The Untamed Take Two: Episode Eleven

Good morning, Readers!

It's Untamed Monday! Yay! For me anyway.

Right, episode eleven...

We open the episode with Meng Yao walking away, being interrupted by Nie Huaisang, who is told by Meng Yao that he has been banished. This results in a rare flash of bravery as Nie Huaisang confronts his brother demanding to know why. Nie Mingjue doesn't give any answers. He instead urges WWX and Jiang Chen to go home to Lotus Cove, and then mentions that he can offer LXC no more help than to wish him safety.

We go then to Lotus Cove, which is fucking stunning, by the way (but I think scenery-wise I still prefer the Cloud Recesses... It snows there). Jiang Chen and WWX are greeted by a happy populace, and it's clear that they are beloved by their people - and also don't hold themselves too high above the regular folk. There's a lovely brother bonding moment when WWX and Jiang Chen await their father, pondering what punishment they're going to get. There isn't one, incidentally. Instead, there is a pleasant family dinner.

Or it would have been pleasant. Jiang Chen's mother shows up, and hoy boy, she's in a mood, folks. Granted, she's angry because her husband has decided to give the Wen Clan what they want - her son, but as WWX is not an heir to the Jiang Clan, he can decide for himself. She's feeling pissed that this interloper into their family is being treated better than her son. But that doesn't excuse her snapping at Jiang Chen and pointing out that he's so much weaker than WWX, and chastising him for even associating with the mischief-maker. Poor Jiang Chen. He doesn't deserve that. But it also explains a lot of what is going to happen and why Jiang Chen is the way he is later on.

We then go to LWJ, who is on the road, walking as quickly as I've ever seen him move to get to Gusu and his brother. He narrowly avoids a trap and ends up face to face with Wen Chao and his bodyguard, who's name is Wen Zhuliu. Wen Chao attempts to send his dog after LWJ, but the young cultivator instead casts a charm that distracts them and then vanishes. Wen Zhuliu asks if they should chase him and Wen Chao tells him not. His brother, Wen Xu, is now at the Cloud Recesses, and LWJ would be arriving to basically ashes.

We cut to Gusu, and see fighting. So many poor disciples in white getting cut down. Did they not teach sword-fighting in the Cloud Recesses? Was it all memorizing the rules? LXC and Lan Qiren are meditating when sounds of battle reach them, and then Su She runs in to tell them of the attack. Lan Qiren spits blood. I think it has to do with the poison talisman that Wen Xu is wearing, but I'm not sure. The whole sudden spitting blood thing confuses me. But... there is a small argument where LXC tells Lan Qiren to take the books from the library and escape with them. Lan Qiren refuses, pointing out that as Clan Leader, LXC is duty bound to survive to ensure the clan survives, so he must take the books and escape. Lan Qiren will take the surviving disciples to the Cold Pond. They will be safe. No one without a headband would be able to get in.

We get another lovely family scene in Lotus Cove before we're back in Gusu, just outside the hidden entrance to the Cold Pond. Wen Xu shows up and clashes with Lan Qiren. Lan Qiren is still spitting blood, and so almost loses. Who should show up but LWJ, who saves his uncle with the killer strings technique on his qin.

They make their escape into the Cold Pond, but some poor disciples are stuck outside, including Su She, who ends up being a coward and spilling all the beans. Inside the cave, LWJ can hear everything happening outside - including the disciples being murdered. He decides to take the Yin Iron to Wen Xu, noting that their predecessor Lan Yi told him to act with a clear conscience. He couldn't sit by and let the disciples be killed.

So, out he goes. Of the group just outside of the Cold Pond, only Su She is saved. But, the Wen Clan does retreat from the Cloud Recesses, leaving the remaining disciples alive, taking LWJ and the Yin Iron with them. But not before breaking LWJ's leg.

We get another lovely scene at Lotus Cove to break up the tension and sadness. There's archery practice. They're aiming at kites. Jiang Chen misses the last one. Naturally WWX hits it.

We cut now to the throne room of the Nightless city, where a hapless peon is begging Wen Ruohan for mercy. Instead, Wen Ruohan wakes up his puppets, some of which are looking pretty gnarly, and they rip the poor bastard up. Wen Qing is there and witnesses the whole thing. Ruohan then threatens her brother with the same fate if she ever interferes with Wen Clan plans for domination again (she spared WWX and LWJ, remember). Wen Qing promises she will obey from now on.

Back at Lotus Cove, WWX and Jiang Chen wave goodbye to their homes. Perhaps for the last time... who knows?

Then we're at the Nightless City. WWX and Jiang Chen arrive to find the heirs of the major families there, except LWJ. Wen Chao show up and insults his new students, before saying, "You may as well bring him." And then...

It's LWJ.

There are some slow mo shots on WWX's face when he sees LWJ. He tries to get his crush's attention, but LWJ is, well, LWJ and ignores him.

Then, as a final insult, Wen Chao orders his students to turn in their swords; their swords. Their spiritual tools. The Lan Clan, strict as they were, never asked that of their students. Everyone gets tense.

And so ends the episode.

What I Liked

The sword fighting in this was, for what we saw, was still quite good - not as dorky as past episodes. So no complaints there.  Also, the storm clouds are finally starting to roll in. Our heroes are in the nest of their (current) enemy, essentially held hostage to force compliance from their parents. Their about to lose a major part of their cultivation abilities (their swords. I'm not sure how it works, exactly, but I've decided that they're kinda like wands in the Harry Potter universe), and the Wen Clan is threatening obliteration to anyone who stands in their way.

As for whatever progress WWX made in connecting with LWJ, that seems to have been pretty much reversed for now. That sucks. Though, granted, LWJ really isn't the type to go running into someone's arms.

What Could Have Been Better

I think writing anything here would be asking for too damned much. That said, I'm still fuzzy on why Lan Qiren randomly started spitting blood. I think it's the talisman that Wen Xu had on him during the attack, but I am not clear on it. Why was Lan Qiren the only one affected if it was thing that had an area of effect. Otherwise it was a directed attack at Lan Qiren, and I'm really not sure how that would work. That could have been clearer.

Other than that, I'm still really loving this series.