Tale of the Nine-Tailed 1938 Episode 12
Jan. 29th, 2024 11:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
iariaChapter 12: Joseon's Last Mountain God
I really enjoyed this season. It had a lot of fun with itself, introduced some characters and backstory I liked a lot and gave me more wonderful Yeon/Rang bonding.
How things wrapped up was actually how I thought it would from the beginning. But then Mi-ho's 'prophecy' and learning there was a planned third season made me second guess and think we'd end on a cliffhanger. I am glad everything was wrapped up. Yeon reunited with Ji-ah (in the rain, of course!) was lovely and a perfect end note.
+ I'm happy that Hong-ju ended up in such a good place. I loved her throughout so her coming out so much better then she started the season was A+.
+ I really thought they'd killed Jae-yoo and was so smad about it. I loved that Hong-ju's gentle care got through and brought him back to sanity. I was also screaming no when he stabbed himself but at the same time I loved it. Him being willing to do anything to protect Hong-ju, especially from himself, was delicious. It was awfully convenient that 1938!Yeon had a cure on him but I don't care because the result makes me too happy.
+ Yeon and Rang's tearful goodbye was sad and lovely.
+ Rang finding his true strength and inner nine-tailed fox was a wonderful moment. Maybe a little too strong, it hit my suspension of disbelief a little, but it was great to see Rang save himself and the others. I love that it was Yeon's belief in him that led to his breakthrough.
+ I was so sure when Oogama had Rang down that 1938!Yeon would show up to save him. I liked what happened instead more but I wish when Yeon did show up to save them it was a little more obvious that they were in serious trouble. They were but I wanted it to be more dramatic!
+ I'm still disappointed that 1938!Yeon wasn't in the show more. That we didn't get to see him also bond and grow his relationship with Rang. But I liked that little glimpse of the two of them at the end. Rang taking the 'Yeon' position of haranguing and looking after his brother was great.
+ The Yeon vs Kato fight was great. I enjoyed everything about how that played out. I loved getting to see Yeon go full nine-tailed fox. Yeon exasperated 'ah damn it' when Kato blew the dynamite up on him instead made me laugh.
+ Moo-young ended up being weirdly superfluous this episode. He showed up at the end to help Yeon which was great except that his help wasn't really necessary? It was a handful of humans with guns, not really that difficult a deal for Yeon. It would have made more sense for him to be the one to show up in the ballroom. Frankly he should have been at the big planning meeting. Oh well. I'll assume it took him awhile to recover from death.
+ Overall I am glad that Moo-young survived and decided to try and re-find himself by going back to his roots and becoming a doctor.
+ I'm happy that Moo-young, Yeon and Hong-ju found their way back together again, and that they're working as a team to free Joseon from the Japanese.
+ I also found it very weird that when Hong-ju asked about Moo-young Yeon brushed her off with a "you don't want to know" and she accepted that and didn't inquire further? Doubt. And then it turns out he's perfectly fine? So why so mysterious? I know the answer is that the show wanted to keep his fate a surprise but in show it makes no sense.
+ Very happy for Eun-ho who came out of this in such a good place. Kato dead, her Resistance thriving and now sporting three mountain gods, her terrible father dead. Her whole resistance fighter gun battle in the hotel was excellent, enjoyed that a lot.
+ Shin-joo saving Eun-ho was great.
+ Awww Shin-joo giving Mi-yeon his running shoes and telling him to run away if he gets in trouble.
+ I liked the gisaeng girls and Juk Hyang taking fighting lessons from Jae-yoo at the end.
+ Shin-joo mobilizing the stray dogs to find the hostages was great.
+ When Yeon said he thought finding the hostages was too easy it made me worried he was right and they were walking into a trap. It did seem pretty quick and easy. But then they were using stray dogs as their informants and who can be prepared for that?
+ I feel a little bad for 1938!Yeon because a future version of himself showed up, fixed all his relationships with his family and forged separate bonds with them. It's a really weird position to be in!
+ Yeon sending a letter to 1938!Yeon to get him to come stay with and take care of Rang was deeply sweet. Him smugly showing off how much better the future is amused me. I love his pettiness.
+ I was very confused by how nonchalantly Yeon (and Shin-joo) took the idea that it was a future Yeon writing to them. I hadn't realised that they realised he existed. If so then why didn't 1938!Yeon go after future!Yeon before this? He saw the picture of Ji-ah! It doesn't make sense to me.
+ A scene I did want was Shin-joo's reunion with Yoo-ri and him telling her about Rang and the good place he left him in.
I really enjoyed this season. It had a lot of fun with itself, introduced some characters and backstory I liked a lot and gave me more wonderful Yeon/Rang bonding.
How things wrapped up was actually how I thought it would from the beginning. But then Mi-ho's 'prophecy' and learning there was a planned third season made me second guess and think we'd end on a cliffhanger. I am glad everything was wrapped up. Yeon reunited with Ji-ah (in the rain, of course!) was lovely and a perfect end note.
+ I'm happy that Hong-ju ended up in such a good place. I loved her throughout so her coming out so much better then she started the season was A+.
+ I really thought they'd killed Jae-yoo and was so smad about it. I loved that Hong-ju's gentle care got through and brought him back to sanity. I was also screaming no when he stabbed himself but at the same time I loved it. Him being willing to do anything to protect Hong-ju, especially from himself, was delicious. It was awfully convenient that 1938!Yeon had a cure on him but I don't care because the result makes me too happy.
+ Yeon and Rang's tearful goodbye was sad and lovely.
+ Rang finding his true strength and inner nine-tailed fox was a wonderful moment. Maybe a little too strong, it hit my suspension of disbelief a little, but it was great to see Rang save himself and the others. I love that it was Yeon's belief in him that led to his breakthrough.
+ I was so sure when Oogama had Rang down that 1938!Yeon would show up to save him. I liked what happened instead more but I wish when Yeon did show up to save them it was a little more obvious that they were in serious trouble. They were but I wanted it to be more dramatic!
+ I'm still disappointed that 1938!Yeon wasn't in the show more. That we didn't get to see him also bond and grow his relationship with Rang. But I liked that little glimpse of the two of them at the end. Rang taking the 'Yeon' position of haranguing and looking after his brother was great.
+ The Yeon vs Kato fight was great. I enjoyed everything about how that played out. I loved getting to see Yeon go full nine-tailed fox. Yeon exasperated 'ah damn it' when Kato blew the dynamite up on him instead made me laugh.
+ Moo-young ended up being weirdly superfluous this episode. He showed up at the end to help Yeon which was great except that his help wasn't really necessary? It was a handful of humans with guns, not really that difficult a deal for Yeon. It would have made more sense for him to be the one to show up in the ballroom. Frankly he should have been at the big planning meeting. Oh well. I'll assume it took him awhile to recover from death.
+ Overall I am glad that Moo-young survived and decided to try and re-find himself by going back to his roots and becoming a doctor.
+ I'm happy that Moo-young, Yeon and Hong-ju found their way back together again, and that they're working as a team to free Joseon from the Japanese.
+ I also found it very weird that when Hong-ju asked about Moo-young Yeon brushed her off with a "you don't want to know" and she accepted that and didn't inquire further? Doubt. And then it turns out he's perfectly fine? So why so mysterious? I know the answer is that the show wanted to keep his fate a surprise but in show it makes no sense.
+ Very happy for Eun-ho who came out of this in such a good place. Kato dead, her Resistance thriving and now sporting three mountain gods, her terrible father dead. Her whole resistance fighter gun battle in the hotel was excellent, enjoyed that a lot.
+ Shin-joo saving Eun-ho was great.
+ Awww Shin-joo giving Mi-yeon his running shoes and telling him to run away if he gets in trouble.
+ I liked the gisaeng girls and Juk Hyang taking fighting lessons from Jae-yoo at the end.
+ Shin-joo mobilizing the stray dogs to find the hostages was great.
+ When Yeon said he thought finding the hostages was too easy it made me worried he was right and they were walking into a trap. It did seem pretty quick and easy. But then they were using stray dogs as their informants and who can be prepared for that?
+ I feel a little bad for 1938!Yeon because a future version of himself showed up, fixed all his relationships with his family and forged separate bonds with them. It's a really weird position to be in!
+ Yeon sending a letter to 1938!Yeon to get him to come stay with and take care of Rang was deeply sweet. Him smugly showing off how much better the future is amused me. I love his pettiness.
+ I was very confused by how nonchalantly Yeon (and Shin-joo) took the idea that it was a future Yeon writing to them. I hadn't realised that they realised he existed. If so then why didn't 1938!Yeon go after future!Yeon before this? He saw the picture of Ji-ah! It doesn't make sense to me.
+ A scene I did want was Shin-joo's reunion with Yoo-ri and him telling her about Rang and the good place he left him in.
