Monday, April 21, 2014

Empress Ki Episode 9 Recap

Episode starts where we left off: Seung Nyang carrying the tray and running into Ta Hwan. Dropping the tea and dropping to her knees. Ta Hwan demanding to look at her. And he gets on his knees to squat in front of her. Is this it? Ta Hwan declares that they look really similar. He doesn’t recognize her. She looks down and he sighs. He starts to ask her if she has *a brother,* but Empress Dowager arrives. Seung Nyang starts to clean up the tea cup. Ta Hwan orders her to bring more tea. She thinks to herself, that this is her chance!

Ta Hwan asks Empress Dowager why they’re meeting together. She wants to show him something. Before he leaves, he again glances at Seung Nyang. And Gol Ta should have been paying attention. In the bridal suite, it’s evident that Ta Hwan had no idea that he’s supposed to be bedding a woman tonight. Eo Jin introduces herself. Empress Dowager declares her quite the dancer and hopes that Ta Hwan will find the place *relaxing.* Great. And Ta Hwan sighs.

Seung Nyang’s searching the kitchen frantically. She spies a metal chopstick and thinks of Ta Hwan’s betrayal, declaring her father the assassin, her father dying. She thinks to herself how Ki Se will come after her if she’s arrested for killing Ta Hwan, but she declares that she will be able to die in peace once Ta Hwan is dead.

Concubine dance while Dok Man plays. Ta Hwan isn’t watching. Empress Dowager is still there, though. Seung Nyang runs over the layout of the room and declares that she can’t give anyone time to stop her from completing her mission. She enters and sets down the tea tray. Slowly she reaches for the chopstick. She declares that she’ll have to kill him with one blow. And then she stabs Ta Hwan. But she doesn’t really, because that was her visualizing.

The room where Eo Jin is dancing still. Ta Hwan sighs and tells Dok Man that it’s enough. Empress Dowager thinks that Ta Hwan’s all for the plan. He declares he should go but Empress Dowager ‘orders; him to stay. After all, it’s an auspicious day for producing an heir. He tells her to stop; he doesn’t want to hear it. She declares that this is for the royal house. He replies that he thought she was better than El Temur, but really they’re exactly the same. Then he storms out. He comes across Seung Nyang with the tea. He stops to look at her and then stomps off.

Empress Dowager orders Dok Man to prepare Eo Jin and send her to Ta Hwan’s chambers. Poor girl. She knows what a sentence this is for her. Dok Man admonishes Empress Dowager by saying her name, but she points out how El Temur’s going to react when he finds out. They won't get another chance. Tonight is the night. Understood? He does. And so does Eo Jin.

Maid is in brushing Danashiri’s hair and fluffing her ego. She tries to get Danashiri to invite Ta Hwan to call, but Danashiri’s going to punish him by not giving him her attention. Maid admonishes her to keep him hers. She’s not worried, since there isn’t anyone in the palace as gorgeous as she is. When Maid starts to argue, Danashiri declares that men's hearts are not won by cheap flowers. Because she’s won so many of them. If she doesn’t value her favors, why would Ta Hwan? Maid knows this is stupid, but Danashiri is confident that he'll be begging for her favors soon enough.

Eo Jin is enlisting Seung Nyang’s assistance. And Seung Nyang’s just going by Nyang. Eo Jin declares that we Koryeo girls need to stick together. A twinge of guilt on Seung Nyang’s face.

They wrap Eo Jin up in a blanket and sneak her into Ta Hwan’s room. He tells her to get out. Outside, Empress Dowager tells him that if he must punish someone, he should punish her. She declares that she will not see him be the puppet of El Temur! When he starts to protest, she cuts him off, declaring that they can only fight El Temur if the Empress does not produce the heir! He needs to think of his late father and brother!

Empress Dowager gets down on her knees, which he can tell through the door. She declares that she prostrates herself before the throne. She will risk any punishment, even my own life. Seung Nyang is there to hear this and starts to understand the why of what Ta Hwan did. Empress Dowager entreats Eo Jin to get to her duty. Eo Jin walks up and slowly puts her arms around his waist. Ta Hwan cries as he submits to what needs to be done. Once they’re done, Dok Man wraps Eo Jin in a blanket and they take her back to the harem. Seung Nyang leads the way with a lantern. She thinks to herself that there's no rush. There will be plenty of chances to kill Ta Hwan. She thinks of Wang Yoo and their last moment together. She again thinks that he’s going to have to forgive her.

Border. The fight begins again. And Wang Yoo is much better. But that lead makes his sword break. Byung Soo wails on Wang Yoo a few times and then cracks him on the head. Wang Yoo drops to his knees. Byung Soo is sure of his victory so he starts yelling over his win. Wang Yoo looks at his people, the Mighty Men pleading with him to hang in there. He has a vision of Seung Nyang, who pleads with him not to forget his promise. She cries as she tells him not to give up. She will live and come back to see him, so he needs to get up. Byung Soo goes in for the death blow, but Wang Yoo tackles him and starts pounding on him. Wang Yoo goes over and grabs the sword, seeing the lead inside it. As he goes in to strike the death blow, Ja Hae stops him with the sword, declaring that this is a match of skill. His dirty tricks won't work here. Wang Yoo can’t believe he just said dirty tricks.

Ja Hae demands that Wang Yoo yield! Wang Yoo declares, “Never!” He swings down at the sword and slices it in half. Everyone is shocked. He shows them how the sword is filled with lead, declaring that the only cheater there is Byung Soo. Byung Soo starts to laugh. Bool Hwa calls for Byung Soo’s dead. Byung Soo roars that they should but it’s too bad because he yields. Then he starts to cackle. The crowd starts pleading for his head again. Byung Soo stops laughing. Wang Yoo raises the sword and Byung Soo cowers. Wang Yoo stops and declares that he’s an insect. Byung Soo screams with frustration. Wang Yoo drops the sword and goes and demands the standard. Baek Ahn declares that he earned it. He and Tal Tal leave.

Wang Yoo takes the standard and looks at the crowd. Cheering with victory, they rush over to him. He tells them not to be mistaken: he did not fight for them. Way to put a damper on things. He has his own reasons to make it back alive. This victory changes nothing: they are low on arms and provisions. Now they are fighting to live, to get back home. No one else is going to fight for them. They have nothing to lose, nothing more to fear. They are in hell and if they want to escape this hell, they need to follow him. There is no room for the cowards, the weak and the whiners. Bool Hwa is the first to declare his allegiance. Then the rest of the Koryeo men follow. And the Mighty Men are happy that finally their king is getting some respect.

Byung Soo glares and goes to Ja Hae to wheedle a commandant position, since it’s his chance to kill Wang Yoo. He declares that the coward Yom... is dead. Sure he is, because it was just a fluke, all those times before. He declares that he’s a new Yom now. Ja Hae agrees to help him.

The weapons for the Koryeo are brought before Wang Yoo. Myung Soo can’t believe how little there is. And Wang Yoo’s now dressed in kingly attire. Shin Woo can’t believe it, since he’s used better weapons to go hunting. Byung Soo enters, to gloat of course. Bool Hwa can’t believe Byung Soo would show up there. Cham declares that Byung Soo is their new commandant. Disgusted looks from the Mighty Men. Byung Soo declares that ‘their’ men have been ordered to take the lead in each attack. Wang Yoo gets into Byung Soo’s face and points out that with all this they’re going to be arrow fodder. Byung Soo clucks that this isn’t any way for a captain to talk. He needs to take the vanguard and *like* it.

And the Turks attack. A huge hoard of them. Lead by a masked Batolu. Ja Hae asks about the silly mask. Tal Tal replies that it’s because of scars. Ja Hae remarks that he must be quite brutal. Baek Ahn declares that battle scars are marks of honor, so Batolu should not be underestimated.

Daidu. Dok Man is divvying up the jobs for the day. Seung Nyang gets to clean the quilts. As she’s working, she’s sharpening that chopstick. Do Han arrives to share the gossip about Ta Hwan getting busy with someone not Danashiri. Do Han declares that she’s lucky. Yeon Hwa mutters that whether she is remains to be seen.

Ki Se’s walking with Danashiri. He mentions how rumors of her wedding night have spread *outside* the palace. Danashiri crows that it means that soon everyone will know that he's wrapped around her little finger. He tells her it’s no time to crow. They need an heir! She’s still confident about her whiles. He’ll be sniffing around her skirts anytime she wants. A bunch of giggling servants walk by. Another group of servants are laughing and stop when they see her. Ki Se stops the second group and asks what they’re talking about. Yeon Hwa, of course, is the one who blabs. Ki Se is furious and Danashiri practically faints. Yeon Hwa says she doesn’t know who it is, only that she’s from Koryeo. Danashiri orders those Koryeo tramps brought before her, now!

And so Empress Dowager knows that Danashiri knows. Lady wonders if they should tell the Emperor. Empress Dowager doesn’t see the point, since he couldn't save Eo Jin even if he knew.

Danashiri’s glaring at the Koryeo maids. Eo Jin quakes, giving herself away. Danashiri orders Eo Jin expelled, but then declares that they should take Eo Jin out and kill her. Dok Man asks what grounds Danashiri has for the order and Danashiri jumps all over him. Eo Jin starts to cry. Empress Dowager arrives and demands to know what’s going on. Danashiri declares the woman knows. Empress Dowager orders Eo Jin released. Danashiri orders Eo Jin taken away. She also tells Empress Dowager that if El Temur found out, it wouldn’t just be one. And of course, Eo Jin gags. Morning sickness! Of course it is because that’s the only time someone gags. Eo Jin thinks that it is. Even though it’s way toooo early to tell. Empress Dowager orders the men to stand back. And Danashiri can do nothing since it’s the royal heir she’s now carrying. To touch her is treason. Empress Dowager orders Eo Jin taken to her room and Danashiri fumes.

El Temur has heard and he goes to yell at Ta Hwan. And no one seems to have warned Ta Hwan that the secret is out. They sit. El Temur growls about Ta Hwan trying to get an heir from some court girl. Surely he hasn't forgotten the promise he made in Koryeo? Ta Hwan squirms and asks how he could forget. El Temur declares that he’s been insulted. Ta Hwan declares he’d never! El Temur slaps the table with both hands. El Temur leans forward and whisper growls that keeping the throne is harder than taking it. Taking it requires a crown. Losing it requires his head. Is that clear? Ta Hwan nods and stutters, “Perfectly.” El Temur declares that since he’s old and with so little time left, he doesn’t fear any consequences. He will kill anything that offends him, because he’s that senile.

Ta Hwan starts to sputter his apology and cry. El Temur walks closer to whisper in Ta Hwan’s ear that one tear from his little girl's eyes and this palace will flow with blood. Ta Hwan needs to remember that. El Temur leaves and Ta Hwan drinks something to try to calm himself.

Now Ta Hwan’s trying to leave the palace. Gol Ta pleads with him and he declares that he can't breathe! He runs ahead. Gol Ta and the entourage scurry after them, but Ta Hwan gives them the slip. His face says he really doesn’t know what he’s going to do but when he looks up, he sees Seung Nyang and some other maids with the laundry. He thinks to himself that she looks like Seung Nyang. Who he still thinks is a boy. He rushes to look for her in the washing. He comes on her as she’s hanging laundry. She turns around and he’s staring at her. He studies her face. She reaches for the chopstick when Gol Ta arrives. He never stops looking at her face. As Seung Nyang drops her hand, Gol Ta pleads with Ta Hwan not to wander off alone. Still staring at her, he orders Gol Ta to have Seung Nyang make them some tea.

Seung Nyang’s serving the tea and Ta Hwan’s just staring at her. He orders her to look at him. Then look to the left and then the right. He asks if she has a brother named Seung Nyang. She tells him “no,” not looking at him. Ta Hwan sighs and declares that Seung Nyang was prettier than she is. He’s staring off into space as he talks about his friend. She looks at him. Ta Hwan declares her brave and true. A fine archer and rider. They were well-suited. He smiles as he thinks of her.

Seung Nyang notices that no one is paying attention, including Ta Hwan and thinks that this is her chance. He looks to see her reaching for the chopstick. He tells her to stand still. He stands and walks over to her. Gol Ta is watching everything with interest. Ta Hwan tells her not to move. Ta Hwan leans in (and Gol Ta squelches a smile) and pulls the chopstick out of her hair. He frowns at it and tells her to get rid of it (because it’s a pathetic hairpin). It’s not good enough for her. He gives her a decoration, because she looks like him.

Right then Danashiri shows up. She takes the token he’s offering and smashes it in her hand. Seung Nyang bows respectfully to her. Ta Hwan wants to know what she wants. Danashiri wordlessly slaps Seung Nyang hard. Both Gol Ta and Ta Hwan flinch. Danashiri yells at Seung Nyang for daring to look at the Emperor! Ta Hwan demands to know what Danashiri’s doing! Danashiri calls Seung Nyang a wretch and goes to slap Seung Nyang again but Ta Hwan grabs her and tells her enough.

Danashiri turns to Ta Hwan and declares that court ladies are bad enough. Now he wants servant girls? Angry, calmly, he tells her that she is out of line. She declares that she won't be humiliated and she’s telling her daddy! She stalks off and after looking at Seung Nyang, Ta Hwan follows her. His entourage follows. Eo Jin sees then end of things, along with Seung Nyang taking the token and throwing it into the pond.

The Border. The Turks attack. Out come the archers. Turks have really nice shields which block most of the arrows. Batolu orders the withdraw. Tal Tal declares it a feint but Baek Ahn has had enough of waiting and leads the charge out of the fort. Wang Yoo and his Mighty Men don’t follow. Shin Woo thinks it’s odd how every night the Turks make a fuss then run off. Oh, Cham and Byung Soo didn’t go either. Byung Soo declares it’s because they know that the great General Yom is here. He’s referring to himself that way. Wow, this guy has an inflated ego. Shin Woo mutters that he’s only General Yom the Scum. Myung Soo notes that the Turks advance from one direction and retreat to another. Wang Yoo declares that it’s to hide their encampment, which is why they’re having so much trouble: the Turks know about them but they know nothing of the Turks.

 Baek Ahn and his men in pursuit. Tal Tal finally stops him and declares that they should go no further! Since they could easily be marching into an ambush! Baek Ahn is tired of being mocked! Tal Tal calmly begs for Baek Ahn to stop and even though Baek Ahn protests, he stops because he knows his nephew is right.

Early morning. The fort is asleep but Batolu and the Turks aren’t. They’ve arrived to attack. Wang Yoo hears the horn and realizes that it’s a day attack. The end result: over 100 injured. Wang Yoo declares that they are saying that they can attack in daylight as well. Tal Tal’s in with Baek Ahn and Ja Hae, declaring the same thing. Baek Ahn wants to know if there’s news from their spies. Tal Tal explains to a clueless Ja Hae that if they the location of the Turks camp, they will have the advantage.

Wang Yoo declares that Baek Ahn cannot be allowed to gain control over the Silk Road. He declares that this is why he took command; to ensure Koryeo’s future by gaining the control instead. Jeom Bak wonders how Batolu never sleeps. Wang Yoo declares that this is why the guy wears a mask.

urk Camp. Batolu rides in and enters a tent, declaring to his General that he’s back. We don’t see the real Batolu’s face. The lieutenant declares the enemy clueless.

Wang Yoo is thinking. Mighty Men arrive with some men, chosen per Wang Yoo’s specifications. We get introductions: The Scout. An experienced spy and reconnaissance officer. Mokong of Koryo. The best woodworker they have. The Hunter. An experienced tracker and trapper; Over 100 tigers to his name alone. And he has the scars on his face to prove it. Wang Yoo declares that now they’re taking it to the Turks. As he narrates, we see the Mighty Men in action. Shin Woo supervising as Wang Yoo declares that they need to map of the topography, boulders, creeks… Everything. Myung Soo supervises as Wang Yoo declares the construction of weapons of wood and stone. Their own secret weapons to replace the poor ones, to be stored in the hills. Jeom Bak works with the Hunter, building traps like those for tigers. They’ll predict the Turks movements and trap them in a place of Wang Yoo’s choosing. Bool Hwa’s in charge of training the men. They may be few, but they must be the best.

Ja Hae and Byung Soo stop by to survey the training. Ja Hae declares that Wang Yoo cannot be allowed a victory. Byung Soo declares that he’s going to kill Wang Yoo himself. And then any victory will be his. He smiles wickedly. Bool Hwa sees Byung Soo and declares that Byung Soo will *not* have his way. Over his dead body!

The Pavilion of Women. Seung Nyang is creeping about. Men asleep. Seung Nyang enters where Eo Jin and Ta Hwan are sleeping. Another dream? Seung Nyang reaches for the chopstick. She’s shaking as she holds it. She thinks to herself that she shouldn't blame him… and he shouldn’t blame her for killing him. It's their fate. She lunges in to do it, only to be stopped by Eo Jin. Eo Jin pulls her away.

Elsewhere, Eo Jin declares that she’s heard about Seung Nyang: Posing as a man, saving Ta Hwan's life. She declares she’s not interested in Seung Nyang’s past. They all have stories. But if she kills Ta Hwan, *ALL* of them will be killed. Servants, court ladies, eunuchs. Simply being from Koryeo will be enough reason. This is the palace. A place of blood and tears, without mercy. She has a few people she wants dead herself. Eo Jin declares that true revenge is not that. Surviving. Enduring. Grinding those who did this to us under our feet. That is true revenge. They both start to cry. Eo Jin tells her that she’ll look the other way this time, but try it again and she'll force Eo Jin to report her. Eo Jin leaves and Seung Nyang drops to her knees and weeps. Then she returns to her room and sadly sits, crying. She opens her eyes and Wang Yoo is standing before her.

They go outside to one of the bridges. Cherry blossoms are falling. There’s rice gauze over the lens so I know this is a dream. Plus how could he get back from the front in such a short amount of time. Indignantly, he asks her if she’s forgotten her duty: To protect their people. She protests about them being her parents’ killers! Her duty comes before any vendetta. She asks what her duty is: To be the plaything of her enemies, to act the fool? She will avenge her parents with their deaths! He asks her if she wants to see your own people dead. It’s not her concern. Wang Yoo protests that some of them are her friends. Now crying, she shakes her head and declares that she has no friends. He tells her that she’s kidding herself. She declares that he’s wrong and she wouldn't even bat an eye if they all died. She wants her revenge. Nothing else matters!

Wang Yoo declares that Seung Nyang can’t. She cries, asking why she can’t. Her heart is black with despair. She declares that tt's too much. It's all too much. She starts to walk away and he begs her not to go since he’s missed her, so very much. When she turns around, he’s gone. She starts crying out for him and then starts to weeps again.

Seung Nyang wakes from the dream with Do Han sitting by her, concerned. Do Han declares that Seung Nyang is feverish. Seung Nyang protests that she’s fine, but Do Han’s going to nurse her anyway. So you do have friends, even if you don’t want them. Do Han declares that the worst thing to happen in the palace is when you get since, because that’s when you miss your loved ones the most. A tear rolls down Seung Nyang’s cheek. Do Han leaves to go get the water and Seung Nyang cries some more.

Wang Yoo’s waiting with his eyes closed. Batolu and the Turks arrive. He silently tells Batolu that tonight, he’s his. Wang Yoo fires the first flaming arrow.

Arrow lands in the bullseye. Daidu, not the Border. Ta Hwan proudly croons about his hit! Gol Ta appropriately gushes. Ta Hwan sighs and wishes that Seung Nyang could see him now. And Seung Nyang arrives with the tea, by order of Gol Ta. Ta Hwan sighs and declares that Seung Nyang’s not much, but if he can't have pheasant, chicken will do. And I’m fist clenching for her. He is such a butthead sometimes! She sneaks a glare at him. And she looks pasty. He orders her to stay there. She thinks to Wang Yoo, “Sire... I can't even kill him... What would you have me do? I miss you, Sire.”

Ta Hwan clears his throat and orders her to watch and admire his greatness. As she watches through eye slits – because I think she’s about to pass out – he repeats what she told him: The front hand as firm as a mountain. Pull as easy as if it's a tiger's tail. And this one goes *really* wide. He clears his throat and glances back at Seung Nyang, declaring that he did it a minute ago. He tries again and it falls way short. Gol Ta tells him that he must be fatigued. Seung Nyang sways, trying to stay on her feet. Ta Hwan thinks she’s laughing at him. She hallucinates that he’s Wang Yoo, who tells her that it’s been too long.

The real Ta Hwan tells her that this is her fault. He was doing fine till she got here. She calls Wang Yoo ‘Sire.’ Sound familiar? Ta Hwan is confused as to why she’s calling him Chona. And then she faints, dropping the tray and collapsing on her. And the episode ends.

Thoughts


Wang Yoo is the stud. And a better soldier than seasoned Baek Ahn. He’s gained the following of his people by almost getting killed fighting to lead them. Well, that’s one way. Although he *didn’t* get his head cracked open by the sword that’s strong enough to chop a metal sword in half, I don’t know. And he didn’t seem to have any broken bones either, even though I though surely at least a couple of ribs would have been broken by Byung Soo slamming them with that lead-filled sword.

And speaking of Byung Soo – this guy is delusional. And again, I don’t see how the bad guys just seem to weasel out of their just desserts. And how or why Ja Hae is still out at the border, since it’s so very dangerous. This guy has no sense of morality either.

None of El Temur’s children seem to get how very powerless they really are and any power they have is all because of their father, who will be dead soon. I can’t decide who I think is the most delusional… Probably I would list it as Danashiri, Ki Se and then Ja Hae.

If Danashiri wasn’t so vain and full of herself, I might actually fell sorry for her. I mean, she’s married to a guy who doesn’t love her and won’t even be seduced when she tries. That pretty much sucks, especially when you *thought* he was totally smitten. But she’s just so spoiled and obnoxious I don’t feel sorry for her at all.

It would have been nice to see how Ta Hwan talked her out of not ratting Seung Nyang out to Daddy, but we don’t. And how is it that Eo Jin was able to hear about Seung Nyang’s story when no one else in the palace seems to know it? Like Dok Man or Gol Ta?

So does this mean that Ta Hwan’s finally going to realize that this *is* Seung Nyang? After all, they should smell the same… Probably not quite yet.

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