The Science of Soul-Shifting (Draft 7/1/22)

After Ep. 4, I promised a few folks that I would get something put together before the next episodes. This is a collection of statements made at various times by various characters on the topic of "soul-shifters" Constructive comments welcome.
THE SCIENCE OF SOUL-SHIFTING

As of Sunday, 6/26/22, the Daeho “science” of soul-shifting may encompass a variety of separate elements.

• A.  Souls can be transferred between two bodies
• B.  Once shifted/transferred, a shifter is able to absorb/devour other souls,, at which point the absorbed soul ceases to exist separately (and the devoured soul’s body perishes)
• C.  It may be possible that more than one soul can inhabit a body (JangKang, Ep. 1 “A crack forms when the bodies clash with the souls [PLURAL] they carry”
• D.  Souls can be “collected” [Ep. 1 Jim Mu tells Naksu that “the soul you need to collect this time is Park Jin, the leader of Songrim”]

FACTS

There is a magical device called a “Soul Ejector” which is used for the “Alchemy of Souls”●Jang Kang said it was required in order to transfer him back into his own body.  

• Question:  But what did Naksu use to transfer her soul into Mu-Deok’s body.
• Question:  where is that device? What does it look like?  Is it the golden circular icon at the very beginning of the title sequence?

There are many problems that arise w/Soul-shifting, including:

• If a soul is too strong and it enters an unbefitting (??) body, it cannot access it’s energy [Does this mean it is the SOUL that possesses “energy”???]
• Therefor, a soul may lose it’s energy due to the body it transfers into
• a soul-shifters energy seeps out of the body
• Furthermore, if a soul clashes with its new body, the body will turn into a rock
• when a soul shifter “turns wild” it will lose it’s energy.  The “wild” soul shifter can replace their lost energy by absorbing that of a human;  If it is unable to replace that energy, it will  become petrified.

Identifying a soul shifter;

• A blue mark shows that a soul has left a body
• W/in a soul shifter, there is a gap between the body and the soul; the evil energy seeps out from it and can be detected

 Best soul-shifting methods:

•  “for everything to go smoothly, a soul shifter should pick someone similar.  Gender, age and build – they all need to be similar”
• It appears that actual soul-shifting requires water (water shown w/both the King/Jang and Naksu/Mu-deok.)

Soul Shifting can only be performed once one has mastered Jipsu, Ryusa, Chisu and ultimately Hwansu, a “god-like” power. According to Heo Yeom, only two humans have mastered this power:  Master Seo Gyeong, the founder of Songrim and “someone else”  

• This appears to be  inaccurate – Jang Kang and Naksu performed it and they were not Hwansu.  It’s not clear if Jin Mu performs the sorcery with his own power or uses the device named “Soul Ejector”.

 jxxwxxstan:

Maybe they don't need the soul ejector to perform the alchemy of souls. Maybe they needed this device because Jin Mu lacked some skills and Jang Kang couldn't access his energy.

As I was reviewing everything to write-up this up, I noticed that Jin Mu has not yet cast a spell or performed sorcery/magic.  We haven't seen him with a sword.  Perhaps, as you said, the device is something that does not require the "energy of the Lake" in order to manipulate.  jin Mu said he trained Naksu to be an assassin - but he didn't say that he trained her in Jipsu, etc.  It looks like it is Gil-ju that is training the Crown Prince.  There's something there that I am missing.  

 jxxwxxstan:

so her soul is strong. Mudeok's body is weak,

Was Mu-deok weak before the transfer??  WE don't know that - we are only taking Naksu's repetitive whining about her weak body as "evidence".  As I have previously theorized (with many others - I don't claim to be original), if Mu-deok still resides within her body, adding another soul to the mix severely weakened her.  In my mind, everything points to Mu-deok still being "alive", but if one projects out the consequences of THAT scenario, it's not positive for Naksu.  The writers will have their hands full explaining all of this - and keeping the viewers happy -  regardless of which soul resides in which body.