Ice Fantasy 幻城 - Episode 35 (Recap)

Kakashi: Kasuo shows some determination in this episode and I must say, I like him much better with balls. Shi gets more emo in turn though. That I don't like a lot, because I get the feeling he is thinking about something stupid. As is Lan Shang.
SakiVI: Shi has a lot of guilt to manage. 
JoAnne: Uh, yeah, SHI. On the other hand, the only person who's actually responsible for Shuo Gang's bad behavior is Shou Gang.

Episode 35

Barf, Shuo Gang is showing off his fighting skills in Lava Land ... and he friggin BRAGS about his night with the mermaid. Kill the asshole. Now! Hahaaaaa, here comes Shi! KILL HIM! He is indeed trying to, but Yan Da interferes. Soft-hearted girl... tsktsk. Okay, but she at least backhands the ugly Fireling. She's also really angry at Shi and blames him too for the whole affair, since it was his scheming that allowed Shuo Gang to fornicate in the first place.  
Yan Da is correct. 
He was a major contributing factor, yes, although he certainly did not intend this to happen and had no idea it's what he was actually going to have to do. So it was never in his mind. Results matter, yes - but intent does, too.

She goes on to call him the one who is truly responsible - killing Shuo Gang won't change that. Well, yes and no. He's NOT truly responsible, but killing Shuo Gang won't fix things. This seems to hit home ... Shi disappears in a flash of blinding light. That alerts Daddy Fire. Yan Da tries to reason with him and assures him Shi just needs a bit more time to find his way "home" to Lava Town, but Flame thinks he is a huge liability. The order he gives is: "Find the path to Sacred Snow Mountain as quickly as possible". Wait ... what is this?
Find it yourself, you Fire Freak.
Such a pretty freak.

Oh, okay, it's not the first time we hear about it. It was mentioned in Episode 19 and Episode 21, as a mystical place everyone wants to go to because the Veiled Lotus is there. And that Veiled Lotus can do pretty powerful stuff, or so we are told. And you need a Teardrop Charm to get there. Got it.
Doesn't this king have a collection of Teardrop Charms, though?
I guess if one charm is good, two are better?

Shi went back to Ice Land and is blowing off steam by swinging around the Deicide. Along comes Kasuo and asks whether he wants to talk about it. There they sit at the foot of the tree, can you see them?
No, I can't spot the Shi.
I maybe see a part of someone's torso and their right arm?

Shi says he now thinks he's not fit to be the king, but Kasuo says he'll just need to keep on working on it. Have faith in yourself, etc., just like one of those motivational speakers. And then, Kasuo says he wants to play on the flute for him. Stop giggling, JoAnne. I'm giggling too.  You know I've been saying this show is one long gay dog whistle.  In his head, Shi apologizes to his brother and promises he will make amends for his wrongdoings.
By playing on his flute?

Cut to Lan Shang, who is quite clearly traumatized. Poor baby.  She won't tell the Mermaid Saint the details of what's wrong though... but she will have to eventually, because the older woman wants to go home with her. To the Infinity Ocean. Only: Lan Shang cannot go anymore, because she has legs now.
So that means only one Teardrop Charm, and Shuo Gang took it.
BASTARD.

Lan Shang also has dreams/visions of repeatedly stabbing Shi ...
How very reciprocal of her.

... and that seems to give her hope and strength, actually. She goes outside, where Shi is waiting (and worrying) and declares she's completely fine and there are more important things in life than love and romance. Like what, revenge? Shi apologizes again and assures he will "set things right for her". She looks crazy. I think she's going to do something stupid.
She was never the brightest candle in the menora. 
I think she maybe always had one foot in Crazy Town, though.

I laughed at her expression here. 

JoAnne's favorite Guardian (named Lu Zhao) and his companion got to see the Ice Queen Mother ... who is pissed off it's not Li Luo. I guess she wanted to do a little murdering for breakfast? Lian Ji hears that Li Luo often is in the forest by herself and smirks dirtily.
It's amazing how her nose is all prettily pink from the cold. 
Looks like she has a cold, to me. If you zoom in I bet it's running. Also: Lu Zhao. Hmm.
She still looks way prettier than anyone I know in real life with a cold.

In disguise, she heads to the forest to do the murdering, but Li Luo isn't easily killed - actually, she just runs away. That's a smart strategy. Her scream as she leaps off a high cliff alerts Kasuo, who was trying to do some magic nearby (it's not looking too bad!) and Xing Jiu, who also likes to take short, brisk walks in the winter forest and in addition, wants to give the murdered sparrow fairies a proper burial. Xing Jiu catches Li Luo and Kasuo overpowers Lian Ji.
Lian Ji's murdering outfit and veil are gorgeous.
It always looks like he's wearing some else's scalp like a beanie. Very distracting.
Kasuo? Yeah.

But just when they have her take off her veil, darn it! The black smoke arrives. And carries her away! Ha! Oh well, at least Li Luo is fine.
Does anyone see what I see in that smoke?

Kasuo has her brought to the palace and then tells all their friends that she's a beast now. Smooth, Kasuo. But they're totally cool with it! Healer declares he cannot heal her - cause curse, not illness - but he can at least make sure the "manic excitement" doesn't go out of hand.

My girl is a beast, yo.

From outside, Shi overhears them speak about the horrible assassin they didn't catch and how they actually want to kill him/her. Straight to mommy dearest he goes - she's sick in bed. I think she isn't just pretending this time. Still so pretty. Shi, too. Shi ain't pleased about what she attempted to do: Li Luo is his people, so to speak, by association with his most beloved bro. He tells his mother to leave the palace and run, because she is about to be found out. Which she won't, of course. To her, it comes down to this: Shi has to either sacrifice his brother or his mother.

This is not as done a deal as you think, Mama.

We see Shi stare into the distance next, because this is no easy choice. Is he going totally emo on us too? Even Kasuo, who joins him, feels uneasy about it. Awwwww, but all Shi wants is to see his brother happy and carefree, like a sleet bird.

Just make Kasuo your Queen, Shi.

Sleet birds, huh. They're always laughing so gaily when they slam themselves into that iceberg.

Then it's time to see Ice Mom and Dad about that thing called marriage. And their answer is .... no. Kasuo is not allowed to marry a cursed mortal! Bravely, Kasuo says he WILL marry her and go live in the mortal realm, over and out. Daddy: not happy. See below. 

What's the problem NOW, pops?

Wow, the Ice King even ventures to KILL his favorite (and last) son over his disobedience, but Shi steps in in time. He is the King now and his command cannot be undone - and he commanded that they get married. Daddy storms out after that. What to do? Well, kneel. Kneel in front of the Ice King's chambers and hope he'll see reason. At least it's, er, warm outside?

Shi can undo his own command, right? Not that he will, but in theory.

Why would they kneel outside his chambers? He already gave permission.

They are kneeling outside the ex-king's chambers.

Oups, yes, mea culpa. This is Ice Daddy's chambers. 

Back inside, Shi takes off his eye-patch ... oh, but what is this?! Someone seems to be watching him! Shi grabs the Deicide and runs to catch this someone, but it's ... darn it! only the black smoke. It tells Shi to go get that Teardrop Charm from the Fire People (and kill them all in the process) and that they're the only ones of the same tribe. (*hint, hint, nudge, nudge*) ... but there is another intruder!!! It's Xing Jiu, who claims he came here to look for a lost necklace. Suuuuuure.

This is why I don't like Xing Jui: he's always snooping.

Who's that again? One of the Saints?

The dream lord you two are hot for. He is the remaining "saint". 

JoAnne is dropping the ball. She forgot all the names. 

Comments

Dreamer totally overheard that conversation, didn't he?! I think Shi's short reign is about to end soon. It's quite a fail, sadly. I also hope Li Luo doesn't get frostbite on top of everything else she has to endure.
She has all that fur to protect her.
She'll be fine.  She better be fine.