felt bad for Duan, which is saying something, cuz after Duan invaded Shu He's kingdom, I was like: 'You know what, I forgive Hua Yong, turns out there's levels to this crazy possessiveness love thing, and he's only on level 7. Duan just obliviated the goddamn scale'. So yeah, I thought Duan sucked and deserved Shu He's anger and indifference, but this whole time Shu He was planning to hurt him where it would hate the most. The heart. And boy did it ever.
Listen, this drama hurt, but like in a bittersweet way. I saw the unhappy ending coming, what I didn't see coming was how deep Shu He hatred was. When I tell you my mouth was opened when we finally learned of Shu He's revenge plan? Dude was literally sleeping with the enemy, a man he loved but hated. He wanted revenge for his love, his brother and his kindgom, and I do get it, I really do, but really Janet? That's some next level of hatred.
Which brings us to Shu He's reason for playing the long revenge game. First off, his kingdom, sure, but didn't Duan's soldiers matched into that kingdom like they owned the place because literally no troops were at the gate, so they just made themselves at home? And Duan also mentioned Shu He's people were already planning on overthrowing him, even still, to some degree I get why he wanted avenge his kingdom. But DAFUG you mean you doing this to avenge your brother too? I'm sorry, in what planet does that crown prince deserve avenging? Somebody should have spat on his grave. The mfker was trying to kill you! He literally had your hand broken so you couldn't do the one thing you loved anymore, and oh, yeah, he murdered your father in cold blood. Like I don't get it? What was so special that prince that both Shu He and Huo Ying loved him and acted foolish?
The brother's in this show fucking sucked and did not deserve the love and devotion they got. Shu He's brother disgraced, hurt and attempted to kill him on multiple occasions. Then we have Duan's brother, you know the ex monk. Literally who the eff kept giving that dude the microphone? Like shut up Bob, this ain't about you. Every time he opened his mouth he made me wanna punch him in the throat. In the last episode, when he was sitting with them eating I kept going, 'Why is you here? You not part of this group? Who gave him a plate?' Arrrgggggg, dude was in the series for like 2.3 minutes and I hated him with a burning passion. Just the worst.
Duan Zi Ang & Xiao Shu He
Yes, I loved the main leads so much in this drama. Their love was beautiful and yet so tragic. In the last scene when they met in the afterlife and they were smiling I was like, 'Dafug is you all smiling and happy about, you are dead.' With how everything was going, I didn't expect them to have a happy ending. Cuz, literally the timeline of their love spelled out tragedy. They started their relationship with secrets and lies. Then they made us all sad when everything came out by stabbing and breaking up, and then there was the whole I destroyed your kingdom and shamed you in front of your people and ancestors cuz I love you crap, then being a war prisoner, Duan's impeding death, Shu He pretending to forgive, forget and love, that scene in the finale when Shu He played the zither and Duan danced? (the whole time I was like, dude is you not dying? why you posing for the camera and doing all that hand stuff? and what is up with that sun rays?) and finally him being a vengeful husband who drunk poison and died. So yeah, anyone who expected anything other than this tearjerker bittersweet ending must have not been paying attention.
Given all that, I still loved them, flaws and all. I understood Duan and why he did what he did. Of course his stupid head brother effed things up for him a lot, and made Shu He hate him even more. And I understood why Shu He couldn't forgive him and wanted to avenge all the wrong done to him. But at what cost people? All that pain, and really, all they both wanted was a little farm land somewhere, Shu He playing his zither and Duan fetching the water and keeping the house. Sounds so much like what Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian's wanted, and we all know how the Untamed ended so...
That being said, we should not forget Duan legit went crazy there for a moment there. Dude ended countless lives, his father's included because Shu He refused to reply to his letter one time. Then he duplicated the 6th prince home and wanted a thank you for it. Dude, read the room, you are literally the elephant. Like, which part of his hatred aren't you getting?
Anyway, after all that, they both dead and are happy in the afterlife, I hope. That crown prince is still there, so one can never be sure. I trust Duan to stab him again if he starts up his nonsense.
Crown Prince & Huo Ying
Another nonsense love I wish never locate me. Huo Ying being in love with the man who knowingly gave him an incurable poison, physically abused him and then sent him away to die was rubbish. Yes, yes, but forget those ingredients, cuz it was the least the Crown Prince could do. And all that time, Huo Ying had a very handsome, un-crazy, in love doctor making goggly eyes at him and bringing him candy, and homeboy was like, 'sorry, I hate sweets, I'm in love with a psycho, and I've decided to die a virgin'. All that for a dead man who waited in the afterlife for the brother he hated and didn't even ask about you. Pfft.
No. Cuz the eff you mean, that beautiful guard is gonna die alone and unloved cuz he was in love with a Crown Prince with the emotional stability of a fidget spinner and the IQ of a potato? And I say say potato, cuz how the eff you gonna commit patricide to usurp the throne from your father, then tell your soldiers to wait while you -tra la lala- down the road to go off your brother alone? Literally, that was the dumbest decision ever, and of course, he immediately got stabbed and shaved off a bridge. Like, what did he think was gonna happen? We need to be serious in this life peoples!
Plot-wise, I enjoyed myself with all the palace and political intrigued. The cast was great, the main carried the show beautiful and the side did what they were supposed to. It seemed there was a lot to tell, but not enough episodes so the pacing was fast, and we messed some stuff with time jumps and narratives, but I didn't mind it, cuz I was still able to follow the main plot. I still don't understand why Shu He loved his brother so much after all that, and even forgave and avenged him. Blood is thicker than water indeed, not my blood though, if it was me, I'd have ordered pizza the moment he hit the floor.
All in all, a very good drama, that I highly recommend, even with the bittersweet ending. I wish we get to see the main cast do something together again, either way I am seated for more work from them, liked them a lot. If you haven't watched this yet, hurry and give it a chance, you'd enjoy it, trust me.
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