Quippe: “Love conquers all”, it seems. By the way, the Evil Voice actually has a name: Taisui. I will be using that name in this recap because we’ll have to mention him a lot.
Dew: It feels too soon and yet not soon enough to be the last stretch but something’s gotta untangle this mess! Let’s get into it!
*Devy = Devil = Dongfang Qingcang
EPISODE 36 (FINALE) RECAP
Orchid and Changheng move along with their wedding. For once the Heaven Lord looks satisfied.
On his own, Devy prepares to face the Evil Voice (Taisui) alone, with extra makeup on his eyebrows.
The sassy cape flap before sitting down is very important to notice.
He lures the Taisui out and traps it along with himself inside the place we know as his “Heart Sea”, it’s where his Tree of Emotions is.
Devy’s reason for choosing this location is: Orchid has changed him and made him learn kindness, his heart is currently the strongest thing about him. What? Did you really think there would be real strategies involved here?
Anyway, true enough, Devy’s heart is strong enough to imprison Taisui. He says Taisui won’t be able to escape because there are bits and pieces of Orchid’s super goddess power inside his Heart too. In his language, this happens because Orchid has “touched his heart” in all senses. The power of love, it seems. The point is: Taisui has been tricked. He will die here and Devy will possibly die along with him.
Alone with Devy, Taisui does everything he can to shake Devy’s confidence. There’s no action, just a lot of talking and weird neck movements. But it seems like Devy has gone into full Taoist-master mode. He sits and meditates and claims that he has “let go”, so don’t even think of using mundane desires to trick him.
But Taisui has an ultimate card:
Xiyun (Orchid) will forget you, he says. She will go on with her life and forget everything you have shared.
This does the job, all right. Devy wavers. Taisui takes that chance to strike and escape the Heart Sea.
I would comment on how unreliable Devy’s plan was from the beginning, or how cliched it is that only Orchid’s name can make Devy drop his guard, not his brother’s, his father’s, Shangque’s, or his people. But since Evil has broken out and is about to destroy the world, I’d say the situation is fair.
Taisui possesses Devy’s body and starts to wreak havoc on all the realms. Orchid and Changheng have to halt their wedding midway. Dang it. They exchange a married-couple look — seems like they can’t avoid executing the plan that requires Orchid’s sacrifice, after all.
Axolotl battle mode ON!!
More importantly, all this dust is making Changheng’s battle outfit look gray and not like the cool, glass blue he usually has. Very disappointed in this artistic choice. They have always been unfair toward Changheng when it comes to fashion.
The Heaven army get ready for a battle. Orchid and Changheng stand next to each other, preparing to fight. She wonders how Taisui could have taken over Devy when he is always so strong and clear-minded. Uhhhhh… I feel like you and I have different definitions of those words, Orchid. If you want to see a man who fits that description, look to your side.
The Heaven soldiers begin to create a shield to trap Devy, it’s the only thing they can do to stop the dark energy from spreading. Xunfeng and some Moon generals help too. Shangque and Jieli get a brief reunion here!
Despite everyone’s warning, Orchid rushes toward Devy and they employ the one method that never fails to work in this drama: kissing. I guess now that Orchid is a goddess, her kiss is just extra powerful?
Anyway, the kiss pulls Devy out of the trance. From below, everyone can see Devy explode with fire. Not Hellfire, but “Liuli”, an ancient kind of fire that can only be wielded by someone capable of great love. Hmmmmm… perspective.
I love the Heaven Lord’s subtle shade of “I never thought anyone from the Moon Tribe would be capable of great love.”.
Anyway, I don’t think Taisui enjoyed that kiss. Devy gets his mind back, but only for a minute. Taisui is still able to control his power, ready to make trouble again.
The solution now? Orchid will have to kill Devy to destroy Taisui once and for all. Devy begs her to do it before Taisui gains control of him again, so Orchid agrees. She strikes at him, and then they… kiss again?
I’m not sure if they’re really kissing here or if they are both just imagining another kiss. Anyway, Devy dies here. His spirit turns into a little token shaped like a crescent moon. It’s cute. Definitely an upgrade from how male leads in other fantasy dramas die.
But now what do you feed a tiny baby moon to make it grow into a 6-feet devil man?? I guess we just leave it hanging on a tree branch somewhere and it feeds itself night-time.
Anyway, the Heaven Court calls it a day and everyone goes back home.
Five hundred years have passed. Changheng is now traveling the world and giving free lessons to children in the human realm; Dayin is training to become a War God; Xunfeng, Shangque and Jieli are re-building the Moon Clan.
Orchid stands above all and… not doing anything exactly. Looks like she only has a real job when people need her to die. As everyone goes about their days, Orchid narrates to us all how “love” has changed people. She has the guts to say that Xunfeng used to be “envious and ungenerous” before love touched him. No, Orchid, he was neither of those things, he just looks at things analytically. Plus, he had to grow up with the consequences of his father and Devy’s actions.
One day, when Orchid is walking around her garden, Devy pops in. I’m back, he tells her. And they kissed. They don’t say whether this meeting is real or if Orchid just imagines it, but between Devy and the little moon token he turned into earlier, I think I prefer the latter.
COMMENTS
Well, that was an interesting journey. I admit the notion that Devy’s heart is powerful because he has learned love is great. If only the drama had focused on that development arc and made his journey to discover love a bit more of a struggle. You know, if only he did not choose Orchid over everything every single time.
Anyway, we have what we have; and since the first half of the romance and the minor characters are great. I’d say it’s still a recommendable drama if you like this genre.
I got whiplash from how underdeveloped the plot of Devy “dying” and coming back was done. No scene of him reuniting with his people even! Right? Your people, your brother, and SHANGQUE, Devy.
The last quarter of the series definitely felt like a college student trying to reach their word count, but I fully enjoyed the first ¾ of the show! Their leads’ strong suit of comedy didn’t carry on and I feel like we missed it the more high stake the story got.
The soundtrack is the most consistent part of this show and it is absolutely one of the most catchy ones out there for romantic comedy period shows. It takes good actors and scripts to make a great show but a solid soundtrack just boosts everything ten folds.
So I’m still glad to walk away with a repeat-worthy soundtrack and great memories of laughing and squealing for the better half of the show.
Excuse me while I book my appointment to get an axolotl tattoo. Make sure it’s blue. #teamaxolotl
Aahh you’ve got second lead syndrome.. But here second lead always chooses his duty so i never liked him. Also devy knew evil spirit may conquer him eventually that’s why told moon tribe to be ready.