Six Flying Dragons: Episode 24

by HeadsNo2

The show shines most when focused on the personal relationships between our dragons, which are growing more layered and complex by the episode. Not that I don’t love all the political intrigue, but sometimes it’s worth it to take a step back and re-evaluate where everyone stands with each other. Especially when doing so yields unexpected new friendships and revelations for other longstanding relationships. And when no one else is willing to say it, we can always count on Moo-hyul to have no sense of guile. It’s maybe one of the best (and funniest) qualities of anyone ever.

SONG OF THE DAY

Kim Bo-kyung – “버릇처럼 (Like A Habit)” [ Download ]

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EPISODE 24 RECAP

Ha Ryun uses the only candle in the entire show to shine more light on Bang-won’s face so he can study his unusual physiognomy, but Bang-won cuts the face-reading session short by blowing out the candle. (And our hopes that a night scene can ever be lit by more than just moonlight.)

When asked why he follows Jung Do-jeon, Bang-won replies patly that it’s because he believes in the world Jung is trying to create. He wonders if Ha Ryun has some interest in it as well, seeing as he stole the research on land reform Jo Joon collected.

But Ha Ryun claims that’s not so, and that he couldn’t care one iota for whether the land reform is implemented or not—he’s more interested in the people who own the world and where he can find a place among them, not their ideas.

Studying Bang-won’s face again, Ha Ryun seems to come to a revelation that Bang-won and he are alike. Bang-won gets a good laugh out of that, especially when Ha Ryun adds that they’re both pretty cute (he really uses that word). Bang-won: “Sorry, but when was the last time you looked in a mirror?”

Ha Ryun concedes that while Bang-won may be just a bit more handsome than he is, that doesn’t change his physiognomy. He also shoots down the idea that Minister Hong once compared himself to Bang-won and didn’t live to tell the tale, claiming that Hong and Bang-won couldn’t have been more opposite if they tried.

Meanwhile, Moo-hyul does a double take when he’s told that Gil Sun-mi is Gil Tae-mi’s twin brother. However, Gil Sun-mi doesn’t seem to remember saving Bang-ji all those years ago, and how else to suss that out than by fighting some more?

Suddenly, Bang-won seems to be hanging on Ha Ryun’s every word as he touts Bang-won’s morality as being the reason why he’s born to rule, while someone like Minister Hong was born to serve. “So from here on out, it would behoove you to find people you can command rather than serve,” he adds.

Bang-ji and Gil Sun-mi trade blows until one in particular breaks Bang-ji’s sword in half. The fight over, Bang-ji reminds him that he was the one who left him in Jang Sambong’s care as a child. Gil Sun-mi’s eyes widen with the realization that the mysterious Yeon Hyang’s son is now the best swordsman in the Three Kingdoms.

While everyone shifts focus to locate Bang-won and the missing chest, Ha Ryun works to find a way to unlock the darn thing. He calls in one of the Amazonian warriors to help, while the rest of them go back for their dead comrade only to find her black robes missing…

The warrior Ha Ryun called in removes her mask and reveals herself to be Boon-yi, much to Bang-won’s surprise and delight. Despite it being her first time holding a sword, she does so confidently by holding one to Ha Ryun’s neck, flatly adding that she has no qualms with killing.

Now that they have Ha Ryun tied and gagged, they’re faced with the problem of getting the chest past the numerous guards waiting outside. Bang-won comes up with a plan to use Boon-yi’s disguise to their advantage once more, and emerges from the hut holding a sword to her masked and covered throat.

When he gets a clear enough path, he dumps Boon-yi and makes a run for it, with the other warriors unaware that she’s not one of their own. Bang-won whistles for backup as he runs, alerting Bang-ji and Moo-hyul to his location, while Boon-yi goes back inside to collect the contents they removed from the chest. Ah, so Bang-won is just a decoy.

Good thing too, since he doesn’t get far before the Amazons catch him. Once they see the empty chest, they belatedly realize that the spy among them must’ve been the hostage he used. Luckily for him, they’re afraid enough of Bang-ji to retreat when he comes to Bang-won’s aid.

Boon-yi has a hard time trying to carry the heavy load of books on her own, only to encounter Gil Sun-mi, who she mistakes for his twin brother. He sighs exasperatingly before telling her to hand over the bundle or face the consequences.

Tears spring to Boon-yi’s eyes as she backs away from the man intending to kill her, again prepared to die protecting her cause. Though Gil Sun-mi finds something familiar about her eyes, that doesn’t stop him from advancing. The arrival of Bang-won and the boys does, however.

Relief floods Boon-yi when she sees her brother, who steps in protectively to defend his sister. (Bang-won: “Gil Tae-mi?” Gil Sun-mi: *SIGH*) This is enough to get the wheels turning in Gil Sun-mi’s head, since that would mean Boon-yi is also Yeon Hyang’s daughter.

In his mind, Gil Sun-mi thinks that he’s happy to see Boon-yi alive before he stands down. Bang-ji isn’t ready to let him go, but Gil Sun-mi assures him that as long as he continues holding a sword, they’ll be sure to meet again.

It seems as though Gil Sun-mi and Jukryong are both working for the man behind the Red Seal, and both are concerned that they failed the almighty “Him” by not securing the chest. Likewise, Gil Sun-mi is interested to learn more about Boon-yi, though Jukryong doesn’t make the connection that she was the girl he kidnapped and thus claims he doesn’t know her.

Jung Do-jeon thanks a brightly smiling Boon-yi for protecting the research with her life before turning serious when Bang-won mentions Ha Ryun’s involvement in the chest caper. They’ll have to move faster if they want to stay ahead of the game.

Since Ha Ryun failed to confiscate the damning materials in the chest for General Jo and his cronies, he takes the issue to Lee Saek, who at first isn’t sympathetic to the plight of the nobility losing land they stole. But Ha Ryun emphasizes that he has to protect General Jo and his ilk in order to preemptively stop Lee Seong-gye and Jung Do-jeon from completing the next phase of their plan.

Lee Saek has a hard time believing that they’d have all the information needed to propose such a momentous land reform, at least until Ha Ryun tells him that if he lets them succeed in pushing anyone who’d oppose them out of the dodang, there’ll be no stopping Lee Seong-gye from implementing the reform.

Moo-hyul can’t help but notice Boon-yi’s happiness at the idea that Jung Do-jeon has gone off to complete the first stage of the land reform plan, which means that all the stolen land will be returned to its rightful owners.

Boon-yi adds that this means her dream of going home with her brother to their own land might actually come true, which causes Yeon-hee to blanch somewhat.

Too simple to pick up on social cues, Moo-hyul innocently notes, “You shouldn’t leave Yeon-hee out when she came from the same hometown as you. She’s even looking at you. Bang-ji, Yeon-hee, and you should all go together.” Adorable, but so very awkward.

While Lee Saek mentally curses Jung Do-jeon for making him protect the likes of General Jo, news of their meeting reaches Team Joseon. He acknowledges that Ha Ryun is moving quickly, and that they can’t lose the support of the sadaebu under Lee Saek for their reform.

In order to beat Ha Ryun at his own game, Jung Do-jeon intends to sow discord between the groups he’s brought together against them, and does exactly that at the next dodang meeting.

Before General Jo can make his point after the first part of the land reform plea is read by Jo Joon, Jung Do-jeon rises. Using nothing but his wits, he ensnares the blustering politicians who’ve all stolen land into agreeing that a total overhaul of the system would require months, nay, years of detailed investigations into land ownership…

“Then you agree that there should be such an investigation,” Jung Do-jeon says, catching the ministers in their own trap. But he claims to agree with the fact that it all has to be done as gradually as possible (or never), so he creates the rift he wants when he adds that only those who own over 1,000 gyeol of land will be investigated. (1 gyeol = 3,000 pyeong = roughly 2.45 acres. Times that by a thousand and you get the landowners with over 2,450 acres of land. I think. I suck really, really bad at math.)

This means that only a select few will be targeted, ostracizing them from the other corrupt ministers, who collectively breathe a sigh of relief. They don’t know they’re being played by Jung Do-jeon, but Lee Saek isn’t so easily fooled.

Ha Ryun throws a fit at the wrench Jung Do-jeon has now thrown into his plans, even as he acknowledges that the amount of land stolen by the wealthy nobility is literally insane. Looks like he’ll have to think harder if he wants that government position.

Jung Do-jeon has to explain himself to Jung Mong-joo when it comes to facing off against Lee Saek, since he’s a teacher they both were raised to respect. But Sambong has a pretty compelling argument when it comes to how Lee Saek has failed them in the past, most notably by staying silent as the three generals were falsely executed for treason.

Quoting Lee Saek, Jung Do-jeon says, “‘There is no justice in history, and the inevitability of politics is greater than the importance of truth.’” He can’t agree with that statement, and with a sigh, Jung Mong-joo agrees that he can’t either.

Now that it’s up to Lee Saek to decide whether he’s going to defend the landowners who’ve stolen thousands of acres of land or not, Bang-won confronts Jung Do-jeon over why he hasn’t told Jung Mong-joo of their bigger plan yet.

It’s not that he’s not integral to their plan, Jung Do-jeon returns, but because he is so necessary that he’s afraid to tell him out of fear he could be rejected. Aww, sounds like somebody needs a hug.

Boon-yi apologizes to Yeon-hee for making it sound as though she wasn’t including her in her plans to eventually return home, claiming that the opposite is true. “Is… is it possible for me to go too?” Yeon-hee ventures carefully. “When that day comes, I… Do you think I can go together with you?”

Before she can keep going with her uncertainty, Boon-yi grabs her hands with a smile. “Of course. Let’s go together. Let’s make sure we go together, got it?” Bechdel Test successfully passed!

Poor Moo-hyul is left with his nagging but well-meaning grandmother as they all watch Bang-ji practice tossing a cup of water into the air with his sword and catching it after a complicated series of moves with the water unspilled. As Gab-boon notes, he’s not great at it, though that doesn’t give Moo-hyul much hope.

Boon-yi interrupts his training session to tell him that Yeon-hee wants to go back to their hometown with them once their work is completed, which she knows must make him happy. Moo-hyul, ever the one to call out the white elephant in the room, loudly exclaims that Bang-ji and Yeon-hee must like each other.

Gab-boon’s quick to deny that’s so, and Bang-ji orders Moo-hyul to clean up the bowls. But the sly smile he sends his way is all kinds of adorable. (Does this mean they’re friends now?)

Lee Saek rightly chooses not to defend the landowners with over one gyeol, and even though he tells General Jo to resign from the dodang, he promises to help him in other ways.

But lest they all start blaming Lee Saek, Ha Ryun is there to tell them that Lee Seong-gye is their real enemy. In order to flush him out, Ha Ryun advises General Jo to gather his troops as though he were preparing for a coup.

Lee Seong-gye is way too dependent on public opinion to risk the negative press of fighting him directly, so he’d undoubtedly come to the negotiating table. Of course, now General Jo claims he’s too principled for such an act, but with Ha Ryun’s power of persuasion, he orders his army to be gathered outside the capital.

While Yeon-hee learns of this super secret plan thanks to a little spying, she also recognizes the man General Jo’s been ordering around as the one who raped her. Ugh, when will one of the highly skilled warriors around her revoke this guy’s license to live?

Moo-hyul sees her faint from the shock, and carries her on his back to Bang-ji, since he thinks the two of them are an item. He leaves them alone once she comes to, and since Bang-ji has no idea why she fainted, he also doesn’t know what horrible timing it is for him to mention her homecoming conversation with Boon-yi.

“I never said that,” Yeon-hee tells him with her back turned. “Also, it won’t ever happen.” Aw. She then takes the intel she gained to Jung Do-jeon, who resolves to go to Lee Seong-gye and do whatever he can to stop a potential war.

If we thought Bang-ji wasn’t good at the sword-cup trick, then Moo-hyul doesn’t have a chance in the world, since Bang-ji finds him attempting the same trick but breaking cup after cup in the process. Instead of admonishing him, all he’s come to ask is, “Want to have a drink?”

Cut to Bang-ji passed out in a drunken stupor and tears leaking out of his eyes, with Moo-hyul muttering about how he can’t hold his liquor. Yeon-hee finds him prone on the bench and sits next to him, asking, “Why did it have to be today? No… why did I think about going back today?”

She chastises herself for fainting at the sight of that man when she’s worked so hard to be strong, surprised that she recognized him after so many years of being unable to remember his face. “But I remembered in an instant,” she adds. “I remembered the wheat field, the place where that horrific act occurred.”

Looking down at Bang-ji with tears in her eyes, she admits, “I thought I forgot about it. But…” Moo-hyul stands nearby, having heard the whole story. He’s angry on her behalf and ready to do something about it, which again, just makes him the best thing that ever happened.

Jung Do-jeon and Bang-won bring the intel on General Jo to Lee Seong-gye, knowing it’ll upset him while also knowing that they can’t afford to fight this war. They’d lose all public support if they did, but they also can’t stop the land reform because of it. It’s up to Lee Seong-gye to negotiate with General Jo, just like Ha Ryun predicted.

And lo, did Lee Seong-gye go to General Jo and concede to letting the elite clean up their land issues themselves. General Jo invites him to a banquet he’ll be hosting that evening as an apology, which works to get both Lee and Jung Do-jeon to drop their guards.

It also turns out that he didn’t go along with Ha Ryun’s pretend plan that completely, since he reveals to Yeon-hee’s rapist that no one from Lee Seong-gye’s side will leave tonight’s banquet alive.

Lee Seong-gye’s side, none the wiser, plans on attending the banquet in full force. Bang-won would rather go anywhere else, being so disappointed about the concession they had to make on the land reform, but his father demands his presence.

Officer Nam warns all the boys to be on their best behavior, since they can’t let a fight break out when they’re angry and drunk. Moo-hyul’s over the moon about going to the famously lavish Dohwa Hall for anything, and tries his best to goad Bang-ji into attending as well.

Jung Do-jeon agrees that Bang-ji should go, even though he’s not going himself. Experience has taught him to be wary, and he’s got a niggling suspicion about the banquet.

Moo-hyul, Young-kyu, and Bang-ji are ordered to leave their weapons outside the manor before entering, which is the first warning sign. And they probably would’ve gone on suspecting nothing were it not for Bang-ji recognizing a face in the crowd.

General Jo brings Lee Seong-gye’s party into a private dining room. They remain unaware that in the next room over, a group of black-clad wait with axes in their hands, ready to kill the room’s occupants at a moment’s notice.

Meanwhile, Bang-ji turns to get a closer look at the man he recognized, though he turns his face before he can get a good look. Still, Bang-ji can’t shake the feeling that something is off…

 
COMMENTS

Well, this is going to be an important lesson in trust for Lee Seong-gye going forward, assuming he lives through it (which is a foregone conclusion). I can’t help but feel bad for the guy, because he’s doing everything in the most honest way he can, and that just doesn’t fly in a world that’s so full of corruption and lies.

He’s supposed to have Jung Do-jeon as his more worldly strategist, to think of every possibility and scenario since his own mind doesn’t work that way, but as of late, we’ve been seeing Jung Do-jeon as more of the man he is and less the mythic figure everyone’s made him out to be. He’s still frighteningly intelligent with a keen eye for politics, but it’s not a good sign that Ha Ryun keeps getting the best of him. I mean, it is for us because it makes things so much more interesting, but it’s not-so-great for Team Joseon.

But let’s leave the land reform to the politicians and focus on the really fun stuff, like how Moo-hyul and Bang-ji are now best friends forever and ever. Bang-ji’s had no shortage of humanizing factors in the form of his love for Yeon-hee and Boon-yi, but neither of those were really endearing him the way I think they were meant to. Or rather, while I found those qualities endearing about him, those relationships had been put on the back burner for so long that I’d kind of forgotten that Bang-ji could be used for more than super intense scene decoration.

So this episode was a great return to form for him, and one that helped solidify certain bonds while creating whole new ones. He never really had a choice when it came to making room in his heart for his sister and Yeon-hee, but to see him opening up to Moo-hyul at his derpiest really got to me, for whatever intangible reason I can’t explain. They’re just adorable together. I simultaneously can’t understand nor help my reaction to just go “aww” whenever they’re in the same scene, and y’know what? I stand by it.

Maybe it’s because their relationship has no past baggage that it’s easier to pull for, since his ties to Yeon-hee understandably bring so many more complications. But out of all her revealing moments this episode, Yeon-hee’s moment with Boon-yi in the cave said more about her than even she said when she explained herself to Bang-ji’s drunk bottom. Because, if nothing else, we got to see that she does want that happy, idyllic life—which means it’s up to those closest to her to prove that there’s no reason why she can’t have that. After someone kills that guy, of course.

 
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