WBDS: Episodes 11-15, or, Protect Your Royal Body!!!

Source: http://thundiesprattle.com/2011/07/30/warrior-baek-dong-soo-episode-4/

Ah yes, the Crown Prince.  I know there is a protocol to being royalty: no sass to the king, no calling people out in court. But really? We didn’t see this coming? These. People. Are. Out. To. Get. You.  One of the more annoying things about the Good Guy royalty in this Kdrama is that the Crown Prince and those around them just can’t seem to fathom the lengths to which the enemies will go to get rid of him. So yes, they set you up. Big time.  These fights that include the Crown Prince bring up an interesting, recurrent issue: the fact that there is royalty, and then you suckers who aren’t royalty. Hence the importance of the royal body: don’t touch it, don’t harm it, you better not even look at it too long.

WBDS doesn’t indulge in what you might expect from a historical Kdrama.  For instance, just when you least expect it, someone unexpectedly chastises someone else. During the tense standoff between Hong’s lapdog and Soo Woong and the Crown Prince, you expect these two to exchange banter about their respective skills. But Chun comes out of nowhere and attacks Hong’s lap dog because he’s being sketchy. Even enemies can be honorable!

You might think that the Crown Prince, who started all of this revolution, would hide out somewhere after been expelled from the palace, waiting for his chance to reclaim the throne. You would be WRONG. Not that I really wanted the powers-that-be to whack the Prince, but I was not expecting that. However, I have to say, when people exit the stage, THEY EXIT THE STAGE!  Soo Woong’s death was noble, as well as the Crown Prince!  I really wasn’t expecting Chun to off him. I’m like, “Um, we have almost half of the Kdrama to go!” And people react! You can feel just how Gwang Taek feels when he finds out that the man he has served and sacrificed for, is gone. These guys are devastated!

But why does Woon get all the blame?! I don’t think this is fair. I understand that Dong Soo is upset, but this is really not Woon’s doing. At. All. Why doesn’t he vent his anger on Chun? Why doesn’t Gwang Taek? Who knows how long it’s going to take these two to fight? One of the things I’m really liking about WBDS is the interaction between Woon and Dong Soo. They really don’t want to kill each other, even though they are on opposite sides. I can respect that brotherhood, because Woon does not make it easy with his choices, or more accurately, making bad choices when he feels he has no choice.

When last we left WBDS, I was afraid, AFRAID, of what Woon was doing.  For a minute, you really think he’s going to fully embrace being an assassin. That he really was going to kill his brothers-in-training. But Woon’s not really bad, he just has issues. It really takes a lot for a Kdrama to surprise me, and WBDS keeps doing it.  Just when you think Woon has completely gone over to the dark side, you see that glimmer of humanity.  This is what makes Woon such a fascinating character (and it doesn’t hurt that he’s well-played by Yoo Seung Ho). If he was all evil, all the time, where would the fun be?  He keeps you guessing.  He really does care for Ji Seon (can we talk about these two have problems in the “expressing our feelings” department?), and he really does care for Dong Soo as a brother, but he feels caught, and you can feel his pain.  He’s seen what Chun has done to others, and he wants no parts of that. Let’s also remember that he didn’t have the best of parental guidance growing up.  Yeah, Woon has to work through his issues.

Yes, I’m a Woon girl, but Dong Soo is beginning to grow on me. After all, it’s not called Moody Swordsman Yeo Woon. Dong Soo is the literal heart of the show.  But  does he have to be so superficial and clueless? When is he going to recognize that he’s a hero?  Just like he never really tells Jin Ju he likes her (just let’s her go),  neither does Ji Seon tells HIM that she likes him. I’m not liking where this is going either. They don’t make a good couple; he’s more compatible with Jin Ju. Plus, have you seen the way she looks at the Crown Prince’s son? Hmm…yeah, she’ll wait for Dong Soo. Right.

As you know, there are multiple story lines going on in WBDS, so let’s not forget about the older generation. Why is it that everyone is all down on Woon for being a part of the Heuksa Chorong, but it’s perfectly ok for Gwang Taek to be in a quasi-relationship with Ga Ok?  Apparently, they’ve been doing this dance for quite some time. You never hear Samo ask, “Hyung, why are you hanging out with that creepy chick when you are THE righteous and best swordsman in Joseon?” That chick has killed more people than we can count. But they do their dance nevertheless. Will history repeat itself with the next generation, because that’s just where Woon, Dong Soo and Ji Seon are headed.

Furthermore, what kind of gang is the Heuksa Chorong anyway? New Sky Lord kills old Sky Lord? That makes getting jumped out of a gang look like a mere exit interview.

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