The Moon That Embraces The Sun E13

This is not the face you normally want to see a cute king make, but it sure sets the tone for what this episode was like -volatile, unpredictable, and disturbing. But behind all those emotional backdrops, there was still love and sacrifice shown by H, Wol, N, and M. I am a little nervous about what H set off tonight in regards to M. If you push someone who wants to remain still too close to the edge, there is no way left for him to maneuver around and he wont have any choice but to jump. All this time I was worried that Yoon and his buddies would be the ones to make M go to the dark side, but now I realize that H might play a hand too. It made me picture M as that tree that is trying not to be swayed by the wind and how much H feared that M would be cut down. Tonight H sort of broke off a major branch and something tells me this tree is not going to take that well.

*A note about OB cast on Happy together Thursday night is posted on the side under “feedback for comments.”

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OB translations were late this weekend cuz of this music video – I must have watched it like a 100 times that first night. Svetik really knows how to get to us Moon fans.

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You have to hand it to this drama’s editor, they know how to take advantage of these short video previews. They milk it for all its worth – throwing in intrigue, romance, mystery, and heart wrenching scenes all at once. I saw the preview right before I went to bed last night and I could hardly register the words cuz that torture scene got to me. I never did understand what the purpose of that chair was. I’ve seen it in other sageuk drama clips, but I don’t get how the mechanics of it works. Now that I saw how much blood it draws, I don’t want to know the details. Everyone is hoping that scene was imagined, but pretty sure some of it happened. What really got to me was HS begging Hwon not to take sides with Wol or else Hwon would lose everything. The way HS cried and said “you have to give up one thing” made me realize how much he cares for Hwon and wants the best for him. Only problem is HS is asking Hwon to give up Wol – the only person that means anything to Hwon.

In most of the translations, without a pronoun, it’s hard to tell who is talking so I read that Hwon says to his brother, “how do you plan to protect her,” but it sounded like “(think about) what needs to be done to protect that girl.” Pretty sure it sounded like Hwon is thinking of “how” they need to proceed in order to protect Wol. That made me realize again that he isn’t that helpless young prince anymore so now he gets to act on his convictions. I love that scene at the end where he walks in and yells at everyone. This kinda stuff never happened on SKKS so this drama is really upping the ante when it comes to gambling with our emotions. So far it seems to be working. 🙂

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I bet it’s killing S not to be able to do anything about Wol being led away like that. If S has to watch Wol being tortured, I think S will lose it and end up killing some guards. I hope she isn’t around to witness what Wol has to endure. It would break S’s heart for sure. She seems to value Wol’s life more than her own.

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On a lighter note – hey Fanderay, his hair ain’t looking so bad now is it? 🙂 I am pretty sure if Woon walked around like this, no one would be complaining about his hair or acting on soompi.  Who is even looking at his hair at this point, the man could be bald for all I care. I’ve seen this guy on modeling shows and stuff in the past and I used to wonder what was so great about his looks – now I totally get it. All I can say is, it’s too bad it’s the middle of winter or else they could have gone with that whole shirtless Chuno look. 🙂

Fanderay replied: It’s sort of embarrassing how closely I’ve been logging the progress of Woon’s hair. Last week they swept his floofy bangs more to the side, and this week they tied his hair half back! It’s pretty clear that they know his hair is terrible and they’re trying to fix it without being unrealistic and having him look like he just went to see a stylist. Unfortunately that excuse doesn’t apply to Joo Won’s hair (which is bad in the majority of OB’s 56 episodes) but thankfully his hair has never approached the atrociousness of what Woon was given in the first episode. Removing his shirt really does seem like the best solution…can’t someone just follow him with a heat lamp or something?

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E13

Starts from B saying: whatever you say I am your woman. He grabs her close and says -you cant have my love, but you still want to be the mother to the next king. Fine. For your sake, I will untie my robe once.

The astrologer who rescued wol is putting a spell and writing red letters and figures.

While N is praying with other shamans, she gets a feeling and her eyes get big. Jansil starts to choke. The man burns something.

H doesnt look well. he flips B on her back. H hovers over her. She cries and says : you are really cruel/harsh. I am a woman too. she asks why he is like this. why cant you see me as a girl. (B thought H was toying with her).

Suddenly H grabs his chest and falls to the side and tries to breathe like a fish out of water. B asks why is he doing this again. are you going back to the beginning.  H stops moving. She tries to revive him and calls for help. servants come in and tell him to wake up. the woman calls for the doctor

Wol thanks M. M: for what? Wol: for treating a mere shaman as a person. for seeing me as a girl. and for wanting to give your precious heart too – thank you very much. for wanting to let me get out of the life of a shaman – for wanted to let me get out of my current situation -for saying that I am grateful twice over. he says he didnt bring up something that difficult to hear stuff like that from her.  she says since she is thankful she cant go along with that. she asks him to let her just be thankful that he offered to help.  He asks if she already likes someone else. She says as a shaman she cant have love. M: a shaman is a person. she says a shaman just takes care of god and shouldnt love anyone else and cant love anyone else. he asks if that means her heart cant be moved by someone.

Wol gets called away by jansil cuz something big happened- the king fainted and they want her to go to him quickly. M repeats her words -did you say you have to take care of god and shouldnt love anyone else and cant love anyone else-then you shouldnt have been caught.

Doctor is taking H’s pulse while HS cries. Professors stand around. Wol comes in. she gets scolded by a professor – if she is supposed to watch over the king, in case something happened she was ordered to stand by so where was she roaming around. Wol looks at H and cries. everyone notices H’s condition improves right away. the doctor takes his pulse again and seems surprised

The gong is struck and wol is about to go when H grabs her hand and opens his eyes. He asks: did you worry. She nods yes. And says I worried. He asks what she was so worried about. She says she worried for everything. H asks if she worried that he embraced someone other girl (Blue said “embrace” can mean “sleep with”) Wol: how could I dare. He asks her to stay by his side till morning. H: If you are by my side I think I can sleep comfortably. She says if that’s what he wants then she will do that. he closes his eyes and smiles.

Next morning guard asks the professors if there was a problem by moving the consummation date up. Professor says there was no problem. he tries to blame the doctor saying unless he missed something. Doctor denies any wrongdoing saying there was nothing with the king on the night of consummation. Guard asks  if there was no problem before the night of consummation and he was healthy so why did the king faint. Professor says they are frustrated about that too. Another professor says last night there was a strange aura. guard asks what was strange.  professor says suddenly there was electrocity and he felt something within the palace. another thinks something tried to hurt the king. the main professor says somone cast a spell for certain

Dowager meets with H’s mom. dowager asks if the queen is on her way out from meeting the king. Queen says  yes cuz she heard what happened and couldnt sit still. dowager asks how he is doing. queen says according to the doctor H’s vitals went back to normal but needs rest cuz of his oxygen or respiratory. Dowager: since you said that the heavens helped us. she is about to go in but the queen says sorry the king just now took some medicine and fell asleep. dowager is worried since she is in shock then how much more shock B must be in over what happened. queen says she was about to go see B so dowager asks to go with her

Dowager and queen meet with B. dowager says B’s face is shrunk to half in one day cuz of how shocked B must have been. B says she doesnt have the right to meet them and they shouldnt forgive her. queen says not to talk like that – this is not B’s fault. B says no it’s all my fault. if I had only told you sooner. dowager asks what are you talking about. B says to be honest she didnt tell the two of them cuz she didnt want to trouble them. but she had an unsettling dream the night before the consummation night. some young girl in white clothes appeared and said “from now on it’s my job to  stay by the king’s bedside and for the rest of your life you wont be able to even think about having an heir.” dowager is shocked. B says she didnt want to tell the dowager. B says there is a rumor about an amulet who is supposed to absorb evil spirits who is overstepping her place and seducing the king with her psychic abilities.  Queen says if that’s it -didnt I tell you not to worry cuz the king doesn’t know about the girl’s existence but B says sorry to tell you but the king already knows about the amulet coming to his bedside. B checks their expressions to see if her words had the intended affect

Ministers talk about what happened. one finds out about the amulet that absorbs sickness/evil spirits and asks was there an amulet like that. if he knew about it sooner, he would have put one up too. but the other one says-you think your wife would let that happen. the day you get caught your life would be over. the guy asks how they knew that shaman cast a spell. he asks -truthfully who is the one who cast the spell but yoon says what’s important about the truth. it’s more important how to use what’s already happened. one says if the amulet was supposed to go during the time the king was asleep without him knowing and the king knew about her and still kept her by his side – if other people find out this truth. the other one thinks other people wont leave that alone. cuz the king wont own up to this truth on his own. other one says they have nothing to lose. if the king owns up then they dont have to care about what he thinks and do whatever they want.  even if he doesnt own up other people will know about the truth about the shaman being allowed in the palace and it will leave a bad reputation on the king . they start plotting to say stuff about the king and the amulet and then the amulet interfered with the consummation night. one asks – what to prepare first. Yoon says first they need to let that shaman girl know what she needs to say

Other shaman girls think it’s strange and wonder why that happens to the king when he is with the queen. One girl replies – did you not hear? it’s cuz the king cant forget his first love. they say he does it to avoid the consummation night. other girl thinks that is just talk. realistically does it make sense that he kept his virtue (virginity) for 8 yrs.  she thinks the rumors are true. it’s not cuz the king is avoiding the consummation night. it’s the rumor that the dead crown princess spirit is interfering with the consummation. How you can hear a ghost crying sound coming from the silver moon building at night. other girl asks if that is the crying sound from the dead prince’s bride. why? what is tormenting her?  Wol hears that and remembers seeing the silver moon building. the other girl says she doesnt know that far. so there was talk going around for a while about how the healthy crown princess wife suddenly died

Hong is talking to some old man. The doctor who attended to YW when she was sick. Hong repeats what the old man said about how there was no foul play. hong asks what the man remembers about her condition. Old doctor says she was fine then got sick. it was the first time something he saw something like that happen in 30 yrs so he remembers clearly. the man asks if Hong really is a relative. Hong pretends to be sad hearing this info and says yes. he asks if the old man remembers anything else. old man says he remembers her parents every day- the mom called for him so he went. her mom said her daughter was alive even though she was dead and asked me to save her. the father held his dead daughter for a long time so the girl’s body was still warm like a live person even after a long time after her death. just talking about this is hurting my heart. Hong seems suspicious

MW is walking with Y’s mom. MW says she is ok so let;s just get your medicine. but the mom says MW is first cuz she wants her to have a grandchild who resembles Y. MW says if it is that kind of medicine she would eat it a 100 times even if it was bitter. even if it was bitter she would eat it like it was sweet.

MW asks the doctor just to listen and she speaks in a low voice and asks for that medicine to give strength to men. she says she will pay him plenty so send that medicine along with the others. MW asks what the mom is doing. old doctor asks if the mom is looking at that again.  Mom looks at the marking on the doorway. It was where they used to mark YW’s height. the mom says before the selection process she came here with YW. mom wonders if the height they marked then is this one. she wonders how much YW would have grown by now if she had lived. Old doctor says a far away relative was just here asking about YW. mom asks who asked about her YW. MW looks uneasy. man said the guy said he was a distant relative

Wol repeats the words and places and her old name and remembers H calling her name and her mom calling her name. there is an order for the shaman to come out

Wol goes out and Hong asks if she is the shaman called Wol. he says she is and asks who he is. He gives her his name and orders her to be taken away. She asks why he is doing this

Jansil and S are walking back and see Wol being led away. S asks why they are doing this to her miss. Guard says move aside. shaman Wol is accused of treason I think. S says they got it wrong. he says if she didnt commit any crime then it will be revealed in interrogation/the precinct ( not sure of the korean word for where she is being taken to). he orders others to drag wol away. S tells Jansil to go tell N this truth and S will follow wol. S runs after wol. Jansil worries what to do cuz N left not too long ago

N ask why the astrologist  did that- are you determined to something. he says until the original owner returns he has to stop it somehow. N: it was a fate that could have been cut off. he says it was a fate that shouldnt be cut.  if they lose this chance they lose forever the chance to put everything back in its place.   N talks about what she had to give up as a shaman and everything cant be turned back to the way it was. he asks if that wasnt for the sake of saving the young lady. N admits she could have killed YW if it wasn’t for her promise to Ari.he says he knows she doesnt mean that. cuz N chose something that would protect seungsucheong -the young miss and everything – how would he not know that . N: did you say to protect seungsucheong? She says a bunch of other stuff about how seungsucheong has been used by people in power and how they forgot about the citizens and god so seungsucheong has been dying. even if it disappears one day, she was hoping it wouldnt be ask much as her. that greed kept her going. he says she needs to take hold of it now at least. she says she came too far to turn around now. N says – dont you know? “whago” already started

Wol is being interrogated by the guard. He asks what the reason was for not being in her place and disobeying orders. she says she already told him it was an order from the king. he asks where and what she was doing when the spell was cast. She says near seoungsucheong. He asks if there is a witness to verify that. she remembers M but lies and says she was alone then. he says then there is no witness to prove what she said then. he was holding onto her so she says let go and talk. he is about to hit her for being impudent, but Hong stops the guard. Yoon comes in and say stop and says he has something to say to the girl so will  you leave us for a short time

N hears from jansil that Wol was taken away treason – for putting a spell on the king

Yoon says someone put a spell on the king. she says she never put a spell. he says she doesnt understand well. yoon: someone has to pay for that crime. and you became that someone. He says she will endure terrible torture until she confesses her crime when she leaves this place to go to that courtyard area. your blood and skin will splatter and bones will ache.  And you will wish for death.   But if your answers change the situation can change. that means i can let you walk out on both your legs. she asks what answer he wants from her. yoon: now you understand what i am saying. He accuses her of loving the king. She says she wouldn’t dare do that with the king. he says that isnt the right answer. he says she put a spell to interrupt the consummation. is that correct? she says she didnt do that. yoon: that isnt the right answer. what do you want to do. get tortured or admit on your own your relationship with the king and protect heart.

S is waiting for N. S: where did you go to come so late. N: what happened. S says they cant meet wol yet cuz she is being interrogated. they will be called after it’s over. N says she will stay and tells S to leave but S doesnt want to until she sees wol’s face. N tells her to obey. N sees Yoon and hides. Yoon thinks he saw Wol somewhere before for sure

N goes in to see wol. N asks if her body is ok. Wol: I am ok so far. N wonders to herself why wol is always having to go through these bad things.  Wol asks how the king is. she worries about his breathing cuz he was stable when she left him.  N asks if that is the problem when Wol’s life is about to fly away. dont you know how big a crime it is to cast a spell. Wol says she knows. she says she knows there is nothing like a shaman to use and throw away. she cant get out of this situation anyway but. N asks what that “but” is. wol says she just doesn’t want the king to be in a difficult situation cuz of her. wol says what she is going to lie about so N asks why are you worrying about him now. Wol asks N to help her think about how she wont be a burden on the king. wol wants to take the blame that she cast the spell but N yells at her.  are you in your right mind. wol thinks saying that will help the king. N: dont talk nonsense.if you take the blame do you think the king will be happy.  wol worries the king will be in pain and have an even bigger scar by that. cuz even a shaman is a citizen and that he wasnt able to protect me again – he will blame himself. What should I do? How can I protect the king and myself.

Doctor gives H some medicine to help him recover. doctor says H  needs to rest even if he is better. HS finds out about wol and looks shocked. so H asks what’s going on. HS says shaman wol was arrested and will be tortured

M is deciding what to pack. should I take this or take that. too much baggage is bothersome. he decides to take some nice clothes for when he goes somewhere and asks his servant to pack some poem. His servant asks if anything had happened. M: why do you think that. servant says cuz M is going on another sudden trip.  M says his body itches from staying too long at home -it fits him to wander around like the wind and water. M say how long it will take for him to meet someone and then come back. Servant asks him to come back quickly as possible cuz if M is out too long everyone worries. M mutters about his popularity. M ask the servant to get something for cooking meat

M goes outside and Jansil is there. he asks what brings her here. she says something big happened. It’s about wol unni. He says sorry but I am about to go on a trip. She blurts out Wol was led away so cant you help – just this once brother- just this once. M: it has nothing to do with me. jansil: what do I do now

wol is tied to a chair.Yoon wonders where he saw the girl before (wol). The other minister says last time he bumped into her. Yoon smiles cuz he remembers how H and wol ran away together. The guards tie wol’s feet

H comes and yells what are you doing now. H asks yoon how he could do this without his permission . H looks at Wol but she looks away. Yoon asks H to talk somewhere else.  H looks at her bound feet.

H meets with ministers. H repeats what they said. that they started the torture without the king’s consent to get her confession. one says that wol put a spell and interrupted the consummation night and also committed the crime of casting spells so how could they not jump to action. H asks if he is saying that cuz he has definitive proof. the guy says there is no proof that she did it but there is no proof that she didnt so to reveal the truth they rushed to action. Yoon points out to H has an image to uphold and that H should not get involved in this anymore or H will make other people suspicious.

H yells out Yoon’s name and gets mad. He gets up to leave but HS stops him. HS asks where he is going. H says to where that place wol is.  HS: you cant do that. H says that girl is not going to lie to live so how do you think this will end. HS: before you are a man you are this country’s king. dont you know what they want. do you know what they are doing with the shaman. they are using her to make everyone turn their backs to you. HS says to save one H will lose everything – you have to give one thing up. If you take that girl’s side, you will lose everything. HS thinks Wol will find a way out of this somehow cuz she is resilient

Wol is tortured. Yoon : I will give you anotehr chance to answer.what was the reason why you cast the spell. but she says she never did that. Yoon gets close and says he gave her a chance to live by asking that question -if that is your choice then it cant be helped.he orders her to be tortured till she confesses.

N asks the dowager to save her daughter. N tells the dowager that wol doenst have that kind of power to do that. she doesn’t have the skills to cast that spell. Dowager asks how can she trust N’s words. she points out the king already knew about the girl so why is she just now hearing that news today.  N starts to explain but the dowager says your daughter was already caught. why were you letting her stay by the king’s side. dowager accuses N of using her daughter to get into the palace and secure a position. N: do you not trust me that much? dowager: how can I know what’s inside your dark heart. N throws back what the dowager ordered her to do 8 yrs ago. what did you trust about me to order for me to do that. Dowager says are you daring to threaten me now.  N says she did her best for the dowager  for all those years since – she let her daughter be the amulet cuz of the dowager’s order. so cant she ask for that life. dowager: what? N threatens: what is there for me to be afraid of. I could just end the king’s life by combining my powers with my daughter. N says: what if the king finds out about what happened 8 yrs ago.  The king comes in.  N bows and introduces herself. he asks if the other shaman wasnt in charge and N explains how she used to be here and came back not too long ago. N leaves

dowager says for him to be here for her help – since she lived long lots of strange things happen. H begs the dowager to stop Yoon so this doesnt go further. She asks why he is like this – if he is afraid that girl will get hurt. that he has feelings for a shaman. He says he is a man. for a short time he was seduced and that’s the truth but it isnt love. As a king how could I like a shaman. he has that much self restraint at least. she feels relieved and says he wouldnt do that. He says he doesnt want this to get any bigger -that it was just him looking at someone else for a short time. he wanted to keep that a secret but if things get more out of control, how could will he look as the king. he asks her to use her status for the sake of the palace. dowager asks what power an old woman like her has. he says how can you talk like that. that she has the power to move a lot of people. aside from you, who else is there. H says to himself- If I have to throw one away for the sake of many, then I rather give myself alone to save that one.

Yoon says Wol is tougher than he thought. I will ask you again for the last time – where were you at that time. who were you with and what were you doing.  wol: I was alone at seoungsucheong. Yoon order to keep hitting her but M comes over and says he can be a witness for that girl. M says this girl was with him outside of seoungsucheong. yoon: how could you say such dangerous words. M: what do you mean dangerous. Yoon: a relative of the king being with a shaman at seungsucheing it will make people suspicious  so that makes it dangerous. M sort of says in a joking way that it’s a waste to be young not to be with a young girl for a guy like him. yoon asks why they were together. M: isnt the reason obvious.

M was about to say he liked her or something like that but Wol quickly says she asks him to help her. how M by accident saved her. she wanted to run away from being a shaman but there was no way out. so she asked him that night to take her away and run. But didn’t know he was the king’s relative or else she wouldn’t have dared to ask him if she knew. this person didn’t do anything wrong. M asks if this doesn’t prove this girl’s innocence. M orders her to be released now. Yoon gets called away

Dowager said she heard from jang (N) that wol doesn’t have any skills to cast a spell. and M as the witness proved that girl was innocent so they have to let her go. he says even if Wol is absolved of not casting the spell but she still committed the crime of being involved with the king.  she says all they need to do is take wol away from the king’s side.  and with this chance they were able to control the king so she thinks they got what they could from this situation. now they something big in their hands to use later on. The knowledge that both brothers seem to like the girl. that;s what came into their laps. So yoon smiles.

M goes to see Wol. She asks why he came. He says he came to tell her a way to live. instead of saying she seduced him that he seduced her. even though that would still make it hard for her to shed her crime/ punishment totally at least her punishment will be lighter and after that I will take care of the rest. She says she cant do that.  M: what do you mean you cant – why not? awhile ago you lied so well – and this isnt totally wrong/incorrect. she says she will take care of this and not to try to help her for her sake anymore. M says he cant do that cuz he cant owe her since he is the prince – since you lied to save me awhile go. this time I will….she interrupts and asks: do you think I lied for your sake? M: do you mean you didnt? Wol: to save myself, I used you-if you think I did that for your sake, you are mistaken. M: dont worry about it. I didn’t do this for you. it was cuz I didnt want to live for my trip feeling uneasy like this. no. somehow I have to make sure you live. if you dont like this way then I will think of another way. M looks hurt as he leaves

H hears that M interfered for wol. That means brother knew about that girl. H says woon’s expression means woon already knew.  HS says M is here

M goes in to see H. M asks if H was well during that time

Wol thinks to herself. She says sorry I gave you such a big scar on your heart. but if I don’t break this off- it will be dangerous for you and the king. for having no choice but to do this. please dont forgive me

H asks what brings M here. M says every day he has nothing much to do but today he went all the way to (that place that wol was at) H says he heard that M went there to be a witness. I couldnt believe that you interfered just to save a shaman girl. it really is unlike you. M: you dont know me very well. I am different from you. I  can give up everything to save one thing that is precious to me. that’s how I  think and live. H: so are you saying I am greedy/selfish to want to protect everything so I dont know how precious one thing is. is that it? M starts to say he came to ask for that one thing, but H says it’s impossible. M:why is it impossible.  M starts to make his argument but H yells out it’s impossible. H says : when I was a prince you said to me -that if it was you – you would have protected her. even if you put everything on the line even if you had to put your life on the line that you would have protected her. do you think the situation is different? if you keep her by your side, how can you except that girl to be safe?  Think again – what is the best way to protect that girl

M goes out and thinks to himself. everything I’ve tried to have – everything that I ever wanted. you got it too easily.  If you wont allow me have that one thing that I want…

H asks woon – do you think I was too cruel to my older brother. do you think I scarred my brother? woon: I think – isnt the one who was scarred you?  H: woon I dont want to lose people I value anymore.  now even brother wont be safe. H thinks like Yoon wanted, Yoon is surely going to use H’s love for a shaman against him. and the person behind all that who will be scarred the most is Wol

end

Thanks Sparkskey for the written translations

Wol gets exiled to the Infirmary wearing a jeogori (upper part of the hanbok) printed with the word 淫 (for adulteress). Hwon gets his leadership wrested from him, and is humiliated by his subjects. Late night, Hwon goes to find Wol who has been punished for treason by the Bureau of Justice and calmly commands her to stay far away from him, while trying to hide his heavy heart.

When M finds out Wol has been kidnapped by a mysterious man, he is shocked and tries to find her but is blocked by Woon.

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Softy:

I dont get why soompi is flooded with people hating this episode. what was so bad about it? I thought there were some great scenes here. like M sticking up for Wol. even her old doctor talking about YW’s body still being warm after death made Hong take notice. But i agree Yoon and the ministers came out too much. that’s never a good thing. there was less Hwon and Wol time so I think that’s what everyone missed seeing. I just hope it really was H who saves Wol tm night cuz that would make up for everything. 🙂

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Fanderay’s Comments:

Wow…things sure got stepped up a notch tonight! It seems like a lot of the characters are playing their hands, and I certainly couldn’t have predicted half of what happened. We also got see another instance of Kim Soo Hyun’s expert female-flipping, which never fails to impress.

It’s sort of ironic that H really did get sick during his consummation night, and I hadn’t even realized it was an option. Back when I thought that astrologer might be a weak link, I thought it would be due to torture or something, and not a lapse of loyalty. Who knew that he would cast spells and take H out like that? I am extremely curious about his motivations. Was he part of the master plan to blame Wol, or was he just trying to stop the consummation? If he was trying to stop it, was it to avoid an heir to the throne, or was it on Wol’s behalf because he supports the destiny between H and YW?

I think B was definitely lying about having a dream, and was just being crafty in an attempt to get the dowager on her side (which was smart, because she doesn’t seem capable of getting rid of Wol on her own). I can’t really blame her for wanting H to herself (especially after all those smooth moves of his) and I do have to give her credit for worrying almost immediately when H fainted, instead of assuming he was faking.

I love that the stakes have gotten so high without almost anyone even knowing that Wol is YW. Once they do find out, it’s going to get crazy. I do appreciate that she herself is starting to suspect the truth though. I’m actually a bit surprised that N hasn’t just flat-out told her, since Wol would probably leave if she realized how dangerous her existence is. I suppose that revealing the truth is a scary prospect for N though. What if YW wanted to see her parents, or felt entitled to a different life?

I also love that these characters are actually using their brains, instead of just going the noble idiot route (it’s so very refreshing!). Hwon was quite easily talked down by HS and realized that he shouldn’t just go charging off to save Wol.  I don’t think it detracts from his love for her that he also takes his role as king seriously (he owes it to his people) and making a plea to the dowager was a much wiser (and safer) decision. I expected Wol to just want to sacrifice herself for the king instead of implicating him, and even though she would have, she was smart enough to realize that her death would hurt the king as much as anything. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a heroine realize such a thing before, and it has given me even higher regard for her.

M’s character has also been handled quite masterfully. The timing was perfect for him to “give up”. He pursued Wol a realistic amount, but as soon as she clearly and concisely turned him down, he threw in the towel instead of clinging for an eternity. In the long run he didn’t really give up of course, but we can hardly blame him for that when her life was on the line, and he had the potential to save her.

I do wish that we had seen a bit more bromance between M and H before it came to this. It’s hard to say since M is a nice person at his core, but is he officially bitter enough to vie for power now? I hope that the situation will somehow force M and H to work together to save YW, instead of having them fight each other, but that sadly seems quite unlikely. At least I have the HS/H/Woon bromance to keep me happy. I did find it interesting that Woon never told H about M knowing Wol though. He may have undying loyalty to H, but obviously his loyalty to M is still somewhat intact.

MW’s guilt over YW’s “death” seems to be growing, and several of her scenes have had no other purpose than to show us that fact. She has to have a key role in all this, and I wonder what it’s going to be. Is she finally going to cave and confess the truth to someone? The battle between H and the Yoons has already begun, but perhaps her confession will turn their conflict into a war.

I felt quite bad for N this episode because despite her capabilities she is stuck in a snake’s nest and trying to conceal the real past alone. Back when she saved YW as a child she just did it out of loyalty to Ari, and probably didn’t feel too distressed over whether or not she was successful. Now she loves YW as a daughter, and her desperation to save her must be practically killing her. I loved that she was willing to threaten the dowager, but now that she’s done that once, I can’t imagine that the dowager will sit idly by and let N live (especially since N will be the biggest obstacle when it comes to using Wol to manipulate the boys).

It was great watching everyone so valiantly fight to save Wol tonight, but I think it put many of the characters (such as H, M and N) in a vulnerable situation that has finally given the dowager and the minister the upper hand they have been striving for. It kills me that there is no preview for tomorrow, but I have the feeling that it’s going to be an epic episode.