Legend of Condor Heroes 2008, episodes 23 and 24

So for those of you who found my episode 1-12 really confusing, irugnotmis is doing a more comprehensive recap. Hopefully one of us can explain what’s going on. 😀

Episode 23

Huang Rong and Guo Jing go in to make the kill, but Wanyan Honglie is riding away with Wanyan Kang. They are stopped at the door by Ouyang Ke, who woke up at the noises they were making, and wasn’t there when Wanyan Kang came.

Ouyang Ke knows now that the prince is making a getaway, so he stays to combat Guo Jing. Huang Rong stands on the side, gritting her teeth.

In the woods, Wanyan Honglie shows that he doesn’t altogether trust Wanyan Kang just yet – which must rankle, as the other has basically thrown away everything to join the prince’s side. He does the same ‘kill me if you can’ stunt and Wanyan Honglie listens to him for the moment. Unfortunately, Mu Nianci is watching in the woods.

They make a pit stop as Wanyan Honglie refuses to go further, and a messenger from the place they were staying at brings the news that Guo Jing and Huang Rong had snuck in and killed the guard impersonated as the prince. Wanyan Honglie is now convinced of Kang’s loyalty.

Legend of Condor Heroes, Episodes 21 and 22

I am alive, yes, don’t worry. 😀 Precious little time to do anything, though.

Worked from 5 to 9 yesterday, and may never recover.

Episode 21

Just as they reach a truce, Guo Jing’s six teachers have to butt in and contest her. At this point, Guo Jing claims responsibility for Mei Chaofeng’s husband’s death, which means he gets the brunt of her anger. Huang Rong tries to stop them, but is less successful this time, and has to settle for hinting at Guo Jing to use the Dragon Subduing Palms.

(I’ve just realized that one part of their soundtrack sounds really like the Pirates of the Caribbean – which has been throwing me off every time I hear it because I get sidetracked to the dashing Jack Sparrow, and that is just not on for recapping something Chinese.)

Anyway, with the Dragon Subduing Palms, Guo Jing is holding his own with Mei Chaofeng. Thing is, she doesn’t stop when she should have, and injures him. She’s poisoned him, and his masters rush up to ‘avenge’ him. Huang Rong and master #2 team up to get the antidote from her, while the others distract her.

Yang Kang, interestingly, is defending his teacher and not his brother.

Along with the antidote, master #2 gets something that looks like a scroll. But they really could care less as Guo Jing is suffering from the poison, so they give him the antidote first.

Legend of Condor Heroes 2008, episodes 19 and 20

Whoo-ee. Hopefully we’ll get some plot progression at last.

Episode 19

The third prince is busy underestimating the Mongolian emissaries, and Wanyan Honglie’s suggestions of a more diplomatic approach are scorned. Just as he is sent away like an errant child, his older brother gives the order to attack the two emissaries (who happen to be good friends of Guo Jing’s – Tuolei is the brother of Hua Zheng and the three grew up together).

In the confusion, Wanyan Honglie saves his father from two very sharp swords, and Yang Kang – excuse me – Wanyan Kang pops out from nowhere to lead more troops to kill all the Mongolian soldiers the two emissaries brought with them.

There is much killage and despair, but Hua Zheng comes (out of nowhere also) and administers some righteous killing.

Huang Rong is smart enough to know that if they go to the Jin capital, Yanjing, they’ll find Yang Kang (or as Rong Er says, that annoying bastard). Then she gets attacked by the two white condors who deliver a message of distress from Hua Zheng. Out of all the people who accompanied her, only two people survived, and her older brother (#3) is seriously injured. The Jin emperor still has her brother #4, Tuolei and another friend.

Legend of Condor Heroes 08, episodes 17 and 18

Episode 17

Ouyang Ke keeps wearing Yang Kang down about coming back into the loving arms of daddy #2. When the softer persuasion of power does nothing, he reminds Yang Kang that Mu Nianci is still in detainment. Yang Kang is stronger than in the previous version, and leaves unswayed.

His plan is to storm the jail and rescue Mu Nianci. It works, in a fashion… but he knocks down the front door guards only to have more guards led by Jin prince the third come upon him. Of course, Wanyan Honglie comes and plays the rescuer. After the three ride off, Ouyang Ke comes and blocks the prince and his troops from going after anyone.

Then Wanyan Honglie gets all repentant in front of Yang Tiexin and Bao Xiruo’s grave (all part of the plan, dudes) and asks Yang Kang to kill him. Coming off the heat of the moment, after he’s helped him, and to ignoring 18 years where they lived happily ever after is kind of hard… so he makes his way slowly to the man who killed his parents. (It occurs to me that Ouyang Ke must have Yang Kang very well figured out, because Wanyan Honglie is taking a rather large risk.)

Legend of Condor Heroes 08, episodes 15 and 16

Did yall miss me? 😀

For those of you who are really confused about who’s who, irugnotmis has written up a character synopsis, with pictures, no less. Check it out and I hope that helps! On to the recap now…

Episode 15

Huang Rong makes a bet with Hong Qigong – that if he can guess the name of her dish, then she will give it to him. He can identify the ingredients, but not guess the right name. Um, swallowing cherries whole ftw. Poor Guo Jing is perishing of hunger.

Dude, the dish names she comes up with are so complicated.

And since Hong Qigong can’t guess the name of the soup, Huang Rong tells Guo Jing to throw the soup out. Of course, the old man uses his kung fu skills to retrieve it. He’s hooked for good now. Whenever he guesses wrong, he has to resort to kung fu to get the food. Huang Rong watches avidly.

The challenge goes on.

Legend of Condor Heroes Episodes 13 and 14, recap

God, I have to find a shorter way of referencing the drama. 😀 And from flyingcrispi’s reaction (thanks for being honest), I realized that doing 12 episodes of a dense epic in one recap was really brutal. Sorry guys! If there are any questions, fire away, and I shall dedicate a post to answering them. Moving on to the actual recap now~

Episode 13

So Yang Kang chases after Wanyan Honglie, determined to kill the person responsible for his parents’ deaths, but is utterly beaten into the ground by the dashingly poncy Ouyang Ke. As he lies on the ground, all but dead, the breathless Mu Nianci beats the crap out of Ouyang Ke and chases them off. (Interesting, as so far he’s the best of the younger generation. Hidden depth ftw.) They go, as the priority is to get Wanyan Honglie to safety.

Yang Kang lies on the ground, blood trickling out of his mouth, obviously injured and stuff. Mu Nianci cradles him and they exchange previously unexchanged mushy words. Oh, young love.

Huang Rong and Guo Jing run up, and Guo Jing promises to complete the revenge. The two girls start bringing Yang Kang home.

Meanwhile, Wanyan Honglie is castigating Ouyang Ke for possibly dealing a death blow to Yang Kang. The other is justifiable surprised, as his erstwhile son tried to kill him, but the Jin prince cannot bring himself to hate the little boy he raised from birth.

Legend of Condor Heroes 2008, first impressions

First of all, let me tell you how excited I am that it’s come out!! (The versions on the net are from the VCD, unfortunately no subs yet.) After wrestling mightily with the issue of recapping this megalith of a drama, I’ve decided to go for a gradual recapping process, with several episodes at one go. Hope you’re okay with that. 😀

That being said … spoiler ahead? Also, long post warning.

Contains a character list, backstory explanation, brief synopsis of episodes 1-12, and thoughts.

Characters: (lots of people in this thing, you sit forewarned)

I’ve included links for any of the actors I could find in English, but not all of them are available. Click on the name of the characters to find out who’s acting as who!

The lovers:
Guo Jing – the hero of this thing
Yang Kang – supposedly the foil of Guo Jing, but we’ll see how this show is planning to treat him
Huang Rong – smart, capable, pretty, has a quixotic temper inherited from her father and loves Guo Jing
Mu Nianci – also a beauty, and will fall in love with Yang Kang
Hua Zhen – Mongolian princess, daughter of Khan, in love with Guo Jing