Yes! I’ve finished the first episode and what is my verdict? Keep reading to find out! If you wanna read my recaps on the other episode I will have them linked in the main post here. Once I’m done with watching the entire thing, a review and mini episode recap which are for the people who don’t want too much details will be linked in all the posts as well! Now onto the recap and first impressions!
The series starts off with this instrumental theme song which shows all the main characters (there seems to be a lot) and a kind of feel of the story from happy, to tense to sad. I’ve linked the theme song here.
Looks like we are starting off with some huge issue for God knows what where so many people seem to be at war on top of this volcano like mountain.
One of the characters watch very painfully at the mess that’s happening around him and jump off a cliff (maybe he’s the cause?) . However before he plummets to his death, a friend if his captures and the two tearfully exchange a look and the savior tries to pull him back up despite him telling him to let him die. I am guessing this is the much raved about duo Lan Wagjj and Wei Wuxian. Not sure who is who but I’m guessing Wuxian is the one who jumped since he is more of a protagonist from what I understood from the synopsis.
Just as he is about to be pulled up this other dude runs up and starts attacking the cliff trying to break it. Realizing that his savior might plummet to his death too, he lets go of his savior’s hands and falls, tearfully to his death. I don’t know what’s happening but I’m already sad. He looks so sad and lonely and lost!
The story now skips to sixteen years later.
Someone called Mo Xuanyu has used some spells to revive Wei Wuxian by sacrificing his soul as he wants to take revenge on his evil family – The Mo family. So the guy who fell off the cliff is indeed Wei Wuxian!
Mo Xuanyu has requested Wei Wuxian to take revenge on his evil family and he had agreed. That day the Mo Family was entertaining some disciples from the “Lan Clan” and Wuxian goes and creates a ruckus and gets the sympathy of one the Lan disciples – Lan Si Zhui.
So the reason the Lan disciples are all here at the Mo family Manor is to deal with some evil spirits. Are the members of the Lan clan like exorcism specialists or something? Anyways sooner than later the son, father and mother of the Mo family somehow start becoming zombies and panic ensues. The Lan disciples decide to call in their senior Lan Wangji (our other main lead) which Wuxian tries to stop.
Lan Wangji arrives and plays an instrument like weapon and saves the day for now. He explains to his juniors/disciples that this is the work of the “Stygian Tiger Amulet”. In between this Wei Wuxian escapes and Lan Wangji tries to give chase and fails. He suspects that Wuxian has returned now that the presence of the Stygian Tiger Amulet is felt. I’m guessing there’s some profound connecting between Wuxian and the amulet which must be why this whole war situation was going on at the beginning?
Takeaways from the episode
So I guess the mythological element in the story was the spiritual people from the Lan clan and their abilities to fight against spirits? Also this episode was a tiny intro into just our two main characters Wuxian and Lan Wangji. Looks like Wuxian really did some messed stuff with probably this tiger amulet if he had to jump off a cliff! And Lan looks like the spiritual leader and expert well since the Lan people couldn’t stop it and had to call him for help! I’m wondering – does this Mo family have anything to do with the story? What’s this relation between Mo Xuanyu (who called back Wuxian) and these other characters anyways? Guess we need to watch more to find out!
Also, for more in-depth exploration on really popular shows, check out Explore With Me! And for posts on all the TV series on the blog, check out The Couch Potato!
anjalisk96 