SID Guardian

Hi, and welcome back to the Guardian drama Slo-Mo Rewatch. Watch half an episode a week, at your leisure, and then come and chat about it here in comments. Or you can just jump into the comments without rewatching, of course!

Here are the previous weeks' rewatch posts.

Episode 12, up to 22:18

Summary
Fourth Uncle drugs Zhu Hong; Guo Changcheng zaps himself unconscious. Wang Zheng is teaching Sang Zan to write (but hasn't shown him how to hold a pen). Zhao Yunlan confronts Shen Wei in his university office, ostensibly about the case but in fact seeking confirmation of Shen Wei's other identity. Tan Xiao breaks into the SID to steal the Hallows but is thwarted by Sang Zan's trap, followed by Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei's arrival. Zhao Yunlan catches the Awl, has visions and falls unconscious (feat. some lovely manhandling by Shen Wei); Da Qing wakes him by being catlike. Lin Jing wants to run some tests on a human; Zhao Yunlan fakes a headache, so Shen Wei volunteers. Shen Wei lies on the evidence bed in his undershirt. Fourth Uncle talks to tied-up!Zhu Hong, only it's actually Guo Changcheng in a skirt and wig. Zhu Hong drugs her uncle. (So much drugging!) Zhu Jiu is angry at Tan Xiao's failure to retrieve the Hallows; he's holding Zheng Yi hostage, promising to cure her. Zhao Yunlan doodles Shen Wei and the Envoy in his notebook. Tan Xiao and Zheng Yi ambush and hypnotise Zhu Hong as she returns from the Snake Village. She fights Chu Shuzhi, and Lin Jing has to sedate her. Zhao Yunlan tells Tan Xiao and Zheng Yi that they can't trust Zhu Jiu.



Quote
Shen Wei: Are you even listening to me?
Zhao Yunlan: I only want to hear you tell the truth.

Detail
Presumably Zhao Yunlan is already wearing protective earplugs when he apprehends Tan Xiao and Zheng Yi on his own.

Questions
Do you have a stand-out favourite scene or quote from the first half of episode 12? How is Zhao Yunlan hoping that the conversation in Shen Wei's office will go? Does Sang Zan have any other booby traps set up around the SID (and how many times has Guo Changcheng set them off)? Did Shen Wei put himself in a trance/stasis during Lin Jing's experiment? Any theories about what happened to Tan Xiao's sister? What's with all the drugging??



Did you see any parallels in these scenes with other parts of the drama? If you're familiar with the novel, any thoughts about how the drama adaptation compares, if at all?

(As usual, these are all just conversation starters - feel free to answer all, some, or none, and to say as much or as little as you like! You don't have to be keeping up with the rewatch to join in. We'd love to hear your thoughts!)

And here is our schedule -- if you can, please sign up to host a post!

Hi, and welcome back to the Guardian drama Slo-Mo Rewatch. Watch half an episode a week, at your leisure, and then come and chat about it here in comments. Or you can just jump into the comments without rewatching, of course!

Here are the previous weeks' rewatch posts.

Episode 11, up to 22:22

Summary
In the flashbacks, Sang Zan becomes despotic and nihilistic after Ge Lan's death. Eventually the villagers turns on him, and he laughs bitterly as the Awl activates and empillars him. In the present-day caves, Zhao Yunlan and the Envoy try to free Wang Zheng, and Zhu Jiu appears. Fighty McFight. The pillar is split and Sang Zan comes out to fight when the Envoy is pushed back. Zhu Jiu disintegrates Sang Zan's energy body. Zhao Yunlan shoots Zhu Jiu. The Envoy draws the Awl out of the pillar, and Zhu Jiu flees, thwarted. Wang Zheng kneels to the Envoy, begging him to reconstitute Sang Zan. Meanwhile, outside, Chu Shuzhi and Guo Changcheng are fighting youchu. They go to find the others, and Zhao Yunlan introduces Sang Zan as the new SID archive manager. Back at the hotel, Zhao Yunlan finds Zhu Hong sleeping at the table. She seems disorientated and reacts strangely when Zhao Yunlan asks after Shen Wei. Shen Wei appears upstairs, smiling in apparent relief that Zhao Yunlan et al are back. After a moment's hesitation, Zhao Yunlan smiles back. The SID and the field trip party drink with the village head and Lang-ge. Shen Wei, seeing Zhao Yunlan's growing bodily discomfort, snatches the drink from his hand under the guise of making a toast. After Shen Wei drinks, he falls unconscious. Zhao Yunlan puts him to bed with an IV, stares at him for a while, and then notices the stinky youchu blood smell on his jacket and does the math. The next morning, Shen Wei wakes to a note saying that Zhao Yunlan et al have returned to the city. We get the events of yesterday from Shen Wei's POV -- venturing out, killing youchu, and saving Zhao Yunlan in the caves -- and then Jiajia and Xiao-Quan come in to check on their professor.



Quote
The Envoy: They held tightly to the person dearest to their heart, not abandoning each other whether in life or death.

Detail
I always forget about Sang Zan's energy body being disbursed by Zhu Jiu, maybe because we don't see his reconstitution on screen. I think this second death and resurrection only further emphasises that death isn't a permanent, insurmountable obstacle in the world of the show. ♥

Questions
Do you have a stand-out favourite scene or quote from the first half of episode 11?

ZYL: If my loved one was killed by those people, killed by the system that I had built, it's very likely I'd hate these people more than I would hate the former tribe leader.
Envoy: That's right. Even if they're cut into a myriad of pieces, the hatred would be hard to dissolve.

Any theories about what personal experience these two are drawing on when they say this? (Neither of them seem driven by hatred to me.)

How did Da Qing know about energy beings? Do you think Wang Zheng is really sure the Envoy can save Sang Zan, or is it just desperation that drives her to her knees? Does Guo Changcheng feel worse about zapping Zhao Yunlan last episode or Chu Shuzhi in this episode? What does Zhao Yunlan think when he finds Zhu Hong asleep at the hotel and she reacts so strongly to Shen Wei's name? How perfect is the drinking scene? And the putting-to-bed scene? ♥ ♥ ♥ In the flashbacks, how did Shen Wei know Zhao Yunlan was in danger in the caves? Do you have any theories about the power in his note that repelled the youchu?

Did you see any parallels in these scenes with other parts of the drama? If you're familiar with the novel, any thoughts about how the drama adaptation compares, if at all?

(As usual, these are all just conversation starters - feel free to answer all, some, or none, and to say as much or as little as you like! You don't have to be keeping up with the rewatch to join in. We'd love to hear your thoughts!)

And here is our schedule -- if you can, please sign up to host a post!

Hello, Guardian Rewatchers! Thanks so much to everyone who's been part of the discussion, or has been reading along. ♥

Come join us for round 3 of the Guardian Slo-Mo Rewatch. We're watching half an episode a week (about twenty minutes) so we can talk and squee about our beloved 镇魂 | Guardian drama. With the third batch of episodes comes the fantastic Envoy reveal, a hairstyle change, and Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan moving their cosy late-night chats from Shen Wei’s office to Zhao Yunlan’s apartment!

(For those who remember our last rewatch, this time we're aiming for a lighter touch. Posts are on the minimalist side - a brief summary, one quote, one screencap, maybe one noteworthy detail and some discussion-starter questions.)

We're looking forward to some fun discussions as we revisit Haixing, Dixing, and the SID – and of course you can always drop in on any of the previous discussions at any time.

Fans of the novel, the drama, or both are very welcome! You don't have to keep up with the rewatch – it's absolutely fine to dip in at any time. We want to hear what you think! Those of us who participated in the Readalong or are otherwise familiar with the novel are likely to compare and contrast the two canons, but it's 100% okay to focus purely on the drama.

Please consider hosting a post or two! Comment with a date from the schedule below! Posts should ideally be made sometime on the Friday or Saturday, in any time zone.

Schedule for round 3
Weekend of 6 February - episode 11 up to 22:22
Weekend of 13 February - episode 11 from 22:22
Weekend of 20 February - episode 12 up to 22:18
Weekend of 27 February - episode 12 from 22:18
Weekend of 6 March - episode 13 up to 21:43
Weekend of 13 March - episode 13 from 21:43
Weekend of 20 March - - episode 14 up to 21:05
Weekend of 27 March - episode 14 from 21:05
Weekend of 3 April - episode 15 up to 23:56
Weekend of 10 April - episode 15 from 23:56