#untamed theories

[lurkingshan]

What are your favorite examples of deep unbridled yearning in a bl? I think my is I told the sunset about you the way they used the coconut smell to showcase one the leads feelings for the other was so unique and sensual. He starts out hating coconut and how it smells but slowly as he falls in love he becomes obsessed with it since it's the other MLs unique scent and he uses it on everything, so we get a scene of him inhaling a paper written by the MLs coconut pen and then another one just devouring a coconut like it's the best thing in earth. I don't think I have ever seen such a depiction of attraction/love/lust that's so different but also visceral and beautiful and it really stuck with me. It's very different but it's one of the rare romance things that I'll never forget akin to the hand flex from pride and prejudice.

So you want to talk about yearning.

*Lan Wangji has entered the chat*

There’s a lot of good yearning in the romance genre, and plenty of bls feature it. The example you gave from ITSAY is definitely one of the standouts in terms of how visceral it felt. I will never forget Teh shoving his whole face into that coconut, or all the super charged scenes where he and Oh-aew stare at and touch each other and keep testing boundaries until they break.

There are definitely other expressions of yearning that stick out for me for one reason or another, and not all in this same tone.

The Untamed

Let’s get this out of the way upfront, because no one can step to this man on yearning. He adopted a whole child and named him after his yearning for his lost love. What I love about the presentation of Lan Wangji's particular flavor of yearning is how steady and matter of fact it is. He is always yearning for Wei Wuxian and it's just a part of who he is, whether his love is alive or dead. And while I love that Teh is such a big mess of emotions, I also like this more understated flavor of yearning where nothing is ever said out loud but Lan Wangji's feelings are clear in how he chooses to live his life. He's the poster boy for "actions speak louder than words."

Eternal Yesterday

I'm not sure if you've seen this one, but it's one of the most poignant and devastating depictions of yearning I have ever seen. Mitsuru yearned for Koichi so hard that he kept his body alive for precious extra days and his memory alive forever. Brb gonna go cry.

Utsukushii Kare 2

This is probably one of the more unique expressions of the emotion (on brand for this series), since this sequel season has Kiyoi yearning for the man who is already his boyfriend to love him for real instead of idolizing and holding him from a distance. It's one of my favorite explorations of how lonely we can feel even while in a relationship.

I Cannot Reach You

This show wins for best visual effects to convey yearning, with a beautiful bokeh effect taking over the screen in moments when the characters were extra in their feelings over each other.

Unknown

Wei Yuan's yearning was more of the desperate and hopeless variety, especially in his teens years when he knew his feelings for his adoptive older brother were impossible. I liked that his feelings were expressed via caretaking; he didn't think he could have the relationship he really wanted with Wei Qian, so he made it his mission to take care of him and help shoulder his burdens instead.

I Feel You Linger in the Air

This story stands out in my memory for its dedication to anticipatory yearning. That is, knowing a separation is coming against your will and yearning desperately for the person who is still in front of you. Yai and Jom did not want to let each other go despite knowing they could not stay together, and that yearning was so strong it ultimately connected them through time.

Theory of Love

And on the comedic end of the spectrum, I absolutely cannot end this list without giving a shoutout to one of the funniest manifestations of yearning that has ever graced my screen. Every time his feelings for Khai got overwhelming, Third ran to the bathroom for a Sadness Shower, and if the water wasn't working he was happy to improvise (and now I am cackling).

[alcrox]

Did Yu Ziyuan intend to cut off Wei Wuxian's arm?

I have seen this brought up a few times.

There are generally two arguments: yes, she totally intended to do that and only changed her mind when she was told that Lotus Pier would be converted into a "Wen Supervisory Office" AND no, she was just buying time by beating up Wei Wuxian and appeasing Wang Lingjiao.

I think it's a bit of both?

She didn't (and wouldn't) hesitate to beat up Wei Wuxian. This is the first scene we see her physically abuse Wei Wuxian (before this we only hear her verbally abuse... well, everyone) but it is made very clear that Wei Wuxian is quite used to this sort of treatment. Cutting off an arm, however, is very different. It would maim WWX for life. It isn't something that, even WWX with his strong golden core, would be able to just heal from easily. He would have to find a whole new way to get around his disability.

It's not as if YZY would hesitate to cut off WWX's arm from a place of concern or affection. Hell no. She is extremely sharp and intelligent, though. She has seen WWX grow up, she has seen his talents first-hand. She knows just how much of an asset WWX is to the Yunmeng Jiang. And she knew that this day was coming. The day when the Qishan Wen came to her doorstep and tried to take over Lotus Pier. She might blame WWX for it (because she too, like Wen Chao, just needs an excuse to blame WWX, though hers comes from a place of being blinded by hatred rather than planning a seize) but she is well aware that one way or another, this was happening. That much was clear in episode 11 when she is spitting mad that Jiang Cheng has to go to the Wen Indoctrination Camp. She knows what the Wens are doing and she is not surprised when the final showdown finally happens.

So, it's a bit of both. She was buying time, but she was also, maybe, hoping that punishing WWX in front of WLJ would be enough. When WLJ mentions cutting off WWX'S right arm, however, she visibly hesitates. (Or rather, considers.) She knows what cutting off WWX's arm means; it means to rid her Clan of a powerful asset. WWX may still be able to fight with his left arm (as he has clearly made up his mind to do so) but right after his arm is cut off, he would be of no use in a fight. And YZY already knows from that point onwards, there are only two options. One, she and JC and WWX and the Jiang army fight off the Wens and risk losing their lives, including the heir Jiang Cheng. Two, the option which she ends up choosing, she fights to death, defending her home from the Wens while JC escapes with WWX. In both options, WWX's survival and skills are crucial. She knows JC's best chance of making it through all of this is keeping WWX alive and indebted. She cannot cut off his arm yet. Not when WWX, in her eyes, hasn't paid off his debt yet. Not when she knows, despite her hatred, that WWX can be counted on for his courage and loyalty and incredible skills to keep JC safe.

She orders the doors to be shut, which is absolutely meant to be interpreted as acquiescence to cut off WWX's arm. She is clever. She buys them as much time as possible, possibly also gives WWX a while to recover from being whipped so brutally by Zidian. And it also serves the purpose of keeping the Wens inside so that they can't go and alert Wen Chao and bring an even bigger army back to Lotus Pier. She knows shit's about to hit the fan so she doesn't reveal what she plans to do until the last possible moment when does.

And then WLJ utters "Wen Supervisory Office" and YZY knows it's time. That the gig is up.

If the order was to whip WWX with Zidian for a while longer, YZY may have complied. She knows exactly how strong WWX is and how much he can withstand without, like, dying or something. But the price WLJ asked for was too high (and probably calculated on WLJ's part as well; she too must know what a skilled fighter WWX is and how to sever the Yunmeng Jiang from one of its most powerful weapons. She saw WWX in action, after all, in the Xuanwu cave). So YZY stopped complying and began strategizing. How to save her home. How to keep the Clan alive. How to preserve her assets.

She didn't keep WWX alive and safe (well, safe is questionable, she did beat the shit out of him) out of goodwill. She kept him alive and safe out of necessity.

Side note, this shot:

This shot helped reinforce my theory. YZY despises WWX, that much is not a secret. Everyone knows it. Everyone in this very scene knows it. Yet when the Wens, headed by WLJ, first arrive at Lotus Pier, this shot makes a pretty firm statement of they are united against a common enemy. YZY is many things, but she is not stupid. She knows what the real problem here is. And she is standing with her entire Jiang army, including WWX, against said problem.

I despise YZY as a mother but damn if she isn't an interesting character.

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Imagine if Jin Zixuan DID yeet his brother from another mother (🥲) down the stairs.

Meng Yao: I'm your brother. Happy birthday! 🥰

Jin Zixuan: There can only be one. YEET

I am truly sad he didn't; think of the 'No Doubles' memes that we could have had...

[untamedmetablogiguess]

the other thing about Fatal Journey is that it is an almost perfect example of my the-untamed-as-a-dnd-game thing. they are literally exploring a dungeon. it's set up with a bunch of smaller fights and also various puzzle rooms. it leads them to an ultimate boss fight. splitting the party is a bad idea. they take a few scenes to pause and have an intense emotional conversation. like!!!!!

[stiltonbasket]

Chapters: 51/51

Fandom: 魔道祖师 | Módào Zǔshī (Cartoon), 魔道祖师 - 墨香铜臭 | Módào Zǔshī - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù, 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Relationships: Lan Zhan | Lan Wangji/Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian, A-Qing/Ouyang Zizhen

Characters: Modao Zushi Ensemble

Additional Tags: Podfic & Podficced Works, Podfic, Post-Canon Fix-It, Love Letters, Family Feels, Politics, Accidental Baby Acquisition, Slow Burn, Happy Ending, Sect Leader Wei Ying | Wei Wuxian, Angst with a Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Heavy Angst, Podfic Length: Over 20 Hours, podfic length: 50-60 Hours

Summary:

The one where Wei Wuxian spends the year before his wedding as Yunmeng Jiang's acting sect leader, and the cultivation world's greatest love story finds its happy ending with the help of three juniors, a teenage romance, and one very involved (and exasperated) younger brother.

---

"Let me get this straight. You really want me to stand in for you while you help Jin Ling settle in at Koi Tower?"

"Who else do I have?" Jiang Cheng returns. "Father trained you to serve as my deputy, didn't he? And don't say you don't remember, or I'll break your legs."

"Well, yes," Wei Wuxian manages to say. "I'll just let Lan Zhan know I'll be at Lotus Pier until you're back at home, then."

[uncorrectintamed]

Wei Wuxian: When I first met you, I did not like you.

Jin Zixuan: I'm aware of that.

Wei Wuxian: But then you and I had some time together.

Jin Zixuan: Uh-huh.

Wei Wuxian: It did not get better.

[haveyoureadthisfanfic]

Summary: Modern AU. Vignettes of Jin Ling and Lan Sizhui's first meetings, which only happens if certain conditions are met.

Author: rosegolds

[towardthehurricane]

This may be a monarchy but also a democracy so reblog to make the voice of people be heard.

[tanoraqui]

level 7 headcanon for mdzs?

[ask meme]

7. Exists as a pretext for the intellectual exercise of seeing how much textual support I can find for something patently absurd

This isn't absurd, but it is a bit red-string: I'm absolutely certain Jin Guangyao knew who Lan Shizui was. He had access to:

whatever of Wei Wuxian's Burial Mounds (Round 2) Era notes the Jin managed to grab, which we know they had because Xue Yang was working off of them. Knowing Wei Wuxian, there were absolutely random comments about A-Yuan, possibly including doodles and sketches of his cute little face.

any records that were kept of the Wen prisoners post-war. (It's likely there were very few, but even if you don't give a shit about your prisoners' well-being, some sort of census is helpful to make sure you know if any have escaped!)

Lan Xichen, who is good at evading but bad at lying outright, and less effective at both if you know him well (as Jin Guangyao does) - and Lan Xichen certainly knew if not the truth, then something like the truth, because he, in turn, is the only person alive [at that time] who can read Lan Wangji like a book. (If he didn't guess A-Yuan was a Wen, he probably thought A-Yuan was WWX's bastard son.)

And it makes sense that Jin Guangyao would have kept this secret, without even telling Lan Xichen he knew. He has no particular personal grudges against the Wen. To reveal it might please his father, but at cost of hurt to Lan Xichen and maybe damage to his trust - especially when, lbr, Lan Wangji's will to live was partially contingent on This Child being Okay. And soon after he came out of seclusion, Jin Guangshan stopped being a problem...

So, keeping Lan Yan/Lan Shizui's origins silent - and maybe even encouraging contradictory rumors! - is a favor Jin Guangyao is silently doing for Lan Xichen, which makes him feel good, AND it's a card up his sleeve in case he ever does need to blackmail or openly embarrass GusuLan or Lan Wangji specifically. Win win!

[eiyalist]

I had to know what it was about since Our Skyy x MSP and I was really intrigued. It was a really cute series. 🫣❤️‍🔥

[augusteight2018]

A look at Wang Yibo and Girls

This gif was supposed to be for Untangling The Untamed Thoughts but then I couldn't find this draft until now, so it is going to be for this new post. But let's take a moment to appreciate the beauty of this character, so angelic, so perfect. Sigh

Wang Yibo (I apologize for sometimes spelling Zibo, it might have been an accident or auto correct) isn't as angelic or perfect, he isn't as tall either. And that's okay, he's human. But between the two, the fictional character he plays or what I've seen on social media, I will choose .... cross that, I will not say because destiny might come back and bite be in the ...

So, Wang Yibo and the female population are like oil and water. Kind of reminds me of the character on Love to Hate you. The male lead in the Netflix kdrama doesn't like girls. And the rumours is that he prefers men. The truth is, he was badly hurt by an ex and it affected his general view. I don't know if Wang had similar experiences since he is still really young and was even younger when these biases were visible. Unluckily for Wang, with his attitude toward the female population, it hasn't changed the majority of his fandom who are mainly female; he still probably have a lot of female stalkers. It makes me think of those men who are in prison for crimes against women but still have thousands of letters from women who want to be pen pal and girlfriends because they can be the one who can change these criminals. Wang is not a criminal. At least not one while this post was written. He's just an entertainer who wants to make money performing but he just doesn't want to deal with most women. Can you blame him? Female fan can be a lot. Even his female colleagues can be a lot. Heck, even some of his male colleagues can be annoying. I think this man just want to be left a lone, to do his crafts and get paid but don't touch him or speak to him and don't you dare hug him.

Wang's upfront cold and arrogant feelings toward others is rare in the entertainment industry because a lot of us expects our idols to be kind and grateful and wear a smile when they see their fans or anyone.

For decades, women have been expected to be kind and grateful and wear a smile when they are seen. I know a woman who is scared of men the way Wang is scared of women. So maybe there are more people like this. Maybe there are more who are scared of the opposite sex than we are aware of. Just food for thoughts.

I think if I was to meet Lan Wangji or Wang Yibo, neither would blink and eye at me. They would walk right by so this hypothetical is stupid. I would probably make a scrunch up face and stick out my tongue at them and put the sound worm "I can dream about you" on repeat in my head. Something else that can live rent free in my head is images like this of the Lan Wangji. Oooh and the side eye, so hot, look those up if you haven't seen them.

[scaredysap]

I have a theory, specifically for The Untamed (not mdzs).

Okay so you all will remember the classic “why is NMJ pissed at JGY for Xue Yang not being executed, that’s not his fault” thing. Well, I would argue that it is in fact quite likely that it IS Jin Guangyao’s fault.

From their first meeting we get Meng Yao looking surreptitiously at Xue Yang all the way through captivity, I think I can almost see the gears turning in his head. At this point Meng Yao has been mistreated by his captain for a while, as well. Which is an interesting detail when we later learn that during a Wen raid in the Unclean Realm, the mistreating captain and his men end up as tragic casualties, woe is them! The funny thing though is that they died in the inner part of the Unclean Realm, riiiiiiiight next to a miraculously escaped Xue Yang’s cell. And on the scene of the crime? Meng Yao, who had split from the group earlier, leaving NHS behind even though we’re shown that he is consistently the one next to NHS to make sure he doesn’t get in trouble. He could have sent guards to check on Xue Yang, is all I’m saying.

So what happens near Xue Yang’s cell? Well, Meng Yao decides that instead of doing the logical thing when a mass murderer escapes in the middle of an attack - aka alert everyone of the added danger in their midst - he’s gonna stab the guy who offended him to death, the only one who had MIRACULOUSLY escaped Xue Yang’s rampage. Almost like Xue Yang left the guy Meng Yao had a grudge against behind. Weird.

Skip ahead, to years down the line, when Xue Yang again manages to escape execution. Jin Guangyao insists that it was his father’s will to keep Xue Yang alive and that there is no real proof that he murdered an entire sect of 50 people.

We know the second excuse is utter bullshit made up to sound righteous, we know Jin Guangshan has never cared about making sure someone hasn’t committed the crime they’re accused of before sending them to die (looks at Granny Wen, looks at A-Yuan, looks at Wei Wuxian, even, when accused of cursing Jin Zixun).

What I find interesting, though, is that Jin Guangshan wouldn’t really have a reason to keep Xue Yang alive either. It’s not like Xue Yang did much in the Sunshot Campaign, after all, when people talk of his misdeeds they NEVER mention his involvement with Wen Ruohan. So JGS has no reason to keep him alive…. Unless someone gives him one. Because see, Xue Yang is indeed worth the trouble since he is 1) a demonic cultivator and, more importantly 2) he has a piece of the Yin Iron.

And you wanna know who would be in the perfect position to tell Jin Guangshan both of these pieces of info, having been in the Wen’s midst AND having the information about the Yin Iron? the man, the myth, the legend: Jin Guangyao.

So, to wrap up my film theory: I think the reason Xue Yang is kept alive and taken under Jin protection for his demonic cultivation experiments, at least in The Untamed, is because Jin Guangyao gave JGS all the right reason for it to be that way.

[madtomedgar]

unpopular madam yu opinion but i think if she had been married to someone who actually liked her she would have been fine actually. like she still would have pushed her kids to succeed but it would have been in a “i know you can do this because you’re good and capable” way. i really do think the whole situation is like 80% jiang fengmian’s fault, even though her horrible reactions were the most obvious and immediately detrimental.

[untamedmetablogiguess]

In the world where The Untamed is a game of D&D, the person who plays NMJ is the kind of player who really likes exploring the limits and implications of the alignment system. NMJ was designed to play with the inherent tension of making a character who is a Barbarian, which is kind of naturally inclined to chaos, and one who is deeply Lawful. They think it's super interesting to explore the dichotomy of a person who is ruled, on one hand, by an almost-uncontrollable battle rage and bloodlust and, on the other hand, by an unshakeable personal moral code.

The person who plays Jin Guangyao thinks the alignment system is kind of bullshit and doesn't want to engage with that part of the game at all. They think it's reductive and frankly kind of infantilizing to act like all of human behavior and motivation can be boiled down to "good or evil, chaotic or lawful" and have opted out of any items or spells or effects that have anything to do with alignment.

NMJ!player jokes that they only don't want to tell the rest of the group what their character's alignment is because, as a rogue, they want to have plausible deniability to steal from party members later. JGY!player is genuinely offended by this suggestion.

At some point down the line, JGY's player has to drop out of the game for a while (new job? shifted class schedule? whatever reason, it doesn't matter) and works out with the DM how they want to be written out of the campaign. They're actually initially planning on having JGY (still Meng Yao, actually) killed off after being stabbed by Wen Zhuliu, immediately after having done a big murder and been "revealed" to have been secretly "evil." They really love the idea of their sendoff being one big middle finger to the entire idea of alignment - yeah, i just murdered someone and then immediately died for you in a heartfelt and selfless way! suck on that!

JGY's player, as everyone around the table is speechless and devastated by his apparent demise: And as I gasp out my last, dying breath, my final words are... "alignment ain't shit"

(They eventually settle on banishment instead of death as the way to write JGY out of the story so he can come back later if the player's circumstances allow for it, but you can see the same thematic thread being played with over and over again, because the player enjoys it so much.)

[deathbyoctopi]

If Wei Wuxian managed to survive the Burial Mounds tapping into demonic cultivation, do you think maybe that’s exactly what allowed Xue Yang to survive being run over by a cart at such a young age? 

He had no cultivation whatsoever then, but the great thing about demonic cultivation is that it doesn’t require formal training of any kind, just a feel and/or affinity for resentment energy, which someone in extreme pain, with a grudge and at death’s door (again, both wwx and xy) certainly would have. 

[chthonicillness]

ive abandoned a lot of fic wips because the hyperfixation abruptly removed its claws from my brain and wandered off elsewhere without any warning leaving me both relieved & bereft but the one where eliot and julia start faking proposals for free dessert at fancy restaurants because quentin told them both how much it would mean to him if they got along better and the first thing they figured out that the two of them had in common was Lying. i was going somewhere with that i think