tsuyoi_hikari

Thank you for your kind words. 🤗 I guess since the story always 'show' rather than 'tell', a lot of things are lost in translation for some people. But all well written dramas supposed to be like this which they trust their audiences instead of spoon feeding us with every little information. It makes the whole watching experience more rewarding since audiences can make their own judgements regarding the story and the characters' motivations & actions.

And yes! Ren Jialun is great at doing those micro expressions and those longing and yearning looks that is why I'm such a big fan. Every gestures and stare between Wei Zhou and Jiang Ci tugs my heart strings and this is why I love to watch Asian dramas --the little gestures, the longing, the what ifs and the selfless act of love -- it is more rewarding than any kissing scenes or sex scenes. It made me blush just by the couple brushing their hands against each other, their stealing glances, those tender looks -- so much are spoken with little words and actions -- its fantastic -- the portrayal of how people falls in love at its finest. ❤️

Thank you! 🤗🤗🤗

As usual, I always love to read your reviews and agree with the depth and complexity that the drama possessed that made it one of the best costume dramas that I've seen this year. What I love the most about this drama is that it trust the audiences and doesn't spoon feed us. All of this makes the viewing experience more rewarding.

However, I disagree with your view on the ending since I dont see it as dumb and unnecessary or he really have a choice. This is one of example of a 'good' sad ending since it is not forced, illogical but made complete sense -- especially once you realized who is the real big evil in the whole story.

At the start of the drama, we see how he is ready to burn like a phoenix (Wei Zhou is based on real historical person; Phoenix Emperor Murong Chong) for the mission to free his people. But upon meeting Jiang Ci, he slowly change this perception esp during the Yueluo arc where he healed and learnt that hatred will lead to nowhere. And after that, we see all his actions go towards wanting to survive and wanting to get through this with little casualty as possible. He is still so restrained when it comes to Jiang Ci since he didnt know whether he will survive the mission but he did promise her he will be back, so it was always his attempt to comes back unharmed. And I love how the scriptwriter really push this narrative with him even letting go of his personal/selfish desire to clear up his father's name for the safety of him and his people so everyone would come out safe and alive. He really tried everything to come out unharmed -- even bow to the man who killed his entire family until the Emperor pushed him to the point where he didnt even have a choice but to use his life for his people & Jiang Ci's safety.

If this is a XianXia drama, I would believe he can escaped but the explosion already started when the Emperor revealed his plan and he needs to keep the Emperor chained and stay in the building. Plus, another aspect which is the poison which make him weaker that is why all the guards are confident they can contain him in the building. If he cant escape the slave arena which is an open space, I doubt he can escape a building which has a roof on it within seconds. He closed the only door out and he needs to hold the Emperor so he doesn't run away. At least, they made it logical and I appreciate that. And as much as it breaks my heart, I cant hate that ending though I wish fate is kinder to him. :(

Also, I find Ren Jialun extremely versatile as an actor. He is actually one of the actors who actually took many different kind of roles in his career from cold, aloof, ruthless, socially awkward, happy go lucky, sarcastic, bubbly and even naive. Its the reason why I'm a big fan aside from the fact he always choses excellent scripts for his dramas. :D

Or you can make your own ending that he comes to see her after a few years has passed as its all part of the plan to fake his death. So, she really see him at the end and not just in her imagination. 😂🤭

But tbh, the ending is great. Sad but great. To achieve great things, it indeed need big sacrifices. But I like how he really fought to be alive right until the end -- compromising even his own wish to clear his Father's name just for the peace of his people. I just wish fate is kinder to him.

We all want the same ending. ❤️

It is such a great drama! My fave this year without a doubt. So many layers in the script that made the journey so worthwhile. :D

lol the happy ending that they and we deserved! ❤️😂

I actually expecting a happy ending for this one actually. I thought they should at least give us an open ending? But they didnt even give us that. 😢 It was a definite sad ending. :((((

But at least he really fight for his life until the Emperor didnt really give him a chance. It was sad but it wasnt illogical or forced, so I cant really hate that ending. I just wish the fate is nicer to him.

I just rewatched both hugs that Jiang Ci gave Wei Zhou in the last 6 episodes of the drama again -- one time when she sees him at the army camp and another one where she rescue him. Both time, he wasn't expecting for her to come thus his shocked face and his body froze. Thinking back, he actually never expecting anything from life or anyone -- since life has always been a disappointment for him but she always surprise him and show him that life is actually beautiful and meaningful -- and that makes him see life differently and that makes him wanting to live as well. 😢

Try to read what is Stockholm Syndrome really means. The bond was form during the captive. None of it happened in this case. She only fall for him when she knew that he is actually a good guy.

He wanted to kill her when they were enemies. He is from Yueluo, a slave nation while the FL in from Liang, a nation that enslaved his people. She is a Liang woman who assist a Liang Officer who enslaved his people. What you do when you met people who kept messing on your plan? You kill them esp when you're an assassins. Then later, she started to see him beyond his 'mask' and knew he was fighting for the freedom of his people -- they were the same people of the opposite sites. Thats when the relationship started to shift.

If you said it was Stockholm Syndrome, then you obviously didn't understand the drama. Never once they romanticize the abuse. She never fall for him due to the abuse, in fact, it took a long time for her to like him. She only fall for him when she knew about his backstories and why he is like that. There is no connection between the abuse and when she falls for him.

Stockholm Syndrome would like what FL in The Blue Whisper trying to do at the ML. When he held captive, she become nice to him in order to fish informations from him. Thus, they are making a bond with each other due to that. In this drama, none of that thing happened.

It didnt happen that way in this drama. If you watch properly right from the start, you will aware what actually the story wanted to tell. There is a reason why she warms up to Wei Zhou and there is a reason why she started to distance herself from Pei Yan. It is being told in the most subtle ways.

She didnt forget, in fact she even bought it up again in Episode 39. It just that, when he did those thing to her, they were enemies. He is an assassins and she ruined his mission again & again, so it made complete sense why he wanted to kill her. Later, she learn about his past and knew he is actually a good man. There are so many occasions that shows this and she finally see him without his 'mask' beyond all the ruthless act he put in front of her.

While Pei Yan, despite he is a nice guy, has been using her since the beginning to catch Wei Zhou. Many of the times he put her in danger when he delay her treatment or when he used her as bait. The problem with Jiang Ci is that she is a very clever girl so even if no one tell her this, she knew Pei Yan's intention right from the start. There is even a conversation where she told Pei Yan that she knew and she wont blame him. Did you happen to miss that scene? If you cant see it, perhaps you need to see it from her perspective.

Gosh she is amazing. She really embodied Jiang Ci to the core with how tight she always hug Wei Zhou. And her tears is endless. She was so strong yet so lovely at the same time.

The scene where she pick up the hairpin, a piece of his cloth and his burnt ashes from the explosive site will haunt me forever. 😭😭😭

This drama has so many thoughtful conversations or sometimes conversations talked in riddles which is amazing. But the sentences that I dont think I will get over would be when Jiang Ci told Wei Zhou;

'I dont want the swing, I want you!' 😢

I dont think The Blue Whisper got messed up with the editing. They purposely made that ending to evoke discussion online. They also changed the novel ending to suit more to the 'freedom' theme that the drama has since the beginning -- that FL has to sacrifice her freedom again for the greater good. But they were reunited at the end and she grew a mermaid tail due to his pearl. I thought its a very creative and it was an impactful ending. I like it very much though I wish it was longer. :D

Thank you so much! Thats very sweet of you. 🤗

I've finished last night and I'm heartbroken. So heartbroken. I actually need to take a break since it really affect me thats why I'm only online now. I watched mostly all RJL's dramas and I know out of all his 16 dramas, sad endings are only like 4. But after finishing this drama, I was like 'You live up to your name!' 😂😂 since I was really taken aback with the sad ending. I really thought we gonna get a happy one with all the foreshadowing that we got throughout the drama. But tbh, I cant even mad as the sad ending wasn't forced, illogical, or didnt make sense. But I wish fate is kinder to him. 😢

My thoughts of the last 6 episodes is that they are done so brilliantly. I was having so much fun that I dont even realized that I actually watched 8 episodes yesterday. It is so action packed, tugged your heart string and most of all, the satisfaction of watching how everything unfold towards the end.

They've done basically everything right-- from Wei Zhou and Pei Yan working together, Wei Zhou & Jiang Ci's relationship and how they are each other's pillars, Pei Yan letting go of his obsession, the political scheming, the plot twist, the supporting casts got their own moments, and most of all how they tackled the theme of revenge, freedom, prejudice, filial piety, doing the righteous things for the people and how Wei Zhou got back the freedom of his people.

---

Its actually very rare to find someone who watch Destiny of White Snake. 😀 I actually really enjoy that drama since RJL's role is sarcastic as hell and Yang Zi as Yao Yao is truly fantastic character wise. Very rare for someone to combine being gentle and strong at the same time but Yao Yao is that. Just like Jiang Ci, she indeed kick-ass. And I actually really like the ending of the drama -- how they first tease us that its a sad ending (that meeting him is only in her mind) but then the bridge scene happened where he appears for real. I love unique ending like that.

The Ending

I'm heartbroken! I really am. I didnt cry when it happened but its all rain down to me after the credit ends and I had a good cry after that. While I really want a happy ending for them and Wei Zhou to survive all of this, but what I appreciate is that the sad ending wasn't forced, illogical, contrived or didnt make sense.

Up until the end, the fate really didnt give him much choice. The Emperor, evil as he is, want to trap his people again with the explosive building scheme. So, he needs to make that sacrifice to stop the Emperor's tyranny again in a matter of seconds while the building already start exploding. He didnt gave up living, indeed we all know how much he wanted to live after meeting Jiang Ci -- he even promised her that night that he will be back and did the marriage ritual in the morning. If he is suicidal and want to crash and burn, he wont trap her with that. He even let go of his selfishness to clear his father's name so everyone can live safely. And he really did his best to come out alive but it was an explosive building and a big pillar is on top of him. They tried to take him out but there was another big explosion after that. I know we love to imagine that its easy to get out from an explosive building but reality isnt that way as this is not XianXia where he can just fly or jump out of it. It is realistic and make sense but it still made me heartbroken. I wish fate is kinder to him...

Final Review - 9.5/10. The drama is so well written with lots of heavy themes and they were handled brilliantly. I love how it did not shy away to show how all these characters are making really hard decisions and they are not sugar coating or give them the easy way out. And all the scheming and mind games are top level but most of all, the amazing script! The conversations full of riddles, the use of symbolism, metaphor, analogy, foreshadowing and deceptive storytelling made it such a fun ride.

Thoughts on the Last 6 Episode:

The last 6 episodes are done so brilliantly. I was having so much fun that I dont even realized that I actually watched 8 episodes yesterday. It is so action packed, tugged your heart string and most of all, the satisfaction of watching how everything unfold towards the end.

They've done basically everything right-- from Wei Zhou and Pei Yan working together, Wei Zhou & Jiang Ci's relationship and how they are each other's pillars, Pei Yan letting go of his obsession, the political scheming, the plot twist, the supporting casts got their own moments, and most of all how they tackled the theme of revenge, freedom, prejudice, filial piety, doing the righteous things for the people and how Wei Zhou got back the freedom of his people.

Also, the aspect of hard decision makings made by the characters. As much as I want it to be easy for Wei Zhou, my heart breaks for him. When the drama starts, we know his real mission is to clear his father's name. But in the end, he remember his father's words that the people and protecting them is the bigger responsibilities that rest on his shoulder thus the decision of him letting go of his personal wish for the peace & safety of his people.

No problem! :D

Definitely not true.

He has 16 dramas where he is the ML.

10 dramas with Happy Endings (With 2 dramas; Forever and Ever & Love A Lifetime with very long happy endings).

4 dramas with Sad Ending.

2 dramas with Open Ending (But very lean to happy ending with all the clues).

I dont know why he has this reputation of bad endings for his dramas. 😂 If anything, his drama endings always seemed unique like what they did for Destiny of White Snake, Ms Crow with Mr Lizard & The Blue Whisper -- happy ending but before that, they messed up a bit with our head lol. I really dig that kind of creative endings.