#tudrewatch

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asdasd never getting over this scene. WWX leans in to whisper “Last night, I sparred with him” and then all three face journeys.

(Translation credit: Viki Rakuten team)

#The Untamed #tudrewatch #Gusu Trio #WangXian

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*screams about this moment*

This is just after WWX teased NHS about being able to memorize poetry but not lessons. NHS’s reply obviously means a lot more in hindsight. WWX is a Horrible Pupil TM but also Yunmeng’s top disciple. NHS knows what this means about WWX’s silly act.

WWX’s response to NHS’s accusation is interesting too. He doesn’t exactly play along- he shuts the fan with a wry little smile. He’s been Seen and he knows it.

#The Untamed #tudrewatch #Nie Huaisang #Wei Wuxian #In Western convention the fan would probably represent a metaphor for having something to hide. #WWX taking NHS's fan and using it would represent him playing and sharing NHS's habit of hiding things. #NHS doesn't protest WWX taking his fan he just smiles and states plainly that he knows WWX is hiding. #And then WWX shuts the fan. In a metaphor for letting go of the deception. #I lied he kept the fan MY MISTAKE #(he did temporarily shut it though) #If this metaphor for deception is present in Chinese storytelling too (I know it might not be) #I think they return to this when WWX is pretending to be MXY and he takes NHS's fan again calling it exceptional art. #And then a third time in the final episode where WWX warns him off messing with LWJ. #ohhh and the exceptional art comment is also about NHS' head-shaker act

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Bold of Wei Wuxian to call Lan Wangji’s forehead ribbon crooked when it’s the only straight thing about him.

#tudrewatch #The Untamed #WangXian #Lan Wangji #shitpost #MDZS #Mo Dao Zu Shi

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Three reasons to love this scene:

1) Wei Wuxian’s way of comforting people is to be more annoying than whatever life-or-death struggle they’re in.

2) Lan Wangji, master of laconic wit, delivers another withering comeback (eg is so flustered and cute). Also, mr.-do-not-speak-unless-necessary speaks! In the middle of battle. Frankly I think the fact that he’s engaged in a life-or-death struggle and still thinks it’s important to tell WWX to shut up is....telling.

3) WWX crushing so hard and so cluelessly he’s projecting onto the soul-eating goddess statue. Like “wow Lan Zhan looks so handsome and fierce. He’s so strong and unyielding to hold this statue back. Look at his elegant brows and those Lan arms. Even a soul-eating statue would want to tap dat.”

#tudrewatch #WangXian #The Untamed #Another interpretation: 'Lan Zhan you're a statue- a jade statue I mean. She's a statue. Don't you wanna see what comes of this?'

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baby LWJ panics in gay

The scene where Lan Wangji barges in on the Gusu Trio drinking! Look at him! He doesn’t look ready to lay down the law, he looks hurt and confused and babie!!

(I’m curious as to whether the “you” is singular or plural. I assume singular or someone would have mentioned it before, but the possibility remains. @exo-neukdae-minyeo​ confirmed it is plural. Thank you for the translation!)

Anyway then WWX sashays up to the Second Jade of Lan, who reminds him drinking is forbidden in Cloud Recesses. WWX pouts for a moment and then bounces back with a sly smile. He leans in and gives a gentle tug at Lan Wangji’s sleeve, whereupon we get, with a tiny jerk of his head, this change of expression.

It’s subtle, but look at the set of his lips. Poor Lan Wangji. Wei Wuxian doesn’t know what he’s doing to him. But Lan Wangji is strong! He persists! He’s on a mission of justice! So WWX ups his offer.

Not a drink and a chat with those bozos, it’s just the two of them. And Lan Wangji...struggled. Look at the set of his chin and lips compared to that irritated/bored expression before WWX touches his sleeve. He is DETERMINED to not fall for his honeytrap.

And the Second Jade of Lan, the pride of Gusu, Lan Qiren’s favorite pupil, turns around and runs. He stops in his tracks when WWX calls out “Lan Zhan” though. Just to explain. That he’s just here to punish them. Not for any other reasons.

Then WWX gives up on using his charms and just resorts to dark magic. Very relatable. Much disaster bi.

#tudrewatch #The Untamed meta #WangXian #Lan Wangji #Wei Wuxian #The Untamed

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IN FRONT OF SHIJIE???? (translation by/screenshot from Viki Rakuten)

#WEI WUXIAN WATCH YOUR FUCKING LANGUAGE #if he were my brother I'd slap his offering away too. #Yunmeng Shuangjie #Wei Wuxian #Jiang Cheng #Jiang Wanyin #The Untamed #note: WWX said both #the second screenshot happened after JC said 'who are you calling a damn duck?' #tudrewatch

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Wei Wuxian’s introduction to Zewu-Jun and Lan Qiren was different upon rewatch. The first time I watched, I thought it was a funny disaster. Upon rewatch-

You can see how curious Lan Xichen was about Wei Wuxian right away. The way he presents the situation to Wei Wuxian was a good wingman move. He says “actually I only let your sect siblings in because Wangji talked me into it” and then he watches Wei Wuxian’s reaction closely. Wei Wuxian has been complaining about broken wine bottles and being silenced as well as Lan Sect’s treatment of his sibilings- but when Lan Xichen explains that Lan Wangji spoke up in defense of Jiang Sect, Wei Wuxian’s hackles go down immediately. He dashes toward Lan Xichen in disbelief and Lan Xichen watches his entire demeanor soften. So, I think his first character test actually went well in Lan Xichen’s eyes.

And then Lan Xichen lets them have a long, unnecessary moment so Wei Wuxian can walk toward Lan Wangji in flirtatiously smug wonder. He only intervenes after 1) Lan Wangji shuts down and 2)Wei Wuxian backs down/hesitates. He could have said this immediately, but he just wanted to observe this first. Lan Xichen is the best older brother (sorry Wei Wuxian).

It’s also the same night Lan Xichen says this:

#The Untamed #WangXian #Lan Xichen #tudrewatch

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One of the character details I love about the Twin Jades is that Lan Xichen plays the Xiao while Lan Wangji plays the guqin. In the novel (idk about the drama), WWX explains that the guqin is the more powerful instrument. Which makes sense because, upon rewatch, I have noticed how ready LWJ is to throw down at all times.

Some beautiful nuisance of a boy at the walls? The only solution is fight. Wen Chao barges in during the ceremony? Subtly plea for Xiongzhang to let him give Wen Chao a practical demonstration since he isn’t interested in lectures.

(LXC shakes his beautiful regal head and the next time we see LWJ, he’s glaring at Wen Chao so hard that he’s leaning forward a bit despite himself.)

He wants to fight the lake monster so bad, he sends Bichen into the water. He starts pulling his sword out to fight the Dire-Owl and only stops because LXC tells him to. He fights all of the Wen invaders at once with his guqin (what an icon), etc etc.

#he's a fighty boy #I love him. #WWX is more chill than he is actually. #Lan Wangji #The Untamed #tudrewatch #LWJ burns very very cold but he burns.

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Like Wei Wuxian fell in love with Lan Wangji and without even hesitating a moment went,

“Make me a willow cabin at your gate And call upon my soul within the house; Write loyal cantons of contemned love And sing them loud even in the dead of night; Hallo your name to the reverberate hills"

and Lan Wangji listened and then began listening for it and then he never stopped listening for it until he had Wei Wuxian's hand in his again.

#this is one of my favorite things written about love ever idk how else to express #source: Shakespeare Twelfth Night #WangXian #The Untamed #tudrewatch #they're just!!! so in love!!!! #yes he was being annoying and extra but...also he was not faking and idk if it occurred to him to connect the two dots #(it did occur to him but that one molecule of self-preservation he has went NOPE and I respect that) #like i want to drape myself over Lan Zhan #unironically #what does this mean WWX what does it mean #i love him i relate to him. bisexual disasters unite.

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Nope I change my mind. The reason Lan Xichen took an interest is because Lan Wangji INTERRUPTED him mid-sentence.

“Nooooo stop. Don’t embarrass me in front of the cute boy.”

Lan Xichen’s jaw drops (for a Lan). That’s so rude and emotional for Lan Wangji.

And then Wei Wuxian run towards Lan Xichen to interrogate him while he’s still processing that interruption and what it might mean. Lan Xichen smiles, flicks a look at his little brother, and gives Wei Wuxian an adorable little nod of confirmation as if he’s still trying to respect Lan Wangji’s wishes and/or figure out the situation. And THEN Lan Xichen sees Wei Wuxian soften and starts to wonder about this Wei-gongzi.

#The Untamed #Lan Xichen #WangXian #tudrewatch

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I thought Jiang Wanyin only joined Team WangXian during the Sunshot Campaign but, when they first meet Lan Wangji, he notices this look happening earlier:

And even though he takes the lead on introducing his siblings and asking for leniency,

he steps back and lets Wei Wuxian try to flirt their way in. He even nods along when Wei Wuxian makes his pouty arguments.

He is not innocent of letting-WangXian-happen sins.

#Jiang Wanyin #WangXian #Jiang Cheng #The Untamed #tudrewatch

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Lan Qiren would soon come to regret his words, however.

(Translation credit: Viki Rakuten team)

#Wei Wuxian #Lan Qiren #tudrewatch #The Untamed #this was taken out of context don't worry

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‘Who would want to marry [a Lan]?’

We all love this dumbass moment when Wei Wuxian says, “I’m laughing at your Lan Clan. So many unreasonable rules. [Who] would want to marry you?”

Deliciously ironic coming from Lan Wangji’s very own future husband. I’m gonna ruin the delicious irony of this because for Lan Wangji, who was raised first and foremost to not turn out like his father, this is a very painful question. 

CW discussion of implied suicide and discussions of murder, coerced marriage and the dub-con relationship that comes with the [marry] or die situation.

Lan Wangji looks thoughtful as Wei Wuxian continues, saying, you’re going to be single for life, and LWJ looks away from WWX saying, ‘That’s fine.’ WWX reacts in disbelief. Wei Wuxian goes on to observe, that Lan Wangji’s father must be as boring as LWJ, and that his mother must be so bored. Lan Wangji is already staring out into space at this point, but he says that he has no mother.

Wei Wuxian laughingly asks, how can that be true? LWJ’s gaze lowers, and then WWX realizes he fucked up. He just won’t realize how badly he fucked up...well, ever, but we the audience won’t know until LXC explains what the jingshi is.

There’s a lot to unpack here so I’m going to focus exclusively on the LWJ POV of this. I’m not necessarily going to go in the order of WWX’s dialogue/points because while this is the background story that WWX does not know, and this is the story that LWJ cannot forget. His father married a woman who would not have married him if she had not broken the rules so badly that she was sentenced to death otherwise.

“Who would want to marry [you Lan Clan people]?” Not LWJ and LXC’s mom, that’s for certain. She married to avoid death and that did not go so well for her because she ended up dying young anyway.

We don’t know how she died. But she was a healthy young cultivator who was imprisoned (not allowed to do anything dangerous like go on night-hunts) and we can assume that her life really was protected by LWJ’s father (ie she was probably not murdered). It’s not unreasonable based on the circumstances to consider suicide as her cause of death. WWX jokes about any woman marrying into the Lan Sect being "so bored” to be married to LWJ’s father. So. Um. Ouch.

Wei Wuxian’s dig at Lan Sect specifically due to their rigid adherence to rules is important too, because throughout the story we see how dedicated LWJ is to those rules, how much difficulty he has navigating the world without them, and how afraid he is of becoming like his father. A fear reinforced by Lan Qiren when he scolds him post-SSC about seeking out WWX. A fear he mentions to LXC (I want to bring someone to Cloud Recesses. Bring him back and hide there). We know that when LWJ’s father broke dramatically with those rules for love, it resulted not only in his ruin, but in the imprisonment of his mother (and, I argue though this is not canon), and also her death.

Which brings us back to LWJ’s response when WWX says “You’re going to be single all your life.” He looks away from WWX and says, “It’s fine.”

Which, to LWJ, it probably is, compared to the alternative his father presented. He isn’t being aloof and in denial and childish, as he usually is when he dismisses WWX. He’s not looking away from WWX to make a point of how little he reciprocates WWX’s friendship. He is accepting that there are things he must not desire, because to act on that desire is to repeat a tragedy that has shaped his life.

(Screenshots from/Translations by the VikiRakuten team)

#Lan Wangji #Wei Wuxian #WangXian #The Untamed #The Untamed meta #tudrewatch

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I wish there were more meta written about this scene because I think it’s important for Lan Wangji (he is literally the only thing in focus in this shot) but I’m not sure I know what’s going on. Slow piano Wu Ji is playing and his lips part as he looks from Wei Wuxian to Jiang Yanli. This is in the wake of the Lantern Realization Moment and I think it’s related. So far he has seen Wei Wuxian’s virtues come to light. Observant. Skilled fighter. Book-smart. Trustworthy. Principled.
And here’s another moment that seals the deal for Lan Wangji, I think. I’m just not sure what it is. Is it the passionate, deeply caring defense of his sister? Is it the fact Wei Wuxian is receptive to sincere, gentle touch? Is it him recognizing in himself the desire to share that kind of touch with Wei Wuxian? Is it something else entirely? I just don’t know!

#The Untamed #WangXian #Lan Wangji #arguments and other ideas very much welcome #tudrewatch

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The “teacher what about demonic cultivation“ scene is so good! Lan Qiren thinks he has shut down this arrogant little whipper-snapper, and then WWX speaks up again. Everyone stares in shock and WWX says “Teacher, [etc].” Lan Qiren opens his mouth to reply- and then LWJ beats him to it. Facing forward, with a straight face, but he interrupts his uncle to talk back to WWX. WWX replies to LWJ, but then he goes back to appealing to LQR until LQR throws a book at him and then everyone starts urgently begging WWX to shut up. (He does not shut up.)

#Wei Wuxian #Lan Wangji #The Untamed #tudrewatch #yet another time LWJ chooses to fight

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Okay here’s another cute detail. As the camera pans out of the punishment scene, you see that Wei Wuxian’s imitation of Lan Wangji’s stoicism wasn’t just momentary bravado. He keeps his head bowed and his shoulders hunched, but he stays more or less upright while the other two (especially Nie Huaisang RIP) are unable to do so.

#The Untamed #WangXian #Wei Wuxian #My headcanon is that it was some WWX TM guilt thing because #he makes a point of telling them he was responsible for LWJ's wrongdoing #so he probably feels he has less right to complain in the moment than LWJ does #at least until he's with Shijie #tudrewatch