Eternal Love Episode 52

ep 52 spoilers

I consider this one of those 'weird episodes' with a strange mix of unnecessary cutesy scenes (that are so common in modern dramas that I tend to steer clear of them) and a few scenes with more depth. So we have filler and a few interesting scenes.

1. Si Jin appears to still believe she has a chance. At this point I am beginning to find her character about boring because other 'obsessed in twisted love characters were way more interesting *ahem, Xuan Nu, quite well done, in my opinion** but she redeems herself by using what is probs forbidden magic to create a copy which she will send to YH's side (redeem as in garner my interest this is of course an action worthy of condemnation) This copy will look like SuSu. We also learn she is apparently quite skilled at carving (what? she was pretty good)

2.FJ (and this is where I think the writers get it right because she is supposed to be 'a child' because she is so young) is sobbing away feeling like the world is against her. In typical teenager fashion she has refused to eat and believes everyone hates her (I think a lot of us can recall acting so over the top) . After reading pillow book, I don't blame her. FJ truly was born under an unlucky star.

3. But one of FJ's more likable characteristics is her ability to bounce back. She decides to dedicate herself to being the Queen (per Mi Gu's clever manipulation, something any other person could have seen through her but not her) I imagine she is patting herself on the back for this idea (if you read pillow book, you will find she often is priding her cleverness when she is in fact quite dumb but instead of being annoying it is extremely adorable)

4.FJ's entire goal is quite mercenary, and I like her honesty: she is finally dedicating herself to studying so she can return to heaven.

5.Si Ming shows up and gives her a gift: ancient records related to Dong Hua which 'might help her'. DH apparently removed his name from the rock of three incarnations which would explain, I suppose, why he can't/won't marry. It is revealed that he did not go to the mortal realm for six trials but did it to fulfill her wish for a romance (DH is a jerk, in my opinion because he did that for himself, not her)(also this did not happen, i think, in the novel)

6.FJ is discovered by Dijun moping around his palace. He CRUELLY (his plan of scaring her off doesn't seem to be working well) tells her he does not want to see her again. He is about to shut the doors in her face but she turns into a fox and tackles him. This causes him to spit up blood. She confirms that he has lost his powers, and she expresses fear he will be in danger//he brushes her off and says that he will be fine. When she brings up the rock, he is clearly not happy and asks her 'who told you' and he learns who did. He tells her that because of this no one can be in a relationship with him. He turns to go, but she hugs him, and he clearly looks conflicted.

7. In a shocking surprise she steals his sword, cuts off her own tail (ouch) because the tails of a fox can become a weapon, and runs to the rock to carve his name in it. We also learn he removed his name from the rock because he possesses the power over life and death in all 6 realms and did it to be invulnerable i.e. have no weakness. This is why he has no emotions (so I'm not sure if he can help it or not because she triggers emotions in him that he should not be feeling...I think she is his fated calamity...JOF anyone>)

8.Apparently Dijun regarded his future relationship as ill fated, meaning they would have an unhappy end (as in the mortal realm) and gave up love for the sake of the universe (arguably respectable but incredibly inconvenient for me since I and FJ want them to be together. I am not nearly as selfless and can only condemn his actions).

9. I feel SO BAD FOR HER and she is trying so hard to keep it together. Everyone warns her that her current path will not work out--i.e. even their temporary romance caused DH to lose his powers. It is a warning to him that if he does not let her go then bad things will happen. FJ learns that someone else's name is next to her. We also see YH and BQ are next to each other. She tries to carve DH's name on the rock. But it doesn't work. So sad!

10. DH watches her until she passes out. He is visibly shocked (recall he never shows emotions) and carries her back. He sends her back, tells start lord to go receive punishment for knowingly breaking the law by giving her the record, and is concerned about the pain of losing her tail as it is the most painful way to harm a 9 tail fox (by removing its tail). Poor FJ! i am starting to pity DH because I think he cares for her. He wouldn't have gone after her otherwise.

11.It seems she has made herself gravely ill by removing her tail. Unfortunately no one is around to help (this is like the general theme of her life--FJ is basically constantly suffering in pillow book and no one is around to help so she becomes very resilient). Finally phoenix and BQ show up. Things aren't looking good. I personally think that FJ wouldn't mind dying at this point (However she did say that if he lived she would live, if he died she would die -->major theme from pillow book)

12.DH arrives to explain the situation. BQ snaps at Dijun and explains that her people are stubborn and won't change their mind when in love (well-said BQ). She asks how dare he meddle in her love life i.e. the mortal realm arc, knowing this. Dijun actually apologizes.

13.She opens her eyes (FJ) and says 'who do you think I see' and BQ says 'Lord Dong Hua, whom you care for deeply'. DH sits beside her, looking like he is about to cry, and caresses her face. She wakes up and holds his hand and then crawls into his arms.

MY THOUGHTS: I think that when DH had his name removed from the rock he may have set him and FJ up for an ill fated love. Because (in the novel) you aren't supposed to know your destiny and simply knowing it can change it. I think that by avoiding whatever ill fated love was in his future it inevitably brought him together with FJ (think of Oedipus--his father got rid of him knowing he would kill him but he still wound up killing anyways. Fate isn't so easy tricked) Being an extremely smart person, and also lacking in the emotion realm, he decided to address his growing feelings by (selfishly) marrying her as a mortal. In this way he could satisfy his own growing feelings and hers. What I don't think he expected was for her feelings to be so true and deep, nor did I think he thought his own feelings would be so deep (recall that his trial ended early because he could not handle her supposed affair, something he himself engineered in advance to make it easier for him to abandon these feelings). DH has allowed FJ to continue to enter his life, he continues to see her even though he says mean things to her, AND he goes out of his way to check on her when he should be avoiding her. It's like journey of flower a little. He keeps her at arms length but continues to search her out making it impossible for the relationship to truly end. DH could have easily not checked in on her. He is the lord of the heavens. He can do whatever he wants. Even the celestial emperor does not argue with him. But he still went to see her. Which will continue to make it hard for her. I think he is a lot more selfish than I originally thought. I don't view FJ as selfish (she is rude and more than a little hopeless) because she is trying her best--she has made her intentions clear in an honest way--and she hasn't resorted to underhanded tricks like others facing an ill-fated love (i.e. Si Jun or Xuan Nu). If anything she is persistent and of course, very young. But DH is old as time. He should know better! Even when she tries to stop loving him she can't. Poor girl. I support you 100%. I really hope they do your story in the sequel (if they get past the scandal and do one! however a sequel would be difficult if they followed pillow book because of the liberties taken with the script; they may need to just do their own thing and incorporate some aspects of pillow book but someone else owns the rights...maybe she will sell them the rights?)

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