budoboo

Point taken - like the practical approach 👍. Death or life, North or South, I would choose based on how they live whatever life they have (short or long). Would rather be the widow of a fallen hero than the wife of rising evil. Choices so far could only be either Xue or Xiu for me as they are the only two men who have respect for women. Maybe Emperor Shen? Have not seen enough to know for certain.

At this point in the drama, lets have a little fun. If we had to pick a man out of these classic archetypes which one would we choose and why? Which one would we absolutely not choose and why?

Yes Please - General Yun Qian Xue. Grounded integrity, steadfast, protective, resourceful, well bodied (even with out one arm), and handsome enough. Show me reserved masculine stability all day every day.

No Thank You - Our hero Zichuan Xiu. Man would drive me insane. I do not need clever and charming - just say what you mean and do what you say. I prefer when each day of my man's love and protection quietly looks the same.

Welcome. S1 Ep. 22 first 15 minutes. S2 Ep. 8 starting at minute 39.

I think she is bad news and part of why Di Lin ends up fighting/killing him. She puts him way to far on her 'families' side.

She has her flaws though not as irritating. She is coming into herself as the drama develops which makes it a more than tollerable character as time goes by. For me she will never be the zero to hero the script obviously calls for.

Start to see my point now about our SYL? 😳😳😳

Such an important point about ending in a place that may not be right but end up being right for you. If you go back and watch the romantic fantasy 'live happily ever after mess' between SYL and KD (first 15min of S1 Ep. 22 and the results of same S2 Ep. 8 starting at 39.26min ) it could be argued that she is actually far better off with Yun Qian Xue - a man living in reality. Actually think Ning and Ma Wei are well suited. She seems to be attracted to his cunning. Perhaps it runs in her family blood. To me it is clear that Ma Wei really has deep feelings for Ning. It may be that he has Di Lin-like ways with the people he cares for. Anything and only for them.

S1 Ep. 22 with the aftermath in S2 Ep. 8

Did not appreciate the fact that in a fairytale state of mind Si Zi Lin moved to a physical union with Ka Dan. I do not think she deserved what happened to her when she returned to the North. SZL should have known what taking a woman's purity would mean. Was she saying no and meaning yes? In my mind, mostly she meant no - well until she did mean yes. Put Zichuan Yiu in that spot and I can not imagine him doing the same.

SZL was so easily manipulated. Can Xing gave him the bracelets to placate him and feed the fantasy knowing full well they were never going to end up together. It felt like it was the bracelets and the symbol of a promise that gave them both the permission to cross the line.

Season 1 spill over to Season 2 thought...

I do not think she actually loves him as much as he does her. She really has been trying her best to hold on to her childhood and childish behaviors. True, they do have simularities, though I do not think ZX has any options. He is who he is (a pure soul) - his personhood is baked in. Its Ning who lifts the veil and shifts as time goes on. And, yes, I too thought the way she handled KD/SYL relationship changed the tide for me. It even made the drama more enjoyable.

Naturally in need of a season 3! Would be nice if enough people were viewing the ding dong drama so it might be a possibility outside of a dream world/wish.

It was jarring to have it put so bluntly. Was not all the way sure until SYI said it. Its as if he knows ZX better than he knows himself. Si Zi Lin was 'inside' talking. Its one of the things I like about his characters' way of speaking - both out loud and through his big eyed gazes - straight talk.

Kid killing is hard for me to get my head around and can throw me all the off a drama. It was part of the reason I had to set Legend of Zang Hai aside until it wrapped. Between the children and Ep. 8 my emotions were all ready eaten up.

Was thinking the exact same thing. History repeating.

BTS person - interesting observation.

On this train too though hard to see it really happening.

Strange 'floaty' pace to the 2 episodes today. For me there was no stand out take away. With maybe the exception of the angry/broken hearted look on ZX's face at the very end of Ep. 14. Wondering if its the start of him moving towards Liu Fang Shang? Hope so. We also see (and hear in the music) DL's menacing behavior towards ZX based on his version of right and wrong. Forshadowing. Why is his character becomming less and less likable/redeemable?

Rewatched. If we go with the black 'smoke' - Di Lin kills Si Yi Lin in conflict then Zichuan Xiu kills Di Lin in self defence and that leaves Nigh floating (whatever that means). Si Yi Lin appearing after 'death' leaves the impression that he is ZX's true brother who watches over him.

I am so in on S3. I enjoyed the heck out of watching STTD 1 & 2. Fingers crossed it going to be the best one yet.