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I haven’t quite figured out if Yona landed on her head after that fall, or maybe it would have been better if she had. In any event it’s pretty clear that when it comes to reading signals she’s several cards shy of a full deck yet, in true main character fashion. She still hasn’t thanked Hak either, I might add, even after Yoon’s scolding – but let’s not obsess over that. At least she’s decided she wants to open her eyes to some things, though I’m sure she was more than a little surprised by what they saw.
This was not the flashiest episode of Akatsuki no Yona, but as always it knows exactly what it needs to get accomplished, and does so in a remarkably coherent and measured way. I really enjoy the way this series always suggests at the larger picture by giving us a puzzle piece at a time and leaving it to the audience to try and deduce what the remaining pieces look like, and it filled in a pretty important piece of the puzzle with Ik-su’s retelling of the Kouka creation myth. Creation myths, of course, tend to be huge parts of stories like this one, themselves often suggesting at the truth rather than depicting it outright. And one suspects that’s what’s happening here.
As we catch up, Hak is still unconscious and now battling a fever, which Yoon does his best to treat while admonishing Yona for her lack of expressed gratitude to both his patient and himself. Yoon’s dislike of royalty no doubt has a reason (I suspect it’s going to be revealed next week), but his devotion to healing is certainly stronger than his prejudice. When Hak finally does wake, it’s in the middle of the night – and Yona goes off looking for him desperately, crying even as she berates his foolishness. She may not be able to read a clue even if it hits her in the head (literally) but her attitude does betray a genuine concern for Hak at the very least (and Yoon she does thank).
My suspicion at this point is that Yona coming to think of Hak in the way he clearly thinks of her is too much of a paradigm shift for her to make now or any time soon, but that’s probably just as well as right now the story has bigger fish to fry (and their mutual tsundere makes an amusing side dish). The truly crucial events in the episode begin when Yona (and soon Hak and Yoon) find Ik-su praying at the edge of the cliff, tears streaming down his face. Why is he crying? Presumably because he’s seen the path Yona will choose, the “storm”, and the price she and the kingdom will pay for her choice – and seen as well that there’s no other alternative. And that his only choice is to help her along that path, even at great existential pain to himself.
The story Ik-su tells is an interesting one in its own right, and certainly for what it suggests about Soo-won’s actions in seizing Hiryuu Castle and killing King Il. The creation myth itself suggests the path the story is going to follow – Yona is clearly the descendant of Hiryuu himself, the Red Dragon descended from Heaven. And in order to restore her place in the kingdom, she must seek the aid of the descendants of the four dragons who came down to Earth to aid Hiryuu in his time of need – one for each of the Fire, Water, Earth and Wind tribes. But the recent history Ik-su relates is just as important – the priests once held massive power in Kouka, sometimes even more than Kings, and it was Soo-won’s father Yu-hon who deposed all priests from the castle.
What does this suggest about Soo-won’s motives, and his plans for the future – and about the death of his father? I think it’s too early to say for certain but Ik-su’s story is certainly relevant to both. I’d originally thought that Ik-su and even more likely Yoon might be among the dragons we already knew Yona would be gathering, but it appears that they’re instead allies – and seemingly Hak isn’t the Wind Dragon himself (I guess “Thunder Beast” isn’t a bad title) meaning there’s another Wind Clan member out there theoretically even more powerful than him. As for the immediate future, based on the last moments of the episode it appears likely that when Yona and Hak leave Yoon will be accompanying them but Ik-su will not – it seems probable that this is the favor Ik-su was about to ask of Yona.
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admin
November 19, 2014 at 1:22 pmIf that wasn't mentioned in the anime, is there any reason why that doesn't count as a spoiler?
Either way, flaming red hair coincidence? Hmmm.
admin
November 19, 2014 at 1:56 pmComment with spoiler removed (but not before I read it, of course):
Oh Hak……What can I say about Hak that the fanbase has not mentioned. …
Actually I thought she was the reincarnation of King Hiryuu mainly due to how many centuries its been since Hiryuu and the original dragons existed. I like that the story is setting up this whole "I rely on the power of the people (Su Won) vs the gods and semi gods choosing their respective representatives to bring stability to the kingdom which makes this whole situation much more interesting then a mere family struggle for power.
I'm surprised Enzo you did not mention Yona struggle to throw away the hairpin. I like the connection she made with her desire to become both stronger and a person who understands people's feelings. She may have not thanked Hak in the conventional sense , but I think her firm resolve to protect both his and her lives speaks volumes about how much she values him and all that he has done for her based on her conversation with him towards the end of the episode when she decides to ultimately look for the dragons.
But I'm so excited were going to see the dragons very very soon!!!!! Did you see the newest pv marvelous released revealing the first two dragons?
That Latin@ Chick
November 19, 2014 at 2:02 pmI didn't think it was a spoiler. Sorry about that
Kiseki
November 19, 2014 at 2:04 pmI believe it's a spoiler they'll mention soon in the anime.
I would challenge the assumption that the tribes of the four dragon warriors are the four other than the current ruling Sky Tribe anyway. It only makes sense that the Fire Tribe descended from the Red Dragon after all.
admin
November 19, 2014 at 2:42 pmWell, I have to default to my usual policy that if it hasn't been mentioned in the anime, it's a spoiler. They may have their own reasons for not doing so.
As to who's descended from who, I obviously have no proof but the uncanny resemblance between Hiryuu and Yona (which Helen also mentioned) seems unlikely to me to be coincidental.
Athos
November 19, 2014 at 4:27 pmI didn't catch the fact that it was Suu-won's father who exiled the priests (I thought Yona said it was his own father). Doesn't that pretty much solve the entire mystery about Yona's father's motivation to (supposedly) kill Yu-hon? At the very least it presents a rather obvious line of deduction.
…sorry, I've been reading too much Agatha Christie.
Kiseki
November 19, 2014 at 8:38 pmYeah, it's pretty clear that Yona happens to be Hiryuu's "reincarnation".
…And that would be the discrepancy since she isn't from the Fire Tribe.
Helen
November 20, 2014 at 12:26 amI considered it Not!A Spoiler since it's a background detail with no relevance on the plot/characters, no really it has zero importance, it's like how SAO had all kinds of little, world building details that were cut out in the anime since they just didn't have time to mention each and every one of them. (well, and now I'm trying to figure out if Kiseki mentioned the other part of the spoiler, which I had avoided since it IS plot motivation later on, or just made a guess and nailed it).
admin
November 20, 2014 at 12:36 amAnd sometimes anime change the plot of a manga, and the "meaningless" spoiler they choose not to reveal was actually not revealed for a reason.
currycurry
November 20, 2014 at 3:54 amSpoilers… spoilers everywhere.
No, really. It's as if people are trembling in cyber bushes for the opportunity to pop out and yell pixelated "answers" at whomever seems even the slightest bit confused on the one-way path to the end of a series. Got a few things spoiled via MAL that I could have done without. At least the execution is what makes this series so great, not its secrets, or else I'd be more pissed.
That moment when Yona nearly threw out Soo-Won's hairpin was incredibly interesting to me. Like, this is based on my own observations and speculations, but it feels as if her desire to now love and know her people was the main reason she decided not to throw it out — not romantic weakness. I mean, I'm sure she still loves Soo-Won but I don't think she has any delusions regarding the seriousness of his actions. She has come to grips with that, which is why she was going to throw it (and her connection to him) away, but perhaps this truth-seeking ideal means she can't turn her back on Soo-Won either.
I guess. Either way, thinking about is so very interesting!
iblessall
November 20, 2014 at 5:49 amOne thing I was thinking about regarding Hak NOT being a dragon warrior is that he'll eventually be a sort of "outsider" in Yona's divinely established party.
Could lead to some interesting internal struggles for his character.
Kiseki
November 20, 2014 at 12:03 pmThe wording is everything~
I do know of the events that happen later on, yeah. But the observation from my comment really was something I questioned a little after this point in the manga, considering the founding king was literally the fire dragon.
Zeta Zero
November 21, 2014 at 12:42 pmSo Yona's going to get her own byakko, genbu, suzaku, seiryuu now.