Episode 27: Babyface - The Origin Story

[wshaffer]

Zhanalytics

Brooding Stares: 10

Intense Eye Contact: 0

Facial Twitch: 2

Fist Clench: 3

 

We have a symphony of Zhanalytics going on here. 

 

Oh, that's why the umbrella - so we can see Lan Zhan cry that one tear and know that it's not the rain making his face wet. Lan Zhan even cries beautifully. It is so unfair. 

 

Later, back at the banquet hall: Lots of tense discussion about what Wei Wuxian has done. Lan Zhan has to sit there and put up with all these assholes talking about his soulmate. 

 

"Does he think that everyone covets his spiritual tool?" Woah. 

 

Oh, Clan leader Jin is putting the pressure on Jiang Cheng. Don't play on Jiang Cheng's insecurities, dude. That's shooting fish in a barrel. 

 

Shut up, Jin Zixun. You're a brat. 

 

Mianmian speaks up! And gets shit from Clan Leader Muffin. Oh no, man, you are just a substandard baked good. You don't get to talk to Mianmian this way. 

 

Mianmian secedes from the clan and walks out. Successfully inventing the mic drop centuries before the microphone. Go, Mianmian. I wasn't expecting her to be the first to call bullshit on Jin Guangyao's peer pressure innuendo party, but she came through. Further argument that she is, in fact, a Doctor Who companion. (Trips over and screams, but also is the show's moral center.)

 

Lan Zhan walks out. Clean Leader Jin gets to work on Jiang Cheng again. 

 

Lan Qiren looks displeased. On the other hand, he always looks displeased. StupidHat looks pleased. 

 

Yeah, Lan Qiren isn't pleased. And he's taking it out on Lan Zhan. Lan Qiren also does not seem well. I have my doubts about whether he's going to survive to the flash forward. 

 

Oh, look, it's Jin Zixuan. Perhaps we can have some awkward flirting for comic relief. "I'm just taking a walk." Back and forth in front of your door. Repeatedly. Yes, thank you, Fancypants, I needed this brief period of levity. 

 

Hm, he seems to do a little better with his, "I will protect you" shtick than Jiang Cheng did with Wen Qing. Oh, and Jiang Cheng is watching this whole scene. Poor guy. 

 

Oh, look, it's a little moopling named Yuan. Wait. Yuan. Yuan like Lan Yuan. It's a baby Babyface!!!! jkfl;dak;lfda;jdskl;sdkasfjkfdsk;a! OMG, I miss the little ducklings so much. I even miss Legolas. I thought he was annoying at first, but honestly after spending twenty-odd episodes with the grownups most immediately responsible for raising him, I now regard him as a paragon of social grace and charm. Well. Okay, maybe not that. But still. 

 

Wei Wuxian clearly learned some things from Yanli. His interactions with Yuan are perfect. Maybe I'm just saying that because I have returned more than one toddler to their parents covered in dirt and giggling. 

 

Why is Wen Qing apparently doing everyone's goddammned laundry? Step up, Wei Wuxian. I might cover toddlers in dirt but I also cook dinner and change diapers. 

 

Jiang Cheng breaks the barrier surrounding this terrible place where people are peacefully farming and planting turnips. 

 

So, bro, nice cave you have here. 

 

Wei Wuxian seems so exasperated that everyone thinks he has the missing shard of Yin Iron. You kinda need a better PR department, buddy? 

 

Will the two brothers sort out their differences? Almost certainly not! But tune in next time...

Comments

[teleidoplex]

Okay, you've hit the point where I can rant about the fucking Netflix translation. Because Lan Sizhui NEVER gets referred to by anything but that name. He is never called Lan Yuan. And so you don't realize that Lan Sizhui is Wen Yuan grown up until, like, WAAAAAAAAAY late in the series. And it's sort of this huge gut punch moment you find out. And I'm so mad at Netflix for fucking that up.

Anyways, Mianmian is MVP and is also all of us in that moment. We stan.

[wshaffer]

That is one of many questionable localization choices that Netflix made. And honestly, except for subtitling him as "Lan Yuan" on first appearance, he is consistently called "Lan Sizhui" throughout the series, so if I weren't obsessively trying to memorize everyone's names, I'd probably have completely forgotten about the "Yuan" thing. My one consolation is that despite having been spoiled for it, I'll still most likely cry like a baby when Sizhui's identity is revealed at its proper time. Because I'm like that.